Category Archives: Movies/TV/Theaters

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Waves’ movie review

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By: Janessa Castro Cruz

‘Waves’ is a young adult film made in 2019. The film is produced by Trey Edward Shults, Kevin Turen and Jim Wilson. The main cast of the movie contains Tyler (played by Kelvin Harrison), Alexis (played by Alexa Demie), Emily (played by Taylor Russel) and Ronald (played by Sterling Brown).

The film starts off with Tyler, it shows his routine and how much pressure is being put on him especially from his dad Ronald. He has a lot of anger built up but his girlfriend Alexis is the only one to keep him at peace. One night, Alexis finds out she’s pregnant, and they plan on getting an abortion but once they get to the clinic, she changes her mind. They leave the place and end up arguing in the car about it which leads to Alexis stepping out of the car and walking home. Tyler was very angry about the situation and destroyed his bedroom out of anger, and they ended up breaking up which led to Tyler to start taking drugs. Around that time, prom arrives. They don’t end up going together and she decides to go with her boy best friend. Jealousy overcomes Tyler through an Instagram post of them together, and he decides to show up at the prom’s after party to look for Alexis.

He storms out of the house which makes his parents worried, and once he arrives at the party he sees Alexis walking upstairs with her boy best friend. He assumes the worst and once Alexis comes back down he follows after her. She went into the garage for some drinks and that’s when Tyler appeared. They started arguing again about whether or not she should abort the baby and should they get back together. She slaps him across the face because he was yelling at her and that’s when Tyler punched her, killing her. He runs away and Emily finds her body and eventually Tyler gets caught by the police which leads him to get life in prison.

The second half of the movie is about his twin sister Emily and about how after the tragic incident with Alexis she didn’t feel the same. She would get death threats and keep to herself, until one day a boy named Luke asked her on a date. She decided to go and they really liked each other. From that day on they would talk everyday and would go on trips with each other. They became a couple, and they were there for each other through the most rough times, like when Luke’s dad passed away, and when Emily would blame herself for Alexis. They made each other happy.

This film really feels like two different movies. The first half really shows toxic masculinity and the intense relationships between Tyler and his family. The film had a lot of vibrant colors for whatever emotion was portrayed on the screen. The second half of the film was very calming, as it emphasized love and forgiveness, dealing with the hate and overcoming the pain. The film did feel like a wave of emotions; I really like this movie because of that. The soundtrack was amazing as well (Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator), it had a lot of good powerful songs.

I give this movie a 5/5. I recommend this film to whoever likes to feel the emotions through the screen. You can watch this film on Tubi, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Dexter’ TV show review

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By: Abreham Debele

*Warning: This review contains minor spoilers

‘Dexter’ is a television show about psychological thriller created by Jeff Lindsay in 2004. The show revolves around a man who is a forensic blood spatter analyst for the Miami police department. Throughout the show we see the main character struggle with violent urges, following a moral code, and living a double life.

Dexter Morgan is a forensic blood spatter analyst for the Miami police department, helping solve murder cases. However, he secretly lives the double life as a serial killer who targets murderers. He follows a strict moral code that was instilled within him from a very young age. This is supposed to keep Dexter in check so he doesn’t harm innocent people. Growing up, he experienced severe traumatic events such as his mother getting murdered right in front of his own eyes. After the incident, he was adopted by a Miami police officer. His adoptive father tried but failed to break Dexter out these weird behaviors, but nonetheless it didn’t lead anywhere. Throughout the show we see Dexter change from someone who thinks he is a pure monster to recognizing his humanity.

Throughout the show Dexter works as a forensic blood spatter analyst while also hiding his secret. Throughout the show, we see Dexter use Miami metro database information to track potential targets. In each episode of Dexter, he does his job as a blood analyst and uses his lunch breaks to look for potential killings. Throughout the show we see Dexter face villains every season while also keeping his identity in check. This gets evermore difficult as the show progresses. His friends become suspicious because of his activity and actions. This leads to multiple climactic endings that keeps the viewer invested.

Dexter has multiple relationships with female characters through the course of the series. Characters such as Rita Bennett, Lila West, and Debra Morgan play a major role in his life. He first dates Rita Bennett, who he initially sees as a safe cover for his double life, but he gradually develops genuine feelings as the show progresses. Lila West was important for Dexter’s character because she taught him to accept the monster he is rather than running away from it. As she teaches him to bring out his darker impulses. Lastly Debra Morgan, Dexter’s sister remains a central character throughout the series, she helps Dexter throughout the show in the more emotional parts of the series. Throughout the show we see how Dexter grow and learns from every female cast character he meets and connects with.

You can watch ‘Dexter’ on Paramount+ or other streaming services with a subscription.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Suits’ TV show review

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By: Amir Salaad

Warning: This review contains minor spoilers

‘Suits’ is a television drama about lawyers created by Aaron Korsh (executive producer) in 2011. This television drama revolves around two attorneys who work together with their colleagues at a law firm in New York City. The rating of this television drama is TV-14, and it is characterized by the use of smart intellect, heavy office drama, and the occasional strong language in each of the episodes.

Mike Ross is a college graduate with a photographic memory and a genius level IQ, and was able to avoid going to jail after being caught with drugs during a raid of a drug house. He accidentally walks into the law offices of the top law firm in New York City where he meets Harvey Specter, one of the top attorneys in the city. Although Mike has no formal education or license to practice law, Harvey believes Mike’s knowledge and confidence are exceptional enough to hire him on the spot. However, Mike and Harvey know that Mike will have to remain under the radar at the law firm, particularly since Mike has no official documentation to prove his qualifications to be hired as an attorney at the law firm. The firm’s managing partner Jessica Pearson, and Harvey’s rival at the law firm, Louis Litt are people they particularly have to be cautious of.

As each episode of the television drama progresses, Harvey and Mike continue to represent clients in high stakes cases, all while attempting to maintain the secret surrounding Mike’s background. The closer the television drama gets to the end, the more serious the cases become, the more powerful the clients become, and the more severe the consequences become for both the client and the attorneys representing them.

The relationship aspect of the television drama is what sets ‘Suits’ apart from other legal dramas. At first glance, it would appear that Harvey is arrogant. However, as the television drama progresses, it is shown that Harvey is very dedicated to the concepts of loyalty and trust. Mike, on the other hand, has feelings of guilt knowing he does not deserve to be an attorney and works hard to keep up with his peers. Also, Rachel Zane (played by Meghan Markle) develops her character by becoming more confident and determined, and Donna Paulsen (played by Sarah Rafferty) develops her character by continuing to demonstrate she is a sharp, loyal, and intelligent individual who consistently thinks ahead of the game.

I think ‘Suits’ is a very interesting show and its complexity keeps you interested. At first you don’t really know what you’re getting into, but as you keep watching you get to know more and more about the characters and their emotions. Sean Cahill (played by Neil McDonough) is my favorite character as he starts off as sort of a bad guy, but later he and Harvey become friends.

I would give ‘Suits’ a 9.5/10. You can watch it on Netflix and other streaming services.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘The Maze Runner’ movie review

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By: Janessa Castro Cruz

‘The Maze Runner’ a film made in 2014, is dystopian and young adult fiction. There are 2 other movies, ‘The Scorch Trials’ and ‘The Death Cure’ and they are all based on the novel series of the Maze Runner. The first film was produced by Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, and T. S Nowlan. The main cast of the movie contains Thomas (played by Dylan O’Brien), Teresa (played by Kaya Scodelario), Newt (played by Thomas Brodie), and Gally (played by Will Poulter).

The film starts off with Thomas arriving barely awake in an elevator, he is confused and once the doors at the top open he finds himself in a forest glade that is surrounded by a shifting maze full of monsters. He is also getting stared at by a bunch of teenage boys who also arrived in the same elevator. They are all confused on why they are there, and they don’t even know how to get out.

Teresa arrives a few days later, and they are all confused on why a girl is there. She’s scared but finds comfort in Thomas and comes to find out they both have been having dreams about each other.

Thomas and Newt come to an agreement that he should go in the maze and find a way out, Thomas does that and some go with him and some stay behind in the glade. They find the exit and find out that scientists put them there but later they all get kidnapped.

This film is a very interesting one, and the lack of context at the beginning gives it suspense. The cast is amazing and strong and they play their characters really well. The monsters inside of the glade are called the “Grievers” and they look half robot and half animal which is very interesting to me. The cast’s performance in this film really impressed me and this film is very good.

In my opinion, this film is one of my favorites and I’m giving this a 4.7/5. I would recommend this movie to whoever finds it interesting. It might be a little confusing but I like how the characters find a solution to their problems without knowing the risk that lays ahead. You can watch ‘The Maze Runner’ on Prime Video, Peacock, and Fandango.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Memoir of a Snail’ movie review

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By: Marina Yang

‘Memoir of a Snail’ is a film created in 2024, written and directed by Adam Elliot. This movie centers around the two siblings Grace Pudel (voiced by Sarah Snook) and Gilbert Pudel (at first voiced by Mason Litsos, and later on Kodi Smit-McPhee), with other side characters that each meets throughout their stories. This is an adult-film (rated R), it will show and talk about more graphic things such as cussing.

The movie starts off with the birth of the two siblings, and their lives staying together until separated by the cruel death of their only guardian, their father. They unfortunately cannot stay together as they are taken in by two different families. Each have separate issues from each other as Gilbert is somewhere in a desert and Grace is somewhere more urban. The movie mainly revolves around Grace’s perspective with her major champion, Pinky (voiced by Jacki Weaver). There are occasional switches to Gilbert’s perspective through his letters/narrating. Grace’s life journey is about her biggest problems, which are overcoming her fears, love and loneliness; all represented by a snail. Snails retrieve back into their shells as a defense/fear mechanism as she backs into her comfort zone, restricting herself from her goals at times.

The movie has a realistic take on people going through mental issues, and overall just struggles throughout life (as this is inspired off the writer’s own life experience). This make the movie more likable and relatable than some other films may be. Plus, its unique claymation style gives the film character, and definitely shows how long and detailed they worked on this movie. This movie can resonate with people in different ways through the characters traits, common interests, etc., attracting certain crowds.

This movie was nice, I’d say with a realistic reality to the movie without some kind of nice cover-up. Also, claymation/stop-motion movies are one of my favorite styles to see in movies. I’d give this movie a 4/5 as I wouldn’t say I completely relate entirely, but I could to a certain point in the movie. I could say I could name some people who may have similarities to this film in a way though. I’d definitely recommend checking out this movie once you’re free, though.

This movie is available to watch via subscriptions or buying on streaming services.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Mean Girls’ review

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By: Kendra Shanklin

*Warning: This review contains spoilers

‘Mean Girls’ is about a girl named Cady who had been homeschooled while she was living in Africa but then her mom got a job which made her transfer to public school. Along with having to transfer schools, she also struggles with being friends with a few girls named Regina, Gretchen and Karen. This movie is rated PG-13 for its teen drinking and strong language.

*Recap

In the beginning of the movie, a girl named Cady, who was a transfer student from Africa, struggles to make many friends, but she keeps on trying. The next day, she meets two people named Jamison and Janis. She asks them if they can help her find her next class and they say “Sure”. After class they go to the class and Janis is telling Cady about everyone and who to talk to or who not to talk too.

While in lunch, Cady is trying to find somewhere to sit. While she’s doing that, a boy stops her and starts trying to make jokes, but Cady didn’t understand what was going on. Regina then steps in and tells the boy to stop messing with Cady, Regina then tells Cady that she could start sitting with them and how tomorrow she should come to her Halloween party.

Even though it seems like Cady had made friends with Regina and her friends, Regina was just trying to set her up to back stab her.

*My review

I love how this movie focuses on bullying and trying to fit in. This is my favorite 2000s era drama movie to watch, so if you love drama and comedy I recommend watching this. I rate this 10/10.

Thank you for reading my review and I hope you’re willing to watch this movie.

You can watch ‘Mean Girls’ on Paramount+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

Movies/TV/Theaters

Review of Part 2 of the Hit Netflix TV Show ‘Lupin’

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By: Karl Salkowski

(Image credit: Unsplash)

‘Lupin’ is a crime drama directed by Louis Leterrier set in modern-day Paris, France. After the first part reached widespread critical acclaim and popularity, a second part soon followed. Released on June 11, 2021, part two continued the story of brilliant criminal Assane Diop while significantly expanding the scope.

Part 2 uses a similar formula but shifts its focus away from the past and instead towards the present day. This season focused on developing Assane Diop’s familial relationships, contrasting with the revenge driven focus of the first season. This season highlights Assane’s sacrifice and the life he gives up for his family and friends.

The lead actor who plays Assane Diop, Omar Cy, gives an incredible performance throughout this follow up season. Overall, he acts very convincingly, adding lots of additional depth to the character of Assane Diop. However, most of the writing for the side characters in this season felt rushed and unnatural.

Personally, the character writing in the second half of the season frustrated me, and the cliffhanger at the end left a lot to be desired. This season is an excellent follow up to the first season, but it struggles to find its footing. The story sometimes feels choppy, but overall it does tell a consistent narrative filled with many twists and turns.

The second part often struggles with its quick pacing and overcomplexity, but it is still able to deliver a very interesting and enjoyable experience. I would definitely recommend this show to anyone interested in crime dramas or the heist genre in general. Although my rating has been fairly harsh, I did thoroughly enjoy this show and would definitely recommend it. If I had to rate this season, I would give it an 8 out of 10. It is a great follow up to season 1, excellently expanding the narrative and the life of Assane Diop.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘The Hunger Games’ movie review

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By: Marina Yang

The first ‘Hunger Games’ movie was created in 2012, and directed by Gary Ross who helped co-write the screenplay with author Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray. It was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik. The main cast of the movie being Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence), Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), and other lesser characters like Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), and more.

The movie first plays out with the main character Katniss Everdeen, who is in one of the many districts who are made to play these games for rewards/resources from the Capitol. How the Hunger Games work is that a messenger from the Capitol comes to each district to draw two opposite gender entrants for the games, being luck-based. You then have to fight against other people who are all there for the same thing, to win for their districts. It’ll often end with one winner (besides in this movie where it had two) who brings back victory for their district. However, Katniss name was not drawn in the start, but it was her sister instead who has only just turned the age eligible to be in the drawing. Fear overtakes Katniss and makes her volunteer in place of her sister as she fears the death of her sister who is yet so young and inexperienced. Then the second name drawn is Peeta Mellark’s, to be the second person to enter in the hunger games accompanying Katniss.

The Hunger Games is just a big game of survival and deaths and kills to survive up to victory. Though, occasionally the game will add in challenges to make the game more difficult for the players alongside the secret alliances and battles amongst the tributes. This game really shows the true natures of some people, showing their greed to win, what they view as honor to keep the title of a “winner”, kindness in a dangerous environment, weak to and strong, etc.

At moments of the movie I found myself conflicted especially with Peeta switching up every once in a while with his act and who he was to who he wanted to be. Plus, the touch of romance didn’t really fit right with me either, I mean outside of this I’d find it normal, but I felt kind of unsure especially since Katniss and Peeta’s interactions before the Hunger Games weren’t really mentioned nor seemed very important in the movie. I just felt like Peeta’s love interest was just added for a touch of humanity but it still but felt sort of unnecessary to the story.

Overall, not a bad movie but not my regular watch nor favorite so I’d say a 3.8/5. Not sure if it’s too low or high, but I think it’s not really my thing but it definitely wasn’t bad.

You can watch the movie through streaming sites that require subscriptions or purchasing the film.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘The Northman’ (2022) review

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By: Treshawn Ross

General info

‘The Northman’ was directed by Robert Eggers and it was co-written by Robert Eggers and Sjón. The budget for the movie was around 70 million. The movie came out in April of 2022. The movie slightly underperformed in the box office but it had a resurgence in VOD and home media which covered the losses. Many people consider the movie to be divisive for different reasons.

Plot summary (no major spoilers)

The movie focuses on Prince Amleth and his father, King Aurvandill. After the king comes back to his island of Hrafsney after a long military campaign he finds out that he is mortally wounded.

He prepares his son Amleth for kingship with a ceremony with a sorcerer. After this the king and his son are betrayed. Amleth vows revenge on the man who betrayed him.

What the movie did well

Cinematography- The great camerawork captures the mood of every scene; the lighting is usually darker to set a more somber mood.

Storyline- The story is very consistent throughout the movie, I never thought “How did we get here?” during the film. The film takes heavy inspiration from ‘Hamlet’ by Shakespeare and the Norse version of the story that came before ‘Hamlet’. But the film doesn’t simply retread these story beats, it’s made unique by the acting.

Acting- The actors in this film did a wonderful job portraying the Viking age. I thought Anya Taylor-Joy did a great job as the female lead “Olga” and Claes Bang portrayed Fjölnir perfectly.

Critiques

Dialogue- Some of the dialogue in the movie could’ve been more natural, sometimes it seemed forced or unrealistic. The characters only speak in large proclamations or riddle-like sentences which are similar to Shakespeare. This could throw many viewers off in my opinion.

Who I would recommend this movie to

I’d recommend this movie to people who are interested in Viking/Norse mythology and history, also people who enjoy movies centered around the theme of revenge. People who enjoy large scale period pieces would likely enjoy this movie as well. I would give this movie a 8.5/10.

You can watch ‘The Nortman’ on Netflix.