What makes the first half of “Shogun” so special?
By Ben Konuch
“Why is it that only those who have never fought in a battle are so eager to be in one?”
When the first adaptation of James Clavell’s influential 1975 novel “Shogun” premiered as a miniseries in 1980, it took the television world by storm. “Shogun” not only aimed to capitalize on Clavell’s highly successful story of death, deceit and culture set in feudal Japan, but to bring the story to the small screen in a way audiences had never seen before. The crafting ...
‘Unsung Hero’ fosters a strong character-audience connection and prompts contemplation about your faith
By Esther Fultz
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like everything that could possibly go wrong did? To be completely honest, I felt like I did last week when I left my phone at home and misplaced my Macbook charger at the same time and as a result missed a coffee date with my friend. If you can relate to this, the beginning of “Unsung Hero” depicts a situation you could consider similar - just a little more intense.
When talent manager David Smallbone’s career takes ...
‘X-Men ‘97’ embraces and elevates the original series
By Janie Walenda
Before the times of live-action cinematic universes, superhero stories were ruled by the worlds of animated cartoons. In the 90s, Batman, Spider-Man and the X-Men all received iconic cartoon series that are still beloved today. While cartoon superhero shows are still being made, they’ve certainly taken the backseat to live-action blockbusters. “X-Men ’97,” a continuation of the animated series that started in 1992 and ended 27 years ago, makes a compelling ...
‘The Bad Batch’ season three kicks it up to a 99
By Janie Walenda
Within the past several years, whatever focus the Star Wars franchise may have possessed has been on the period of time after the rise of the Empire and before the events of “A New Hope.” Past successes like “Rebels” and “Rogue One” led to newer projects like “Kenobi” and “Andor,” as well as the follow-up to “The Clone Wars,” “The Bad Batch.” Together these stories paint a picture of the rise of the Empire and its totalitarian grip on the galaxy. ...
‘The Christians’ is brilliantly thought-provoking
By Isaac Steward
When I talked with Rachel Richardson, the director of Cedarville’s most recent senior theater production, she was fairly open about what I should expect from her show. However, the show took me by surprise all the same, immersing the audience in its church setting before I even took my seat, starting the show with a time of worship. It was only after we'd finished singing and Pastor Paul (played by Timothy Anderson) came up to the pulpit when the show really started.&nb...
‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ brings us the next generation dragon warrior
By Thomas J. Cromer
The Series in Overview:
For those not familiar with the “Kung Fu Panda '' films, the franchise started in 2008 and its newest entry hit theaters this month. The “Kung Fu Panda'' films are set in a fantasy version of ancient China full of mystical creatures. As the title of the series suggests, it does have a good amount of action in it focused on the Kung Fu family of martial arts. The characters in the series are all humanoid animals, which naturally causes ...
‘Passport to Love’ shows a romantic journey around the world.
By Laci Strouse
Nicole (Shae Robins), a travel blogger, and Kade (Mason D. Davis), a marketing representative, both end up at the same hotel while traveling for work in Polynesia. This small encounter leads to a wonderful friendship, only hampered by Kade’s boss wanting him to take down any threat to his company, including Nicole’s blog. He must decide if his career is worth destroying the career of the woman he loves.
This movie stood out to me because of the setting. ...
‘Dune: Part Two’ delivers a haunted messiah that you may not be ready for
By Ben Konuch
“Power over spice is power over all.”
Three years after Denis Villeneuve unveiled his first chapter of a vast adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi novel “Dune,” Villeneuve returns to the sands of Arrakis to bring the next page of his adaptation to life. With “Dune: Part One” serving as an overwhelming financial and critical success, snagging a total of six Oscars at the Academy Awards and introducing new fans to the mystical and militaristic future ...
‘Damsel’ distresses audiences with its mediocre story
By Katlynn Rossignol
In “Damsel,” the new dark-fantasy film from Netflix, Elodie Bayford agrees to marry a wealthy prince to save her starving country only to be thrust into a fight for survival. The kingdom has hidden a terrible secret within its mountain and sacrifices her to the beast inside. Only by using her cunning and bravery can Elodie escape the deadly caverns and enact justice.
The Bayfords are welcomed by Auria’s royal family
Positives
Elodie, played by Millie ...
‘Dune: Part One’ showed us how to make a blockbuster beautiful
By Ben Konuch
“For the future of House Atreides, there is no call we do not answer, there is no faith that we betray.”
When I first saw “Dune” in theaters during the fall of 2021, I realized something about the film: “Dune” is not an action film. You may not think that from its opening scene, an explosive spectacle that shows the people of the desert planet Arrakis desperately fighting back against their invaders. You may be tempted to assume the contrary from any of its ...
