Story by Ethan Kwak Staff Writer Illustration by Ellie Nakamura Graphic Designer Bill Callahan’s ninth full length release, Ytilaer, is a twelve track concept album highlighted by instances of brilliance, tracks tinged with his signature blend of alt-folk and poetic articulations. Reality spelled backwards, Ytilaer is a commentary on the impacts of the global pandemic, increasing […]
Spielberg’s West Side Story updates its source material with more depth and authenticity
Story by Charlotte Dekle Associate Feature Editor Illustration by Martin Walsh Associate Design Editor As the phrase goes: all is fair in true love and war. West Side Story is content with oscillating between these two modes, from characters wistfully singing about the future to clobbering racial attitudes with a blunt club. Updated from the […]
Dune’s sublime cinematography balances a complex plot in the newest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel
Story by Elsie Waters Staff Writer Illustration by Isole Kim Staff Illustrator Condensing a 722 page novel into a single film is a daunting task. If that novel doubles as the first story in an incredibly complex six volume series, it is even more intimidating. This is the exact situation that Denis Villeneuve faces directing […]
The French Dispatch maintains director Wes Anderson’s signature wit
Story by Charlotte Dekle Staff Writer Illustration by Martin Walsh Staff Illustrator Since 1996, director Wes Anderson’s singular style has skyrocketed him to the king of eccentric and fascinating films. His tenth venture, The French Dispatch, is no exception. The production fulfilled Wes’s signature flair with wit and style, but the lack of a coherent […]
Above all else, Roadrunner is honest
Story by Veronica KoutskyStaff Writer Illustration by Martin WalshStaff Illustrator Anthony Bourdain shocked and delighted the world when he swallowed a beating cobra heart on his show Cook’s Tours, but his fearless and carefree persona on the show was largely manufactured. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain dives into who Bourdain was outside of his […]
Incredibles 2 saves the day, but takes too many detours
Story by Matthew Tsai Staff Writer Illustration by David Sohn Staff Illustrator 3.5/5 Stars Fourteen years after the release of Brad Bird’s The Incredibles, the Parr family returns to the silver screen. Incredibles 2 does not pack the same punch as its predecessor. The long-awaited sequel does not quite match the exceptional storytelling of the acclaimed original. […]
‘A Quiet Place’ excels as a piece of modern horror
Illustration by Isabella Frescura Staff Illustrator 4/5 stars Directed by John Krasinski (of The Office fame) and starring himself, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe — A Quiet Place is a story of a family of four trying to survive in a world infested by blind and noise-sensitive monsters. Each of the characters is […]
Black Panther brings together a strong cast and an illuminated new world
Story by Ben Clark Staff Writer Illustration by Elaine Yang Design Associate 4/5 Stars When Chadwick Boseman took on the role of King T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War, fans were immediately intrigued by his quiet but powerful charisma. Two years later, this fan-favorite character was given his own individual film with Ryan Coogler’s Black […]
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ fails to excite despite excellent presentation
Illustration by Elaine Yang Staff Illustrator 3/5 stars The Star Wars franchise has ridden a bumpy road. From the excellence of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back to the utter failure of Attack of the Clones and The Phantom Menace, the series has been all over the place in terms of quality. Yet […]
Beauty and the Beast is an uninspired but entertaining remake
3.5/ 5 stars Beauty and the Beast continues Disney’s trend of increased diversity and political relevance set by Zootopia and Moana in its box-office dominating debut. Though Beauty and the Beast conveys important and contemporary message in a beautifully shot film that stays true to the original, it proves to be a lackluster contribution to […]
“When Marnie Was There” is another Studio Ghibli triumph
By Ross Lelieur Senior Staff Writer 5/5 Much worry clouded Studio Ghibli’s reputation following director Hayao Miyazaki’s departure and the company’s subsequent organizational breakdown. Despite this issue, the production house has managed to put out what may be its last film – When Marnie Was There – as a sort of farewell (for now) to […]
“Minions” is mindless, unnecessary, and overdone
By Ryan Nakamura Staff Writer 2/5 Minions provides a prequel to the critically acclaimed Despicable Me franchise, but fails to earn any other distinction. Although the film depicts creative animated schemes and contains a comedic aspect, the generic characters and a predictable plotline create 90 minutes of cringing, boredom, and dissatisfaction. Taking place 42 years […]
Into the Woods is a confusing twist on classic fairytales
By Karen Hsueh Copy Editor 2/5 A star-studded cast is a definite advantage when it comes to publicizing movies; however, the star-studded cast of Into the Woods did little to improve the film’s quality. This musical-to-movie adaptation proudly boasts a talented panel of actors and singers, but its storyline is filled with neverending twists, a […]
American Sniper incites emotion, but not innovation
By Ross Lelieur Staff Writer 4/5 No Oscar season would be complete without the inclusion of at least one war film. This year, to both the disappointment and delight of audiences, that film is Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper. While the movie achieves occasional excellence, its overall story is lackluster and sticks too closely to convention. […]
The Hobbit is a disappointing end to a legendary series
3.5/5 By Nick Michael Staff Writer When it was announced that Peter Jackson would transform J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit into film, fans knew that it would be nearly impossible to recreate the magic of the original Lord of the Rings series. The book’s first two adaptations proved fans right. Although they were not bad movies […]