A&E

Photo courtesy of: GT3 Themes

By: Dallas West

Word count: 422/400

     Summer of 2015 will be an eventful one for the filmmaking industry as many long anticipated movies are premiering in these next few months. Some popular releases are San Andreas(out today, May 29th), Spy(June 5th), Minions(July 10th), Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation(July 31st), and Fantastic Four(August 7th). 

     San Andreas is a film focused on the aftermath of a [long predicted] massive earthquake in California. A rescue-chopper pilot (Dwayne Johnson) makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his estranged daughter (Alexandra Daddario). It is rated PG-13 and is classified as an action movie, drama and thriller.

     Next in the lineup, while also high in action, is also said to be a huge comedic hit. Spy follows a deskbound CIA analyst and the unexpected hero behind the Agency's most dangerous missions (Melissa McCarthy). She volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate a deadly arms dealer and prevent a global disaster. This film is rated R due to language throughout, violence, and some sexual content including brief graphic nudity. 

(Photos courtesy of imdb.com.  Movie posters from left to right: San Andreas, Spy, Minions, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and Fantastic Four)

     

     For families, this next one will be a must-see. In 2010 and 2013, after the first two editions of Despicable Me were released, they were a phenomenon with children. For most, the attention was largely drawn to the small, yellow characters known as Minions. This story will be centered around 3 popular minions: Stuart, Kevin and Bob. They are recruited by a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband, hatch a plot to take over the world. This film is animated and rated PG.

     The Mission: Impossible franchise has been popular for several decades. This summer is the release of Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. This is one recommended for fans of the series. It is the fifth installment of the spy movies and Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for another top-secret assignment. This film is not yet rated and is classified as an action and adventure film (typically for more mature audiences). 

     Last but not least, Fantastic Four is the new rendition of a Marvel original. It follows a team of four superheroes who are teleported to an alternate (and dangerous) universe. The team learns to harness their newly acquired superhuman abilities and work together to save Earth from an enemy. This film is also not yet rated but falls under action/adventure and science fiction/fantasy. 

     Along with these, more blockbusters will be released in the summer of 2015. So, keep an eye out for more being released these next few months because it is sure to be a busy summer for moviegoers!

Battle of the Festivals: 

Governors Ball vs. Coachella

(on top) Governoers Ball Poster (on bottom) Coachella Poster

Photo courtesy of: pitchfork.com and freewilliamsburg.com

By Maya Bryant

502/500

           The summer is notorious for many things including going to the beach, pool, to the latest blockbuster movies but most of all for summer music festivals. Every year there is debate about which festivals are the best and this year it seems to be between Coachella and the Governors Ball. Coachella is a festival in California held in a desert. It's been kicking off the festival season annually since 1999. The Governors Ball is a relatively new festival that takes place in New York and has only been running since 2011. 

Every summer since 1999, Coachella has been one of the biggest summer music festivals, so much so that you can buy tickets nearly a year in advance. This year the lineup was, AC/DC, Jack White, Drake and others. They had music for all types of people including The Weeknd, Florence + The Machine and David Guetta.  It is known for its fitting desert atmosphere, celebrity attendance, its mainstream headliners and its ability to make every year weirder or crazier than the last. Coachella seems to be more than just a concert though. Because of its popularity throughout the world, it attracts people from all over. It is also used as a way for new artists to get discovered and many have been discovered there like the group Disclosure. In past years, celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Rihanna and many others have used Coachella as an opportunity to make fashion statements. Because of how high profile Coachella has become, Vogue magazine writes an article annually on the celebrity outfits. It is an environmentally conscious festival as well. You can be rewarded for recycling and if you car pool with three of more people in your car and your car is decorated, you can win VIP tickets for life. 

The Governors Ball is a festival that takes place on Randall’s Island in New York City annually since 2011. The lineup is, Florence + The Machine, Drake, Lana Del Ray, Björko, and many others including Weird Al Yankovic. They preform this festival rain or shine and they say on their website, “In the event of rain, we advise ponchos, boots, umbrellas, and rubber duckies.” Nothing will stop this festival! Even though this is a newer festival, it quickly became popular because it was one of the largest festivals in the Tri-state area. The Governors Ball is more affordable to go to because they get local vendors to sell the food. It is also reasonable to get to especially since they’ve made it accessible by ferry as well as train.

         When you compare the lineup, of course Coachella has a more eclectic group of artists. Most likely due to the location and the fact that its been around for so long. But both festivals do share a few common artists who are preforming.  The Governors Ball may be newer but it still has a pretty good lineup as well. The Governors Ball has more mainstream new artists while Coachella has a little bit of everything.