Usually when you hear the word trilogy in the film world you think about summer blockbusters with massive explosions, aliens or machines destroying earth and morons with enhanced muscles quickly driving expensive cars, but somehow Richard Linklater’s wonderfully touching Before series (Before sunrise, Before Sunset & Before Midnight) has found a way to slip though the cracks.

Just like what he did with the first two films, Linklater brings us back into lesse & Celine’s evolving love story an astonishing nine years after the last chapter.     1    . And Linklater himself also quickly answers the question to those in the audience wondering if there is still a story left to tell.

As is the case with the first two films, Before Midnight feels incredibly real.     2    . The three have found a way to write dialogue that is related to every human on the planet. the script is hilarious, but dramatically turns on a dime all while continuing to break the normal rules of Hollywood by being a “talkie” with extremely long scenes and minimal camera angles. Most filmmakers couldn’t even dream of accomplishing what Linklater and the two actors have perfected for the third straight time.

Hawke and Delpy are brilliant and a revelation to watch. They embody Jesse & Celine with a realistic persona not found in many other films today. Whether it’s because the two actors helped write their story, or if they’ve just lived inside these characters for so long is hard to say.     3    .

By showcasing the flaws we all have, Before Midnight isn’t always easy to watch, but its pure honesty makes it one of the best movies to date.     4     . But loyal fans of Jesse & Celine are sure to be pleased by this latest chapter and cannot wait to see what happens in the next 9 years.

【推荐3】Once again DC Comics and Warner Bros. have divided fans and critics over their latest superhero film.

There had been worrying news about Justice League in the months before its release, with a lot of reshoots of scenes, a new director being brought in to finish the film after original director Zack Snyder’s tragic loss of his daughter and, of course, a lot of talk about Ben Affleck’s future in the role of Batman.

Some people are saying that Justice League is another big disappointment, that it could have been incredible and instead fails to really entertain. Others say that Warner Bros. have finally got it right and that the future for the League looks bright.

My opinion lies somewhere in the middle. The film was by no means a disappointment: it was exciting, funny and a lot of fun to watch. There’s something special about watching the heroes from your childhood brought to life on the big screen and maybe that is affecting my opinion.

However, I will say that a lot of work needs to be done if the producer wants to make a great success. Although the film was good, it was obvious which scenes had been reshot and how the characters had been changed. I also have to mention the several scenes in which the special effects were very badly done; these are the kinds of problems that you don’t expect to see in a film with such a big budget.

Another point to add is that it is good to see the producer making Superman slightly a brighter character and adding some jokes to the plot to keep things fun. But the producer must be careful not to make the mistake that another film producer—here, not mentioning the name—is coming very close to doing: turning all of the films into bright and colorful shows and losing a lot of seriously good stories.

In the end, Justice League is not a perfect film but it is definitely not a terrible one. A lot of work is still to be done but I hope that DC does not completely lose its darker side.

【推荐2】I experienced years of loneliness as a child.     1     His friends teased him about babysitting his sister and his interests were far different from mine. With no other kids of my age in the neighborhood, I had to spend hours by myself.

A bright spot for me turned out to be reading. My love of the written word began early as my mother read to me every evening.     2     I started reading books on my own before age 5 and my mother took me to the public library once a week to borrow several books. I quickly graduated from typical children’s books to ones with fewer pictures and longer chapters. Reading opened new worlds to me.     3    

My mother also encouraged me to make what I wanted. I tried making toy cars with cardboard boxes and constructing buildings from leftover cardboard and bits of wood my father gave me. When my mother saw my creations, she told me how creative my designs were.     4     I learned a lot about how to extend the life of objects and transform them into something new and useful. It was a trait(特点) others found helpful, and I soon had friends who wanted to make things with me.

    5    My parents made it a point for their two kids to spend time outside, no matter the weather or season. My brother, of course, raced off to be with his friends, while I had plenty to do myself. There was making leaf houses in autumn, ice skating in winter, and so much more. They’re all memories I treasure today.

【推荐3】On the outside, 12-year-old Luna seems like your average kid. It’s not until you get to know her that you learn that Luna is anything but average.

Born with a heart defect (缺陷) called dextrocardia, Luna has had three open-heart operations and continues to go for her interests in art and fashion. But when Luna was approached by athletic shoe company Saucony to design a shoe for sale across the country, it came as quite a surprise.

“This is so incredible. I got to use my art and creativity for something new that I’d never thought I’d be able to design,” Luna said. She is one of six patients from Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) who have partnered with Saucony to design their own shoes to launch the Shoes with Soul Movement.

“Rather than just a donation, we wanted to create an experience and a moment that would not only raise money, but also awareness to highlight all the amazing work that’s being done at BCH,” says Chris, Saucony’s vice president. “Specifically, we wanted to give some of the BCH kids an opportunity to share their story and their talents with the world.”

Luna’s design is fashion. “On the tongue, they digitalized one of my drawings, and then on bottom it’s a really bright pink color, and on the inside, the sole (鞋底) of the shoe is actually another drawing I did of a sunset,” she said. “Thinking about kids everywhere around the world wearing my shoes is amazing. It blows my mind.”

The income from the shoe sales will benefit the Boston Children’s Hospital Cardiac Fitness Program, which encourages kids to “find your possible” through personalized exercise programs designed for each individual patient’s heart condition.

“It feels really good to help people and it’s really something I can relate to,” says Luna. “The advice I would give a kid or someone like me is never to give up. There are a lot of kids out there with your condition and you’re not alone.”