The Ithacan

Director Zack Snyder’s latest extravaganza, “Sucker Punch,” is an experiment in visual overindulgence gone wrong.

From fast-food chains to celebrity tweets and the clothes people wear, iconography is everywhere. Undergraduates of Cornell University’s History of Art Majors’ Society did an adequate job selecting the works featured in “iCON: Consuming the American Image,” an exhibit depicting the heavy influence of icons in everyday life.

Back in 1995, Nicolas Cage won an Oscar for his lead role in “Leaving Las Vegas,” but lately he has accepted far less noteworthy parts in flops such as this year’s “Season of the Witch.” However, the clichéd “Drive Angry 3-D” is an oddly fulfilling movie showcasing a reinvigorated and refocused Cage.

Opera had only been around for 10 years when Claudio Monteverdi debuted “L’Orfeo” to an Italian audience in 1607. As one of the earliest opera’s still performed today, Ithaca College’s goal was to make this centuries old classic appeal to a modern audience. With the combined talents of theater and music students, the college gave…

All of the drama, love and despair of the Orpheus myth return to Ithaca College for a third time. After staging “Euridice” in 2009 and “Metamorphoses” in 2008, the theater department takes on the Italian opera “L’Orfeo” by Claudius Monteverdi, another retelling of the tale.

Truly terrifying movies rarely grace the big screen these days because of over-cooked turkeys like “The Rite.”

The looming question of “What can go wrong while diving in caves?” echoes throughout the spooky underground adventure of the 3-D saga “Sanctum.” Whether it’s getting lost in uncharted territory or growing paranoid after countless wrong turns, the largely unknown cast of “Sanctum” begs the question: Is the expedition worth the pain?

After starring in 2002’s “The Transporter,” Jason Statham has earned a “tough guy” reputation. But in “The Mechanic,” Statham proves he is more than a one-trick pony in his dramatic performance as Arthur Bishop, a hit man who lives to kill.

Actor Matt Damon goes back to his roots as a dramatic actor in the restrained film “Hereafter.” Despite the film being billed as “Inception” with a psychic, “Hereafter” turns out more dull than thrilling.

While “The Social Network” won wide acclaim for its dramatized story of how Facebook was invented, the gripping documentary “Catfish” shows the ups and downs of being logged in — and tuned out. It delivers an important message to a society that relies heavily on online interaction.

While heist movies such as “Ocean’s Eleven” feature unrealistic story lines and over-the-top acting, Ben Affleck’s “The Town” is all business. Themes of loss, disappointment and dissatisfaction are combined with solid performances to create a stunning, emotionally charged film.

“The American” is a brilliantly dark and brooding film that breathes life into an otherwise forgetful slate of recent releases. Director Anton Corbijn helms the picture with his patient, methodical directing style, fusing plenty of burning passion with sparse action.