‘Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous’ Is a Masterpiece Made Before Its Time
By Sam Acosta
In a world oversaturated with sitcoms, it is hard to find any with much to offer beyond a few crude jokes. It seems as if there are no more original ideas for the genre, with most modern shows being simple copy-and-paste replicas of more successful predecessors like the seemingly endless “Office” and “Friends” clones. There are, however, a few hidden gems out there, shows with both originality and quality. “Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous” is one of those gems.
The ...
‘Arcane’ Is Inexplicably Amazing
By Janie Walenda
There are many reasons why “Arcane” should have failed, such as its source material. the numerous characters and complex subject matter. Yet, in an interesting turn of events, not only is “Arcane” good, but I would go so far as to call it a masterpiece.
I went into this show completely blind, to the point that I didn’t even know it was based on a video game. It wasn’t until halfway through the show that I learned “Arcane” was a prequel series for the ...
Now on Netflix, ‘Seinfeld’ is a Comfort Show About Nothing in Particular
By Sam Acosta
After their loss of sitcom headliners “The Office” and “Friends,” Netflix was searching for another big name to fill the void. This fall, Netflix announced that the entirety of “Seinfeld” would be coming to the streaming platform. I had never seen a single episode before, so I took it upon myself to binge the entire series to see if it lived up to the hype.
The show follows Jerry Seinfeld, a comedian in New York City, and his friends George, Elaine and Kramer, as ...
‘The Witcher’ Season One is a Mix of Failures and Triumphs
By Sam Acosta
This Netflix adaptation of the beloved “Witcher” series has its fair share of triumphs and failures. This gritty fantasy series follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, one of the few surviving Witchers (mutated humans created to hunt monsters), and his battle with his destiny. While I am in love with so much of this series, I also struggle to justify some of its creative decisions.
In terms of plot, “The Witcher” somehow manages to take its strong story and place ...
‘The Unforgivable’ is a Movie of Wasted Potential
By Wyatt Rucker
Released on Netflix earlier this month, “The Unforgivable” reminds us that Sandra Bullock is a world-class actress; however, the filmmakers inexplicably decide to include so many scenes without her that it wrecks the film’s pacing and wastes its potential.
“The Unforgivable” follows the story of ex-convict Ruth Slater (Bullock) after her release from prison. Throughout the movie, the audience gets subtle clues as to the true nature of her crime. The explanation ...
‘Cowboy Bebop’ is a Flawed yet Entertaining Remix for the Returning Fan (Spoiler Review)
By Ben Konuch
“See you later, space cowboy…”
As an adaptation of the anime series of the same name, Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop'' puzzles me. It gets a lot right, such as the phenomenal casting of John Cho as Spike, Daniella Pineda as Faye and especially Mustafa Shakir as Jet. Yet, it also manages to get some of the fundamentals of the story very wrong.
Starting with the positives, of which there are many, most of the subtle tweaks they make to Spike’s and Jet's backstories ...
‘Cowboy Bebop’ is an Exciting Experience for the Newcomer (Spoiler-Free Review)
By Ben Konuch
“Death follows you wherever you go. It’s in your bones, Spike...”
Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop” really confused me. It’s the most recent in a long string of live-action anime remakes, following such failed attempts as “Dragonball: Evolution” and “Death Note.” Needless to say, studios have had a difficult time trying to adapt anime into live-action, especially with fans being very picky (and vocal) when they feel their favorite shows are being butchered in ...
‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’ Soars as a Showcase of Unexpected Talents
By Ben Hiett
“Am I cut out to spend my time this way?”
So asks Jonathon Larson, the real-life Broadway composer and playwright who is the focus of this film. Directed by Broadway extraordinaire Lin-Manuel Miranda with a screenplay penned by “Dear Evan Hansen” writer Steven Levenson, “Tick, Tick...Boom!” is an adaptation of a solo rock opera originally composed and performed by Larson himself. Written before his most famous musical “Rent," the show tells the story of Larson’s ...
‘The Guilty’ is a Gripping Thriller about the Importance of Truth
By Ben Hiett
This heart-pounding psychological thriller opens with the text of John 8:32 written in journalistic print across a black screen: “And the truth shall make you free.” “The Guilty,” a remake of a Danish film of the same name, shows us the importance of having the whole truth, as far too often, we can treat our assumptions as fact until they come crashing down around us when we come to see the bigger picture.
The film opens on a city on the brink; raging wildfires have ...
‘Diana: The Musical’ Is a Royal Mess
By Janie Walenda
There is no shortage of dramatizations of Princess Diana's life. “The Crown” introduced her in its most recent season to great success, and “Spencer” was lauded by critics when it premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in early September. Diana’s story remains one of the most intriguing and complex of the 20th century, and sadly, “Diana: The Musical” waters it down to nearly nothing.
To start, the music is just bad. There’s no rhythm to ...
