Film enthusiasts, creators and students gathered in Lumina Theater on March 16 to view the final selected films for viewing and judging at UNCW’s annual Reel Teal Film Festival. Flicker Film Society...
Every summer, all the big Hollywood studios release some of their biggest films into theaters for the world to see. Every summer, a majority of these films make an incredible amount of money at the box...
Anna Ford, Assistant Culture Editor
• May 13, 2023
In a bittersweet and satisfying conclusion to the beloved trilogy, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (“Vol. 3”) follows the events of "Thor: Love and Thunder" as Peter Quill (Chris Pratt)—a.k.a “Star-Lord”—and the rest of the team race to save Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) life and come to terms with their ever-shifting group dynamics.
Ari Aster’s third theatrical release, “Beau Is Afraid,” is undoubtedly his most daunting from a viewer’s perspective. It is a three-hour display of Murphy’s Law, where everything that can go wrong does go wrong. While Aster’s first two films “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019) were certainly horror films, “Beau Is Afraid” is equal parts comedy, drama and horror. With each unfolding of events, the number of possible interpretations of the story grows as the lines blur between reality, dreams, nightmares and hallucinations.
Anna Ford, Assistant Culture Editor
• April 16, 2023
The North Carolina film industry is now experiencing a period of growth following the COVID-19 pandemic, with film productions returning to Wilmington and bringing the industry back to life. This increase follows a change to the NC budget lowering the requirements to receive help from the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant. This increase in filming led to a higher demand for background actors, with many people—including UNCW’s own students—in the Wilmington area eager and willing to be part of Wilmington’s film legacy.
The meme waterfall that followed Chris Pratt’s casting announcement turned the newest franchise-based film, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” into something of a must-see. Due to the popularity of the Mario games—because who hasn’t played Mario Kart at least once in their life—the film garnered some speculation. Would it pay proper homage or soullessly promote the video games it hails from?
“Cocaine Bear” spends so much time confused about which tone to take on that it lacks any real direction. This film had every chance to provide an over-the-top thrill ride that mimics the aforementioned effects of cocaine for viewers. Instead, it’s an hour and a half of back-and-forth scenes that leave the audience confused on whether to laugh or cry.
“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” kicks off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with a zany tale of fatherhood, revolution and giant ants. Starring Paul Rudd as Ant-Man and Evangeline...
James Cameron’s "Avatar: The Way of Water," the sequel to 2009’s "Avatar," finally hit theaters on Dec. 16, well over a decade after the first film’s release. As a sequel to the highest-grossing film of all time, expectations are high for this next installment. But, does it live up to the legacy of the original?
With the arrival of the holidays comes a slew of Christmas films, both new and old. “Violent Night” is the most recent entry in this canon. While many recent releases fail to utilize the talent of their stars, David Harbor plays the perfect morally gray Santa in this creative Christmas tale, and grown-up fans of “Home Alone” are sure to enjoy this film’s gory gimmicks.
Bradley Earnshaw and Eriq Dixon
• December 2, 2022
The 28th Cucalorus Film Festival came to a close on Nov. 20. After limited attendance following the pandemic’s onset, Cucalorus saw a high level of involvement this year, with 136 films and shorts shown across four days. Enjoy as The Seahawk staff writers Bradley Earnshaw and Eriq Dixon share the details of their favorites from the festival.
From films about parenthood to urban legends, conversations on poverty to Reading Rainbow, the 28th annual Cucalorus Film Festival is a multifaceted exploration of creativity with a huge variety of films and several stage performances to enjoy.
