‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (2015)

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is an erotic drama about the unrealistic and overall creepy contractual relationship between a young couple.

The film has caused debate over the difference between abuse and bondage, domination, sadism and masochism, known as BDSM.

“Fifty Shades” focuses on the love affair between Anastasia Steele, a college senior, and Christian Grey, a successful businessman. They meet when Steele is sent to interview Grey for the school paper.

The two become infatuated with each other and Grey offers Steele a contract detailing the extreme needs of his idea of a relationship,  where he is in complete control. Besides being attractive and rich there are no internal reasons why Steele would be attracted to him.

Throughout the film Grey tracks down Steele whenever they are apart, which is unsettling because adolescence watching the movie may find this endearing or heroic.

The actors in the film were mediocre at best and it seems as though they were cast as last resorts.

Jamie Dornan was clearly chosen for his looks and not his ability to act. Dakota Johnson was a decent fake crier but her ceaseless lip biting became exhausting within the first 30 minutes.

There was an obscene amount of nudity, which was obviously expected. Often, Steele is tied up, Completely naked while Grey is still partially clothed. The power play that Grey holds over Steele is exacerbated throughout the ongoing sex scenes.

Overall the film made me uncomfortable. Not so much because of the sex but the controlling and bossy nature of Grey.

Many people have found this to be a modern love story but I just wanted it to end.

—Katie Meyer

‘Jupiter Ascending’ (2015)

Viewers are taken on a wild visual ride of digital dizziness in the new science fiction film featuring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis, “Jupiter Ascending.”

The plot focuses around Kunis’s character, Jupiter Jones, a broke house cleaner turned space princess. Channing Tatum plays Caine Wise, a galactic bounty hunter.

I decided to hunker down for the longest 127 minutes of my life that I wish I could have turned away from.

While Tatum tries as hard as he can to take on this joke of a role, it is Kunis who fails miserably at becoming the powerful savor of the universe. The entire time she plays damsel in distress, but it is her acting that is seriously distressful to sit through.

After about an hour into the film, Jones had miraculously gained intense feelings for Wise and that is where things go from bad to worse. This is the time to grab a bottle of wine to go along with the cheesiness being witnessed.

The best and most awkward parts of the film relied heavily on Kunis’s attempts at humor throughout the movie. This film is definitely worth waiting for Netflix.

Overall, “Jupiter Ascending” tries so desperately to be a love story but lacks any honest connection between the two stars. I should have saved my money and watched something worthwhile.

 –Angela Ostermeier

‘The Theory of Everything’ (2014)

“The Theory of Everything” is a British drama based on the life and love of world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.

The movie starts out in 1960’s England at the University of Cambridge, where Hawking is a student. He soon meets a girl, a fellow scholar named Jane Wilde, and they fall deeply in love.

The fussy feelings of newfound love soon vanish as the shocking news of a life-threatening disease takes over. Hawking is diagnosed with a motor neuron disease that slowly but surely deteriorates his body, giving him a life expectancy of two years.

The scenes from the early stages of his sickness are truly hard to watch, and it’s heartbreaking to see him break down in a Hollywood fashion.

This is where the story takes an interesting and unexpected turn, as Wilde chooses to stay with Hawking despite what awaits, and decides to make the best of the time they have left together. They get married and start a family while battling the inevitable changes of the disease.

With the tremendous love and support of his wife, Hawking continues his work and scientific studies trying to find “a simple equation to explain everything.”

This is an awe-inspiring movie that has a clear message that anything is possible. The love between the couple is incredibly strong and powerful, and even though it is not the typical romantic love story, it brings something uniquely refreshing to the table.

It is an eye-opening experience on the observations of life and leaves you with a feeling of gratitude for even the minor details.

–Elise Bredenberg