Watch with Me

Rylee McDonal ~ Copy Editor

The movie Renfield, starring Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina and Nicholas Cage, recently released and has moviegoers raving.

The horror movie is a direct sequel to the 1931 Dracula film, and follows a lawyer to the Dracula estate as he becomes the henchman to the notorious vampire lord, with a comedic twist.

While the story itself was somewhat lackluster, what made it really shine was the relationship between Dracula and Renfield. 

The odd couple was characterized as a codependent relationship, with Renfield being verbally and physically abused by the iconic villain.

Rylee McDonal ~Copy Editor

Image from https://www.thesupermariobros.movie/synopsis/ 

The anticipated “Super Mario” movie released last week on April 5, and has broken box office records within the short time it has been released.

The cast of this animated movie consists of Chris Pratt as the fan favorite hero, Mario. Jack Black played the villain Bowser and many other incredible actors were also cast. 

Even though the movie was targeted towards a younger audience, it was still enjoyable for any age. For the younger audience, there was plenty of humor and silly moments to keep their attention. 

The overall plot of the movie was very simple to follow, while also staying true to the video games as source material.

For audience members who grew up with the Mario games, there were plenty of easter eggs for them to enjoy. 

When Mario begins a fight with Donkey Kong, the arena they are staged in resembles the Donkey Kong arcade game. In addition to this there were many more subtle easter eggs. For instance, a pack of Yoshies running in the background of a scene. 

Rylee McDonal ~ Copy Editor

This 2021 remake, directed by Steven Speilberg, is a visually stunning renewal of a classic musical.

The movie centers around two lovers, Tony and Maria, played respectively by Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, as they are caught in the midst of a gangwar between the Jets and the Sharks. With incredible vocals and choreography to match, it is no wonder that the movie had been nominated for several oscars.

As well, the way the movie was directed made the viewer feel as though they were watching the movie on stage. There were times during the movie where the lighting would either be focused on the eyes of a character, or be spotlighting a character. This would make the character or certain features of said character stand out to the audience. 

This was also key to the main story, like when Tony went looking for Maria and she was given a spotlight to make her stand out more among the alley way of hanging laundry. 

What one would infer from watching this movie is that it is another retelling of Romeo and Juliet. There are two people who fall instantly in love with each other, being kept apart by their two families. And this would be mostly correct. However, while it is a retelling of a classic play, it still takes it in a different direction.

Rylee McDonal ~ Copy Editor

The Tender Bar is a movie that follows the true life story of journalist J.R. Moehringer. The cast is composed of many well known actors including Ben Affleck and Tye Sheridan. However, the true magic of the movie is less in the actors, and more in the message that is conveyed. Spoilers ahead…

As a writer who often struggles to write an article or a story, it was very easy for me to relate to the main character. While our upbringings were very different, I felt like I was able to understand his struggle to find what he really wanted to write about. 

In the movie, Moehringer is raised by his mother, always bouncing from one house to the next, as she couldn’t hold a job and his father was only really known to him as a voice on the radio. 

By Rylee McDonal ~ Copy Editor

Dune: Part One is an exciting and thrilling movie that leaves viewers begging for more. The movie stars many renowned actors, such as Zendaya and Timothy Chalamet. Additionally, the movie is a major development from its 1984 counterpart.

Both Dune movies are inspired by a series of 15 novels with the first being released in 1965. 

They are essentially Star Wars, even inspiring George Lucas to make the classic series. 

Both share very similar qualities, from an order of beings with powers over the mind, to a galactic empire bent on becoming the most powerful force in the universe

By Rylee McDonal ~ Copy Editor

The movie, Halloween Kills, premiered nationally on Oct. 15, 2021. The movie picks up immediately after the Halloween movie in 2018. This new addition to the franchise makes the very idea of the masked killer quite ridiculous.

It plays off the idea of mob mentality, with the entire town banding together to take down Michael Myers, who miraculously survives a house burning down around him, while also killing 12 firemen in the process. I personally can’t believe it took them this long to realize they should stay in groups when facing a killer like this. 

As a slasher film lived up to what everything is meant to be, it is meant to be full of kills that make you want to throw up. 

Also, the movie brings in characters that we have not seen for a couple of movies. Some of these characters were side characters that had no real role in the events of the previous movie. We see a recast of Tommy Doyle, played by Anthony Michael, and Lindsey Wallace, played by Kyle Richards. Both characters were children when Michael first attacked Laurie Strodes, played once again by Jamie Lee Curtis. 

By Andrew Wheeler ~ Assistant Opinion Editor

There’s a certain expectation surrounding movies based on video game properties, as companies all too often try to maximize profits without actually caring for the source material. When it was announced that Ryan Reynolds would be headlining Free Guy, a film with its own identity on top of numerous video game inspirations and elements, many were skeptical despite the charm he brings to projects. I was skeptical too, but I am happy to report that this movie is an exception to this concern.

By Hunter Epperson ~ Copy Desk Chief

On Saturday, my friend Rose and I went to Venue Cinemas to see Cruella. 

Rose and I enjoyed the movie.

For me, what I enjoyed about Cruella is that it gave a backdrop to why Cruella from 101 Dalmations became the evil, cold-hearted, controlling woman that she is. 

By Andrew Wheeler ~ Guest Writer

I am sure that the majority of us in this day and age were brought up with Saturdays watching episodic cartoons, enjoying the silly antics of classic “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Scooby Doo”. For those with more relaxed parents, perhaps there was even a dash of something like “Family Guy” mixed in. Good or bad, these memories stuck with us and will always be looked back on fondly as a result. However, the cartoon age is changing.

By Jessica Head ~ Media and Marketing Manager

Imagine coming back from vacation and seeing your fiancé now married to your best friend. That is in a way what happened to Michaela Stone, one of the main characters in Manifest. 

Manifest is the story of flight 828, a commercial flight going from Jamaica to New York. Once it lands, the flight team and the passengers are informed that six years have passed for the rest of the world and everyone on the flight was presumed dead. 

By Jessica Head ~ Media and Marketing Manager

Photo (above) is a flyer for “Love, Death & Robots”. Photo retrieved from IMDb.com on Aug. 16, 2021. 

The Netflix series, “Love, Death & Robots”, volume one aired in 2019, and volume two aired earlier this year. This series is a collection of animated short clips, each with a unique story. The stories include shapeshifters, vampires, cats, monsters and even the ocean. 

The genres span across science-fiction, horror, dark-comedy, fantasy, and multidimensional. Some fans were upset that volume two  was noticeably shorter than volume one, but if you are like me, I watched both volumes in a day and a half, and already rewatched episodes multiple times. So does it even matter? 

Alyson Draper ~ Web Editor

CW: Mild Spoilers, Abuse

     I am sure any fan of cult classic TV shows is familiar with Twin Peaks, the TV debut of David Lynch. 

     David Lynch was already well known for his surrealist approach to filmmaking, especially with his flagship film “Eraserhead” (1977). So seeing Lynch take a stab at a prime time TV show was a bit strange for people familiar with his work. 

     The show is supposed to be a parody of the prime time soap operas that were popular at the time, but with that signature Lynchian twist. “Twin Peaks” follows Special Agent Dale Cooper as he enters the small Washington town of Twin Peaks to investigate the mysterious murder of the primaddona Laura Palmer. 

     As Cooper and the police force of Twin Peaks begin to uncover the mystery behind Laura’s death, it is clear that something dark is happening behind the scenes. But despite its rather dreary premise, the show still keeps an air of comedy about it with Cooper’s endless positivity and love of coffee mixed with the strange and endearing characters that populate the town.