"Orange is the New Black" Season 4 Review

by: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

America's social climate is very tense right now, especially with events such as the elections, Orlando shooting, Black Lives Matter, and LGBT movements happening. All of these things have created a lot of anger and divide that was only inevitable. With that being said, "Orange is the New Black"s fourth season couldn't have come any sooner. Always a very socially relevant show, this show addresses a lot of issues within its prison setting that very closely parallel our society. Darker, better, and more concise than ever, OITNB tackles complex themes such as injustice, racism, rape, mental illness, the complexities of good vs. evil, relationships, and different responses to tragedy. In addition to this, the show boasts some of its best and most dynamic ensemble performances so far, while giving sympathy towards characters I never thought would it would look towards.
I'll admit, unlike pretty much every other season of this Netflix original, I was not immediately hooked. The first episode did not take itself seriously at all, making out like a poor attempt at dark comedy (and that's sad since OITNB usually excels at this element). A lot of the episode revolves around taking care of the hit man that was attempting to kill Vause. Lolly ends up saving her life, but later that night, Alex finds that the man is still alive, and she ends up being the one who actually kills him. Lolly is treated more like a punch line for the first part of the show, and while a lot of the jokes hit, it still got a little annoying to see it time and time again in both episode 1 and 2. On the upside, Alex is transformed into one of the more interesting characters of this season with her trying to figure out how to live with what she's done. She changes from one of the less likeable characters to one of the more likeable ones.

You'll see that's a pretty common trend with all of the characters. It seemed for a while like Piper might be one of the main antagonists of season 4 with her continually bitter attitude to everyone around her, but by the end of the season I found myself rooting for her as she became more like the person she was in season 1. I was most surprise, however, to see Sam Healy shown in a whole new light. We are suddenly able to see why Healy might be the misogynistic, homophobic person he is, as well as why he's just not good at his job. He gets an incredibly tragic backstory of losing his mentally ill mother at a young age, and ever since, he's been trying to find someone else who can replace her, and this person ends up being Lolly. And speaking of Lolly, she also gets a heart-wrenching backstory of how she became homeless because of her mental illness (schizophrenia) and was eventually arrested because of a misunderstanding. Joe Caputo becomes a lot more likeable as he tries to figure out how to be warden and deal with GCC, the corrupt organization who really pulls the strings in his prison.

Those are just a few of the characters that become more interesting; more will be discussed later. First of all, I want to address the array of incredibly relevant themes in this show. The first is racism. This has always been a part of the show, but never has it been shown in a more extreme way than in this season. It first sparks when the new batch of prisoners arrive and one of the prisoners of Hispanic origin talks to Maria about the possibility of the Spanish being able to have control over the prison. Maria, whose past includes having a father involved in a Dominican gang, agrees to this, and a prison gang of sorts is born. Out of this comes a group of white women created by Piper who were originally made to try to stop gang activities. While Piper may have had good intentions, this group gets out of control and turn into dangerous white power radicals. A lot of anger is festered between these the Spanish and whites, and even the African Americans get involved by the end. It makes things dangerous. But the show also addresses how no group is necessarily in the wrong. All of them have some anger built up, and all of their emotions are valid. But being violent against each other or making verbal attacks won't solve anything. At the end of the day, OITNB definitely shows that unity is more powerful and effective than attacking one another, as is proven in one of the more inspirational parts of the show when everyone stands in peaceful protest of the corrupt cops over the prison.

Rape is also an issue addressed here in powerful ways, mostly through the character of Pennsatucky, who is trying to live in prison as a rape victim (a cop raped her and never got caught). The love and caring Boo shows her is incredible, as she tries to show Pennsatuky rape is a real crime, which Pennsatucky doesn't understand since she's been sexually abused her whole life and only thought this abuse was natural (which is such a tragic part of her character, and probably many others like her in real life). Her response to this tragic event is incredible, as she becomes a stronger character than before and actually embodies the Christian values that she was an unreasonable extremist on in the past. She goes so far as to forgive her rapist, perhaps one of the most beautiful moments of light and humanity in a season filled with a lot of darkness, despair, and anger. It's been truly great to see Pennsatucky changed from a redneck Christian punchline to a multi-dimensional character, quite possibly my favorite one of all of the ensemble.

Injustice has become more relevant in the U.S. in the midst of the Brock Turner case and Orlando shooting, and this theme is shown multiple times throughout season 4. Previous seasons of the show have had their share of good and bad cops. But at the end of the day, the incompetent warden and corporation still managed to keep the good cops on the force, while kicking the bad ones out. There's a whole new slew of cops in this season. Piscatella and his crew at first seem a lot more competent than the forces at work in the past seasons. However, we soon discover this group is corrupt, sexist, and unpredictable. Piscatella himself disobeys Caputo constantly in favor of his own acts which take away prisoners' basic human rights by invading them in every way possible. Humphreys is easily the worst, being a total sadist and playing some horrifying "games" with the prisoners. He instigates a fight between Suzanne (who he horrifically calls "the black retard") and her ex-girlfriend, leaving Suzanne more mentally scarred than before. The only good cop is Baxter, a young man who can't really do much about the other cops. And even he has a tragic ending, accidentally killing an inmate while trying to break up a fight, which takes place after the cops attempt to take Suzanne down from a table when she joins the peaceful protest (Suzanne goes off even worse than she normally would) near the end of episode 12. All of this adds up to all the prisoners feeling a rightful sense  of injustice.

The inmate in question who Baxter kills is, very tragically, Poussey. I had a feeling with the darker tone of this season a character might get killed off, but I never expected it to be Poussey, who seems to be considered by many fans the best character on the show. She's definitely the most pure of all the characters in prison. She's loving to everyone, was arrested for simply distributing drugs, and has the most potential of thriving in the outside world (and, not only that, she's probably the character most enthusiastic about leaving prison). And while I do think killing her off was unneeded (even if her death was certainly meant to parallel the real-world injustice of cops killing mainly black people for unjust reasons), the way this show has its characters respond to her death really works in creating the show's powerful theme of how all responses to tragedy have a certain validity to him. I teared up when Taystee had a raw and visceral reaction to Poussey's death,  going into the fetal position beside her body and crying endlessly over it- that was the way episode 12 ended; on a decidedly dark and somber tone. The final episode continues to show people's reactions to the tragedy, with all of the African American characters having a righteous anger, Suzanne tragically trying to feel the way Poussey felt by attempting to crush herself under a pile of books, and many other characters simply talking about the memories they had with Poussey. Red attempts to keep her prison "family" busy because she believes that will keep them from doing anything dangerous.

Red ends up being right, as Taystee (who isn't "busy" according to Red's definition) discovers Caputo won't get any cop in trouble for Poussey's death, which means her death was essentially pointless. So the season ends on a dark note with all the prisoners in a huge riot and surrounding all the cops, with Daya holding a gun up to Humphreys, but we never see if she pulls the trigger. The episode ends beautifully with Poussey breaking the fourth wall and giving a genuine smile to the audience who has loved her. This seems to be the show telling us to move on from this death knowing Poussey has had a happy life. It's certainly bittersweet, but I couldn't think of a better way to handle a character death with the  weight of a large audience appreciation attached.

There's a lot of great acting that went on this season. Taylor Schilling continues to shine as Piper, giving what started as a pretty typical protagonist quite a bit of depth to the point where I could hate her one moment and sympathize with her the next. Michael Harney had some really great moments as Healy, giving the character more complexity than I could've predicted. He showed just how much humanity was in this flawed person, and his moments with Lolly (played by Lori Petty)- who, by the way, also had a lot of great moments this season- were nothing short of touching. Samira Wiley as Poussey gave a standout performance, making her character's passing all the more heartbreaking and bittersweet. Uzo Aduba still consistently balanced the comedy and tragedy of Suzanne, making her much more sympathetic this season and decreasing her as a punchline. But the best performance for me was Taryn Manning as Pennsatucky. This season felt like it belonged to her with a huge story about her trying to move past her rape. She embodied the subtleties of her character perfectly, and really gave a refreshing outlook on a flawed Christian that can still be likeable. There were, unfortunately, some ensemble performances I didn't care  for quite as much. Natasha Lyonne was surprisingly bland as Nichols, but maybe it was because the writers were trying to rehash her drug recovery story yet again. I know that drug addiction is not something easily overcome, but I do think it does an injustice to Nichols' character to make her somehow unable to resist her addiction. And the recovery story wasn't nearly as compelling this time as it was the first. Nick Sandow as Caputo started the season interesting but became a bit cliched in his warden role, feeling like the typical nice but incompetent boss. His dark comedic elements disappeared this season, as well,which was disappointing. Laura Gomez as Flores didn't do much for me, and she's probably the only character in the show I wish didn't have quite as big of a role. But still, even in the midst, of the slightly weaker ensemble roles, there are plenty of others to love, and the cast will always be the major reason why I watch this show.

It can't be denied that "Orange Is the New Black" is more built around its characters' moments and chemistry than a solid story line. That is still a problem season 4 suffered with. A lot of stories simply disappeared off the map, only to be randomly brought up again later. Some didn't make a whole lot of sense. But the central story lines are still seriously compelling, and more importantly, consistent in their respective messages: how racism created a hostile environment, the hardships of moving on from a traumatic event such as rape, and how righteous anger can arise out of an unjust situation. And the moments that this show are ultimately built around are really memorable moments. So, even if the show is flawed, there is still a lot to be loved here. You can't help but get invested in so many of the characters, and I definitely want to continue to follow their story lines for many years to come. So here's to OITNB's best season so far. I can't wait for the next!

"Zootopia" Movie Review

by: James Southworth
Rating: 5/5 Stars

It seems that Disney has always had a mixed bag in regards to their own animated movies with which Pixar isn't associated. They had a pretty rough start with "Chicken Little", but ever since that horrific mishap, the movies have gradually improved. Unfortunately, neither "Bolt" nor "Tangled" got a lot of huge popularity; "Frozen" was what really put Disney's original animated movies on the map. This year they released their newest animated movie "Zootopia", which, from the trailers, looked like nothing special to me. The plot revolves around a bunny named Judy Hopps leaving her small town in hopes of becoming the first bunny cop (bunnies aren't really meant to be cops) and moving to Zootopia, a place where predators and prey live in harmony. However, she eventually meets a fox named Nick Wilde who is doing some shady stuff. These two eventually team up when Judy finds out about a conspiracy starting with an otter's husband disappearing. What her and Nick find out takes place over the whole movie, and Judy eventually learns about herself along the way.

This movie is nothing short of amazing. On surface level, it certainly looks like a movie just about two cute animals who are on an amazing adventure. But, much like any Pixar movie, "Zootopia" goes much deeper than meets the eye. This animated world is, in fact, a mirror to our modern society, and the things this movie talks about feel very timely. Racism is one idea it discusses. The animals in the show don't think Judy should be a cop because she is a bunny. Nick has a rather tragic backstory of trying to fit in with a scouting group but them rejecting him because he's a predator. Judy finds out that she herself stereotypes foxes and other predators. All of this is seriously deep stuff. But, it's handled with incredible grace in a way which adults can appreciate and kids can understand. Every animal in the movie is shown to go beyond their conventional stereotypes. A gruff ram can also lay down some jokes and be kind. A sloth can be fast (in a certain manner of speaking). And maybe, most importantly, the movie shows prey can be just as bad as predators. In the end, the movie encourages acceptance rather than judgement, so that equality can be reached. It was seriously clever the ways these issues were tackled throughout the movie.

The animation in this movie is stunning, and I'd say it goes right up there with any Pixar movie. All the animation makes you feel the grandeur of the world Disney has put us in, with Zootopia itself looking like a delightful place. All of the animals look vibrant, with all of the movements they make very fitting to their character traits. The characters in this movie are great as well. Kids will easily be able to attach to Judy, who is a very lovable protagonist. She is cute (obviously since she's a bunny), but she also has an interesting personality, one that everyone can get behind. You want her to succeed, and you become even happier for her when she realizes just achieving her dreams is too narrow. Nick Wilde is a great character as well, starting off as a little unlikable, but certainly getting more sympathetic as the movie goes on. He has plenty of jokes to make which will more appeal to adults, and they're all very clever. Bogo is absolutely hilarious as what starts out as the common gruff cop but transforms in something a lot more funny. Those are only a few of the interesting characters; all audiences will be able to find one character or another to like as all the main ones are so well-developed. The respective voice actors, particularly Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman, are great in giving even more personality to their characters.

"Zootopia" is practically a perfect movie. It leaves room for  a lot of complex discussions about very timely issues, and I can see this movie being a perfect way to try to give kids an understandable comparison to the world they live in. Even parents can learn something from this film. This movie is just smart in everything that it does. The comedy is really great with jokes for adults and kids- there's a sloth scene which I won't go into too much detail about, but let me just say, I was cracking up. Every joke in that scene hit perfectly, and the payoff to the sloth's name "Flash" is marvelous. I couldn't recommend this movie more. In our modern culture, a movie teaching about love and acceptance of others without being overly preachy is really needed, and boy does this film deliver in just the right ways. "Zootopia" is fun, hilarious, fast-paced, likeable, and most of all, very smart. I beg you to watch what may be the best animated movie of the year, and certainly one of the best movies of the year!

Thousand Foot Krutch "Exhale" Album Review

by: James Southworth
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Thousand Foot Krutch, more often abbreviated as TFK, have been an active rock band since 1997. Once known by a very select group of people, they are presently huge in both Christian and secular markets. Their single "Rawkfist" has assured them a huge staying power. Now they have quite the impressive discography under their belt, with their only real weak point (for me) being "The Flame in All of Us", which actually transitioned them to their still best album of all time (once again, for me): "Welcome to the Masquerade". That album still stands the test of time as one of my favorite albums ever. After the aforementioned album, TFK went independent like many rock artists, particularly in the Christian circles, have been doing recently. Reception for them has become a little mixed since then, getting a massive hit with the album "The End is Where We Begin", and a pretty negative response with "Oxygen: Inhale". Many believed the latter album was too soft and a disjointed effort. While I really liked the album and thought it emphasized Trevor McNevan's impressive vocals, I could see where people were coming from, and it definitely isn't one of this band's best efforts. Fast forward to today and we have a new TFK album, "Exhale", which McNevan promised would be the exact opposite of "Inhale" and boast almost all rock songs. And boy, does this album deliver. By the end of it, I had a huge grin on my face. "Exhale" is a fan-pleaser to the extreme, and that is not a bad thing in the slightest.

"Exhale" gets off to a superb start with its first three songs. "Running With Giants" is just begging to be played in a huge live setting with its explosive guitar work and epic lyricism ("Running with giants, everywhere I go/It's an unspoken alliance, so I can't just let go"). It's powerful to hear lyrics talking about God in a way that makes him feel appropriately huge. "Incomplete" reminds me of the title track  off of "The End is Where We Begin" with its fast paced verses and slow-burn chorus, and this technique is proven to work once again for the solemn theme of the song, which is about not being whole without God in your life. The song is really affecting and the chorus sticks in just the right way. "Give up the Ghost" is, hands down, one of TFK's best songs to date. I'd say it already feels like a straight-up classic. It doesn't sound like anything they have done before, with an incredible beginning and ending guitar riff. It also boasts some of their most clever lyricism to date, with McNevan refusing to be haunted by the sins, or "ghosts", of his past (and also encouraging others to follow this train of thought): "I've met trouble and I've met rain/Laughed with joy and cried in pain/ But now I see and I believe/That the ghosts that haunt me have been outhaunted". Trevor's vocals sound as passionate as ever, the guitar work is incredible, and the drumming is sporadic and energetic. This all adds up to make a perfect TFK song, as well as one of the best songs of the year so far.

After these first three tracks, you wouldn't think TFK could up themselves any more through the album. But there are still plenty of great tracks to look at. "Off The Rails" has another unique guitar riff in it which makes the songs feel just the right amount of chaotic. "Adrenaline" feels like it could fit right onto their album "Phenomenon", which isn't a bad thing at all. It brings back Trevor's raps and makes them feel refreshing, unlike a previous song on "Untraveled Road" off "Oxygen: Inhale". "Lifeline" is a pretty straight forward rock song, but has a relevant message about trying to stay afloat despite all the negativity that surrounds everyday life. And, once again, the chorus is super catchy, and you'll find yourself humming it if you listen enough.

The album ends off with two more highlights that are consecutively the second and third best on the album after "Give up the Ghost". "Born Again" boasts the Southern rock flare TFK established with their song "Born this Way". On "Born Again", they actually perfect it the style with ease. The guitar riff is fun and has a creative little twang, Trevor's vocal style has  a little bit of a country flare which works effectively rather than ending up annoying. Superb lyrics appear again in discussion about being born again in Christ, and it is done in a way that is refreshingly not cliched. The album ends with the ballad "Honest", which sent chills up my spine with some great strings, beautiful raw vocals, and some of Trevor's most authentically penned lyrics: "If I can be honest/How come I always break my promises to you?/If I'm not afraid why am I so scared to move?/I'm barely breathing". Those lyrics are just breathtaking to me and really left the album on a contemplative note. This felt right after an album filled with mainly rock songs.

There are some weak points of this album as well. "A Different Kind of Dynamite" has Trevor using way too many similes in the chorus, which is something that was a huge problem on "Inhale". I usually appreciate his falsetto; however it really falls flat here and feels annoying every time he uses it. The backing music is also a bit repetitive, making this the weakest song on the album. "The River" has about as tired of a concept as the title, using water metaphors for rebirth. The song doesn't really bring anything new to the table , even though the Southern flare on the song was mildly interesting. "Push" reminds me a little too much of "Untraveled Road" to the point it's almost a carbon copy. "Can't Stop This" is entirely rapped, and while I like Trevor's raps, his singing is much better, and that makes this song a weaker entry. His raps also feel repetitive with not much variation in style.

"Exhale" is definitely an improvement over "Inhale" (even though I didn't think "Inhale" was a weak album). It gave me exactly what I- and many other fans- have wanted from TFK ever since "Welcome to the Masquerade": a lot of fun rock songs which also have great lyrical content to consider. Though albums like the "WTTM", "Phenomenon", and "The Art of Breaking" are all stronger entries overall than "Exhale", TFK's newest is still certainly a worthy one in their discography, and it's easily one of the most solid rock records to come out so far this year. This one will definitely be on repeat for me as I anticipate seeing what one of my favorite bands will release next!

Favorite Songs: "Give Up the Ghost", "Born Again", "Honest", "Lifeline", "Incomplete"

Least Favorite Songs: "A Different Kind of Dynamite", "The River", "Push", "Can't Stop This"

Beartooth "Aggressive" Album Review

by: James Southworth
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Caleb Shomo of the inside joke of metalcore band Attack Attack! surprised everyone when he released his own project Beartooth. Everything on the album was produced by him and him alone: his voice, the lyrics, the guitars, the drums, everything. In addition to that, his unique usage of a hardcore punk style of music pushed Beartooth to the front in terms of popularity right on the release of their debut "Disgusting". I love that album. It is one of the few metal albums that I view as almost perfect. The lyrics are well-penned ("I Have a Problem" and "Ignorance is Bliss" being prime examples), the instrumentation is raw and so are Caleb's brutal screams and beautiful cleans, and there are also super catchy choruses (particularly on songs like "In Between" and "Body Bag"). The cherry on top are the delightful breakdowns that are some of the best and most intense I've had the pleasure of listening to. Everything about "Disgusting" is fresh and it has given metal and hardcore more respect by the masses. It was energetic and didn't follow the formula. Unfortunately, the same can't always be said for Caleb's sophomore effort "Aggressive", even if it is a overall solid effort.

It was only inevitable that after the huge success of "Disgusting" that Caleb would use the Beartooth formula a second time. And for the most part, it works on this album. "Aggressive" gets off to a great start with the one-two punch of the title track and "Hated". The title track brings to mind a better version of "Beaten In Lips", as it is once again about oppressed youth- which makes sense because they are a big fraction of Caleb's audience. The song does boast everything that is great about Beartooth though: the lyrics are intriguing in their criticism of a society that views its young generation as inferior to others ("Chew us up, spit us out/You know what you’re breeding/Lost aggressive youth/Push us back, hold us down/What were you expecting?/Lost aggressive youth"), Caleb's cleans are excellent, his screams piercing, and the breakdown a joy to hear. The song "Hated" is a little bit different though. It primarily has Caleb's clean singing backed by some more straight up punk riffs. This is not a bad thing at all, though, because Caleb tackles the punk textures terrifically. The chorus is probably the most catchy on the album, and the breakdown is expected but once again a lot of fun. This is easily one of the top moments on the album because of the musical risks it takes.

Unfortunately, for a few tracks, the album goes on a bit of a weaker streak, with the middle part of the record not matching up to anything produced on "Disgusting". Though still sounding pretty great musically, "Loser" has some cliched lyrics ("It wasn't easy being rejected by the thing I wanted so bad/To be accepted, to be wanted, to wake up and say this is gonna be a good day/Maybe I wasn't like all the normal kids, I was born just a little bit different"). This underdog anthem feels like any other one done by other bands. It doesn't stand out on the album, and feels like more of a direct sellout to its audience. "Fair Weathered Friend" stands as the weakest song musically and lyrically as it addresses hypocrisy with some bizarre lyrics and a sadly passionless chorus. "Burnout" sounds a bit too much like "I Have a Problem" and is definitely weaker than that song. The lyrics are once again empowering youth to not be held down by those who oppress them. It feels tired, though, when "Hated" addresses this theme far better.

"Sick of Me" seems like a direct repeat of "Burnout", at least in lyrics, but it is saved by having a distinctly fresher sound. It does get a little annoying at "Censored" to hear the theme of oppression addressed yet again in just another deviation, and once again does not sound all that interesting.The breakdowns on all of these tracks are not anything special, either, with was the biggest disappointment. These four tracks are sadly not very memorable, but thankfully Caleb's talent in the music and vocal department still mostly shines through (except on "Fair Weathered Friend") and saves them from being  completely monotonous in sound. Unfortunately, the lyrics and themes still feel too similar and some of the lyrics and breakdowns feel like they could belong to another band.

Luckily, the ending part of this album, which also happens to be the strongest part, is really what makes "Aggressive" a notch above other metal releases. "Always Dead" is easily the best song on the album and one of the best Beartooth songs to date. It lives up to the album title with some truly aggressive guitar work, drumming, and vocals. Caleb gives it his all here in delivering the lyrics "You'll always be dead to me" with quite a bit of passion. What makes this song even better is the guitars and drumming are always changing direction, always unpredictable, so you never see the breakdown coming, but when it happened, I had a huge grin on my voice. The song is short but to the point, and it's practically perfect. "However You Want It Said" boasts the best clean vocals on the album and a really catchy chorus. "Find a Way" has a solid leading guitar riff with some more positive lyricism ("I sold myself for what I love/Sometimes it's not enough/How hard can it be to breathe?/I've gotta find a way out"). It was refreshing to hear a song which was about Caleb encouraging his audience to find a solution for themselves instead of just lashing out against others.

Let me just say "Rock Is Dead" is purely fun. It is right up there with "Always Dead". I could just tell Caleb put a lot of passion into this one and I could hear the conviction in his voice when he says "If rock and roll is dead you can kill me right now!", which also made me very happy. The song screams pure energy and feels like it is worthy of being on "Disgusting". "King of Anything" closes the album as a solid cut. The song is almost solely clean vocals and is much more subdued than anything else on the album. The stripped down approach on the guitars works, as well as Caleb's vocals sounding a little less produced. It's fitting for the raw lyricism: "But I'm not close to perfect/I'm not close to sane/I'm not the one to worship/And I'm not the one to blame/But you made up your mind/And put me on your stage/Just take it all back/I'm not the king of anything". Those honest lyrics stand as the obvious lyrical highlight of the album, and ultimately end the album on a high note which left me wanting more.

I definitely did not think this album was as good as the energetic, fun, and well-written "Disgusting". There were a few songs on this album that took a little too much from "Disgusting" and they sound stale in comparison. "Fair Weathered Friend" was  surprisingly weak and boring, and is certainly the weakest Beartooth song to date. However, the highlights of this album cannot be denied, as they are pretty solid metal/rock hits. It's worth the buy, as Caleb's talent still bleeds through the album many times and it is still overall a lot of fun to listen to for the summer.

Favorite Songs: "Always Dead", "Rock is Dead", "Hated", "King of Anything", "However You Want it Said"

Least Favorite Songs: "Fair Weathered Friend", "Censored", "Loser", "Burnout"

"The Nice Guys" Movie Review

by: James Southworth
4.5/5 Stars

There was a time when buddy cop films were huge blockbusters. People loved the odd chemistry between a seemingly unlikely duo of actors, because (at least in the good ones) the chemistry worked in a weird way. But eventually they died out. People were more demanding larger casts and bigger action. So, "The Nice Guys" is a throwback in almost every way. The movie revolves around two people looking for one girl named Amelia after the death of a famous porn star. Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) works as more of a "hit man for hire" type who is trying to make sure Amelia stays off the map. Holland March (Ryan Gosling) is a private investigator who doesn't mind working for money either, but he is actually trying to turn Amelia in. Eventually these two men cross paths, and end up working together. They soon discover a more convoluted plot as the government might have ulterior motives for finding Amelia, as well as a murderous group of individuals looking for her. "The Nice Guys" takes place in the 70's, reflects a lot of the tropes of buddy cop movies, is dialogue heavy, and has a plot that can have some twists, but not like the ones we see today. Everything about this movie goes against the grain of what modern movies are expected to be. And that is exactly what makes it so great.

The themes presented in this movie are all very intriguing. One of the best is the subtleties of what is good and what is evil. Healy is a hit man and his work isn't really legal, yet he is still taking down some very bad people. It's also shown how conflicted he is with the choices he has made and does want to be better. March does ask quite a bit of money for his work, and it is often quite a bit as he charges the money from vulnerable people. Yet we do also see him asking his own daughter, "Am I good person?" to which she honestly replies "No". For the rest of the movie we see March trying to change his ways for his daughter and be a better person. Despite both Healy and March having flaws, the audience does feel sympathy for them. They want them to work through their flaws and become better. Even the antagonists or lesser people are shown sympathy through the character of Holly March. She begs Healy two times not to kill two different people who are very dangerous. She talks to porn stars in a way that I imagine most people would not talk to them. The movie tackles this complicated subject very convincingly.

Another theme is, surprisingly, fatherhood. March is shown from the beginning of the movie to care quite a bit for his daughter Holly. He wants to keep her safe, but he doesn't see that she is not the innocent girl she used to be. Healy is more a surrogate father who she turns to as a mentor, and he does see she is smarter than she looks. Both of these characters actually do become better when they are around Holly; she lifts them up as people rather than being a burden. Director Shane Black could've so easily used the cliche that Holly was a hindrance to March and Healy. But instead she becomes a saving grace for both of them, their one shot at being looked at being redeemable people.
There are so many other things that work in this movie. The best element is the dark comedy aspect, which Shane Black is just an absolute pro at. Pretty much every joke sticks. I was cracking up at some of the scenes in here, with a bathroom stall scene (no spoilers) having me nearly crying with how funny it was. There is also a rather bizarre dream sequence that ends up being extremely hilarious in its own way. The jokes, while many times presented in a dark way, always seemed to work. Also, this movie just looked great. The costumes were perfectly periodic, as were the set pieces and the beautifully put together dialogue. Even the way the movie was shot gave it a distinctly neo-noir feel. Black thought of every subtle thing to make this feel like a throwback, and it was very effective. The only part of the movie I felt didn't really work were these weird little political messages being thrown in. They felt ultimately forced and unneeded in this movie; the time should've just been used to continue focusing on the jokes.

I couldn't have asked any more of the actors than what they gave here. Ryan Gosling gives one of the best roles of 2016 as Holland March. He played the role perfectly, making the character a bit pathetic, but also a protagonist we could root for. He became an absolute riot in the movie, as he showed just how bad of a cop his character was when put into certain situations. Gosling's scream of terror (which he did several times) was absolutely hysterical and never failed to crack me up. He was definitely my favorite from beginning to end. Gosling certainly created a dynamic character who we could feel for in his relationship to Holly. Russell Crowe gave an almost equally excellent performance as Healy. Though he is pretty much a type cast for tough guy roles, Crowe still played this one with particular confidence, as well as giving Healy a soft side. He perfectly balanced Gosling's incompetent cop as a very capable and confident hit man who did his job often better than March. Angourie Rice is also one of the best child actors I've seen, making her role as Holly March one that was interesting to watch. I felt great affection for her character as she was the heart of the movie, the one that offered some light in the midst of the darker moments. Matt Bomer gave a terrifying turn as John Boy, a killer to truly be feared. He always felt like someone you should be scared of, and the way Bomer presented the darkly comedic aspects of his character was very well done.

What else can really be said about this movie besides the fact it was nearly flawless? Besides some slightly shoehorned political elements, this movie boasts some great chemistry between its two leads, a surprisingly capable child actor, flawless usage of dark comedy, and a perfect-looking period piece. I definitely recommend this movie, as it is certainly a great work of art to behold.

An Analysis/Review of "Mad Men"

by: James Southworth
Rating: 5/5 Stars

TV shows can be a pretty tricky business, as they are in considerably larger numbers than movies are. On one hand they can be an advantage, giving characters more depth and a lot more story lines and themes. On the other hand, a bare bones plot can lead to a lot of filler episodes, or even worse, the show could be cancelled. So to say good TV shows are a dime a dozen is an understatement. Finding truly great TV shows is harder. But looking for the classics- it's nearly impossible. I'm going to contend in this part analysis and part review that "Mad Men" fits that tier of classic TV shows that should be viewed by everyone. I will attempt to prove that in both reviewing the show as a whole as well as giving an analysis of my five favorite characters.

When I first started "Mad Men", I wasn't sure if it would be the show for me. It felt in the pilot like a pretty straight-forward drama: a man named who had taken on the fake persona of Don Draper after being dismissed from the armed forces attempted to hide his secrets by having a perfect family and working for the very profitable advertising agency "Sterling Cooper". But by the end of the pilot, I was absolutely hooked. Why? Because not only was Don Draper a very interesting character, but a plethora of other very interesting characters were introduced as well. I knew that this would be a show I'd want to watch through. But interesting characters were not the only thing this show had in abundance.

I could honestly go on and on about all the thematic arcs this show has which are shown in very clever ways. A big pervading part of the show is about how the human condition is to show what seems to be there rather than what actually is there. This even directly correlates to advertising- which makes one wonder, is advertising a result of that aforementioned human condition, or is the human condition a result of advertising? Whatever the case, that idea is there, and Don Draper might embody it best. He is practically a living advertisement, always looking to people like a well-adjusted man who can do everything and has the perfect life. But underneath it all, Don is not at all who he says he is. His name isn't even Don, it's Dick. His mother died at birth, he was raised poor under a prostitute. But, for a majority of the show Don is able to keep his secret because people don't ever look past the facade, a pretty direct commentary on how problematic that can be for us. Don isn't the only character like this, however. Joan Harris seems to be just the right secretary: sexy to the men and swaggering to the women. However, underneath, she has a lot of insecurities of her own. Pete Campell looks confident and happy as a privileged inheritor of a lot of money, but the audience sees he's actually a spoiled, entitled brat who will never get just what he wants. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

This leads nicely into the next big theme, which is that happiness is not going to be an always present force no matter how hard you try for it. Don is always looking for meaning in his life, and can't even seem to realize he already has it in a family that really cares for him. So, he finds his happiness in often destructive ways, going into affairs with many, many women. But at the end of it all, he really had nothing to show for it with two divorces, losing his children, and being more alone than ever. Betty Draper simply defines her happiness by the nuclear family, and when she finds out Don's secret, she moves on to another man, but instead ends up overly bitter and on a metaphorical island of her own unintentional design. Peggy Olson is consistently trying to revolutionize her role as a woman by getting to the top of the ladder, but when she gets all the way there she still simply wants more. Director Matthew Weiner shows how all of these characters haven't ever come to the realization happiness isn't always there, and because of that, there are consequences to the extreme actions they'll take to get to try and achieve permanent happiness.

However, in the midst of these dark themes, there are still redemptive lights that shine through the cracks. Weiner also convincingly shows how all humans do deserve some form of satisfaction (which isn't the same thing as happiness). We sympathize for Don when he fails an advertising pitch, is divorced to Betty, but we're happy when he finds some consolation with Betty and a new wife in Megan Draper. However, the very fitting ending they gave for Don was not finding happiness in another person or in work, but rather in getting in touch with himself. Though Pete might seem entitled, we do still see an affectionate side to him for his wife Trudy and his daughter. Even Roger Sterling, who can be the embodiment of sexist, racist, and homophobic, still has a lot of humanity in him when he sees the potential for fatherhood and having a true relationship with one woman that won't just be a trophy wife.

In the setting of an advertising agency, Weiner is also able to bring across a dark time in human history when sexism, racism, and homophobia were all too prevalent, and he often shows the darkest parts of it. At the beginning of the show, men are the only ones in leading positions at the agency, while women take the role of secretaries. It seems that everyone is satisfied with where they are, but one comes to quickly realize that is far from the case. Peggy wants something more than being a secretary, she want's to let her creativity show. Joan wants to be known as something rather than the bombshell secretary. Sal is in an extremely sad state as he has to endure homophobic slurs and keep his sexuality hidden. When black characters appear in the show (who are women as well), they are all shown as wanting to have more of an influence in their culture. It can often be painful to watch all of these things, but it's also important that we remember a time when this stuff existed. Women get all of the blame in an affair. Joan is made to sleep with a client so that the advertising agency can get him. Betty is consistently frowned upon in her divorce, even though Don was the problem, and this makes her a rather bitter character. When it's found Sal is gay, he is fired from the agency without another care about him. Roger wears blackface in one of the more shocking moments of "Mad Men". Black characters are more likely to get fired in the show than any other.

Not only does this show excel at all of its themes, it also delivers the episodes in some pretty awesome ways with all of its visuals. The cinematography of the show is absolutely beautiful. The show also simply looks and feels like it took place in the 60s with timely costumes, set pieces, and dialogue. Speaking of dialogue, there are so many memorable lines in this show, so many I invite you to watch the show to witness them. Dialogue is beautifully done and beautifully delivered. There are often very interesting camera choices used to evoke a mood. There are many episodes which use their visuals to a risky degree, and it always works. For example, in "Far Away Places", easily one of the best "Mad Men" episodes, Roger Sterling and his estranged wife get high on LSD and some clever camera tricks are used to show their bizarre drug trip.

Now, on to the main event: the acting. What can I honestly say but that the whole cast is pretty much pitch perfect? Every member presents a character that is so multi-dimensional and intriguing to watch that each of them deserves a spin-off show. So much can be said about each. However, I'm going to highlight my five favorite actors/characters and give an extended commentary on each of them. They deserve it. So here, they are, in order of favorite to least (although I love all of them):

Peggy Olson (Elizabeth Moss)

 If there's one character that the audience can really pick out to root for and see as perhaps the least corrupt main character, it's Peggy Olson. We start with seeing her as an ambitious young secretary who simply wants to do her job well. As the show goes on, we see so much of Peggy. We see her inner conflicts with giving away her child. Just as important are her ambitions, and I always wanted to see her get to them just because of how enthusiastically she pursued them. It seemed that unlike some of the other characters in the show, societal hindrances did not stop Peggy from moving forward with inspirational determination. By the end of season 6, Peggy is walking into a national advertising agency in what is one of the most awesome transformations I've seen in a character. It put a huge smile on my face. Elizabeth Moss plays this character beautifully, showing each subtle texture of her character gracefully. I personally think she has portrayed one of the best women characters on television, one that is very complex and contradicts the roles that women are often put in. It was absolutely refreshing to see a woman character who was just as interesting, if not more, than her male counterparts.

Don Draper (Jon Hamm)

 I feel that it's sort of fitting to put Don right next to Peggy, as in some ways he is a mirror image of Peggy, while in other ways he's the exact opposite. Don is right up there with Walter White as one of the most iconic characters on television. He was the person that got me at the very least intrigued in the show in the opening shot with him talking to a black man (which seemed odd given the time period, but I see now it was purposeful). There's so much to Don right from the beginning, and the audience gets to witness pretty much everything about him, which makes the audience love and hate him. That is what makes him a great character to me, though. He feels like a real person, someone you could meet on the street, not like just a television character. To me, his redemption at the end of the show was the most refreshing,as I felt he really did deserve happiness, and I was glad he found meaning in life. Jon Hamm is simply an incredible actor. He delivers all of his character's dialogue just right, and his facial expressions speak volumes. Don might be one of the best character studies presented on television.

Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka)

 I would've never guessed Sally would be one of my favorite characters at the beginning of "Mad Men", as I just viewed her as one of Don's children, nothing more. But as the show progressed, Sally became her own entity, and she is the character that went through the most changes. She started in the show as an innocent child, but by the end she was a bold teenager who became the leader of her family. Though a lot of her childhood was tragic because she was, in fact, a child of the Drapers, it was inspiring to see her move past all of that and even still find love for her dad and mom. She was a primary witness at how flawed both of them were, but still she loved them and became an independent woman in the process. I was a little worried for Sally at one point that she could be a sociopath, but she was even able to move past what seemed a destructive stage. Kiernan Shipka is one of the best child actors, hands down. Shipka showed everything that was demanded of her. This character would be a hard one to portray, but she did it with grace. She really felt like the heart of the show.

Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) 

If it isn't evident yet, I really love the women characters of this show, and now Joan is being added to the mix. Much like Sally, I didn't think much of Joan. She really just seemed like the sexy character. But she became so much more- in fact a lot more. Perhaps the first evidence of this was when she got in a serious relationship and ended up raped and pregnant. However, instead of breaking down, she became empowered and proudly raised a son who she loved with everything in her. She is not afraid to show her emotions, but she is also not weak. Most would view letting your emotions all out as a weakness, but Joan turns it into her best strength. She is certainly nice to look at, but I saw her as above just her body image- she was beautiful on the inside, too. Christina Harris plays both the emotional and strong parts of her character in an incredibly balanced way. How could one not simply root for Joan to get her happiness when she already became empowered in her hardships?

Pete Campell (Vincent Kartheiser)

I do know a lot of people probably view Pete as a spoiled, entitled man-child, and that is one part of him. I would argue it's a result of how he was raised, with both of his parents not really being all that great. And besides being spoiled, I see Pete as simply being in a broken, tragic state. Through a majority of the show, it seemed pretty obvious to me Pete would never be happy. He had success, but he wanted something more, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Even when married, Pete was bitter and got into an affair which ended in a divorce with his wife. But in his spoiled demeanor, there was something oddly charming about it to me. I found it hilarious a lot of the times, and a lot of his dialogue was very memorable, as he said some of the most ridiculous things but never realized it himself. Vincent Kartheiser embodied this character just right, never making the character antagonistic, and in the end he made the audience glad Pete got a happy ending.

And there you have it. "Mad Men" is probably right at my second favorite show of all time, only being slightly beaten by "Breaking Bad". I couldn't recommend the show enough. It's smart while not being pretentious, has some great and consistent thematic arcs, and realistic characters that all deserve character studies and should be a part of any school teaching how to make good characters. Matthew Weiner made a masterpiece in this TV show, and it's one that I believe will be remembered for years to come.

Meghan Trainor "Thank You" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

I'll be the first to admit that I am not one of those that viewed Meghan Trainor as anything unique. Her throwback to the doo-wop style of the 70's was more annoying than it was charming, and it was just contributing to an already large trend of pop music that was feeding on nostalgia. Plus, her lyrics and "feminist" stand were questionable. I felt she really showed the worst side of radical feminism, the one that said females were the dominant species and males were to be despised and shunned. "All About that Bass" seemed an empowering song about body image on the surface, but underneath it was shaming skinny people and still showing the body as a sexual object. "Dear Future Husband" is just a list of demands given by Trainor for what she wants in a husband which is just too picturesque and felt selfish and scathing. So I haven't really liked her that much, and I was saddened but not surprised when she won Best New Artist at the Grammys.

It seems the title of this new album, "Thank You", is directed at the fans who led Trainor to stardom. So, in order to please her fans further in her throwback style, Trainor has adapted a more 90's flare on this album which is reminiscent of early Madonna or Britney Spears. How does this direction work for her? Well, let me start with the positives. I went into this album as open-minded as possible, and because of that, I actually surprised myself with finding some decent songs. Though both of their lyrics are a bit too individualistic for my taste, "I Love Me" and "Better" still both have a certain swagger to them that can't be denied. The beats backing them are pretty catchy, and Meghan's voice sounds really good. On the other hand, I could actually get behind the lyrics on "I Won't Let You Down", where Trainor sounds at her most sincere. She's not trying to make a heavy-handed statement or appeal too much to a certain demographic, she's just being herself. More than that, she's actually admitting that she was the one in the wrong, where a lot of times in her many relationship-centric songs the blame is put on the man: "Cause I made mistakes/Probably more than I can count/So from this day on, I won't let you down". Even though that final statement is pretty bold, it's at least a nice goal to go after. "Dance Like Yo Daddy" sees Trainor actually trying to have some fun with her voice and the beat accompanying her. No man need be mentioned in this song (unlike almost every other one on here), which makes it the best song on the album just because it isn't relationship-centric like so many pop songs are. It also has a comedic vibe to it that worked well in its execution. The ending track, "Champagne Problems", is pretty interesting as it is more of a dance track. The music in it is intriguing and Meghan's voice works pretty well with it. I could see myself liking her music more if she did more stuff like this.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album doesn't fair quite so well. "Watch Me Do" is perhaps the worst song both musically and lyrically. Musically, Meghan's voice has that obnoxious rap-sing quality which makes her sound so annoying, and the beat is all over the place; the song never finds a real sense of direction. The lyrics also see Meghan praising herself, and it comes across as arrogant rather than empowering, with insipid lyrics like "I ain't saying I'm the besteses/But I got nice curves, nice breasteses/I don't erase the textes from my exeses/All in my DMs, leaving messages". It's lyrics like these that make me wonder why these songs are the ones that get popular- they're so childish and immature. Speaking of immaturity, "NO" comes in a close second place as the worst song on this album. The beat here is a little more clear, but it drones on and on. While it's nice the lyrics are trying to empower women in denying men that can't get a hint, once again the delivery by Meghan is just overbearing (and might I mention, the music video pretty much contradicts the message given here with its sexual overtones). "Me Too" has Meghan using God to idolize herself ("I thank God every day/That I wake up feeling this way... If I was you, I'd want to be me too"). I feel like I'm repeating myself, but this song, much like "Watch Me Do", is hyper individualistic.

Remember how I said a lot of this album is pretty contradictory? Well, these slew of other songs prove this statement, as they are all about Trainor looking for a relationship. But wait, didn't so many of her other songs establish she DIDN'T need a man? I think I could've respected this album more if Meghan had gone all the way in her message, but she only did it half way. The problem with these songs is not that they're overbearing, rather they're just incredibly underwhelming, boring, and generic pop. "Hopeless Romantic" is pretty cliched in all facets: its title, musicality, and lyrics. I gained nothing from it; it's easily the most forgettable song on the album. "Kindly Calm Me Down" is nothing to write home about either, and "Just a Friend to You" has some super cheesy lyrics. All these songs are more of the ballad-type, and none of them stuck out. Meghan sounds passionless and processed here.

Though this review sounds more negative than positive, I would argue that I was pretty generous in this review given my previous disdain with Trainor and with the pop industry in general (the industry is probably a big result of a lot of Trainor's content on here, given there were multiple writers and producers). I was happy to find some actual good content on here, particularly in "I Won't Let You Down", "Dance Like Yo Daddy", and "Champagne Problems". However those moments are overtaken by some of Meghan's more extreme feminism (which dangerously verges and sometimes trespasses on idolatry) and some unmemorable content. I'm hoping in the future, Meghan's evidence of talent can emerge, but for now, she still is not very appealing to me and feels like just another voice lost in the masses of other solo pop artists.

Favorite Songs: "Dance Like Yo Daddy", "I Won't Let You Down", "Champagne Problems"

Least Favorite Songs: "Watch Me Do", "NO", "I Love Me", "Me Too" "Kindly Calm Me Down", "Hopeless Romantic"

"Captain America: Civil War" Movie Review

By:James Southworth
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Marvel has begun the third phase and almost impossibly successful streak of superhero movies with "Captain America: Civil War". Everyone has consistently wondered whether Marvel can make a mistake now with two to three movies having come out for now many years, and all of them have done well. That still doesn't seem to be the case. "Civil War" made a massive hit at the box office, already earning $180 million solely on its opening. And it makes sense: this movie is easily one of the biggest in cast and it is the longest Marvel movie to date. The plot is pretty major, as well, as Steve Rogers/Captain America and Tony Stark/Iron Man are at odds with each other on whether to check on the power of the Avengers or not. Tony believes that the power should be limited as the Avengers (himself included) have done a lot of damage, and have become more like vigilantes. Steve is completely against this limit, as he sees this as stopping the Avengers from doing the work they should do. This leads to the rest of the supers in this movie picking either one's side, and the conflict turns violent. Meanwhile, the villain of this movie, Zemo (played by Bruhl) has a plan that could turn humanity upside down, and is determined to make sure the Avengers never discover it.

The summary I gave of the plot seems pretty basic, and essentially it is. But the themes surrounding it are some of the most complex presented to us in a Marvel movie. One of the biggest is the importance of friendship. While this could have been cheesy in certain hands, the Russo brothers (directors) nailed this perfectly. Throughout the whole of the movie there is a lot of weight put on the camaraderie of all the Avengers, and when this disagreement puts them at odds, the audience feels the weight of it. Steve and Tony are shown to have become almost like brothers, so it can be tough to see them argue. But even in their arguments, the Russo brothers show how much they care for each other, as they both make it clear they don't want to fight one another. The little quips characters have between each other, especially between Bucky and Sam, further highlight the deep-seated bonds these characters have formed in their time together. There is also the complex idea of freedom vs. control. It's a question the Russo brothers never fully answer, as the audience can see the reasoning for both ideas through Steve and Tony.

Besides the themes, there are so many things that are done just right in this film, and made it an incredible joy to watch. "Civil War" is two and a half hours, and through every minute of it I was invested. Humor and drama are perfectly balanced here (possibly better than any other Marvel movie so far). The two big fight scenes have some of the fastest and best choreography I've ever seen. The first one with nearly all the Avengers present is an absolute delight. I'd really prefer not to reveal anything about it, as it is simply something you have to witness for yourself, but let me just say the dialogue delivered as well as the punches make for fun. The final battle is on the polar opposite side as possibly the most intense Marvel battle ever. It was inevitable we would see Cap and Iron Man fight, but watching them actually do it is both emotionally damaging and gripping. The movements are intense and chaotic. What plays out in this moment is one of the darkest moments I've witnessed in a Marvel movie, but it worked perfectly in the context of this movie.

And how about the acting? I honestly thought there wasn't a weak link in the cast, as everyone gave perfect performances. Christ Evans absolutely nails it as Cap, highlighting his friendly nature while also giving Rogers a dark side we've never seen before. It made for Evans' most complex portrayal of Cap so far. We are able to root for him in this movie, despite the fact he is at odds with many other heroes we've come to love. Robert Downey Jr. gives in what is my opinion his best portrayal of Iron Man so far. In the first Iron Man, he was still testing the waters, in the second he was far too antagonistic, and in the third he was too emotional. Here Downey really balances the fun arrogant side of his character while also showing his characters' emotions in a way I felt was just right. We could understand his character too. I thought he might be playing his role more antagonistically, but the Russo brothers and Downey made it much more complex (which made me realize the Team Cap/Team Iron Man ordeal was just a promotional move). The supporting characters gave some great performances as well. Tom Holland gave an excellent new interpretation of Peter Parker/Spider-Man that totally won out over the garbage Sony gave us with Andrew Garfield. Spider-Man returned with his fun quips, and Holland gave Peter Parker an awkward boyish charm that Toby Maguire couldn't always pull off. Marvel did perfectly with Spider-Man in a mere 30 minutes what Sony couldn't do in two movies. The best performance of this movie to me came from Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther. He gave this character an interesting dark edge that many of the other Marvel characters don't have. He played Black Panther as a silent force, which made him feel like much more of a character to truly be feared and reckoned with. I honestly can't wait for his feature movie; he was just honestly so cool! Perhaps the most pleasing part of this movie was Daniel Bruhl's Zemo, who is Marvel's best movie villain since Loki. For a long time Loki has been the only great villain, with Ultron being a little generic, Red Skull being too cartoonish, and the Iron Man series giving us way too many villains who simply wore business suits. I could actually feel some menace exuding from Zemo, and the reveal of his true plan (as well as a twist involving him) was chilling.

I was definitely expecting a lot of "Civil War", and I'm glad it exceeded my expectations. I honestly don't have any problems with the movie: everything felt like it was executed just right: the themes, the balance of comedy/drama, the action, and the acting. Most pleasing to me was how in the midst of a huge cast the Russo brothers still managed to consistently keep the focus on Captain America. We were always feeling for him and what he was going through. "Captain America: Civil War" is easily the darkest in Marvel's movie career so far, but it is also the most compelling, and I might even go so far to say it is the best Marvel movies of all time. This movie will assuredly be in my top 10 movies of 2016 as it is pretty much flawless; I absolutely recommend seeing it in theaters!

Star Wars and Hate/Hype Culture

There is no denying this truth: we love to raise hype for any movie that is construed by pop culture as significant. People are almost always generally excited for a new superhero movie or TV show (unless it's something like Fantastic 4). Popular franchises such as Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean, Insidious, Hunger Games, and Harry Potter always have a high degree of excitement attached to them. So, it's no surprise that Star Wars is victim to the same fate as these other franchises. Star Wars stands relatively high on the ladder of popular franchises- it's popular for being incredibly amazing and incredibly terrible. People label episodes 4,5, and 6 of the trilogy (which are confusingly the originals) as the best of the series, while there seems to be a general consensus that the three prequels are much worse, with the possible exception of episode 3.

If one were to look back at the hype built around these prequels, however, they would see it was massive. Product placement for "The Phantom Menace" appeared everywhere, toys were being sold, and there was a general buzz about the genius of George Lucas. And then the movie was released. And people were at first in absolute denial. They refused to believe this movie was bad, and some critics even said the movie was excellently made. However, as time sank in, people did realize the flaws of the movie and how bad a storyteller Lucas could be when no people were giving him suggestions (to me, "Empire Strikes Back" is the best Star Wars, and it's the one that Lucas hates the most, so that could tell you something). When "Attack of the Clones" was released, people simply started giving up on the Star Wars prequels, with a general consensus being this one was worse than "The Phantom Menace". By the time "Revenge of the Sith" was released, people had almost completely given up on the prequels, but were given a pleasant surprise with a movie that at least offered some of the great things the originals had- however the cheesy lines, bad acting, and cringe-worthy moments still happened. People thought Star Wars movies were basically over with and that a good Star Wars movie would never be made again.

And then "The Force Awakens" rolled around. Once again, hype was built up, and this time it felt like it was reaching a breaking point. I had been too young to express much excitement for the prequels, but with "The Force Awakens" I was giving in to the hype as well (though maybe not to the extent of other people). This movie might have built excitement because of a clever marketing technique J.J. Abrams has, which is both a blessing and a curse- he reveals as little as possible information about his movie. There was originally for a long time an only one-minute teaser that revealed nothing about the plot of the movie, but excitement was still present. When a full trailer was released- which still gave little information about the plot, but showed off Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia, Darth Vader's mask, and a slew of new characters with potential, the hype reached a fever pitch.

And then, the movie released and the effect it had was unbelievable. It had a gigantic opening, earning $150 million just in the U.S. It didn't take it long to be the number one movie of all time, surpassing movies like "Avatar" and "Titanic". That's how much the hype played into this movie. It was much higher than "The Phantom Menace", by a very long shot. And at first, this movie was releasing immense praise from both critics and fans. There was actually a consensus between the two, which rarely happens: both sides saw "The Force Awakens" as a return to form for Star Wars, bringing the feel of the originals while injecting some new energy into it for the new generation as well. But, in an even shorter time span than "The Phantom Menace", the hate began to roll in, and it rolled in droves. People complained the movie was over-hyped, and it didn't equate to the originals at all. Some even said all the prequels were better and they wanted George Lucas back.

I'll admit, I was a little surprised at the hate at first. I guess it was because I didn't try to engage into the hype culture surrounding this movie as much, but I found myself able to form a balanced opinion of it without giving being overly critical or praising. The movie did have flaws, like not very compelling villains and a disappointing ending, but still overall I really liked the movie, even though I did think it was not as good as the prequels (although it and "Return of the Jedi" can be switched around, depending on my mood). However, as I thought more, I began to understand the hate. There were some pretty obnoxious reviews on IMDB that simply gushed over the movie and called it the best thing ever, not leaving any room for possibility of improvement. Not only that, these reviews were written with seemingly not much thought attached to them. I read negative reviews because as a critic I am much more fascinated on reading negative reviews for a movie I like and positive reviews for a movie I don't like to see the opposing side. And some of these negative reviews admittedly felt very rational. I could see why some thought "The Force Awakens" drew too much from "A New Hope", or that a major character getting killed off detracted from their enjoyment.

But then the hate got downright unreasonable and contradictory. People started saying Star Wars was simply a nostalgia trip- how could this be when the movie introduced new characters and even killed off an old one to make the new ones the centerpiece? Others said that the movie was way too mysterious and didn't explain enough- Oh, so am I to understand you want to see what the prequels did again? Political discussions that verged on the point of tedium, and every plot line given in boring dialogue to the point of absurdity, is that what these people wanted? Abrams obviously wanted to give a mystery to this new time period, so that it could be explained in sequels. I had a hard time understanding why people couldn't see it. And then, the most insane argument- people wanted George Lucas back. George Lucas, of course, did great on "A New Hope", but on the later two movies he had people who had a degree of control in his movie as well. In the prequels, he did the same thing Shamalyan did- he made the movies solely on his ideas, and they were trash (once again, with the exception of "Revenge of the Sith"). He didn't know how to make an effective story or good characters on his own, and people acknowledged that. So why on earth were people saying they wanted Lucas back?

But then I understood- with the extreme hype culture comes the extreme hate culture. Both clash against each other, with the level-headed people unfortunately thrown to the background, labelled negatively by both of the extremes. As I've said, neither extreme is really all that good. Hype culture can give too much credit to a movie based on only two minutes of footage. Hate culture can give too much hate to a movie based on only two minutes of footage. Let's take a look at the Rogue One trailer as an example, a Star Wars movie coming out at the end of this year. The reactions to this ranged from reasonable to ridiculous. The people who simply said "I'm excited for this movie" or "This movie could be good" or "I'm not sure how I feel based on this trailer" or "I don't care for this trailer" have perfectly logical reactions. Those are simple statements which are fitting based on a small sample of a movie. But there were some who made some very brave statements. Hype culture gushed, "This is going to be the best movie ever!" or "I know this will beat Star Wars VII" while hate culture made insipid comments like "Great, another female lead- looks like Star Wars is going dystopian" or "The milking of the cow begins" (probably one of the worst comments I've ever read in my life). All of these extremes are ridiculous. How can one already know this will be the best movie ever, and what is the point in saying a female lead will create a weak movie?

Personally, I will say that I am leaning more positively to "Rogue One" based on the trailer, but I am keeping the possibility open the movie could be disappointing or downright horrible. If you build too much hype or too much hate for a movie based on a trailer, chances are you're going to keep staying in that mindset without considering changing it or acknowledging others' opinions. This hype/hate culture festers negative ignorance of others instead of promoted positive conversation. It's our nature to do this, giving in to either the hype or hate (depending on which is more popular). I hope that we can change this attitude, as it would be far more beneficial to have a more level-headed mindset.

"Hush" Movie Review

by James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Horror films have been labelled a dying genre for the past few years, and I can see why. They don't tend to make as much money in the box office as other genres, and it's often very hard to find good horror movies among the garbage pile of other ones. But, as a horror film fan myself, it's a very rewarding experience when you can find one that's good, or even better, excellently executed. That's the case here with the film "Hush" directed by the relatively new Mike Flanagan (who created the clever psychological thriller "Oculus"). This film revolves around what on surface level sounds like a typical, even cliche, premise for a horror film: a woman is hunted by a psychotic killer in a secluded area with no way to escape. However, Flanagan takes this relatively tired concept and turns it on its head to create a really clever and terrifying film.

Right from the beginning of the film I was captivated. The first few minutes of the film started with no dialogue as the main character Maddie (played by Kate Siegel) is doing seemingly menial tasks like cooking, texting, and most curiously, calling for her cat by simply shaking its food bowl. It was hard to figure out exactly what was going on until some dialogue ensued- at least it did from Maddie's neighbor Sarah. The viewers find out soon enough that Maddie is actually deaf and mute. This was where this film immediately got me one hundred percent invested. When do you see a deaf main character in a horror film, or any film for that matter? I'm not even sure if this premise has been created before (at least in the horror genre). In addition to the interesting idea of Maddie being deaf, Flanagan does a great job of making a sympathetic character out of her. She's a likeable, hard-working author who cares about those around her and is having trouble with this boyfriend that we never meet named Chris. Within the first fifteen minutes or so of the film, Flanagan creates a fleshed out character who we could root for to outsmart her killer.

I'll admit, I was excited to see what would be done when the killer arrived. I could see a lot of potential in what could be done with a deaf character in this type of situation. To my great delight, Flanagan embraced all facets of what he could do with Maddie, and more. A lot of the moments in the movie are completely silent. Dialogue is very sparse, and the movie feels very intimate as it's mainly focused on just Maddie and the nameless killer in a secluded space. This hinders the viewer from a whole lot of spoken cues. Much like Maddie, we have to be focused on the movie in a much more visual perspective, and the added advantage of having some noise cues. Flanagan's visual style, much like in "Oculus", is so cleverly executed to creating scares. He uses shadows and lighting in ways that one would not normally see them. Camera angles are used to create unsettling moments and some unique perspective shots. There is also some parallel structure with Maddie writing on one of her doors. I won't reveal how the writing changes, but let me just say it was absolutely delightful in its execution.

While technical style and a unique plot are great for a horror movie, the most important part of any horror movie is the deliverance of its scares. Pretty much all of the scares in "Hush" are delivered perfectly. Throughout a majority of the movie, an intense score plays in the midst of the permeating silence which creates a lot of chilling moments. A lot of scares come in the way the killer plays mind games against Maddie, and they always work. You can tell Flanagan is in his element whenever he's doing psychological work. Speaking of which, the scares had a much better pay-off because we were able to have a smart protagonist in a horror movie. Instead of always criticizing the character for her idiocy (thereby making the scares predictable) we are never expecting what scare will hit us next because we think the move Maddie is making is the right one(but often the killer is just as smart as her). The only moments I would say when the scares sometimes miss is in the more bloody moments of the movie (thankfully the bloody moments are sparse). Some of them really hit home (like a terrifying moment where Maddie's hand is broken) but others are just too over the top (like the killer's murder of their first victim). But still, the scares work very effectively for the majority of the time.

There is only really two characters whose acting really matters in this movie, and thankfully, both of them give great performances. Kate Siegel as Maddie is a real joy to watch as one of the most sympathetic protagonists I've ever seen in a horror movie (her character is almost on the level of the protagonist in "The Babadook" and I freaking love that movie, so that's the highest of praises from me). She gives affectionate life to her deaf character, making her character very well-rounded and someone the audience can root for. Siegel is relying on her expressions throughout the whole movie, and her expressions speak more volumes than words could. That's a testament to Siegel's skill as an actor, and I hope she will get more roles after her incredible performance here. John Gallagher Jr. was just as good in the role of the killer. He was able to be just as menacing a character without his mask on, which was an impressive feat since he didn't look all that frightening at first. A lot of his menace came from expressions as well, but the dialogue he had was my favorite in the movie. All of the black humor came from him, and it was hard to not at least chuckle when he delivered a line that was just so frightening but funny at the same time. He also managed to keep his character a mystery the whole time- we never know his motivation for killing or why he was even in such a secluded area (and the fact he didn't have a name added to the mystery). This made his character three dimensional in a different way from Maddie.

An excellent movie, the only reason "Hush" doesn't get five stars from me is because some of the more bloody scares weren't as effective and a few members of the ensemble cast were not as good actors as the leads (but they weren't in the film long, so it was hardly a big detractor). Overall though, this movie is simply superb and is even better than "Oculus" as far as Flanagan's films go. I really hope this director continues to get deserved fame for his films, because we really need more horror creators like him. I would definitely recommend "Hush" for anyone who enjoys horror movies- and even if you don't, this is just a great movie in general.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

After a 10 year hiatus, the much anticipated “Star Wars VII” has come to theaters! It would be a gross understatement to say that fans both young and old were hyped for it. For months none of us have been able to escape the iron grip of Star Wars through lots of trailers, commercials with all sorts of Star Wars product placement, and, once the movie was released, plenty of social media posts on everyone either praising Star Wars as the greatest movie ever or (more recently) some calling it a huge disappointment. Disney couldn’t have picked a better time to release the movie. 10 years feels like a perfect amount of time to wait for such a huge movie, with expectations building up more and more. The success has really paid off, too. “The Force Awakens” has already passed “Titanic” as the second highest money-grossing movie of all time. It’s only a matter of time before it passes “Avatar”. It set box office records with a whopping $250 million being made on opening night. The real question, though, is how this movie stacks up against its predecessors. Was all the hype it got truly warranted?

I myself, like many, am a big fan of the original Star Wars trilogy, but not so much of the prequels (with the exception of the very well-done “Revenge of the Sith”). So, after the disappointment of cheesy lines, lots of CGI, mostly bad acting, and Jar-Jar Binks, I was definitely ready to see a movie that would show the Star Wars that was embodied in the original trilogy. And, for the most part, this movie doesn’t disappoint. Here’s the basic premise: The Jedi Master Luke Skywalker has disappeared, and with that a New Order has appeared with Supreme Leader Snoke as their leader. They capture the heroic pilot Poe Dameron (played by Oscar Isaac) believing he holds important information about their new Death Star-esque creation, except this time it’s as big as a planet. However he’s already given the information to his droid BB-8, who finds a young woman named Rey (played by Daisy Ridley). A young rouge Stormtrooper named Finn (played by John Boyega) helps Poe escape in a Tie-Fighter, and eventually finds Rey. Together they attempt to escape the clutches of the New Order, all the while encountering the Millennium Falcon and find Han Solo (everyone knows who plays this guy) and Chewbacca. Together they go with the Resistance, led by Princess Leia to take down the New Order and the evil Sith Lord Kylo Ren.

A lot of this might sound familiar to those who have viewed the original trilogy. And yes, this does bring to mind “A New Hope”. This has been, perhaps, one of the most controversial points which naysayers of the new Star Wars say ruins the movie altogether. They call it a “repackaging” of the “A New Hope” minus the fun or passion, making the movie a complete rip-off. However, I personally don’t see this as a problem. I view “The Force Awakens” as a re-imagining of “A New Hope”, making it director J.J. Abrams’s homage to the movie. He is giving the fans something that he knows they’ll like. Yes, this is what can be called “playing it safe”. But, is that such a bad thing? I am of the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” philosophy, and “A New Hope” is a near perfect movie, so paying homage to it is really honorable to me, and a wise move on Abrams’s part. I could argue that there are plenty of new spins as well that will make for originality in later movies. The whole rogue Stormtrooper idea was genius. It was nice to see the complexity of a person who was originally just a mindless drone in all of the previous movies. Snoke is a giant, which is freaking scary to think about. Imagine what can be done with that in later movies. The idea of a giant Sith Lord is a great move.
This is a perfect moment to talk about the technicals of the movie. Despite this movie being homage to “A New Hope”, there are a lot of things here that are completely unique to this movie. The tone is one of the first that comes to mind. This one has a dark feel that is completely different to any of the other movies. There is a whole feel that a metaphorical storm is coming throughout the whole movie. Everything feels a little more serious and uncertain in this one, which makes perfect sense. This movie takes place 30 years after “Return of the Jedi”, and the audience is given little enlightenment on how Luke disappeared or how the Jedi suddenly lost to the New Order. Another aspect of the movie that is totally different which I think is really neat is that the audience feels the power of the Force in this one. In the original trilogy and the prequels, the Force is talked about a lot more than it is shown. In the moments where the Force is actually shown, it feels like we’re just watching it and not really engaged in its power. Not so with this movie. In “The Force Awakens”, every time the force is used, it is focused on for a long time, and the moments when it’s used feel very tense. Force choke feels a lot more powerful, and mind control feels like it’s really being actively used. This was one of my favorite parts of the movie, and it elevated the movie in my book.

The acting in this movie was spot on in almost every way, with some of the best acting ever given in any of the Star Wars movies. Easily the best is Harrison Ford as Han Solo. He absolutely shines in the role, and every time he’s on screen it’s a delight to watch him. His character is perhaps even more likeable in this movie than in any of the previous ones, as his wisened demeanor along with the scoundrel part of him make for a perfect combination. More complexity is put into this character than ever before. We find out that he is now a father, with his son being the Sith Lord Kylo Ren, who Luke taught before Kylo was persuaded by the Dark Side. We see the heart of gold Han has as he wants to reconcile with Kylo and get him back on the Light side. Ford portrays these emotions perfectly. He looks like he’s having a ball with the movie, and throughout the whole movie, it feels like it was meant just for him and to honor Han Solo in the way fans had always wanted. Though Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher both have minimal screen time (especially Hamill) it’s still fun to watch them and feel the nostalgia of them in Star Wars again. Many of the new characters give great performances as well. Daisy Ridley as Rey gives a great performance of a hardened orphan. She perfectly balances the toughness of her character along with the real heart she has for others, including the soft spot she has for BB-8, and eventually, Han. John Boyega shines as the rogue Stormtrooper Finn. He was easily my favorite of the new characters. The bravery of the character is impressive, and his desire to be good despite being indoctrinated into the ways of the Stormtroopers is honorable. Boyega had a lot of funny moments, and he practically embodied the spirit of Star Wars through the whole movie. BB-8 was a cute little robot who had a lot of great moments to offer in the movie, and was often the comic relief. I couldn’t help but grin any time he was on screen.

Despite all the good this movie has to offer, there are some negative aspects as well. Unfortunately, the actors on the Dark Side don’t portray their characters very well. This was very disappointing for me, as I always found the Dark Side characters interesting even in the prequels. We had amazing characters such as Count Dooku, Darth Maul, and Darth Sidious in the original whose backstories were intriguing mysteries. Darth Sidious was even more amazing in Return of the Jedi. Darth Vader is far and away my favorite character of any of the Star Wars characters, as I always found his menace to be nothing short of cool, and his conversion to the Light made him a truly three dimensional character. The same can’t be said for the evil characters here. Andy Serkis gives it his all as Snoke, but unfortunately even his expertise at animated characters couldn’t help deter my feeling that this character looked really fake. For the majority of the movie, practical special effects were used, which made Snoke’s CGI effects stick out like a sore thumb. Domhnall Gleeson’s acting was way too cartoony as General Hux. The worst out of all of them, though, was Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. He had the most screen time, and his bad acting really showed. He felt simply like a Darth Vader fanboy when it was revealed that behind his mask he was simply an older teenager and that reduced all the menace he had to nothing.

Perhaps the biggest moment of the movie is also the most controversial: the death of Han Solo. Some believed this really killed any potential for the whole movie, while others saw it as something that wasn’t a big deal and simply progressed the movies in a new direction. I’m somewhere in the middle. Han is definitely one of the best parts of the Star Wars movies, and knowing that he’s gone from the Star Wars universe is painful to think about. But then again, I don’t see how this one moment tampered with the rest of the movie. The movie was still fun. It still had plenty of moments to enjoy with Harrison Ford as the focal point. So, I’m still very unsure how this weighs in still for me. The moment in the movie I had the most problem with however, was the very rushed ending. It felt like this was half-heartedly done, and it was a little hard to root for Poe when, out of the three new main characters, he’s the one we know the least. I just didn’t feel entirely engaged.

Nevertheless, there were so many incredibly GREAT moments that outnumbered the bad. Any moment with Ford on the screen was perfection. There was a particularly fun moment in which he faced off with two groups of people he owed money to. It felt like the right Han Solo moment. There was also some direct parallel structure when he was telling BB-8 to let Chewbacca win a game, because “You don’t want a Wookie angry”. That was fun. The beginning scene was an incredible introduction to the movie: action-packed, dark, and it introduced Kylo Ren before he took his mask off (he was admittedly a frightening sight to behold here at least). The use of practical effects gave this movie a very realistic and tangible feel. The one lightsaber battle, though minimal, was still pretty fun to watch, and beautiful epic scenery accompanied it. The very ending scene with Rey presenting Luke’s lightsaber was a great way to end off the movie, as it showed all the potential that could come out of the coming Star Wars movies.

Though there were some problematic moments in “The Force Awakens”, it can still be said easily that it was a great movie. The acting was, for the most part; spot on, with some of the best moments from Harrison Ford given ever as Han. The tone was executed perfectly, and the Force really felt like something to be welcomed with. And even though some moments felt rushed, there were still so many good ones. The grin on my face and the warm feeling in my chest almost never left, as even the worst moments couldn’t deter my enjoyment from the movie at all. How does this one rank against the other movies. That’s still hard for me to say. I know for sure I like four and five both better than this one, but six is iffy. This one easily blows away all the prequels. Welcome back, Star Wars. It’s been a long ten years, but we’re all excited to be acquainted with you once again!