2019 has been a good year for cinema. When movies like The Lighthouse, Uncut Gems, and The Farewell are left out of the nominees for Best Picture, the competition among the high quality films in the running to snag an Oscar is definitely tough. That said, with the 92nd Academy Awards just around the corner,…
Tag: Rant & Rave
Star Wars has never been as divisive as it is today. Disney’s sequel trilogy has, at best, been a mixed bag, and it was always going to be difficult to bring a close to such a turbulent story. Stepping up to the plate in an attempt to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the galaxy-spanning saga…
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Rant and Rave: Joker
The past two decades have populated the modern cinematic landscape with superhero origin stories. The rise of comic book adaptations have made this a necessity as they make an effective way of introducing the heroes whose journeys audiences will be following. While these narratives could have easily gone stale, storytellers are keeping the genre fresh…
Two years since the first half of the It duology hit theaters, It: Chapter Two comes to the silver screen to complete the adaptation of Stephen King’s famous novel. This final chapter carries weight behind each story beat, making every step taken toward its end feel terrifying and daunting as it is approached by the…
It was easy to fall in love with Game of Thrones. Before, if you asked any fan why they enjoyed it, you would be met with a variety of answers. Some enjoyed how the show continuously subverted tropes in the fantasy genre, how it explored morally complex themes, and even the meticulous way the vast…
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Rant and Rave: Winterfell
We are the captive audience at the mercy of showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. We know it, they know it. Two years ago, we watched a block of ice melt to get the season seven premiere date. We waited 595 days for season eight. Warning: Spoilers below The first episode of Game of Thrones…
Avengers: Endgame is the culmination of over a decade worth of films brought to us by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Spearheaded by Anthony and Joe Russo, the film follows the somber conclusion of 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, with the film being the epic finish to the 22 film story woven by a plethora of…
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Rant and Rave: Us
In pop culture, it sometimes takes a while before a film director’s name becomes associated with a certain level of quality. Though for Jordan Peele, it did not take very long. Perhaps a part of it can be attributed to the fact that his name was already relatively well-known before taking on directing roles, being…
After more than half a year without a Marvel Studios film in theaters, Captain Marvel makes her debut on the big screen. This is Marvel Studios’ first foray into a female-led film, with it being the 21st film in the massive franchise that has become known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Directed by Anna…
One would think that Noli Me Tangere, the Opera would need no further explanations. After all, Dr. Jose Rizal’s book is firmly etched in history—and in our basic education curriculum. Felipe Padilla de Leon and Guillermo Tolentino’s opera traces its history from its first run in 1974 in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).…