Film & TV

May 22, 2015

“Merchants of Doubt”: A Discussion on Effective Science Communication

By Phi Do

Last Wednesday, the Sustainable Science Communication Conference kicked off its event with a screening of “Merchants of Doubt” in UCSB’s Pollock Theater. Featuring approaches from several academic research disciple...

May 22, 2015

What is Water: A Review and Discussion of “Chinatown” (1974)

By Phi Do

On Wednesday, May 6, the Carsey-Wolf Center kicked off its new series, Inside Perspectives: Neo-Noir and the Contemporary City, with a 1974 favorite,  “Chinatown.” Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jack Nichol...

May 21, 2015

‘Mad Max’: Burning Man meets the Blues Brothers in Fury Road

By Alex Wehrung

Seriously. Holy motherfreakin’ crap. The thing about car chases is that they’re a common staple of action movies and it’s very difficult to make them seem fresh and new. George Miller’s fourth “Mad Max” movie...

May 7, 2015

“Age of Ultron” Gives Us What We Expected And Not Much Else

By Alex Wehrung

Like the Hulk, I feel I have two sides: one that wants to say how fun “Avengers: Age of Ultron” was and recommend that everyone see it. The other half thinks, “CRITIC SMASH!”  As much as I’d love to make that ...

April 28, 2015

Selling DOPE: Straight Out of Sundance, Modern-Day Teen Odyssey Makes Its Way to UCSB

By Chinelo Ufondu

A critical hit and audience favorite at the Sundance Film Festival, “DOPE” was seen by some lucky UCSB students who were given a free advanced screening of the film last Thursday. Courtesy of A.S. Student Body, the f...

April 28, 2015

“Danny Collins” Isn’t Original, But Who Cares?

By Alex Wehrung

This movie is like a roller-coaster. No, it’s not full of twists and turns; instead, you know exactly what you’re going to get before it’s all over. But it’s still a lot of fun to go on the ride anyhow. Partiall...

April 28, 2015

New Sean Astin Film Barely Scratches “The Surface,” Spoiler Alert!

By Alex Wehrung

The surface of Lake Michigan is tepid, slow and without a hint of danger. Oh, the irony. Starring Sean Astin (“The Lord of the Rings”) and Chris Mulkey, “The Surface” is a well-shot and ballsy effort, yet also a ...

April 20, 2015

200 Million Girls Are Missing | UCSB’s Girl Up Club Hosts “It’s a Girl” Documentary Screening

By Janel Mendoza

In countries such as India, China and many other regions of the world, girls are being abused, murdered and abandoned simply because of their gender. On April 16, UCSB’s Girl Up Club hosted a screening of the internati...

April 9, 2015

Ecological Storytelling with Hayao Miyazaki

By Phi Do

Encouraging the Preservation of the Environment Through Animated Film

April 2, 2015

Talent Trade Conference Shares Industry Secrets with Aspiring Actors, Screenwriters

By Audrey Bachelder

“That Ari Gold character is tame compared to [agents in] the CAA,” said Justin Winters, a screenwriter who has been around the block when it comes to talent agencies. Winters delivered this one-liner during UCSB’s ...

March 16, 2015

“Grasshoppers for Grandpa” Gives an Inside Look to the History for Downtown Bar

By Brianna Guzman

The site of Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens is Santa Barbara’s last visible remnant of the Chinatown that once was. Today, the space is open for business under the name The Pickle Room. But nine years ago, the bar and resta...

March 11, 2015

Nick Frost: Conversation with a Zombie Slayer, Alien Fighter and Bad-Ass Cop

By Alex Wehrung

If you’ve been asked who Nick Frost is, chances are you’ve shook your head in confusion before being told, “You know, the fat guy from ‘Shaun of the Dead’ and ‘Hot Fuzz?’” Suddenly, your eyes light up as ...

February 22, 2015

Kirk Cameron and More “Honored” at 35th Golden Raspberry Awards

By Alex Wehrung

The Academy Awards are the most prestigious awards for film in the world. Actors, directors and writers dream of getting onstage and exposing their faces to millions who would otherwise not give two shits about them. Bu...

February 20, 2015

Film Review: “Cerro Torre: A Snowball’s Chance in Hell” Provides Exhilarating Look at Patagonia Climbing Expedition

By Nadine Bedwan

“Follow your dreams” is an often-repeated piece of advice that most have heard, and many agree on, but how does the well-known mantra fare when said dreams top over 10,000 feet off the ground? According to David Lama...

February 20, 2015

Student Documentary Gets Selected for SBIFF: Blue Horizons Students Dive Deep with “Mussel Man”

By Audrey Bachelder

Out in the open ocean past the Santa Barbara harbor, the mussel man drives a self-designed boat at 4:30 a.m. to the harvest ropes. Using a fisherman technique rarely found in the U.S., he pulls up more than a thousand po...

February 16, 2015

Utah Report: I Went to Sundance and It was Awesome

By Frank Horne

Every January, Hollywood descends upon (or ascends to, technically) the picturesque snow globe that is Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival. Since its founding in 1978, Sundance has been a forum for independent...