Lauren D'Empiare

I absolutely love a good murder mystery but Death on the Nile falls short. The way they introduced the characters felt rushed and thus it was difficult to keep up with each of their motivations for murder. What makes a murder mystery good is the small and insignificant details that end up playing a larger piece. The detective drew massive conclusions from almost no evidence at all and seemed as though luck was always on his side. And because he made claims with so little evidence, I was astounded to see the assailants fess up so quickly. The detective's style of interrogation was also lacked wit and cleverness. He basically accused someone of murder in hopes they would crack under pressure, which is no way to extract useful information. Another thing the detective did that I didn't agree with is waiting so long to lock the entire party in a singular room. If the killer was among the guests, it would be wise to try and single them out. The actors themselves did well with the script they were given. The story itself however, wasn't engaging and was poorly devised.

I initially didn't want to see this movie, but I'm glad I did. At its core it's a murder mystery/thriller film, which mirror's Batman's identity at its core: a vigilante detective who will stop at nothing to protect Gotham. Everyone who worked on The Batman captured the essence of Gotham and its characters perfectly. Robert Pattinson especially showcased the Batman's ability to blend in to the shadows and piece together the impossible. He also displayed that while Batman is capable of handling himself, he isn't invincible. And it is this human element that makes the other characters shine as well. The Batman is a fresh new take on an old story and is captivating as well as entertaining. Congratulations to everyone who worked on it. A job well done.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW: Honestly...it's not that bad. I expected to be disappointed because I had read the reviews ahead of of time, but I had a good time. The plot is a little difficult to follow, but it had pretty cool action sequences and I had fun getting to know the characters. It's definitely not your typical marvel movie. A refreshing break from the generic formula. I for one, liked eternals.

Truthfully, I really wanted to like this movie. But there were so many things that were off-putting that it left a bad taste in my mouth. The lead actor specifically delivered a strained performance that made me cringe at the character instead of empathize with them. There were unrealistic choices made by the characters (for example, Alana and Evan exchanging which medications they were on having literally just met). This movie tries to be inspirational and empowering, but fails to do so on all accounts. The overall message feels synthetic and forced and Evan basically gets away with a slap on the wrist. Hope the Broadway rendition was better because I definitely wouldn't want to watch this again.

Two words for this film: much better. The storyline and character motivations actually make sense and the flow of events is far more organic. This movie does two crucial things that the 2017 release failed to do: show don't tell, and use exposition to explain the story, not the plot. For instance, we are able to understand the character of Cyborg at in an entirely new light with the addition of scenes including him and his parents. By focusing on Cyborg and his father's interactions rather than just explaining their relationship catapults Cyborg from the background to one of the main characters. And this is just an example of how the characters and story were drastically improved from the original. Plot holes were filled and design styles were altered, creating an exciting movie that should have been the one that was originally released.

I went into this film thinking that it was going to be a generic Disney template movie, but I was proven wrong. The animation and the storyline are brilliant and the world building is some of the best I have ever seen. The take home message of trust, hope, and forgiving your enemies is fantastic, and desperately needed, especially now. The fight scenes were executed beautifully and I was thoroughly invested the whole way through. The characters were fully formed with complex personalities, which made them almost seem real. As a woman of color, it feels amazing to get strong representation on the silver screen. Congratulations to the cast and crew for a job well done. Bravo, Disney, you've done it again.

A unique take on the classic horror concept of doppelgängers, it's both incredibly creepy as well as thrilling to watch. It's not jump out of your seat terrifying, but the original storytelling itself is enough to keep you well invested in the film. However, it's the incredible performances by all the actors that stand out the most throughout the movie. It's a must see for everyone.

I initially decided to watch this because of TwoSetViolin, but quickly regretted it. The basic story was okay, but as a violinist, I can't get past the awful violin performance. They couldn't play in sync with the recording and everything felt extremely sacrilegious. I get that violin is a difficult instrument, but when the entire movie is ABOUT the violin, perhaps investing in a double when the actor has no previous experience with the violin would be a wise choice. Because of the horrendous playing, I couldn't become invested in the story and it left me cringing all the way through.

Overall, it's a pretty average holiday special. Anna Kendrick delivers a fantastic performance, but most of the other actors' performances either seem extremely forced or are not given as much screen time as they deserved. The plot is very stereotypical and the CGI isn't the best, but it'll keep the kids occupied for at least an hour or so. Not the best holiday movie out there and the story telling has a lot of awkward moments, but I wouldn't be opposed to it playing in the background.

I was a little hesitant about this show at first, as it looked like your typical Disney channel tv show with awkward acting and messy plots. I couldn't be more wrong. It deals with complicated issues such as admitting fault, discovering your identity, and how to make a difference in a productive way. The best part is is that it does it organically and the messages are not forced onto the audience, but rather inferred through the plot. If you haven't seen the show yet, I highly recommend that you check it out.