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Movies/TV/Theaters

The curse of reboots

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By: Hermekay Dehaney

Image made with ChatGPT

We live in a time when Hollywood is fueled by trying to replicate nostalgic content to relive popular and beloved films and shows with reboots and sequels. While some Hollywood directors and producers hit the mark with shows and movies such as ‘Cobra Kai’ and ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming,’  which are high-grossing reboots, the majority fade away, either getting canceled after one season or becoming box office flops. 

There is a popular quote that says, “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain,” I think that quote indirectly applies to movies/shows as well.  A key factor in good shows is that they know when to end effectively, which leaves a lasting impression on critics and viewers at home. For example, shows like ‘Breaking Bad’, and ‘The Good Place’ are often praised for ending their show successfully. When shows continue past their prime, it leads to low viewer rates and creative decline, a perfect example is the show, ‘Riverdale.’ There are obvious exceptions to this rule, shows like ‘Modern Family,’ ‘The Office,’ and ‘Friends’ are often regarded as some of the best TV shows that have run for more than 9 seasons. 

Reboots might seem safe on paper. When executives try to reboot popular shows and movies that nobody asked for, it feels like a quick money grab from executives and actors who starred in the original. They believed that since people enjoyed the original and a beloved original actor is returning to star in it, viewers will enjoy the reboot, which is not true. It only works if the execution is right. If it doesn’t have the creative magic and storyline that the original show captures, it’s bound to fail. 

Examples include  ‘Gossip Girl (2021), which is a reboot of the original ‘Gossip Girl’ that was first released in 2007; ‘Fuller House’, a reboot of ‘Full House’;  ‘That 90’s Show’, a reboot of ‘That 70’s Show’; and ‘Gilmore Girl: A Year In The Life’, which is a reboot of ‘Gilmore Girls’. All of them were betting on brand recognition to be successful, but ultimately flopped, some canceled after only 1 season. 

I’ve noticed that when reboots don’t evolve with their original audience, the reboot falls flat. I remember in 2019, Disney+ announced a ‘Lizzie McGuire’ reboot, but it was later shelved before it was filmed due to creative differences between the executives and Hilary Duff, who plays the main character. Hilary Duff wanted it to be a more “mature” show because the original audience of the show has grown up, which means their tastes have evolved. She also wanted her character who would’ve been in her 30s to be in a more realistic real-life adult situation. Disney+ disagreed and wanted it to be more of a family-friendly show approach. This disagreement ultimately led to a cancellation of production. I think it was the right choice because if they had let Disney+ win,  the show would’ve been added to the list of canceled reboots after 1 season due to it failing to connect with the original audience for being too juvenile. 

Rebooting cartoons to live-action also always fails. Animated shows have different rules compared to live action, cartoons operate on a totally different scale, and their visuals and tone are totally different. What might look good in 2D sometimes looks awkward In live action. These projects struggle to have the features that only animation can capture.

Reboots are just a lack of creativity, they fail to understand what audiences want. It’s not always just the familiar face and nostalgia that pulls viewers in, it’s the creative vision that involves mixing something old with something new without trying to completely change the storyline from the original. Viewers want a new perspective but a similar style. So, if Hollywood wants to keep on revisiting classics, they need to start creating something worth watching.

Movies/TV/Theaters

Analysis and review of the movie ‘Aftersun’ by Charlotte Wells

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By: Chloe Rocha

*Warning: This review includes spoilers

The movie ‘Aftersun’ is written and directed by Charlotte Wells and Charlotte stated that this movie is loosely based on her personal experience of a holiday with her father.

This film follows the life of Sophie and Calum, through the view of a home video lens. It captures the themes of memory, time, love, and loss in a beautiful way that may be overlooked by some viewers. There are very small details throughout the movie that when watching the first time, you may not seem to recognize because you don’t understand the full picture.

Calum and Sophie were on a family vacation at a Turkish resort, and Calum was trying to provide Sophie, who was his daughter, the best experience she could have, despite his struggling to make ends meet. Not only was he struggling financially, but he was also struggling mentally. He tries to put up a front to give Sophie the experience she deserves, but deep down he struggled severely with depression.

As the film goes on, it becomes more apparent that this vacation may be the last one they experience together. This is hinted through the fact that despite his financial struggles, he kept on buying things for Sophie to remember him by. For example he purchased a rug for 850 pounds, and the rug is later seen in the movie when it shows up in Sophie’s adult life.

When she was younger she never fully understood her father’s struggle with mental health, she only viewed him as a distant dad. But when she is older, she is tries to recall what really went on during that vacation.

Through old films that she made while documenting their vacation, she truly sees how much he was struggling, and while she couldn’t understand it when she was younger, now she does. But there were pieces of the story that were missing for both her and the audience, which allows viewers to infer what really happened.

The ending of the movie was very heartbreaking because it shows adult Sophie watching her father disappear into a strobe lit void, and he essentially lost himself as well. I interpreted this scene as a metaphor for loss, suggesting that Calum is no longer present in Sophie’s life, and that may be due to his passing.

While this movie has a very slow pacing, I think it was so the audience would be able to capture and truly understand the characters and their emotions. At the beginning, I didn’tunderstand the movie, but I quickly realized and recognized the underlying themes throughout the film.

I think this movie was beautifully made and perfectly depicts the realities of depression and how it can interfere with the lives of your loved ones as well.

You can watch ‘Aftersun’ on Netflix.

Movies/TV/Theaters

Memorable Oscar moments from over the years

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By: Hermekay Dehaney

Photo by Mirko Fabian from Pexels.com

Over the years, the Oscar ceremony has delivered everything from heartfelt wins to shocking surprises, giving the audience a lot to talk about afterward. In honor of the annual Oscar awards taking place on March 2, here is a look back at some of the most memorable Oscar moments from over the years — the good, the bad, and one of the most unforgettable. 

The Good: 

‘Parasite’ groundbreaking win (2020)

‘Parasite’ was the first non-English language film to win Best Picture. Created by Bong Joon-ho, the South Korean film won Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film. This win marked a turning point for the Academy because it showed that there is a potential shift to embrace international films rather than just sticking to Hollywood movies. 

Leonardo DiCaprio wins first Oscar (2016) 

Leonardo DiCaprio is arguably one of the most well known actors in the world. He has acted since the late 1980s, best known for movies such as ‘Titanic,’ ‘The Great Gatsby,’ and ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’ Even after so many famous movies, and 7 Oscar nominations, Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his first Oscar for his role in ‘The Revenant,’ in 2016. He was received with a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience. He took time out of his speech to raise awareness of climate change, he said, “Climate change is real, it is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.”

Halle Berry’s Historic Win (2002)  

Halle became the first Black woman to win Best Actress for her role in, ‘Monster’s Ball.’ In her heartfelt acceptance speech, she says, “This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, and Diahann Carroll. It’s for the women who stand beside me: Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, and Vivica Fox. And it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.” Her speech remains one of the most powerful moments in Oscar history. 

The Bad:

‘Moonlight’/’LaLa La’ mix-up (2017)

The 2017 Oscar ceremony is remembered for the most infamous line in Academy Awards history. 2 ½ minutes into ‘LaLa Land’s’ Best Picture win, announced by Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, ‘LaLa Land’ producer Jordan Horowitz informed the audience that, “There’s been a mistake. ‘Moonlight’, you guys won Best Picture. This is not a joke.” That shocking reveal overshadowed what should have been a celebratory win for ‘Moonlight.’ 

Adrien Brody’s Awkward Speech (2025)

Adrien Brody broke the record for the longest Oscar-winning acceptance speech, beating the record set in 1943 by Greer Garson. The speech was 5 minutes and 40 seconds of pure awkwardness. While walking on stage to accept his award, Adrien Brody spit out his gum and threw it to his wife, Georgina Chapman who then proceeded to catch it. Towards the end of his lengthy speech of thanking anyone he could think of, the Academy began to play music which is a signal that your time is up. Instead of taking that as a sign, he proceeded to say, “I’m wrapping up, please turn the music off. I’ve done this before. Thank you. It’s not my first rodeo, but I will be brief.” This is not his first time doing something like this. When he accepted his award for Best Actor for the ‘Pianist’ in 2003, his speech went over time and he responded to the music cutoff by saying, “One second, please. One second. Cut it out. I got one shot at this. I didn’t say more than five names, I don’t think.”

The Unforgettable: 

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock (2022)

Often referred to as “The Slap heard around the world,” due to the video becoming a viral sensation, not just in the United States, Will Smith slapping Chris Rock is still remembered to this day, which is why I placed it as the most unforgettable Oscar moment. This moment shocked audience members and people watching at home. It was caused by an uncomfortable moment when Will Smith walked onstage and slapped Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head. The incident immediately went viral and similar to the ‘Moonlight’ mix-up, this incident cast a shadow over Will Smith’s award win for Best Actor for the movie ‘King Richard’ which he won later that night. 

Whether good, bad, or unforgettable, these Oscar moments shape the legacy of The Academy and also remind us of the unpredictability of live television on one of Hollywood’s biggest nights.

Movies/TV/Theaters

Review of ‘Waves’ (2019)

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By: Sasha Deans

‘Waves’ (2019), directed by Trey Edward Shults, is an emotional drama that follows a suburban African American family as they navigate love, pressure, and the challenges of healing. The story slowly unravels from an ideal reality, exploring the highs and lows of relationships and how choices shape lives.

I believe the film features incredibly strong performances that portray emotion beautifully. Personally, this is some of the best acting I’ve ever seen—it feels so real.

One thing I appreciate is that the film doesn’t have a straightforward resolution or a purely happy ending, which makes it realistic and, at times, heartbreaking. But that also adds to its depth, showing that even when things don’t turn out perfectly, there is still meaning in the journey.

The soundtrack is another standout, featuring artists like Frank Ocean; Kid Cudi; and Tyler, The Creator. Songs like “Ghost” by Kid Cudi, “IFHY” by Tyler, The Creator, and “Godspeed” and “Seigfried” by Frank Ocean perfectly complement the film’s emotional depth.

I think ‘Waves’ will resonate most with teenagers who enjoy realistic stories, similar to ‘Euphoria’, as well as those who are into current pop artists. Teenage athletes, in particular, may connect with the film’s portrayal of high expectations and personal struggles. It realistically shows how the people around you matter more than you might realize.

Personally, I wish the film had a more uplifting ending. I love happy endings, so I had mixed feelings about its realism. I also felt the pacing was a bit slow, especially given its three-hour runtime, with many reflective scenes—though they were beautifully shot.

Final Verdict:

‘Waves’ is an eye-opening, well-crafted, and deeply moving film. Despite its slow pace and bittersweet ending, it’s a story worth experiencing. I highly recommend it and give it a 5/5.

You can watch ‘Waves’ on Amazon Prime!

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’

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By: Samson Belihu

*Warning: This review contains spoilers

First off, let’s start with those who don’t know let’s recap what’s happened so far: King Kong and Godzilla have fought before, and it was due to multiple misunderstandings. But when Mechagodzilla was created by humans to replicate Godzilla due to the power he carries, that’s when they put their differences aside and fight as one to destroy their enemy. At the end, they separate with Kong going to the Hollow Earth, which is a hidden ecosystem deep beneath earth’s surface, while on the other hand Godzilla stayed on the surface due to the potential threat of humans in his residential area in an ancient monument.

‘The New Empire’ starts off with Kong being chased by a pack of monsters, and he gets cornered, but that doesn’t matter due to the intelligence of Kong, who has set up a trap just in case of emergency. This trap kills almost all the monsters, while the rest fled back to where they came from. That’s when we’re told King’s species is a social one, meaning they like interacting with other kinds of his own, and he has been looking for his kind. There’s an issue though: he hasn’t been able to find anyone like him for a long time.

The humans detect the movement of Kong, and that’s when they decide to check up on things.

A moment later we meet a special girl named Jia who can see and understand Kong’s feelings but feels displaced because she’s at school and not where she’s being drawn to. The reason for this is because “She’s the last living member of the Iwi tribe” who are an advanced tribe that lives in Hollow Earth.

A bit later we see that Kong has left the underground to go to the humans to ask for help. He has an infected tooth that has to be taken out, and the job was perfect for the “Best doctor in town”, who helps him. That’s when Kong decides to leave the surface again, but before he leaves, they decide to follow him into Hollow Earth.

That’s when the humans find out that Hollow Earth goes even deeper where there are many strange things and creatures, and there potentially could be others like Kong.

Will Kong find others like him to keep him company? Will Jia ever find where she belongs? You will need to watch ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ if you want to know the answers to these questions. I think it is worth the time and would give this movie a 9/10.

You can watch ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ on Netflix, Max and other streaming platforms.

Movies/TV/Theaters

MOVIE REVIEW: ‘SEVEN’

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By: Charlotte Bistodeau

The movie ‘Seven’ (sometimes seen as ‘Se7en’), is a 1995 R-rated, crime/horror film directed by David Fincher (who also directed 1999’s ‘Fight Club’, 2011’s ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’, and 2023’s ‘The Killer’) and written by Andrew Kevin Walker (who also wrote 1999’s ‘Sleepy Hollow’, 2010’s ‘Wolfman’, and 2023’s ‘The Killer’).

The film follows two police detectives, William Somerset and David Mills, as they hunt down the serial killer who kills their victims based on the seven deadly sins. It’s hard to give any more information on the story of the movie because you pretty much know about as much as the two detectives at the beginning and learn along with them. This makes the movie interesting. Instead of knowing things that the main characters don’t, you know only what they know, making you invested in each scene.

I would say that there aren’t a lot of horror aspects except a few dead body’s. Instead, there is a sense of dread making you feel like something bad could happen at any moment throughout the film. The ending of the movie though, is perfect. There couldn’t be a better ending to it.

I enjoyed the main characters thoroughly. Many horror movies throughout the 1980’s and 90’s have an incredibly stupid amount of main characters. Many times you end up being annoyed with these stupid characters and even end up rooting for the killer (or being extremely disappointed in the killer for not having killed them by now). But ‘Se7en’ is not that movie. William Somerset is incredibly smart, to the point that he’s able to figure out by the first two murders that they were done by the same person. Even David Mills, who is not as smart as Somerset, still has a personality that is able to put two and two together. These things make you root for them. It also helps that the actors of William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and David Mills (Brad Pitt) do a great job at playing their characters.

The background music is something else. You don’t notice it. Or at least I didn’t. It wasn’t bad, in fact it was great, it was just that you get so invested into the story that the background music doesn’t stand out. It adds feeling without making it noticeable.

You can buy the DVD for about 25$ on Amazon or you can watch it on HBO or YouTube Premium.

I’ve watched a lot of horror movies from the 1980’s-90’s and this one is definitely my favorite. Even compared to horror movies today, it’s still my favorite. So, I would have to rate it a 10/10. If you really like psychological horror or crime horror, I would definitely recommend this movie to watch.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’

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By: Seng Yang

The movie ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, released in 2022, and directed by James Cameron, is a film with 60% of CGI imagery and the other 40% of the film utilizes the traditional techniques of live-action imagery. It is a film produced by Jon Landau, Peter M. Tobyansen, and James Cameron. It is set in Pandora, a habitable exomoon, and primarily in the tropical-inspired underwater region of the Metkayina clan.

The film tells us about the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids Lo’ak, Neteyam, Tuktirey, and Kiri), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

Lo’ak te Suli Tsyeyk’itan the second son of Jake Sully is a major character in the film serving as one of two main protagonists in ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’. The movie heavily explores Lo’ak’s struggles with identity and his relationships with his family, particularly his older brother Neteyam. His impulsive actions and desire to prove himself often creates conflicts and drives the story forward.

In my opinion, I love ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’. It was the first movie I saw in theaters and I think it was a magical experience. Everything about the movie was perfect and I rate this movie a 5/5 because I love how it explores the themes of environmentalism, family, and the conflict between human greed and the natural world. I think it’s also a pretty emotional movie as it shows motherhood not only for the Na’vi but also the Tulkun which is a species of whale-like creatures native to the oceans of Pandora.

Overall, I love how it makes you feel deeply connected to nature especially with the environment and where it takes place. Like I said before, watching the movie in theaters was magical and a once in a lifetime experience, it’s one of those moments where you just had to be there to experience the feeling.

You can watch ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ on Disney+ or you can rent it on other platforms.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Home Alone’ movie review

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By: Sophia Elmstrom and Lily Sheldon

*Warning: this review contains spoilers

‘Home Alone’ is an American holiday comedy film directed by Chris Columbus and was made in 1990. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, and the cast features Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard and Catherine O’Hara. This film is also the 1st movie out of 4, along with 2 other versions. The film grossed $476.7 million worldwide, becoming the second highest grossing film of 1990. This movie was a big hit, but before we share our thoughts here is a rundown of the plot.

The movie starts with Kevin and his huge family getting ready to spend Christmas in Paris. Everyone is staying at Kevin’s house the night before they leave. Kevin’s siblings and cousins are running around the house preparing for this vacation. No one in the family will help Kevin pack his bag which results in Kevin eventually getting sent up to the attic after ruining the family dinner when arguing with his cousin. Kevin is very upset and is sick of his family picking on him. When he is up in the attic Kevin wishes that his family would disappear.

That night, there is a power outage due to snow, and all the alarm clocks in the house were reset. This causes everyone in the house to oversleep, and they have to rush to get to the airport in the morning. While Kevin’s family is rushing to get to the airport in the morning, Kevin accidentally gets left behind. Kevin wakes up to the house being empty, and is very happy that his wish to not have a family came true. Kevin loves having the house to himself, and is taking advantage of that. Kevin’s house then becomes watched by the “Wet Bandits”, Harry and Marv who are neighborhood burglars. Kevin tricks Harry and Marv into thinking that his family is still home. This makes them hold off on their plans to rob Kevin’s house.

Kevin’s mom, Kate, realizes on her flight that Kevin was left at home. When they get to Paris, Kate tries to get on a flight home. Kate makes it to Pennsylvania, but cannot get on a flight back home to Chicago because all the flights are booked and the phone lines are still down in Chicago. Kate meets a guy named Gus at the airport, and Gus offers to let her travel with them to Chicago in a moving van with his band.

On Christmas Eve, Harry and Marv realize that Kevin is the only one inside his house. Kevin hears them discussing plans to break into his house that night. Kevin sets up his whole house with traps. When Harry and Marv break in, they set off all of the traps in the house, making them regret the robbery. Kevin calls the police and Harry and Marv get arrested.

Kevin is disappointed that his family is still gone on Christmas Day. Kevin’s mom finally makes it home and surprises Kevin. The rest of Kevin’s family comes home shortly after. Kevin is glad that his family is home.

‘Home Alone’ received a 66% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.7/10 from IMDb. Overall, the audience rating summary was a 4.8 with many people saying it was a classic Christmas movie with a nostalgic feeling.

We agree with this rating of the audience but we believe that Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb should have given it a higher rating as it is a very good movie. We both watch this Christmas movie every year with our family and it brings us lots of Christmas memories. We overall rate this a 9/10 because it has that nostalgic Christmas feeling and reminds us of our childhood.

You can watch ‘Home Alone’ on Disney Plus.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND’: REVIEW

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By: Charlotte Bistodeau

‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ was released in 1984 and was Hayao Miyazaki’s first ever film he did. It’s also the first ever film I watched by Miyazaki followed up by ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ and the like.

‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ is a post-apocalyptic fantasy based in a world covered in plants that make up the Toxic Jungle. Nausicaä is a princess who loves her people of the Valley of the Wind and would do anything to protect them. But she also loves the insects of the Toxic Jungle and knows that harming them would only hurt her people.

‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ has got to be my favorite movie and I must have watched it over twenty times. From the writing to the screenplay, I love it all. The story is about a girl, Nausicaä, who is taken as captive and ends up in the middle of a feud between two other empires, Tolmekia and Pejite. In the end, she ends up getting back to the Valley of the Wind and stopping the Ohmu, an insect from the Toxic Jungle, stampeding across the land destroying everything in their path. I love Nausicaä’s character and what she believes. She is strong and caring and she would do anything to protect her people, even if it meant dying.

I also think that my favorite sound track from any of Miyazaki’s films has to be from this movie. All the songs convey different feelings that you can really feel.

I also have to talk about the voice acting. I have watched it in the original Japanese and the English version and I have to say, surprisingly, the English version is better. Nausicaä’s voice in the Japanese version is extremely small and baby like, which doesn’t suit her at all, while in the English version she sounds like an 18-year-old girl, which she is. The audio quality is also way better and also the subtitles on the Japanese version are really bad. For example, there is little emotion and some of the sentences don’t make any sense whatsoever. It’s one of the only films where I like the English dub better.

Overall, I rate this movie a 10/10 but I might be a little biased. The only real complaint would be that they did skip over some parts in the book, which Miyazaki wrote. But it doesn’t take anything from the movie, probably because Miyazaki was the author of the book and one of the directors of the movie.

You can find the movie on Max, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube TV, and Google Play Movie. You can also purchase the Blu Ray/DVD set for 15 dollars at Target. In any case, I would recommend the movie to anyone, young or old.

Movies/TV/Theaters

TOP 10 FAMILY MOVIES TO WATCH

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By: Grace Lopez

1. BOSS BABY

This movie is really really funny and hilarious. My family and I really enjoyed this movie. I would really recommend this movie to anyone who would want to watch something funny.

2. THE INCREDIBLES

This movie is really funny and shows how everyone in the family has different superpowers. I loved watching this movie when I was younger.

3. DESPICABLE ME

This movie is hilarious to watch. I also loved this movie when I was young. This was one of my top movies when someone would ask me what my favorite movie was.

4. INSIDE OUT

This movie really teaches you about a lot of different emotions. This movie could get you really sad or could get your giggles out. I really enjoyed watching this movie.

5. COCO

This movie is my favorite movie of all time. It’s really sad, funny and really entertaining. I would rewatch this movie thousands of times. I really like this movie a lot and I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a sad and a really funny movie.

6. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

This movie was really funny to me with all the Oompa Loompas and all the kids. This was a really hilarious movie with the chocolate river and the bubble gum kid, but I won’t spoil the movie.

7. TOY STORY

This movie is a really funny movie. I really loved all the parts and all the different movies (in the series). This is a good movie to rewatch and it’s also funnier when you watch it with friends and family.

8. HOME ALONE

This movie is really funny when they left the kid alone at home, but I won’t really spoil the movie because for me it really was funny and really interesting.

9. WISH

This movie was really interesting but I also really loved this movie when she finds out the magic from her city. But I won’t really spoil this movie because it’s really interesting.

10. MOANA

This movie is a really good Disney movie. I really enjoyed watching this when I was younger. It’s also really sad but at the same time it’s a really good movie to watch with anyone.