by Jade Spilka | Jul 28, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Modern-day technology comes to life in Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman’s thriller Nerve. High school senior Vee Delmonico (Emma Roberts) is tired of living in the shadow of her best friend Sydney (Emily Meade). However, this all changes when Sydney introduces Vee to Nerve, an online reality game similar to truth or dare. Nerve is divided into two categories: watchers and players. Players are dared by the watchers to perform and film embarrassing or dangerous tasks. The only way out for the players is to succeed, bail or fail. Vee decides to try Nerve and is immediately dared to kiss a stranger. This dare leads her into an exciting partnership with fearless veteran player Ian (Dave Franco). Vee and Ian’s partnership quickly becomes popular among the watchers, but as their popularity increases, their dares only become harder. Soon, Vee and Ian find themselves in the top 10 of all Nerve players, thanks to a series of difficult dares, but it all quickly becomes too much for Vee. Freaked out by the intensity of the game, she reports the game to a police officer — going against the only rule Nerve enforces. Vee is now seen as a “snitch” to the watchers, and she is deemed a prisoner while all the money is taken out of her family’s bank account. The only way to win back her money and freedom is to win the entire game. Once she learns that Ian, too, is a prisoner, Vee sets out to win Nerve, but it may not be in the way the watchers expect. I am usually not a fan of thrillers...
by Rebekah Stogner | Jul 18, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
The controversy and backlash surrounding the female “Ghostbusters” reboot has been in the air since the first trailer dropped in March. After months of angry comments, extreme dislikes and waiting, we finally have the answer to the question, “Is the film actually any good?” In my opinion, yes. I actually think it improves on the original. Physicist Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) reunites with childhood friend Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), and they team up with Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) and Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) to investigate paranormal activity in New York City. Of course, many doubters and the mayor of the city are against them, until a large device that amplifies the paranormal unleashes an apocalypse of ghosts. As a huge fan of all four of the leading ladies, I was hyped about this movie since it was announced, and I was not disappointed. While certainly paying homage to the original with its many Easter eggs and cameos, “Ghostbusters” was able to stand on its own as a film with its own unique plot and characters. While Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones were all fantastic, Kate McKinnon absolutely stole the show with her quirky, adorable, mad scientist characteristics. Almost everything she did was laugh-out-loud funny. I laughed out loud throughout most of the film, whereas I only chuckled a few times watching the original “Ghostbusters.” The secretary character was much more interesting in this version, and there were more ghosts to bust. Best of all, the bonds between the characters were much stronger. These ladies (and Chris Hemsworth) just work so well together, and it’s nice to see...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 13, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
2013 Journalism and New Media graduate Brynn Elliot Watkins is a lady with many hats. After graduating from Lipscomb, Watkins moved from Music City to pursue a fashion career in the Big Apple. She now is doing wardrobe styling for films and editorials, as well as running her lifestyle site, Being Elliott. She also is doing fashion consulting for brands, interior design projects and personal styling. “There’s never a dull moment,” Watkins noted. In addition to her fashion and lifestyle career, Watkins also does some film work “on the side.” Watkins recently collaborated with her husband, Aaron Craig, a filmmaker by trade, who started We Are Films. On a whim, the couple decided to submit their film that they shot on her family farm for inclusion in the Cannes Film Festival — and they got in. Watkins said finding out that they were going to be attending Cannes was an awesome and surreal experience. “We were thrilled for sure,” Watkins said. “Cannes has always been a dream, and we are so glad we were able to attend. God provided the opportunity, and I was thankful for that!” The short film is titled “Speak of the Lights. The story line centers on “a young boy who goes missing after a mysterious light appears. The town bands together to find out what happened.” “It was a very small cast and crew, but we all had an awesome time working together,” Watkins said. Watkins said she and Craig had always wanted to collaborate as a couple and thought this was a great opportunity for both of them. “We both did a little...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 8, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Some might think Katie should have let sleeping dogs lie (. . . or in her case, one sleeping dog lie). Max (Louis C.K.) and Katie (Ellie Kemper) are best friends. Katie got Max when he was just a puppy, so they’ve been together almost all of Max’s life. Max dutifully waits for her to come home from work every day, and she always greets him with a big hug when she comes home before they eat dinner and stare off into the scenic, brightly-lit New York City skyline together. One day, though, Katie messes up the idyllic life they have; she brings home, to their small New York apartment, a “brother” for Max — Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a gigantic mutt from the shelter who doesn’t have a family. Max, of course, doesn’t take to this new family member well. Viewers can see Max’s perspective; Duke is a “threat,” taking over Max’s life — eating his food and sleeping in his bed. On the other hand, Duke was eager to join a new family and is just getting accustomed to his new life. Eventually, the two new brothers get lost in NYC together and meet up with Snowball (Kevin Hart), a bunny with a posse of misfit pets trying to lead a revolution against mankind. There’s a host of likable characters, including Max’s friends — Chloe, (the cat who could not care less, voiced by Lake Bell), Tiberius (the hawk who’s just learning how to make friends rather than eat them, voiced by Albert Brooks — aka Marlin in Finding Nemo), and Gidget (the soap-opera-watching, crazy-in-love French pup leading the rescue mission, voiced...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 5, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Alan Robertson, the “beardless brother” of the Duck Dynasty clan, and his wife Lisa recently sat down with Lumination to discuss faith, family, Duck Dynasty and their newest book, A New Season. The Robertsons were on campus to speak at Lipscomb’s Summer Celebration. A&E’s Duck Dynasty aired its first episode on March 21, 2012. The show has since broadcast 101 episodes over nine seasons, and it holds the record for cable’s most-watched nonfiction telecast for the Season 4 premiere. On August 14, 2013, the Season 4 premiere drew a total of 11.8 million viewers. Lumination: What’s your latest book, A New Season, about? Lisa: It’s about our family; It’s about us when we were growing up, and the things that shaped us — the mistakes that we’ve made — both in our life and our marriage. It’s also about what God can do when you completely turn your life over to Him and allow Him to reshape you and redirect your path. It’s really about love, forgiveness and redemption. It’s a great book! Everyone should read it. Alan: There’s a teaching aspect to it as well — “Here’s what God taught us to help you in your relationships.” It’s a little bit of a teaching book as well as a book just about our lives. Lumination: What’s the biggest lesson a college student could learn from your book? Alan: The best thing about our book is that it teaches you what not to do. If you take a college kid or a young person that’s entering into marriage — if they can learn some things about what not to do or...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 2, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Although it wasn’t quite “grizzling or horrigust,” The BFG just might be categorized as a “grunicous” (as BFG would say) film to sit through for anyone who’s graduated from elementary school. Moviegoers can’t help but to expect an E.T.-like film upon hearing Steven Spielberg was directing another story about a child developing a friendship with a fantastical being, but The BFG (The Big-Friendly Giant) falls short of the storytelling magic E.T. possesses that we’ve come to expect from Spielberg. The film focuses on Sophie, an orphan, who is snatched by a giant from her bed. The tale continues with an unlikely, yet lovable friendship between Sophie and the giant, whom she dubs “BFG.” BFG isn’t the only giant in the world, though; there are several other giants, who have terrifying names, “Bloodbottler” and “Maidmasher,” for example, who eat children such as Sophie. The rest of the story tells Sophie’s and BFG’s quest to end the terror the other giants inflict upon “human beans,” and even BFG himself. BFG is not entirely without merit. The budding young star, Ruby Barnhill, delivers an admirable performance as Sophie, the orphan who travels to Giant Country. Mark Rylance also provides a wonderful voice performance as the title character. The CGI in the film is striking as well; however, this year’s The Jungle Book’s imagery is much more so. With today’s CGI possibilities, it seems that the scenery could have so much more depth — “Giant Country” is dull and lacking compared to the intricate and detailed jungle in The Jungle Book. Despite Barnhill and Rylance’s performances, older filmgoers may begin to suffer from boredom...
