CHS News Recommends

December 20, 2023

CHS Recommends Five Nights At Freddy’s

Matthew Sawicki & Brodie Young

Brody Young: The new movie “Five Nights At Freddy’s” came out on the 27th of October this year, and has since been a hit film in theaters. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was filmed and produced by Blumhouse Productions, and promotes its star cast of actors and actresses such as Josh Hutcherson, Mathew Lillard, and Elizabeth Lail. The movie is based on a hit indie game series phenomenon turned book series created by a man named Scott Cawthon. The movie was produced from February 1st through April 3rd, 2023, with a budget of a whopping 20 million dollars, and grossing 137.3 Million dollars at the box office in the United States alone. The film is relatively short being just an hour and 50 minutes.

“Five Nights at Freddy's”, has captivated gamers for years, and has finally made its way to the big screen after a long and remarkable journey. This film adaptation is nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece, blending suspense, amazing storytelling, and respect for the source material. The Director Emma Tammi has delivered a movie that is and will continue to be loved by many video game fans alike.

The movie does however also have its share of criticism, as the movie is rated at just 5.5 out of 10 stars on IMDB. The movie is rated PG-13, which was disappointing for many horror fans who were hoping to find a stronger, more terrific scare. Additionally, the movie does include some scenes that do not pay true homage to the source material. While this was accepted and rendered to be fine by the game creator Scott Cawthon himself, many movie watchers and gamers did not like the changes made to the already-established story. 

All in all, although important to recognize its flaws, the movie “Five Nights At Freddy’s” could not be recommended more by me as it kept me captivated and on the edge of my seat throughout the entire playtime.

Matthew Sawicki Response: I’d be inclined to agree with Brodie here with the fact that the movie is captivating and certainly has a unique storyline. I was definitely surprised with the direction that the writers went in. Knowing the background of the games that the movie is based on, you’ll be quick to realize that the events that take place in the film are independent from the games and merely take inspiration from them. 

With that being said, it was certainly an interesting take on the genre and game as a whole. Generally, the movie was fairly well received by fans of the games but was definitely a surprise to viewers unaware of the premise, as they were led to believe the movie would have a little more horror in it. I definitely agree with this statement as what stuck with me the most was not only the different direction they took the plot in, but also the horror and lack thereof. 

However, I don’t think that either Scott Cawthon or the directors would want to make their first film of the potential series one that would be filled with gore or over the top horror elements. It’s important to remember that the games never really showed any graphic content or anything that would be considered as such for a movie. This is most likely the reason for the lack of blood and gore in the movie, as a vast majority of the fans and audience of not only the games, but the movie, are younger than would be expected. One of the more pressing questions that fans wonder is “Will there be a sequel, and will it follow the games more closely than its predecessor?” 

The directors wanted to wait for feedback from fans and had decided that the first movie was good enough to justify the production of a second. The movie will reportedly aim to release the second movie for Halloween of 2024.

May 29, 2023

CHS Recommends The Lost City

Caroline Voccio

42 is a PG-13 movie, released in 2013, that tells the story of Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Starring the late Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers manager who signed Robinson. 

This film is perfect for every person and event, as it is fun, inspiring and informative. The movie follows Jackie’s journey from dealing with racist people while he was playing in the Negro League, to him finding his way in the Major Leagues. 42 provides insight into what Jackie’s life was like on and off the field, delving into the struggles of Jackie’s home and work life, showing people the harsh reality of his life.

I encourage all people to watch this movie, if one doesn’t want to watch it for the enjoyment, they should at least watch it for the lesson(s). While it is a great film to enjoy, the best part of 42 is the lessons you learn from it.

March 24, 2023

CHS Recommends The Lost City

Caroline Voccio

The Lost City is a PG-13 movie starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. The 2022 movie is approximately 2 hours of comedy, romance and action.

The Lost City is a story about Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock), a reclusive author, and Alan (Channing Tatum), the cover model of her exotic, adventure books. The movie begins with Loretta and Alan on the book tour for her new book, where it is clear that Loretta has no respect for Alan. After her tour appearance, Loretta is kidnapped on the way back to her hotel by a psychotic billionaire who believes that she knows how to find the lost treasure he is searching for. When it is discovered that Loretta is missing, Alan embarks on a journey to find and rescue Loretta in order to prove that he can be a hero in real life and not just in the pages of Loretta’s books. However, this rescue mission turns out to be a lot more exciting than either of them could have imagined.

This movie can be enjoyed with family, friends, or anyone else you choose to watch it with. This blend of chaos and adventure will surely leave you laughing, or, at the very least, cracking a smile.

January 27, 2023

CHS Recommends Rocky

Caroline Voccio

ROCKY, written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, follows an ammature professional boxer, his life and his rise to fame. The movie is a 1976 classic starring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky, Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, Talia Shire as Adrian, and Burgess Meredith as Mickey.

Rocky is a must watch movie with a perfect blend of comedy, drama, and action. The story of Rocky includes a swirl of emotions, but it is most of all inspiring. The film is timeless, cinematic masterpiece that I feel everyone should see at least once in their lives. 

Rocky teaches people to persevere and never stop believing in themselves, even when the odds seem to be stacked against them. Everything that makes up Rocky, is what makes it a perfect movie to watch, no matter the company. Whether you’re with family, friends, or anyone else, I encourage you to watch this movie.

If you enjoy Rocky, there is 5 additional movies in the series, as well as a spin off series of movies called Creed.

​December 2, 2021

CHS Recommends Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town

Caroline Voccio

As we continue to approach the end of the year, we are entering the holiday season. The first day of Hanukkah was this past Monday, and that is only the first of many holidays to come. In just a few weeks Christmas and Kwanzaa will be upon us, and shortly following that will be New Year’s. In the spirit of the holidays, I thought it would be appropriate to recommend one of my favorite, classic holiday movies, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.

Released December 14, 1970, this movie is over 50 years old, but it still brings joy to the thousands who watch it each year. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town had quite some talent working on it behind the scenes; it was written by Romeo Muller and directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr. To coincide with the off-screen talent, the cast had some of the most popular and talented actors of the time starring in the film, such as Mickey Rooney and Fred Astaire. 

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town begins long before Kris Kringle’s days of delivering presents to boys and girls all around the world. The movie answers some of the many questions children have about Santa Claus. Starting at the very beginning, the movie takes viewers through Kris Kringle’s life. From his schooling, to toy making, to his marriage, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town leaves no stone unturned, providing viewers with every detail they wish to know about the Santa Claus we all know and love.

I’ve grown up watching this movie every holiday season, and even though we’ve seen it tons of times, my whole family and I really love this movie. An added perk to this movie is it spans only 51 minutes, so you and your family can enjoy this movie and the bond that comes with it in less than an hour.

Rankin/Bass Productions has produced many other holiday movies that are similar to Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to watch more of these works after you finished Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, and thankfully I have some more of their popular movies to recommend. Frosty the Snowman (1969), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and The Little Drummer Boy (1968) all tell the popular tales that you might recognize from their corresponding songs.

December 2, 2021

CHS Recommends Supernatural

Karissa Bishop

CHS recommends the show “Supernatural”. “Supernatural” is a dark thriller with lots of action and fantasy elements.  It follows the lives of two brothers, Dean Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles, and Sam Winchester, played by Jared Padalecki, who hunt dangerous supernatural creatures and save people from terrible fates.  

“Supernatural” is recommended for people who enjoy exciting shows with action-packed storylines that keep them on the edge of their seat. The brothers immerse themselves in a hazardous and lonely lifestyle in an effort to save as many people as possible from “things that go bump in the night”. They meet numerous people along the way, form bonds with others that will last years, and save the world more times than can be counted. The show can be surprisingly familial and funny, with many aspects that lighten the serious and scary mood of the plot.  

“Supernatural” begins with the death of Mary Winchester, the mother of Sam and Dean. In their childhood home, her untimely demise was caused by an unknown monster who set fire to the house,only three members of the family survived. This tragedy is what jumpstarts the life of fighting that the two boys will then begin.  

Wracked by grief, John Winchester, their father, spends the rest of his children’s childhood consumed by an anger that he uses to motivate his hunt of the monster who killed his wife. This, in turn, causes the boys to start hunting the supernatural at a premature age and have an unstable young life as the dysfunctional family was forced to travel around due to John’s search.

The pilot episode of the show starts twenty years later, when the brothers have gone down different paths. With John Winchester mysteriously missing, Dean, who was the more avid hunter of the two boys, seeks out Sam to help him find their father. So, the brothers start out to find John and hunt down their mother’s killer in the process. 

Overall, this show is a more mature portrayal of fantastical beings with constant action, plot twists, and cast additions. It humanizes its villains and flaws its heroes. It is a story of pain, loss, family, and perseverance through adversity with notes of love thrown in as well. “Supernatural” allows you to walk beside each character and brings you on an emotional ride that was filmed over the course of fifteen years. Though the show recently ended in 2021, “Supernatural” is an amazing and highly recommended watch.