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The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
Bradley Hinkson

Bradley Hinkson, staff writer

Bradley Hinkson is an opinion beat writer for The State Hornet. Bradley is a film studies major who joined spring 2020 and focuses mostly on film and television reviews. He hopes to one day write film reviews professionally.
All content by Bradley Hinkson
BEST OF SAC STATE: Is “Soul” the best film of 2020?

BEST OF SAC STATE: Is “Soul” the best film of 2020?

New Pixar film hits right notes, but does little new
Bradley Hinkson
May 10, 2021

For this year’s Best of Sac State, Sacramento State students decided on “Soul” as the best film of 2020. 2020 was a strange year for film, with many delayed or stuck on streaming, but where do...

The titular Mitchell family from The Mitchells vs. The Machines. From left to right, Linda, voiced by Maya Rudolph, Katie, voiced by Abbi Jacobson, Aaron, voiced by Michael Rianda, Monchi, voiced by Doug the Pug, and Rick, voiced by Danny McBride. Photo courtesy of Netflix.

REVIEW: “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” is fittingly eccentric and heartfelt

The new animated film finds the right balance of being offbeat and emotional
Bradley Hinkson
May 5, 2021
‘The Mitchells vs. The Machines’ is a new animated film about the offbeat Mitchells family being humanity’s last hope of saving the world from a robot apocalypse, and opinion writer Bradley Hinkson discusses how the film is a delight for its animation and heart.
Anthony Hopkins in “The Father”. Hopkins won the Best Actor award at this year’s Oscars but his win left the ceremony on an odd note. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

OPINION: So… those Oscars, huh?

Hollywood’s biggest night left many perplexed by the end
Bradley Hinkson
April 26, 2021

It’s going to be hard to discuss the Oscars without going straight into the ending. To be honest, Anthony Hopkins’ Best Actor win for “The Father” isn’t too surprising or even undeserved....

The State Hornet’s 2021 March Madness picks for most binge-worthy TV shows. Categories were made up from streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and more. Graphic made in Canva.

STATE HORNET SPECIAL: Reacting to how you voted in State Hornet March Madness

Game of Thrones deserved better(?)
Thank you all for voting in last month’s State Hornet March Madness TV show event - now listen to arts & entertainment editor Nijzel Dotson and opinion editor Magaly Muñoz react to the results in today’s special edition of the State Hornet Podcast.
Evan Jonigkeit as Greg in 20th Century Studios’ THE EMPTY MAN. Photo by Ilze Kitshoff. © 2020 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

OPINION: It’s time to join the hive of ‘The Empty Man’

A new cult classic is already here
Bradley Hinkson
April 15, 2021
‘The Empty Man’ was released late last year and was met with a disastrous release. Though with it now being more readily available, the film has started to gain a cult audience online and opinion writer Bradley Hinkson is here to discuss why it deserves it.
Graphic made in Canva

STATE HORNET BUZZED: Childhood movies – best, worst and underrated

Podcast staffer Rose Vega is joined by copy editor Jordan Parker, broadcast staffer Garry Singh and film writer Bradley Hinkson to discuss their favorite childhood movies, as well as which ones might just be over or underrated.
From left to right, Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa, Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot, and Cyborg, played by Ray Fisher, team up in director Zack Snyders cut of Justice League. It’s not just the stronger development that brings a lot of emotion in the Snyder Cut, it’s also the way the film explores the idea of finding hope through unity. Photo courtesy of HBO Max.

REVIEW: Yes, ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ rules

Turns out the Snyder Cut wait was worth it
Bradley Hinkson
March 22, 2021
The infamous ‘Snyder Cut’ that has been the talk of the internet for years has finally arrived. Opinion writer Bradley Hinkson discusses the new version of “Justice League” and how it stands as its own strong piece of superhero entertainment.
In celebration of Womens History Month, opinion writer Bradley Hinkson shares his favorite actress performances. Graphic made in Canva.

OPINION: Some of the best actress performances of all time

Celebrate Women’s History Month with these timeless performances
Bradley Hinkson
March 17, 2021
For Women’s History Month, opinion writer Bradley Hinkson lists some of the best performances women have given in film, from Gena Rowlands in “A Woman Under the Influence” to Catherine Deneuve in “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.”
Steven Yuen in Minari. Minari has 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Yuen. Photo courtesy of A24.

OPINION: Let’s talk about the 2021 Oscar nominations

Bradley Hinkson
March 15, 2021
The Oscar nominations are here and opinion writer Bradley Hinkson takes a look at some of the major ones and discusses who has the best chance of taking home the gold. Who was snubbed? What were some of the surprises?
A photo of a golden Grammy Statuette, given to recipients of awards from the Recording Academy. (Photo by Thomas Hawk/CC BY-NC 2.0.)

REVIEW: Some of the best songs nominated at the 2021 Grammys

The State Hornet’s A&E and Opinion sections teamed up to bring you a playlist of our favorite songs from the 2021 Grammys Awards Show.
Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany play Wanda Maximoff and Vision respectively in the new Disney+ series, “WandaVision.” The show replaced “Black Widow in being the first installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four after the pandemic delayed its May 2020 release. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

DUO REVIEW: ‘WandaVision’ is wickedly entertaining, but ultimately underwhelming

No more, 'Please Stand By'
Bradley Hinkson and Estefany Nuñez
March 6, 2021
Have you watched the season finale of “WandaVision”? Read two reviews from different perspectives: an MCU fan and a film critic break down the superhero sitcom, the first Disney+ series to debut on the streaming service.
Frances McDormand plays Fern, a woman who has recently lost her job and home in the recession and starts to live as a nomad, in Chloé Zhaos Nomadland. Nomadland took the major prize of Best Picture - Drama at the 2021 Golden Globes Awards. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

OPINION: How deserving were the 2021 Golden Globe Award winners?

Bradley Hinkson
March 1, 2021
The Golden Globe Awards have kicked off the awards season, and opinion writer Bradley Hinkson discusses the ceremony itself, awkward celeb breakout rooms and who won the awards and if they were deserving of them.
The Sinclair family from the series Dinosaurs. From left to right, Charlene, Fran, Baby, Ethyl, Earl, and Robbie. The series focuses on the prehistoric family of the Sinclairs who on many occasions deal with many contemporary issues. Photo Courtesy of ABC.

OPINION: How ‘Dinosaurs’ stays relevant 30 years later

The prehistoric sitcom will always feel modern
Bradley Hinkson
February 24, 2021
Nearing the 30th anniversary of when it first premiered, opinion writer Bradley Hinkson discusses the classic sitcom “Dinosaurs” and the ways that the show stays relevant and will always be modern.
Nicole Beharie in Miss Juneteenth directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples. For Black History Month, opinion writer Bradley Hinkson has created a small list of Black directed films that he believes more people should be going out of their way to watch. Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment.

OPINION: Films by Black directors that deserve to be seen

Celebrate Black History Month with these wide array of films
Bradley Hinkson
February 15, 2021
For Black History Month, opinion writer Bradley Hinkson has created a small list of Black directed films that he believes more people should be going out of their way to watch.
The Sundance Film Festival went virtual this year which made it more accessible to check out a variety of films. Photo by Travis Wise / CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/94599716@N06/18118961764

OPINION: 2021 Sundance Film Festival films to be on the lookout for

Keep an eye out for these wide variety of films
Bradley Hinkson
February 5, 2021
Another Sundance Film Festival has come and gone with many films premiering and opinion writer Bradley Hinkson is here to list a few films that people need to be keeping an eye out for.
Frances McDormand stars in Nomadland, one of the films Bradley Hinkson lists as the best of the year. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

OPINION: Best films of 2020

Counting down the bright spots of this crazy year
Bradley Hinkson
December 14, 2020
2020 has been a crazy year for everyone, so thankfully there were a ton of great films to at least make it tolerable for us all. From films like “Nomadland” and “Sound of Metal,” Bradley Hinkson lists the films that felt like bright spots in this unprecedented year.
John Wilson from the HBO show How To With John Wilson, which premiered Oct. 23, 2020. This series has come along to remind us of a time before the pandemic — not just of the way we could traverse outside, but when we could connect emotionally with people, writes Bradley Hinkson. Photo courtesy of HBO.

REVIEW: ‘How To With John Wilson’ is the best show of the year you aren’t watching

HBO delivers one of its best new series
Bradley Hinkson
December 8, 2020
The new HBO series “How To With John Wilson” follows this filmmaker around New York as he tries to find solutions to life’s little problems. Opinion writer Bradley Hinkson discusses how this surprisingly profound and human series is the best of the year.
Kathryn Newton as Millie in Christopher Landons Freaky, released Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures.

REVIEW: ‘Freaky’ is a blast of body-swapping goodness

Director Christopher Landon puts a fun horror twist on ‘Freaky Friday’
Bradley Hinkson
November 18, 2020
Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn star in the new body-swapping horror comedy “Freaky,” which is an absolute blast and finds the perfect balance between horror and comedy.
REVIEW: ‘Halloween III: Season of the Witch” is perfect Halloween viewing

REVIEW: ‘Halloween III: Season of the Witch” is perfect Halloween viewing

Bundle up this Halloween with this reevaluated cult classic
Bradley Hinkson
October 31, 2020
For the final recommendation of the Halloween season, Bradley Hinkson takes a look at “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” which he finds to be a perfect watch on the holiday itself.
Bradley Hinkson says that the 1987 film Prince of Darkness is one of John Carpenters best and scariest works. Brick wall by Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine is marked with CC0 1.0.
Tara Gnewikow

REVIEW: ‘Prince of Darkness’ is a masterpiece of horror

The ‘80s cult classic is John Carpenter’s most underrated film
Bradley Hinkson
October 23, 2020
Continuing his Halloween review series, Bradley Hinkson discusses “Prince of Darkness,” which he sees as one of the absolute best from horror legend John Carpenter, and also one of the scariest films of all time.
PODCAST: New details on former ASI president’s resignation, Sac State opts out of spring football

PODCAST: New details on former ASI president’s resignation, Sac State opts out of spring football

Madeleine Beck, Camryn Dadey, Bradley Hinkson, and Robbie Pierce
October 19, 2020

This week on The State Hornet Podcast, podcast editor Robbie Pierce and managing editor Madeleine Beck are joined by staffer Camryn Dadey to discuss new information regarding former ASI President Christian...

Simpsons Treehouse of Horror by IronHide is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

REVIEW: The 5 best ‘Treehouse of Horror’ segments from ‘The Simpsons’

The top horror stories from the town of Springfield
Bradley Hinkson
October 15, 2020
In this week’s recommendation, opinion writer Bradley Hinkson takes a different route and lists some of his favorite segments from the Halloween specials done by “The Simpsons.”
Amelie Bea Smith as Flora, Victoria Pedretti as Dani and Amelia Eve as Jamie in The Haunting of Bly Manor. Eike Schroter/Netflix

REVIEW: ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ is more romantic than scary, and that’s OK

Bradley Hinkson
October 14, 2020
The followup to the 2018 “The Haunting of Hill House” Netflix series, “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” is here and Bradley Hinkson discusses how the show takes a gothic romance route to deliver an emotional story that is focused on love rather than fear.
Winslow Leach (William Finley) dawns his disguise as the titular Phantom of the Paradise. Phantom of the Paradise by Pink Cow Photography is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

REVIEW: ‘Phantom of the Paradise’ is the horror rock musical you need now

The cult classic blends the aesthetics of horror and 70s rock
Bradley Hinkson
October 8, 2020
In this week’s recommendation, Bradley Hinkson talks about the cult classic “Phantom of the Paradise,” a film that uses horror, camp and 70s rock to mock and satirize the music industry.
Graphic made in Canva by Rahul Lal.

REVIEW: ‘The ‘Burbs’ is a delightful dark comedy

The ‘80s cult classic jabs at American suburban life
Bradley Hinkson
October 1, 2020
Tom Hanks has to deal with some neighbors from hell in the 1989 cult classic “The ‘Burbs.” Opinion writer Bradley Hinkson discusses the film’s unique tone and jab at suburbia in his continuation of film recommendations for the spooky season.
Five friends start a normal Skype call that turns into a fight for their lives in Unfriended. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures.

REVIEW: Halloween Horror Recommendations: The ‘Unfriended’ movies are good, actually

The horror series shows us our tech fears through our own computer screens
Bradley Hinkson
September 24, 2020

With Halloween quickly approaching, why not spend that time recommending some horror films to get everyone in the mood for the spooky season? There’s a genuine fear of what we put out on the internet....

Graphic made in Canva by Rahul Lal.

REVIEW: Halloween Horror Recommendations: ‘Lake Mungo’

The Australian faux documentary finds the eeriness in grief
Bradley Hinkson
September 17, 2020

With Halloween quickly approaching, why not spend that time recommending some horror films to get everyone in the mood for the spooky season? Have you ever seen a photo of a supposed ghost and wanted...

John David Washington stars in the new anticipated film Tenet from Christopher Nolan. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

REVIEW: Don’t try to understand ‘Tenet’ — just feel it

The new Christopher Nolan film is him at his most dense and complex
Bradley Hinkson
September 10, 2020

Early on in “Tenet” when the character known only as “The Protagonist,” played by John David Washington, is first given information about “inverted” materials brought from the future, he is...

The Young Woman, played by Jessie Buckley, must endure an uncomfortable dinner with her boyfriend Jake, played by Jesse Plemons, and his parents, played by Toni Collette and David Thewlis. Photo courtesy of Netflix.

REVIEW: Memory, identity and interpretation in ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’

New Netflix film by Charlie Kaufman is another surrealist dive into our own psyches
Bradley Hinkson
September 9, 2020

Charlie Kaufman's new film “I'm Thinking of Ending Things” will make you question everything you see. Throughout the film the main protagonist, perfectly played by Jessie Buckley, is constantly...

Graphic made using Canva, Picrew

BROOKE’S UHLENBOPS S1E10: What’s your favorite song?

This week on Brooke’s UhlenBops, host Brooke Uhlenhop has put together a special episode featuring State Hornet staff members: Nijzel Dotson, Bradley Hinkson, Kayla Brown and Shiavon Chatman discussing...

BEST UNDERRATED MOVIE: Moonlight

BEST UNDERRATED MOVIE: “Moonlight”

‘Moonlight’ is not on this list
Bradley Hinkson
May 4, 2020

Sacramento State students voted “Moonlight” as the Best Underrated Movie in The State Hornet’s annual Best Of Sac State survey.  This surprised me. When was “Moonlight” considered underrated? I...

Graphic by Bradley Hinkson. Bad Education photo courtesy of HBO Films.

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: ‘Bad Education’ is already one of the year’s best films

Hugh Jackman stars in the true story about money embezzlement in a school
Bradley Hinkson
April 30, 2020

Every week, I’ll be recommending a film or television show currently available on certain streaming websites. New or old, it does not matter. I’ll recommend anything that I feel should be seen by many...

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: ‘Cursed Films’ delves into the strange world of cursed film sets

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: ‘Cursed Films’ delves into the strange world of cursed film sets

Films like ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘Poltergeist’ are covered in the documentary series
Bradley Hinkson
April 22, 2020

Every week, I’ll be recommending a film or television show currently available on certain streaming websites. New or old, it does not matter. I’ll recommend anything that I feel should be seen by many...

Graphic by Bradley Hinkson. Parasite photo courtesy of Neon.

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: It’s about time you watched Bong Joon-ho’s movies

Many films of this Oscar-winning director available to stream at home
Bradley Hinkson
April 17, 2020

Every week, I’ll be recommending a film or television show currently available on certain streaming websites. New or old, it does not matter. I’ll recommend anything that I feel should be seen by many...

OPINION: Quibi is a unique but messy take on streaming services

OPINION: Quibi is a unique but messy take on streaming services

New streaming app provides short-form television on your phone
Bradley Hinkson
April 13, 2020

When I talk about Quibi, it almost sounds like I’m describing a parody app. It’s a streaming service where television episodes are no more than 10 minutes long and you can only watch them on your...

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ is one of the most underrated shows

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ is one of the most underrated shows

Bradley Hinkson
April 8, 2020

Every week, I’ll be recommending a film or television show currently available on certain streaming websites. New or old, it does not matter. I’ll recommend anything that I feel should be seen by many...

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: ‘Crip Camp’ is a look inside disabled community

STREAMING PICK OF THE WEEK: ‘Crip Camp’ is a look inside disabled community

The new Netflix documentary puts a spotlight on disability rights movement
Bradley Hinkson
April 2, 2020

Every week, I’ll be recommending a film or television show currently available on certain streaming websites. New or old, it does not matter. I’ll recommend anything that I feel should be seen by many...

Graphic by Bradley Hinkson

OPINION: My current favorite female directors

Bradley Hinkson
March 27, 2020

Our news feeds for the entire month of March have been bombarded with constant updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s all anyone is talking about, which has swept any celebration of Women’s History...

With many students stuck in quarantine, opinion writer Bradley Hinkson offers his top choices for movies to watch while stuck at home.

OPINION: Films to watch while stuck at home

Sometimes it's good to let your mind rest
Bradley Hinkson
March 14, 2020

So, it looks like most of us are going to be stuck home for awhile.  Sacramento State has decided to move all classes online for the rest of the semester in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus....

In The Invisible Man, Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) must fight off her abusive ex that she unfortunately cant see. Opinion writer Bradley Hinkson writes that the film revamps an old monster for modern times. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures.

REVIEW: ‘The Invisible Man’ finds terror out of what you don’t see

The horror film brings the classic movie monster into reality
Bradley Hinkson
March 9, 2020

In the last decade, Universal had three attempts to revamp their classic monsters in 2010’s “The Wolfman,” 2014’s “Dracula Untold,” and 2017’s “The Mummy” and each one failed. But...

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey. The film marks the second time Robbie has portrayed the character after 2016s Suicide Squad. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

REVIEW: ‘Birds of Prey’ is a high-energy delight of female empowerment

Margot Robbie shines in new comic book adaptation that finally lets the female characters have some anarchic fun.
Bradley Hinkson
February 24, 2020

At this point, it feels like every other week we’ve got a new comic book film coming out and it can get exhausting after a while.  So you have to give a lot of credit to “Birds Of Prey” for being...

OPINION: Is Joker as smart as it thinks it is?

OPINION: Is ‘Joker’ as smart as it thinks it is?

The dark comic book adaptation seems to think it’s saying more than it actually is
Bradley Hinkson
February 9, 2020

At the beginning of “Joker,” Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, forces a smile as a single tear falls down his face and in this moment, the whole film encapsulates its theme and meaning. It...

This year marks the 92nd Academy Awards and many actors are in competition to win the coveted golden statue. This year there are some who unfortunately dont have the chance to win, and a lack of diversity among the nominees. Graphic by Kelly Kiernan.

OPINION: The most underappreciated performances left out of the Oscars

A gambling addicted jeweler, a doppelganger and a punk rock addict lead a list of performances ignored by this year’s Oscars.
Bradley Hinkson
February 5, 2020

As with every other year, the nominations for the Oscars leave a lot to be desired. Many films and performances that deserved more recognition didn’t make the final cut. One of the most disappointing...

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