Promising Young Woman: A Review

Promising Young Woman: A Review

By: Mallory Johnson 

I recently saw the movie Promising Young Woman in theatres, and I really enjoyed it. It stars Carey Mulligan (The Great Gatsby), Bo Burnham (The Big Sick), and Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black). The movie follows Cassie, a young woman who is traumatized by an event that occurred to her best friend years ago, and the revenge she is seeking because of this event. It is a dark feminist revenge comedy and is rated R. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT is in place because I will be discussing how the movie ends. Trigger warnings are in place for: sexual violence (it is MAJOR: it is shown and discussed. Please be careful), violence, murder, sexism, victim blaming, death, loss/grief, drug use/drugging, threats, implied suicide, manipulation, and choking. 

This movie is very twisty, and I was shocked at how it ended. I was also shocked (and disappointed) that Bo Burnham’s character ended up being a bad guy. I really liked how the movie destroyed the “But I’m a nice guy” trope/excuse that is all too common. I compared the movie to the movies Hustlers and Birds of Prey, because Cassie reminded me of Harley Quinn. I loved how the movie was written and directed by a woman, who is Emerald Fennell. The comedy and romance in the movie make the dark subject matter of the movie easier to digest, which I really liked. The poppy soundtrack is very fitting for the vibe of the movie. I know that sexual violence is a very tough topic to cover, but the movie did a great job at it. Cassie was very calculated and knew what to do when she was scamming men. The movie came out on Christmas day 2020, but it was supposed to come out in April (the opening date was moved because of COVID-19). I read online that the title “Promising Young Woman” is a reference to real life rapist Brock Turner being called a “promising young man”

I was shocked that Cassie was murdered at the end of the movie and wished that she were just pretending to be dead in order to fully get her revenge. However, when it was revealed that Al Monroe got arrested for Cassie’s murder and that she was aware of the dangers, I was more satisfied with the ending. I read online that the ending of the movie is supposed to be uncomfortable and shocking, because people who have survived sexual violence have to live with that level of discomfort and trauma their entire lives. My rating for this movie is a solid 9.5/10, and I highly recommend it!

Misinformation and its Host: A Review of Bong Joon-Ho’s Monstrous Political Satire

Misinformation and its Host: A Review of Bong Joon-Ho’s Monstrous Political Satire

Aidan Trembath

Having plenty of time to indulge in movie-watching over the winter break, I decided upon a relatively recent monster film called The Host, a Korean gem directed by the esteemed cinematic wizard of Parasite¸ Bong Joon-Ho. The film had sat on my shelf for most of the fall semester and far exceeded my long-heightened anticipation to watch it. As with Bong Joon-Ho’s other films, The Host delivers sharp, poignant, and darkly comedic satire of South Korea’s political obstacles. The film and its themes of misinformation and bureaucratic ineptitude felt especially pertinent given the uneven responses of governments around the world to COVID-19.  

The film begins with American scientists dumping hazardous materials down drains that connect to the Han River, a major waterway that runs through Seoul. The villainy of unregulated dumping, portrayed rather cartoonishly with a nigh-diabolically unsympathetic American scientist, is followed by the introduction of the central family living in a mobile home and food truck along the Han River. After presenting the lead character and single father to a daughter, Park Gang-du, as bumbling and unaspiring, a fish-like monster makes landfall, gorging itself on the beachside onlookers and abducting Park’s daughter to consume later. What follows is a mixture of family drama, kaiju horror, and rescue plot, interwoven with the South Korean and American governments’ respective attempts to control the spread of information by quarantining victims on false premises of a disease spread by the creature. The film ends with an overt criticism of the United States’ dumping of formaldehyde near South Korea in the early 2000s, followed by the South Korean government’s use of an extremely toxic gas, dubbed “Agent Yellow” (a thinly disguised reference to the American “Agent Orange” gas used in chemical warfare), to destroy the creature. Park Gang-du and his family manage to kill the creature at the end but at the expense of his daughter’s life. 

The film feels particularly relevant in a time of COVID-19 and deliberate restrictions of public information by state governments. The pride and recklessness of irresponsible governments around the world have had direct repercussions on the lives of civilians, both in democracies and non-democracies. In China, Zhang Zhan, a citizen journalist, was recently arrested for her coverage of the early days of the pandemic; in the United States, President Trump knew about the severity of the virus in time to prepare for its arrival but chose to downplay its virulence; in Brazil, President Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied the virus’s gravity, resulting in Brazil becoming a hotspot for the virus. In The Host and in our present reality, the information that governmental bodies choose to share with, or withhold from, the public is amongst the foremost factors that mitigate or exacerbate the deadliness of an emergency. 

For anyone looking for a monster film with a multilayered bite, The Host offers an exceptional insight into South Korean and American relations and the societal repercussions of undisclosed environmental dangers.

Possible Spider-Man 3 Teaser Hints at Ground Breaking Storyline

Possible Spider-Man 3 Teaser Hints at Ground  Breaking Storyline

By Zach Roozendaal

Ever since the rights of Spider-Man’s MCU future hung in the balance, I have been doing coverage of this incredible franchise and the two studios who had helped make it the success it has been. Tom Holland’s Peter Parker may not be everyone’s favourite, but he’s certainly a great Spider-Man, and for those who may have been fans of other iterations of the character, such as Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s, well then I have good news for you, because it seems we may be getting the best of 3 worlds after all.

        Not long ago at the time of this publication, Sony Pictures uploaded a strange video to their Latin America YouTube channel, discussing how all the Spider-Man actors are great, and that in the Marvel Universe, anything is possible. This was mysteriously deleted after only being out for a few hours. Fans have been speculating since the announcement of Benedict Cumberbatch’s casting as Dr. Strange, a reality bending sorcerer with access to seemingly limitless magic, was announced. Cumberbatch’s own MCU film, Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, deals heavily with the multiverse.

The newest Dr. Strange film is set to be directed by Sam Raimi, who also directed the Tobey Maguire era Spider-Man films. This has led many fans to speculate that with the multiverse elements of the 2nd Doctor Strange, Raimi’s involvement in the film, and Cumberbatch’s appearance in the yet to be titled Spider-Man 3, the two previous versions of Spidey may show up in the 3rd film. Disney and Sony made it quite clear that they wanted to avoid recycling elements of past iterations if possible. This is why, by the time he was shown in Captain America: Civil War, uncle Ben had passed away and Peter had already been bitten by the radioactive spider that granted him his powers.

This also meant that they wouldn’t be using villains already featured in past films, like Lizard, Dr. Octopus, or Green Goblin. Instead, we were introduced to Michael Keaton’s Vulture in Homecoming and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio in Far From Home.

Far From Home did end up recycling a character though, as well as the actor who played that character in previous films. I’m of course talking about JK Simmons’s appearance in the post credits scene as J. Jonah Jameson, the chief editor of the Daily Bugle Newspaper in the comics, and the Raimi trilogy; the same trilogy where Simmons played the ill-tempered cigar smoking journalist in what many would call the most accurate portrayal of any comic book character in live action. This, partnered with Mysterio’s teases of the multiverse, certainly convinced many fans that there could be some interdimensional issues to be coming soon to the MCU and other cinematic universes.

Additionally, Michael Keaton can be seen in the trailer for Sony’s Morbius, the Living Vampire film starring Jared Leto. Though Keaton’s character has not been revealed, he is wearing a white prison jumpsuit identical to the one we saw him in at the end of Homecoming. In the trailer, he asks Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) if he got sick of doing the “whole good guy thing” before quoting Bugs Bunny by saying, “What’s up, Doc?”. This has led to further speculation on the multiverse, as vulture is specifically involved with the MCU and the Sony Universe was supposed to remain independent, to an extent, of the MCU. 2018’s Venom made no references to Spider-Man and shared few, if anything, with any other Marvel film, aside from the Stan Lee cameo.

Kraven the Hunter was initially set up to be the villain in the Spider-Man 3 film, with Spidey now being framed for terrorism by Jameson and Mysterio following the final showdown at London’s Tower Bridge in Far From Home. Kraven could still be in the cards though; however, Jamie Foxx had mention in a since deleted Instagram post that he would be returning to in an upcoming Spider-Man movie as Max Dillon, AKA Electro. One of the filming locations is supposed to be in Iceland, and if you’re not familiar with Kraven or Electro, I’ll fill you in on them.

In the comics Sergei Kravenoff is a big game hunter from Russia known across the globe as Kraven the Hunter, and he’s achieved fame by catching the strongest and fiercest animals out there with his brute strength, cunning resourcefulness, strategic methods and sheer determination. He sets his sights on Spider-Man, believing the webslinger to be his ultimate trophy, and pursues him armed with various weapons, tricks and traps. While not always portrayed as an out and out villain so to speak, he’s clashed with the friendly neighbourhood hero on many occasions and is an antagonist more often than not. Obviously, Iceland could be portrayed as Russia in the movie.

As for Electro, he was once a normal guy named Max Dillon who was involved in a freak electrical accident that granted him shocking (pardon the pun) superhuman abilities and, similarly to an electric eel, he can generate electricity to stun or hurt others, and can grow stronger feeding off of electrical energy. Foxx played the character in Amazing Spider-Man 2, where he faced off against Andrew Garfield’s iteration of Spidey. In that movie, Electro could also travel through wires and materialize from electrical outlets or wires.

Recently though, when asked about his involvement, Foxx made it sound as though his casting wasn’t 100% finalized and that he may be still in negotiations or not even appearing at all. This is to be expected though, as Marvel and Disney are often very tight lipped on what information they want shared to the public. So if he is involved, they more than likely didn’t want him sharing that info until a trailer was ready for release.

Filming is currently underway in Atlanta and Jon Watts is set to direct the 3rd Spidey film, as he did the first 2 as well, and Marisa Tomei is back as Aunt May, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Parker’s best friend in the new films. Jacob has also slimmed down for the role, meaning he could be taking on the role of the Hobgoblin, who Leeds becomes in the comics after being exposed to some of the chemicals that transformed billionaire Norman Osbourne into the Green Goblin. Zendaya is also set to return as MJ, and Tony Revolori as Parker’s bully and huge Spider-Man fan Flash Thompson. Michael Giacchino is also set to return as the soundtrack composer.

Until that trailer hits, all we can do is speculate, unless Marvel Studios or Sony decides to release new info WITHOUT redacting it soon after. 

And now, as always, it’s time for my final thought: Power is always neutral, as is those who wield it, it’s the intentions of which that power is used for that can be the bad or evil or dangerous that we sometimes see people as.

Thanks for reading, until next time, I’m Zach Roozendaal. Love to all and stay safe out there. Wear a mask when in public, wash and sanitize your hands often, social distance, take care of each other and don’t meet in groups.

This is Zach Roozendaal signing off. Goodbye for now.

Existence of Intelligent Alien Life Seemingly Confirmed by Ex-Israeli Government Official

Existence of Intelligent Alien Life Seemingly  Confirmed by Ex-Israeli Government Official

By Zach Roozendaal

2020 has been a weird year. From the Coronavirus pandemic and BLM protests, to Borat’s new sequel, and murder hornets, things have been all kinds of crazy. But as if things couldn’t get nuttier, there’s the confirmation of aliens by the FBI and Israel’s government. But what does this mean for mankind? Are these beings hostile? Do they want to harvest us and use mankind as livestock or obliterate our planet? Do they wish to aid us in our advancement of civilization and technology, or do they wish to use our resources with sinister intentions and balance half of all life with 6 magic rocks and a gold glove?

        What is certain is that if they wanted us dead, they probably would’ve killed us off ages ago. They are definitely far more advanced than us, as mankind has only been to the moon and has yet to visit any other physical locations in space. We are not alone and,  as the opening credits sequence for the X-Files will tell you, the truth is out there.

        For those wondering, the group that these aliens have formed with Israel’s government and the United States’ is called the Galactic Federation, which couldn’t sound any more sci-fi. But hold onto your seats because they aren’t here to ‘beam us up, Scottie’. The information was leaked by Israel’s former top space chief, Haim Eshed. Whether or not he’s telling the truth or just looking for attention is unknown, but given his credibility working with the Israeli government, we may see aliens making themselves known, finally. Eshed worked with Israeli government for almost 30 years, from 1981 to 2010 so I’d say it’s in the realm of possibility that we exist alongside other beings from different planets. He says that the aliens have an agreement with the US government, where they are allowed to conduct experiments and assist in the quest to understand the fabric of our universe. Donald Trump allegedly also planned to break news of there being alien life and that aliens have made contact with Earth in recent years; he was told to keep quiet as mankind isn’t likely going to react that well and still needs time to adjust to the idea of there being civilizations and races far more advanced than ours. According to Eshed, the extraterrestrials want to help mankind make progress with advancing society and technology, and they’ve wanted to keep a relatively low profile on Earth, not wanting to cause panic. They apparently assure us they are here for peaceful reasons. So, provided people don’t flip out and go all Lex Luthor by assuming aliens must all be bad because various works of fiction portrayed them as such, we should be able to coexist peacefully.

        It’s been rumored that there could even be aliens among us, so maybe there’s an impostor in your home. Although, before you hit the big red button for an emergency meeting, don’t worry, they probably aren’t here for anything bad. Like I said before, if they wanted to kill us, they would have done so a while ago. After all, if they have the technology to traverse entire galaxies, then they would probably have the tech to wipe out civilizations, and if they absolutely were after something, they likely would’ve had no problems getting it.

        Now I know many people might be afraid because of the way Hollywood has shown aliens through films and stories like War of the Worlds, Predator, A Quiet Place, Signs, and Alien, but there’s also stories where an alien is the good guy. After all, Superman came from the Planet of Krypton, and when faced with the option of wiping out mankind with Kryptonian war criminal General Zod, Superman defended Earth and was willing to do so against many other alien threats, like Doomsday, whom he died fighting against to save mankind. Thor, from the Marvel Comics is another; he came to earth to reclaim his hammer and save mankind from his brother Loki and eventually joined the Avengers to stop threats like Ultron and Thanos. E.T. told the story of an alien who befriends some young children and uses his abilities to help the kids before returning to his home world.

Most notably from animation is The Iron Giant, the heartfelt tale of an amnesic alien robot who becomes friends with a young boy and is willing to sacrifice his life by stopping a nuclear missile to save the planet after some trigger-happy coward decides that killing off a few million humans is worth it to end a non-hostile alien who he deems a threat. Not only was the Iron Giant kind and friendly, but he was also a fan of Superman, and the last thing he says before blowing the nuke up above earth’s orbit is the name of his hero, Superman. If you haven’t seen it, it has Jennifer Anniston and Vin Diesel and is one of the saddest but most inspiring animated films you’ll ever see.

One can hope that the aliens on Earth, according to Eshed, will also continue to help us, and if more hostile ones show up, they’ll work with us to protect mankind. They may be different, but different doesn’t mean bad. Rather than trying to kill them, we should get to know and understand them. As to how they could possibly communicate with humans, it’s possible that they have some understanding of human languages and have been observing us for millions of years. Perhaps they even aided in creating some languages.

 Now it’s time for me to leave you all with my final thought and a quote from the Iron Giant:

 “Guns kill. And you don’t have to be a Gun. You are what you choose to be. You choose.”

 What we don’t know can be terrifying but understanding how to coexist with it is better than eradicating it. Until next time, wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash and sanitize your hands often, take care of each other, stay home and get tested if you feel sick.

This is Zach Roozendaal, signing off. Goodbye for now.

Harry Styles in Vogue: The Debate of the “Manly Man”

Harry Styles in Vogue: The Debate of the “Manly Man”  

By: Mallory Johnson

For the December 2020 issue of Vogue former One Direction member Harry Styles confidently rocked a gorgeous blue, floor length dress. Without knowing, the once innocent picture sparked a debate about gender. Many of his fans (including me) think that he looks amazing in the dress, but some others disagree.

The most prominent person to disagree is Republican, Candace Owens. She is a woman of color and is an author, commentator, and political activist. She has previously criticized the Black Lives Matter movement and the Democratic Party. In response to the magazine cover, she tweeted, “There is no society that can survive without strong men. The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.” 

Just because one man wears a dress, does not mean that society has completely lost all “manly men”, nor does it mean that that man is not masculine. Masculinity does not exclusively refer to men, and femininity does not exclusively refer to women. 

After Candace Owens voiced her opinions on Harry’s outfit, fans and celebrities came to the artist’s defense. These celebrities include: Jameela Jamil, Olivia Wilde, Zach Braff, Elijah Wood, Kathy Griffin, Lucy Hale, Sara Bareilles, Harry Shum Jr, and more. Additionally, a lot of Styles’ fans noticed that there were pictures of Candace Owens wearing a suit, which undermines her criticism against Harry wearing clothing not typically for his gender. 

In my Diverse Masculinities course, I brought this issue to my professor's attention. In this class we study all the different aspects of masculinity, and how not just men are masculine. We also talk about dated gender stereotypes. I have also taken a class called Making Sense of Gender, where we discussed all aspects of gender. These courses may be interesting to anyone intrigued by the Harry Styles-Candace Owens ‘drama’ or gender norms in general.

In conclusion, let everyone wear what they want to wear. Let people express their gender (or lack of) however they want. 

TV During a Pandemic

TV During a Pandemic 

By: Mallory Johnson

Recently, the TV shows that I love have been returning from their longer-than-normal hiatuses. These shows include “This Is Us”, “The Good Doctor”, “Station 19”, and “Grey’s Anatomy”, and I want to put a SPOILER ALERT in place here. Also, this article will be discussing the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths, and police brutality, so here is a trigger warning. The shows above are taking on a huge responsibility and tackling the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. It is a little weird turning on one of these shows and hearing them talk about something that is still going on in real life. Because of this, TV is not escapism anymore, it is reality. This makes it a bit hard to watch at times, especially when Randall, a black man, in “This Is Us” got a news notification on his phone about what happened with George Floyd, and seeing him watching the news with his family. 

“The Good Doctor” premiere was very hard to watch, because it is a medical show that takes place in a hospital. It shows all the most difficult parts of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic: patients on ventilators, 18 hour shifts with masks, not being able to spend time with loved ones, grief, and death. I like how “The Good Doctor” is handling it; they are making sure we see how scary and uncomfortable having COVID-19 is, and how it for sure is not easy to be a healthcare worker right now. In “This Is Us”, at the start of the premiere episode, one of the characters mentioned Tom Hanks getting sick with COVID-19 and I had a flashback to the week of March 13th when I was first sent home from Brandon University, because I remembered that I was in my dorm when I heard that news. 

The “Grey’s Anatomy” premiere was a crossover with “Station 19” (because “Station 19” is a “Grey’s Anatomy” spin off). “Station 19” is tackling the pandemic with mask wearing, sanitation, fire truck drives, applauding healthcare workers, and more. In the premiere, they made sure they showed how angry they were when they learned a group of teenagers were partying. In the two-hour “Grey’s Anatomy” premiere, they showed once again all the ins and outs of the pandemic, as the show is based in the medical field. They are showing that the doctors do not have enough personal protective equipment (which includes masks, gloves, and more). They are discussing how many of their patients they lose and reveal how taxing and exhausting being a healthcare worker is right now. The only part of the “Grey’s” episode that I did not like was how there were some clips with the doctors not wearing masks inside the hospital. I am pretty sure these scenes were filmed before COVID-19 struck, but they still could have reshot those scenes to make them less confusing and alarming for viewers. 

On a happier note, there are plenty of good shows to watch on streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ that are irrelevant to the current political climate and pandemic. These include “New Girl”, “The Haunting of Bly Manor”, “Dead to Me”, “Emily in Paris”, and many others. These shows are great to binge if you need an escape from the harsh reality that the world is currently facing. I also highly recommend watching Disney movies, because they are light and enjoyable.

Shows to Watch on Netflix

Shows to Watch on Netflix

By: Cedric Bell

Netflix has over 10,000 titles to stream and being stuck inside because of a global pandemic and harsh cold weather presents the perfect opportunity to watch them. That being said, not all of them are worth giving your time, and sifting through that many tv shows to find a few good ones is a daunting task. In order to make that easier for you, I have put together a list of the 10 most engaging shows that I’ve found on Netflix to either binge through or watch at your own pace.

1. Bojack Horseman

Easily my favorite show on this list, “Bojack Horseman” is a comedy/drama that plays both genres off of each other perfectly. It manages to be an outrageous and witty animated comedy as well as an insightful commentary on mental illness. The characters are engaging and complex, it’s extremely well written, and it has a very unique blend of heart and humour. Despite the rough first season, this is one of the funniest and most heartbreaking series I’ve ever seen.

2. The Umbrella Academy

Another Netflix original, “The Umbrella Academy” is a comedy series that follows a dysfunctional super powered family as each member struggles with personal issues. It’s very funny and easy to burn through, with interesting presentation. It’s nothing hugely original or unique, but it’s simple, fun and highly entertaining.

3. Community

This comedy series centers around a community college, is extremely sharp, with quick, snappy dialogue and a great cast of characters. It’s very experimental, often parodying other genres and ideas in clever ways. It’s one of the few shows that can make me laugh out loud often, and despite some missteps in the later seasons, it’s well worth watching.

4. The Queen’s Gambit

How you make a show about chess interesting and engaging is something I’m still struggling to understand, but somehow this show manages to pull it off. It’s a thoughtful, slow burn, centered around the intriguing premise of an addict struggling to separate her habits and her chess career.

5. Love, Death & Robots

This anthology series takes on different animation styles and premises each episode. Although some are better than others, each is interesting because of its subject matter, visual presentation, or both. And because of the way the show is structured, it’s easy to pick and choose episodes based on what sounds or looks interesting to you.

6. American Vandal

This mockumentary series uses the same style as other Netflix originals such as, “Making a Murderer”, by following a central mystery that deepens with every episode. Although it’s a parody, it manages to be just as engaging as the others in its genre without taking itself too seriously.

7. The Haunting of Hill House

“The Haunting of Hill House” takes the old haunted mansion premise and turns it into something entirely its own, focusing more so on the characters and their individual struggles than the actual horrors of the house. When it wants to be scary it certainly is, but the highlight of the show is how well it handles the family drama. 

8. Santa Clarita Diet

This dark comedy follows a suburban family after the mother starts developing the same habits as a zombie, including a taste for human flesh. It’s outrageous and gross, but extremely funny, and the way it juxtaposes the close family unit and their new dietary problem is consistently clever. It was cancelled before it’s time, but what is already there is gold.

9. Breaking Bad

Those that haven’t already seen it are probably sick of hearing about how good it is, but there’s a reason for that; it is good. Really good. It’s smart, dark, sometimes funny and sometimes tense, but always keeps you wanting more. It has one of the best performances and series long character arcs on tv, and if you haven’t seen it, it might be time to finally watch it.

10. Jessica Jones

“Jessica Jones” manages to outshine the other Marvel Netflix shows by being more interesting. It’s got a noir detective style that it uses to explore PTSD and trauma in a really grounded way. It’s also got some one of the most compelling villains on tv, and the way one episode flows into the next makes it hard to stop watching once started.

Why Hamilton is Relevant Today Part 2

Why Hamilton is Relevant Today

 Part 2 

By: Mallory Johnson

(Picture Credit: Google images)

While I was watching coverage for the United States Presidential Election, I realized that I needed to update my “Why Hamilton is Relevant” article. I will once again be discussing the relevancy of certain lines within the musical, in regard to situations that have occurred over the past year.

The lyric “And the world’s gonna know your name” reminds me of how the world was watching the United States Presidential election and nearly everyone was discussing Trump and Biden. “We are waiting in the wings for you” reminds me of how we have to wait until January 20th, 2021 for Biden to be sworn in and just hope that everything goes okay until then, with Trump still operating as President. “When America sings for you, will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game?” -- Biden is following the ever extreme and controversial Donald Trump, and he has a lot to change. “His enemies destroyed his rep” reminds me how Republicans tried to destroy Biden’s reputation in the hopes that Trump would get a second term (of course this did not work). “Those redcoats don’t want it with me” --throughout Act 1 of Hamilton, the Americans (who are shown to be the “good” guys) are in blue jackets, and the British (who are the “bad” guys) are in red. This is relevant because Biden’s Democratic party is blue and Trump’s Republican party is red. “I probably shouldn’t brag, but dang, I amaze and astonish” reminds me of how Biden won and was very happy about it. “Let’s get this guy in front of a crowd!” reminds me of how Biden made good speeches that made Americans proud. “This is not a moment, it’s the movement” now makes me think of how Biden winning the presidency is just the beginning of the fight for change in America. 

“Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand” makes me think of how Biden was honest, while Trump often lies and misrepresents situations and facts. “I know the action in the street is exciting” is reminiscent of after Biden won the election as hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the streets to celebrate. “And when our children tell our story, they’ll tell the story of tonight” -- the story of when Trump was defeated will be told for a long time. “Raise a glass to freedom, something they can never take away, no matter what they tell you” Americans will be free from Trump when Biden gets sworn in (hopefully). The lines “Look around, look around, the revolution’s happening in New York!” and “People shouting in the square” reminds me of all the celebrations after Biden’s win. “Include women in the sequel!”: Kamala Harris is the first woman to be Vice President in United States history. The whole song “Farmer Refuted”, reminds me of the debates between Trump and Biden, and Mike Pence and Kamala Harris. While the song “You’ll Be Back”, reminds me of Trump’s expansive ego. “The moment you’ve been waiting for!” strongly reflects that the election took several days to call, while people stared anxiously at their phones for the results. “Any hope of success is fleeting” -- any hope of a Biden win seemed fleeting. “To the revolution! And the hope that you provide!” --  Biden is providing Americans with more hope. “So, this is what it feels like to match wits with someone at your level!” reminds me of how many Americans were tweeting that they are relieved to now have a much smarter President.

The song title, “Wait for It” reminds me of how we had to wait until Saturday, November 7th for the election to be called. The lyrics “The challenge: demand satisfaction” and “The war’s not done” reflects how Americans were posting on social media about how important it is to hold Presidents accountable. “Hang on, how many men died because Lee was inexperienced and ruinous?” makes me think of how many people died (over 200,000!) because of COVID-19 due to Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic. “If you join us right now, together we can turn the tide” -- Biden is promising to make changes after Trump. The song “History Has Its Eyes on You” reminds me of how historical this election was and will be. “After a week of fighting” this makes me think of how Election Day turned into Election Week and how the campaigns themselves were often treacherous. “Tens of thousands of people flood the streets, there are screams and church bells ringing” reminds me of how Americans went to the streets to celebrate the Biden win. “The world turned upside down, we won, we won!” -- Biden’s win is important for change in America and many Americans could not contain their happiness at his win.

The song “What Comes Next” reminds me of how Trump is unwilling to concede his power. The song “What’d I Miss” reminds me of how I was checking the news all the time for election updates. The line, “Headfirst into a political abyss” is what election week felt like. “You don’t have the votes!” reminds me of how Trump wanted certain states to stop counting votes, even though he was losing – he wanted to suppress voting rights which goes against everything the American constitution is supposed to stand for. “We want our leaders to save the day” reflects how Biden has a big responsibility to help American citizens and the economy recover from COVID-19. “We dream of a brand-new start” -- Americans are ready for change. “Look in his eyes, see how he lies” can be directly related to Trump’s continuous lies throughout his Presidency and that he tried to state he won the election, when he clearly did not. “This is great, he’s out of power, he holds no office”, I am excited for when Trump gets kicked out of the White House. “In the eye of a Hurricane, there is quiet, for just a moment, a yellow sky” reminds me of how happy so many Americans were on the day Biden won, despite the craziness of this year. “Well, he’s never gonna be President now, that’s one less thing to worry about” reminds me of Trump losing. The song “The Election of 1800” (obviously) reminds me of the election and I have seen this song all over TikTok referencing the election. 

You can watch Hamilton on Disney+ now.

Why Hamilton the Musical is Relevant Right Now Part 1

Why Hamilton the Musical is Relevant Right Now 

Part 1

By: Mallory Johnson

(Picture Credit: Google images)

I’ve been listening to the Hamilton soundtrack non-stop recently. If you are unfamiliar with the Tony-award winning Broadway musical, it is based on America’s founding fathers, more specifically Alexander Hamilton. The musical was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and came out in January 2015. As I’ve been listening to the soundtrack, I have realized that it is quite relevant in our current times, despite being set in the late 1700s-early 1800s. Before I continue, I need to mention that this contains spoilers for the musical. I will be discussing the similarities between several lines within the musical and the circumstances that echo them today. 

Starting off, the line in the song “My Shot”, “This is not a moment, it’s the movement” reminds me of the Black Lives Matter movement. When I went to two protests, I made a sign that said “History has its eyes on you” which was referencing Hamilton. The lines “When America sings for you, will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game? The world will never be the same” reminds me of what happened to George Floyd and the protesting it caused; the line, “His enemies destroy his rep” is relevant because I have seen some people saying that George Floyd was a bad person in his past. Throughout the musical, there are discussions of a revolution, which is what the Black Lives Matter movement feels like and should be. The line “Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead” reminds me of the peaceful protestors getting killed for speaking their mind, and “Cuz I will pop-chicka-pop these cops till I’m free” is also relevant to the protesting against police brutality. “I gotta holler just to be heard” is relevant because there are people struggling to have their voices heard.

The line “Don’t be shocked when your history book mentions me” reminds me of the whole year of 2020 so far -- Australian wildfires, global pandemic, killer bees, and protestations -- we are definitely living a history book moment. “We’ll never be truly free, until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me” makes me think of the peaceful protesters getting wrongfully arrested. The line “I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory. When’s it gonna get in me? In my sleep?” hauntingly reminds me of how Breonna Taylor was wrongfully shot while she was asleep in her own home. “See, I never thought I’d live past 20, where I come from some get half as many” makes me think of Tamir Rice, who was killed by police at age 12 for playing with a toy gun. “Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand” is another line that relates to the protesting. The emotional line ‘I may not live to see our glory, but I will gladly join the fight” relates to two things: people dying at protests, and how this fight will take a long time and many will die of natural causes before it is over as well as unnatural or forced causes. “Raise a glass to the four of us, tomorrow there’ll be more of us” reminds me of the four Nashville teenagers who organized a protest that had a PACKED turn out. 

“Look around, look around the revolutions happening in New York” also reminds me of the protests, although they are happening in more than just New York. “People shouting in the square” is reminiscent of when I went to the protest in Regina, and I was shocked at how loud everyone was. The line “Chaos and bloodshed are not the solution” followed by “chaos and bloodshed already haunt us” I would argue, encapsulates the protesting and people’s negative opinions of it. “I’d rather be divisive than indecisive” complies with the notion that people are making sure they have their voices heard. The lines “Let’s take a stand with the stamina God has granted us” and “Dying is easy young man, living is harder” both remind me of how we are protesting during a global pandemic. 

“Local merchants deny us equipment, assistance” makes me think of when the protests started in Minneapolis, the local Target denied protestors milk and water after they were tear gassed by police. “The war’s not done”, this fight for basic human rights is far from over.  The phrase “The world turned upside down” makes me think of 2020 as a whole, because it unexpectedly turned the world upside down after just a few months and we have had to make a lot of changes and adaptations. 

Continuing with the protest theme, the line “Tens of thousands of people flood the streets” is very relevant and has been seen all over the world in various protests and parades. “We’ll bleed and fight for you, we’ll make it right for you” makes me think of the children I’m seeing at the protests and the need to make things better for future generations. “Why do you always say what you believe” reminds me of the hard conversations that have been going on regarding racism. The lines “We studied and we fought and we[re] killed for the notion of a nation we now get to build” and “for once in your life, take a stand with  pride, I don’t understand how you stand to the side” make me think of how important it is to take a stand and take action and recognize the wrongdoings that have occurred over centuries. “France is following us to revolution” relates to how many other countries besides the United States are protesting. “I wish I could say that was the last time”, is making me think of the black people being continuously murdered even after all the protesting and media attention. The line “There is nowhere I can go” reminds me of quarantine in general. “We want our leaders to save the day” also relates to both the global pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement and the election that has just occurred within the USA. We trust our country's leaders to save the day, but it doesn’t always happen; we can hope for better though. “We dream of a brand new start” relates to both quarantine and the Black Lives Matter movement because we are dreaming of major change and a new start after quarantine is safely lifted. 

“Revolution is messy, but now is the time to take a stand” is relevant to the Black Lives Matter movement -- this will be messy, but we need to take a stand if we want change. “The people are rioting”: I was pretty surprised when I heard this line - history repeats itself! “Total strangers, moved to kindness” makes me think of everyone protesting, dropping off supplies, donating, signing petitions, contacting politicians, and doing whatever they can to help those in need during this time. “I won’t apologize for doing what’s right” relates to the fact that people are standing up unapologetically for what’s right. “What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden that you never get to see” -- George Floyd’s young daughter said that her dad changed the world. The emotional line, “My mother’s on the other side” reminds me of George Floyd calling out for his mother as he was being murdered, but his mother had passed away two years ago. The line “I raise funds in DC” reminds me of how there are lots of fundraisers going around social media for those in need. The lyric “And when my time is up, have I done enough?” makes me think of the worrying feeling that I’m doing enough to help. Finally, the line, “It’s only a matter of time” makes me hopeful that we will eventually have change. 

In conclusion, it is clear that history is repeating itself! We appear to have learned very little from these situations, which occurred centuries ago. 

“Hamilton” can be streamed right now on Disney+.

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Disengaging From Consumerism During Covid-19

Disengaging From Consumerism During Covid-19 

We are flooded with corporate propaganda, everywhere we go or see online we find ads trying to capture our attention. Corporations stimulate and encourage us to buy and spend money on things we may not need; our brains are receiving information from hundreds of commercial ads. One can simply engage in social media, walk on the street or watch T.V. to come in contact with many advertisements. Corporative propaganda floods the internet and it expresses specific products or opinions in different ways, such as through videos, news, etc. Similarly, one may check on the cellphone or any technological device and spend hours on websites such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook Netflix, Tinder, Snapp chat etc. As such, social media and consumerism can extract much of our time, money and energy. This results, especially for people who may be emotionally vulnerable watching or reading information about Covid-19, in heightened levels of anxiety.  

Covid-19 has sparked fear on entire populations regardless of race, economic background, or country of origin. This is problematic because fear can trigger and block a person’s ability to think and even function properly. One need not research for too long to discover the negative effects fear has on the body and spirit; it is said that, “[n]o passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear”. Despite all this toxic environment of hate and fear, we may explore different options for our entertainment and education. 

Socialization is restricted during Covid-19, therefore we can ignore spending our money on items like wedding gifts, alcohol at the bar, or traveling outside Canada. These resrictions also mean that bill payments are done mostly online, and university is online as well -- almost everything is done online. Rather than see these as negative, the pandemic could help us disengage from the world of mass consumption since we may not socialize as much. Many items and services that corporations offered to consumers before the pandemic may be irrelevant during this time. Afterall, many advertised products and services require socialization for their promotion and consumption, such as tourism, dining in restaurants, concerts, or parties. Moreover, this could be the right time to focus our attention on different activities while ignoring consumerism culture for a while. A variety of activities exist that may disengage us from capitalism consumer culture. Cultivating the practice of mediation may help us disengage from fashion, politics, Covid-19 news, and work stress. Meditation helps to relieve the mind from stress, and it may connect with our inner self. Lockdowns during Covid-19 may provide us with new opportunities to craft new arts. We can master a new field, study new languages -- this is the perfect time to learn what we always wanted to but did not have time for. Human creativity is infinite just like the universe, it knows no limits. Improving ourselves may help alleviate the effects of not socializing much during Covid-19.

By 

Eder Leonel Torres, Reporter

Chess Puzzle 23 Answer

Chess Puzzle 23 Answer

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Old Movies to Re-watch now

Old Movies to Re-watch now 

By Kiersten Garbutt

Anyone up for a classic movie night marathon? Make the popcorn and get in your favourite pyjamas because all these movies you can watch at the comfort of your own bed, using Netflix of course. 

Up first we have Dirty Dancing, starring Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, and Jerry Orbach. This movie was produced in 1987. The movie starts with a family, two sisters, and a mother and father. They are driving to a summer resort for vacation. Young 17-year-old Frances meets a dance instructor and falls in love. A lot of the movie is dedicated to Frances and the bad boy dance instructor trying to nail a dance routine to save a common friend. If you love a good romantic movie this one is definitely for you.

If you are not into romantic movies, then this second movie is for you. An old-time comedy called Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Starring Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, and Mia Sara.  This movie is about a group of high schoolers that decide to take a day off and skip school. The group of teenagers get in loads of trouble but still manage to have a great, funny, memorable day. 

To finish off your movie marathon, let's end it with a classic musical, Annie. This childhood favourite will have you singing “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow” all the next day. This movie stars Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, and Carol Burnett. The movie begins with an orphan girl that catches the eye of a multi millionaire. The rich man begins the search to find Annie’s real parents, with a huge sum of award money attracts many bad guys, including Annie’s old orphanage houseparent.

I hope this movie marathon list helps you relax after mid-terms and creates a feeling of nostalgia.  

PS5 or Xbox Series X, which one to buy?

PS5 or Xbox Series X, which one to buy?

Hashim Farooq

Both Sony and Microsoft have been dominating the video console “game” for the last decade. Arguments always erupt when choosing the “better” console. There are many factors that people look at when deciding the “better” console; User interface, price, console specific games, power, speed and overall performance of the consoles.  Many of the consumers of video game consoles tend to choose preference on previous consoles owned and their loyalty, this is due to the business scheme of Microsoft and Sony. Microsoft has adopted their own environment (similar to what Apple has done), where owning an Xbox fits in with Microsoft services and allows you to play your Xbox games on your windows computer, this gives Microsoft a big advantage. This is where Sony has sort of a disadvantage, all of Sony’s attempts at building an environment have failed, but Sony has made up for that with their huge fanbase and their PS3 (one of the most sold consoles of all time) which allowed users to play video games online without a subscription (unlike Xbox). When the PS4 was released Sony opted for the subscription method (as it would make them more money). Now with the release of the Xbox Series X and PS5 in November the two pretty evenly matched, or are they? Let’s compare. 

Starting off with the Xbox Series X and Series S, that’s right Xbox released two new consoles. It seems like Microsoft is taking tips from Apple and Samsung as they built a cheaper more affordable version of their new flagship console, the Series S. Sony has also released two new consoles, the PS5 and PS5 digital edition. There isn’t much of a difference other than the optical drive and their difference in price; which is only expected to be around $100. All of these consoles have similar performance and speed, where they differ is the user interface, portability, resolution, price, and graphics. Right now, it’s hard to tell which console is going to be “better” based on what we know so far. 

Choosing which console to buy is based on you, do you prefer a cheaper console? Then the Xbox Series S is for you, do you prefer 4k and better graphics? Then the PS5 and Xbox series X are for you. When it comes down to it price, games available and user interface play a big role in choosing the perfect console, but loyalty is the protagonist. 

Cobra Kai - A Review

Cobra Kai - A Review 

By: Mallory Johnson 

I recently watched the Netflix show Cobra Kai with my parents, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But, before I go any further, I want to mention that this review will contain spoilers, so SPOILER ALERT! I also want to set some trigger warnings, for: alcoholism, violence (in general, the show is about karate), child neglect, smoking, snakes (it is more imagery, not real snakes), bullying, fatphobia, sexual harassment, car crash, underage drinking, and persistent drinking and driving. Cobra Kai is a sequel to the Karate Kid movies, and stars Ralph Macchio (The Outsiders, The Karate Kid), William Zabka (The Man in the Silo, The Karate Kid), Xolo Mariduena (Goodnight America, Twin Peaks), Courtney Henggeler (Into the Dark, Do Not Reply), and Tanner Buchanan (The Fosters, Chance). 

To enjoy the show to the fullest extent, it does require minimal Karate Kid knowledge. In the show, Lawrence (played by William Zabka) and Larusso (played by Ralph Macchio) have a rivalry from the past which I liked at first, but it eventually got old. I loved all the flashbacks that they included to the original movies! The show is very easy to binge, with 10 30-minute episodes per season, with a lot of cliffhangers. It was interesting to me how opposite Larusso and Lawrence are. I loved how in the show, the Cobra Kai dojo started out to teach kids self-defense, but at the end it went too far. I really liked all the romance, especially the forbidden love trope with Miguel and Samantha. I loved all the 80s references and found it funny how Lawrence did not know modern slang and how to use a cell phone. There were some jokes and references that I did not get because I have not watched the Karate Kid movies in a long time. Throughout watching the show, I was torn about which side of the rivalry to support (and I still am). My overall rating is 9/10, because I wished the rivalry was sorted out and I did not like that season 2 ended on a cliffhanger, but I am very excited for season 3! 

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