It’s fall again, which means it’s time for American Horror Story’s newest season. Heading into its fifth year, the show returns with the Hotel motif, and promises a season full of ghosts, addictions, and murders based on the Ten Commandments.
Author: KEVIN HOLTON
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BLOCKBUSTER BREAKDOWNS
Mini Recaps of This Summer’s Mega Movies
This summer brought us a huge amount of movies, but what was worth seeing? Here are a few snapshots of the good and the bad from this past season.
“Constantine” Lights Up NBC
DC Comics originally came up with John Constantine for the Hellblazer series, and since its first issue in 1988, both the series and character have been iconic in the comic book industry. Constantine, known for his trench coat, skinny red tie, and near-constant smoking, made his way to the big screen in 2005, as portrayed by Keanu Reeves. However, the comic series ended in 2013, being replaced with the Constantine comic series that features the New 52 John Constantine, who is both younger and was the leader of Justice League Dark, a version of the Justice League that focuses on the supernatural heroes/heroines and their otherworldly foe.
Exploring “The Evil Within ”
The video game community has been clamoring for a return to good old-fashioned survival horror, and they were promised just that when “Resident Evil” creator Shinji Mikami was announced as the game director for “The Evil Within,” developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda Softworks. This highly anticipated title was promoted with phrases like “ammo scarcity” and “nightmare inducing,” with the trailers showing the protagonist, Sebastian Castellanos, sneaking through dark, trap-laden corridors stalked by hulking monstrosities. Above all, the world was promised that this would not be a “Resident Evil” game.
Wilson Hall Hosts “The Punk Singer”
An eager audience gathered in the Wilson Auditorium on Feb. 27 to view a screening of The Punk Singer, a documentary about Bikini Kill frontrunner and third-wave feminist icon Kathleen Hanna. Sini Anderson, the film’s director, was there to answer questions about the film after. Anderson is herself a feminist and queer art activist as well as a producer and performance artist.
“Red Bank River Read” Features Monmouth Professor
Valentine’s Day is known for chocolate, candlelit dinners, Hallmark cards, flowers, and lovers exchanging gifts. This year, the holiday was also marked by the February installment of the Red Bank River Read series, which included Suzanne Parker and Monmouth’s own Melissa Febos, assistant professor of English. The Manhattan Bagel was packed to near capacity as people of all ages joined together to hear the writers read.
Clichés Haunt ‘Annabelle’ || Entertainment
“The Conjuring” really captured my attention back in 2013, standing out among other horror movies for its relative lack of jump scares, the way it did not rely on tropes to move the plot along, and how women were still shown as being strong characters. Though it did rely on some clichés, it set a high bar for what such movies could attempt, so I eagerly sat down to watch “Annabelle” on Friday, Oct. 3.
‘River Read Reading Series’ Hosts Established Poets and Aspiring Writers
The Manhattan Bagel in Red Bank, NJ, served as the host of this month’s River Read Reading Series, coordinated by Linda Jade and Gregg Brown, on Saturday, Sept. 20. This community-focused event brings celebrated poets into a close setting with a few dozen eager listeners, letting them autograph their works for paying fans, and ends with an open mic for aspiring writers to share their own work.
PRAISED POET IN POLLAK
The University was host to the inaugural poet Richard Blanco on Tuesday, March 25. Speaking in Pollak Theater, as opposed to the usual Wilson Hall auditorium, he served as the most recent installment in the visiting writer’s series as well as one of the most prestigious speakers to come to campus in the last few years. This event was co-sponsored by the honors school.
DEVILISHLY GOOD: THE PRETTY RECKLESS
When The Pretty Reckless first broke onto the scene with their album “Light Me Up” back in February of 2011, their blend of hard rock roots and aggressive, sexually charged lyrics set them apart from both other bands and from their female-led musical predecessors. One of the other main factors for their huge popularity was the chatter all across the internet at the band’s choice of frontrunner and leadsinger, Taylor Momsen, a name that left some going, “Who?” while others said, “Cindy Lou Who!”