Katelyn Benschoter- Well, it is that time of year again… back-to-school season. Whether you are a new Gustie on campus or an eager student returning to school, there still remains one common goal: enjoying quality time with friends on campus. In my first year at Gustavus, I found that an excellent, low-stakes way to make new friends was by having movie nights. These movie nights … Continue reading The Perfect Back-to-School Movies

Will Sorg- In a way, I couldn’t have ended my time writing reviews for The Weekly any other way. For the last three years of my life, I have tried my best to review as wide a range of media as possible. I’ve reviewed horror, romance, sci-fi, trilogies, the second and fourth movie in a tetralogy, new releases, a 20s movie, films about gender or … Continue reading Blue

Will Sorg- This is not a movie about the bombing of Hiroshima. It is, but not really. Black Rain is a 1989 film by Japanese director Shōhei Imamura, about what happened after the bombs – a story rarely told, especially to Western audiences. In the film, there is a hauntingly well-done portrayal of the attack itself. A normal day gives way to chaos as a … Continue reading Black Rain

Will Sorg- Coming-of-age films have been a staple of American cinema for almost as long as Americans have made movies. Through the years, each generation has had its own cultural landmarks when it comes to these movies. The Breakfast Club, Superbad, and even more contemporary ones like Ladybird all reflect the times they were made in and often serve as a time capsule for the … Continue reading The Sweet East

Will Sorg- If you haven’t been paying attention, America is in a very tense place politically. I don’t feel the need to elaborate on this beyond mentioning that we’re only a few years removed from a genuine attempted coup on the capital. British filmmaker Alex Garland’s newest movie has garnered a lot of attention and controversy due to its portrayal of a modern civil war … Continue reading Movie Review: Civil War

Will Sorg- By the end of the 1920s, film history was on an unstoppable march towards the innovation of talking pictures. The death of the silent film was heralded by 1927’s The Jazz Singer, the first talkie, and through the 30s, filmmakers made the somewhat awkward transition into sound. The sound did change the landscape of cinema forever; stories came to life in dramatically different … Continue reading Movies from the Library: The Man With the Movie Camera

Will Sorg- 10. Society of The Snow: One of the most astounding movies I’ve ever seen. The story it’s based on is deeply fascinating and honestly would be unbelievable if it didn’t actually happen. Overall, a ton of great performances by the cast and a really impressive showing from the Spanish film industry. The direction by J.A. Bayona is perfect for the film and features … Continue reading Top ten movies of 2023

Will Sorg- In the opening chapter of the worst book I have ever read, Scientologist founder and human airbag L. Ron Hubbard describes his pseudo-scientific text as an adventure that will change the reader. This is true. I was changed by this book. However, this adventure and subsequent change was not like Around The World in 80 Days or 10,000 Leagues Under The Sea. It … Continue reading Book Review: Dianetics: the New Science of Mental Health

Will Sorg- On Sunday, Cord Jefferson, a first-time film director, won Best Adapted Screenplay for his film American Fiction. Jefferson’s win was accompanied by a fantastic speech where he passionately argued for movie executives to take chances on newer filmmakers and smaller-scale movies. He outlined his struggle to get his award-winning film made and said of his speech: “It’s more a plea to acknowledge and … Continue reading The 2024 Academy Awards

Will Sorg- You have not experienced true enlightenment until you have watched Madame Web. My sides hurt so bad from laughing after watching this movie. I don’t know how to describe this cinematic experience. I think I saw God and her name is Dakota Johnson. Madame Web is a Sony-produced superhero movie set in the Spider-Man universe that has yet to feature Spider-Man in any … Continue reading Madame Web: the heat death of the Sony Spider-Man universe