The Summer Issue by Benjamin Ades

CINEMANN A FILM AND TELEVISION MAGAZINE

THE SUMMER ISSUE NO 03

2 0 1 7

INSIDE MOVIES

17 Spider-Man Homecoming by Armand Dang

01 Beauty and the Beast by Caroline Goldenberg

19 Stephen Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s It by Emma Jones

03 Dunkirk by Maggie Brill

21 Wonder Woman by William He

05 Justice League by Benjamin Goodman

TELEVISION

07 Thor: Ragnarok by Benjamin Goodman

23 Big Little Lies by Maggie Brill

09 Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 by Mark Fernandez

25 The Get Down by Emma Jones

11 Get Out by Lisa Shi

27 Game of Thrones by Ben Vahradian

13 Your Name (Kimi no Na wa) by Emma Jones

29 Iron Fist by Mark Fernandez

15 Logan by Armand Dang

31 Switched at Birth by Liana Moroshko

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Ades Managing Editor Jasper Cox Content Editors Maggie Brill Zarina Iman Sophia Schein Design Editors Benjamin Ades William He Lisa Shi Faculty Advisor Dr. Deborah Kassel

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

DAN STEVENS AND EMMA WATSON IN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by Caroline Goldenberg

e all remember the Disney movies we would watch as kids, the colorful cartoons characterized by upbeat moods and take-aways for young people. Beauty and the Beast has always been a timeless classic for so many who have watched it. The film has become beloved for those of all ages who worshiped its music and story. The stakes were high for Disney, coming out with a new, live-action rendition of Beauty and the Beast, many wondered if the film would live up to the standards of the classic film from 1991. The storyline follows Belle, a young woman in a French village, who loves to read and is deemed ‘strange’ by her neighbors. She is courted by the self-absorbed, yet widely admired Gaston. When Belle’s father is captured by the Beast, whose household has been placed under a curse causing him to appear as a fearinducing animal, Belle takes his place as prisoner in the castle, and thus begins her story with the Beast and the talking furniture in the castle. For me, Beauty and the Beast (2017) did live up to these standards. This year’s film definitely is not the same movie from 1991, as the differences are quite evident, yet this rendition of the story intertwined the classic plot, characters, and music, with new factors and themes. One such factor was humor. The 1991 version of the movie did involve some humor, yet I found myself laughing through many more moments of the 2017 version. There are many laugh-inducing lines, representing a more modern sense of humor, especially from characters such as Gaston, Le Fou, and the furniture of the Beast’s castle. Emma Watson played the role of Belle

beautifully. She lives up to the expectations of the Belle from the 1991 version many remembered as the first Disney princess to embody characteristics of a strong feminist in her love for reading and label as an ‘outsider’ by her neighbors. Emma Watson is known to be a compelling actress and the live-action component of the film allows for more human emotion to be shown across the screen, and Watson’s portrayal of Belle’s emotions and character development was very convincing. The music of the film includes most of the songs from the original 1991 version; the storyline of Beauty and the Beast wouldn’t be the same without all its timeless songs. However, Watson, albeit clearly talented, was auto-tuned a bit for her songs in this version along with other characters as well. Although it is typical for songs sung by actors to be auto-tuned and heavily manipulated in films nowadays, I did feel that because Belle is a character who is unique and loved for her qualities of being flawed yet strong, her portrayal would have been more realistic if Watson’s flaws in her singing hadn’t been hidden. Dan Stevens, who played the Beast also did an excellent job. The character development of the Beast has always been a part of the story that many fans admire and adore, and Dan Stevens’ portrayal of these changes felt real and genuine. Beauty and the Beast (2017), although different from the original 1991 cartoon version was an artistic and feel-good adaptation. Was the movie perfect? No, it was not. Of course, if you’re looking for a movie that may have more complexity and ideas to think about, Beauty and the Beast might not be for you. But if you are just

looking for something entertaining and classic to see on a Friday night, the 2017 live-action rendition of Beauty and the Beast may be the perfect choice.

MOVIES

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

DUNKIRK by Maggie Brill

et to premiere on July 21, 2017, Christopher Nolan’s latest film, Dunkirk, is likely to be the movie of the summer. The film, starring Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, and Mark Rylance, promises to be a war movie of epic proportions. It tells the story of a battle between the allied forces and Nazi Germany that took place in the spring of 1940 in northern France. Surrounded by German forces, the Allies were forced to evacuate the beaches of France; fleets of ships were sent to retrieve the soldiers from Dunkirk, an effort that saved more than 300,000 soldiers’ lives. The film was written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the man who brought us The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, and Interstellar. Nolan’s films are nothing short of genius and solely based on the trailer, I have no doubt that Dunkirk will be any different. The movie promises to capture all the action-packed, disturbing, and intense nuances of a war zone. Dunkirk won’t be the first film where Tom Hardy and Nolan have collaborated; Hardy previously starred in Nolan’s sci-fi film Inception in 2010 as Eames and in Nolan’s epic finale of The Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark

Knight Rises in 2012 as Bane. After Inception, Hardy’s career skyrocketed and he has enjoyed immense success in films such as Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant. He even received his first Oscar nomination in 2015 as Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his captivating performance in The Revenant. Hardy’s co-star Cillian Murphy has also collaborated with Nolan on multiple occasions, most notably Inception, The Dark Knight, and Batman Begins. The two actors will be accompanied by Mark Rylance, a seasoned on-stage and on-screen actor and Oscar-winner for his role in Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. The fact that the film will be the former One Direction star Harry Styles’ actorial debut has created much excitement. Although the film is packed with some A-list celebrities, it also features immensely talented actors who don’t always get to be in the spotlight. Based on the cast, Nolan’s previous work, and the stunning cinematography, Dunkirk is definitely worth going to see this summer. Will the film live up to its high expectations? The only way to find out is to wait patiently for July 21st.

FIONN WHITEHEAD IN DUNKIRK

MOVIES

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: EZRA MILLER, BEN AFFLECK AND GAL GADOT IN JUSTICE LEAGUE

JUSTICE LEAGUE by Benjamin Goodman

MOVIES

Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), who is a goddess and has been saving the world for hundreds of years. Then there are the new recruits: Aquaman (Jason Momoa) who is the king of Atlantis, Cyborg (Ray Fisher) who is the outcome of a failed science experiment, and The Flash (Ezra Miller) who is the fastest man alive. Despite the collective efforts of this group of heroes, it may be too late to save the planet from a terror of disastrous proportions. Justice Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director Zack Snyder, is well known and accomplished for his films such as 300 (2007), Watchmen (2009), and also created the Superman film which began the DC Extended Universe, Man of Steel (2013). As for the actors in this movie, they are all well known and successful in the film industry. For actors Gal Gadot, Ray Fish, Ezra Miller, and Jason Momoa this is their first DC superhero film, but for Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill this will be a refresher on how to save the world. All lovers of DC who have seen previous movies in the universe will definitely enjoy this as it has been anticipated for years.

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

he DC Universe has finally released the anticipated trailer for Justice League set to release November 17, 2017. Recent movies, such as Suicide Squad and Batman vs. Superman Dawn of Justice have had sneak peaks of Justice League, making viewers anxious for the release of the movie. In Suicide Squad, Batman (Ben Affleck) met with Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) in a private restaurant where she showed him the entire list of known metahumans. These included Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg all of which are considered to be extraordinary people that have special powers. The movie Justice League, is based on the heroic act by Superman (Henry Cavill) after he made the ultimate sacrifice to save Earth. Bruce Wayne, (Ben Affleck) recruits a newfound ally Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) to face a colossal threat to Earth. Batman and Wonder Woman will have some work to do in order to recruit a team to fight against a new enemy. In Justice League, the recruits include: Batman (Ben Affleck), who is billionaire by day and protector of Gotham by night, and

THOR: RAGNAROK CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

by Benjamin Goodman

arvel Comics has finally released the anticipated trailer for Thor: Ragnarok set to release this November. In the last installment movie, Thor: the Dark World, Thor was tasked with saving the nine realms of the universe from the chaos that the Dark Elf Malekith created with his weapon called the Aether. At the end of Thor: The Dark World, Thor returns to Asgard where he rejects Odin’s offer to take the throne. As Thor walks away, Odin’s form transforms into Loki, who is alive and was impersonating Odin the whole time. The Thor: Ragnarok trailer begins with Thor imprisoned on the other side of the universe. The almighty god Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest where he is forced to fight Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). These two used to be close allies, as part of the Avengers, but both left the team after Age of Ultron and cut ties with everyone on the team. Thor went back to Asgard and Hulk took a Quinjet, losing all contact with everyone. Thor’s journey for survival leads

him in a race against time to prevent the almighty Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home world and Asgardian civilization. The director for this upcoming movie is Taika Waititi, a celebrated New Zealand director, known for movies like: Eagle vs Shark, Boy, What We Do in the Shadows, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. As far as the cast goes, the audience should see familiar faces, with the exception of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Thor’s love interest. In addition, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) will probably not make an appearance. Audiences may, however, see Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who was in contact with Thor and recently had his own standalone movie in 2016. This encounter between Thor and Doctor Strange, clearly anticipated the events in Thor: Ragnarok, and for the next Avengers film. Overall, Marvel fans can expect this next Thor installment to be as action packed and fun as the last two.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH IN THOR: RAGNAROK

MOVIES

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES 9

THE CAST OF GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 2

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 2 by Mark Fernandez

he Guardians are back for their second solo film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with an extended team that again finds itself in very big intergalactic trouble. This movie picks up a few months after the first; it features the same cast of characters seen in the first film, from Star Lord to lovable Groot and Yondu, while also expanding on the Guardians’ cast of characters. In Volume 2, Director James Gunn introduces a new character to the film adaptation series named Mantis: a Guardian with healing abilities as well as Peter Quill’s missing and unknown father, Ego, the living planet. While the first movie focused on one main villain, Ronan: The Accuser and an overseer named Thanos, Volume 2 includes two main villains: Taserface and Ayesha

who team up to destroy the Guardians. In addition to adding Mantis to the team, the Guardians also integrate Yondu as part of the team. While Yondu was portrayed as a villainous character in the first movie, he joins the Guardians in this adventure after Taserface overthrows Yondu as leader of The Ravagers. In the new movie, Peter Quill’s father differs from the comic book version. In the comics Ego is not a person but a living planet while in the movie he is a planet who takes the form of a human body. With all that is currently going on in multiple Marvel movies, all are leading up to Infinity War to be released in 2018 which will elaborate and reveal more details about the Guardians’ characters while expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

MOVIES

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

GET OUT by Lisa Shi

ordan Peele, one half of comedy duo Key & Peele, brings us the social thriller Get Out, which details a black photographer’s weekend visit to meet his white girlfriend’s parents. In a society where the avoidance of uncomfortable topics is prevalent, this film acts as a refreshing, honest take on modern-day racism. The movie begins with a black man (Lakeith Stanfield) walking at night in a suburban neighborhood before being kidnapped and driven away, setting the ominous tone for the rest of the film. The scene cuts to the brightly lit apartment of the film’s protagonist, Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya). He packs his suitcase for the weekend, as loving girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) reminds him of everything he needs for the next few days. Chris is understandably nervous when he finds out that Rose has not told her parents that he is black, but his fears are assuaged by Rose’s claim that her parents are not racist at all. Chris and Rose’s chemistry is obvious from their playful banter and comfort with each other, but the cheerful atmosphere is ruined when they accidentally hit and kill a deer on the way to the Armitage’s suburban home. They call 911 and a police officer comes. Despite the fact that Chris was not driving and consequently does not need to show ID, the officer demands it anyway. Rose stands up for Chris, believing the officer is acting on his racial prejudices. Clearly, Rose is on Chris’ side and will defend him against whatever discrimination he may face. Upon arrival, Rose’s parents indeed initially appear not to blink an eye at his race, but subtle comments show they perceive that Chris is different. The need to introduce race in a positive light in every conversation is excessive; they hide their discomfort by being overly welcoming. Rose’s father, Dean Armitage (Bradley Whitford), claims he “would have voted for Obama a third time if [he] could.” Dean additionally goes on an unsettling rant regarding how too many deer populate the earth and how he believes Chris and Rose did the world a favor by killing the deer. Furthermore, the Armitages have two black servants: the housekeeper, Georgina (Betty Gabriel), and the groundskeeper, Walter (Marcus Henderson). Dean immediately addresses the uncomfortable nature of the situation. “I know what you’re thinking: white family, black servants. Total cliché… I hate the way it looks,” he apologizes. He claims they were hired to care for his parents, and he couldn’t bear to fire them when his parents passed. Despite this excuse, Walter and Georgina act in an extremely peculiar, almost robotic manner. That same day, Rose’s mother Missy Armitage (Catherine Keener), a psychiatrist, offers to help rid Chris of his smoking habit via hypnosis. Rose’s brother, Jeremy, returns home that night. During dinner, he asks Chris what sports he plays and comments that if he pushed himself physically, “with [his] frame and genetic makeup, [he]’d be a beast.” These kinds of racist “compliments” continue the next day, when the Armitages host their annual gathering of even more wealthy, white people and one token Asian man. The Asian man asks Chris if he thinks being black is advantageous or disadvantageous, a rude and disturbing question. By including this one man, Peele illustrates that although Asians are in the minority in America, even more so than black people, they act as oppressors as well by playing into white supremacy and participating in discrimination against blacks. The man

possesses a heavy foreign accent and was clearly depicted as an outsider. The uncomfortable commentary on Chris’ race continues. One elderly man asks Chris if he plays golf, claiming he knows and absolutely loves – Tiger Woods – a black man, in an attempt to demonstrate his goodwill towards black people. Another woman approaches Chris to squeeze his bicep without permission, then asks Rose, “Is it true? Is it better?” while suggestively glancing downwards. Finally, another white man says to Chris, “Fair skin has been in favor for the past couple hundred of years. But now, the pendulum has swung back and black is back in fashion,” foreshadowing the forthcoming events. Chris sees another black man, and hoping to connect with him to escape the strange behaviors of its white party goers, attempts to strike up a conversation with him. This man is the one portrayed by Stanfield, who was abducted at the beginning of the film. He is now dressed in a suit and tweed hat, his speech and mannerisms have changed, and he is suddenly married to a white woman 30 years his senior. He no longer possesses any of the cultural knowledge he should, ignoring Chris’ offer of a fist bump and responding with a handshake instead. He then shows himself off to the white woman’s friends, as if a mannequin on display. He has evidently been assimilated into white society and has adopted their cultural traits as well. Thoroughly unsettled by this point, Chris ventures off into the woods for solace. He encounters a renowned white art dealer, named Jim Hudson, who dismisses the silliness of the other white people at the gathering. Chris visibly relaxes here. Unlike the others, Jim makes no comment on his race; perhaps because of his blindness, he is unable to discern race at all. Instead, he praises Chris’ work and comments on the magnificence of his eyes and the talent he illustrates through his photography. Later, however, an auction is held for Chris, and Hudson is seen to be the one who succeeds in claiming him. He eventually explains to Chris the procedure they will undergo: Hudson’s brain is to be transferred to Chris’ body, allowing Hudson to take control of his body and thought, while Chris will be reduced to a tiny conscience in the back who can see the events unfolding but ultimately has little control over his own body. Chris asks, “Why us? Why black people?” and Hudson replies that he couldn’t care less about what race he was. He only wanted his eyes, so that he could see again with an artistic flair. This mirrors the entire concept of colorblindness. Hudson literally can’t see color, but very clearly still participates in the systemic oppression of black people. He claims he doesn’t care

about race, but the question must be asked: would he have treated a young white man the same way as Chris? Rose fills the role of the white feminist who wants to be supportive of minorities, but ultimately will only help as long as it benefits her. Rose stands up to the police officer and rants about her parents’ racism, but in the end when it counts, only pursues her own interests by aligning herself with her white family and allowing them to take control of Chris’ body. The entire matter is extremely disheartening, as their earlier chemistry convinced the audience that Rose would stay on Chris’ side. Her charisma, however, was clearly practiced and used specifically as bait and trap black people. In fact, Chris was not the first black man Rose has lured to her parents’ home to be abducted; one woman and many other men were successfully captured and subsequently underwent the brain transplant. Yet, she has never been caught and continues to manipulate her lovers. In this film, white women play the doeeyed innocents who never suffer consequences, even as they continually weaponize their whiteness and femininity. After many violent altercations, Chris survives and almost makes it through to freedom. However, a police car arrives and suggests the near certain end for our hero. Given the history of the brutal relationship between police and black people, virtually everyone’s breaths stilled as the red and blue lights flashed, as it was almost certain that a police officer would arrest Chris and convict him for the death of the Armitages despite the fact that he was the victim. Peele ultimately decides to give the film a happy ending after all the suspense, and the driver turns out to be Rod (Lil Rey Howery), the film’s comedic stronghold and Chris’ best friend. Overall, Get Out serves as a profound commentary on the racism that continues to pervade white liberal society, despite all the claims that it does not. The very same white liberals portrayed in the film undoubtedly constitute a large portion of the movie’s audience. Peele asks them to reconsider their own prejudices, as there is no purpose in hiding behind colorblindness or firmly claiming to not be racist at all. White society denies any personal involvement or ties to racism, but it’s there, it’s very clearly there, and only by addressing and tackling it head-on can we overcome it. Peele doesn’t shove all this analysis in the viewer’s face. Yes, the racial division between whites and blacks is evidently a focus, but one can just take the humor and shock at surface value and enjoy a spectacularly hilarious film. Sure, they’ll be ignoring and avoiding most of the discomfort and any learning they maybe could have gleaned from it, but ignorance is bliss, right?

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CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

YOUR NAME (KIMI NO NA WA) by Emma Jones

t surprised me that a movie I watched in AP Japanese class was headlining theaters. In America, most Japanese animated film is thought of as either Hayao Miyazaki’s work— breathtaking, timeless art pieces—or hentai— pornography. To most Americans, the Japanese animation industry is something they cannot divorce from stereotype. Either it’s art by Miyazaki, or it’s garbage. Kimi no Na Wa, translated as Your Name, has finally reached American theatres, and my hope is that it will do a little to help American audiences understand the unconventional and complex landscape of Japanese film. Your Name is certainly an unconventional love story; its central plot is that a boy and a girl living in different parts of Japan swap bodies every couple of days and through that process learn to understand each other’s lives. Mitsuha Miyamizu lives in rural Japan in a family that practices traditional Shinto values and is allowed little freedom by her father. Mitsuha is overworked and lonely in her town. Taki Tachibana lives in Tokyo and is able to spend long days with his friends and work a part-time job. Taki’s life in the city is nothing but leisure and personal freedom. Over the course of Your Name Mitsuha and Taki attempt to discover each other’s lives

and identities. Mitsuha helps Taki with girls, Taki aids Mitsuha in her schoolwork. They write notes for each other on each other’s cell phones. Yet the central question of the film is that no matter how close they can artificially be to each other, they will always be physically separated. Mitsuha tries to write her name on Taki’s hand, the ink smudges and he wakes up having no idea what the message on his palm reads. It is an often frustrating slow burn of a romance, but the payoff is beautiful. On the subject of beauty, the animation of Your Name is a masterpiece. Taki and Mitsuha struggle to understand why they switch bodies into each other’s lives, and Mitsuha reasons that it may have something to do with the transitional state of spirits during tasogare, or twilight. The imagery of the pink and blue shimmering sky and then the eventual starry night is awe-inspiring. Animator and screenwriter Makoto Shinkai creates an animated world that resembles reality enough to feel homelike, but is dreamy and decadent in subtle ways. The animation matches the tone of the story; Sad but beautiful. The film’s story is full of twists and turns, and save any spoilers it’s one of those “make you cry” movies. Just the beauty of the animation is probably enough to bring at least a tear to your eye. Japanese film differs from American film in that animated films are marketed to adults and teenagers as well; Your Name is the fourth-highest grossing film of all time in Japan and has received

critical acclaim. In a way, it highlights some of the cultural anxieties of Japan, the clash of Mitsuha’s traditional upbringing and Taki’s cosmopolitan lifestyle is something Japanese youth deal with in their real lives. Part of the film’s ultimate message, beneath the star-crossed romance, is that the grass is always greener on the other side and that by making meaningful connections we learn to understand each other’s stories in a more nuanced way as opposed to just taking each other at face value. It’s a great introduction for an American viewer to just how diverse Japanese animation is. Not everything is either a perverted anime or a Hayao Miyazaki movie. Makoto Shinkai has in fact rejected the label of the “new Miyazaki” and for an understandable reason; his film is just the story he wanted to tell and it should not be put on a pedestal the way western audiences idolize Miyazaki’s work. Your Name is often tongue-in-cheek funny in the way most teen movies are, yet has an overarching tone of serious drama. It features commentary on teenage sexuality and love and the tensions of adolescent life in a changing Japan. Makoto Shinkai describes it as “a film about memory, but also about losing memories. It’s a film about individual memory and collective memory, the forgetting of a certain morality and sense of tradition.” Your Name is a subtle, beautiful film that I cannot recommend enough. Your Name has been in American theaters since April 7th.

MOVIES

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

HUGH JACKMAN IN LOGAN

LOGAN by Armand Dang

ogan serves as the perfect send-off for Wolverine franchise. In Hugh Jackmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10th and final film as Wolverine, we see a different side to him. Logan is gritty, violent, and a perfect balance of intense action, expected from a superhero movie, and drama. As the title suggests, Logan strips away the superhero persona of the character, and focuses on the human aspect of the most tormented character in the X-Men franchise. In the final turn of one of his most defining roles, Hugh Jackman is essentially an ex-X-Man. The movie takes place in the near future, the year is 2029 and superhuman mutants are about to become completely extinct. As far as anyone knows, there havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been any mutant births in about a quartercentury, and the few who remain live in an abandoned smelting plant on the outskirts of El Paso. One of the three mutant survivors includes the leader of the X-Men, Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), who now suffers from dementia and can on occasion succumb to seizures that paralyze everyone near him with crippling psychic pain, which is implied to have killed other X-Men. The second of the three mutants is Caliban (Stephen Merchant), a mutant with tracking abilities who handles the domestic chores, while sheltering himself from the daylight that could

kill him. Finally, the third mutant is Logan, or Wolverine, now a limo driver with drinking problems, whose abilities are not nearly what they once were, as his healing powers wane, and his claws require maximum effort to wield. Their lives have fallen into a monotonous routine, until a young girl named Laura (Dafne Keen), arrives on their doorstep, with the final request of her caretaker Gabriela (Elizabeth Rodriguez) being that Logan get her to Canada, supposedly a safe haven for children like her. The girl is a mutant herself with metallic claws more similar to Logan’s than he’d like to admit, a connection, which Charles picks up on. Watching a video left by Laura’s dead caretaker, they learn more about her horrific past and the terrible program from which she was spawned. Taking Laura to Canada proves to be more difficult than expected as X-Men adversary Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) is in pursuit of the group throughout the film. Additionally, for Logan, the adventure seems to be a character-changing one, as audiences witness a display of the fading superhero’s raw emotions. As director of photography, John Mathieson adds dimension to the story. His camerawork enhances the plot’s emotional textures, along with a brilliant musical score by Marco Beltrami. The elegant score flows remarkably with the movie, being exactly what it needs to be in each scene. Patrick Stewart gives a memorable performance,

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CINEMANN / Winter Issue

accurately portraying a man forgetting his past and whose tethers to the world are fraying. In her first performance, Dafne Keen wonderfully captures the inwardly coiled and violent personality of Laura. Lastly, Hugh Jackman goes out with a bang, giving audiences one of the most emotional performances ever and arguably the best out of his ten showings as the Wolverine. His veteran experience is evident, as his performance seems as natural as ever. Logan will never disappoint. The film solidly stands alone, making watching the previous X-Men movies unnecessary, though fans who have seen the last few X-Men movies may pick up on a couple of references that others might not. Nevertheless, Logan contains some of the best acting, cinematography, and film in general both within the X-Men franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself. If you’re looking for a movie with drama, emotion, action and thrill, Logan is most definitely for you.

SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING by Armand Dang

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

he new Spider-Man movie is to be released on July 5th and there is a lot of hype surrounding the film. Fans hope that the upcoming SpiderMan movie is one to remember. After five Sony movies that featured two different Peter Parkers in Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, Spider-Man is now in the hands of Marvel Studios and will be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Tom Holland made his exciting debut as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War but is now ready to be in his own standalone MCU film. So far, we have been exposed to a trilogy of Spider-Man starring Tobey Maguire and a double feature starring Andrew Garfield. The first two movies of the trilogy were very successful, however the third one was not. This can be attributed to the fact that the third film introduced two new villains, while allowing for the reemergence of another, and introduced a new female character as well. The film essentially tried to do too much, which prevented it from developing any of these characters enough. The only thing having multiple villains did well was to allow for an awesome fight scene at the end of the film, but overall it wasn’t worth the rest of the film being bad. Both films of the double feature performed poorly in theaters. The two installments fell into the same traps that befell Maguire’s Spider-Man, with over-saturating the story with villains on villains on villains. We know that in the upcoming film there is only one villain, and the trailer suggests that the film will heavily focus on the development of the teenager Peter Parker, meaning it will avoid what plagued the previous Spider-Man movies. We know that the movie is to be PG-13 since it wouldn’t make any sense for a movie about the world’s most popular teen superhero to be inaccessible to teens. When we meet Peter in Captain America: Civil War, he mentions that he has already had his power for about six months. Thankfully, Marvel Studios knows that audiences don’t want to see another version of Spider-Man’s origin so they are skipping over it entirely. Spider-Man: Homecoming will be about Peter Parker trying to juggle all his duties between his home life and social life, while trying to be a superhero at the same time. Based on the title we can probably expect some kind of scene where Peter is racing across town chasing a villain while trying to

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CINEMANN / Winter Issue

make it in time for a school dance. By this point we know all of the main members involved in the film. Jon Watts has been selected as the director, and it’s his first major opportunity to make a name for himself. Tom Holland has made many young actors jealous, as after a long and grueling casting process he has been selected as the one to portray Peter Parker in the MCU for years to come. We know that the main villain in the film will be Vulture, portrayed by Michael Keaton, a breath of fresh air, as we will see a villain not featured in any of the previous Spider-Man films. Zendaya has been cast as Peter Parker’s main affection, Michelle, changing it up from Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy, the two most popular affections of Peter Parker in the comics. As seen in the previews, Iron Man (Robert Downy Jr.) will be in the film, and Tony Stark will serve as a mentor and father figure for Peter. Spider-Man: Homecoming looks like it’s going to be a movie for the ages. Marvel has a great track record for making superhero movies, as nearly all the films in the MCU have been very successful. We can surely expect them to do right by Spider-Man. I highly recommend you see Spider-Man: Homecoming in theaters this summer.

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES 19

STEPHEN KING’S IT By Emma Jones

MOVIES

real evil lies within the people of the town of Derry, and not something quantifiable or a monster you can just fight off. From the trailer, we already see a Derry that is as unsettling as the one presented in the novel. But what Muschietti put in as the trailer’s crown jewel is the scene that made the 1990 miniseries famous. This scene is an opening shot in which the audience follows a paper boat down a stream of puddles and into a storm drain, where a child then peers into the storm drain to follow it. Then, from the darkness of the storm drain we see the gleaming eyes of Pennywise The Dancing Clown, or the monster known as It. Muschietti replicates this scene in the 2017 trailer; the fragile little paper boat tossed through the black rainwater, and George Denbrough, a child, in his yellow raincoat. It is understandable why Muschietti chose to recreate this particular scene, since it is the one that is most recognizable to viewers, but watching the trailer one sort of wishes that it was slightly more original, an adaptation rather than a replication – some of the parallels even go shot by shot. Nevertheless, wishing for this new adaptation of It to be original becomes a double-edged sword. People like the novel and the kitschy 90s miniseries, and when Muschietti comes up with something new, it is usually met with fan backlash. His design for Pennywise, played by Bill Skarsgård, was critiqued as being too frilly and not minimalist enough, antithetical to the fact that underneath the surface Pennywise is not really a clown but a manifestation of everything the children fear. This is not a point I can disagree with, being a hardcore and nitpicky Stephen King fan, yet the problem of an adaptation is that audiences will sometimes be unhappy no matter what they get. Muschietti’s It will be a different It than the 1990 miniseries, and his film will be a different It than the novel. Muschietti’s It is sure to at least articulate horror in a more modern context and bring a fresh perspective to a multi-layered story; It is such an expansive novel that every director who approaches it will come away with something different. Let Muschietti’s It show you new ways to be afraid.

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

he marketing tagline for Andy Muschietti’s 2017 adaptation of Stephen King’s It, as written in its trailer, is “What are you afraid of?” In a sense, this is the same question asked in the original novel. It is a novel about fear, dread, and hysteria, and the ways in which your childhood anxieties never really leave you. The novel is often called Stephen King’s magnum opus, and rightly so— leaving Muschietti with the challenge of adapting a 1,138 page novel that covers themes of suburban decay, sexual and romantic awakening, and yes, a scary clown. The clown, however, is probably the easiest part to nail down. Muschietti’s film, like the book, is in many ways probably going to be a homage to the generation that grew up in the fifties and matured in the eighties. The original 1990 miniseries of It, while no one is calling it great cinema, was iconographic in some of its most famous scenes and its portrayal of Pennywise, played by Tim Curry. The story of It is so iconic and the symbol of the creepy clown now so ingrained in popular culture that there is no way for Muschietti not to make his film dedication to the so-called “Baby-Boomers”. The story of It is one of a small town terrorized by a monster that takes the form of a clown. The monster is discovered by a group of children who it begins to personally victimize. The genius of the novel is how it uses the metaphor of the monster, Pennywise the Dancing Clown, to represent the much scarier personal terrors in the children’s lives: bullies, abusive parents, and prejudice. The monster that terrorizes the town of Derry, Maine, begins to morph into Derry and uproots the deep-seated and disturbing truths of the town’s environment. It is a novel rich with symbolism and subtlety, and to adapt it a director has to capture its atmosphere. From the start, Muschietti’s trailer uses a gray-green color palette, only sometimes punctuated with red in Pennywise’s balloons and the sallow lights of flashlights. For the most part, the world of this new It seems to be a dreary, sinister one. Cinematographer Chung-Hoon Chung uses dusty, dark spaces to convey a sense of unease and of being trapped. The

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

MOVIES

GAL GADOT IN WONDER WOMAN

WONDER WOMAN by William He

ovies involving superheroes have been highly praised, save for one thing: gender diversity. Wonder Woman is not only set to be the first female-led superhero film in recent years, but it also looks like it’s going to be really good. In her last outing, Wonder Woman was seen aiding Superman and Batman against Doomsday (the monstrosity created by Lex Luthor to kill Superman) at the end of Batman vs Superman. This film does not pick up where BvS left off, but instead takes you back in time. Set during World War I, Wonder Woman is the origin story of Diana Prince (Gal Gadot). Hailing from the island of Themyscira, Diana Prince is a member of the Amazons, a tribe of highly skilled female warriors. The plot is set in motion by the arrival of Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), an Allied pilot whose plane crash lands on the island. Following what appears to be an attack on Themyscira by the Central Powers and possibly a death of an Amazon, Diana decides she can no longer stand by while innocent people die in a “war to end all wars” and leaves with Steve to Europe. Most of what we’ve seen has been through trailers, but what’s been given to us so far has been amazing. Wonder Woman is poised to give us unique and memorable action scenes utilizing Wonder Woman’s wide array of powers and weapons, consisting of her enhanced strength, combat training, bulletproof bracelets, shield, lasso, sword, and armor. The shots look exciting and suspenseful, even if they do retain DC’s dark movie colorization.

When not in Themyscira or fighting in the trenches, Diana is learning to fit in with modern (well, 1910’s modern) society. A far cry from her experiences in the entirely female society of Themyscira, Diana must deal with societal expectations in a time period where women’s rights are almost non-existent all while trying to understand the new world of politics and war around her. It will be a refreshing difference from other recent superhero films to see director Patty Jenkins’ take on the WWI-era and to see how Wonder Woman adjusts to her new environment. It’s indisputable that the crowds will flock to see this film; the general public has critiqued Marvel for its lack of female representation, and DC beating Marvel to a milestone in cinematic history is a major game changer. First, DC has had a slew of bad movies. Wonder Woman could be the film to turn their movie reputation around. More importantly, Wonder Woman can become the first step in gender equalization in a male-dominated field, provided that it proves that it can be just as good and financially successful mas other male-led movies of the past. If the trailers are accurate representations of what we’ll see, then they are exactly what DC needs and the public expects. With such a wide array of diverse topics to cover, Wonder Woman is set to be a summer blockbuster that people have been waiting for years to see. See you in the theaters on June 2nd!

MOVIES

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

TELEVISION

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SHAILENE WOODLEY, REESE WITHERSPOON, AND NICOLE KIDMAN IN BIG LITTLE LIES

BIG LITTLE LIES by Maggie Brill

t’s 8:56 pm on a Sunday night. I’m sitting on my living room couch, remote in hand, eagerly staring at my TV waiting for Big Little Lies to appear on my DVR. The HBO mini-series, composed of only seven episodes, is unique, disturbing, and captivating. The series centers around three mothers played by Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley. Although the lives of these three women seem normal from the outside, each mother has her own secrets. Aside from the pettier drama that occurs in these women’s lives over childhood birthday parties and theater sabotage, the show grapples with some hard issues which are rarely captured on screen, mainly domestic abuse and rape. The show is unique in its non-linear storytelling, which adds to the suspense and sometimes offers comedic relief. In the first episode, we see scenes of a murder that took place at a school fundraiser. Although the identity of the victim and the murderer are not revealed until the last episode, police interviews with various members of the community are interspersed throughout the series. The first episode introduces the viewer to the characters through the children’s first day of first grade. We meet Madeline Mackenzie, played brilliantly by Reese Witherspoon. Madeline is the mother of two daughters: Abigail, a rebellious teenager and Skye, a music-loving first

grader with a rambunctious personality. As the series unfolds, Madeline struggles to come to terms with her ex-husband’s remarriage and sudden dependability while simultaneously trying to keep her own marriage alive in the face of dying passion and previous infidelity on her part. We meet Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman), a mother of two twin boys. From afar, Celeste’s life seems perfect. She has a handsome and wealthy husband who is very affectionate with her in public, a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and two energetic twin boys. This facade quickly unravels as the viewer discovers Celeste’s husband, Perry, is abusive. As the series progresses, the violence accelerates to the point where Celeste has no choice but to try to leave him. We also meet Jane Chapman, a single young mother who just moved to the area with her first-grade son, Ziggy. On the first day of school, Ziggy is accused of biting another student and quickly Jane and Ziggy become ostracized within the community. Madeline takes Jane under her wing and the three mothers became fast friends. We later find out that Ziggy is a child of a violent rape and that Jane does not know the identity of the father. Probing questions from Ziggy about his father cause Jane visible distress and leads her to confide in Madeline. The series in its entirety is incredibly nuanced and thought-provoking and I would highly recommend it to anyone. However, my one critique of the show is that at moments, particularly in the middle of the series, the show slows down to the point where it becomes boring for the viewer, who then has to make a concerted effort

to continue. The creators save all the excitement for the finale, which is understandable, but it left the viewer wanting more from some of the episodes in which little happened. Needless to say, the finale is by far the most engaging episode of the series. With every parent at the same event, mounting tensions finally reach a breaking point. Perry finds out about Celeste’s plan to leave him and take the children with her. There is hardly a moment to breathe as you anxiously anticipate his inevitable fit of rage. Meanwhile, Madeline can no longer keep her prior infidelity a secret and her husband simultaneously is trying to compete with her ex-husband. The school fundraiser is the first moment Jane sees Celeste’s husband and just by an exchange of glances between the two, the viewer knows he must be Ziggy’s father given his violent tendencies. The finale had me on the edge of my seat and managed to keep the me guessing as to the identity of the killer and the victim until the very last minute. Despite the surplus of drama, the series remained very grounded and felt real. What initially seemed like a mundane plotline slowly transformed into breathless suspense. The performances by Kidman, Witherspoon, and Woodley were superb as well as the acting of the secondary characters. Although slow at times, the show’s pace allowed for the development of complex and multifaceted characters. Overall, Big Little Lies is definitely worth powering through until the end to witness the various conflicts unfold.

TELEVISION

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

THE GET DOWN

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

TELEVISION

by Emma Jones

he Get Down is explosive. It feels less like a Netflix show and more like a sprawling hip-hop epic interspersed with news clips from the ‘70s. One of the show’s most powerful tools is that it does not aim to be a period drama that perfectly captures everything about the period, but rather it reflects the 70s to a modern audience. It’s utterly unique television, and the recently released second chapter does not disappoint. The show left its central character, Ezekiel “Zeke” Figuero (Justice Smith), in a more unstable place than ever. Zeke remains torn between his new success as an intern for South Bronx mayor Francisco Cruz and his passion for making improvisational hiphop shows with his newly formed group “The Get Down Brothers.” In Part II, Zeke is again forced to choose between traditional success that comes with being offered a spot at Yale and the selfmade, monetary success he has with the Get Down Brothers. The Get Down’s second part is a beautiful example of how tension can build and eventually explode in a narrative. Baz Luhrmann is not exactly known for his subtlety, but the rise and fall of narrative tension for Zeke is harrowing for the viewer— we see him make a choice but be unable to commit to it, achieve success only to self-sabotage, and finally in the season’s end reach a satisfying end to his arc. Zeke is one of the most compelling characters to be in a Netflix show; he is sympathetic while still being extremely complicated. We always root for him even though we do not always agree with him. In Part II of The Get Down, Mylene Cruz (Herizen Guardiola) is given a more prominent storyline beyond simply being Zeke’s love interest, and in fact Part II sees the complications of their relationship bring it to the brink of deterioration. The Get Down was criticized for having an over-dramatized or campy romance as a central plot, but in Part II Mylene and Zeke’s story becomes a heart-breakingly real look at the ways success and personal goals can change a relationship. One of the most uncomfortable scenes of Part II is one wherein Zeke is watching Mylene’s interview on a Soul Train style show, and when she is asked whether she is single she replies with a coy affirmative. This incident understandably angers Zeke, who cannot see how hard it was for Mylene to come up with that answer on live television. Part II puts both characters in tough positions and their actors come through with aching performances. Mylene, after the wild success of her first disco single, ventures deeper into the world of the music industry and must make decisions about her sexuality and her image—does she just want to be seen as a religious singer or can she cross the bridge into mainstream disco? Mylene’s journey through the music industry makes us question whether she is losing herself or finding herself, and to what extent Zeke should be a part of her success. Unrelated to her character’s storyline, Herizen Guardiola also delivers a stellar musical performance. Her gorgeous singing voice is one of the jewels of the show, and the experimentation with style that Part II gives her has only improved its presence. The ensemble cast of The Get Down also continues to

TELEVISION

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

shine, with Jaden Smith as Dizzee being a standout character. Part II features short animated sequences told through Dizzee’s voice meant to represent his drawings and his story-like perception of the events The Get Down Brothers are experiencing. Shaolin Fantastic (Shameik Moore) is dragged through the proverbial mud in this second part—not that his character is any less fantastic, but the decisions he makes are more and more dire and his intimate relationship with Zeke becomes more and more frayed as he and Zeke take different paths through life. Both Moore’s performance and the writing behind his character are superb. In this chapter of the show the dichotomy of playing the white man’s game and going to Yale and being faithful to music and the racially ingrained culture of the South Bronx is played up even more so for Zeke and for Shaolin. Part 2 deeply explores identity, and how Zeke is a patchwork of different experiences and labels that he feels belong nowhere. Black and Puerto Rican, DJ and Yale applicant, boyfriend and son... Part 2 shows Zeke’s struggle to understand what these different roles and identities mean for him. The conclusion that the series seems to eventually come to is that you cannot be everything at once and sacrifices must be made. This conclusion is not a happy one, but it has a bitter satisfaction to it. Yet so much nuance is given to individual storylines like Zeke’s that some near the end feel tacked on--Mylene has an incredibly emotionally intense subplot about her relationship with her father that reaches a rushed conclusion. Mylene arguably gives up the most and yet in the show’s writing, she seems to suffer the least. Herizen Guardiola always delivers stellarly, though, and Mylene’s depth shows through in her performance. However, the fact remains that here are times when The Get Down favors emotional intensity for logical sense and sometimes it pulls that off and sometimes it doesn’t. The Get Down manages to be one of the most nuanced shows on television today while still being a rapid-fire and thoroughly enjoyable Baz Luhrmann creation. The high-energy music and flashy cinematography are a treat, but the deeper messages about race in America are the highlight of the show’s importance. The Get Down, Part I and Part II, are available on Netflix. It is a pity that on May 24 Netflix decided to cancel the series after just one season.

GAME OF THRONES CINEMANN /Winter Issue

TELEVISION

by Ben Vahradian

eason 6 of Game of Thrones left us with Jon Snow alongside his sister Sansa Stark taking back their home, Winterfell in the Battle of the Bastards, from the people who murdered their family. After the battle, Jon Snow is declared the King in the North by the other Northern lords. Also, one of Bran Stark’s flashback visions shows perhaps the biggest reveal in all of the show, that Jon Snow is not the bastard son of Ned Stark, but is in fact the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, who Ned claimed Jon was his bastard in order to protect him. There are many predictions on how Jon will learn of his true parentage, whether it is Bran that tells him, Howland Reed who was present at the Tower of Joy scene, or possibly even someone else. Separately, Arya Stark is back in Westeros and is out to exact revenge on those who killed her family or otherwise wronged her. She returned from training to become a faceless man, an elite group of assassins who have the ability to take on the persona of anyone sacrificed to their many faced god, and possibly even the personas of people who are still living. In season 6 episode 10, we saw Arya use her faceless abilities to kill Walder Frey, who orchestrated the death of her mother and brother. Arya, with her new abilities, is now one of the deadliest people in Westeros and will be merciless in her quest for vengeance. As the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran not only has the ability to warg, but is also able to see the future and the past, and to change the past, and Bran is going to play a vital role in the War for the Dawn against the White Walkers. Down in King’s Landing, Cersei Lannister has gone full blown mad queen as she blew up the Sept of Baelor using wildfire in an attempt to kill all her political enemies, the Tyrells and the Sparrows. Her son Tommen, who was married to Margaery Tyrell, committed suicide when he found out about his wife’s death and with none of her children left, she was crowned the Queen of Westeros. In the same episode, Daenerys Targaryen, now politically allied with the Tyrells of the Reach and the Martels of Dorne, after six seasons is finally crossing the Narrow Sea to take back her throne from the people she believes stole it from her family. Dany, with her massive army and three dragons is set to be in a huge conflict with Cersei for the Iron Throne. With only thirteen episodes left over season 7 and 8 and so much plot left to cover, each episode is sure to be packed with content and action. George R.R. Martin, the writer of the book series on which Game of Thrones is based, promised a bittersweet conclusion to his story, so the series could go in so many different directions. The two main plots for season 7 and season 8 should be the war against the White Walkers and Daenerys contesting Cersei for the Iron Throne. Jon Snow’s primary focus will be to the North, as it will be fighting the undead army and saving mankind. Also, we learned from Benjen Stark’s discussion with Bran that it is not just rock and ice that make up the 300-mile barrier between the living and the dead, there is also magic

in the Wall’s foundation preventing the dead from getting past. However, we also learned that when the Night King, the leader of the undead White Walker army, marked Bran, the magic that repelled the White Walkers from the cave of the Three-Eyed Raven was lost. There are theories that if Bran were to go south of the Wall, it would lose its magic and the White Walkers would be able to get past the Wall and possibly even bring it down. Also, it is believed that Sam Tarly, who is in the Citadel, which has the world’s largest collection of books, will find something that will be key to defeating the White Walkers. Another theory that has been widely speculated on is who is Azor Ahai reborn as. Azor Ahai is said to have been the hero during the Long Night, the worst Winter in history, who wielded a sword made of pure light energy called Lightbringer, using it to defeat the White Walkers. The two major theories are that it is Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen. It is said that the hero will be born amidst salt and smoke and beneath a bleeding star, according to a witch will be of the lineage of Aerys and Rhaella Targaryen, and that his song is the song of ice and fire. The red priestess Melisandre believes that Azor Ahai is reborn as Jon, while another red priestess, Kinvara, believes that it is Daenerys. There is a multitude of evidence for each candidate and they both to some extent reach each of these requirements. There is also a possibility that the reborn hero will consist of more than one person. Another plotline that will be followed over the remainder of the series is Arya’s. She was last seen in the Riverlands killing Walder Frey. A number of people from her past are also in the Riverlands. Melisandre, who was exiled by Jon Snow, is heading south from the North into the Riverlands and is on Arya’s kill list because Melisandre kidnapped her friend Gendry back in season 3. The Brotherhood Without Banners are also in the Riverlands and two of its leaders, Beric Dondarian and Thoros of Myr are on her list. The Hound, Sandor Clegane, who just joined the Brotherhood, who travelled with Arya for part of season 3, and most of season 4, is also in the Riverlands. The Hound was on Arya’s list for killing her friend back in season 1 and in their last encounter Arya left him to what she thought would be a long death, despite him pleading for her to kill him quickly. While she most likely will not try to kill him, if they encounter each other, it should make for an interesting reunion. Another interesting reunion that may also occur is Arya and her direwolf, Nymeria, who was last seen in the Riverlands in season 1 episode 2, when Arya had her run away in order to save her. It is widely believed that Cersei will be killed in season 7, and if not then in season 8. In the books, a witch’s prophecy stated that the Valonqar, which translates into little brother, would kill her. When this prophecy was first stated in the books, people believed that it meant her little brother Tyrion because he had and still does have many reasons to kill her. However, now a larger theory is that Jaime Lannister,

Cerseiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twin brother and lover, will kill her because of what she has become. Jaime has always been seen by many in Westeros as a bad guy, but viewers learn from his scenes with Brienne that he tries to do the right thing and is a misunderstood person. Fans believe that Jamie, who was said to have been born second, will become so upset with how Cersei has gone mad that he will kill her to prevent her from continuing her from doing something that would kill many people as he did with the Mad King. Lastly, it is likely that Jon and Dany will meet up at some point over the remainder of the series. Many fans want them to fall in love, marry, and fight off the White

Walkers together, with Jon as Ice, and Dany fire. The marriage would make sense politically for Daenerys as Jon is the King in the North. However, it is possible that Dany would still be angry with the Starks because of their involvement in the rebellion to overthrow her father, but if this were to happen, Tyrion, who knows both Jon and Sansa, might convince her to not try to harm the Starks. If and when they meet each other, it will be very important to the plot of the remainder of the series and would likely be one of the largest events in determining how the series ends.

TELEVISION

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

TELEVISION

IRON FIST by Mark Fernandez

aniel Rand (Finn Jones) has finally stepped into the spotlight of the Marvel Cinematic Universe through the mystical world of Iron Fist. When Danny Rand, the show’s main character, reappears in New York after being gone for 10 years, he realizes that the city and his loved ones are not the same. Iron Fist focuses on Danny Rand adjusting to his job as the Iron Fist and his life in New York Danny Rand grew up the son of Wendell and Heather Rand. His father ran the highly successful Rand Industries with Harold Meachum, a friend. The audience learns that a plane crash in the mountains leaves Danny orphaned and all alone on a mountain on the brink of death. Saved by monks who spontaneously appear, he is taken to the city of K’un-Lun, which is only is open to Earth every 10 years. In K’un-Lun, Danny trains in various forms of martial arts. Showing his strength as a fighter, the monks and leaders of K’un-Lun select Danny out of all his peers to fight the Dragon, Shau-Lao the Undying, from whom he obtains the power of the Iron Fist. In this

world, the Iron Fist is the guard of the gate of K’un-Lun. The Fist’s main goal is to defeat the evil forces of the Hand, a highly dangerous ninja order. The power grants the user the ability to use his fist as a weapon of intense power. After Danny obtains the powers of the Iron Fist, he leaves K’un-Lun to go figure out what happened to his family and friends, leaving the city defenseless against the Hand. When Danny arrives in New York, he realizes how much has changed. The first scenes show Danny walks into Rand Industries and not being recognized by the staff and even his “friends” from his childhood named Joy and Ward Meachum, who succeeded their father when he died of cancer. Danny is thrown out of Rand Industries by the Meachum siblings, but he does not give up. He persists in showing Joy Meachum who he is. Simultaneously, Danny realizes that the Hand is in New York, and he enlists the help of Colleen Wi (Jessica Henwick), a fellow martial artist. Additionally, Danny

receives the help of the nurse Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson), who appears in Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage. Soon, Danny discovers the Hand is at work inside Rand Industries and he sets a plan to remove it and take back his family’s company. While the show received mixed reviews, it was an entertaining series with careful character development. The twists and turns within each episode keeps the viewer intrigued and engaged. As is the case with any Marvel show, the acting in Iron Fist is second to none, each actor/actress plays their part perfectly. The show creates a darker sense to the Iron Fist character, while still maintaining the characters lighter, more free side. The Iron Fist serves as the final piece of Netflix’s involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The show completes the set up for the debut of Marvel’s next series, The Defenders, which will join the forces of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist to defend New York against the Hand.

TELEVISION

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

CINEMANN /Winter Issue

TELEVISION 31

SWITCHED AT BIRTH by Liana Moroshko

fter a successful five season run, Switched at Birth has come to an end. The directors created exciting drama, romance, and a whole ton of adventures along the way. Throughout the show, both of the main characters, Bay Kennish (Vanessa Marano) and Daphne Vasquez (Katie Leclerc) struggle through high school and their relationship with one another. The roles they take on are very much dynamic and relatable. From the pilot episode, where the audience is introduced to Bay and Daphne, viewers witness the duo’s evolution as they learn to live with their new circumstances. Bay, a teenage girl with a doting boyfriend and wealthy parents who support her, discovers that she is not in fact related to her family. The more Bay thinks about her differences from the rest of her family, the more she believes that she might, after all, not be related to them. Bay forces them all to take DNA tests to see if they are all truly related. When the results show that Bay’s DNA does not match the Kennish’s realize that the hospital made a mistake, switching Bay and Daphne after they were born. With this new knowledge, both the Vasquez and Kennish families spend the entirety of the show navigating their new circumstances. From the beginning, Bay and Daphne have a rough start to their untraditional family relationship. Though both girls start off disliking each other, each passing episode reveals breakthroughs in their relationship. The show presents many incidents where they not only rely on each other for assistance in their personal love life, but

they confide on each other in difficult situations. The show is especially engaging to teen viewers because the plotlines of the series are identifiable with our lives. The viewer’s ability to connect to the events in the show has made it such a success. Over the last five seasons, the directors have tried to show the common mistakes made by teens and the consequences of their actions. The show does not only deliver important messages to teens, but it also incorporates a lot of romance. For people looking for romance, there is a ton of it and of course the drama over who gets whom that accompanies all romantic plotlines. From the very first episode, the first two possible couples are introduced, Daphne and Liam (Charles Michael Davis), as well as Bay and Ty, (Blair Redford). While some of the many relationships within the show are fruitful and long-lasting relationships, there is still lots of “will they? won’t they?” tension among the characters. Sticking to its surprising nature, the show forms couples that you would never imagine. Both girls experience a bunch of love situations, having their hearts broken several times throughout the course of the show, but only to create bonds that can never be broken. Switched at Birth is filled with valuable lessons, interesting plots, and tons of romance, for those of us who can’t get enough, but the most defining characteristic of this long-running show is that it addresses all aspects of the life of the high school teenager. The plotline catches the viewer’s eye from the first episode and takes you along on a very intriguing and adventurous journey.

TELEVISION

CINEMANN / Winter Issue

IN MEMORIAM LATE CINEMATOGRAPHER MICHAEL BALLHAUS

COME WRITE FOR CINEMANN! Contact our Editor-in-Chief, Benjamin Ades, through the email below. BENJAMIN_ADES@HORACEMANN.ORG