by Elizabeth EstenIn the same vein as The Cabin in the Woods, filmmakers creating stories that flip the conventions of the horror genre has become a trend in many modern cinematic works (like Tucker & Dale vs Evil and The Final Girls). While many of these films add comedic touches to create this subversion, All … Continue reading
by Justin BertoleroMichael Haneke’s 1997 horror-thriller, Funny Games, focuses its lens on the spectatorship of violence and its role in our culture, all the while sadistically throwing it back into the viewer’s face with a tongue-in-cheek attitude. After viewing the film, one may find themselves wondering just how much violence has saturated our movies and … Continue reading
by Elizabeth EstenAppearances can deceive, as we can see with the way modern audiences view films marketed for children. Sure, things like the totally necessary Minions movie or the recent Angry Birds feature don’t help, but that doesn’t mean that in today’s modern age of animation we can’t make these movies smart. Some can even … Continue reading
by Jacob SullivanOn the surface, writer-director David Cronenberg’s feature film debut, Shivers, appears to be a schlocky exploitation film. All the sleazy clichés are present, from extreme gore to profuse nudity, with Shivers making no attempt to respect societal taboos — taboo-breaking that is just as shocking and revolting now as it was back in … Continue reading
by Courtney RaveloA hotly anticipated film for lovers of Key & Peele on Comedy Central, Keanu does not disappoint. I went into the theater with an unbiased mindset, fully expecting the movie to come up short in its attempts to be funny. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele have never created a movie before, so I … Continue reading
by Jacob SullivanDirty Grandpa is shockingly bad. I’m still in awe of just how atrocious this movie truly is. Not only did I laugh at one joke throughout the entire film, but the movie failed technically at an almost Birdemic level of incompetence. Lifeless acting, horrible racism, homophobic humor, mind-bogglingly bad editing, and a nonexistent … Continue reading
by Joel KalowThe first thing I did after stepping out of Richard Linklater’s latest film, Everybody Wants Some!!, was call my friend, Brian. Brian is a senior in college, which already makes him the targeted demographic for the ’80s-set college romp. More importantly, Brian is the captain of his college’s baseball team, giving him the … Continue reading
by Elizabeth EstenIn the grand scheme of Disney Animation’s history, the 1970s and ’80s is a strange period. Risks were taken to try to find a new direction, especially after the death of Walt Disney in 1966. Disney’s influence over many projects has brought a few duds over the years, but his guidance has mostly … Continue reading
by Courtney RaveloThe 5th Wave is an adaptation of a 2013 young adult novel by the same title — the first in a trilogy by author Rick Yancey. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic era, with most of the story told in the first-person by a 16-year-old girl (you’ve seen this plot before, think … Continue reading
by Byron BixlerMiles Davis was a bad motherfucker — or at least that’s what the long-in-the-making biopic, Miles Ahead, wants us to initially believe. Written, produced, directed by and starring Don Cheadle in the central role, the film presents the jazz superstar as a swaggering gangster type. Self-involved, brazenly pistol-packing and unapologetically abrasive, Miles embodies … Continue reading
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