Owen Baldner
The State Press
Phoenix, AZ, United States
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Past articles by Owen:
‘Justice League’ is a Wonder-ful first step
Finally, the culmination of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) that began with Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” and led up to Patty Jenkins's smash-hit “Wonder Woman” has come to its ultimate goal: the birth of the Justice League. Fortunately, “Justice League” doesn’t disappoint. Unfortunately, it isn’t anything special. In Snyder’s recent iteration of the superhero franchise, with help from Joss… → Read More
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ isn’t as heavy as the title suggests
This tantalizing tale lets viewers sleuth along with the detective, but the dialogue falls short of classic mystery intrigue. → Read More
Distance's worth
SPM managing editor Owen Baldner discusses the hardships and amazing moments of being in a long-distance relationship. → Read More
‘Suburbicon’ takes dramatic juxtaposition to a new level
If 'Suburbicon’s' goal was to speak to the injustice of how African-Americans were treated in the 50s, it might’ve tried harder to give the African-American representation a voice. → Read More
‘Geostorm’ is a thunderous mess
There’s something to be said for big budget, CGI driven films highlighting how human ignorance is leading to the destruction of the world. They explore big ideas through ridiculous circumstances and often their only saving grace is that they are sometimes fun flicks. “Geostorm” is all of the big ideas and nonsense of the genre, but none of the fun. “Geostorm,” directed by Dean Devlin, explores a… → Read More
It might be ‘Goodbye Christopher Robin,’ but hello to the actor who plays him
Just mentioning the name Winnie the Pooh, one cannot help but start to hum the familiar song that accompanies Pooh Bear on the start of his many adventures. After being around for nearly a century — since 1926 to be exact — it is hard to find a college student or parent of one who has not heard of the honey-loving guy. However, in director Simon Curtis’s “Goodbye Christopher Robin,” fans of one… → Read More
'Marshall' excels in story, suffers in execution
Thurgood Marshall, a name almost every American has heard before. Perhaps best known for his role in Brown v. The Board of Education and for being the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, Open Road Film’s latest biopic directed by Reginald Hudlin, “Marshall” takes a look into one of the justice’s early, career-defining cases. The brilliant Chadwick Boseman portrays Marshall in the film… → Read More
'The Foreigner' is a fun action film, but it misses the point
Jackie Chan has delighted audiences worldwide for decades. Between his hit action flicks and starring in the recent LEGO Ninjago Movie, Chan has been a Hollywood presence for as long as this reviewer has been alive. His latest film promised to highlight this popularity in a new light, but unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver. “The Foreigner,” directed by Martin Campbell, stars Chan as humble… → Read More
'The Mountain Between Us' is a charming survival-romance
Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, two of Hollywood’s most capable actors, find themselves in some deep snow this fall as they play strangers destined to freeze together on a snowy mountain. However, in "The Mountain Between Us," in which surviving is the end game, the thing that truly thrives is their chemistry. Alex (Winslet) is a photojournalist, eager to get home to her fiancée, who is waiting at… → Read More
Screening “Waste Land” is no waste for sustainability
According to the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency website, the average American produced 4.4 pounds of solid waste every day in 2013. Doing the math, that equals about 254 million pounds of trash in a year and the Sustainability Institute at ASU is going to be hosting a screening to discuss the issue. Well, maybe not American waste specifically, but the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of… → Read More
New ASU faculty, same ASU mission
New administrative faculty at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences each bring their own sense of what makes ASU great, as well as their own excitement. → Read More
The School of Art’s new director begins her ‘dream job’
Joanna Grabski, ASU's new School of Art director, talks about her dream job and excitement about being able to work at ASU. → Read More
Reforming recovery: ASU alumus on battling addiction, recovery and finding purpose
ASU alumnus, Scott Steindorff, has achieved great success in his life, but it wasn't without challenges. Now, he is seeking to change the addiction and recovery world one emotion at a time. → Read More
Franco brothers and Mission Clay create ASU’s latest exhibition
The Egyptians had their temples supported by intricately designed pillars, the Greeks had the Parthenon and now ASU will support its own set of pillar art, if only for a limited time. Artists Tom and James Franco have partnered up with Mission Clay Art and Industry to create massive clay art pillars which will be on display at ASU from June 17 through Sept. 23. “Pipe Brothers” is a set of nine… → Read More
Lighting a match for the Phoenix Rescue Mission’s water drive
ASU alumna Susie Timm facilitated a partnership between the Phoenix Rescue Mission and the Found:re Hotel in order collect water donations for the Code: Red water drive campaign. → Read More
Guadalajaran artist to debut his first U.S. art exhibition in ASU Art Museum
Artist Gabriel Rico presents his first U.S. art exhibition through neon lights, found objects and some of Life Science's taxidermy animals. → Read More
Real Boy: ASU's Project Humanities to screen film on gender identity
Project Humanities delves into the experience of being transgender or gender non-conforming with their screening and discussion of the upcoming PBS documentary → Read More
Showcasing secrets: ASU documentary makes Arizona debut at Phoenix Film Festival
Keeping a secret is hard enough, and when it comes to sharing the life story of a man whose job it was to keep secrets, it may be even harder. However, after three years of working on “The Man Behind the Suit” ASU alumni will now share their documentary at the biggest film festival in Phoenix. “The Man Behind the Suit,” directed by ASU alum Victor Vargas, will be showcased this weekend during… → Read More
‘Trainspotting’ rolls into a new station for a new generation
Drug induced, high-octane fun with a grounded and honest story is the type of experience the original “Trainspotting” offered when it was released just over 20 years ago. Its new iteration, “T2 Trainspotting,” revives the story and themes of the first, while never feeling bogged down by its routes providing a fresh turn that ASU faculty and cast members have looked forward to revisiting.… → Read More
Talking 'Life', space and science accuracy with the stars
Few people on Earth have experienced what lies beyond the Earth's atmosphere — and even then, the furthest they may have gone is the moon. The rest, for now, is left to the studies of astronomers and the imaginations of the world’s artists, such as in Daniel Espinosa’s, “Life,” and Andy Weir’s, “The Martian.” “Life,” star Jake Gyllenhaal, and “The Martian,” author Andy Weir discussed in… → Read More