The movie's good. Damn good, actually. Besides one noticeable throwaway mention early in the movie there's almost nothing from the prequels on display. It's clear as crystal this is a course correction and a direct continuation from the original trilogy. Nothing negates the prequels, mind you, so prequel fans don't need to get immediately defensive. No, it's just that the focus is squarely on capturing the OT tone, sense of fun and adventure and continuing THAT story.
Read moreImplementing Small Habits to Create Big Change
I’ve learned and grown more in 2015 than in any year prior and am truly grateful for all the experiences I've had. In some ways, I feel like I've evolved as a person more in this year than all prior years combined. I spent a lot of time on myself - reflecting, meditating, reading, writing, dreaming, planning, and executing. The year went by incredibly fast, but at the same time, I feel like I put so much into it and was able to get even more out of it. This is, without a doubt, the direct result of the habits I created based on the goals I set at the beginning of the year.
Read moreCREED Movie Review: A Love Letter
When we first meet Adonis Johnson in 1998, he’s serving time in juvenile detention. He is coiled rage, ready to strike, fists gripped tight. No one can get through to him – at least, until Mary Anne Creed (a returning Phylicia Rashad) comes into his cell and drops a bit of familial truth on him. Adonis’s fists slowly unclench, and his eyes grow wide. “What was his name?” he asks, and we smash cut to the title. At that point, Ryan Coogler’s CREED owned me.
Read moreAces' Guilty Pleasures: Starship Troopers
The moment when you discover what Starship Troopers is really about is one of the great eureka moments in the life of any young movie dork. I’ve got vivid memories of sneaking into and staggering out of a suburban multiplex in 1997 and sputtering, “What the fuck was that?” To my young self, it was basically Saved by the Bell plus giant alien bugs cutting people in half. And since I liked the spectacle of giant-monster-related carnage, I wasn’t even mad. I was just confounded. Like: Why were all the human characters so stupid? Could it be possible that a movie so big and expensive could also be so blindingly, knowingly dumb? And how is someone going to make a grand-scale blockbuster with Doogie Howser, MD as the most famous person in the cast. (Neil Patrick Harris was still unequivocally Doogie at that point; he would remain Doogie until the first Harold and Kumar flick. Look, 1997 was a long time ago.) And when a friend’s mom told me, years later, that the movie was really about fascism and militarism, I absolutely thought that person was full of shit (sorry Ms Spurlin). But that’s exactly what it is. Starship Troopers may be the greatest joke ever played on the American movie going public.
Read moreUpgrade Your Health and Happiness with Gratitude
Skimming through your social media feeds during the holiday season, especially the week of Thanksgiving, you might think that every one of your peers is constantly brimming with joy and thankfulness due to their countless blessings. But, let’s be honest, this is only a once-annual occurrence for most people. Thanks to the obligatory status updates and bombardment of turkey day marketing, we’re all reminded that it’s time to express our gratitude.
Over-commercialism and Hallmark-ism aside, I think it’s great to have a national holiday in which we are encouraged to be thankful for what we have and those around us. The tradition of sharing this day with family over a large meal is one I truly enjoy (in particular, the socially acceptable binge eating), and I’m sure I’m not the only one that really looks forward to it. However, there is mounting evidence showing that expressing gratitude regularly has a profound impact on overall health and happiness. Perhaps giving thanks should be a daily ritual as opposed to a yearly tradition (minus the food coma).
Read moreThe Winter Reboot: Deload, Detox, and Indulge
It’s again that time of year where the days are overcast and short while the nights are frigid and seem to begin even earlier than years past. Many people look forward to the winters for the “cuddle weather” (Netflix and chill weather?), while others increase their calorie intake with reckless abandon in the name of “bulking season”. The holidays bring more gatherings of family and friends, which in turn bring plenty of opportunities to binge eat (and drink), and it’s generally not on the healthiest of foods. This could result in feelings of guilt, shame, and certainly bloatedness. Long-term, it could also lead to breaking many good habits you formed over the year, sabotaging your nutrition, and derailing your path to any fitness goals previously set. However, I use this time of year to allow my body to rest and recover while giving my mind a chance to relax and reset all the while enjoying the indulgences of the holidays (without feeling guilty about it), and being more ready than before to take my fitness to the next level come the new year.
Read moreAsh vs Evil Dead: Return of the King
THE KING IS BACK BABY! The first episode alone is an incredibly intoxicating short film from a master storyteller. It builds with a rush of fire, delivering scene after scene in a tsunami-like punch of sure-to-be iconic images that fall right into place with the first three films in this legendary horror franchise. It delivers exactly what fans have wanted and waited for these past thirty years. And it does so at a hectic trot that never slows down. The episode comes to its crescendo with an action packed encore that is better than anything I’ve seen on premium cable this year (though the white walker invasion scene in the new Game Of Thrones series is up there).
Read moreGoosebumps Movie Review
In today's day and age, there are films, like the new Fantastic Four, that people seemingly want to be bad. Though, in their defense, that film was bad. Like holy hell that was bad. Then there are films, like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, that want to be good, but are still no better than before. Goosebumps, however, is one of those rare films that looks bad based on all empirical evidence that I’ve seen, but is actually quite enjoyable… for the most part.
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