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Waiting for Intermission: Review of “Jupiter Ascending”

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When asked to watch this film, I had my reservations about it. I appreciate a good action film as much as the next woman, but I worried that the film was overly dramatic based on the trailers.

How does a girl feel when she goes from being an illegal Russian immigrant who cleans toilets, to a space princess who is in line to inherit the Earth?

Surprisingly calm for Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis). I appreciated the step into this action sci-fi direction that the sibling directors, Lana and Andy Wachowski, took to bring this mixed universe of “Matrix” and “Star Wars” (as quoted by Douglas Booth, who portrays Titus) to the cinema.

Space princesses, space werewolves, space capitalism (let’s not forget the bees) make interesting characters to begin with, if not confusing as heck to follow the plot as the film reaches its climax.

I understood enough from the film to get the general idea that Jupiter Jones is the reincarnation of a Space Empress who is now in line to own the Earth, yet the three children of her Space Empress self stand in the way and fight to either kill her, befriend her, or marry her so that they may own the Earth.

Then Caine Wise (Channing Tatum) a splice (a genetic experimentation of wolf and human) comes in the save her when she ultimately throws herself back into danger.

The visual effects brought enough life to the film; however, the sound accompanying the visual effects blew over the dialogue of the actors as they were explaining to young Jupiter what was going on and why the three most powerful heirs wanted to kill the incarnation of their mother.

The film features in several mixed (leaning to negative) reviews, featuring in ‘The Riskiest Box Office Bets of 2015’ by screenrant.com.

Overall, I wanted more story from the film. There were amusing scenes to make the film lighthearted and some (truly disturbing) dark scenes, yet I would have liked to see more of the world the Wachowski siblings created.

In this universe your signature and the set of currency are genes. How do they live forever? Recycling genes of other planets. Once a civilization reaches the capacity of the planet, it is ripe for ‘harvesting’, meaning that the House of Abrasax (the ruling companies of the gene trade) collects all the human beings of that planet and strips them down to their genes.

Once the humans are harvested, an individual can bathe in the static waters and become younger. The matriarch of the House of Abrasax was able to send her future self’s inheritance (Jupiter Jones) to the Earth by using the signature of her genes. If you wish to get married, there is no such use of rings; your genes receive a mark that becomes your signature, showing that you are bound to your partner. It was the most exciting idea of the film for me to see.

As for the reason why the film, originally scheduled to be in theaters on July 18, 2014, was pushed back to February 6, 2015, it was due to the visual effects. The ideas of the project were too complex to be completed in the allotted time used for post-production (Posted by CinemaBlend). The producers and directors needed the extra time to finish the final look of the visual effects of the film. Personally, I am glad they took the extra time for the quality of the effects, the effects didn’t disappoint.

2.5/5

Chatham screens “The Power of One Voice: A 50-Year Perspective on the Life of Rachel Carson”

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On Saturday, February 21, students from Chatham University and University of Pittsburgh, as well as members of the community at large, gathered at Chatham’s Eddy Theatre for a screening of the documentary, “The Power of One Voice: A 50-Year Perspective on the Life of Rachel Carson,” hosted by the Falk School of Sustainability.

The brainchild of executive producer and former Director of the Rachel Carson Institute at Chatham University Patricia DeMarco and environmental filmmaker Mark Dixon, the film was a reflection on the fiftieth anniversary celebration of Carson’s book “Silent Spring” that was held at Chatham University and The National Aviary in April of 2012 and featured interviews from academics and Rachel Carson scholars who attended the celebration.

“Rachel Carson is probably this University’s most famous alumna,” Peter Walker, Dean of the Falk School of Sustainability, said in his introduction to the event.

He then took the time to highlight various political activists in the audience, including Sharon Walsh, the editor of the environmental newspaper “Public Source,” who spoke briefly about her organization’s cause, and encouraged people to sign up for their newsletter.

Welker then introduced Dixon, who spoke about the process of making the film.

“Environmental filmmaking is morally easy, but financially not that easy,” he began, thanking everyone in attendance for paying the $15 admittance fee (except for students, whose admission was free), and reminding people that the DVD was for sale in the lobby.

He then spoke about environmentalism and how it involves changing people’s mindsets and convincing them to change their lifestyles, which is not an easy thing to do.

“It’s like asking a civilization to all get into a 747 jet and swap out the engines after taking off,” he said, before continuing, “but we have to get in touch with our moral lens…[Carson’s] work is not done yet.”

Dixon then introduced the film itself, which consisted of an hour’s worth of interviews with DeMarco, professor Louis Guillette, author Scott Weidensaul, U.S. Fish and Wildlife historian Mark Madison, journalist Don Hopey, Rachel Carson expert Linda Lear, and Carson’s adopted son Roger Christie.

The film focused a great deal on the fact that Carson was a trailblazer and that her opinions were unpopular in her time.

It also focused on the fact that Carson literally gave her life to her work, choosing to commit herself to spreading her message even after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

This is particularly important when one considers the point that Madison made towards the end of the film when he said, “Everything that has happened in the past 50 years has proved her right.”

After the film there was a panel discussion about the film and environmental advocacy in general with DeMarco, Crystal Fortwangler–professor in the Falk School of Sustainability–and Lou Martin–professor in the department of History, Political Science, and International Studies.

The panel discussion began with a question about what Carson’s message means for people today, and Martin took the lead, discussing his experience with non-violent direct action advocacy, which is, in his words, “standing in the way of business as usual.”

His main point was that, “we as a society need to get better at critical thinking if we are going to address some of these problem.”

“I do hope that there will be more ‘Silent Springs’ published by this generation,” he continued. “The next ‘Silent Spring’ might not be a book.  It might be a film, a piece of art, a song, a poem,” Martin said, at which point Walker jumped in to say, “Or a social media campaign.”

Fortwangler felt similarly, focusing her response on the merits of film in the fight for the environment, and the importance of getting people interested and engaged in the topic.

DeMarco’s answer drove the point home when she said, “We’ve dealt with the symptoms, its time to deal with the causes…we need to compel others, and take action.”

“We have to change the way we value our environments,” she continued, “and we have to do it quickly.”

Afterwards Walker opened the floor to question from the audience, and people asked about a wide range of topics including fracking, the merits of documentaries versus feature films, and the difficulties of eliminating the mindset that, “saving the environment kills jobs.”

“It’s difficult to get people to move when they can’t see what they’re moving towards,” DeMarco said, but she made it clear that this is what must be done to protect the environment for which Carson fought so hard.

Review of “Chipping Smooth” at Future Tenant

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In the final event for the Future Tenant January series, Pinnacle Production performed “Chipping Smooth” starring Point Park students Julia Maxwell and John McGovern. “Chipping Smooth” is a multimedia performance written by Mary Ehrlicher, who traveled via Grayhound from over ten hours away to attend the event.

The play followed the relationship between two young adults. The performance used a mixture of YouTube videos of slam poets, Shakespearean language, and live music to follow the story. As a skeptic of anything that uses such a wide variety of artistic avenues to explore a topic, I was unsure of what to expect. The cast pulled off what could have been something very confusing as something that was truly beautiful, and it accomplished its goal of presenting relationships for what they are: confusing.

The production began with the use of a projection screen and a live performance by the main actors. The performers acted out the scene in the present, while the projection of prerecorded moments served as the memory of the individuals. They went so far as to replay the same meet-up scene through different perspectives–in the ideal perspective, where the two of them were reciting beautifully written Shakespearean lines; and in the real one, in which they spoke in awkward giggles and half sentences.

Throughout the back and forth between scenes, there was music woven into the piece. The music served to enhance the traits of the character played by McGovern, as well as the feel of the overall piece. In addition to the music, the piece also brought in the philosophical question of how much hormones, or biology, run a relationship versus choice.

The use of water imagery that could be found sprinkled through the production was also extremely effective. Primarily it was used because water has a variety of different states and abilities, like slowly wearing down a rock face. It is this metaphor that led to the title.

After the performance, Maxwell, McGovern, Ehrlicher, and director Marian Scaturro spoke of all the hours it took to put this stunning production together.

“There were a lot of sleepless nights,” admitted McGovern, “but it was all worth it.”

Pinnacle Productions is the largest student-run theatre group at Point Park University. Ehrlicher said she was proud to have her alma mater choose to perform this show.

University of Pittsburgh improv group makes a “Ruckus” at Future Tenant

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University of Pittsburgh’s improve group “Ruckus” was excited to be invited to perform at the downtown studio Future Tenant. While the event was not as well attended as they hoped, the performers decided that the show must go on!

The performance space was formed in 2002 in a collaborative effort between Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts and Master of Arts Management program and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Their mission is to help performers and artists to explore their creativity.

The studio was small, and there were only two rows of chairs set up on high risers.

Future Tenant offered attendees complimentary beer, cider, and soda. The space itself made it very easy to hear everything that was said. Due to the small audience size, the show began with each performer introducing him or herself, after which the group’s president Jamie Bergey asked everyone in the audience to introduce themselves.

The group quickly launched into the first part of the performance they named “Freeze.” Two performers started the game and after a few minutes another member would shout “freeze,” freezing the actors in their positions of that moment. The person who had shouted would then run up, tap one of the performing actors on the stage, and assume the position.

The real treat was the second half of the performance known as, “Long Form.” There were several skits that took place interchangeably.

While all of the sketches were entertaining, only one really struck a chord with the audience. It began with Shane Jordan, Ben Mills, and Isaac Minkoff pretending to stand in line for the release of a new power tool at Home Depot. Jordan then pretended to purchase an extra drill for his wife (played by Elisa Ogot in another scene) from Meghan Ferraro, the monotoned cashier.

The sketch was broken up by the other scenes, but the storyline continued on in a way that really drew the audience in. The storyline managed to tie in two of the other sketches involving a failed attempt at organizing the Olympic Games to be hosted in Louisiana and another dealing with two “mean girls” played by Meghan Ferraro and Lizzie Kanieski.

Photo Credit: Kristen Gigliotti

Photo Credit: Kristen Gigliotti

Ruckus is made up of a variety of students. “The group is by audition only, and we have about two dozen performers in our group. We have both undergraduate and graduate students,” said Bergey. “We do shows twice a week so having more people helps.”

Also, very few of their members are actual theater majors. “We have a little bit of everything,” Jordan explained, “We have a few theater majors but we have everything from mathematics to English.”

The variety does in fact add to the performance. The group as a whole played off of one another well. The vibe from the group was one of familiarity.

Ruckus performs every week alternating between the Studio Theatre and the Henry Heymann theatre. Both spaces are located on the University of Pittsburgh’s Campus in Oakland.

Review of graduate reading series, Word Circus

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“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you,” Maya Angelou once wrote in her novel, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”

This was undoubtedly the case for the writer’s attending the Chatham MFA Creative Writing Program’s reading series, Word Circus, at the Most Wanted Fine Art Gallery on Friday, January 23.

The gallery, set up with several rows of chairs facing a small stage adorned with a music stand and a single microphone, seemed immediately to be the perfect venue for the event.

With its mixed media pop-art, soft light, and quasi-industrial grunge inspired décor, it set the tone for the raw pieces of prose and poetry that were to be read throughout the evening.

Though it seemed like the kind of place one might find a group of stereotypical starving artists, it was unlikely that any of the artists in attendance were starving, given the large assortment of cheese, chips, crackers, desserts, wine, and of course–because what small scale artsy hipster gathering would be complete without it–a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

As the lights began to dim around 7:30, and the people who were casually chatting around the room began to take their seats, it became clear that, though the space was small and the weather outside less than pleasant, the event had managed to draw a nearly full house

After everyone was seated, Alex Friedman, the host for the evening, took the stage amidst a round of applause.

“You have to woo for everyone if you’re going to woo,” he joked before welcoming everyone, specifically thanking the two professors in attendance–Heather McNaugher and Marc Nieson–for coming.

Before bringing the four graduate student featured readers to the stage, Friedman explained that, in preparation for the event, he had asked all of the readers some questions about themselves.

The questions, full of witty and sarcastic humor, included things like which artist they would want to paint their portraits, and why they chose to pursue a career in, “making things up in an obsolete medium.”

The first featured reader, Michelle Sinclair, who would want to be painted by either Frida Kahlo or Andy Warhol and who writes because, “everyone has their flaws,” began the evening with her piece of prose entitled, “Knit for Naught.”

As she stood under the blue tin ceiling of the gallery, Sinclair wove–or knit, as the case may be–an engaging storyline, making the audience feel a full spectrum of emotions.

Her soft voice rose and fell as she took the audience through flashbacks about the main character, Shirley, an avid knitter who, towards the end of the piece, the audience discovers is still heartbroken over the loss of a child.

Sinclair was followed by Taylor Smith, who said that he would want his portrait done by Stanley Kubrick in the style of “2001: A Space Odyssey” and who, according to Friedman, “was voted Most Likely to be Merlin or Gandalf” in high school.

Smith began with a somber poem about heartbreak and change, his voice resonating through the room as he read.

The audience responded well, laughing enthusiastically when he got to the first line of his final poem, which read, “In the winter time, Buddha is hiding in the bushes, spying on the neighbors again.”

Leila Zonouzi, the third featured reader for the evening, indicated that she would want her portrait done by the comedian Louis C.K.

Upon taking the stage she explained that she would be reading a selection from of larger piece on which she is currently working.

The tone of her piece, which was about the events of a woman’s day, was somber, and her attention to imagery and detail seemed to give the piece a life of its own.

In response to the question of why she chose to be a writer, the final featured reader, Alison Taverna, gave a comical response about how her dream of being a professional unicyclist didn’t pan out.

As soon as she got on the stage she began joking with people in the audience, saying, after one of her poems, that she, “really wanted to drop the mic on that one.”

The close knit group of people in attendance made it feel more like a family gathering than a public reading, which had the potential to make outsiders feel alienated–except for the fact that the welcoming atmosphere made that outcome impossible.

Towards the end of her set, Taverna read a poem inspired by Justin Bieber’s new haircut, and in it she said, “It’s okay, sometimes, to be mistaken for who you are.”

This theme of being who you are was felt throughout the event in everything from the featured readers portion to the open mic portion–during which six people went on stage to share their work–and even during the breaks in between when everyone gathered together to chat and enjoy each other’s company.

Word Circus is a monthly event and information about the next one, occurring Friday, February 20, can be found on MyChatham.

Waiting for Intermission: Review of Blackhat

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Set in the developing world of cyber terrorism, “Blackhat” starts out with a nuclear plant explosion in China. In America, not long after, the Mercantile Trade Exchange gets hacked. With the only leading evidence fried in the heart of the nuclear plant, Chinese and American agents collaborate to bring incarcerated cyber criminal Nicholas Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) to the game.

What reason do they have to take the convict out of prison? To get inside the mind of the criminal they’re trying to take down. However, even with the watchful eyes of the FBI guards and his shiny ankle bracelet accessory, would you trust Hathaway to do the right thing if you give the unlawful genius your computer?

As the film progresses, there’s no clear reason as to why Hathaway is there, or what he had done to be thrown into the American slammer in the first place.

During a quiet conversation, Hathaway states that he did a little hacking, but no one explains what exactly he was hacking. As for why he was brought to the FBI’s attention in the first place, was it because he was friends, roommates, and brothers-in-computer-arms with Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang), a military officer of China’s cyber warfare unit?

Later on in the film, it seems as if the reason for Hathaway to stay with the project is for Dawai’s sister, Chen Lien (Tang Wei). Why would Hathaway risk his life to help America and China defend themselves from a faceless yet powerful villain?

Somewhat obviously, Hathaway makes a deal with his American captors: if he gets the cyber terrorist, he goes free. Yet there’s no explanation as to why Hathaway isn’t already allowed to walk the streets a free man. After some tension between the FBI agents, the young military officer, and his sister, the FBI reluctantly agree that Hathaway is an asset, and ultimately, they let him run the show. Traveling from America to China, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the plot seems to make more sense as more and more people keep dying.

Even with the unsteady camera shots and the (nauseating) movements of cuts, I enjoyed the film. The character introductions and backstories left me wanting to know more about the people I should care about in the film, but I felt that I could focus more on why the characters were together.

The love connection between Hathaway and Chen Lien was a little obvious to me, but it didn’t detract from the main point of the film. The plot kept me guessing–not about what was going to happen next, but why. Why were the antagonists killing people and destroying governments? And, unlike most action films I’ve seen, I didn’t know the real villain of the story until the very end. Straight to the action and slow to the point, I feel that the film “Blackhat,” directed by Michael Mann, is a good film to watch more than once.

Coming to a Theater Near You: “Pass the Light”

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It’s not too often that a film is made whose focus is not on special effects or big name stars but on uplifting the hearts of those who watch the piece and one is coming to a theatre near you.

The feature length film, “Pass the Light” (2015) tells the story of a high school boy, Steve Bellafiore (Cameron Palatas) who stands up to a local politician who is running on a platform of hate and intolerance.

Rachael Kathryn Bell, who portrays the character Louise in the film, had a great experience working on a film that meant so much to her.

Bell was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania. From the age of 13, she knew that had to fulfill her love of acting because nothing made her feel more alive. Bell is best known for her role “Addison” in Disney’s the Suite Life on Deck.

She was able to balance school and acting even with auditions consuming two months of every spring and fall. After graduating high school, Bell packed up and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream at 18 years old.

Bell currently resides in Los Angeles, performing roles in upcoming television shows and movies, attending acting classes, and living her dream. She said she could not have reached as much success without the steadfast support of her parents.

When Bell first auditioned for “Pass the Light,” it was for a different role. The part was given to another actor who was a better fit. However, Bell did not leave the auditions unnoticed. The producer, writers, and directors loved what she brought to the audition, and as a result, they changed the part of Louis to Louise.

“I was thrilled for the opportunity to be part of this project and that more doors are opening for women in Hollywood,” Bell said.

Bell also says that the industry’s decision to change a male role for her changed her perspective and increased her faith in the world’s treatment of women.

Bell and Louise are alike in their core values where they both want everyone to be kind, understanding, and to treat each other better. It bothers Bell personally when people spread hate, but she is constantly working on limiting her own negativity in order to have a positive impact on others.

The film focuses on a group of nine students called the Force. Their purpose was to spread the message of hope, tolerance, and love. To accurately portray these students, the nine actors spent a lot of time interacting with one another. The mood on set was fun. They all took their crafts seriously but in their downtime they had a blast.

Bell’s favorite part of “Pass the Light” is one of the final scenes when Steve gives his campaign speech which states why he decided to run against a prominent politician and attempt to stop the spread of hate. Bell believes the content of his speech is important for all genders, races, ages, faiths, and sexual orientations to hear.

Bell thinks this is a film everyone should see. After the film, viewers will walk away a little more open-minded and determined to treat one another better.

“Regardless of someone’s set in stone opinions of faith, if they can be open-minded after seeing the film, isn’t that a beautiful thing?” Bell said.

Pass the Light will be released on Friday, February 6 in over 200 theatres nationwide. Local theatres screening the film include: Carmike 10 in Pittsburgh, Carmike 6 in Uniontown, Southpike Cinemas Digiplex in Sarver, Clarion 7 in Clarion, and Cinema 4 in Indiana, PA.

For updates on “Pass the Light” like and follow them on Facebook, follow @Passthelightmov on twitter and follow Rachael Kathryn Bell on Twitter @RachaelKBell. Visit the page on tumblr at passthelightmovie.tumblr.com

Chatham alumna Najaa Young releases successful film, “Blood First”

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It is every filmmakers dream to create a film that is not only successful, but that also has a real impact on the people who view it. For Chatham University Alumna Najaa Young (Class of 1995), that dream has become a reality.

With screenings in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, her film, “Blood First,” which is now available online at Target, Best Buy, and Amazon, has made quite a name for her and her production company, NaRa Films.

Regarding her time at Chatham, Young spoke highly of the college, explaining that, “in an industry dominated by men, [it] helped to bolster my self-confidence and make me comfortable with being in leadership roles.”

While here, Young was an active member of the campus community. In addition to participating in campus events she was also the president of the Black Student Union, which she said, “helped me to learn how to work well with others, respect differences of opinion, and find common ground with others…skills that I employ everyday whether I am working on set or not.”

Despite wanting to major in film from the time she started college, Young said that Chatham did not have a film program, so she chose instead to major in Theatre Arts, to “develop [her] directing, acting, and writing skills while taking additional classes from the Communications department to get more technical experience with cameras.”

She also took classes from Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and from there, she went on to earn her Masters in Film from Florida State University.

Young’s first film after graduation, a documentary about, “African Americans reclaiming and practicing traditional African religions in the United States,” was one that she had wanted to make for a long time, so together with her friend Rasheed Jihad, she formed a production company and set to work making the film.

Now, a few years later, NaRa Films, in collaboration with O.Y.’s Spotlite Entertainment has recently released its first feature length film entitled, “Blood First.”

The idea for the film came from Young’s brother, who, “wanted to make a movie about brothers who grew up ‘in the streets’ with the same code of ethics and upbringing only to have one brother decide to go against that code.”

“I didn’t want to make another gangster film,” said Young, “and I thought it might be a good way to raise some important questions about what manhood in urban communities means and how boys are being raised to become men. Furthermore, I wanted to show the cyclical nature of crime, violence, and imprisonment so that we can all begin to have solution oriented discussions around these topics.”

According to Young after three drafts of the script, which took three months to write, the project “hit the ground running.”

In four weeks they had a cast, crew, locations, and equipment. The film itself only took 26 days to shoot, with another three months to edit it.

On her ability to balance writing, directing, and producing her films, Young said, “It’s definitely difficult at times, and if I had my druthers, I’d concentrate solely on writing and directing. But producing is great because you’re the boss, and I really like being the boss at times.”

Additionally, she said, “I rely on my partner as co-producer to oversee things on set, manage the crew, and basically, “put out fires.” So, I guess I’ve found balance by selecting a good business partner.”

“When I look back on the experience, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life and one of the hardest,” Young said of the process. “Every decision I made carried so much weight and impacted multiple people’s lives and careers including my own.”

When asked about her advice for burgeoning filmmakers currently studying at Chatham, Young highly recommended internships, and even just volunteering at production companies.

“The key is to get valuable experience under your belt so be enthusiastic, hard working, and reliable,” she said, “it will get you very far in this industry.”

Waiting for Intermission: Review of “Into the Woods” and “Wild”

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“Into the Woods”

The only message that is expressed in the musical “Into the Woods” is that a wish can take you to an exciting new life, where all your dreams come true. Combing the imagination of Rob Marshall, the creative genius James Lapine (author of the book “Into the Woods”), and just a spoonful of Disney magic, “Into the Woods,” reignites our childhood memories of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales.

Tales such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood are all intertwined with the original story of a childless baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt), who have to set out to collect a series of strange items for a magical potion in order to lift the curse that a witch (Meryl Streep, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in “Into the Woods”) has placed on their house. Does wishing with all your heart truly make it a happily ever after?

I was surprisingly enchanted by the creative vision of the film. Musicals that carry their own weight for the audience are not usually viewed as being very original on the big screen. However, Rob Marshall managed to keep the audience involved in the film without changing the music and lyrics created by Stephen Sondheim.

I always felt that the musical had a stronger sense of reality than most, answering all of my questions as to why the characters did things that even a child would question. Why would Cinderella stay in a house where she was bullied? What would possess a little girl to talk to a (clearly dangerous) wolf? And how daft do you have to be to trade your best friend for a couple of beans?

While the musical has always been one of my favorites, the film made me feel like I was watching the story again for the first time. A wish, leading to a story about young (confused) love, angry giants, charming princes, and a ferocious wolf can all just be the result of stepping into the woods.

Rating: 4/5

“Wild”

Another trip to the theater over the long break took me on another movie journey into nature: “Wild,” directed by Jean-Marc Vallee. Based on the book and real life events of Cheryl Strayed’s life, “Wild” tells the story of a young woman’s journey to find redemption.

After the death of her mother, Cheryl (Reese Witherspoon, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in “Wild”) finds herself at a crossroads, taking a very dark turn that leads to a heartbreaking divorce and a rocky relationship with her brother. After a very harsh look at herself, Cheryl decides to take the 1,100-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.

At first, I didn’t want to see the film. I thought it might have been just about hiking and how you should be able to move on with your life after a loved one leaves you. With this in mind, I could not have predicted how emotionally involved I would become with Strayed.

With every mile she conquered, I got a closer look into what her mother meant to her. Her mother (Laura Dern, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in “Wild”) was the sole model for strength, courage, and survival for Cheryl. Every step that Cheryl took meant a deeper look into what the trail meant for her.

Cheryl wasn’t looking for forgiveness from her failed marriage, nor was she looking for a chance to fix things with her brother. Cheryl was trying to forgive herself.  There is a time where the film brings the audience’s attention to the anger Cheryl felt towards her mother, but the scene only explained why she was on the trail in the first place. The reason Cheryl wanted to finish her painful journey was because she needed to be able to convince herself that she could (literally) walk on her own two feet.

Rating: 5/5

Waiting for Intermission: Review of “Horns”

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A dark fantasy of questioning what is fair and right in the world, “Horns” makes you squirm in your seat. When Ig Perrish’s (Daniel Radcliffe) girlfriend Merrin (Juno Temple), is raped and murdered, Ig is the prime suspect.

In the small town of their childhood, Ig, who was already rejected by a good portion of the community, is suddenly shunned by those he once considered friends. When the law fails to defend his innocence, Ig wakes up with a killer hangover as well as a set of horns.

As he continues his day by trying to get rid of them, he discovers that everyone he comes in contact with wants to tell him their darkest secrets. Upon discovering his new paranormal abilities as well as everyone’s guilty conscious, Ig sets out to discover Merrin’s true killer.

Angels fall into the devil’s hands, friends turn to monsters, “Horns” brings your worst kept secret into the blinding light.

Growing up with Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, I have always been familiar with Radcliffe having a magical touch on the big screen. However, seeing his performance of the outcasted, moral questioning Ig Perrish made me erase Harry Potter from my mind.

Save for the fact that he kisses his beautiful English accent goodbye for his accurate grammar-insulting American accent, Radcliffe had me question my own morals throughout the film.

How do we fight for justice if we cannot tell who is pure and who is the devil? How do we search for the truth when everyone is guilty? Not a big believer in religion myself, I thought that I wouldn’t enjoy the film’s plot as much, but I couldn’t help but sit at the edge of my seat to see Ig get closer to the real story of how his girlfriend was killed.

Director Alexandre Aja managed to manipulate my emotions by keeping the significance of Ig and Merrin’s relationship in the dark. Usually we can guess the importance of the relationships of the characters in the very beginning of the film because the value of the relationship needs to be established so the characters and the audience can get to the plot of the story. Yet because the love in their relationship wasn’t expressed until the end of the film, I felt a much more powerful sense of sadness for his loss when the true killer was revealed.

Another twist that I loved about this film was that even when the killer was revealed, the climax of the film didn’t end. My adrenaline fueled mind had me guessing if there was true justice in the world until the film had sadly come to the end. I waited until the screen went black to see if there was more to the story. A truly dark and real look, “Horns” makes the audience uncomfortable with the truth.

Rating: 5/5