‘Daredevil: Born Again’ is an uneven yet hopeful return to Marvel’s past
By Ben Konuch
“It's hard to come to terms with a violent nature, hating the power it has over us.”
(The following review is spoiler-free.)
There was a time when “Daredevil” was Marvel's best-kept secret. Originally produced under a streaming deal with Netflix, “Daredevil” starred Charlie Cox as the legendary lawyer and vigilante Mathew Murdock in a shockingly gritty and grounded take on superheroes and villains. Despite the popularity of the series and its subsequent ...
Why aren’t more people talking about ‘The Gorge?’
By Ben Konuch
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.”
It was early January when I first saw a trailer for the upcoming Apple TV original film “The Gorge,” and I was immediately intrigued. Helmed by Scott Derickson (director of “Doctor Strange” and “The Black Phone”) and starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller (with guest star Sigourney Weaver), this romantic action thriller looked like the perfect homage to the rom-com action films of the ...
‘Flow’ sweeps viewers away
By Sophia Monastra
Before it won the 97th Academy Award for an Animated Movie, this dialogue-free Latvian animated film flew under the radar for most movie watchers in the United States. As someone who isn’t a movie watcher, I’m a horrible litmus test of its reach. I didn’t know about it until last month when I watched a random YouTube video that mentioned it. Seized with curiosity on how an indie film won against well-known films like “The Wild Robot,” “Mufasa” and “Inside ...
‘COWBOY CARTER’ is a Dense but Rewarding Feat of Storytelling
By Justin Kemp
Introduction
On February 2nd, 2025, Beyoncé finally won Album of the Year in one of the most competitive Grammy seasons in recent history, also taking home Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The internet immediately erupted, with some celebrating Beyoncé’s achievement and others claiming that “COWBOY CARTER” wasn’t good enough (or country enough) to deserve any Grammys.
I want to begin this review by emphasizing that I am a white man ...
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ flies, but never soars
By Ben Konuch
“Steve gave them something to believe in. You give them something to aspire to.”
“Captain America: Brave New World” is perhaps the Marvel movie with the most to prove leading up to its release. As many fans lamented the loss of Steve Rogers as Captain America and Sam Wilson received numerous forms of backlash for picking up the mantle – some directed at his character or heroic potential and others hatefully thrown at his race and appearance – the prospect of ...
‘Wolf Man’ isn’t the triumphant return to the golden age of monster films we hoped
By Ben Konuch
“Sometimes when you're a daddy, you're so scared of your kids getting scars that you become the thing that scars them.”
“Wolf Man” wasn’t on my radar until its masterful teaser trailer premiered in early September, and from that moment on, I couldn’t wait for its release. A reimagining of one of Universal’s classic monster films, this new take on “Wolf Man” comes from Leigh Whannell, director of one of my all-time favorite movies, 2020’s “The Invisible ...
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ is surprisingly deep
By Sophia Monastra
Let me start off by saying that I’m neither a gamer nor immersed in the Sonic the Hedgehog lore. My knowledge about this speedy blue hedgehog comes from a combination of the IDW comics, previous movies, random clips of “Sonic Boom” pilfered from YouTube and Wikipedia.
With that said, I know enough about Shadow the Hedgehog to have a bit more context for this movie than my companion: my younger sister, who had no exposure to Sonic the Hedgehog in any media ...
‘What If…?’ season three misses the point of nostalgia bait
By Katlynn Rossignol
“What If…?” is one of Marvel's animated shows that explores alternate versions of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its characters. With a prompt so broad, the show has shared three seasons of unique scenarios. However, the last act of season three had me asking, “What happened?”
Gundam, Power Rangers, Voltron, Pacific Rim… or Sam Wilson in a robot?
Before delving into the many negatives, I’d like to appreciate the animation and art put into ...
‘A Vengeance Most Fowl’ is a comedic commentary
By Danielle Cherry
In the 17 years since Wallace and Gromit’s last appearance, animation has moved through both ultra-realism and stylization, with high-tech tools dominating the medium. Their newest film “A Vengeance Most Fowl” breathes an old-fashioned air into an over-saturated genre.
The greatest charm of the film is the characters' personas. Wallace is an avid inventor, systemizing his entire life with the push of a button. Wallace sees change and advancement as exciting, ...
‘The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim’ brings deep-cut Tolkien to life
By Janie Walenda
This review contains spoilers for “The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim”
Confession time: fantasy isn’t really my thing. While I enjoy it, it’s not something that I get invested in or seek out. It’s entirely possible that my apathy towards fantasy is an attempt to balance my brother’s obsession with it, especially when it comes to J. R. R. Tolkien’s work.
He’s read every book, brought the Silmarillion on our five-day vacation and, as I write, is ...
