Scream 6 Actually Blew Me Away: A Movie Review 

Scream 6 Actually Blew Me Away: A Movie Review 

By: Mallory Johnson

The newest installment in the iconic slasher franchise Scream 6 came out recently, and I finally got to experience a Scream movie in a theatre! I went in excited with very high expectations, as I am a huge fan of the movies. I watched them last year in my dorm as a way of making my way through some horror classics. I love how funny and self-aware the films are and Scream 6 does not disappoint. The movie stars legacy character Courteney Cox (Friends, 3000 Miles to Graceland), Melissa Barrera (In the Heights, Bed Rest), new scream queen icon Jenna Ortega (X, Wednesday), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Yellowjackets, Laggies), and more. The film follows Ghostface murders in the new setting of New York City. Before I go any further, a MAJOR SPOILER ALERT for Scream 6 and just in case, the whole franchise. Read with caution! Also, trigger warnings for gruesome murders, blood, gore, jump scares, death, grief, loss, stalking, gaslighting, near sexual assault, PTSD, psychosis, slutshaming, sexual content (heard, not seen), and gun violence. 

I am so glad that I loved this movie so much! After experiencing the Scream franchise initially in my dorm room, it was a blast going out to a movie theatre on a Saturday morning with my best friend Mandy and watching a classic slasher film. The kills in this installment were some of the most brutal ones of the whole franchise, which was a comment I had seen and heard in some advanced reviews. I loved how it was clear about the time jump after movie number 5, with us joining Tara and Sam a year later. The film explores mental health issues, with Sam on medications and in therapy. It is honest and realistic that recurring, surviving characters would be very traumatized after nearly dying and seeing others murdered. 

The tension and build up in this movie are phenomenal; I was on the edge of my seat multiple times. The return of the believed-to-be-killed-off Kirby Reed was fun, and I was morbidly fascinated by the shrine scenes. I whispered to Mandy, “it’s so morbid but so cool…it’s like a museum!” The film follows the same Scream formula, with the story opening on a brutal first kill that was twisty and unexpected to me. We then jump to our “Core Four” and follow them through the brutality for the second act, until we see the shocking Ghostface reveal in the end. I personally am a big fan of predictable slashers like the Scream movies because I find comfort in knowing what I am in for regarding horror. I watched the unpredictable movies Midsommar and Skinamarink and was terrified the whole time because of the anticipation of something terrifying happening. With Scream, the jump scares and tension are enough to make me jump and be on the edge of my seat. While I predicted one of the killers, I was still shocked at the whole reveal and was pleased! There is a scene (featured in the trailer) where characters are in a NYC Subway, on Halloween. The train is filled to the brim with people dressed in horror-relevant costumes and picking out all the easter eggs was a lot of fun! 

Overall, I was very pleased with this movie. I was disappointed that Neve Campbell, who played the iconic Final Girl Sidney Prescott, was not going to be in it. I felt like her absence worked for this movie though. Neve Campbell deserves fair pay for her work, as she was a staple in the movies. I give Scream 6 a 10/10 and am crossing my fingers for a seventh addition to the franchise! 

Lightyear Goes to Infinity and Beyond 

Lightyear Goes to Infinity and Beyond 

By: Mallory Johnson

I recently watched the Disney Pixar movie Lightyear, which came out in 2022. Basically, you do not need to have seen any Toy Story movie before watching Lightyear; it is the movie that Andy watched in the 1990s and loved so much he bought a Buzz Lightyear toy. The film stars Chris Evans (Avengers: Endgame, Captain America: Civil War), Keke Palmer (Nope, Hustlers), Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur, Monsters University), Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Our Flag Means Death), and more. The movie follows Buzz, a space ranger, who is stuck on a strange planet with this crew. Buzz and his crew encounter villainous robots who are determined to steal his only source of fuel. Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for death, bugs, jump scares, and flashing lights. Lightyear is available to stream on Disney+. 

The best way to describe this movie is: Top Gun: Maverick (and the original) meets the Star Wars movies, with a small dash of Toy Story. It is a very fun movie that is perfect for fans of the Top Gun and Star Wars movies! I am a huge fan of Top Gun (the second movie was one of my favorite movies of 2022, and I had a Top Gun-related Halloween costume in 2022!) so this was right up my alley. 

The movie has typical Pixar movie tropes: it breaks your heart but puts it back together before the credits roll. There is a heartbreaking scene near the beginning, and I predicted a small scene at the end yet was still sad when it happened. The voice acting in the film is very well done, I kept trying to guess what each character’s celeb voice was! Buzz is Chris Evans, which I told the friend I was watching with “that voice sounds familiar.” She asked me to guess other character’s voices and I did not recognize them! 

I loved how there was very natural and normalized lesbian representation in this movie. It is wonderful that young children get to watch this movie about a space ranger on missions that happens to have a lesbian best friend. There is not a big coming out scene, and there is zero homophobia. Buzz tells his friend that he’d love to meet “her” after she lets him know she is seeing someone. The casualness of the scene is refreshing. 

Overall, I had a great time watching this movie, and I am so glad I finally checked it out. I give it a strong 10/10 and highly recommend checking it out if you enjoy Top Gun, Star Wars, or both, and just want a fun Disney Pixar movie to watch. 

Amazing SciFi Shows That Are Still Great To Binge Watch

Amazing SciFi Shows That Are Still Great To Binge Watch

By Ronnie Kayla Neiman

Science Fiction is an amazing genre. It is often called “sci-fi,” and it is a genre of fiction where the content is imaginative but based on some degree of scientific realism. It relies heavily on scientific facts, theories, and principles as support for its settings, characters, themes, and plot-lines, which is what makes it different from fantasy.

There are a number of SciFi shows that range from a few episodes snd up to numerous seasons. Science fiction seems to bring out such an intense fanbase, no matter the success of the show on networks. A good example of that is Firefly which lasted only 14 episodes but was so popular with fans that it received its own movie years later. Star Trek also has a number of series, each had its own range of success with the fanbase. The original series lasted only three seasons but is very popular and celebrated sixty years after it first aired.

Image Credit: wall.alphacoders.com 

1.Stargate SG1

A show that followed a low--budget film from 1994 simply titled; Stargate which starred Kurt Russel, and James Spader. A movie where a ring-like object nearly two stories tall was found in Egypt and allowed an air force team accompanied by an archeologist to another planet inhabited by humans lorded over by an alien species that looked human on the outside. The show changed the casting but kept the original premise of other-worldly travel through a wormhole, saving humans and other species from a race of aliens that portrayed themselves as gods. The series follows a team, called SG1, the primary team for the Stargate program as they travel to other worlds, make allies and fight their enemies. 

The team remains largely the same for the entire ten seasons of the show, though lead Richard Dean Anderson left at the end of season eight, but continued to make guest appearances for the rest of the series and one of the movies that followed. 

The series lasted ten seasons and had two movies and two spin-off series.

Image Credit: Creative Commons 

2.Stargate Atlantis

Stargate Atlantis is the first spin-off series related to Stargate SG1. This show was originally supposed to follow right after the end of Stargate SG1 as a series but the other show continued and Atlantis aired simultaneously with the last few seasons of SG1.

This show followed the primary team of Atlantis but also focused on the running of the City of Atlantis, which was a technologically advanced city designed to sit on the surface of a massive body of water with the ability to sink under the surface and would also function as a massive spaceship.

This series only lasted five seasons and sadly had no movie to follow, though a third series, Stargate Universe followed the year after the cancellation of Atlantis. It was much less successful than SG1 and Atlantis.

Image Credit: art.alphacoders.com 

3.Battlestar Galatica (2003)

A show that was remade from its original series that aired in 1978. The show was remade shortly after the horrible events of 9/11 and this show focused on a lot of political, economical, and human rights issues of a group of people trying their hardest to keep their species alive while been chased by the enemy that destroyed their colonies. Battlestar Galactica is a three-hour miniseries starring Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell with an ensemble cast.

The series follows immediately after the destruction of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol by the Cylons, a race of mechanical beings that developed the ability to have human-like Cylons. The survivors of humanity search for their original home; Earth while being chased by the Cylons and dealing with numerous issues that plague the fleet. 

The pilot was a two-part mini-series followed by four more seasons and two prequel movies titled Razor and The Plan. This series is placed on a lot of most-watched lists because of the issues the show dealt with which include abortion, domestic terrorism, and election stealing. It received large amounts of awards for its special effects, storytelling, and acting.

Image Credit: wallpaperaccess.com 

4.Star Trek: The Next Generation

This series was the spin-off to the original Star Trek series, though it was over twenty years after the Original Series aired. As with the original Star Trek, TNG was still very much about exploration, "boldly going where no one has gone before". Similarly, the plots captured the adventures of the crew of a starship, named the USS Enterprise-D.

There were 178 episodes produced over a total of seven seasons, making it the longest-running Star Trek series to date, and the adventures of the crew continued onto the big screen in four movies.

Image Credit: wallpaper-house.com 

5.Star Trek: Voyager

This series of star trek was aired when Star Trek Deep Space Nine was half-way through their own series, though finished years after that series had finished. Voyager was the third spin-off to the Original Series. Star Trek: Voyager (VOY) focuses on the 24th-century adventures of Captain Kathryn Janeway and her crew aboard the U.S.S. Voyager. The crew of Voyager combines forces with the crew of a destroyed Maquis ship in order to find their way home. Stranded over seventy thousand light-years from Earth, the crew tries to make the journey home while also adhering to the doctrine of exploration that Starfleet prides itself on. 

Due to its great distance from Federation space, the Delta Quadrant is unexplored by Starfleet, and Voyager is truly going where no human has gone before. Voyager is fast and powerful and has the ability to land on a planet’s surface. It is one of the most technologically advanced vessels in Starfleet, utilizing computer circuitry that incorporates bio-neural circuitry. 

Voyager aired 172 episodes over seven seasons from 1995 until 2001. While it didn't run for as many episodes as TNG did, Voyager was able to discover numerous new alien species and was better balanced with its gender ratio, with a female lead and several strong supporting female characters. 

Image Credit: wall.alphacoders.com 

6.Warehouse 13

A unique series in that its genre is considered Science Fiction but it is also described as a dramatic comedy and supernatural. The series follows U.S. Secret Service Agents Myka Bering and Pete Lattimer when they are assigned to the secretive Warehouse 13 for supernatural artifacts.  As they go about their assignments to retrieve missing artifacts and investigate reports of new ones, they come to understand the importance of what they are doing.

Somewhat of a short-lived series with six seasons, but only 12 episodes in season 1, 13 in both seasons 2 and 3, season 4 was its longest season with twenty episodes and just six episodes in its fifth and final season. 

 These are only six possibilities of different Science Fiction shows to watch. There is always more to find, more to watch, and many more to love As Warehouse 13 is described; "Welcome to Endless Wonder."

My Policeman: A Movie Review 

My Policeman: A Movie Review 

By: Mallory Johnson

The movie adaptation of the novel of the same name by British author Bethan Roberts recently came out; the film initially had a very limited theatrical release (only in the United States and United Kingdom) and then came out worldwide on Prime Video. I watched it the day it came out, and I loved it. It stars musician-turned-actor Harry Styles (Don’t Worry Darling, Eternals), Emma Corrin (The Crown, Pennyworth), David Dawson (Luther, Peaky Blinders), Gina McKee (Notting Hill, Atonement), Linus Roache (Mandy, The Chronicles of Riddick), and Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding, The Happy Prince). Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for homophobia (internalized and externalized), outing, discussions of death, nudity and sexual content, and brief scenes of homophobic violence. The movie is a drama mostly set in the 1950s, and it follows a forbidden love. The story is based on a book that I read, and it translates very well to the screen. 

The movie is very different from Harry’s last movie (yet they’re set in the same decade for the most part). Harry was very passionate about My Policeman - he read the book and memorized the whole script before his audition! You can tell how passionate he is about this film because his acting was a lot better. The story's tones are also totally opposite; Don’t Worry Darling is an upbeat thriller (bordering on horror) and My Policeman is an emotional drama about lost time. I loved the casting in the movie, David Dawson and Emma Corrin nailed it and make unlikable characters loveable. The film deals with heavy subject matter, and I truly believe that it was handled well; the director said that there was an entire queer cast so that is great. I also loved how it was set and filmed in Brighton, UK, it was cool reading scenes and then seeing them being brought to life! 

Overall, I really loved this movie and am so grateful to see Harry acting in his element. The flash forwards and the flashbacks were timed great, and I am glad that the flashbacks were given priority. I give it a strong 10/10 and am so glad I can watch it over and over again!

Meet Me at Midnight: A Review of Midnights by Taylor Swift 

Meet Me at Midnight: A Review of Midnights by Taylor Swift 

Part 2

By: Mallory Johnson

Next comes the self-written shocker Vigilante Shit, where Taylor talks about how she is getting revenge against (unnamed in the song, but fans figured out that it was) Scooter Braun, who deeply wronged her in her master’s situation. She talks about exposing his cheating to his (now) ex-wife and exposing his white-collar crimes to the FBI. She also says that he was doing lines of cocaine and crossing all her lines! My favorite lyrics are, “while he was doing lines/and crossing all of mine,” “she looks so pretty/driving in your Benz….” and “picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife.” Track nine is another one of my favorites, and it is the glittery Bejeweled, which has an equally glittery music video. It is basically a fun version of her Folklore track mirrorball. She says in the chorus, “best believe I’m still bejeweled/when I walk in the room, I can still make the whole place shimmer!” I love the “nice” effect in the chorus! My favorite lyrics are “did all of the extra credit then got graded on a curve/I think it’s time to teach some lessons” and “some guy said my aura’s moonstone just cause he was high” and “what’s a girl gotta do? A diamond’s gotta shine!” She brings the mood down with the pretty yet sad song Labyrinth. She sings about her worries as she is falling in love again. My favorite lyrics are the very first ones, “it only hurts this much right now/is what I was thinking the whole time.” Song eleven is another fun, petty song - and is called Karma. She sings vaguely about people who have wronged her, and in the chorus, discusses all the good things that she has - because she has not done anything wrong, karma is good to her. 

My favorite lyrics are “Karma is the guy on the screen/coming straight home to me!” This refers to her British actor boyfriend Joe Alwyn. She slows it down on the twelfth song Sweet Nothing, which was written with Joe Alwyn under the pseudonym William Bowery. The song is a very sweet love song about loving despite the noise. My favorite lyrics are “On the way home/I wrote a poem/you say, ‘what a mind’/this happens all the time.” The final song on the standard edition of the album is Mastermind, in which she sings about how she schemed and planned for her and Joe’s relationship to work. She says, “what if I told you none of it was accidental?” My favourite lyrics are “I laid the groundwork, and then saw a wide smirk/On your face, you knew the entire time.” The first song on the 3am edition is called The Great War, and it discusses hardships in a relationship. My favourite lyric is “there’s no morning glory/it’s war it wasn’t fair.” The next song is a heartbreaking song about grief called Bigger Than the Whole Sky. 

My favourite lyric is “every single thing I touch becomes sick with sadness.” Moving on, the next song called Paris is a fun poppy bop that I love. She describes pretending that her and her lover are in Paris instead of where they are. My favourite lyrics are, “Let the only flashing lights/ be the tower at midnight.” This refers to them not needing to worry about paparazzi camera flashes, only the Eiffel tower flashes. Next is High Infidelity, which is about cheating. My favourite lyrics are “do you really want to know where I was April 29th? /Do I really have to chart the constellations in his eyes?” Next, we have Glitch, which has fun alternative beats/effects which I love. My favourite lyrics are “five seconds later, I’m fastening myself to you with a stitch.” Next is another favourite of mine, the heartbreaking Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve, and is about the emotional abuse and grooming she experienced when she dated John Mayer when she was nineteen and he was thirty-two, told through religious trauma metaphors. The most heartbreaking (and my favourite lyric, possibly on the whole album) is “give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.” I also love the lyric right before that one which says, “living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts.” The album closes with the slow ballad Dear Reader, in which Taylor gives the listeners advice, then turns around and tells us not to take it. My favourite lyric is, “no one sees when you lose/When you’re playing solitaire.” 

Overall, I genuinely really love this album - I love the production, to me it sounds a lot like the album Melodrama by Lorde, which makes sense because producer Jack Antonoff worked on both albums. The album feels like a warm hug, and I am so grateful for it. I (obviously) give it a strong 10/10 and cannot wait to see where Taylor takes us next! 

Meet Me at Midnight: A Review of Midnights by Taylor Swift 

Meet Me at Midnight: A Review of Midnights by Taylor Swift 

Part 1

By: Mallory Johnson

Taylor Swift’s newest studio album came out on October 21st, and I have been playing it on repeat ever since! The album is called Midnights and is Taylor’s tenth album and she said that it is her first ever full-on concept album. Midnights is about thirteen sleepless nights throughout her life, and ranges from when she was young to more current-seeming romances. I listened to (what I thought was) the full album at midnight on October 20th, and then stayed up late because Taylor said she had a “super chaotic surprise” which turned out to be the Deluxe version of the album, titled the “Midnights: the 3am Edition” with seven more songs! There is also a bonus song (and two remixes) on the Target exclusive vinyl, so the whole album has 23 tracks, ten more than originally advertised. I want to say that in this article, I briefly mention eating disorders and emotional abuse, so if that is triggering to you, please read with care. 

The album opens with Lavender Haze, a song in which Taylor talks about how she loves her partner so much she is ignoring what the crowds are saying, and just wants to stay in their “lavender haze.” She squashes and critiques marriage rumors, saying “The only kinda girl they see/Is a one night or a wife.” I love the lyric “I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say.” She moves onto the song Maroon, which is appropriately track two, because the color maroon is a more mature version of red - which was track two on her 2012 album Red. In this song, she sings about lost love and colors. This song seems like a continuation of the story in her song Cornelia Street on Lover, because she discusses dancing barefoot in New York City. My favorite lyric on this song is “The rust that grew between telephones” For track three, she brings the mood down quite a bit while still remaining poppy with the self-deprecating Anti-Hero, which she described as a “tour through all of my insecurities.” She bravely describes her fears and insecurities, in the chorus saying, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me!” and “it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero.” It is a heartbreaking song that must be relatable to many, with an equally sad music video. Song number four features Lana Del Rey (although you cannot really hear her at all) and is called Snow on the Beach. They are singing about how reciprocated feelings feel as impossible as snow on a beach. My favorite lyrics are: “my smile feels like I won a contest/and to hide that would be so dishonest.” Track five is known to always be a sad and vulnerable song, so it is not surprising that it is titled You’re on Your Own, Kid and basically charts Taylor’s career and experience growing up. She discusses wanting boys to notice her, discovering her love for writing in her room, and more. In the second half of the song, she talks about how hard she worked for people to like her - she heartbreakingly sings, “I hosted parties/and starved my body/like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss.” My favorite lines are in the bridge; “so make the friendship bracelets/take the moment and taste it/You’ve got no reason to be afraid.” On song six, she gives listeners whiplash and moves the story to the upbeat and distorted Midnight Rain, where she talks about being with a perfect, happy man but still missing the toxic, more wild relationships. She says that she “broke his heart cause he was nice.” My favorite lyric is “he wanted a bride/I was making my own name.” Track seven is one of my favorites and is called Question…? This song is about wanting answers regarding a relationship, and Taylor samples her own song Out of the Woods from 1989 at the beginning of the song and with backing vocals throughout the chorus. My favorite lyric is “Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room?” I also love the cheering during the third chorus.

Continued in Part 2

Minimalist Halloween Costumes

Minimalist Halloween Costumes

By Ronnie Neiman

Halloween can be a fun holiday for all ages. Some people love to go all out with their decorations and costumes but some people just want something simply to participate in the holiday. There is immense creativity to be found in complex costumes and in simple costumes. All that matters is that you have some fun. 

This year why not try a different approach and find yourself a minimalist Halloween costume? A minimalist costume that will still make people laugh, scream, or give you a solid thumbs up. The idea of having an elaborate costume for yourself might just be a real-life Halloween nightmare!

This Halloween, skip the big box store and save money with one of our easy-to-make handmade costume ideas and silver screen-ready makeup looks you can throw together in minutes using items you already have on hand. From painting your face, to wearing a simple shirt of a specific color, there are just so many options. 

The classic black cat

Just wear some black styled makeup (winged eyeliner!)

Some black clothes

Some cat ears (cheap to buy or quick to make)

Even a tail! (made quickly with a black cloth or crafts)

Red Devil 

Dark and red styled makeup

Red or black colored horns (cheap to buy or make with crafts)

Red clothes

Sandy from Grease

Leather leggings

Red heels

Black bodysuit or tank top

A leather jacket 

Top Gun

Army styled clothes (green, brown, Camo a plus)

Sunglasses

Boots

Old style Robber

Striped or black shirt

Black pants

Black beanie or toque

Simple black mask over the eyes

A sim

Just a headband with a green plumbob attached

These are only a few ideas. I look forward to seeing everyone’s costumes come Halloween. 

A Critique of the True Crime Genre 

A Critique of the True Crime Genre 

By: Mallory Johnson

Picture credit: Google 

The true crime genre is very popular, especially in podcast or documentary format. The most recent addition to the genre, the fictionalized Netflix drama show about Jeffrey Dahmer, appropriately titled Dahmer, has raised debates regarding if the show went too far. I personally have not watched the show (yet), but I have heard a lot about it. Some people believe that the show is re-traumatizing victim’s families and survivors, which is a fair critique in my opinion. Some viewers believe that it is representing horrors that happened in history, which need to be shown to raise awareness of what happened. 

Regarding the genre, sometimes the media sensationalizes victims and turns the horrors simply into entertainment instead of raising awareness. In a way, it fictionalizes true events and makes them feel false. Some true crime media is not there on behalf of the victim’s family and loved ones, they just want to make what happened a spectacle. Some media is insensitive, and the Scream horror movie franchise provided social commentary on this and made it look extreme and wrong. Some media is there only to unnecessarily scare people, using fear mongering tactics to make vulnerable people paranoid (although this paranoia may be lifesaving). I feel like this is most common in true crime podcasts, and it has become trendy to casually listen to horrifying events on your daily drives as if the content you are consuming is not horrific violence. 

Movies like the Ted Bundy drama titled Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile which stars the attractive Zac Efron results in some of the viewers romanticizing serial killers. During his reign, people found Ted Bundy attractive and charming, which is morbid to think about. However, in horror movies, attractive actors are chosen to be the villains which exacerbates this. 

In conclusion, the true crime genre sensationalizes violence and tragically makes it more of a form of entertainment instead of a way to raise awareness for horrific violence.

Bodies Bodies Bodies is a Perfect Gen-Z Spook 

Bodies Bodies Bodies is a Perfect Gen-Z Spook 

By: Mallory Johnson

Picture Credit: iMDb

I saw the A24 comedy slasher Bodies Bodies Bodies in theatres over the summer and I loved it! It follows a group of rich 20-somethings who have a party at a mansion to ride out an incoming hurricane in a fun way. They decide to play the game “bodies bodies bodies” which involves a player being a secret murderer and “killing” the other players in the pitch dark by tapping their shoulder, and then the other players trying to figure out who the killer was. The boozy night is all fun and games until real bodies start showing up. The film stars Pete Davidson (SNL, The King of Staten Island), Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games, The Hate U Give), Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, The Bubble), Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby, Call Your Mother), Chase Sui Wonders (On the Rocks, Out of the Blue), Myha’la Herrold (Industry, Modern Love), and Lee Pace (Captain Marvel, The Good Shepherd). Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for: addiction, drug use, a relapse, discussions of an overdose, a mention of body dysmorphia, paranoia and anxiety, death, blood and gore, murder, suicide, discussions of gaslighting, toxic relationships and toxic friendships, alcohol (heavy drinking throughout), violence, cheating, jump scares, vomiting, mental illness, flashing lights, brief ableist language, sexual content, and gun violence. 

I loved that this movie had wonderful LGBTQ2S+ representation - two of the lead women are dating and they are not met with homophobia, which is refreshing. I believe that this movie was made by someone in generation-Z (people born after 1997, according to Google) with other gen-Z people as its intended audience. The humor is very gen-Z focused and hilarious. The film is filled with classic horror tropes that set the scene for a spooky thrill. The storm takes away their power, forcing them to be guided using their phone flashlights for the whole night, they are stuck without reception so they cannot call for help, and their car battery runs out so they cannot escape. These tropes combined with the wicked storm, unreliable characters, and the fact that you do not know whodunnit until the end makes it very eerie. 

I loved the game they played in the movie, as I grew up playing it (although I called it “Mafia,” and no dead bodies showed up). I had so much fun with all the characters being unreliable, it enhanced all the unexpected twists and turns. Also, I really liked that Pete Davidson’s character is not the nicest and not very funny; it shows off his acting props and breaks him free of the comedy typecast he has set himself up for. I loved how they made a TikTok video in the movie because it is always funny when TikTok is in a movie, and I know the song! The film is a classic slasher and whodunnit while also being very original, fun, and campy. 

Bodies Bodies Bodies is more than just a drunken slasher - it is also full of social commentary. Because the mansion loses power, the partiers are forced to use their phone flashlights as their literal “guiding lights’' - I find it interesting and original that the majority of the film is lit with glow-sticks and phone flashlights. The film shows us the lengths we may go to when we lose our biggest crutch: cell service. In an interview with NYLON magazine, the director Halina Reijn said that she wanted to make this movie because she is so addicted to her phone that she is revolted by it and wanted to make something that commented on how that is so normalized in today’s world. 

Overall, I loved this movie and was very pleasantly surprised at how great it was! It originally premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival, then had a limited theatrical release, and is now available digitally. I give it a strong 10/10 and cannot wait to watch more movies like it! 

Scream: A New Set of Favorite Scary Movies - A Review of the Scream Franchise 

Scream: A New Set of Favorite Scary Movies - A Review of the Scream Franchise 

By: Mallory Johnson

I recently watched all five of the Scream movies, and I really enjoyed them. If you are unfamiliar with the movies, they are classic slasher horror films that all follow the same formulaic plot while also being very meta and self-aware. They basically follow a killer in a “Ghostface” mask who terrorizes naive victims in the town of Woodsboro who dare to pick up the phone and answer the innocent sounding question: “what’s your favorite scary movie?” The same plot gets repeated every time, but they add new characters and drama that makes them feel original each time. Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT for all five movies. Also, trigger warnings for: murder, blood and gore, stabbing, parental murder, sexual violence, stalking, gaslighting, drug and alcohol use/abuse, torture and restrains, hanging, cheating, abduction, jump scares, self-harm, violence, sexual content, a car crash, gun violence, eye mutilation, flashing lights, and discussions of racism. 

The movies are such classic slashers, and they keep to their roots throughout the franchise. The killer reveals always come as a surprise to me; I never once predicted who it was before the reveal. The movies kept me guessing and the jump scares progressively got better as the movies became newer and newer. The first movie came out in 1996, and the fifth one came out this year! The sixth installment in the franchise comes out next year, but Neve Campbell who plays the amazing final girl (and main character of all the movies) Sidney Prescott has said that she will not sign on for the film because she is not getting paid enough. I agree with her and am proud of her for standing her ground, but I am disappointed to see her leave! The movies expertly plant red herrings and little easter eggs that, looking back, make the killer’s look obvious. In every movie, one character always lays out the laws of the land. The rules of a horror movie, of a sequel, a trilogy, a “requel” and so on. It feels like the fictional characters are aware that they are in movies which is very interesting. They are satirizing the true crime and horror genres which is very funny. There is a lot of great character development with repeated (also known as legacy) characters over the course of the movies. While watching the first one, I was mad at how insensitive the journalist character Gale Weathers was being with regards to not really caring about the victims of the brutal murders. She just wanted the scoop, and I did not like how she made journalism look! But eventually, I changed my mind about her and grew to really like her. My favorite characters throughout all the movies are Dewey and Sidney. The movies are not just brutal murders; the humor and commentary on trust and the true crime genre separate these movies from other basic slashers. 

The two most recent Scream movies, that came out in 2011 and 2022, brilliantly modernized the story. With a new cast that is recognizable to generation Z audiences and iPhones instead of clunky landlines, the story was brought to a new generation in a great way. The jump scares are better and got me a few times for sure! 

Overall, I really loved these movies and highly recommend them even if you are not the biggest fan of horror. They were alright for me to watch alone - so they are not super scary or disturbing like Midsommar was. I give them all a 10/10 and give the franchise 10/10. They are very entertaining and are perfect for a spooky season movie marathon. I cannot wait to see the next installment in theatres next year! 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: A Review 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: A Review 

By: Mallory Johnson

The newest Doctor Strange movie came out over the summer, and I loved it! I watched the trailer many times and thought I had an idea what the movie followed, but after seeing the actual film I realized I was very wrong! The movie follows new young hero America Chavez, who enlists the help of sorcerer Doctor Strange with the multiverse and one “villain” they do not see coming. Before I go any further, MAJOR SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for: threats of kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, attempted murder, murder, loss, death, grief, violence, jump scares, blood and gore, a zombie, stalking, drugging, brief torture, a seizure, ghosts, possession, off-screen vomit, suicide, and car crashes. The movie stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange, Avengers Endgame), Elizabeth Olsen (Wandavision, Avengers Endgame), Benedict Wong (Spiderman No Way Home, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls, The Vow), and Xochitl Gomez (The Babysitters Club, Gentefied). There are also several fun cameos!

The movie can be considered horror with jump scares and other horror tropes; this is interesting to me because Marvel is typically family friendly. There was one point when I first saw it on opening night that I jumped at a jump scare and the woman sitting in the theatre beside me laughed at me! The film also has an emotional aspect that you would only fully understand if you had either seen the Marvel Disney+ show Wandavision or have a basic summary/understanding of the events of the show. The many plot twists in the movie shocked me; I did not see any of them coming! I was wondering if they were going to make Wanda Maximoff (also known as the Scarlet Witch) a villain or a hero, and I totally understand why they made her a villain. It was very interesting to see a character that I loved as a hero and Avenger turn into a grief-stricken villain who just wants to live a life with her two children. One of my favorite parts of the movie was when they first introduced Wanda, and the Wandavision theme song played in the background! Wanda had some great one-liners in the movie, like the wicked “What mouth?” Another one I love is “You break the rules and become a hero. I do it and I become the enemy. That doesn’t seem fair.” The title Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is excellent for this movie and does a good job of summarizing the movie in one title. 

I loved how Marvel introduced new hero America Chavez into the Marvel Cinematic Universe! If you pay close attention, you can see that she is wearing a Pride flag pin which I love. Marvel does not have the best track record with LGBTQ2S+ representation, so although it was small, it was still very nice to see. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and where Marvel took the story of the Multiverse! Before watching this movie, I highly recommend watching Wandavision. I loosely recommend watching the Marvel show What If, and Spiderman: No Way Home! I give the second Doctor Strange movie a very strong 10/10 and highly recommend watching it if you love Marvel movies as much as I do!

I’m No Longer Worried, Darling: A Review of Don’t Worry Darling

I’m No Longer Worried, Darling: A Review of Don’t Worry Darling

By: Mallory Johnson 

(Picture credit: iMDB)

Actor-Director Olivia Wilde’s latest controversial film Don’t Worry Darling hit theatres on September 23rd, and I was lucky enough to see it with friends on release day. I really enjoyed it - I had low expectations going in because of what the critics were saying, but my expectations were exceeded! The movie follows a 1950s housewife who lives with her husband in a utopian neighbourhood called The Victory Project, who notices some weird happenings and worries about what is going on while her husband is at work. The film stars Florence Pugh (Midsommar, Little Women), Harry Styles in his largest film role yet (Dunkirk, Eternals), Olivia Wilde (TRON: Legacy, Cowboys Vs Aliens), Chris Pine (the Star Trek franchise, Wonder Woman), Gemma Chan (Eternals, Crazy Rich Asians), Kiki Layne (Native Son, The Old Guard), and Nick Kroll (Big Mouth, Sausage Party). Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for: blood, abduction, electro-shock therapy, toxic masculinity, gaslighting, a cult, graphic suicide, domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, alcohol, restraints, drowning, mention of child death, death, murder, claustrophobia, a plane crash, flashing lights/images, sexual content, and a car crash. 

Florence Pugh plays the lead housewife, Alice, and Harry Styles plays her husband, Jack. Florence is a phenomenal actress, and absolutely steals every scene she is in. You can tell she really put the work in to ace this role. Harry is a good actor too, but he has his moments that are less than perfect. It is important to remember that Harry is a musician first and not an actor first like Florence. This is Harry’s first big film role; he was previously in a post-credit scene in the Marvel movie Eternals and his very first movie was the war epic Dunkirk where he played a small part. I was nervous for Harry’s acting going into the movie because the critiques and reviews I had seen made it sound like Harry did a terrible job, but I disagree! I was also worried about his accent, which in clips released early sounded very British (but he is British in the movie, so I had nothing to worry about). 

Florence’s performance makes you feel like you are in the Victory Project with her: you feel all her fear and confusion. There was so much to unpack about the movie after I saw it (full of spoilers that I won’t discuss here). The timeliness of when the movie came out makes the major plot twist hit harder. I had seen one TikTok of a woman theorizing what ended up being the big plot twist and it is wild to see that someone guessed it just from the trailers and set pictures alone! I personally did not find the twist predictable at all (although I had seen a spoiler about it the day before it came out). The movie is a psychological thriller that messes with your head for a while after you finish watching. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Don’t Worry Darling; I loved the direction, the cinematography, and the acting. The soundtrack and the costuming helped cement the 50s setting in a great (and eerie) way. I highly recommend watching it, especially in a theatre with friends and/or family. I may be biased because I am a huge Harry Styles and Florence Pugh fan, but I truly do not think there is anything to worry about regarding the movie. I give it a strong 10/10 and am excited to watch it again and again! 

I’m Still Worried, Darling: An Update on the Don’t Worry Darling Behind the Scenes Drama 

I’m Still Worried, Darling: An Update on the Don’t Worry Darling Behind the Scenes Drama 

By: Mallory Johnson 

(Picture credit: iMDB)

Olivia Wilde’s second directorial movie, Don’t Worry Darling, hit theatres on September 23rd, and with it came more drama and rumors. I previously wrote an article about the extensive drama that happened before the movie came out, and I felt like it needed an update. Before I go any further, since I have seen the film and this has all happened after it came out, there is a risk of spoilers in this article, so here is a major SPOILER ALERT. 

Kiki Layne, who plays Margaret, was previously completely out of all the drama, until September 25th, when she posted a shocking Instagram caption. She posted a sweet photo and video of her and co-star-turned-boyfriend Ari’el Stachel on set, and in the caption revealed that “they cut us from most of the movie, but we thriving in real life.” This shocked fans because Kiki’s character Margaret is a major part in the movie. Fans quickly turned to anger and questioned Olivia’ character, Bunny’s, importance in the story and theorized that her scenes replaced Margaret’s scenes. While fans were discussing this shocking Instagram post on social media, they started questioning why Kiki was not at the film premieres in Venice and New York City. Surely if she played a major part in the film, she’d be there, right? 

On the day of the movie’s release, an article from Vulture came out alleging that Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde reportedly had a “screaming match” on set. However, an article came out days later that said that 40 crew members on the film signed a petition of sorts denying that the screaming match happened. 

Finally, this last part has a SPOILER ALERT. A while before the movie came out, Olivia Wilde claimed in an interview that it was about “female pleasure” and made the film sound like a feminist hit. However, all the sex scenes in the movie are non-consensual; it is shocking to think that Olivia Wilde forgot to think of that aspect. 

I highly recommend watching Don’t Worry Darling (especially in theatres!) All the drama surrounding this movie has only promoted it more, because there is no press like bad press. 

Barbarian: It’s Not What It Looks Like 

Barbarian: It’s Not What It Looks Like 

By: Mallory Johnson

I recently saw the horror movie Barbarian in theatres, and I really enjoyed it! The movie stars Georgina Campbell (Black Mirror, Suspicion), Bill Skarsgard (the IT movies, Deadpool 2), Justin Long (Jeepers Creepers, Accepted), and more. It basically follows a woman who travels to Detroit for a job interview. She arrives at her shady Airbnb and discovers an issue: it has been double booked and a man that she does not know is already staying there. She is understandably apprehensive…then discovers there are spookier things going on than double booked accommodations. Before I go any further, I want to give a SPOILER ALERT. I will try my hardest to keep this spoiler free, but I have a lot of spoiler-filled thoughts. Also, trigger warnings for: sexual violence, incest, murder, blood and gore, abduction, stalking, child abuse, gaslighting, suicide, jump scares, flashing lights, one use of a homophobic slur, pedophilia, nudity, toxic masculinity, violence against women, and a car crash. 

I went into the movie having seen the trailer a few times, so I thought I knew the plot of the movie. But WOW was I wrong! The trailer is left vague on purpose which I love and added to the movie watching experience. It was not just a small plot twist or reveal at the end that I did not expect; it was the entire subject matter of the whole film! With brutal blood and gore and perfectly placed red herrings, there is absolutely no way you will see it coming. It also has some social commentary that I did not expect, and I am glad that I spotted it. It excellently shows male privilege versus female fear. There is one character that is forced to confront his own actions and this aspect is well done. There was not one point in the movie that I had any idea where it was going! So many movie trailers today reveal way too much of the plot of the film, resulting in a lot less shock factor when you are watching it. It was not necessarily a fun movie to watch, but it was fun knowing next to nothing about the actual plot. Because of this, I cannot talk much about the actual events in the film as it will reveal too much. The movie is filled with an eerie setting, mystery, creepy people, and social commentary that will stick with you long after you finish watching it. The song in the credits adds to the deeply unsettling true subject matter of the movie, adding a final punch to the gut. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend watching it. I also recommend checking trigger warnings before seeing it as it has difficult subject matter as the main themes. I give the movie a strong 10/10 and am excited to watch more movies like it in the future! 

Writing Can be More

Writing Can be More

By Ronnie Neiman

Writing is not always just a hobby. It is a way for people to share information, to share facts, and have opinions expressed. It is a way for some to have their voices heard. 

Writing is the platform that I have used to express myself since the age of 10. It is the platform I use to share things that are personal to me, that others may glean inspiration from. I also write about social issues that I have learned about and hope to teach others. I also write for fun, fanfiction is my own way of dealing with personal stress, so I write about my favourite tv shows and characters.

Writing is just as important to use as video media is.

Writing as a platform

  • Sharing an Opinion

    • Sometimes writing out what you believe is easier than speaking it out loud.

    • It is important to remember the difference between opinion and fact.

    • This can sometimes help create a dialogue with like-minded people, or to hear the other side of the written opinion.

    • Explaining why something is your opinion can help others see your point of view.

  • Sharing Facts

    • It is telling history, recent or distant.

    • Sharing facts and history is to share the truth, it must be accurate

    • Most of the time this requires stating sources, even secondary sources such as knowing someone who has knowledge.

    • Facts are not opinions.

  • Sharing Personal Stories

    • This is writing from perspective, your own.

    • You are your own source.

    • It can be an outlet, but once shared, people will express their own opinion on your experience.

    • It can invoke emotional responses from yourself, and from those who read the stories.

Writing is an excellent platform to help you find your voice and to help others find their voice as well. It is reflective of who you are in the way you write. That is something rather important. Deciding to write as a way to share your opinions, stories and the facts about the world is important. 

The House Across the Lake - A Book Review

The House Across the Lake - A Book Review

By: Mallory Johnson 

I read The House Across the Lake over the summer and I really enjoyed it. It is a thriller novel by Riley Sager and it follows a former theatre actress who was exiled to her family lake house after she got in some trouble. She spends her time fascinated by the couple who lives across the lake in a gorgeous home (which conveniently has a LOT of big windows). One afternoon she sees the woman she has been watching drowning and saves her. Then, she disappears… Trigger warnings for drowning, violence, alcoholism, murder, abuse, death, kidnapping, suicide, gaslighting, confinement, blood, drug use, cheating, vomit, mental illness, torture, cursing, toxic friendships and relationships, child death, and forced institutionalization. Before I go any further, MAJOR spoiler alert. 

I went into this story without reading any other of Riley Sager’s books, so I truly did not know what to expect. I read it at my family’s cabin on Pistol Lake, which was the PERFECT place to read it. I expected it to be a classic thriller like The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl and felt those influences. What I did not expect was the supernatural twist! When the twist was revealed, at first, I was surprised and a little disappointed to be honest. I did not find the twist to be believable - but as it got fleshed out, I liked it more. I learned that Riley takes typical horror/thriller tropes and adds a major twist to shake it up a bit. 

I loved the characters, and the reveals felt natural with exciting action and violence. The narrator is unreliable because she is an alcoholic, so it is hard to trust any of the characters, which works very well in a book like this one where anyone can be guilty. The supernatural aspect of the story reminded me of the Netflix show The Haunting of Bly Manor, which is one of my favourite shows. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book - it was a page turner! I give it a strong 10/10 and I feel like it should get adapted to either a movie or a television show. I am looking forward to reading more of Riley Sager’s work!