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 ...
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 ...
Movie Review: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
by Hunter Johnson
Directed by Bryan Singer, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a new film starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. The film focuses on the life of Mercury and his position as lead singer of the band Queen.
Overall, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a well-made biopic that nicely demonstrates the legacy and brilliance of Queen. It’s also a film that feels the need to include as many Queen songs as it possibly can, essentially making the film an extended music video.
While it demonstra...
Movie Review: ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’
by Hunter Johnson
Mission: Impossible is one of the most fascinating modern film series for one specific reason: each of its first five films were directed by a different director. Each movie had its own unique tone and style to it, so each one always felt new and fresh. Really, the only common through line of every film being Tom Cruise’s presence.
That was true until this year, when Christopher McQuarrie, the director of “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” was asked to return to ...
Movie Review: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
by Hunter Johnson
The first Captain America film had just one superhero. Then the second Captain America film, directed by the Russo brothers, came along and starred Cap alongside three other heroes. The Russo brothers then returned for the third Captain America film, taking the character count to a whole new level at a whopping twelve protagonists, all with fully fleshed-out stories and roles.
Nearly seven years after the first Captain America film, the Russo brothers return to create ...
Movie Review: ‘Black Panther’
by Hunter Johnson
Marvel is known for making films about all different kinds of superheroes. They have made movies about a billionaire in a metal suit from LA, a kid in stars and stripes from Brooklyn, and an alien who flies around with a hammer. And now, the newest addition to this colorful cast of is a man who dresses up as a cat.
“Black Panther,” directed and written by Ryan Coogler, is the eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It tells the story of King T’Challa of ...
Movie Review: ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
by Hunter Johnson
In 2015, Star Wars was resurrected with the film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The film rejuvenated what is arguably the most beloved film franchise of all time. It returned Star Wars to its roots of being a simple story about good vs. evil set in a very rugged world filled with adventure, fun, and a returning cast of characters that people have loved for decades.
Now, the sequel to the third highest-grossing film of all time has been released. And it has possibly an ...
Movie Review: ‘Justice League’
by Ian Sarmiento
With the recent premiere of the latest DC movie “Justice League” the producers have finally answered some of the most important questions in the history of the DC Universe: “What is brunch?”
In the new film “Justice League,” directed by Zack Snyder, we take a first look into the lives of the super-powered misfits as they band together and save the world.
First, what everyone wants to know: is it better than “Batman v Superman”? To put it simply: Yes, but it ...
