Reasons why cleveland rocks

That ache in our heart and the deep pit in our stomach means there was something there to fill those vacant voids. The empty spaces were just simply whole. We're all so afraid of change. Change in our love life or our families, change in our friendships and daily routines. One day we will remember that losing someone isn't about learning how to live without them, but to know their presence, and to carry what they left us behind.

For everything we've deeply loved, we cannot lose. They become a part of us. We adapt to the way they talk, we make them a part of our Instagram passwords, we remember when they told us to cook chicken for 20 minutes instead of We as humans are so lucky to meet so many people that will one day leave us.

We are so lucky to have the ability and courage to suffer, to grieve, and to wish for a better ending. For that only means, we were lucky enough to love. When Sony announced that Venom would be getting a stand-alone movie, outside of the Tom Holland MCU Spider-Man films, and intended to start its own separate shared universe of films, the reactions were generally not that kind.

Even if Tom Hardy was going to take on the role, why would you take Venom, so intrinsically connected to Spider-Man's comic book roots, and remove all of that for cheap action spectacle? Needless to say I wound up hopping on the "lets bash 'Venom'" train.

While I appreciated how much fun Tom Hardy was having and the visual approach to the symbiotes, I couldn't get behind the film's tone or story, both of which felt like relics of a bygone era of comic book storytelling that sacrificed actual pathos for that aforementioned cheap spectacle.

But apparently that critical consensus was in the minority because audiences ate the film up. On top of that, Ruben Fleischer would step out of the director's chair in place of Andy Serkis, the visual effects legend behind characters like 'The Lord of the Rings' Gollum and 'Planet of the Apes' Caesar, and a pretty decent director in his own right. Now with a year-long pandemic delay behind it, 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' is finally here, did it change my jaded little mind about the character's big-screen worth?

Surprisingly, it kind of did. I won't pretend that I loved it by any stretch, but while 'Let There Be Carnage' still features some of its predecessor's shortcomings, there's also a tightness, consistency and self-awareness that's more prevalent this time around; in other words, it's significantly more fun!

A year after the events of the first film, Eddie Brock played by Tom Hardy is struggling with sharing a body with the alien symbiote, Venom also voiced by Hardy. Things change when Eddie is contacted by Detective Pat Mulligan played by Stephen Graham , who says that the serial killer Cletus Kasady will talk only with Eddie regarding his string of murders.

His interview with Kasady played by Woody Harrelson leads to Eddie uncovering the killer's victims and confirming Kasady's execution. During their final meeting, Kasady bites Eddie, imprinting part of Venom onto Kasady. When Kasady is executed, the new symbiote awakens, merging with Kasady into a bloody, far more violent incarnation known as Carnage. It's up to Eddie and Venom to put aside their differences to stop Carnage's rampage, as well as Frances Barrison played by Naomi Harris , Kasady's longtime girlfriend whose sonic scream abilities pose a threat to both Venom and Carnage.

So what made me completely switch gears this time around? There's a couple reasons, but first and foremost is the pacing. Serkis and screenwriter Kelly Marcel know exactly where to take the story and how to frame both Eddie and Venom's journeys against the looming threat of Carnage.

Even when the film is going for pure, outrageous humor, it never forgets the qualms between Eddie and Venom should be at the center beyond the obvious comic book-y exhibitions.

If you were a fan of Eddie's anxious sense of loss, or the back-and-forth between he and the overly eccentric Venom, you are going to love this movie.

Hardy has a great grasp on what buttons to push for both, especially Venom, who has to spend a chunk of the movie contending with losing Eddie altogether and find their own unique purpose among other things, what is essentially Venom's "coming out" moment that actually finds some weight in all the jokes.

Then there's Harrelson as Carnage and he absolutely delivers! Absolutely taking a few cues from Heath Ledger's Joker, Harrelson is leaning just enough into campy territory to be charismatic, but never letting us forget the absolutely shattered malicious mind controlling the spaghetti wrap of CGI. Serkis' directing itself deserves some praise too. I can't necessarily pinpoint his style, but like his approach on 'Mowgli,' he has a great eye for detail in both character aesthetics and worldbuilding.

That goes from the symbiotes' movements and action bits to bigger things like lighting in a church sequence or just making San Francisco feel more alive in the process. As far as downsides go, what you see is basically what you get.

While I was certainly on that train more here, I also couldn't help but hope for more on the emotional side of things. Yes, seeing the two be vulnerable with one another is important to their arcs and the comedy infusions work more often than not, but it also presents a double-edged sword of that quick runtime, sacrificing time for smaller moments for bigger, more outrageous ones.

In addition, while Hardy and Harrelson are electric together, I also found a lot of the supporting characters disappointing to a degree. Mulligan has a few neat moments, but not enough to go beyond the tough cop archetype. The only one who almost makes it work is Naomi Harris, who actually has great chemistry with Harrelson until the movie has to do something else with her.

It's those other characters that make the non-Venom, non-Carnage moments stall significantly and I wish there was more to them. I wouldn't go so far as to have complete faith in this approach to Sony's characters moving forward — Venom or whatever larger plans are in the works — but I could safely recommend this whatever side of the film spectrum you land on.

This kind of fun genre content is sorely needed and I'm happy I had as good of a time as I did. The sequel to the reboot is an enjoyable, but unremarkable start to the Halloween movie season. There's a reason why the Addams Family have become icons of the American cartoon pantheon although having one of the catchiest theme songs in television history doesn't hinder them. The family of creepy but loveable archetypes have been featured across generations, between the aforementioned show, the duo of Barry Levinson films in the '90s and, most recently, MGM's animated reboot in That project got a mostly mixed reception and, while I'd count me as part of that group, I thought there was more merit to it than I expected.

The characters and animation designs felt kind of unique, and when it surpassed whatever mundane story the writers had in mind to be more macabre, it could be kind of fun.

This is to say my reaction wasn't entirely negative when the sequel was announced, as well as just forgetting about it until I got the screening invitation. With that semblance of optimism in mind, does 'The Addams Family 2' improve on the first film's strengths?

Unfortunately, not really. There's fun to be had and the film clearly has reverence for its roots, but between the inconsistent humor and lackluster story beats, what we're left with feels just a bit too unexceptional to recommend. Some time after the events of the first film, Wednesday Addams voiced by Chloe Grace Moretz has made an incredible discovery: a way to transfer personality traits from one living being to another. While she looks to grand ambitions for her education, her parents, Gomez and Morticia voiced by Oscar Isaac and Charlize Theron respectively believe they are losing her and her brother, Pugsley voiced by Javon Walton , as they get older.

The solution: a family road trip cross country alongside their Uncle Fester voiced by Nick Kroll and butler Lurch voiced by Conrad Vernon visiting all the great destinations of the United States. Along the way, a subplot begins to unfold with Rupert voiced by Wallace Shawn , a custody lawyer seemingly convinced that Wednesday is not Gomez and Morticia's biological daughter, and the enigmatic scientist, Cyrus Strange voiced by Bill Hader , who takes an interest in Wednesday's potentially terrifying work.

With the exception of Javon Walton replacing Finn Wolfhard, the voice cast returns for the sequel and they're mostly capable here. Oscar Isaac and Charlize Theron embody a lot of Gomez and Morticia's obsessively sincere dynamic it legitimately makes me think they'd be good in live-action and Nick Kroll delivers a bounty of one-liners that are sure to get a laugh here and there.

But the real focus is on Wednesday, who very quickly becomes the center of the film's narrative and it's where I become the most conflicted.

The choice to tease Wednesday's "true" connections to the other Addams is admittedly intriguing, especially for how eclectic their backstories are and the film's choice to frame those questions around Wednesday and Morticia's estranged bond.

It's not a lot, but there is some subtext about how children can potentially view the adoption process and how parents choose to frame their relationships with their children. The animation isn't particularly great, but like the first film, I admire how the character designs all feel uniquely bizarre, again ripped right out of Charles Addams original comic strips and getting moments to be themselves.

In addition, while the humor is completely inconsistent, I counted at least half a dozen jokes I cracked up at, most of them leaning into the morbid side of the Addams' personalities and one weirdly placed joke at a gas station don't ask, I can't explain it. Getting back to that original Wednesday narrative though, I found myself getting increasingly bored by it as the movie went on.

For as cliched as the movie's story was, it at least felt like an Addams Family movie, with stakes that consistently affected the entire family.

But between Wednesday's forays into Captain Kirk-esque monologues, Fester's subplot with the fallout from Wednesday's experiment, and occasionally shifting back to the house under the protection of Grandmama voiced by Bette Midler , the movie feels incredibly disjointed.

When the film does finally line up its story after over an hour of setup, it feels too little too late, all in the service of a big obligatory action sequence that is supposed to act as the emotional climax and falls completely flat.

It's not that a minute movie can't support these characters, but rather that it chooses to take them away from situational, self-aware comedy moments to make it feel more important.

We love the Addams because they're weird, they don't quite fit in, but they're so sincere and loving that you can't help but get attached to them and the film loses interest in that appeal relatively quickly. There's a joke where Thing is trying to stay awake and has a cup of coffee in the camper.

It's the most disturbing part of the movie, I haven't stopped thinking about it, and now that image is in your head too, you're welcome. Like its predecessor, I'm probably being way too kind to it considering how utterly unimpressive it can feel, grinding to a halt to make its stakes more theatrical on several occasions.

That being said, I can't deny the characters are fun when they get the chance to be, there are some decent jokes, and for a potential Halloween watch, it's a family movie on several levels. Its always nice to see the Addams pop up on the big screen in whatever capacity they might, but my enjoyment of this movie comes with an abundance of unnecessary caveats.

Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society 2. Optimism, Clevelanders, optimism. Scorpions, cobras, lions, tarantulas, alligators, gorillas, sharks. Northeast Ohio is home to none of these deadly wildlife creatures. Living in Northeast Ohio allows us to experience the best of what God has offered mother nature — the four seasons!

But we do enjoy four wonderful yet completely different seasons and the changing landscapes brings excitement throughout the year. I look forward to the upcoming season. Or Halloween without the changing leaves? I am always thankful when I see disaster after natural disaster reported on the news. So bring it on, snow. Being a Cleveland fan is not for the faint of heart.

It takes dedication to be a life-long Cleveland fan. But you better believe we have loyalty, guts and pride like no other city in the nation.

Yes, I know Lake Erie is not the ocean. From local wineries, Cedar Point and jet skiing to the Lake Erie Islands, metroparks and our local beaches, Lake Erie is a great back-drop for vacation-like activities throughout our summer days.

With Cleveland positioned right on the lake, it is a symbol of our great city and something to take advantage and be proud of. Our county fairs remind us the country lifestyle if alive and thriving. Yet a minute drive puts us downtown to a bustling community of museums, arts, festivals, theater productions and concerts. Whatever lifestyle you choose to live — country, bohemian, cabin, Amish, urban, suburbia, house boat — there is a place for you here.

In , the heavily polluted Cuyahoga River running through downtown Cleveland caught fire and Time Magazine published a photo of the flames engulfing a ship. This was followed by a major economic recession in the s and s. The factories closed, unemployment rates soared and there was a mass exodus of residents to the suburbs. But a lot can happen in 30 years. The river has been cleaned up and the economy is slowly recovering.

I pictured a drab place littered with the crumbling remains of factories and devoid of big-city culture. But my recent visit to Cleveland proved me wrong. Without further ado, here are seven reasons why Cleveland rocks.

I was surprised to see how much Cleveland and its people have invested in education and the arts. Anchored by Case Western Reserve University and its Hospital, University Circle is a vibrant cultural district packed with museums, restaurants and beautiful parks. Best of all, the neighborhood is easily walkable. Initially not expecting that much and with the threat of rain, I left my new DSLR camera at home and regretted the decision as soon as I got out of the car. Of the U. I was blown away to find here one of the two surviving 14th century curtains from the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain!

I could have happily spent all day exploring this vast — and FREE — treasure trove! Every year, legends of rock history are inducted into the Hall of Fame as a way of honoring their musical contributions. Artists become eligible 25 years after the release of their first album and must have made a significant impact in the evolution of rock and roll. In , I. I personally enjoyed my visit to the museum, although I know others who were disappointed.