“Wonder Woman 1984” Review: Simply Entertaining
by Sam Acosta
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains minor spoilers]
“Wonder Woman 1984” is a film that entertained me throughout its duration but left me missing its predecessor. Despite the bright atmosphere and vibrancy that comes with the ‘80s setting, the film pales in comparison to its predecessor. While it lacks any glaring flaws and kept me engaged, there were many points throughout the movie where I wish there had been just a bit more substance.
In terms of ...
Family Matters Most – “Safety” Review
by Nick Ratliff
Based on the true story of college football player Ray McElrathbey (Jay Reeves), “Safety” is a story of determination, persistence and the importance of family. The real-life Ray is an inspiring example of a student-athlete, and this film depicts this well.
The film begins with Ray, a freshman attending Clemson University, being recruited as a safety to the Clemson football team, the Tigers. Early on, Ray struggles to balance his time between academics, sports, and his ...
“Enola Holmes” Review: “Stranger Things” Star Shines as Sherlock’s Little Sister
by Hunter Johnson
Over the last century, nearly a hundred actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes in film and television. Whether it be the classic Basil Rathbone films from the 40s or Vasily Livanov’s well-received series from the 80s, Sherlock has long been an international staple of mystery storytelling.
In recent years, the Sherlock mythos has entered a new phase that I like to call the “superhero phase.” He’s been played by Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Doctor Strange (Benedict ...
“Mulan” Review: Visually Stunning Remake Aims to be a Modern Myth, with Mixed Results
by Ben Hiett
The first thing I did after seeing Disney’s live-action remake of “Mulan” was go to the source of all useful knowledge, Wikipedia, and look up the Chinese folk ballad on which both this movie and its animated counterpart are based.
I did this because the whole time I was watching this movie, I felt as though I was watching an ancient legend unfold before my eyes. With its sweeping scope, picturesque visuals, and archetypal characters, “Mulan” seeks to tell an ...
“Togo” Review
By Hunter Johnson
Most everyone has heard of Balto, the heroic sled-dog who led the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska, saving dozens of lives as a result. But most people haven’t heard the full story.
“Togo” tells the real-life tale of the dog who led the eighteenth team of dog sleds across Alaska. It shows that Balto did not actually run the entire serum run, but was only the twentieth and final team. However, Balto still received all the attention in the aftermath.
Director of ...
Top 5 Movies of 2019
By Hunter Johnson
5. 'Ad Astra'
“Ad Astra” is not like most space travel epics. It’s not about big stories or loud action set pieces or overly-relatable protagonists. It’s about holding onto hope in the midst of deep and despairing abandonment.
“Ad Astra” is about an introverted astronaut named Roy (played by Brad Pitt), who’s sent on a mission to retrieve his longlost father from space.
This film is brought to life by three bigname stars. In this film, Brad Pitt ...
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” Review
By Hunter Johnson
In “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” writers and directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz turn what could’ve been a standard retelling of the Huckleberry Finn story into a modern tale of discovery between a redneck fisherman and a runaway person with Down Syndrome.
Zak (played by Zack Gottsagen) is in his early twenties and has been treated differently his whole life because he has Down Syndrome. Having no family to look after him, he lives in a retirement home, ...
Book Review: ‘The City Beyond the Glass’
By Sarah Pennington
Gemma Caloprini is trapped. She’s trapped by her father’s rules, which keep her and her two sisters locked within their family’s home. She’s trapped by society’s expectation that she either marry or live out her days in a convent. And she’s trapped by the Glass Doge, who rules the Glass City beyond the mirrors where she and her sisters secretly escape every night to dance and forget their troubles. Then, a fatal misstep on her part destroys both her family’s ...
Movie Review: ‘Ready Player One’
by Hunter Johnson
Steven Spielberg says that the three movies that were most difficult to make were: “Jaws,” “Saving Private Ryan,” and “Ready Player One.”
“Ready Player One” is the 33rd movie to be directed by Steven Spielberg and is written by Zak Penn and Earnest Cline, the author of the 2011 novel of the same name.
It tells the story of a future where virtual reality has become part of everyone’s world. Wade Watts must complete the VR game in order to stop a large ...
Movie Review: ‘A Wrinkle in Time’
by Hunter Johnson
Over the last several years, Disney has changed the game of filmmaking. Along with their releases of many Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars films, Disney has also been releasing a steady amount of their own films under the Walt Disney Pictures banner, like “The Jungle Book,” “Pete’s Dragon,” and “Beauty and the Beast.”
Now, Walt Disney Pictures has released their first film of 2018, “A Wrinkle in Time,” based off the 1962 novel of the same name.
“A ...
