STAFF WRITER,
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I have mixed feelings for the movie Burnt—while there were some aspects that I liked, others fell flat. One of the things I enjoyed was the overall message about a chef who had it all but struggled with his own demons and had to make a name for himself again. However, this message was often lost as some of the scenes felt unnecessary and pointless. Even better, the film could have utilized flashbacks to establish a better connection with the characters instead of aimless conversations. There were so many characters that it got confusing to keep track of their past and relationship to Chef Adam Jones, because character development wasn’t present in this film.
I really had high expectations for the movie Pan because of my love for the story and the iconic characters of Neverland. I was hoping to get that magical, heroic feel when watching this adaptation of one of the most beloved children’s stories, but I got nothing but a predictable plot that never took off. I expected the film to tell the origin story of how Hook became Peter’s enemy, but it focused instead on the defeat of Blackbeard, an original character that I couldn’t have cared less about.
The new Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway flick The Intern takes a fresh approach to comedy. It’s a film that is not only for young adults but senior citizens too, as most of the jokes are puns that the older class can relate to.
I have to say that the movie Captive was a job well done. It had everything I look for in movies: emotional and inspirational scenes, decent acting, strong supporting characters and one brave heroine who is actually a real person, because Captive is based on a true story. Just how much truth there is to the story is for the viewer to decide in this dramatic and bittersweet film.
Disney’s Cinderella is everything that you would expect: no exciting twist to the plot, but the basic tale that we all remember from our childhood. The film has an evil stepmother, two evil stepsisters, a cat that constantly chases Cinderella’s mice pals, a prince, a fairy godmother, a pumpkin that turns into a carriage with the magical words, “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” and, of course, the glass slippers. The movie wasn’t as enchanting and magical as I expected it to be, but it wasn’t terribly bad either.
“Ladies, get ready to shake it!” This is exactly what went down in the audience on Saturday, March 7, in Pollak Theatre; the mostly-female audience clapped and sang along to popular 70s and 80s hits with the cast of “Girls Night: The Musical.” The play was fun, energetic and interacted with the audience like no other show. The crowd roared with laughter as the five leading ladies took the spotlight in this hilarious comedy that hooked viewers right from the opening act.
I walked out of the theater wanting my money back because I was not at all satisfied. What I saw on the screen was a confusing mess; with horrible character development and a terrible plot, it was unbearable to watch without wanting to throw my popcorn at the screen and wonder who produced this movie.
Selma was one of the best civil rights movies I’ve seen in a long time. It allowed the audience to get a closer look at Dr. Martin Luther King as he gathers a rally of people of all races to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama for the right to vote for African Americans in 1965. The film shows not only the struggles that Dr. King had as a civil rights protester and preacher, but also the dysfunctions that it brought upon his family.
