Movies & Shows 

“A Minecraft Movie”: A Movie Review

By Brady Hamm, on Monday Apr. 14 

On April 4, the long anticipated “A Minecraft Movie” was finally released. A movie adaption of the popular video game “Minecraft” has been in development since 2014. It has gone through numerous script and director changes, and some believed we would never get the movie. That was until January 3, 2024 when Jack Black went to Instagram to announce he would be playing Steve. Then, finally, after years of anticipation and waiting, on November 19, 2024 the first full length trailer was released. With all this hype, the movie had to be successful, right? 

In the movie’s opening weekend it brought in $157 million domestically, and $313 million globally, with a budget of $150 million. With those numbers, the movie has surpassed “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($146 million domestically, and $377 million globally with a $100 million budget) as the most successful opening weekend ever for a video game adapted movie in the U.S.. With those outstanding numbers the movie had to have been good right? 

Currently, the movie is sitting with a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6/10 on IMDb. Many critics share the same issues with the movie, calling it “Lifeless and boring while doing the bare minimum with no story.” Those are film critics’ opinions, but how do some of our fellow Sheridan students feel about the movie? Junior Zander Angle went with a big group of his friends on Saturday. He felt that it was alright, but also pretty forgettable. Angle admitted his crowd was very rowdy, with popcorn and drinks being thrown. “My expectations were a little too high, but I wasn’t that disappointed,” Angle said. Furthermore, Junior Megan Ranck thought it was an extremely funny movie. She believes the movie was an outstanding 9/10. Ranck loved the singing, and her theater experience, unlike Angle’s, was very pleasant and free of any snacks being thrown.

Despite the success of the movie, some theaters are still threatening to stop showing the movie entirely due to obnoxious behavior of “A Minecraft Movie" fans stemming from online trends. Ever since the first trailer of this movie was released, it essentially became a “meme” movie, with people quoting funny lines from the movie all the time. This led to many videos being posted online of people going to watch the movie and being overly obnoxious during it with screaming, clapping, and even throwing stuff at the screens during their favorite parts. It has become way too much for employees to handle to the point where some movies were paused and even stopped. 

If you decide to go watch “A Minecraft Movie" in your local theater, please remember to be respectful to the others around you and to the employees working. Don’t be an obnoxious viewer and please clean up after yourselves. Let people enjoy the movie they paid to go see and don’t make the employees job harder than it has to be. 

"The Last Unicorn": A Movie Review

By Kameron Van Balen, on Monday Feb. 24

There are a lot of unicorn movies out there but one of my favorites is the 1982, hour and half film “The Last Unicorn,” which is one of the best-loved projects by Rankin/Bass This Movie is an older one yes but it holds several aspects that make the film seem newer and more with the times such as: good graphics, an interesting plot and a good cast of characters. 

One of my personal favorites of this movie is the art style, the soft animation and colors makes the style of the entire movie more cohesive and easier to watch without the risk of eye strain(Note: there are flashing lights and moments of this move that could cause eye strain or worse so please keep that in mind if/when watching this film). It is said from the maker of the last unicorn that the stats for The Last Unicorn were similar: 75,000 drawings, 260 colors. And the static (tome) shots seen in anime were “avoided as much as possible.”

The story is also hard hitting, it covers the loss of family, youth and the self. Many times in the film it has such heartbreaking lines such as these.

Molly Grue: “Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to? How dare you! How dare you come to me now, when I am this!”

(this is when Molly meets the unicorn, she is upset over the fact that it has taken so long to see a unicorn that she is old, her beauty is gone and her joy for life has faded.)

The Unicorn: "No, but I wonder if any man before us ever thought his time a good time for unicorns. This body is dying. I can feel it rotting all around me. How can anything that is going to die be real?”

(She is turned into something mortal and cannot grasp death, or the fact that she is something new and so different)

At the end of the day, the last unicorn is a heartbreaking film, but definitely something that I'd personally recommend to anyone who will listen. I’d give this movie a 10/10, full marks , a 100% or even 5 stars. 

Musicals: The Trend

By Hannah Kaufman, on Tuesday Dec. 11

Despite what one might think, musicals have been around for quite some time. The first musical to be written dates back to the 1860s, which was, “The Black Crook.” Since then, musicals have been flooding theaters across America. A few musicals that have hit popularity in past years include: “Hamilton,” “EPIC: The Musical,” “Wicked,” and “Mamma Mia.” For this article, three people have been interviewed from multiple different states. These people have been fans of a few or all of the musicals above and are all seniors in high school. Joshua Shaw is from New Jersey, Ava Davidson from Maine, and Lucy Miller is from Kentucky. Below can be found a list of these musicals, and why they have begun to trend:

1. “Hamilton”

“Hamilton,” was written by Ron Chernow, with music, lyrics and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. “Hamilton” first appeared on Broadway in the Richard Rodgers Theatre on August 6, 2015. It received positive reviews and high box office sales. Davidson first started to listen to Hamilton in July of 2022, and Shaw in July of 2020. “Makes learning history more fun and accessible,” Shaw said when asked why he thought that “Hamilton” was an important musical.

2. “EPIC: The Musical”

“EPIC: The Musical,” is a newer musical that has claimed the love of many mythology fans. It has not hit the stage yet, but has been recorded and animatics have been made for viewers’ enjoyment. The musical is written by Jorge Rivera-Herrans and is a loose depiction of Homer’s “Odyssey.” “I love Greek mythology and musicals! This is a perfect combination of both. It’s also a work in progress that I have gotten to follow along with,” Davidson said when asked why she liked the musical.

3. “Wicked” (the movie adaptation)

“Wicked” was written by Stephen Schwartz, and the book author is Winnie Holzman. “Wicked” was recently made into a two-part movie adaptation. The film blew up and has become very popular across the internet. When asked, in his opinion, what made “Wicked” popular, Shaw gave a realistic response. “It being an analogy for racism and a reflection of our reality,” Shaw said.

4. “Mamma Mia”

“Mamma Mia” is a popular musical that was created by Judy Craymer and has since been turned into two movies, a first and a second. Some of the music used was written by ABBA which helped spike its popularity. “The music more than anything, though the show itself is very idyllic and it’s just one of those shows that grabs your attention in the most fun way,” Miller said when answering the question of why she liked the musical.

All together, musicals have been around for many years, and have changed and evolved as people have. Musicals are amazing ways to tell stories. Whether it’s the music, costumes, or dances that get the audiences’ attention, they continue to fill theatres across the country. You can find all of these musicals of various streaming platforms such as: Spotify, Netflix, Disney +, and Youtube.

"Venom: The Last Dance" Review (SPOILERS)

By Evan Olds, on Wednesday Dec. 11

       “Venom: The Last Dance” is the third movie of the “Venom” trilogy. Last month, on Nov 3, I watched it in theaters in Lancaster’s AMC theater. Overall, the movie looked good and had a cool plot, but I think that the movie was about a six out of ten. Compared to the other two “Venom” movies, it wasn’t great. This is because of the lackluster amount of the Venom Symbiote: he seemed more like a side-character in his own movie!

Spoilers here, I don’t really enjoy the ending, as it seems the events are a little too bizarre, and Venom being replaced is pretty strange. Through almost the whole movie, Venom was mostly a voice in the back of Eddy’s, (the person that Venom takes over and controls), head. There were a few scenes that really stood out and lived up to the "Venom" name, but next to the other two movies, "The Last Dance" couldn't compete. 

In the first one, it was unknown what was going to happen next, and had an amazing storyline. Then the second one, which is also great and maybe even better than the first. The antagonist in the second one was really good. He was creepy, had an interesting story, and made the storyline perfect, like the Joker from “Batman”.  This third movie just can't hold a candle compared to its predecessors.

“Venom: The Last Dance” was released on Oct 25, 2024. It was rated a 6.2 on IMDb and a 41% on Rotten Tomatoes. My brother Eric Olds also watched the movie,and his opinions just about match those of Rotten Tomatoes about the quality of the movie. “Compared to the other movies, I’d say it’s a four Because they killed off the main character and it wasn’t even a death that made sense. If you like Marvel movies then you should still watch it,” Olds said. 

Keyden Vandagriff, a Marvel fan who’s watched the Venom series numerous times also gives an opinion on the series. “I’d give it a solid 8 for the series, my favorite was the first one, The third one was really good but the ending almost felt rushed, and was crazy sad. I just like how they had multiple symbiotes. I thought that was a really good aspect,” Vandagriff said. 

Overall, the “Venom” series as a whole is great and is definitely worth it to watch. Although the third movie wasn’t the best one, it still contributed to a fascinating storyline with lots of twists and turns, a feature of the "Venom" trilogy that many Marvel fans love. "Venom: The Last Dance" might not have been my favorite movie, and there are mixed reviews, but it is still worth the watch.

Disney Princess Live Action Movies

By Ali Sims on Tuesday, Nov. 26

Disney live action princess movies are the remakes of their animated version counterparts. While some think that any Disney film is pure gold, there are others who think these remakes are not the best because they lack the original tales and there have been multiple complaints of representation issues.nI interviewed dew students from around Sheridan High School, asking about their thoughts on some of the live action remakes Disney has made based on its original films.

A Sheridan High School Sophomore, Eli Rohozen, was asked about his enjoyment on the live action ‘Beauty and the Beast’ that came out on March 17, 2017. “I just enjoyed it more because it stuck to the original story while still adding new magic. It appealed more to the audience. Brought the magic of the tale back,” said Rohozen.

Another Sheridan High School student, Hannah Kaufman, also thought this live action movie was great saying, “I thought it was a good representation of the original,” said Kaufman. She also thought that there was nothing wrong with it or anything she would change.

Sheridan High School senior, Kameron VanBalen, thought live action Mulan was not as good as the original animated version. “I don’t like live action stuff. A little harder to follow than animated stuff.” VanBalen says. She also thought that there were some changes she’d like to make such as the color palette for the second half of the movie.

Another thing about the live action movies is that there have been multiple complaints from audiences about how the movies lack the originals for representation reasons. Wesley Morris, writer of The New York Times, wrote a review about the live action Little Mermaid. “The new, live-action “The Little Mermaid” is everything nobody should want in a movie: dutiful and defensive, yet desperate for approval. It reeks of obligation and noble intentions. Joy, fun, mystery, risk, flavor, kink — they’re missing. The movie is saying, “We tried!” Tried not to offend, appeal, challenge, imagine,” said Morris.

You can watch the live action movies on Disney plus from your phone in the App store or Google Play. You can also go to www.Disneyplus.com for more information.

Terence Fletcher: A “Whiplash” Character Analysis

By Elijah Rohozen, on Thursday Dec. 5

It’s been about ten years since the release of “Whiplash,” one of the most influential films of the 21st century. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, it stars Miles Teller as Andrew Neiman, a young, ambitious jazz drummer who dreams of rising to the top of his elite music school. In pursuit of his dream, he is recruited by Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), the conductor of the Shaffer Conservatory Studio Band. In this article, I will be analyzing Fletcher, who, over the course of the film, reveals his true nature and pushes Neiman closer to the edge.

Now, before we get into it, this article contains spoilers for “Whiplash,” so I highly recommend that you watch the film prior to reading. Personally, this is one of my favorite films of all time, and it’s genuinely one of the most entertaining and immersive movies I’ve ever watched. Okay, let’s get into it.

First of all, let’s just talk about Fletcher’s beginnings, an aspect of his character never really discussed in the film. Personally, I believe that he started out much like Neiman, a young, talented musician who dreamed of stardom and success. Unfortunately, he never quite made it in the music industry, so he decided to become a conductor.

So, why is Fletcher, a successful conductor at a prestigious conservatory, so abusive towards his students? Regardless of his harsh methods, Fletcher’s main goal is to bring out the best in them. In other words, he wants to be the one to make them great, the next Buddy RIch or Charlie Parker.

The question is, how far should Fletcher go to make his students great? Fletcher, over the course of the film, had many antics. He threw a chair at Neiman, slapped him repeatedly and attempted to sabotage him at a concert to ruin his music career, leading to the climax, where Neiman fights back with an insane drum solo, finally making Fletcher proud.

Fletcher is a very interesting character. He’s complicated, a great example of a dynamic character, but it’s obvious that he’s not a good person. One of my favorite quotes from the movie actually comes from Fletcher, and I think it does a great job representing him. “There are no two words more harmful in the English language than ‘good job,’” Fletcher said.

To be honest, I was a little curious about what others thought about Fletcher’s character. “Fletcher was definitely pushing the line, that’s for sure, but I didn’t think it was too absurd. I mean, they’re all grown adults,” said Xander Gray, a senior at Sheridan High School. Personally, I think that’s a really interesting take. I never realized I was looking at this situation from the perspective of a teenager and not an adult.

Overall, I think that “Whiplash” is going to be a very memorable movie for a very long time. Fletcher is, in my opinion, the primary reason for this. I think his character is certainly memorable, and this is definitely one of the most memorable films I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching.

La La Land- The greatest Movie ever?

By: Brady Hamm, on Saturday, Nov. 26

La La Land is a Musical Romance movie made on August 31, 2016 by Damien Chazelle starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.  Chazelle has made other blockbuster movies like Whiplash and Babylon to name a few. 

The movie takes place in Los Angeles.  This movie follows Gosling’s character Sebastian who is a struggling jazz musician dreaming of opening his own jazz restaurant and Stone’s character Mia who goes to tons of auditions for acting just to be shot down or ignored. She is dreaming of becoming a very successful actor and finally making it in the industry. They both see each other a few times before finally talking to each other and once they meet it’s like love at first sight. 

The movie was an instant success making $472 million on a budget of only $30 Million. The film was highly praised for Chazelle’s screenplay and the music. Chazelle went on to win seven awards at the 74th Golden Globe awards while receiving 11 nominations at the 70th British Academy Film Awards. Chazelle ended up winning five of those awards including The Best Film Award.

 This movie has been regarded as one of the best films of the 2010’s and the 21st century. It has also been regarded as one of the best Musical and Romantic movies in the history of cinema. The review website Rotten Tomato gave the movie a 91% based off of 473 critics reviews with an average of 8.7/10. 

Issac Young gave me his opinions on the movie. “I think the movie was a 7/10. It wasn't really my style of movie but I enjoyed the unpredictable ending” Young said. Young watched it in the theaters with his sisters when it came out and has seen it one time since.  

Charissa Johnson was also able to give me her take on the movie. She gave this movie a 7.5/10. “I love musicals so I enjoyed it and the dancing was fun.” She recommends Mamma Mia as well although  even though it’s not too similar to La La Land it is also a musical movie. 

I enjoyed the beautifully written romance aspect of this movie as well as the calm jazz they play. Gosling and Stone put on an amazing performance and their choreographed dancing was fun to watch. Chazelle uses colors to depict mood in different scenes and it creates this gorgeous look to the background of most scenes. The twist and turns of the romance and the character’s struggles and later breakthroughs will leave you on the edge of your seat. You should most definitely check out this movie if you have the time. 

Over the Garden Wall Ten Years Later!

By: Kameron Van Balen, on Tuesday 17 Sept, 2024

Do you remember your favorite show from when you were little? Mine had been the 2014 mini series over the garden wall, which had been a smashing hit but after was almost immediately forgotten.  Over the Garden wall or (OtGW) has stood at an 8.8/10 on IMDb and a 94% on rotten tomatoes, with a runtime of barely two hours that's pretty impressive.  The plot of (OtGW) is both very layered and can be interpreted in multiple different ways, for being a children's show it can also be enjoyed by older children or even adults! 

The story begins with our two main characters walking through the woods (later confirmed as the unknown), Wirt (The older brother) and Greg (the youngest brother).  It is not stated how the boys got in the woods til later in the series, you'll just have to watch to find out what happens.

The show is animated using several different types of animation, the crisp, hand drawn, watercolor backgrounds match well with the characters drawn over them. This way of making cartoons was definitely outdated but left the mini series looking unique and warm; this is until the later episodes where the water colored backgrounds betray the tone shift, becoming colder and more blue toned.

Last but not least, this show has an amazing soundtrack, old jazz and blues shine through in every scene. The soundtrack (recorded by The Blasting company) never feels out of place during the series and even highlights the character change or tone shifts during scenes.