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A spirit that is not afraid

Reviews

Two cartoon turkeys, one black and one purple, joyfully dance beside large, bold red letters spelling "FREE BIRDS" against a light purple background.

'We're taking turkey off the menu' — A review of 'Free Birds'

The 2013 film “Free Birds,” details the adventures of two talking turkeys, Reggie (Owen Wilson) and Jake (Woody Harrelson) who travel back in time to the year 1621, with the goal of stopping turkey from being served at the first Thanksgiving feast. Reggie and Jake meet a slew of turkey friends when they travel back in time. Reggie also develops a crush on Jenny (Amy Poehler), a charming turkey from 1621. Reggie, Jake and the turkeys they meet in 1621 work to fight a group of colonists hunting them for the first Thanksgiving feast. 



REVIEW: The Exorcist Graphic

The scariest movie of all time: A review of Friedkin's 'The Exorcist'

Once hailed as "the scariest movie of all time," William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” follows the paranormal possession of a young girl and the lengths her worried mother goes to help her. Throughout the movie, Regan (Linda Blair) starts behaving strangely, developing symptoms such as vulgar outbursts, grotesque physical transformations and violent behavior. While I did not necessarily find it scary, the practical effects, the story and the incredible performance by Blair really sold the film for me. It is a movie that just feels evil, with its disturbing scenes and the sinister energy that the young girl possesses.

Movie title, year, and Michael Myers silhouette on an orange background.

A classic slasher: Review of 'Halloween' (1978)

On Oct. 25, 1978, director John Carpenter’s breakthrough film, “Halloween”, was released. This movie follows the iconic masked figure Michael Myers (Nick Castle), who had been in a mental institution for murdering his teenage sister when he was just six years old. After 15 years, Myers managed to escape this institution and returned to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois to begin his prowl for new victims. “Halloween” became a staple for slasher films as we know them and paved the way for the “Final Girl” trope as well.

Halloween Movie Review: Scream Graphic

A review of Scream: ‘What’s your favorite scary movie?’

A masked killer plagues the fictional town of Woodsboro, California, often using phone calls to taunt victims. Taking place in the 1990s, the killer is untraceable, and help is further than just an emergency call on a cell phone. Constantly referencing infamous horror movies and the “rules” to survive a scary movie, the characters tend to still fall into the stereotype of dumb teenagers running straight to the killer. This is “Scream,” the pinnacle of tongue-in-cheek horror. “Scream” allows audiences to connect with the characters and root for them, while also providing ample opportunities to laugh at the meta moments in the film. Whether you are a horror movie fanatic or someone easing into the genre, “Scream” will not disappoint.

Movie title, year, and hotel building on a blue background.

Friendly fright: A review of Alfred Hitchcock’s 'Psycho'

The 1960 horror film “Psycho,” directed by Alfred Hitchcock, illustrates a slew of chilling events that take place over a weekend in Arizona and California. On a Friday afternoon, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) commits a monetary crime that motivates her to go on the run. She stops at the Bates Motel and charms the man who runs the motel, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). At the Motel, Crane meets her mysterious end, and her sister, Lila Crane (Vera Miles) employs a private detective, Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam), to search for her. When Arbogast stops responding with updates, Lila and Sam Loomis (John Gavin), Marion’s boyfriend, go to the Bates Motel themselves and discover a mortifying secret about the events that occurred there.

Halloween Movie Review: Frankenstein (1931) Graphic

'It’s alive!' — A review of 1931’s 'Frankenstein'

“Frankenstein” is a chilling story of a mad scientist driven by relentless ambition, striving to push science beyond its natural boundaries, with ethical themes of nature rivaling nurture and the dangers of isolation and alienation. The 1931 film of this classic narrative is the most well-known and influential retelling of Mary Shelley’s novel in the world of cinema due to its commercial and cultural success, which fully allowed Henry Frankenstein and his monster to break into mainstream pop culture.