Avengers: Endgame 

Avengers: Endgame dazzled audiences all across the world April 26th, making over $1 billion in its opening weekend, which is a new world record. Endgame comes as a terrifyingly exciting conclusion to the Avengers series, a long running saga that has captivated marvel fans since 2012 and far longer if you're a comic fan. Avoiding spoilers as much as possible, Endgame tells a constantly high action story about many powerful heroes, so it can seem almost overwhelming at some points. But to its credit it balances this out with both comedy and quite a few sentimental moments that had half the theatre, myself included, shedding tears into our popcorn. If you're not a marvel fan, then I don't know what to tell you. With the many characters and a few subplots shown in the film it really requires context provided by the preceding 21 films. If you are a Marvel fan, then this movie is probably heaven for you. All of your favorite heroes get the spotlight at some point or another, with the film following about 9 or so consistently throughout. There is a slight problem with a few parts seeming almost fanservice-y, especially nearing the ending. But with a film series centered around SUPERHEROES this has to be somewhat expected, as you can't really struggle in every second of every story, otherwise nothing is really achieved.The musical scores done by Alan Silvestri will constantly give you goosebumps, whether it be the Avengers theme, or just a small orchestral bit to accentuate dialogue. The camera shots paint an alluring picture complete with vibrant, beautiful colors and shots over run down cityscapes and odd planets half a galaxy away. The story takes place approximately 5 years after the big snap from Avengers: Infinity War, and the world seems somewhat desolate with half its population gone. The Russo Brothers did a tremendous job capturing an abandoned but still not-quite-post-apocalyptic feel. City streets are dirty (at least more than usual) and unkempt, with houses and buildings looking abandoned and unloved. the dwindled population is still recovering from such a tremendous loss of life and seems to not really know how to move forward. With thrilling fight sequences, despondency, callbacks to previous films, and moments that will definitely warm your heart, Avengers: Endgame lacks in dull moments. So grab your refillable popcorn and a large drink, because despite being just over 3 hours long, Avengers: Endgame is truly one of the biggest must-see's of this year. 

 This Mortal Coil

This Mortal Coil is written by Emily Suvada.  It is science fiction and is set in the future.  In this book, Suvada has created a world where, by using a panel imbedded in their arm and other gentech, people are able to change their genes, or genehacked them.  There is a problem though. A fatal virus has sent people to live in bunkers. The only person who could create a vaccine is now dead and it is up to his daughter, Catarina, and a soldier, Cole, to decrypt the vaccine and release it to the world.  The author brings together futuristic technology, a deadly virus, action, and a little bit of romance into an extremely interesting book that capture the reader's attention from the first page to the last. I suggest this book to anybody who is interested, or even only slightly interested, in scifi because it is more than just a scifi book.

By: Paige McDonald