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The Oldest College Newspaper in Pennsylvania

The Lafayette

The Oldest College Newspaper in Pennsylvania

The Lafayette

The Oldest College Newspaper in Pennsylvania

The Lafayette

Movie & TV Review

"The Apprentice" (2024) received a surprise nomination in the Best Actor category for lead actor Sebastian Stan. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Cinema with Sam: Oscar nomination reactions

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist February 7, 2025

With just under a month before the biggest names in Hollywood grace the red carpet, the 97th Oscar nominations have shaken up the film world. Here are my thoughts on some of the highs, and lows, of the...

"The Brutalist" gave Adrien Brody his second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. (Photo courtesy of Aspen Film)

Cinema with Sam: What I watched over break

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist January 31, 2025

After a relaxing break and holiday spent watching many new and old releases, here are five of my favorite movies, including a franchise, I watched this break: The Brutalist Written and directed by...

Lead actors Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are already receiving award nomination buzz for their performances in "Wicked." (Photo courtesy of IMDb)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Wicked’ is a spellbinding musical success

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist December 6, 2024

Jon M. Chu's "Wicked” (2024) is a grandiose and gorgeous movie musical, following students Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) on their journey from enemies to friends — then back to...

"Gladiator II" is Ridley Scott's 29th directorial project. (Photo courtesy of MoviePosters.com)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Gladiator II’ is a sequel that packs a punch

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist December 6, 2024

Director Ridley Scott returns to Rome in glorious form with “Gladiator II” (2024), crafting an action-packed and sophisticated film that looks at the corruption of power and the importance of legacy. The...

"Remember the Titans" features a powerful performance by lead actor Denzel Washington, as well as an early breakout role by Ryan Gosling. (Photo courtesy of IMDb)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Remember the Titans’ is an enduring football classic

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist November 22, 2024

Rivalry Week is upon us, and the all-important 160th football game is right around the corner. There is no better time to review one of my all-time favorite sports movies: Boaz Yakin’s emotional and...

Ralph Fiennes is already receiving award-season buzz for his role as Cardinal Lawrence in “Conclave” (2024). (Photo courtesy of IMDb)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Conclave’ beautifully blends all star cast with intense setting

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist November 15, 2024

With “Conclave” (2024), director Edward Berger crafts a riveting, thought-provoking and character-driven film that does not shy away from the politics that it vehemently depicts. The film, set in...

The director's cut of "Kingdom of Heaven" adds a new layer of sophistication to the film. (Photo courtesy of rogerebert.com)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ director’s cut brings film to greatness

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist November 8, 2024

Hollywood studios and their executives have long interfered with the creative visions of many esteemed filmmakers, causing many films to be released in incomplete forms. Sometimes, the director's vision...

"The West Wing" remains a poignant political drama 25 years after its initial release. (Photo courtesy of IMDb)

Cinema with Sam: ‘The West Wing’ still governs television drama

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist November 1, 2024

Election Day is right around the corner, so I thought there was no better time to review my favorite television show of all time: Aaron Sorkin’s intelligent, impeccably written and emotionally driven...

"Rosemary's Baby" received two Academy Award nominations, including a Best Supporting Actress win for Ruth Gordon. (Photo courtesy of rodgerebert.com)

Cinema with Sam: Rosemary’s Baby is a horror genre touchstone worth the hype

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist October 25, 2024

For the past three years, my mom has been begging me to watch Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror classic “Rosemary’s Baby.” In preparation for Halloween next week, I finally got around to watching the...

Luca Guadagnino's "Queer" (2024), blends the director's creative direction with an all-star cast. (Photo courtesy of IMDb)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Queer’ is another filmic success for Luca Guadagnino

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist October 11, 2024

I was lucky enough to see Luca Guadagnino’s new film “Queer” (2024) at the New York Film Festival for its U.S. Premiere this past weekend. Based on William S. Burroughs’ novel of the same name,...

"Megalopolis" is preceded by highly touted Coppola films, such as "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now." (Photo courtesy of IMDb)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Megalopolis’ big money went to little use

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist October 4, 2024

I had the opportunity to see legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s new film “Megalopolis” (2024) this past weekend in the immersive IMAX format. Starring Adam Driver, the film follows genius...

"Batman: Caped Crusader" features well-loved characters like Batman and Harley Quinn. (Photo courtesy of Batman Wiki)

Cinema with Sam: ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ brings new feel to classic series

By Sam Cohen, Movie Columnist September 27, 2024

Sept. 20 was National Batman Day, celebrating the 85th anniversary of Batman's first appearance in the comics all the way back in 1939. This past summer, Amazon Prime Studios paired up with legendary...

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