‘Arts’ Archives
Movie Corner: Oct ’23
Elemental Disney/Pixar, 2023 Animation/Adventure 3/5 stars By HOWARD MCQUITTER II Howard McQuitter II One can honestly say Pixar doesn’t make bad movies. One can also say - with conviction - since Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter left the company in 2018, the quality in the storytelling has noticeably diminished. Nonetheless, Pixar‘s animation is still fun. While animation/adventure like the Toy Story installments, Finding Nemo, Up, Monsters, Inc., Inside Out, Cars (well at least the first one) are all at stellar levels, Elemental, I think, falls into the “mediocre” category.Yet, there’s a cuteness to Elemental, and strangely enough, not much to laugh about. The theme of Elemental is fire, water, earth and air, all for life to subsist, can only be possible with God. Fire, the element that seems to be most discriminated against, is forced to live in Firetown, on the outskirts of Element City. The story begins with two immigrant Flames Bernie [...]
One Story, Two Endings
By SHELIA BLAND FIRST ENDINGRain plays rhythms on my coat and hood as I make my way to the inevitable meetup. I use these beats to block out any thoughts of the approaching confrontation. Puddles jump up in surprise and protest as I rudely slam the weight of my feet down in the midst of their watery realities. I hurry, unfazed by these reactive pushbacks.The target location is just in sight. I steel myself lunging forward. The fight is on. I arrive. Though the place is lit outside, inside seems dark. This is the assigned location. Ground zero. It should be open for business.If necessary, we have this showdown in the street. There is no going back.I push the door. It opens. I move in. In the darkness I see bodies seated around the room.I’ll wait here…Mid-thought, my opponent is upon me.“Let’s do this.”“Yes, lets.”Suddenly, there’s light and…“SURPRISE!!!”“What…”Laughter and glee ring out. I am surrounded.“You are so easy to play. I knew the best way to [...]
Movie Corner: Oppenheimer
5 Stars Universal Pictures 2023 Biography/History/Drama By HOWARD MCQUITTER II Howard McQuitter II To tell the story of Robert Oppenheimer in a book, in film or on stage is to tell the story of a very complicated man. Director Christopher Nolan gives the viewers more than just a caption of Oppenheimer in his new film. The man, J. Robert Oppenheimer, was a physicist, genius, doctorate, father of the atomic bomb, victim of the “Red Scare”. Indeed, I thank Nolan for making a film about a man whose atomic bomb (advanced into the hydrogen bomb, then to the nuclear bomb) changed the entire outlook of modern warfare since 1945.The film doesn’t start with Oppenheimer’s childhood years, but starts circa 1925 when Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is at Harvard about to graduate with a physics degree. He then does his postgraduate work at Cambridge University only to become frustrated by his overbearing tutor Patrick Blackett (James D’Arcy) who insists that his student stick [...]
