Opinion
Where are the Women?

Article by Jess Harmon

With every Oscar season comes a chorus of complaints from film lovers about the Academy’s nominations for the year. Whether it’s about how your favorite movie of the year got snubbed or your least favorite didn’t, it’s hard not to have an opinion. While Hollywood has been working to evolve into a more diverse industry, the Academy has not reflected that in their nominations and it’s starting to feel personal.

Entertainment
Oscar Nominations: Student Vote

Article by Kevin Lewis

The 91st Academy Awards has been one of the most controversial in recent memory. With no host and outrage over multiple decisions made by the production – including the infamous Best Popular Film category –  this Sunday’s broadcast has been clouded in uncertainty and judgment. The Academy is often criticized for its inability to be in touch with the moviegoing public.

News
Kings Choir Hosts a Recital

Article by Bayley Gilligan

On Saturday, February 16th, the Kings Choir program will host their first annual Heart and Song recital in the high school cafeteria at 7pm. This performance will feature the talents of Hope Milthaler’s independent study students Amy Helms and Justin Alcorn. All proceeds from this fundraiser will be used to help support the King’s Choir program.

Entertainment
Junior High Theatre Puts a New Twist on a Classic Fairytale

Article by Delaney Mettey

Photo by Delaney Mettey

Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?  The Kings Junior High seventh and eighth graders performed a new twist on an old classic “Snow White and the Prince” on February 7, 8, and 9. The story in this version follows Snow White as she prepares for her eighteenth birthday party and dreams of finding her Prince Charming. It’s a clever retelling of a classic tale.

Entertainment
Cincinnati in Winter:
A Guide to the Wonderlands

Article by Shannon Tuggle

Photo by Emily Holland

Entertainment
Searching for Excellence

Article by Ryan O’Donnell

An old adage states that it only takes seven seconds to make a good first impression; obviously, some leniency is offered to film directors for this unwritten rule. When trailers for rookie filmmaker Aneesh Chaganty’s Searching first popped up on television and the Internet, everyone rolled their eyes and prepared to write Chaganty off as an unoriginal hack. The kidnapping story had been done since the dawn of the century, in a mass of madly mediocre movies such as Olympus Has Fallen, The Call, and Kidnap, adding absolutely nothing new of note to the genre. Searching vows to set itself apart and above from its counterparts — and it certainly delivers.

 Entertainment
Most Anticipated Fall Movies

Article by Kevin Lewis

As the end of the year approaches, so does awards season. It is a time where films compete to become the best of the best. While some movies have the chance to come home with the gold, others are looking to make gold at the box office. This year’s crop of fall movies has a little bit of everything for everybody. It marks the return of multiple auteur directors whose previous films have been lauded by critics as well as the return of franchises that have been run into the ground but looking for another shot.

Entertainment
Paddington 2 Review

Article by Kevin Lewis

At first glance, Paddington (2015) should not have been a good film. It had all the trappings of terrible kids movie: a CGI character who is annoying and only there for “comedic” fart jokes, lackluster plotlines and cheesy acting, but somehow the film managed to exceed everyone’s expectations. The film about a polite bear who loves marmalade was a genuine delight for all-ages . Unfortunately, the film was not seen by many people here in the States, however, it did manage to find an audience overseas and was successful enough to warrant a sequel. To the many people who did not witness the friendly bear’s first adventure, it would be easy to dismiss another entry in this franchise and for good reason. Most kids films that feature a CGI animal only get worse with each entry; Alvin and the Chipmunks, Yogi Bear and the Scooby Doo just to name a few. Paddington 2, instead, earns the right to stand by some of the greatest sequels ever made: The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight, The Godfather 2. This is not a hyperbole.

Opinion
Something Fishy

Opinion by Jess Harmon

A year ago, Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, won Best Picture at the 89th Academy Awards. I remember watching the absolute chaos on my screens, as they announced the wrong winner, claiming that La La Land was the Best Picture winner before quickly correcting their mistake and announced that Moonlight was the true winner. The immense joy and pride I felt when I heard that this film got the recognition it deserves, is one that only cinema can provoke in me.  A year later I was desperately hoping that one of the films that made me feel the way Moonlight did would win the same title.  I was rooting for Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele, because it pushed boundaries, generated conversations, and reminded me of why I fell in love with film in the first place. Sadly, Shape of Water, directed by Guillermo del Toro, was the winner of Best Picture for the 90th Academy Awards and to say the least, I did not get that same feeling of joy, and here is why.