Pixar’s ‘Onward’ is heartwarming
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
March 12, 2020
Set on an Earth where the magical and mythological exist together, Pixar’s newest animated film, “Onward,” tells the tale of two elven brothers. The story begins on the 16th birthday of the younger brother, Ian Lightfoot, who never was able to meet his dad as he had died before Ian was born. ...
Friesen: ‘The Invisible Man’ is one to see
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
March 5, 2020
“The Invisible Man” opens on a secluded waterfront mansion. Inside of it, Cecilia Kass is executing her plan to run away from her abusive boyfriend, Adrian. She successfully escapes, but not without Adrian running after her in a violent fury. A few weeks after her departure, Cecilia is notified that Adr...
NBC’s ‘Zoey’ fails to find its tune
TAYLOR LIEN, Copy Editor
February 24, 2020
“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” has had an interesting life so far. The pilot aired originally on Jan. 7 as a special presentation to transition the weeks in between the holiday specials and the winter programming schedule. You may also recognize it as the 45-minute ad that NBC tried to sneak pas...
‘Sonic’ can’t outrun its problems
![Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, in "Sonic the Hedgehog ." [Paramount Pictures/Sega of America]](https://www.northerniowan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ENTER-CAFE-541-MOVIES-OPENING-IN-EU-475x370.jpg)
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
February 20, 2020
It’s been almost a year now since we were exposed to the horror that came with the first trailer for “Sonic the Hedgehog.” The blue furball we loved as a kid was turned into a monster with human teeth, small eyes and freakishly long legs. After the overwhelmingly negative reactions, Paramount ...
Friesen: Oscars were predictable
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
February 13, 2020
Well, it finally happened. After months of releases and campaigning, the 92nd Academy Awards took place this last Sunday, signaling the end of the 2019 movie season. Now that the dust has settled and the speeches have been made, it’s time to recap everything that went down. Here are just a few stor...
Academy Awards predictions
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
February 6, 2020
Writer’s Note: There are dozens of precursor award shows leading up to the Oscars that factor heavily when making predictions for the races. Notable precursor awards are the Golden Globes, SAG, PGAs, Critics Choice and BAFTAs. This Sunday, Feb. 9, will mark the 92nd edition of the Academy Awards as it honors w...
Ritchie returns home with stylish ‘Gentlemen’
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
January 30, 2020
Like Wes Anderson, Tim Burton and Michael Bay, you can tell when a film is made by Guy Ritchie just by watching a few minutes of it. The British director has carried a sense of hyper stylization through each of his films, most notably in crime comedies that began with the one-two punch of “Lock, Stoc...
Friesen’s top films of 2019
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
January 23, 2020
Well, the year has passed and we can finally let out a sigh of relief. The only thing left to do now is to look ahead to fresh beginnings in the new year and decade. But before we do that, let’s take some time to appreciate all the good that happened to us this last year, specifically within the mo...
Winter break film review roundup
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
January 16, 2020
With the weather outside being so frightful and the movie theatre being so delightful, this past break was a perfect time to check out the new batch of holiday films. Of course, there was a certain space opera that was released, but there were also a few others that may have flown a bit under-the-rad...
‘Marriage Story’ hits home with laughter and tears
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
December 12, 2019
“Divorce is like a death without a body.” With nearly half of all marriages ending in divorce in America, this quote from Noah Baumbach’s new film now rings truer than ever. Debuting on Netflix, “Marriage Story” centers on the relationship between Charlie and Nicole Barber. Charlie is an emer...
Scorsese crafts crime epic ‘Irishman’
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
December 9, 2019
Sprawling 50 years and dozens of features, director Martin Scorsese has crafted one of the finest filmographies in cinematic history. Over the decades, there appear to be two sides to the revered auteur’s style of filmmaking. One side is filled with fast-paced and violent storytelling in films such as ...
McKellen vs Mirren in ‘Good Liar’
HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic
November 21, 2019
London octogenarian Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) is a career con man, swindling from those less fortunate enough to fall into one of his schemes. One day, as part of an online dating scam he occasionally pulls, he meets Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren), a recent widower who turns out to be worth nearly t...
May 8, 2020
Indie rock band Hummingbird Horizon emerges from UNI
May 3, 2020
Executive editor bids farewell to the NI
May 3, 2020
Students moved to Panther Village following the shutdown of residence halls
May 1, 2020
Carillonneurs continue Campanile concerts
April 30, 2020
UNI Department of Philosophy and World Religions celebrates 50 years
April 24, 2020