The student-run community news site of Vermont State University - Johnson

Basement Medicine

The student-run community news site of Vermont State University - Johnson

Basement Medicine

The student-run community news site of Vermont State University - Johnson

Basement Medicine

The Joker: Maybe not so funny

The Joker: Maybe not so funny

Justin Robertiello, Staff Reporter February 10, 2020

The film Joker was released Oct. 4, 2019, and was screened at the Bijou Cineplex 4 in Morrisville. The movie was also screened at The Roxy located in Burlington, and the Essex Cinema. The movie was directed...

DiCaprio’s disturbing documentary disappoints

Jenn Dezotelle, Student December 12, 2019

“Before the Flood,” staring Leonardo DiCaprio aired a little over three years ago. This Hollywood star used his fame in attempts to bring climate change to light in a way that creates change like never...

Compelling and cruel: “The Report” is a true story at breakneck pace

Compelling and cruel: “The Report” is a true story at breakneck pace

Thomas Streeter, Staff Reporter December 12, 2019

From Director Scott Z. Burns, the producer and writer of “Side Effects,” “Contagion” and “The Bourne Ultimatum,” comes an Amazon Prime Original Movie, “The Report.” The film was released...

Velocipastors poster

Hilariously happy ever raptor

Ari Erlbaum November 7, 2019

“The VelociPastor” is an understated character study with a lot to say, subtly mining pathos from small moments of everyday life. Just kidding. “The VelociPastor” is a movie about a priest who...

The Mask show confidence

“The Mask” show confidence

Allison Irons, Staff Reporter October 3, 2019

Why have young men been raised to not show emotion? Why can men not share their emotions without being called feminine? In what ways has the media in our society changed the way boys are raised? Many of...

“The Act”: true crime, truly bizarre

“The Act”: true crime, truly bizarre

Mike King April 4, 2019

True crime dramatization is a hard genre to master, often playing out on the screen more like a low budget B movie than a feature quality production. Hulu’s new series “The Act” has managed to capture...

Dysfunction works for “Umbrella Academy”

Dysfunction works for “Umbrella Academy”

Mike King and March 21, 2019

“Umbrella Academy” is a Netflix series based on the comic book by Gerard Way, the front man of alternative rock band My Chemical Romance. With the rise of comic book-inspired television anyone who...

Dumplin’ disappoints

Dumplin’ disappoints

Magnificent Schmidl February 21, 2019

Well, it’s happened again. Movie trailers have led us to believe that Netflix made a great movie about strong women, body positivity, empowerment and acceptance of all kinds of people, when in reality,...

Promotional poster for season six featuring Robin Wright’s Claire

“House of Cards” falls flat without Spacey

Tom O'Leary December 14, 2018

When developing the sixth and final season of his Netflix series "House of Cards," creator Beau Willimon was put in an impossible situation by the show’s star, Kevin Spacey. Spacey, who played the primary...

Absolutely, totally charming

Charmed, I’m sure

Kylie Brown November 9, 2018

In light of the "Charmed" 2018 reboot now airing, let’s take a minute to remember and appreciate the wonderful 1998 original "Charmed" that was influential enough to be brought back 12 years after its...

Jack Ryan returns

Jack Ryan returns

Tom O'Leary October 2, 2018

As Amazon Video continues to try and chip away at the streaming service monopoly of Netflix, they have invested more funds into creating their own original series. The latest installment is a new take...

“Magic for Humans” good if you’re bored

“Magic for Humans” good if you’re bored

Kylie Brown October 2, 2018

Have a short attention span? Like neat magic tricks? Like to laugh at people’s humanity? Incredibly bored? Watch “Magic for Humans” on Netflix. “Magic for Humans” is a Netflix original reality...

Ozark puts the South in your mouth

“Ozark” puts the South in your mouth

Tom O'Leary September 18, 2018

In the social media-driven era we currently live in, it’s rare for a television series to slip through the cracks of the relentless internet hype machine. From the moment a new show is announced, it...

Enchanted with Disenchantment

Enchanted with “Disenchantment”

Rebecca Flieder September 18, 2018

After the incredible success that is and was “Futurama” and “The Simpsons”, it seems only fair that Matt Groening has started something new: “Disenchantment”. On Jan. 15, 2016, it was announced...

“Brockmire” is baseball’s favorite degenerate

Tom O’Leary May 10, 2018

Often overlooked because it airs on IFC, season two of “Brockmire” arrived on April 25, and it continues to be one of the most hilarious and underrated television series’ currently on air. “Brockmire”...

Swiss Army Man is a real gas

“Swiss Army Man” is a real gas

Agathe Fredette May 10, 2018

Sometimes there are films with premises so utterly strange, that you cannot quite believe it actually exists without clear proof. “Swiss Army Man” is one of those films. Disarmingly bizarre and delightfully...

Game over, man!

Game over, man!

Tom O'Leary March 29, 2018

When Netflix announced in 2016 that they had signed a film deal with the creators and stars of the Comedy Central series “Workaholics,” one of my all-time favorite shows, I was instantly intrigued....

Kung Fury packs a parodic punch

“Kung Fury” packs a parodic punch

Adriana Eldred March 29, 2018

If you would like to experience every cop or action movie ever made in the 80s all at the same time, “Kung Fury” is the movie to see. Complete with half-thought-out one-liners muttered during ironic...

Netflixs most binge-worthy show yet

Netflix’s most binge-worthy show yet

Thomas O’Leary March 15, 2018

As a connoisseur of the true crime genre, I was immediately enticed with Netflix’s surprise release of their new original series “Mindhunter,” on Oct. 13, 2017. It has been lauded as the streaming...

“Lady Bird” provides a tragicomic take on coming of age

“Lady Bird” provides a tragicomic take on coming of age

Agathe Fredette February 8, 2018

Has your mother ever made you want to forcefully jump out of a moving vehicle? Self-christened “Lady Bird” starts out the movie of her name by doing exactly this. The neon pink arm cast she earns from...

A fantastic space adventure awaits

A fantastic space adventure awaits

Adriana Eldred February 8, 2018

In this latest installment of the newest trilogy, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” directed by Rian Johnson, one can witness the oldest stars such as Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, alongside the newest...

“Dunkirk”: A truly human experience

Nellie Tamboe October 2, 2017

On July 21, the much-anticipated World War II movie “Dunkirk” was released. It told the story of the 1940 evacuation of 400,000 trapped Allied soldiers from the beach of Dunkirk, France, after the...

Wooden acting and dumb beards in a sad “King Arthur” knock-off

Avery Bliss April 14, 2017

I realize that, right now, Hollywood is currently in the phase where remaking movies is all the rage. Sometimes that works out and the audience gets a halfway decent movie, like the recent “Godzilla”...

Disney remake brings beauty and anachronism to the big screen

Disney remake brings beauty and anachronism to the big screen

Emily Mullaney April 14, 2017

“Beauty and the Beast” was extravagantly gorgeous, well written and performed well. Director Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn 1 and 2) struck a good balance between following the old story...

Throwing back to hairspray and classic rock in “Adventureland”

Throwing back to hairspray and classic rock in “Adventureland”

Avery Bliss March 23, 2017

Hey, do you like the ’80s? Teenage angst? Kristen Stewart trying her damnedest to make a normal human expression? Well then, “Adventureland,” featuring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, is...

Wolverine’s last ride

Wolverine’s last ride

Cayla Fronhofer March 23, 2017

Three years after his second solo film, Wolverine has returned to the big screen with his claws out and his taciturn demeanor fully intact. Following the enormous success of last year’s “Deadpool,”...

Bad accents and other misses

Bad accents and other misses

Avery Bliss March 9, 2017

Does anyone remember Val Kilmer at his prime, in movies like “Top Gun” or “Tombstone”? And then you watch him in his more recent works and he just looks tired and bloated? That’s what watching...

Batman in a Lego world

Batman in a Lego world

Cayla Fronhofer March 9, 2017

On the surface, the idea of making a movie using Lego versions of other intellectual property is pretty ridiculous. As it turns out, the reality of such a movie is still ridiculous, but in more of an amusing...

Nazi bratwursts and other stupidity

Nazi bratwursts and other stupidity

Avery Bliss February 16, 2017

I have seen the true face of the Devil, and it looks an awful lot like the poster for the movie “Yoga Hosers.” Coming from the mind of Kevin Smith, the director of “Clerks,” and “Jay and Silent...

“Maximum Ride” tramples childhoods

“Maximum Ride” tramples childhoods

Avery Bliss February 2, 2017

In the world of book-to-movie adaptations, there are only two possible ways that these movies can be made. They can either be mostly true to the source material, with only a few alterations or missing...

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