Alex Wehrung

June 6, 2018

A Graduate’s Guide to Santa Barbara Movie Theatres

By Alex Wehrung

Now that I’ve spent four years squawking my incoherent opinions about movies that you probably never bothered to read, I might as well leave some kind of lasting influence. So, here you are. A guide to the movie theate...

June 1, 2018

‘Solo’ Stalls Mid-Hyperspace

By Alex Wehrung

Despite its star-heavy cast, the highly anticipated science fiction film failed to deliver anything different.

May 3, 2018

Artsweek Reviews Avengers: Infinity War

By Alex Wehrung

“Infinity War” is a movie that shouldn’t have worked, but it did, and it’s fun.

April 12, 2018

Spielberg Dares to be Stupid

By Alex Wehrung

It's morbidly amusing to consider that Steven Spielberg directed an adaptation of Twilight for boys.

April 4, 2018

A Spring Slate of Films

By Alex Wehrung

Ah, spring. Here's a few films to look out for in the upcoming season.

March 7, 2018

Live-Action ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’ Sacrifices Its Wonder

By Alex Wehrung

Fullmetal Alchemist has wonderful characterization, amazing world-building, fun humor and an all-around joyous sense of adventure.

February 22, 2018

‘Black Panther’ Leaps Its Way to the Top

By Alex Wehrung

Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther" is a film rooted in real-life issues that tells one of Marvel's more grounded stories while being set in an unabashedly sci-fi setting.

October 19, 2017

‘Marshall’ Tackles Racism with Simplicity and Warmth

By Alex Wehrung

Genre-wise, the movie is a simple courtroom drama, reminiscent of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Marshall and Friedman consider all the evidence (or lack thereof) in order to try and prove that their client is innocent, while ...

October 19, 2017

‘Blade Runner 2049’ Creates a New Future from the Same Story

By Alex Wehrung

Los Angeles has become a single slab of eternally rain-soaked skyscrapers, the only traces of color coming from gigantic, intelligent holographic advertisements.

July 19, 2017

Netflix’s Newest Fantasy Series ‘Castlevania’ Has Bite, But Only a Nibble

By Alex Wehrung

Netflix's "Castlevania" series has the distinction of being the very first video game adaptation to be just okay.

May 18, 2017

Beloved Cartoon ‘Samurai Jack’ Comes and Goes

By Alex Wehrung

The show made its long-awaited return in March. But the show’s return is also indicative of a current trend in the television landscape: the appeal to nostalgia.

April 12, 2017

The Ghost in the Hollow Shell of a Movie

By Alex Wehrung

“Ghost in the Shell” also tries to distract you from the shortcomings of its plot by shoving enough holograms in your face to make you see binary code.

February 10, 2017

Five Directors Honored at SBIFF

By Alex Wehrung

The Outstanding Directors Award ceremony was held on Feb. 7, with the Arlington Theatre playing host to such acclaimed filmmakers as Damien Chazelle, Ava DuVernay, Barry Jenkins, Kenneth Lonergan and Denis Villeneuve.

February 9, 2017

A Moonlit Evening with the Stars of ‘La La Land’

By Alex Wehrung

The two stars of “La La Land” had come to receive their Outstanding Performers of the Year Awards alongside their director, Damien Chazelle.

January 3, 2017

A Rogue New Step into a Larger World

By Alex Wehrung

The timing of Carrie Fisher's death has caused Leia's appearance at the film's end to transform from something that, upon first viewing, just served as a nostalgia-tickling moment but turned into something more bitterswe...