Linoleum – Colin West

Susan Ballesteros – Entertainment Editor

“Linoleum” thrives on being confusing. It invites viewers to a hazy, zigzagging rocket ship ride that starts with a red car
falling from the sky, only to reveal the answer was there all along in a burst of rocket fire. The film follows a fracturing
suburban family after a satellite crashes into their backyard. Forced to relocate into a relative’s house as their own home becomes a government crime scene, their problems only evolve from there. Issues range from new neighbors moving in across their old house to the astronomy-obsessed dad, Cameron Edwin, deciding the only logical conclusion to their problems is to build his own rocketship from the resulting satellite scraps in an attempt to live through a childhood dream of being an astronaut. Weird but captivating to the end, “Linoleum” gives the viewer insight into the wonders of life and the potential that comes from following one’s dreams.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – Tom Gormican

Katie Busby – Entertainment Editor

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is an enthralling, hilarious, and touching film that blends reality and absurdity into a perfect mix. Centered around the protagonist, Nick Cage, played by actor Nick Cage, the film has a fast-paced action movie type plot peppered with throwbacks to movies and the toll of the movie industry. Cage is a burnt-out, aging actor dealing with the life he has made for himself who suddenly gets swept up into an adventure that he didn’t sign up for that helps return his passion to him. The film features lavish scenery while also dealing with the complications of friendship. A love letter to Nick Cage’s career, the twists and turns of the story keep it engaging, and the excitement and emotion add depth to the story. Overall the movie brings together action, comedy, family, and Nick Cage into one great thing.

“Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Adventure” – Richard Linklater

Norah Hussaini – Web Editor

A ten-year-old child blowing chunks in a lunar module isn’t necessarily what I expect to see in the first ten minutes of a
movie, but “Apollo 10 1⁄2” proved to be an outlier of the norm in many aspects. Following a young Stan throughout the 1960s, the movie traverses skillfully through the decade, weaving nostalgia, mesmerizing and life-like animation, and real-world issues such as the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. The entirety of the film, which was shown this year at SXSW, contains reminders of the preface, in which Stan is chosen to pilot a lunar module that NASA has built slightly smaller than intended. He aspires to become an astronaut and work at the shiny, brand new, state-of-the-art NASA facility that lies outside of his little Houston suburb, which leaves the watcher wondering if this dream is simply wishful thinking. The ability to interpret the film any which way is one of the most enjoyable things about it, but what is truly extraordinary is that the film can wholly transport one to a time period, regardless of whether or not they were in-person to experience it.