Solo: A ‘Meh’ Story
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
May 29, 2018
With “Solo,” we are now officially four years/movies into Disney’s reign over the “Star Wars” license. It started with a familiar, yet fun feeling in “Force Awakens.” “Rogue One” wasn’t groundbreaking as a film, but it was intriguing to see what the plan was for these stand-alo...
Marvel’s anti-hero returns
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
May 21, 2018
“Deadpool 2” carries on shortly after the conclusion of its predecessor, “Deadpool.” Wade Wilson has made a name for himself since defeating the first film’s main villain Ajax – or Francis, as he was more commonly referred to – and has been granted a tenuous spot as an X-Men trainee. He i...
Bo Burnham excels in directorial debut
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
May 14, 2018
While I may not have been there since the beginning, it has certainly been interesting to see the wide arc Bo Burnham’s career has been. He began filming YouTube videos in his bedroom, playing songs that he wrote when he was 16. By 19 he was filming his first stand up special with Comedy Central, “W...
‘Infinity War’ delivers on promise
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
April 30, 2018
This may be the most unnecessary review I’ll ever write (but please, read on). If you need to be told “Avengers: Infinity War” is about an alien from the moon Titan named Thanos who wants to bring balance to the universe by destroying half of it with the Infinity Stones, chances are you weren’t...
‘The Blue Door’: Film student returns to childhood in new film
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
April 23, 2018
H. G. Wells is one of the most influential science fiction writers of all time. Prominently shown in the 2005 “War of the Worlds” remake with Tom Cruise and soon in the planned “Invisible Man” remake with Johnny Depp, Wells penned stories that still permeate the fabric of our culture over 100...
The confusion of ‘You Were Never Really Here’
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
April 23, 2018
“You Were Never Really Here” is directed by Scottish director Lynne Ramsay and is based on the book by Jonathan Ames. Joaquin Phoenix stars as a man named Joe, who has a deeply troubled past but currently takes jobs tracking down missing children. His latest job requires him to find and return a ...
“The Rock” returns to action in “Rampage”
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
April 16, 2018
Objectively, beyond a shadow of a doubt, “Rampage” is a bad film. However, this does not mean it isn’t an enjoyable film – during some moments, at least. “Rampage” comes to us from “Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore” director Brady Peyton, who teams up with one Dwayne “The...
“Shot in the Dark”: the story of being an elite athlete in Chicago’s West Side
Marissa De La Cerda, Contributing Writer
April 16, 2018
It’s a familiar story. Two star basketball players have dreams and aspirations bigger than their gang-affiliated Chicago neighborhood will allow. There was “Hoop Dreams” in 1994, which followed two African-American teenagers from poor neighborhoods in Chicago who are recruited by a basketball ...
Krasinski’s new must-see horror film
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
April 9, 2018
Almost every horror film has a moment where one of the protagonists is trapped in the same room as the monster/psycho and the audience collectively holds its breath, seemingly trying to avoid making any sound that might tip off the on-screen assailant to the hero’s whereabouts. Now imagine that scene, b...
Film review: “Isle of Dogs” tells heartwarming tail
Isabella Brock, Contributing Writer
April 9, 2018
Wes Anderson’s newest film, “Isle of Dogs,” was released in Chicago on March 23. Set in Japan, the film depicts a dystopian future where dogs are banished from the country to nearby “Trash Island,” and the young boy who bravely attempts to save his dog. The film has a star-studded cast i...
“Ready Player One” rife with easter eggs
Garret Neal, Staff Writer
April 2, 2018
Easter weekend is never complete without an egg hunt and “Ready Player One” delivers the most cinematic one ever. Director Steven Spielberg takes audiences on a visually stunning journey into the not too distant future where the Earth’s resources have been mostly used up. To paraphrase the film, people stopped looking fo...
Henry Winkler stops by to talk “Barry”
Lacey Latch, Arts & Life Editor
April 2, 2018
Legendary actor Henry Winkler, best known for his role as “The Fonz” on “Happy Days,” stopped by ArcLight Theater last Thursday for a special screening of his new HBO show “Barry” and a moderated Q&A with the audience. The show follows Bill Hader as a disillusioned hitman who atte...
