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By Rowen Murphy
Entertainment Columnist Introducing the top three reads that are perfect to pick up this season. Whether you are looking for a story set in a small town where something isn’t quite right with your picture-perfect neighbors, or a Sci-Fi blockbuster that unsettles the senses, or a chilling ambiance where unexpected creatures ensnare a boarding school, we have a treat for you! This list features books by T.J. Klune, Chuck Tingle, and C.G. Drews. Wolfsong by T.J. Klune Wolfsong is the first book in the Greek Creek Series. Set against the backdrop of Oregon’s lush forests is a dark urban fantasy with werewolves and witches. Klune’s series embodies a unique blend of cozy found family dynamics while also being quite sinister at times. With each book focusing on a different romantic pairing, we get valuable insight into the minds of four key characters. Klune’s writing is hauntingly poetic and beautifully exemplifies what it means to love a human who can turn into a beast. Klune’s work offers a poignant discussion on the hardships that come with having a deadbeat dad and a mother you would do anything to see smile again, as well as the importance of finding the people who will help carry you when the impossibility of magic becomes a reality. But beware, there are worse things out there than your childhood crush coming from a family that turns into wolves. There are also “monster” hunters and rogue packs of violent Omegas losing their ties to memory and their humanity right along with it; both factions seek to destroy the comfortable tranquility the Bennett pack has built. This series features bisexual, gay, lesbianand asexual representation as well as the voices of strong female characters and the voices and experiences of people of color, which acts as a backbone to our main characters’ understanding of the world around them. My personal favorites in this quartet are Wolfsong and Heartsong. Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle Bury Your Gays opens with gay TV script writer, Misha Byrne, receiving pushback on a script for the finale of his wildly successful show and his decision to put two female characters, whom he’s hinted at being in love, in a canon relationship. What happens when the film company tries to coerce Misha into killing off one of his lesbian leads after a single kiss with her beloved, and he replies, “bury your gays”, because that’s what the filming executives are essentially telling him to do. Worse yet, he has to contend with super fans in highly realistic cosplay of his films’ greatest villains stalking him, his boyfriend, and their asexual best friend. Tingle’s sci-fi thriller features a diverse cast of characters set up to fail against the titan filming corporation they work under. They must come together to unravel a larger mystery in the face of fictional characters coming to life with less than pure intentions. With a mix of psychological horror, dry humor and profoundly tear-jerking moments, this book is sure to make its mark. Tingle’s novel is an active critique of the overabundance of queer tragedy in the media. Within the story, there is a great deal of dialogue about the duty of the media industry to portray and give voice to every experience people go through, including those in minority communities, as their stories and perspectives matter most of all. Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews Don’t Let the Forest In is a darkly beautiful story with a Grimm Brothers’ fairytale feel that does not pull its punches when exploring a friendship between two boys that becomes an all-consuming and codependent love. Drews' work features an asexual, anxiety-riddled high school student and horror writer extraordinaire, Andrew, and his gay best friend, Thomas, a hotheaded and strikingly talented artist in all things grotesque. Something shifts when the boys return to their boarding school. The monsters from Thomas’s drawings begin appearing in the forest beyond their school, slowly overtaking the woods and creeping ever closer to the walls that promised to protect them from the elements. This novel oozes with atmosphere. It’s gorgeously written with poetic, in-depth descriptions of academia, the autumnal season, as well as the pervasive and decrepit nature of the forest. Another engaging factor is found in the construction of the book itself, with the faux blood-spattered edges of its pages, four of Andrew’s short stories, as well as four of Thomas’s monster drawings. All of which adds to the gory charm of C.G. Drews’s novel.
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By Jane Harig
Entertainment Columnist Hollywood hit downtown LA’s Peacock Theater for the 77th annual Emmy awards, a glamorous event to honor TV’s best, hosted by standup Nate Bargatze. The event brings together writers, actors, producers, directors and more to compete for the win in a number of categories, ranging from Outstanding Lead Actor to Outstanding Cinematography. Outstanding Drama Series, Comedy Series and Limited Series or Anthology that are currently on TV, or were in the last year, represent the three large categories. To highlight the evening’s standout events, I would be remiss not to mention the standing ovation bestowed upon Late Show’s best, Stephen Colbert, following the announced (and seemingly politically motivated) cancellation of his talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Actors, writers and directors alike filled the room with their appreciation for the comedic legend as he came to the stage to present Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. On stage, Colbert joked about his need for a job, pulling out a resume from his inside pocket, featuring a headshot from the beginning of his career. He passed the resume off to Harrison Ford, explaining that he only had one copy, and could give that to Steven Spielberg, which Ford happily accepted. Colbert received another standing ovation that night, when he was announced the winner for Best Talk Series (having competed for the award against The Daily Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!). The Studio dominated the night with a total of 13 wins, including Best Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and lead actor Seth Rogen winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The Apple TV+ series follows newly appointed network studio head Matt Remick (along with his ragtag team of studio employees played by Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn and Chase Sui Wonders) as he navigates the ups and downs (mostly downs) of running the fictional Continental Studios – from casting the Kool Aid movie to deals with Scorsese to “Oners” and missing film reels. Each episode has a standalone quality and feel to it (and often a famous cameo, whether it be Ron Howard and Anthony Mackie or someone more recurring, like Catherine O’Hara and Bryan Cranston), with a rich 70s film aesthetic. Equal parts humorous and stressful, one of the last episodes of the season takes place at a fictional Golden Globes (with many actors playing versions of themselves, like Adam Scott and Quinta Brunson, just to name a few). A running bit in the episode was the speeches the winners made when they took the stage, each adding a thank you to Matt Remick’s second-in-command, Sal Saperstein, played by comedy veteran Ike Barinholtz, whether they knew the character personally or not. The show walked away with lots of applause that night, and viewers can rest assured knowing the show has already been greenlit for a season two. The Emmy’s brought us back to recognizing a very big night in New York City last February, when Saturday Night Live aired its 50th Anniversary episode. SNL Anniversary Specials stand out amongst others in the season, traditionally bringing back tons of old cast members, writers, hosts, and musical guests to celebrate, honor old sketches, and reprise many iconic characters. The 50th Anniversary episode brought back many fan favorites, with Kate McKinnon playing her infamous Close Encounter character, this time alongside Meryl Streep. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey did bits with the audience, before Poehler and Maya Rudolph hopped into their old roles as the ladies hosting Bronx Beat, where they pulled Miles Teller from the audience, insisting on calling Top Gun Maverick, “Top Gun 2.” Emma Stone had popcorn in her dress, John Mulaney and Steve Martin monologued, Bill Murray ranked the top ten Weekend Update hosts, and Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter sang a duet. The night had so many comedy MVPs, all led by Captain Lorne Michaels, leading the SNL 50th Anniversary Special to walk away with the Emmy for Outstanding Live Variety Special. Season two of another Apple TV+ series, Severance, got a lot of fanfare. The show, directed by the ever-versatile Ben Stiller, is a twisted – yet comedic – take on the work life balance, which the characters take to the next level as they are “severed” from their home lives every day at work by having their memories switched in the elevator (essentially creating two separate people: their home version, which they call their “Outie,” and their work version, their “Innie”). The show received the most nominations going into the night and walked away with eight wins. Two standout wins of the evening were Tramell Tillman, for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and Britt Lower, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Tillman, who plays the chilling Mr. Milchick on the show, made history as the first black man to win in his category, thanking his mother, who he joked was his “first acting coach.” Britt Lower, who plays the impeccable Helly R., had one of the best moments of the night. People watching closely could see that on the back of her acceptance speech she had written “LET ME OUT” for the audience to see, in vain of her severed, rebellious character on the show. Kudos to Britt Lower for that easter egg bit, which surely made many fans chuckle. One of the biggest shows of the year was Netflix’s Adolescence, the dark story of a young boy, Jamie Miller, convicted of killing his classmate and the ripple effect this has on his life, his family, and the world around him. Described as a “why-done-it,” the story is told in four one-hour episodes, each done in one take. The show – headed by actor, director, and writer Stephen Graham – won Outstanding Limited Series or Anthology. Graham also won outstanding lead actor for his role as Jamie’s father. Erin Doherty, who appears in arguably the most intense and memorable episodes of the show, won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Anthology. One of the biggest wins of the night was the adolescent win for the show, meaning young Owen Cooper’s award. Cooper (in his first ever professional role!) played the titular lead of Jamie Miller and walked away that night with the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology, being the youngest, at fifteen years old, to win for his category. Not only that, but he met his hero, Jake Gyllenhaal, before the event, who bestowed upon him a “lucky duck,” which he kept in his pocket the night of the evening. A truly wholesome moment backdropped to a dark but extremely impressive show. In his speech, Cooper stated: “I think tonight proves if you listen, and you focus and you step out your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.” If the Oscars proved that cinema is still alive, the Emmys did the same for television. Whether it be a storied show like SNL, or a newcomer, like The Pitt, we can count on Hollywood to gather the troops and celebrate the stories we see on our TVs each night and celebrate the people who make them.  By Rowen Murphy
Entertainment Columnist Dating simulations are typically categorized as low-stakes, cozy video games that require direct player input. This allows you, as the main character, to get to know a multitude of ‘dateable’ characters through branching dialogue paths, which stick close to a nostalgic choose-your-own-adventure feel. With the wide variety of dating sims on the market, one in particular has piqued my interest. From developers Team 17 and Sassy Chap Games comes the sandbox dating sim, Date Everything! In the game Date Everything!, you play as the main character who has recently been replaced by AI in their customer service job for megacorporation Valdivian. This inciting event kicks off our story as a hacker sends the main character a mysterious package containing aviators or ‘Dateviators’ that have the ability to turn household objects into real people; all of whom you have the opportunity to befriend, romance, or antagonize. With over a hundred fully voiced characters, each featuring a unique storyline, there is something for everyone to enjoy. There is a grand pirate’s quest for lost treasure, clothes hangers with golden retriever energy, a fake dating trope with a certain desk, a door whose main priority has always been to keep you safe, a nightmare to have surprisingly therapeutic conversations with, a wall to stare blankly into as you contemplate the ethics of romancing your personified Existential Dread and of course, so much more! I am in awe of the art these developers have created and I genuinely feel honored to have had the opportunity to play this in August. Over the course of the game, I fell in love with the main character's home and the characters that inhabit it. I found that it was so easy to adore the characters because they felt real in a sense, not only due to the writing which was absolutely hilarious and downright unhinged at times, but also due to the voice actors who brought such depth to their roles. To add to this, several had storylines that explored events many of us have also experienced. While some of the topics were more sensitive in nature than others, the writing handled them beautifully and with grace. Hearing about some of the struggles the characters underwent felt cathartic in a sense, as allowing them to tell the main character ensured that they were no longer alone in their thoughts or experiences. By the end of such conversations, Hector, the HVAC system, didn’t feel quite so ashamed about his looks. Rebel, the rubber duck, learned they didn’t need to push everyone away in order to be safe. River, the personification of water, stopped asking others which version of her they preferred and started asking which version she prefers. Barry, the makeup collection, stopped beating himself up over forgetting conversations and instead learned neurodiverse friendly strategies to help him remember the most important moments. Dorian, the household doors, learned the quiet faith that comes with entrusting his heart to someone following a particularly difficult breakup. The stories that mean something and the ones that hit closest to home are often the ones that most accurately reflect humanity. While these characters started out as household objects, they have come to embody the most positive attributes a human being can aspire to. As a whole, Date Everything! has a profound amount of heart. In playing the game, you can feel how much care was put into its creation; the soundtrack, the voice acting, the hand-drawn character designs, the witty writing, the incredibly engaging storylines and the home itself. All of this comes together to tell the story of a shut-in who crafted the courage to speak up for themselves with a little help from a cast of truly delightful characters. Date Everything! is available to play on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam and PC. By Rowen Murphy
Entertainment Columnist On our first edition of Critiquing Cult Reads, I am thrilled to introduce you to the works of Kelly Andrew. With the release of her latest novel, ‘I Am Made Of Death’, she adds to the narrative of her paranormal trilogy which features a cast of new characters along with some recurring ones. Andrew’s linked trilogy is comprised of ‘The Whispering Dark’, ‘Your Blood, My Bones’ and ‘I Am Made Of Death’. The Whispering Dark Perfect for fans of Maggie Stiefvater’s ‘The Raven Cycle’ and C.G. Wells’s ‘Don’t Let The Forest In’, Andrew’s ‘The Whispering Dark’ is marked by an intersection between dark academia and urban fantasy. With her atmospheric writing, Andrew is sure to transport you into a whirlwind romance which she cleverly sets against the backdrop of a sprawling college campus, a secret society and research on an obscure theory best left forgotten. As a transfer student of Godbole University, Delaney must navigate her life devoid of sound, that is, until her hearing aid begins picking up voices that are not of this world. Your Blood, My Bones With Andrew’s lush prose drawing its likeness from the conscious forest creeping ever closer, ‘Your Blood, My Bones’ is perfect for anyone in need of a fresh twist on a dark fairytale. Bringing together aspects of the well-loved story, Peter Pan, Andrew displays the profound ability to pick apart pieces of the legend and twist them into something almost unrecognizable, yet achingly familiar. Returning with a matchbook in hand, Wyatt plans to reduce her childhood home to cinders. That is, until she unveils the century-long mystery surrounding the grounds of the farmhouse and that of the person chained to its basement walls. With the forest encroaching on the house, Wyatt’s loyalty to an old friend is called into question. Her task is to assume her rightful place as keeper of the forest. His task is to stop her. No matter the cost. I Am Made Of Death With elements glimpsed in the film Black Swan and allusions to the upside-down world of Wonderland, Andrew revisits themes of her first work through the lens of an art school in the south, cults posing as college clubs and the gauzy veneer of funhouse mirrors in an empty ballet studio. In her latest work, ‘I Am Made Of Death’, Andrew blends the monstrous feminine with aspects of girlhood revolving around an inherently female urge to break free and become something more. She explores adolescence and the staggered changes that come with transforming into a young woman through the intervention of an accidental possession, impacting the main character's personal agency. With a focus on body horror, nightmare-scapes and a distinct disillusionment from reality, Andrew paints a macabre portraiture of the main character, Vivienne. With this comes the narrative of a woman choosing to remain mute, solely using sign language, as the powers imbued in her words become poison. Beneath her facade as a moneyed ballet dancer, Vivienne hides a chilling secret. She is not the only one to share her body. Disaster will befall those who surround her if she is unable to break the ties that keep the monster burrowed in her mind. I chose to spotlight Kelly Andrew due to her lush literary prose, which gives voice to the competent female protagonist we all need. Andrew’s work is best viewed through a fantastical lens, yet it also garners respect by highlighting the stories of young women, which is necessary given the era where erasure of these voices is perpetuated by male-dominated media. As such, it is essential that we uplift female-centric stories and celebrate diversified points of view. I hope you’ll pick up this charmingly haunted trilogy. By Bryce Miller
Arts and Entertainment Captain America: Brave New World brings a brutally epic story of conflict to our government and its relations with other nations. Following the conclusion of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), AKA The Falcon, has officially taken the mantle of Captain America. Working with the new U.S. president, Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), who was recast as the character after the death of actor William Hurt, Wilson tries to maintain political relations between the United States and Japan, and measure up to the “Star-Spangled Man With The Plan.” Ross is known in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for his creation of political controversy, specifically against superhumans. Ross’ character is known for his involvement in sending the military after Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk (2008) and implementing the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War (2016). In this film, however, he is open to incorporation, trying to make amends to his family and the superhuman community for his past. Ross’ change of heart is disrupted by the film's antagonist, Samuel Stern (Tim Blake Nelson), AKA The Leader. Stern is known for his involvement in aiding Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk (2008), but has not been seen since. The brutal elements of, as well as the sinister actions of the antagonist, targeting President Ross, trying to destroy everything that he has worked for, trying to prove to his family and the superhuman population that he is different now. Throughout the film, Stern is causing mayhem across the planet, while making sure Ross knows the reason this is happening is because of him, driving Ross mad as he tries desperately to hold his presidency and himself together. Having this psychological conflict with Ross and The Leader, one of the smartest characters in Marvel comics, made the film more hard-hitting than previous Marvel movies. This intelligent, psychologically dangerous story gives the audience something that they have never seen or experienced before in this new era of Marvel. In the film, the central conflict is brought about by the discovery of a brand-new element in the MCU, known as Adamantium. It was said to be a material capable of limitless potential, only found on Celestial Island, which was created at the end of The Eternals (2021). The discovery of this new element sparks political turmoil among the leaders of other nations, as they debate with each other on who has the right to lay their claim on the new element. This debate plays into the hands of The Leader and his greater goal to destroy Ross’ presidency and his life. Sam Wilson, throughout the film, isn’t his usual energetic, can-do self. However, those character elements are adopted by the New Falcon, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez). This new dynamic, with Wilson as the new Captain America and Torres as the new Falcon, gives the film a similar feeling to the friendship that Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson had in their partnership. As expressed in the previous film, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Wilson doesn’t feel worthy of being called Captain America as he doesn’t have the same capabilities as Steve Rogers. Wilson, without the Super Soldier serum that gave Rogers his powers, is operating at only 50% of the capacity that Rogers had. He has no enhanced strength, speed, or endurance to assist him in his fight against those who would do the country and the world harm. He asks himself constantly, “Should I have taken the super soldier serum?” or “Does the world really need a new Captain America?” Brave New World and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier provide great moments of character growth for the character of Sam Wilson. He tried to make his own difference politically and culturally for the world to look up to him as America’s hero. Even though throughout the film he shows just how capable he truly is, this film brought new elements of gore to the MCU. Not that blood and violence have never been in Marvel films, but in this film, the use of blood in the film’s action scenes really sets the tone for the brutal hero/character that Wilson can be. Because of the use of these graphic/gore elements, Anthony Mackie has brought a form of Heroism that we have never seen in a CA film. In Brave New World, the story is constructed differently than most Marvel films. It is more of a sequel to The Incredible Hulk, rather than The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Viewing the film as a sequel to The Incredible Hulk is easy, especially when considering characters like The Leader and Thaddeus Ross. Though Ross’s character has been seen three times since The Incredible Hulk, the film makes more direct references to the events of The Incredible Hulk than any other movie/series in the MCU. Finally, Brave New World gives viewers clarity on the aftermath of The Incredible Hulk, which took place seventeen years prior to this one. Brave New World has clarified a lot of long unanswered questions since 2008. Where is The Leader and what happened to him? What happened between Betty and her father? Both of these questions have been on the minds of Marvel fans since 2008 without any clarity whatsoever. While getting the answers to these questions means a lot to Marvel fans, it felt as though these characters were distracting from the real point of the story, which is the evolution of the character of Captain America. The film focuses on Wilson’s struggle with this new role in the world as its new protector. Making himself question if he, as a regular person is truly capable of protecting the world from any threat be it man-made or intergalactic. But there should be more to his character’s conflict than that, especially since the previous CA films have expressed much more emotional complexity. Because the previous Captain America films all focus on Steve Rogers and what he struggles with as “the man out of time,” they also slowly give us more detail on his personal life and family. Wilson’s family was established in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, but we haven’t seen or heard anything about them since the show ended. So using them in the film would’ve given the audience something to think more about other than him feeling unworthy of the mantel of Captain America. Overall, the film reignited my love of the MCU franchise. It shows a form of heroism that we have never seen before. If you are a Marvel fan, or more specifically a fan of the CA trilogy, would enjoy this film and the new elements Disney Studio is introducing to the franchise.  Image c/o Warner Bros. Pictures By Bryce Miller Entertainment Columnist Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux captured the flamboyance of Joker and Harley Quinn in the form of a never-before-seen comic-book musical. Following the previous movie's events, we see Joker (Joaquin Phoenix) as an inmate in Arkham Asylum, where he meets Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga). Like lightning, the two were struck by one another, bringing a romantic yet volatile feeling to what the film has in store. Joaquin Phoenix once again mesmerized the audience with his role as the iconic villain Joker, thrusting his way through the movie with his singing and dancing, as well as keeping the audience guessing as he experiences his periodic psychotic episodes. At the same time, Lady Gaga’s portrayal of the fan-favorite Harley Quinn hit fans like a storm with her chaotic choices, made only to make it clear to Joker that she loves him. Throughout the film, we see many different musical numbers made to highlight the moods that both Joker and Lee are experiencing. This kind of emotional flamboyance we see from both characters provides a sweet yet violent romantic feeling to the audience. When thinking about Todd Phillips’ filmography, Joker: Folie à Deux presents a new style to the writer/director. Each of them has their own flamboyance, but they’re also dramatic and funny, keeping the fans guessing as to what is going to happen next. Seeing this movie as a musical made fans very disappointed, due to the purpose of the film which is to capture the early life of the Joker in a psychologically thrilling manner. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film has experienced criticism both critically and commercially, potentially because it was not marked properly as a musical, especially because the first film did not exhibit any of the musical elements that are present in the second film. Many fans were expecting another psychologically thrilling story that was going to keep us guessing at every turn. Instead, they got a psychologically thrilling musical that was suspenseful but not as much as the original. Personally, I enjoyed the film, the story was well constructed, and the actors played their characters incredibly well. The one consistent aspect of the film that most fans and I are disappointed by is the fact that they made the movie into a musical. It wasn’t something that fans were expecting or were happy about, and it tended to make the film seem like the story was going by a lot slower. Something that also wasn’t expected about the film was that it almost entirely took place in a prison. Most fans were expecting a lot more action and environmental changes, but none of that happened as much as it was expected to in this film. While most fans are not thrilled by the fact that this movie is a musical, some fans who appreciate the work that was put into the production and the choreography in the film seem to enjoy it. If you enjoy musicals I highly recommend that you see this movie.  Image c/o Sony Pictures Entertainment By Emily Brazeal Entertainment Columnist It seems like most movies in theaters right now are either horror or sequels, not a strong enough pull to lure me to the movies. That is until I was walking down the street and saw the flashing title–Saturday Night. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend my own Saturday night. The movie, released 49 years after the first SNL episode on October 11, 1975, was brilliantly chaotic, perfectly over-the-line humorous, and absolutely attention-grabbing. All of the things we expect from SNL. The only true bummer was that October 11, when the movie released, was a Friday night. The movie tracks the 90 minutes before the first SNL was set to premiere. You felt the stress along with SNL creator, Lorne Micheals, as each minute ticked closer to the inevitable 11:30 timeslot. Sketches were not set in place, stage lights were crashing down, an actor’s contract was still unsigned, drugs were being passed around like Tic Tacs; all of it adding to the uncertainty if the show was even going to air. It was extremely stressful to watch–in the best way possible. Director Jason Reitman–of Juno, Thank You for Smoking and Ghostbusters: Afterlife fame–has once again directed a movie that is so packed with witty dialogue, action and humor that you are sure to miss something if you look away for even a second. With 80 speaking roles, almost no deleted scenes, a brilliant cast and each actor begging for your attention, it feels like a feat that the movie felt so cohesive. Reitman claims his inspiration for the movie draws back to his guest writing stint for SNL. Reitman said, “From the first moment I ever sat at ‘SNL’ and watched that thing go live, there was a part of me that wanted to capture it.” The cast was perfect at capturing one distinctive element of each SNL cast member. Reitman explained: “Chevy’s ego and Garrett [Morris] feeling lost and [John] Belushi’s genuine fear of being a star.” Gabriel Labelle, who portrays Lorne Michaels, gives the audience a complete sense of panic as he is threatened by NBC Exec David Tebet (played by William Dafoe) and at the same time complete confidence as he reassures Jim Henson and tames the manic ways of coked-out John Belushi. Cory Michael Smith playing Chevy Chase gave the perfect amount of charm and cockiness necessary to portray a future movie star. Dylan O’Brien flawlessly re-enacted Dan Akyroid’s shyness in the famous “Hard Hats” sketch and his playfulness as he flirts with many of the SNL women, including Lorne’s wife Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott). Sennott portrays the character with a terrific mix of self-confidence, supportiveness and persuasion as she tries to convince John Belushi (played by Matt Wood) to don a bee costume. Wood, who conveniently looks very similar to Belushi, played the role with the amusing neuroticism expected from a tortured comedian. Lamorne Morris skillfully portrayed Garrett Morris once again taking on the part of a lovingly awkward character that you can’t help but to root for. A phenomenal cast, great cinematography, dazzling disarray and the perfect story; almost makes you want to shout, “We’re not worthy!” This rampageous and stressful movie is perfect for any SNL fan or even that one friend who thrives on chaos. The perfect film to watch on any night, but best enjoyed on a Saturday night.  Image c/o Nicholas Zuniga By Nicholas Zuniga Entertainment Columnist Just around the corner from Saint Mary’s College, thousands of folks gathered in UC Berkeley's Greek Theater to witness Omar Apollo perform the last leg of his “God Said No” world tour on Friday, October 4. It was a sold-out show, with at least 8,000 people who gathered to celebrate the lively singer (the Greek Theater has a maximum capacity of 8,500 individuals). Kevin Abstract opened the show with a bang. He performed some hit songs of his, like “Georgia,” and included music from Brockhampton, the band he formed in 2014, such as “Peach.” Towards the tail end of the opening number, Malcolm Todd briefly made an appearance and had the crowd roaring with excitement. The audience’s exhilaration was tangible by the time Apollo began performing. He began the show with “Be Careful With Me,” from his God Said No album, which was incredible to watch live. Beyond the God Said No tracks, he peppered into the setlist songs from his first album Ivory and his debut mixtape Apolonio, along with one of his smash singles “3 Boys.” At The Greek Theater, there is relatively limited on-stage space for theatrics and creative output. However, this was no boundary for Apollo’s production. His performance was embellished by vibrant - almost ethereal - lighting, which drew attention to the performance. He had a group of dancers who all greatly contributed to the sheer stage presence of the “God Said No” performance; these dancers complimented Apollo’s powerful and energetic dance moves. I’ve only ever seen him as a singer, not a dancer, but that has changed since watching him perform live. Many consider Omar Apollo to be a “rising star.” He has gained significant attention as a performer, particularly being celebrated by the queer Latinx community (Apollo being of Mexican descent, also having disclosed very early on in his career that he is gay). It is clear that Apollo feels love from his audience, love that he reciprocates. During the tail end of the performance, the singer took time to get close to the audience to sign merchandise and posters, while also taking pictures with the crowd. He also took time to address his parents and relatives who were located in the crowd, which was a very heartwarming moment. By the time I left the theater, I was so happy to have just witnessed a stellar performance by one of my favorite artists. I’d say that this is just the beginning of a very successful and fruitful career in the entertainment industry for Omar Apollo.  Image c/o FX By Matthew Colvin Entertainment Columnist In the absence of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” the long-running fantasy epic television series that concluded its eight-season run in 2019, modern TV has been sorely lacking any sort of analogous show of similar scale or grandeur. FX’s new historical drama series “Shogun,” created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, finally scratches that itch in striking, often visually arresting fashion.
Of course, to boil this series down to a “Game of Thrones” clone would be to do it a massive disservice. “Shogun” is very much its own story; while “Thrones” delved into an alternate fantasy world of dragons and ice zombies, “Shogun” keeps its specific flavor of violent political maneuverings grounded in a keen sense of historical accuracy at all times. The series is based on the 1975 historical fiction novel of the same name by James Clavell, taking place in feudal Japan in the year 1600. It follows a trio of vastly different, but equally important main characters; Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a cunning and ambitious Japanese lord who must use his wits to survive when the rest of the nation turns against him; Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a highborn woman and translator loyal to Toranaga; and audience surrogate John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), an English sailor who washes up on Japan’s shores in the middle of this time of unrest and must find a way to survive in an unfamiliar and unforgiving land. These three characters and their intersecting perspectives on the events of the story make up “Shogun’s” most powerful storytelling weapon, and their individual narratives are more than enough to keep the series compelling from start to finish. Combined with the rest of the show’s robust and well-performed ensemble, “Shogun” boasts one of the best casts of characters I’ve seen on television in some time. The acting is top-notch across the board as well and rarely falters, and I must give particular credit to Sawai for bringing an unprecedented degree of both pathos and quiet strength to her role as Mariko. “Shogun’s” story, while as complex and multifaceted as one would expect from such an ambitious production trying to tell a story of political manipulation, never becomes over-complicated or difficult to follow. It balances the inner lives of its characters and the growing cold war in Japan extremely resourcefully, and the thematic language of the narrative ties all of the disparate parts together with extraordinary grace. The cinematic language doesn’t lag behind, either. “Shogun” is the most expensive series in FX’s history - it knows it - and by the time the credits roll on any given episode, it’ll make sure you know it too. The visuals are consistently stunning, from gorgeously detailed CG renderings of feudal Osaka to the innumerable, exquisitely detailed practical sets and costumes the show employs. Combined with immersive and often quite clever cinematography, “Shogun” never for a moment stops being an utterly transportive visual experience. There’s a great deal more I could say about this series, but to spoil it at all would be unfair to any reader when I could instead simply give it my highest tier of recommendation. “Shogun” is one of the best pieces of television of recent years, and if you haven’t watched it already, I highly suggest you go give it a shot.  Image C/O Amazon MGM Studios By Andrew Martinez Cabrera Associate Editor If you’re unfortunate enough to be on X as much as I am, then you know that there’s a constant debate about the need for sex scenes in movies overall. To engage it in any matter is to engage in a Sisyphean struggle, but it’s important to detail here because of the nature of Luca Guadagnino’s latest film, “Challengers,” and its engagement with sex.
An article in The Economist revealed that the top 250 movies since 2000 have had sexual content decrease by 40%. Look at social media in general and the sentiment around younger generations is vehemently anti-sex in media, almost Puritan-like, of course without religious sentiments influencing their feelings towards sexual content in their media. Yet “Challengers,” a film that details three tennis players at various points in their careers and their on-and-off, adulterous/polyamorous relationship, is a film whose primary audience seemingly is Gen Z. It’s a fair assumption to make when you cast Zendaya as your lead star. But while sex is a prevalent theme, and “Challengers” has a fair share of sex scenes, it’s relatively tame. Perhaps the semantic argument is that it’s less intensely erotically charged and more sensual. “Challengers” follows Tashi, a once-promising tennis player who suffered a life-altering injury during a match, who coaches her husband Art (Mike Faist) and enters him in a low-effort tennis match called a Challenger. What they don’t know is that their old friend and newfound enemy, Patrick (Josh O’Connor), is the competition. What was once supposed to be an easy (ego) victory turns into a personal fight as if it were bearing the same stakes as a Wimbledon match. “Challengers'' switches back and forth between various timelines, detailing Patrick and Art’s young dual-tennis career, Tashi and Art’s time at Stanford, and their modern-day relationship in 2019. Each temporal point details a pivotal step in the dissolution of friendships, the halting of their professional careers, and the moment of sensual release. However, these moments of release are communicated mostly through the act of tennis itself. “Tennis is an amazing sport to think about a love triangle because it’s so deeply charged erotically,” said screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes. He adds “[It’s] steeped in repression, but also in wild abandon.” Guadagnino employs these sports moments cinematically while the sex scenes represent a form of repression. An especially comical scene between Zendaya and Josh O'Connor illustrates these relationships the best in that their sex (basically composed of half-naked bodies making out) is cut short because they’re too busy arguing about tennis. All the while, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross’ techno-club score pulsates as the camera whip pans between the two players. In the absence of tennis being depicted in this aforementioned scene, sex becomes superimposed onto the sport itself. The sex scenes' cinematic language is relatively tame as opposed to the tennis moment’s unparalleled kinetic energy. It’s over-the-top, akin to an anime-style montage. Thematically too, Tashi bounces back and forth between both of its male protagonists, still participating in tennis even after she can’t athletically perform it anymore. Their bodies become moments of singled-out events during these tennis matches, sweating profusely into the camera lens, the slowed-motion movement of the racket swinging, then pummeled to the floor in a moment of anger – tension released dramatically. At the end of a match, two men hug so hard they fall to the ground. Sex bleeds into their sport. The only time the cinematic language transfers over is an overhead shot during the climatic final match scene. In its current cultural climate, “Challengers” becomes a pseudo-Hays Code film, harkening to Sirkian melodramas, where Hollywood imposed its own censorship rules, and filmmakers had to come up with creative ways to insinuate rather than depict. “Challengers” doesn’t have any restrictions to abide by, but somewhat reactionarily, emphasizes tennis over physical connection. It works with the characters because their fixed mindset is to be the greatest tennis player in the world. If that means sacrificing or minimizing human connections in favor of intense devotion to this sport, then it is a sacrifice they’re willing to make. While we may not understand the characters through romantic desires, which they often undermine, the audience comes to understand their vivacity, their drive, and their obsession with the vocation that deems them worthy challengers to be reckoned with. |
STAFFAndrew Martinez Cabrera '26, Archives
October 2025
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