Here at The Wood Word, many of us writers have our own current binges and/or comfort flicks. In this column, we’re excited to share with you What We’re Watching.
Megan Rickaby
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit: “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” is a crime drama that takes place in New York City. The drama follows the Manhattan Special Victims Unit, a specialized unit that focused on sex crimes and child abuse. The show follows cases from the crime scene to the courtroom. In the first half of the show, Captain Donald Cragen leads detectives Olivia Benson, Elliot Stabler, John Munch and Odafiin “Fin” Tutuola as they work to solve the most brutal cases in the Big Apple. Assistant district attorneys Alexandra Cabot and Casey Novak prosecute those who commit the crimes. As the show continues, Benson becomes the commanding officer to a new crew of detectives such as Amanda Rollins, Nick Amaro and Joe Velasco. Rafael Barba and Sonny Carsisi work to convict the criminals as prosecutors.
For some, the series may be considered dark and violent. In my opinion, it provides a great insight to what really happens within the United States criminal justice system. Some of the episodes are ripped right from the headlines but most are realistic fiction.The stories that are told bring out emotion and humanity within the viewer. The show is bingeworthy and highly educational. I wholeheartedly recommend Law and Order: Special Victims Unit for those who are looking for drama, suspense and something to learn.
Ava Penzone
Cecil B. Demented: Of course any film directed and written by John Waters is going to be filled with crazy characters and the most random plot anyone could think of. That is why I love “Cecil B. Demented,” so much. Waters has become one of my favorite directors, and although his films seem haphazard, they have deep messages underneath.
This film surrounds a renowned Hollywood star, Honey Whitlock, as she is kidnapped at one of her film premieres. A disorderly crew who call themselves “outlaw filmmakers,” led by director Cecil B. Dememented, take Honey and have her lead in their film. The group takes on Baltimore, shooting wherever and whatever they feel. By the end, the police are hunting down the crew for all of the chaos they have ensued, and Honey sets her hair on fire for the final scene of their film.
This movie is filled with hilarious and ironic undertones, but also critiques mainstream cinema while defending underground and small-scale films and directors. Waters started his career writing, directing, filming and editing all of his own films, so it is no surprise that he supports smaller scale artists.
As an aspiring filmmaker, Waters is a big inspiration to me. All of his films were made as critiques on society at the time, and focused on shock value, showing that he was not afraid to say what he felt.
Felix Lettini
The Shining: I don’t know why I haven’t seen this movie earlier. “The Shining” is one of the best horror films I have seen and some of the best cinematography ever. I have been recently getting into Stanley Kubrick’s work with the only other film I saw being “Eyes Wide Shut.” This was also the first movie I saw starring Jack Nicholson. He put on a great performance and really made his part special. The way he delivered his dialogue and the expressions he made was absolutely phenomenal and horrifying. The movie itself told a good story that messed with the viewer’s mind. I frequently asked myself what was real and what does this mean. Kubrick did a great job with letting the audience interpret scenes and question specific parts.
Singin’ in the Rain: I am not a big fan of musicals but this one knocked it right out of the park. Although this film was made in 1952, it is a masterpiece that still holds up to today. The characters in this film are fun and easy to love. Donald O’Connor who played Cosmo was my favorite character and probably the most underrated. He might get outshined by Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds (just like in the movie) but he was very energetic and resonated the most with me. I found myself humming some of the songs in the movie in my everyday life or even singing “Singin’ in the Rain.” This film may be over 70 years old but it is probably better than most of the movies coming out today.
Hunter Moran
RuPaul’s Drag Race: I am currently watching the 18th season that is now airing on MTV every Friday at eight o’clock. I have been a fan of the show since the ninth season, and then since binging seasons one through 17, which were great. In my opinion, I would have to say that season 18 is the best out of the newer seasons. The season features 14 queens from around the country, with five contestants residing in Florida. Another interesting part about this season is that a majority of the queens are on the older side, which has not happened since before season 12. Within the current season there is a queen by the name of Mandy Mango who is actually from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the day, Mandy is a registered nurse who specializes in HIV and sexual health, specifically in the LGBTQ+ community.
The Office: Living in NEPA, you hear from many people that “The Office” is the greatest show, and you get asked by people out of state if the show is really accurate when it comes to Scranton. In my opinion, I would have to say “The Office” is a great show, but I absolutely do not like Michael Scott as a character. Some people may find his jokes funny, but I think that they are rather cringy and annoying to the point that I want to skip that certain scene. On the other hand, I resonate with Angela as a person; she is both mean and caring in her own way, which I see within myself. Overall, I would give the show an eight out of 10.
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