Bad bad, not good: Don’t get stuck in Madame’s Web

Share: Sony’s latest Marvel-related film “Madame Web” came to theaters just a few weeks ago, releasing on Valentine’s Day, and was met with a heap of negative reviews from Spider-Man/Marvel fans.  The build-up and overall promo were quite bizarre ranging from things like blatant false advertising, to the weird attempts from the main cast to get people to buy tickets like Dakota Johnson’s promo video where she goes on to say, “I think you’re gonna see it twice.” Aside from all this, the trailers and …

Textbook costs empty student wallets

Share: Students are already paying hundreds of dollars for classes. So, on top of that, paying an additional amount for textbooks is not ideal. As the spring semester kicks off, PCC students are being required by their professors to buy what many people deem “expensive textbooks”. There are a couple of options to get around the expensive costs of books though, such as buying used, or even online ebooks/pdfs. “All my classes require textbooks, except for my stats class, which has an online pdf textbook,” …

What is the future of physical media?

Share: With a few clicks on a remote or our phone, we have millions of movies, songs, and a multiverse of media at our fingertips. People are now accustomed to having access to any form of media they want within minutes. With these huge leaps in technology and streaming, it begs the question, what is the future of physical media? So many different companies and groups have decided to remove more and more physical media to create their own streaming platforms or other services instead. …

Netflix Avatarnishes new adaptation

Share: Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” remake feels like a very genuine love letter written with largely inaccurate information about the recipient. It’s really difficult to fully hate this show when it’s clear so many people tried to make something truly special. From the cast’s infectious enthusiasm in the promotional material to the emphasis on staying respectful to the various real cultures the world of “Avatar” takes influence from, it’s a shame it was all in service to a result so painfully mediocre.  The notion …

‘The Iron Claw’ delivers a takedown that pulls on your heartstrings

Share: In a time when celebrities were normally found in Hollywood, a particularly famous wrestling family thrived in Texas as world champions of the ring. Even when they were on top of the world, the Von Erich family were believed to have been cursed. Their “curse” is rooted in the entrapments of toxic masculinity that the Von Erich brothers inevitably faced. “The Iron Claw,” the recent film directed by Sean Durkin tells the tragic true story of the Von Erich brothers who climbed to success …

Genuine, unsponsored gift ideas for everyone on your list

Share: With the holidays right around the corner, it can be very overwhelming to find gifts for the many different people in your life. To get you prepared for Christmas, I scoured the internet so you don’t have to! Here’s a gift guide with ideas for men, women, teens, and kids. The gifts in each category are sorted from least to most expensive.  Gifts For Men: Men’s Memory Foam Slippers  Price: $20.98 Give the gift of comfort and warmth with a nice pair of slippers. …

The Courier Presents: Our favorite entertainment of 2023

Share: Albums of the Year: Album: “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?” Artist: Lana Del Rey Why: I’m a huge Lana Del Rey fan. Her new album is some of her best work since her album “Norman Fucking Rockwell” in 2019. “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?” is filled with songs about grief, family, heartbreak, and self-discovery. It’s one of her most personal albums as she dwells on who she is and why. All year, I’ve had …

‘May December’ mystifies the melodrama in one of the year’s best movies

Share: Before cancel culture had its torches and pitchforks out for anyone at the center of controversy, there were scandals. Fueled by tabloids and morbid curiosities, nothing made national news quite like an appalling figure that raised uncomfortable questions about what it means to be human. “May December,” the new film directed by Todd Haynes, seeks to scrutinize scandal for all its melodramatic, unholy glory through a pitch-perfect script by Samy Burch. Led by career-best performances from Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, “May December” initially …

‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ has the guts to change the story

Share: Two decades ago in Toronto, Canada Scott Pilgrim was dating a high schooler and it was more problematic than my 16-year-old brain could comprehend. Recently, Netflix has released its anime adaptation ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ and by the end of the first episode the plot literally takes off, leaving the original storyline behind. It is possibly the boldest and smartest move any adaptation has ever done. The 2010 film ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ is considered by fans a perfect adaptation of the original …

Local snobs roast your favorite coffee

Share: There is nothing hinting that you may have entered suburbia than when you check how many coffee shops are in your surrounding area. Pasadena may call itself a city, but a good espresso shot may be a misspour unless you know where to look for it. Coffee snobbery might come across like this fish, but that fish is probably the type to recommend you try Republik for its awful TJ-Maxx-art-esque interior. Copa Vida Okay, Copa Vida and its fanbase take it too seriously. But …