Film & TV

‘Sharknado 3?’ Oh Hell Yes!

August 2, 2015 by

The way I saw it, I had one of two options: see “Pixels,” a movie that I knew I was going to hate and give more of my money to the hellspawn that is Adam Sandler in the process, or see “Sharknad...
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Ian McKellen Redefines Our Dear “Mr. Holmes”

July 30, 2015 by

We’ve seen a lot of different versions of Sherlock Holmes over the years, from the stereotypical deerstalker-wearing version popularized and made iconic by the likes of Basil Rathbone to the much-ad...
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He’s Back. What a Surprise.

July 13, 2015 by

If anything, this movie proves that if you set your expectations low enough, anything will satisfy you. Was “Terminator Genisys” necessary? No. Was it fun?  A bit.  Does it prey on your nostalgi...
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A Satisfactory Catharsis: ‘Inside Out’ is a Good Time

July 6, 2015 by

Imagination can be a wonderful thing, depending on how it’s applied. If you muck it up, you end up with something that seems cool, but in reality, you realize that someone fell asleep behind the con...
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Jurassic World: Life Will Always Find a Way to Bite You in the Ass

June 30, 2015 by

Whether or not the Jurassic Park die-hards hate this movie and the average blockbuster junkie loves it, I think we can all agree on one thing: It could have been a lot worse. For one thing, you’d th...
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Reel Loud 2015 Suffers from Poor Planning

May 28, 2015 by

Any student-coordinated event that exists outside the realm of the two hour SRB multipurpose room shindig is something that deserves applause. When a group of college kids get together and learn the b...
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Ecological Storytelling Screens Miyazaki Classic: “Nausicaä of Valley of the Wind”

May 27, 2015 by

Graduate student Jeremy Chow from UCSB’s English department hosted the screening of the animated film “Nausicaä of Valley of the Wind” on Friday in South Hall room 2635. This spectacular film, ...
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Cambodian Rock n’ Roll

May 27, 2015 by

"Don't Think I've Forgotten" tells the story of rockers fighting to be heard amidst revolution
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“Merchants of Doubt”: A Discussion on Effective Science Communication

May 22, 2015 by

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

May 22, 2015 by

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

May 21, 2015 by

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

May 7, 2015 by

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

April 28, 2015 by

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

April 28, 2015 by

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

April 28, 2015 by

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...
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