By Danielle Cherry and the A&E writers\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Everyone loves a good award. As the Oscars approach and TV-shows and movies get their chance to win recognition, Arts and Entertainment at Cedars was excited to highlight the top movies we reviewed this season.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n While the categories we walked through are less drastic than the Oscars, our take was both fun and only slightly biased. Arts and Entertainment covers a wide variety of shows and movies \u2013 ranging from some of the worst films conceived by man, all the way to award-winning cult classics.\u00a0<\/p>\n To start this diverse list, let\u2019s begin with the TV shows.\u00a0<\/p>\n Action<\/strong><\/p>\n Action punches viewers in the face, sometimes literally \u2013 which is exactly what \u201cMarvel Zombies<\/a>\u201d does, throwing everyone directly into the mix of every fight. With its gruesome choreography and thrilling animation, \u201cMarvel Zombies\u201d tops the charts in both character development and tension.\u00a0<\/p>\n Without a dull moment, Marvel fans watch their favorite characters pair up in unexpected ways, adding lore to an already fandom-filled world. In classic Marvel style, \u201cMarvel Zombies takes number one for the Action category.\u00a0<\/p>\n Science Fiction<\/strong><\/p>\n This year brought stranger things to our screens than Demigorgons and Vecna. With Sci-Fi shows on the rise, it\u2019s only right to let John Hiett tackle what really goes into deciphering a winner in this category.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c\u201dPlurbius<\/a>\u201d deserves to be the winner in the sci-fi category because of its unique twist on the apocalyptic concept and virus outbreak, while focusing on one single character,\u201d Hiett said. \u201cThis selling point makes \u201cPlurbius\u201d captivating, standing out among other shows.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe entire show follows Carol, as she navigates a world where she\u2019s alone as everyone has been converted into a hivemind from the virus,\u201d Hiett said. \u201cThe show is an intense study on characters, specifically Carol, as she battles with loneliness and depression, all while fighting towards the goal of reverting humanity back to the way it was. Despite having insane stakes of the entire world being taken over by a virus, the show managed to keep the story personal and heartfelt with Carol front and center.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Blockbuster<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2025 season brought us thrilling TV shows, many of which you can catch up with on Cedars\u2019 website. But 2025 also blessed the movie community, bringing people back to theaters with huge releases ranging from Superman to Zootopia 2.\u00a0<\/p>\n We had a lot of blockbuster movies grace our screens, from F1 races to finale whirlwinds of Mission: Impossible, the choice was a tough one. The biggest hit of the season was DC\u2019s success,\u201cSuperman<\/a>,\u201d so Hiett takes the mic once more.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c\u201cSuperman\u201d deserves to be the winner for the blockbuster movie category due to the movie\u2019s amazing portrayal of Superman fighting enemies in the air and saving civilians on the ground,\u201d Hiett said. \u201cThis movie utilizes Superman\u2019s powers in interesting and refreshing ways where it\u2019s not simply him crashing through buildings \u2013 but using his speed, flight, laser vision and ice breath to outsmart and outplay his enemies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn top of all this, a big aspect of why \u201cSuperman\u201d is such a great superhero action movie is how Superman\u2019s goal is to save people first and foremost,\u201d Hiett said. \u201cIn a world of villains and massive threats, Superman aims to be kind and optimistic in the face of danger \u2013 always taking the time to try and see the good in everyone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Horror<\/strong><\/p>\n We all love a movie that sets the vibes from the beginning, and Frankenstein\u2019s edgy, mysterious and haunting atmosphere was clear from the opening sequence. Classic book lover Cadence Powers has some thoughts on why \u201cFrankenstein<\/a>\u201d takes the victory for the dark and mysterious category.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIs there anything more edgy than Frankenstein?\u201d Powers said. \u201cMary Shelly\u2019s original story of a man desperate to defy death is taken on by the gothic director Guilmero del Toro.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe movie explores the original themes of the book, ranging from the dangers of obsession, ambition and the exploration of loss,\u201d Powers said. \u201cIn addition to the themes, the movie is gorgeously done. Everything from the costumes to the set design is perfectly aligned with the story of the movie.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n With its stunning makeup and stellar acting by Oscar Issac and Jacob Elordie, Frankenstein\u2019s movie adaptation was a huge success.\u00a0<\/p>\n Romance<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaking of big-name actors, why don\u2019t we turn it over to the romance category where Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner and Miles Teller bring tension and feeling to every second. With his diverse taste, but an eye for grossing films, Gabriel Payne has this to say on \u201cEternity<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c\u201cEternity\u201d keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish and smiling the entire time,\u201d Payne said. \u201cIt\u2019s refreshingly wholesome, highly entertaining and remarkably genuine all at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery technical aspect of this film, from cinematography, costume design and performance, are excellently executed,\u201d Payne said. \u201cIn the current age of film we face, it is rare to find a project that meets and exceeds so many benchmarks of quality and entertainment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n With tension at every decision, \u201cEternity\u201d takes the top of the romance category, with writing that captures character in an intentional, dramatic manner.<\/p>\n Family-friendly<\/strong><\/p>\n While I wish we had an eternity to spend on \u201cEternity,\u201d we must move on to some family-friendly feature films \u2013 with the most popular and highest-grossing film defying gravity.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c\u201cWicked: For Good<\/a>\u201d was a movie for all ages, from little girls to grown men. \u201cWicked\u201d had it all. Packed with beautiful aerial sequences and heartpounding betrayals, Wicked truly shows what it means to be changed for good.\u00a0<\/p>\n Thriller<\/strong><\/p>\n Tense, high octane and daringly different \u201cWake Up Dead Man<\/a>\u201d takes the top spot for thriller of 2025. As a veteran writer for Arts and Entertainment, Sophie Monastra shares some insight:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c\u201cWake Up Dead Man\u201d walks the delicate line between thriller and comedy with a remarkable grace, shifting between tones both suddenly and naturally,\u201d Monastra said. \u201cAdd that with a highly present and surprisingly balanced theme, lovable detective-sidekick relationship, well-done scenery and engaging camera work \u2013\u00a0 this movie wins my award for Best Thriller.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Animation<\/strong><\/p>\n If you open your window in rural America, you might hear snippets of the highest-grossing K-pop film ever made. As golden rays shine through the window, you might be reminded of the Huntrix and their Golden Globes win.\u00a0<\/p>\n It only feels right that Cedars would give \u201cK-pop Demon Hunters<\/a>\u201d the award for best animated film. On top of being genuinely well-written and presenting a redemptive message, \u201cK-pop Demon Hunters\u201d gives viewers a refreshing spin on traditional animation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Images of the Huntrix gorging themselves on ramen still play in my mind, with intense action scenes feeling almost comic-book style in the way the animation was executed. The music itself deserves another win, with the Hunters hitting impossible notes my hall-mates are tired of hearing me try to reach.\u00a0<\/p>\n Every time I look back at this show, Cole\u2019s hair seems to get just a little bit worse.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hard to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n Moving away from traditional categories, since we are a newspaper and are not publicly broadcast on live TV, A&E thought some different categories were necessary. Starting with the cringest project we have watched this year. There were a lot of options to choose from, with two flying to the top. Amelia Morris starts us off with the Walmart version of \u201cThe Summer I Turned Pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u201dMy Life with the Walter Boys\u201d<\/a> was by far the cringiest series of the fall semester,\u201d Morris said. \u201cThe acting often seemed forced, which took me out of the moment. Not a single character could make it through the episode without making me cringe. Nikki Rodrigez, who plays Jackie in the series, constantly teetered over the line of cringe. There were scenes when I entirely believed her performance and others that I could hardly stand. With the main characters that viewers were supposed to love, quickly coming to the very thing we hate. Overall, I did enjoy the series, but the cringe was sometimes too much.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cedars.cedarville.edu\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-1.png?ssl=1\")
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