Frances Lawrence’s latest addition to “The Hunger Games” franchise is reigniting passion amongst Hunger Games fans, and rightfully so. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” was released on Nov 17, and since its release, it has received high praise from its fans. In this prequel to “The Hunger Games,” viewers are sent back 64 years before the events of the first book and can finally see Panem in the days before the Hunger Games and only 10 years after the “dark days” …
David Fincher’s most introspective movie reveals his inner assassin
In David Fincher’s latest, he proves how valuable his filmmaking experience is for an ostensibly simple and straightforward story. “The Killer” feels like Fincher’s most introspective film in years; examining the POV of a conscientious perfectionist through the lens of a nihilistic hit-man. Notorious for his painstaking attention to detail, as seen with his penchant for an excessive number of takes, no other protagonist of his has felt as self-reflective as the titular “Killer.” Fincher reteams with writer Andrew Kevin Walker, whom he previously worked …
The foodie’s game day guide to Pasadena’s sports bars
Fall is in full swing, and so is football season! For some of us, this means rich tradition and undying love for your team. For the rest of us, football season simply means endless wings and nachos. Whether you’re a diehard or a foodie, we’ve rounded up a few of Pasadena’s favorite local sports joints worth checking out to amp up your next game day. Kings Row Gastropub Kings Row is a modern Thursday night football hub where it’s easy to find a seat, which …
‘Modern Warfare III’ fails to live up to its original legacy
Following a successful prison break from a Kastovian gulag, a former terrorist is let loose unto the world. The danger of another World War looms heavy over everyone’s heads and leaves one question… where is Makarov? “Modern Warfare III” picks up hot off the heels of last year’s “Modern Warfare II,” and follows Task Force 141’s attempts to stop Vladimir Makarov and his Konni Group from instigating a global conflict between the East and West. The game also includes a few supporting characters from “MWII” …
‘Era’s Tour’ captures the intimate concert experience on the big screen
It’s March of 2023, and life is not great. A slew of personal issues and the fact that I had missed out on tickets to Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated “Eras Tour” had me feeling really bummed. But one day while out with my family I heard the magic words that every Swiftie wanted to hear, “Congratulations! You got tickets to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour!” To say I was ecstatic wouldn’t properly convey everything running through my head. Fast forward to Aug 4, and to …
Modernized classic returns 20 years later in ‘The Exorcist: Believer’
Although “Exorcist: Believer” will never take the place of the original “Exorcist”, it is a very close second. The acting was top notch, the effects were spectacular, and the story behind how the possession came to be was fantastic. The director of this film, David Gordon Green, has quite a good amount of experience in the horror world. He was also the director of the reboot of “Halloween” in 2018, “Halloween Kills” in 2021, and “Halloween Ends” in 2022. While it was definitely a slight …
Let ‘For All The Dogs’ out, and take it for a walk
After a full season of teasing, Drake released his creative collection of recent albums with the highly anticipated “For All The Dogs” leaving me a little frustrated and unsatisfied, on the first listen. Coming in, it was difficult to know what to expect with this album seeing that the previous three gave a completely different vibe and went in multiple directions, but the consensus with most hip-hop fans was wanting the “old Drake”. The project opened up with “Virginia Beach” a smooth and poetic introduction …
Star Wars pays tribute to its animated roots in ‘Ahsoka’
While 2023 opened with the mixed experience that was season three of “The Mandalorian,” the Star Wars saga is once again back, this time swinging for the stars with their latest show “Ahsoka.” Although this show isn’t without its flaws, its open and infectious love for both “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels” can just about make me look past its flaws. At its simplest, “Ahsoka” is a follow-up to “Rebels” an animated show that ran from 2014 to 2018 on Disney …
‘Dumb Money’ is actually quite smart
Following in similar footsteps to films such as “The Social Network,” and “The Big Short,” “Dumb Money” tells a tale of a very contemporary event that disrupted the entire industry it was a part of. Directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera, Seth Rogen, and Pete Davidson among others, it is yet another example of why historical dramas should not be relegated to purely telling stories the majority of the audience wasn’t even around for. “Dumb Money” is the story …
GAME OVER! ‘Saw X’ humanizes inhuman killer, and it somehow works
Where 2021’s “Spiral: From the Book of Saw” set out to imitate the feeling of a classic “Saw” movie, “Saw X” jumps up to properly give fans of the gruesome franchise just what they’ve been asking for. This one delivers a proper, bloody disgusting, and compelling entry in the long-running series. “Saw X” launches the audience back to the early ’00s, between “Saw” and “Saw II,” when cellphones still flipped up and down and search engines were in their infancy. Tobin Bell returns as John …