The Stargazer

The year 2022 has been filled with many horror releases. While that may seem like a win for fans of the genre, it has felt like it's been filled with quantity over quality. With most of the year's horror films feeling uninspired, dull, and overall trying to mimic previous, better, films, Bodies Bodies Bodies put a fresh spin on the genre. The film takes a less traditional horror route by fusing its horror with comedy. This pairing of horror and comedy often doesn’t work well, either having the comedy overshadow the horror or vice-versa. Director Halina Reijn, however, perfectly crafted the two together.

Since his 2017 film debut Get Out, Jordan Peele has asserted himself as the most exciting horror director in the game. With Peele, common life experiences suddenly become our worst nightmares. From visiting your partner’s family for the first time (Get Out) to simply looking in the mirror (Us), Peele’s films are both accessible and haunting through what they say about our society.

September 8th, 2022 marked an important date in history, as it was the day Queen Elizabeth II passed away. She was the longest-reigning monarch in Britain, with 70 years and 214 days on the throne, as well as the longest-reigning female monarch in the world. Elizabeth II was crowned at the age of 25 after the death of her father and reigned through many defining historical moments. These include the decolonization of Africa, the entrance and withdrawal of Great Britain from the European Union, multiple wars, and the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re interested in seeing her life showcased on screen, here are some of the best documentaries and historical dramas about Queen Elizabeth II…

As most children’s Halloween movies go, Paranorman’s plot centers around a witch’s
curse on a small town. And, of course, a kind of weird, recluse, pre-teen boy. Norman, ironically, does not have a very normal gift for boys his age. Instead of being a child prodigy or a baseball hotshot, Norman can see the dead. And due to a 200-something-year-old curse that an old witch placed on his town, these ‘dead’ people don’t stay ‘dead’ for very long.

Pondering ideas for the ASLC Halloween costume contest? Look no further. As a rather indecisive individual, choosing a costume for Halloween can be puzzling or even stress-inducing, but thankfully, you can look to films as source material. Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods set the standard quite high with a masterful depiction of a hot pink Playboy bunny. A most certainly classic feminine Halloween costume choice. Films such as Mean Girls followed suit in their conquest of the male likeness through their Halloween costumes. 

“I am not bad, I'm just drawn that way,” Jessica Rabbit seductively says. Ironically, she wasn’t always supposed to have her famous figure; instead, she looked more like your average princess. The change to her appearance came when Jessica’s voice actress, Kathleen Turner, saw the design and realized the character was “pretty, not sexy.” She started to tease the animators about adding her long legs to the character and said, “wouldn’t it be funny to have big you-know-what’s on her?” 

Pitch Perfect’s very own Beca Mitchel is most certainly a highly regarded character. False. You cannot see it, but I am rolling my eyes at the mention of her name. Embodying the essence of a rebel, Beca learns to slowly adjust her stereotypical lenses and view college in a positive light, due to…drum roll please…the Barden Bellas. She is one of the many female acapella-ists who band together in a disgruntled form of sisterhood. It is because of both Beca and the Barden Bellas’ mutual collaboration and gradual acceptance of one another that each was able to metamorphose into the vessels of their fullest potential. But what if Beca never joined the Barden Bellas? Who would Beca be then?

As the theater lights dim and opening credits begin, a simple black and white logo appear on the screen. Cutting across the dark screen are a few simple lines, gracefully darting and intersecting with each other before forming the name: A24. On the surface, it’s just one letter and two numbers. But as most movie fans have come to realize, this simplistic intro could very well precede their next favorite film.

With spooky season around the corner comes the opportunity to dress up, watch scary movies, and have a scary good time. In order to get the student body prepared for the season, the ALSC will be showing famous horror movies, painting pumpkins, and of course the annual showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show.

  Boogie Nights is a 1997 comedy/drama film by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film has a star-studded cast consisting of FSU alum Burt Reynolds, John C. Reily (pre Step Brothers,) Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, and a young Mark Wahlberg in one of his first roles. This film was cast perfectly and excels in its character development. Within the first two minutes of the film, you understand the characters completely and get a feel for what is to come. Before getting too far ahead, I’d like to point out the film’s setting and tone.