by LeBron Hill | Oct 9, 2018 | News Slider, Opinion
The Anti-Hero superhero has been most popular in this generation of movies, with recent success from Deadpool and Doctor Strange. Sony Pictures attempted to capitalize on this phenomenon with Venom. Starring the brooding and mysterious Tom Hardy, whose experience in anti-hero movies dates back to 2012 when Hardy took on the role as the mercenary Bane. In Venom, the 41-year old actor plays Eddie Brock, a hard-nosed investigative reporter whose passion for the truth gets him fired, and he is forced to move to San Francisco with his girlfriend Anne, played by Michelle Williams (The Greatest Showman). In the Bay Area, Brock finds success again but gets confronted with a difficult decision when the billionaire Carlton Drake discovers an alien species of body-swapping parasites called symbiotes, and Brock finds out this information. Eddie’s choice whether to let the world know or not will make a lasting impact on his life and his morals. Tom Hardy is the main attraction. The other cast members are well-known but not to the caliber of the Critic’s Choice award winner. When it’s a stand-alone film, the expectations are higher, and with that, Hardy put on a well-executed performance. The portrayal of having Venom inside of him is very entertaining, both amusing and serious. Hardy goes away from his usual intimidating and dark character and can be seen as more lightful and energetic. The type of character Venom is has never been portrayed in the big screen before, and Hardy, along with the visual effects crew, did an amazing job at showcasing the anti hero’s abilities while making it look realistic. However, the biggest...
by LeBron Hill | Oct 1, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Kevin Hart is the gift that keeps on giving. Night School marks over 40 movies the actor/comedian has been in. In this film, Hart goes back to his original form of situational humor. Playing alongside Hart is breakout actress Tiffany Haddish. After first getting her start in TV shows such as “The Carmichael Show” and “If Loving You Is Wrong,” the 38 year-old actress has now been in two leading roles, with her first, Girls Trip, last year. Directed by Malcom D. Lee (Girls Trip), Hart plays Teddy, a street-smart salesman who doesn’t get his high school diploma due to his ego. However, he soon finds out the importance of education once he hits rock bottom and is forced to get his GED. That’s where he meets the night school teacher Carrie, who turns out to be Teddy’s match. The goal for him was to get his GED, but along the way, he learns the true purpose of education. Hart and Haddish are surrounded by a veteran cast of comedians, such as Taran Killam (“Saturday Night Live”), Rob Riggle (The Hangover), and Ben Schwartz (“Parks and Recreation”). The ensemble is full of seasoned veterans that do a good job of supporting the two stars. However, the film constrains their comedic performance. There are parts where the laugh is drug out, to a point where it isn’t funny anymore. It doesn’t help that the screenplay is scattered with no real investment of characters. The chemistry between the two comedy specialists, Hart and Haddish, seems like a great pairing on paper, but the two don’t seem to bounce off one another...
by LeBron Hill | Sep 18, 2018 | News Slider
Additional reporting by Cavin Jacobson, Mckenzie Utley and Erin Franklin Hurricane Florence has continued its path over the Carolinas. Lumination spoke with Lipscomb students who call the affected area home. Inland, North Carolina Governor Roy Hopper has said that “emergency crews have rescued 2,600 people and more than 300 animals.” The death toll of the hurricane has reached 24 with more life-threatening floods still forming. The main concern for most areas are flooding, as well as power outages — approximately, 460,000 in North Carolina and 10,000 in South Carolina, NPR reports. According to a CBS news report, Wilmington, North Carolina, has experienced both of these, with floodwater so severe that it has cut off roads, making it difficult for support to come help. Charlotte Observer reports the hurricane reached 4.11 feet over high tide, breaking the previous record set by Hurricane Joaquin by more than one foot. Michael Buckland, a High Point, North Carolina, native and Lipscomb basketball player said his family was experiencing power outages as recently as Sunday. Buckland’s sister lives in Charleston, a city where Florence was going straight through. “She had to evacuate to Orlando and still hasn’t returned,” Buckland said. “We still don’t know the impact that it’s had on her and her husband.” Buckland was also concerned for the well-being of his friends. “The scariest part for me was when it was a category four, and it was going to Wilmington, which I have a lot of friends that live there, and the devastation that could happen to that city.” Amidst the destruction, Buckland said he can see where God placed his hand. “Ultimately, through...
by LeBron Hill | Sep 9, 2018 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
Early Thursday night, Botham Shem Jean was fatally shot in his Dallas apartment after an off-duty police officer mistook his apartment for her own. Police say that the officer was still in uniform when she came to the apartment. There’s now a warrant for her arrest on charges of manslaughter. Jean was a St. Lucia native who attended Harding University, where he served as a song leader at chapel. The university sent out a statement on Twitter regarding the shooting: “We learned this morning of the tragic death of 2016 alumnus Botham Jean, who was shot in his home last night. Our entire family grieves today for the loss of Botham who has meant so very much to us. Please join us in praying for Botham’s friends & family.” After graduating in 2016, the 26-year old moved to Dallas where he started working for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall said in a news conference on Friday that the shooting is “a very unique situation.” Hall also mentioned that they will not handle the shooting under “normal officer-involved shooting protocol.” During Harding chapel on Friday, Harding president Bruce McLarty shared one of his memories of the victim. “At Lectureship one year, I asked him to lead singing one night,” McLarty said. “Because of the subject, there was a particular old hymn that I asked him if he would mind leading. He didn’t say anything about not knowing the song, but he had never heard it before in his life. He came up that evening and was just smiling and excited about leading it. He told me he had never...
by LeBron Hill | Sep 7, 2018 | News Slider, Opinion
They say that a picture’s worth a thousand words. Well, in the case of Colin Kaepernick, it’s an ad and a million words. The polarizing ex-NFL quarterback teamed with Nike on their 30th anniversary campaign which features the likes of Serena Williams and LeBron James. Kaepernick can be seen in a black and white photo with the slogan “Believe in something, Even if it means sacrificing everything.” In the matter of a few hours, tons of people took to social media to speak their opinion, including President Donald Trump. Just like the NFL, whose ratings have gone WAY DOWN, Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts. I wonder if they had any idea that it would be this way? As far as the NFL is concerned, I just find it hard to watch, and always will, until they stand for the FLAG! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2018 Whether you agree with Colin’s protest or not, the courage that it takes a person to take a stand, especially in the height of their career, requires a lot of strength. He was just two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance and a six-year contract extension. No, he’s not in the military, but the bravery that he displayed is equivalent to those who serve. He truly sacrificed everything so that the unjust killing of unarmed black men can have a platform for America to see. He donated $1 million to various charities that range from social injustice and education within his first year out of the NFL The spotlight that this topic has gained can be...
