Oscars remain gold amid controversy
March 2, 2016
The 88th Academy Awards aired on Sunday to the second lowest viewership in its history. Chris Rock hosted the ceremony amid the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in which all the acting nominees, and most nominees in other categories, were white. “Welcome to the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the White Pe...
Sarcastic superhero is an R-rated blast
February 24, 2016
Deadpool is one of the most popular characters Marvel Comics has ever produced, debuting as a generic bad guy who later developed into a sarcastic jerk in the 90s. Nowadays, Deadpool is best known as a fourth wall breaking, over-the-top violent anti-hero. Deadpool has had more than a few comic series,...
‘Black’ succeeds in sex appeal, lacks humor
February 10, 2016
A parody film’s job is to be at least twice as funny or greater than the film it is imitating. However, if a movie is imitating a romantic film like “Fifty Shades of Grey” that received poor reviews, the parody probably will be less than funny or even worse. And it was. Michael Tiddes’ ‘Fifty Shades of Bl...
Ambitious, electric Grease is the one that we want
February 3, 2016
FOX made an impressive first attempt at a live musical with its exhilarating production of “Grease Live!” on Sunday. FOX also became the first network to have a live audience and incorporate them into the live show. The broadcast opened with main characters Danny Zuko and Sandy Young (Aaron Tve...
The Wiz eases on down the road
December 9, 2015
NBC has produced lifeless and humdrum live musicals for the past two Decembers with “The Sound of Music” and “Peter Pan.” From visible strings lifting actors to poor casting choices to Christopher Walken’s infamous high note into silence, NBC likely felt pressured to deliver solid ratings this ...
Krampus is holiday horror fun, until the end
December 2, 2015
The German myth of Krampus is now well known, with the ‘anti-Santa’ figure appearing on television and in haunted houses across the country. It was only a matter of time for there to be a horror film about the monster. Michael Dougherty, who directed the cult classic horror film “Trick R’ Treat...
Spotlight refuses to leave victims in the dark
December 2, 2015
In what has been a rather dismal year for film, Open Road Films’ “Spotlight” stands out as the first serious awards season contender. Its star-studded cast and riveting screenplay are sure to grab a great deal of attention and praise in the coming months. The film is based on the Pulitzer-Prize ...
Mockingjay soars on screen
December 2, 2015
After leaving viewers an exceptional cliff-hanger in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1,” the partner film and finalé to the popular “Hunger Games” series had much to live up to. With an emotionally-taxing novel to mimic and astounding scenes to recreate, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - ...
“Spectre” falls flat next to recent films
November 18, 2015
As fans of the James Bond series flock to see its 24th installment, “Spectre,” they are expecting the same top-notch acting and cinematography we have come to expect from Daniel Craig’s stint as 007. Most importantly, the film needs a compelling storyline to keep the audience interested but not confused. But anyone who hasn’t yet seen the film can expect to be disappoint...
Alcohol, aging, amorous walks of shame
October 7, 2015
By Patrick Holmes Three. Two. One. That’s all it took to hope for change in the next year for Jess. The countdown for the new year was the end of her long-standing relationship with ex-boyfriend, Ben. Her life now began to hit rock bottom on the hour where everyone believed their lives could only...
Comic-con actors find niche in online series
October 7, 2015
By Patricia Negrón Alan Tudyk’s new web series “Con Man,” which features sci-fi actors who have reached Comic-Con stardom, was released last Wednesday on Vimeo on Demand. The lucky fans who found out about the series release in time were able to enjoy the first three episodes of the series...
Depp’s depiction of Bulger humanizes mob boss
October 2, 2015
By Caroline Kerressey The romance film of the year may just be Black Mass. The film is based off the book of the same name, written by former Boston Globe reporters Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill, and is the true story of Bulger’s 1975 Winter Hill Gang in South Boston. James “Whitey”...
