Share: Picking the perfect movie for your Halloween party is an art in itself. There are a thousand things to consider: how scary is too scary? Do my guests appreciate gore? Do we want a movie we can laugh with, or will that kill the mood? Whatever your spooky needs, the Courier staff got together and figured out our collective favorite movies for the season. Every movie below had at least three Courier staffers excited to recommend it, and we even spent the weekend watching …
‘Ubu Roi’ fails to deliver sense or substance, but comes through on laughs
Share: The ominous synth beat of Fever Ray’s “If I Had A Heart,” plays over darkness. Lights rise on a cartoonishly styled couple seated at opposite ends of a long dining table set with a feast of inflatable chicken. “Papa Turd,” lets out a long, thunderous fart then utters the first word of Alfred Jarry’s play “Ubu Roi”: “Merdre.” Shit, in French. But with an extra “r,” thrown in for silly spice. Papa Turd and his wife, Mama Turd, then quickly hatch a plan to …
“Folie à Deux”: A Franchise’s Killing Joke
Share: “Folie à Deux”, the sequel to the hit movie “Joker”, released in the United States this weekend. The sequel stars Joaquin Phoenix returning as Joker and newcomer Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, the eccentric girlfriend and partner in crime of the Joker, in a film that feels as dark and depressing as the original, and that seems to many fans an attempted money grab that no one asked for. When “Folie à Deux” was announced, the first idea discussed was the Joker meeting Quinn. …
‘Megalopolis’ is a crime against humanity, but watch it anyway
Share: Drugs are bad kids, but if you’re Francis Ford Coppola, you take them to come up with something as batshit insane as “Megalopolis.” I can barely even bring myself to call “Megalopolis” a film. It is truly its own beast. I wouldn’t argue with anyone who thinks that this is the biggest piece of shit to ever come out in the history of cinema. If someone went into the cinema expecting “Megalopolis” to be the next “Godfather,” then they would be sorely disappointed. And …
Colin Farrell’s ‘Penguin’ makes Oswald Cobb a charismatic criminal to root for
Share: Though it exists in the same universe as Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” HBO’s new show “The Penguin” starring Colin Farrell is very decidedly not a superhero show. Instead of Batman fighting bad guys, “The Penguin” focuses on the gritty underworld of Gotham city. In fact, it feels a bit more like an homage to “The Sopranos” than a comic book show. Colin Farrell’s performance (as well as the prosthetics) make him nearly unrecognizable. Instead of a handsome, charming Irishman, Farrell transforms into the power-hungry, …
‘Marvel Vs Capcom’ retro bundle brings out the kid in all of us
Share: The days of slotting coins down an arcade machine are long gone. The historic fighting games of the “Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics” have officially reached a new generation of gaming platforms. Of the six games that are being released as their original arcade selves, one stands out amidst the crowd of classics. “The Punisher” is the only non-fighting game in the bundle of games. While its brutal side-scrolling beat ’em up style is enjoyable for the first couple of minutes, the …
I couldn’t stop bugging out watching ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’
Share: After 36 years, the juice is loose in the new sequel of Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice.” Bringing back Winona Ryder’s character Lydia Deetz as an adult to deal with her trauma of Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice while attempting to try and bond with her daughter Astrid Deetz portrayed by Jenna Ortega after a death in the family. To start off it was a good sigh of relief, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” didn’t tone itself down since nowadays a lot of movies and tv shows tend to do that …
Sabrina Carpenter’s new album ‘Short n’ Sweet’ left me craving more
Share: Sabrina Carpenter secures her spot as the hottest pop artist with her brand new album, “Short n’ Sweet”. Released on Aug. 23, the “Espresso” singer dropped her 6th studio album which includes 12 songs that are nothing short of sweet. She has increased her popularity from being an actress on the hit Disney channel show, “Girl Meets World” to opening for Taylor Swift Era’s Tour in the summer of 2023. Due to Taylor’s crazy fan base and audience, it is no shock that they …
‘In A Violent Nature’ proves to be a bloody mess
Share: Attempting to breathe new life into the slasher subgenre in 2024 is a little like trying to kill Michael Myers. No matter how strong or creative you may be, you’re probably going to wind up having to take another stab at it in the sequel. Or, in the case of veteran horror director Chris Nash’s most recent film, “In A Violent Nature,” deliver another swing of the ax. At first glance, the plot of the film is relatively straightforward and follows the slasher formula …
Feel empowered by the roots of Black music this June
Share: Black music, black joy, black love, black excellence, what is it? What does it look like, feel like, sound like? How is it portrayed, thought of, and looked upon? Without any intention or purposeful action, success while being black has been limited to certain jobs and genres by everyone but black people. But when taking a dive into the underground utopia of black music the mind is taken to places that are vaguely familiar but aren’t often visited. June is “Black Music Month,” and …