Author: jrike10

Slam Dunk Sesame: Why rooting for the Magic, the East’s worst team, was a ton of fun in 2021-22

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Rooting for the Orlando Magic has its downsides. The irrelevance. The lack of household names and All-Stars. The losing. But as an impassioned Magic fan for the past 15 years or so, there’s a lot I’ve come to love about this team, even when they aren’t the best. And they certainly weren’t the best in … Continue reading Slam Dunk Sesame: Why rooting for the Magic, the East’s worst team, was a ton of fun in 2021-22

Review: The box office gives us a pair of must-watch murder mysteries in Death on the Nile and The Batman

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Note: This is a spoiler-free review. It’s hard to beat a great mystery movie. With a special emphasis on intrigue and surprise and limitless permutations of structure — and plenty of room for stylistic flourishes — mysteries are well-built for the medium of the cinema and ensure the intellect is up to par with a … Continue reading Review: The box office gives us a pair of must-watch murder mysteries in Death on the Nile and The Batman

Review: Book of Boba Fett is a seismic blast of a good time

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NOTE: This review contains spoilers for Book of Boba Fett “Cool” is the first word that comes to mind when the name of the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett is mentioned. Fett was the Darth Maul before Darth Maul, a silent killer whose mere presence spoke volumes. His vertically flying spacecraft, Slave II, is one … Continue reading Review: Book of Boba Fett is a seismic blast of a good time

Spoiler Review: No Way Home is every bit the precious tritium Spider-Man fans are clamoring for

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NOTE: This is a spoiler-filled review. Read at your own discretion! I’m not a huge Marvel guy. Whenever I review or watch a Marvel movie, I come in with an outsider’s perspective. Sure, I saw Endgame and Infinity War in the theater, but the series doesn’t capture my imagination the same way that, say, Star … Continue reading Spoiler Review: No Way Home is every bit the precious tritium Spider-Man fans are clamoring for

Personal Essay: On “The Force Awakens”, generational storytelling and movie magic

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This personal essay was my final assignment for my storytelling structures journalism class at Northwestern University this fall. The prompt was simple -- describe one distinct moment in your life. Enjoy! On the evening of December 17, 2015, there was only one place for a Star Wars fan to be — the movie theater. The … Continue reading Personal Essay: On “The Force Awakens”, generational storytelling and movie magic

Fight Till The Finish: My Experience Running the 2021 Chicago Marathon

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Last spring, I penned a reported personal essay about my experience training for the Chicago Marathon, from the moment I got the fateful acceptance email to the end of my training in June.  Plenty has happened since then — not least of which, the marathon itself — and it’s about time for an update. My … Continue reading Fight Till The Finish: My Experience Running the 2021 Chicago Marathon

Reviews: Dune and House of Gucci make for a memorable November in the box office, and for different reasons

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I’ve had a good time at the movie theater this fall, having thoroughly enjoyed Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings in September and No Time to Die on its opening weekend on October 10. Two more flicks captured my attention and promised to do the same, science-fiction adaptation Dune and drama House of Gucci. As of … Continue reading Reviews: Dune and House of Gucci make for a memorable November in the box office, and for different reasons

2021 NFL Preview: Another valiant attempt at predicting the NFL season, and my picks for Super Bowl LVI

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The 2021 NFL season kicks off tomorrow night with one of the most electric matchups I can recall from my time as a fan — Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers against Dak Prescott and my Dallas Cowboys (I just want the Boys to escape Florida without any major injuries, though a miracle would be … Continue reading 2021 NFL Preview: Another valiant attempt at predicting the NFL season, and my picks for Super Bowl LVI