Amid the sea of superheroes, supersoldiers and superspies featured in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” the character who stands out is not the bionic arm menace or the star-studded hunk. It’s the one with the positive attitude and the killer wings who still makes breakfast for his friends. An everyday guy who works at the…
Blogs, Free Foreign Film Friday
“Generation War” shakes to the core
A German film about WWII sounds like just another history lesson on the tragedy of war. Yet “Generation War” courageously reinvigorates the familiar story with the “I-need-to-know-what-happens-next” relevance usually reserved for a favorite TV show. Enlisting its viewers on the fraying journeys of five best friends through the course of the war’s span, the film…
Blogs, Free Foreign Film Friday
“The Boys are Back” advocates optimism despite sadness
“The Boys are Back” – Australia, UK – Netflix instant watch Adapted from the witty memoir by a British sports journalist about raising his sons after his wife dies, “The Boys are Back” advocates dealing with difficulties regarding the enthusiasm of a “yes.” Instead of stiffly copying the memoir into a movie, the film simply…
Opinion
Facebook prevents authentic interaction
It is never too late for a new resolution. Like breaking any other habit, it may be difficult at first, but over time it is mind-liberating, time-granting and privacy-restoring. Facebook emphasizes the consumerism in all of us, except, instead of promoting consumption for enrichment, it leads to the consumption of ourselves. We erode our own…
Culture, Q & A + Profiles, Theater
Senior caves into theater production
For most seniors, a thesis requires hours of sitting in the library, researching and writing up their findings. But for senior Lauren Coghlan, it meant constructing a cave inside the Ring Theater for the production of “Floyd Collins.” Based on the true story of a man trapped in a Kentucky cave which led to extensive…
Opinion
Zoo’s choice raises questions
Zookeepers and animal lovers worldwide have responded to the recent controversy of the Copenhagen Zoo’s euthanizing of a healthy, 18-month-old giraffe. Shot and autopsied as an educational event for adults and children, it was then fed to tigers. It is difficult not to feel discomfort at seeing the dissection of such a majestic animal. However,…
Blogs, Free Foreign Film Friday
“As White as Milk, as Red as Blood” paints conflict of the teenage heart
courtesy: italingua.ning.com Everyone remembers the challenge of working up the nerve to talk to a high school crush. For anyone who doesn’t, there are hundreds of Hollywood flicks chronicling the universal woes of being a teenager. Finding a film that approaches this with a fresh angle rivals the struggle of finally admitting your feelings. Yet…
Culture, Movies
“As White as Milk, as Red as Blood” paints conflict of the teenage heart
Everyone remembers the challenge of working up the nerve to talk to a high school crush. For anyone who doesn’t, there are hundreds of Hollywood flicks chronicling the universal woes of being a teenager. Finding a film that approaches this with a fresh angle rivals the struggle of finally admitting your feelings. Yet the Italian…
Uncategorized
“The Lego Movie” entertains audiences of all ages
Despite what you may think, “The Lego Movie” is more for adults than it is for kids. In fact, it parodies films we associate with our childhood, like “Star Wars” and “Lord of the Rings.” Instead of following the classic hero’s journey, it manipulates that formula by twisting it into a non-hero journey. Emmet is the…
Blogs, Free Foreign Film Friday
“In the House” violates the boundaries of academia
In the House – France – Netflix Instant streaming Far from the cliché teacher-student movie, “In the House” violates the boundaries of academia, thus overcoming the norms of plot execution. A literature professor, frustrated with the lack of interest in his class, pays special attention to one gifted student, Claude, when he writes a satirical piece…
Culture, Movies
‘That Awkward Moment’ flips gender roles, reflects rising generation
The new film “That Awkward Moment” pushes beyond the expectations of a romantic comedy, delivering a refreshing take on the dynamics of relationships. Inverting the female “best friends forever” formula, the film tracks the love lives of three best buds, played by Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan, who make a pact to…
Blogs, Free Foreign Film Friday
‘Cinema Paradiso’, unassuming masterpiece worth rewatching
Cinema Paradiso – Italy – Available on DVD at Richter Library and on Netflix instant watch Subtly, in the way that only an unassuming masterpiece can, “Cinema Paradiso” captures the heartwarming magic and illicit excitement of films in this story about a boy growing up in a small town in Sicily. Traditional in its use…