Spotify Warped?: Students Find Shortfalls in Algorithm

By Mariam Keita ’24 and Rose Cohen ’22

Section Editor and Staff Writer

Last Tuesday, Dec. 1, the Swedish audio streaming service Spotify released their yearly Spotify Wrapped personalized experience, which tells eligible users about their top artists, top songs and minutes listened. In order to receive Wrapped, listeners would have needed to have an account before Nov. 15, listened to at least five different musicians and 30 different tracks. 

“I’ve seen people bond over music all the time and I think it’s a really beautiful thing because music is a universal language,” Tiwani Ariyibi ’24 explained, when asked about the music streaming platform’s annual feature. “Spotify Wrapped can build a community around your favorite artist which I think is really nice, even if the algorithm is a little messed up.” 

 Ariyibi, like many subscribers, enjoys the Wrapped feature. However, she was not necessarily satisfied with this year’s summary of her listening habits. 

This year, the creator of the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda, appeared among her Spotify Wrapped artists. 

“I really liked the [Hamilton] movie and I would play [the soundtrack] a lot, but that was a phase. It lasted like a solid month and then I never went back,” Ariyibi explained.

Mae Philippe-Auguste ’24 was also surprised by her Spotify Wrapped this year. 

“A lot of my stuff also came from my sleep playlist so I didn’t even bother posting,” Philippe-Auguste wrote in response to an Instagram story about this article.

Students in the class of 2024 listened to a good deal of sad music, according to Pearl Young ’24. 

“People started listening to emo music that was popular when we were younger,” she said. “I saw a lot of people in our class had Mitski [sic] somewhere in there [sic] top 10.”  

Ariyibi poses one theory as to why so many people had such wistful sounds in their Wrapped this year. “In a pandemic, you can’t really see your friends or family — things that would normally bring you comfort — and you have to find new ways [of coping].” Additionally, Ariyibi explained that Spotify users are turning to the artists that they listened to in their childhood. “I listened to a lot of Lauryn Hill [which] my mom used to play when I was younger,” Ariyibi said.

Joliet Morrill ’21, who has approximately 12,000 Spotify followers and creates Spotify playlists for her Tik Tok followers, suggested that people are returning to their old favorite songs for a sense of nostalgia. “[They want to] remind themselves of a different time,” Morrill said. 

Since 2020 began, Morrill found that Tik Tok users have been requesting mood-based playlists. “I have to create a story by giving the playlist an interesting title and cover,” Morrill explained. 

Erica Weathers has noticed similar trends while working as a Clinical Social Worker for Mount Holyoke College Counseling Services. 

“Many students that I work with use music as a way to self-soothe and relax or distract themselves from stressful emotions and to uplift their spirits. I also have had students that struggle with ADHD listen to relaxing music in the background while they're doing their work which provides just enough stimulation that can help them focus,” Weathers said.  

“If I had to guess about why students are listening to music from earlier stages of their lives, my best guess is that the music they listened to when they were younger can trigger positive memories and associations,” Weathers added. “The music is something that is known to them and in that way, can bring comfort during a time of great uncertainty.” 

Philippe-Auguste seemed to fit into this trend of listening to old music. “I’m a theater kid so songs from shows that I’ve been in, [they remind] me of my cast,” Philippe-Auguste explained. “I think it just takes you back to these good memories and people that you can’t necessarily connect with as much right now.”

Ariyibi thought the comeback of childhood music-related well to the year 2020. “I don’t think I can find someone who is happy about this year. Sometimes you just need music to help you cope through anything you’re going through and I think that’s why a lot of people had depressing music,” Ariyibi said.

Artist Profile: Vivi Corre

Graphic by Vivi Corre

By Anika Singh ’24

Staff Writer

 There is something immersive about Vivi Corre’s art. It is minimal yet enthralling — it entices the viewer to look, to relate. It draws them in. Gathering inspiration from current events, Corre sketched her latest piece, idly creating patterns influenced by her environment and ready to shape her newest work. 

Corre’s art journey wasn’t a straight line. “I used to not like art as a subject at all in high school,” she explained. “My own ideas and creativity were limited since the classes followed a technical flow and strived for a perfect depiction.” 

Corre did not find solace in this. “Art isn’t meant to be perfect, it’s supposed to be you!” she remarked.

It all started with a birthday gift. New iPad and pencil in hand, Corre explored the new features the device offered, her love for art growing by the minute. Corre remarked that it is incredible what a simple instrument can do, whether it's brightening up your favorite biology teacher's day as you give her your art as a baby shower gift (featuring the words “Future Stemminist”) or celebrating your college acceptance to Mount Holyoke by drawing Jorge enjoying M&Cs. These projects guided Corre to feeling a close affinity for art. 

“The Jorge artwork was definitely a turning point for me,” she said. “I had sent it out to [the Office of] Admission and they liked it so much that they reposted it on their Instagram, which led to people DMing me to ask if they could get it in a sticker format. That encouraged me to put my art out there,” she added. 

This resulted in the creation of a Redbubble account that now displays a handful of her creations. 

Art is everywhere, Corre believes. She described how her artistry comes to her, saying, “One of my favorite creations came to me as I sat in front of the television watching the 2020 vice presidential debate. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris shut down Vice President [Mike] Pence by her iconic ‘I’m speaking’ quote. That's where I got the idea to draw a loudspeaker with the quote.” 

Corre’s ideas are innovative and shine the brightest when her art is influenced by current events. A remarkable piece was her “AOC+Among Us” drawing, which came from the famous U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez livestream during which she played the game Among Us to encourage the youth of America to vote in the 2020 presidential election. This piece is playful, displaying cutesy Among Us figurines while highlighting the political climate of America. Ocasio-Cortez seems to play a significant role in Corre’s art, as some of her quotes serve as catalysts for her creations. 

“I’m glad to see that my art can reach people,” Corre reflected. “I, unfortunately, don’t get to see who purchased my art, but at times my art is purchased from states or countries that I might not know people from, and I’m overjoyed to know that my art is now not only something I enjoy but other people do as well. Such a feeling can’t be replaced.”

To support Corre and her art, check out her Instagram art account, @vivicdesigns.

Hulu’s ‘Happiest Season’ Is a Huge Holiday Letdown

Graphic by Trinity Kendrick ‘21

By Sabryna Coppola ’22

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Content warning: This article mentions homophobia and emotional abuse.

The holiday season traditionally involves going home to see family, and that presents a potentially harrowing experience for many LGBTQ+ people. 

On Nov. 25, Hulu released their original film “Happiest Season.” Directed by Clea DuVall (famous for her role in “But I’m a Cheerleader”), the film follows Harper (Mackenzie Davis) and her girlfriend Abby (Kristen Stewart) as they visit Harper’s home for Christmas. Harper admits on the way that she lied about being out to her conservative (read: homophobic) family, and since her father is a politician running for reelection, she wants to keep their relationship a secret until after the holiday passes. 

The film opens with all the usual antics we can expect from this popular trope in LGBTQ+ movies, including lots of misunderstandings and innuendos. But as the movie progresses, Abby and Harper’s relationship becomes more strained. 

Since Harper’s family doesn’t know about her identity, they keep trying to set her up with her ex-boyfriend. Left alone in an unfamiliar place, Abby befriends Harper’s ex-girlfriend, Riley (excellently played by Aubrey Plaza). Harper’s tense relationship with her parents, her extremely competitive older sister and her hiding of Abby all come together to create a ticking time bomb.

The movie promises a star-studded cast, including Stewart, Plaza, Alison Brie and Dan Levy. However, it is only Stewart and Plaza’s talents that are fully utilized, as only their characters are fully developed. The rest seem to fall into flat stereotypes. 

Throughout the movie, Harper ignores Abby, who has admitted how hard it is for her to celebrate Christmas after the passing of her parents, and repeatedly convinces her to stay despite her discomfort. Levy plays Abby’s friend, John, who occasionally advises Abby over the phone to remove herself from the situation, eerily reminiscent of Jordan Peele’s horror film “Get Out.” However, at the end of the movie, he tells Abby that just because Harper is afraid to be open about her sexuality doesn’t mean that she loves Abby any less. Reminding Abby how scary it can be to come out to one’s family, he convinces her that Harper’s manipulative behavior is justified. 

Without revealing too much, I will say that I was immensely disappointed in this movie for many reasons. Following in the footsteps of almost every rom-com relationship, Abby and Harper are completely dysfunctional and, frankly, toxic. The cast is also mostly white, and the three characters of color lack dimension. They seem to be used as diversity tokens for the election of Harper’s father, which is wildly problematic and wholly unaddressed. Two of them frame Abby for stealing something from a mall, adding an unnecessary and racist plot point. Harper spends the entire movie pandering to her right-wing upbringing, hiding the parts of her that will tarnish her father’s reputation and, in the process, actively hurting Riley and Abby. 

This portrayal of LGBTQ+ romance is not the representation I wanted to see from DuVall, a lesbian icon. The best-case scenario would be a lesbian rom-com that wasn’t about their sexual orientation. But this toxic couple undermines that possibility. Instead, preying on the terrifying feeling of coming out enables an unhealthy relationship in which Abby is emotionally manipulated into letting herself be mistreated by Harper. I’m not asking for the perfect movie, but it would have been nice for the first mainstream lesbian rom-com to promote more meaningful representation.

The movie has had some mixed reviews. NPR called it “funny,” “charming” and “warm” and lauded the cast for their performances. However, lesbians on social media have expressed disappointment in the couple, pointing out how Harper’s general mistreatment of Abby is thinly glossed over by appealing to the fear of coming out. Like any rom-com, the problems are easily solved and the ending is perfectly happy —  every problem is neatly wrapped up and put away. Despite how much I wanted to like this movie, I think it’s something that will land differently with everyone who watches it. Knowing how hard it is to come out to family shines a sympathetic light on Harper, but for me, it wasn’t enough to excuse her actions. 

The movie is still worth watching, but don’t expect too much. There are some genuinely funny parts and a cozy, festive atmosphere to the film. Stewart and Plaza, both usually typecast as cold and sarcastic, give wonderful performances. It does show a nuanced relationship, which is important for “representational” movies, but marketing toxic as romantic just doesn’t sit right with me. 

To anyone struggling with difficult family dynamics over the holidays, remember that you are worthy and deserving of self-preservation. It can be a tough time for a lot of us, but remember to take care of yourselves. If you find yourself in Abby’s position, pack your bags and put yourself first. 

Artist Profile: Aftan

By Kenna Hurtuk ’23

Staff Writer

Aftan ’23 is an artist in more ways than one. Incorporating both visual and written elements into their work, they create warped yet reality-based pieces that reflect the existing world as well as the utopias they envision. Their poetry casts a dark but wistful spell over the page, and their art displays darkness openly but with powerful nuance. 

“I feel like there’s a lot of exploration of the body in my art,” Aftan reflected. A psychology major with a particular interest in memory and self-narrative, Aftan uses art to make the internal experiences of physicality and corporeality tangible, often through depictions of the body. Aftan said that their emotions gain tangible form in their art. 

This mind-body dialogue is a recurrent theme for Aftan. They said they are “constantly thinking about the narrative my [written and visual] art create in isolation from each other, but also in relation to each other.” 

Differing mediums provide this cyclical basis of inspiration in Aftan’s work. “My visual art is a byproduct of my poetry,” they explained. “The way I think is through poetry, and then that manifests itself in my [visual] art.” Aftan acts as an artistic translator, ensuring that their sketches and paintings maintain the poetic qualities of their written counterparts. 

Aftan is inspired by Franny Choi, Kaveh Akbar, Kristin Chang and Yanyi. “I’ve learned a lot from queer Asian poets,” they explained. These voices both reflected and introduced new perspectives to Aftan’s identity as a South Asian nonbinary poet. 

Another influence in Aftan’s work is their boundless love and care for others. “Love is everywhere in my art,” Aftan said. “I love very deeply. Love languages are important to me — making art and writing poems for people.” Their greatest hope is that those on the receiving end of their emotional energy “think about the emotions it evokes with intentionality.”

This intentionality is ever-present in Aftan’s life and work. Just as their written and visual art build on and lend creativity to each other, Aftan hopes to see more instances of community where people can depend on each other and build from their resources. They define simply surviving as “allowing the community to sustain us materially, physically and emotionally.” 

However, they are looking for more than that. “What drives my art,” they said, “is the community around me and envisioning a future where living is considered beyond survival.”

To support Aftan’s work, direct contributions can be sent to Amika19 on Venmo. Aftan can also be reached atsethi23a@mtholyoke.edu for inquiries about commissions.

‘Dash & Lily’ Is a Holiday Series Worth Your Time

Graphic by Trinity Kendrick ‘21

By Rose Cohen ’22

Staff Writer & Photographer 

During the first weeks of November, a handful of cheesy Christmas movies and shows begin to appear on streaming services like Hulu and Netflix. Most of them do not deserve your attention; they’re Hollywood fluff filled with cringeworthy lines, cliches and predictable character arcs. However, this year, Netflix’s adaptation of David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s 2010 young adult novel, “Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares,” proves that worthy holiday series do exist. 

The show tells the epic love story of two 17-year-olds who live in New York City. The romantic comedy takes place during the days leading up to Christmas. 

Austin Abrams of “Euphoria” plays the finicky Dash, who detests the “forced cheer” and “frenzied crowds” that the holiday brings to the Big Apple. Among the tinsel, the carolers and the red and green lights, he finds peace inside the Strand Bookstore in downtown Manhattan. Surrounded by stacked aisles of fiction and nonfiction, the pessimistic Dash escapes the holiday joy by informing an employee that Gabriel García Márquez’s biography was misshelved. It “should be under ‘G’ for García, not ‘M’ for Márquez,” he explains. 

The show begins to pique interest when Dash scans the J.D. Salinger section of the shop and pulls out a medium-sized red notebook. Dash, intrigued by the question on the front cover, which reads, “Do You Dare…?”, flips through the pages. He finds a series of clues and challenges written by the Christmas-loving Lily (Midori Francis). She wants to find a clever teenage boy to go on adventures with; she’s tired of spending her days playing board games with her grandfather. 

Like in “You’ve Got Mail,” writer-director Nora Ephron’s 1998 romantic comedy, the two main characters have never met in real life. For the majority of the series, they only communicate through dares that they create for one another in the notebook. This means that Dash accepts Lily’s challenges, even if they tell him to sing Joni Mitchell’s Christmas folk song “River” in the middle of the Strand. He then creates his own dares and leaves the notebook for her to find so their game can continue. If you accept this improbable premise, you will enjoy the show.

You will also need to embrace the fact that Lily knows a good amount of the people involved in her dares. Her cousin works at the Strand, and he can ensure that Dash completes the challenges that take place there. Her uncle dresses up as Santa Claus at the Macy’s department store, and that makes it okay for Dash to steal his Santa hat to complete a dare. 

As the series progresses, we find out about the two teenagers’ past heartbreaks. Lily has felt like a freak and an outsider since her middle school crush bullied her years earlier. Dash dealt with loneliness after his ex-girlfriend moved to Brazil, leaving him bereft in New York. With each dare, the characters bring out the best in one another and slowly force each other out of their comfort zones. 

 It’s heartwarming to see Dash encourage the socially-anxious Lily — who spends her time sewing her own clothes — to attend a 2 a.m. Jewish punk show on the seventh night of Hanukkah. And it is just as meaningful to see the impatient Dash “go with the flow” in a mochi-making class, surrounded by Japanese grandmothers. 

Another great storyline in the show includes Lily’s queer brother, Langston (Troy Iwata). We get to see his love story unfold and witness him as a three-dimensional character. In an interview with The Wrap, Iwata commented on the role, stating, “Langston is just this really fun, quirky, snarky human who happens to be gay and it’s never really questioned or challenged by himself or any of his friends.”

“Dash & Lily” allows you to fall in love with the challenges in the red notebook and the characters involved. If you are looking to binge-watch a holiday series that actually has a somewhat meaningful plot, set aside roughly three-and-a-half hours for “Dash & Lily.”

Which 2020 Album Are You?

By Mariam Keita ’24, Pearl Young ’24, Tiwani Ariyibi ’24 & Adia Samba-Quee ’24

Arts & Entertainment Editor & Contributing Writers

Whether you are currently crying over your ex or busy becoming the life of the Zoom party, this personality quiz will tell you which release from the past year will suit you best. 

1.  You and a few friends are in the car on a quarantine road trip. They have the aux but you hate their music — what’s the next move?

1. Take over the aux and tell them that their music taste sucks. They can thank you later — you’re saving them from themselves.

2. Start singing over the music that’s playing. 

3. Put your headphones on and listen to your own music. Life is too short to listen to bad music. 

4. Nothing. You don’t want to hurt their feelings. You can always pick next time. 

5. Ask everyone in the car for their song requests and add them to the queue. Everybody wins!

2. Your friends would describe you as:

1. The leader of the pack.

2. Laidback. Chill. 

3. Reserved. 

4. Sensitive. Emotional. The mom friend. 

5. Creative. Indecisive. Lovable. 

3. It’s a Friday night. You’ve already made plans to:

1. Go on one of the many dates that you have lined up for this weekend. Being attractive is so exhausting. 

2. Run downtown to grab boba and Insomnia Cookies. 

3. Host a Zoom drinking game. 

4. Stay in to watch a movie and play with your cats. 

5. Have a recording session with your band. 

4. Your friends have invited you out to a fancy 5 p.m. socially-distanced outing. What are you wearing? 

1. A fur coat over your most fire fit, complete with your shiniest accessories.  

2. Tight skirt, thigh-high boots, turtleneck and your sweetest perfume. 

3. A bold makeup look and a head-to-toe leather fit. 

4. The strawberry dress. 

5. Whatever is comfortable. You care more about the memories you’ll make tonight.

5. You come across your friend’s partner while swiping on Tinder. You decide to:

1. Swipe right, but only if they’re fine. 

2. Keep it moving. That’s all of their business and none of yours.

3. Make a meme and subtweet their partner. 

4. Call your friend immediately and spend the rest of the day plotting with them. 

5. Ask their partner before assuming the worst. Maybe they just forgot to deactivate their account. 

6. Which hobby did you pick up during quarantine?

1. Sugar-babying. Somebody’s gotta fund this expensive taste.

2. Pinterest board-making. 

3. Becoming TikTok famous.

4. Baking. You can make a mean loaf of banana bread. 

5. Teaching yourself a new language, learning to play a new instrument and calling up old friends from the past. 

7. Which album would you listen to all the way through with no skips?

1. “The Pinkprint” by Nicki Minaj

2. “Beyoncé” by Beyoncé

3. “Ungodly Hour” by Chloe x Halle 

4. “In the Lonely Hour” by Sam Smith

5. “Everything is Love” by The Carters

If you got mostly 1’s:

“Ho, Why Is You Here?” by Flo Milli

Others can sense your confidence as soon as you walk into a room. If it isn’t your impeccable sense of style that immediately tips them off, then it’s the way that you carry yourself. You are the best dressed in any situation, and you enjoy treating yourself to nice things. You have your life together and people are jealous of you. You don’t have time for the haters, though — you’re too busy winning at life. The oldest album on this list, Flo Milli’s “Ho, Why Is You Here?,” is a self-love album for those who already love themselves. If you’re on TikTok, you have probably spent the last several months hearing the tracks “In the Party” and “Beef FloMix” playing in the background of people’s dance videos as they exuded pure monarch energy. If you didn’t already know about this July release, well, now you know. 

If you got mostly 2’s:

“Positions” by Ariana Grande

You keep to yourself for the most part and those who don’t know you would describe you as quiet. They could not be more wrong! You have strong opinions but you don’t think everyone needs to know about them. You don’t like everyone in your business but you can and will tell them about themselves when needed. People turn to you when they want an honest opinion but you won’t give out unsolicited advice. 

If you got mostly 3’s

“SAWAYAMA” by Rina Sawayama

“You’re a bad b----. You don’t care. You’re tired of people’s BS,” Pearl Young ’24 said about potential “SAWAYAMA” listeners. You are mysterious. No one really knows who you are but everyone wants to. People want to learn more about you but they’re too afraid to approach you. As a result, you often go overlooked. This doesn’t bother you at all. You already know you’re the best. Why would you need someone else to tell you what you already know? Just like you, the alt-pop tracks on Sawayama’s latest album do not always get the love that they deserve.  

If you got mostly 4’s:

“Folklore” by Taylor Swift

You live every moment of your life striving to fulfill the cottagecore aesthetic. Timothée Chalamet was your white boy of the month. Your plants are your best friends and you visit art museums in your free time. Scarves can be worn on your head or as a shirt and your purse is made of wicker. Some would describe you as emotional, but you prefer to believe that you are in tune with your emotions. This somber and self-reflective eighth studio album will put you in the perfect headspace to sit outside thinking about your life choices and breathing in the crisp fall air.   

If you got mostly 5’s:

“Made In Lagos” by Wizkid

You are the life of the party and pre-pandemic, one would need only make their way to the center of the dance floor to find you. You are easily bored and always searching for new ways to express yourself. Wizkid’s latest work is a great match for your never-ending energy and attractive personality. Just like you, Wizkid’s October release has range. The album features a variety of artists across different genres, from Burna Boy and Skepta to Jr. Gong and H.E.R. As someone who is able to get along with just about anyone, the rhythmic yet relaxed tunes on “Made In Lagos” will be perfect for you. 

‘the Queen’s Gambit’ Brings Glamor and Tension To Cold War Chess

Graphic by Anjali Rao-Herel ‘22

By Sabryna Coppola ’22

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Content Warning: This article discusses substance abuse, addiction and injury due to substance use.

In the grip of the Cold War, a teenage girl battles to dominate international grandmasters of chess to redeem herself and prove the superiority of America over Russia. In Netflix’s adaptation of Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel “The Queen’s Gambit,” Anya Taylor-Joy plays Beth Harmon, a chess prodigy from Kentucky. The seven-episode series is intense, packed with a range of strong emotions and a surprisingly thrilling series of chess matches. Aided by the brilliant score and Taylor-Joy’s cool assurance, “The Queen’s Gambit” offers an exciting story of a girl dominating a traditionally male game. Beth’s troubled past and fraught relationships keep the audience on the edge of their seats, unable to turn away from their screens.

Beth is orphaned at a young age and moves to the Methuen Home for Girls. Sent on an errand to the basement, Beth sees the janitor, Mr. Shaibel, playing chess. Eventually, he agrees to teach her how to play. Beth quickly becomes an expert, even visiting a local high school to play the entire chess team at once and easily beating them all. This marks the beginning of Beth’s journey into global chess fame, expedited by her adoption by Mrs. Wheatley (Marielle Heller), who later helps her travel the U.S. to play in tournaments. Beth continues to play internationally and eventually faces off with Russian World Champion Borgov (Marcin Dorociński). The show has even been praised in The New York Times for its accuracy regarding the details of chess, from the handling of the pieces to the historical references and real masters.

Another plot point centers around the tranquilizers Beth and the other girls are given each day by the orphanage to stabilize their moods. Beth saves these tranquilizers and takes them at night to help her see an imaginary chessboard on the ceiling that she can use to play and analyze games in her head. When the government forbids the use of sedative drugs on children, Beth starts to experience withdrawals, causing her to break into the infirmary and overdose on them. Beth continues to struggle throughout the series with her dependence on drugs and alcohol, battling the conviction that they enable her to be a better chess player.

As a fan of Taylor-Joy after her performances in “The Witch” and “Split,” I was excited to see her in such a unique role. Her intensity was strong throughout the series, but I expected to see more moments of vulnerability, especially considering the personal losses she faces. But even with her stoicism, the dry wit and fierce determination of the character won me over. 

The show is visually captivating with a cool color palette and lush outfits for Taylor-Joy, culling the most glamorous trends of the 1960s. The score, written by Carlos Rafael Rivera, is excellent, bringing a sense of tension and excitement to the chess matches which feel accessible to non-chess players watching Beth learn the game. The soundtrack also features some great pop songs from the 1950s and ’60s, including the Monkees, the Kinks and Skeeter Davis’ “The End of The World.” 

Despite these undeniable strengths, I thought at times that the series left something to be desired. Its portrayal of Beth’s addiction seemed to lack consistency. Her use of drugs and alcohol was certainly labeled as a bad influence multiple times, but it still had a glamorous edge, reminiscent of substance portrayal in “Mad Men.” While we watched Beth sink to the lowest of lows, the dangerous effects of her substance use seemed watered down, diminishing the realities of addiction. Her apparent ability to stop her consumption of drugs and alcohol on a whim felt unrealistic, using her troubled genius and tragic past to romanticize a very real condition that nearly 21 million Americans face.

The one part of Beth’s struggle with addiction that does feel realistic is the support she is given from her friends. In her matches, many of Beth’s competitors become her friends and mentors. Harry Beltik (Harry Melling) and Bennie Watts (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) both turn from fierce opponents to trusted friends who offer her guidance on her path to beat Borgov. Bennie helps her stay away from alcohol while studying for her match with Borgov. Harry pleads with her to take care of herself when he sees her at a local chess event in Kentucky. 

She is also helped by a friend from Methuen, Jolene (played by the fascinating newcomer Moses Ingram). Jolene seems to find Beth at her lowest point, bringing symmetry to the show, as she was Beth’s closest friend when she first began taking pills. Knowing Beth’s history, Jolene is able to help her regain her sobriety and prepare for her final tournament in Russia. Jolene is also the only person of color in the series, which was disappointing. The existence of her international competitions seemed like an opportunity to address this, but she only seemed to face white European men, which is reflective of the pool of internationally recognized grandmasters in the 1960s.

 Even her competition with Borgov, like with Harry and Benny, seemed oddly friendly. Compared to all of the Cold War movies demonizing the USSR, their rivalry feels personal, not political. It is unclear if that is a reflection of the current relations between the U.S. and Russia, but it felt less like a political proxy competition than a video game’s boss battle. 

“The Queen’s Gambit” is visually rich and enthralling despite being fairly predictable. Taylor-Joy is charming and easy to root for. The show is cerebral and surprisingly moving at times. It also packs in quite a lot of information about the rules and history of chess. At just over seven hours, “The Queen’s Gambit” is a perfect series to binge in a weekend, especially if you’re looking to enjoy some retro fashion and watch a teenage girl from Kentucky embarrass chess masters at their own game.

‘Bad Hair’ Falls Flat in Tackling Social Issues

Pictured above: Justin Simien (right) most recently directed “Bad Hair.”

By Mariam Keita ’24

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Director Justin Simien’s most recent work, “Bad Hair,” is certainly a lot to take in. The new movie became available on Hulu this October after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Simien is most well known for his 2014 feature film “Dear White People,” which was later adapted into the hit Netflix series of the same name. 

Much like Simien’s other films, “Bad Hair” boasts a predominantly Black cast and his trademark comedic style. But unlike in his other films, Simien attempts to venture into new territory by crossing over into the horror genre. 

Unfortunately, he doesn’t do it well. I found myself laughing when I was supposed to scream and yawning when I was supposed to laugh.

 The film centers on protagonist Anna Bludso (Elle Lorraine), an assistant at a Black television network who is unsatisfied with her stagnant career. After a suggestion from a co-worker and under the behest of new management, Anna decides to get a sew-in over her natural hair so that she can finally advance in the company. Little does she know, her new hair happens to be possessed.  

Though this movie had a budget of $8.9 million 一 more than twice the financial support that Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” received 一 it somehow managed to deliver less than half the performance. Featured among the movie’s star-studded cast were names like Laverne Cox, Usher, Kelly Rowland and Lena Waithe. However, not a single one of their characters played a role that is central to the plot.

Anna is a character without any dimension, whose life revolves almost entirely around her unsatisfying job. Her only “friends” and visible love interests are all co-workers, her relationship with her family is not stable at all and she is one missing rent payment away from homelessness. Throughout all of this, she remains a very passive agent in her own narrative, allowing bad things to happen without taking even the most rudimentary actions to fix them. 

As I watched “Bad Hair,” I couldn’t shake the feeling that Simien is trying to punish Black women with this narrative. 

Though I won’t spoil too much of the ending, I will say that “Bad Hair” seems to offer Black women two options: sell your soul by buying into Eurocentric standards of beauty and forgoing all bodily autonomy, or embrace your natural hair and accept the fact that you will never progress in life. 

At different points in the storyline, Anna embodies both choices. She seems to oscillate between just two moods: anger and fear. As one of my friends so deftly put it during our conversation about the movie, the hair had more personality than she did.

“Bad Hair” is an example of a movie trying to bite off more than it can chew. Some subplots that the movie attempted to tackle included colorism and texturism in the workplace, sexual coercion and gentrification. However, most of these themes failed to act in dialogue with one another, creating a chaotic storyline that is difficult to follow. After watching the entire film, I still don’t understand what the writers and producers were hoping to accomplish or what I, as the viewer, was supposed to take away from it.  

While it may have left a lot to be desired, the movie was not all bad. For example, I don’t know how but Simien managed to make something as simple as getting your hair done appear so terrifying and grotesque that I felt as though I was going to throw up and pass out at the same time. Another redemptive arc was the growth in Anna’s relationship with her cousin, with whom she has had a strained relationship from a young age. 

If you are looking for something to watch on a Friday afternoon that will give you a good laugh and get your mind working a little bit, “Bad Hair” isn’t a terrible option. Just make sure you don’t set your expectations too high.

Netflix’s ‘the Haunting of Bly Manor’ Offers More Than Just Spooks

Pictured above: “the Haunting of Bly Manor” actress, Victoria Pedretti.

By Anika Singh ’24

Staff Writer

“The Haunting” universe gets its second edition of spooks and scares from Netflix’s much-awaited “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” the season following its highly acclaimed predecessor “The Haunting of Hill House.” Adapted from the thriller novella “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” follows young American Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti) as she takes up a job as an au pair to two orphaned children at their huge ancestral mansion located in the fictional town of Bly, England.

Though Bly has a certain charm to it, given the beautiful landscapes of the English countryside and the friendly and sociable staff at the manor, something looms over its freshly manicured gardens. Dani, haunted by her past, seems struck by the eeriness of the mansion, and with the two children, Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Flora (Amelie Bea Smith), who are ever so polite (yet possessive) and the peculiar death of the previous au pair, she simply can’t avoid feeling uneasy.

Mike Flanagan, the creator of the series, does a stellar job at interpreting “The Turn of the Screw” with his creative insight and follows the sequence of timelines as his way of storytelling. We see a great in-depth approach taken to present the arcs of the various characters, especially that of Hannah Grose (T'Nia Miller), the housekeeper at Bly Manor. 

We see a beautiful portrayal of a series of events that coerces the audience to read between the lines.

The first half of the show is slow, taking its time to unfold, yet manages to keep the audience occupied by various introductions of the past regarding the manor. The jump scares are kept to a minimum, which is different from “The Haunting of Hill House.” Instead, “Bly Manor” preys on the viewer’s mind by creating anticipation through long shots which build upon the mystery that surrounds the manor. 

If that was not enough, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” makes it a goal to strum the heartstrings of the viewer as they find themself caring for the characters and the relationships that are strengthened, especially the blooming romance between Dani and the young gardener, Jamie (Amelia Eve).

“The Haunting” universe, though enriched with a second season, seems to fall short when “Bly Manor” is compared to “Hill House.” “Bly Manor” offers a few scares, yet nothing compared to its forerunner. Perhaps “Bly Manor” is indeed more humane when it comes to its storytelling, focusing primarily on the characters instead of the situations they are in. However, the presence of so many characters makes them a burden to the viewer, resulting in a complicated web of people that becomes hard to navigate. Additionally, “Bly Manor” takes a more confusing approach to conclusions than its precursor, as the epilogue entails an open ending instead of the relatively concrete conclusion offered in “Hill House.” 

All in all, however, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” seamlessly tries to conjure up theories and conclusions to this creepy series. It is stylish, binge-able and unnerving with a hint of warmth mixed into it. This latest installment of “The Haunting” series is available to stream on Netflix.

Banksy’s Ironic ‘Show Me the Monet’ Sells for $9 Million at Sotheby’s Auction

Banksy’s work. Image courtesy of Pixabay.

By Hiba Nawaid ’23

Staff Writer

“Show me the Monet,” Banksy’s reworking of Claude Monet’s impressionist painting “Bridge over a Pond of Water Lillies,” was auctioned for $9.8 million (£7.6 million) at Sotheby’s last week, becoming the artist’s second most expensive painting, according to CNN.

Known for his provocative street art, Banksy created a series of oil paintings for an exhibition in 2005 called “Crude Oils: A Gallery of Re-mixed Masterpieces, Vandalism and Vermin,” which featured “Show me the Monet.” These paintings were reinterpretations of famed works by Edward Hopper, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol and more and were showcased by collectors Roland and Jane Cowan in West London. The couple purchased “Show me the Monet” after the show closed for £15,000, according to Banksy’s former agent Steve Lazarides.

After nine minutes of bidding on Oct. 21, a collector bought “Show me the Monet.” The painting features an orange traffic cone and two overturned metal shopping carts in the pond of water lilies under Monet’s originally painted Japanese-style bridge near Giverny, France. These additions, which strike the eye as interruptions in an otherwise peaceful scene, are a nod to the ever-increasing material consumption and environmental pollution levels of the modern world.

Following the auction, “Show me the Monet” became Banksy’s second most expensive piece of artwork. His most expensive piece, “Devolved Parliament,” sold last year at Sotheby’s in London for $12.2 million. “Devolved Parliament” depicts chimpanzees debating in the House of Commons in place of British politicians and was auctioned off during the Brexit negotiations.

In relation to Banksy’s street art, a medium which is often shunned by the art world and regarded as vandalism, there is irony in “Show me the Monet” fetching nearly $10 million. 

The artist’s graffiti-based works often critique controversial social and political issues; “Show me the Monet” itself is a commentary on the impact of excessive consumerism. “Monet” replaces “Money” in the title, pointing to the larger theme of art commodification. While street art is able to escape such commodification, this Banksy painting arguably has been objectified as a result of its lucrative auctioning to a private collector.

This irony can also be traced back to 2018, when another Banksy painting, titled “Girl With Balloon,” appeared to fall down from the frame in shreds minutes after being auctioned off for $1.4 million. The satirical stunt, which involved a secret installation of a paper shredder in the painting frame by Banksy himself, was arguably a criticism of the art world. However, according to Leon Benrimon, the director of modern and contemporary art at Heritage Auctions, the market worth of the painting doubled following the stunt. The painting was renamed to “Love Is in the Bin” and was claimed by the buyer in its tattered condition. 

Despite the paradoxical relationship between the themes of Banksy’s art and the art collectors who spend millions to own his work, the art world’s fixation with Banksy shows no sign of slowing down. What remains to be seen is how the artist continues to expand his practice and how he will respond to the sentiments of art buyers through his provocative pieces.

Stream These Family Favorites and Thrillers for Halloween

Image courtesy of Flickr

By Rose Cohen ’22 

Staff Writer

This year, Halloween fanatics will have to switch up their spooky game plan of large parties, festive parades and crowded haunted houses for safer celebrations. But those dressed as Frankenstein’s monster can still carve pumpkins or snack on their beloved apple cider donuts. They also can certainly enjoy these eerie movies and funky jams. 

“The Addams Family” (1991)

Before the science fiction action comedy “Men in Black,” Barry Sonnenfeld directed this Halloween classic, which is now available on Netflix. Distraught Gomez Addams (Raul Julia) is missing his long-lost older brother, Fester, who disappeared 25 years ago. Unbeknownst to him, Abigail Craven, a loan shark, knows about the family’s hidden chamber of jewels and riches. She forces her son, a Fester look-alike, to pretend to be the estranged Addams sibling. The quirkiness of the characters makes this film one to watch with the family while in quarantine. 

“Psycho” (1960)

An Alfred Hitchcock psychological horror film should accompany any Halloween party. “Psycho” follows the fleeing Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), who steals $40,000 to pay off her boyfriend’s debts. On the way to deliver the money to her partner in Fairvale, California, Marion stays the night at the vacant Bates Motel. There, she encounters the seemingly normal proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), who lives with his reclusive mother. If you are obsessing over Norman after your viewing, binge-watch all five seasons of “Bates Motel,” the disturbing prequel series that premiered on A&E starring Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga. 

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

Follow the journey of the determined FBI trainee Clarice M. Starling (Jodie Foster) as she interviews Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a renowned psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer imprisoned in a maximum security facility. In an attempt to draw up a psycho-behavioral profile and catch Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), Clarice builds a relationship with Hannibal, despite the fact that he hisses at her and torments her about her childhood. The torturous images of Buffalo Bill’s prey might make you turn away from your screen once or twice. This movie is also available on Netflix. 

“Scream” (1996)

Neve Campbell plays the tough Sidney Prescott in the first of the slasher tetralogy brought to you by Wes Craven, the director of the 1984 horror classic “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” In this film, we meet Ghostface, who hides behind a rubber Halloween mask and threatens his victims on the phone. Maybe the numerous jump scares or the iconic blood-soaked dagger will pull you in. Find this movie on Hulu.

“Halloweentown” (1998)

Perhaps Director Duwayne Dunham’s Disney Channel Original Movie will be more your speed this year. It is the tale of an adventurous teen witch, Marnie Piper (Kimberly J. Brown), who journeys to the supernatural Halloweentown with her grandmother (Debbie Reynolds). Once there and surrounded by goblins, vampires and citizens who have pumpkins for heads, Marnie must save the town from an evil being. It’s family-friendly and allows you to admire the magical creatures that we associate with the holiday. We also get a glimpse of the dearly departed Debbie Reynolds. If you have a Disney+ account, this heartfelt film is a great way to celebrate Halloween!

SNL Is ‘Live From New York’ Again

Image courtesy of Flickr

By Kenna Hurtuk ’23

Staff Writer

Season 46 of “Saturday Night Live” kicked off on Oct. 3 with unique guidelines and protocols in place for its cast members, crew and audience. Yes, audience — a select number of viewers, with a limited ticket selection for the general public as well as a special selection for health care workers, donned masks to enter the studio after being rigorously tested for COVID-19 and its symptoms. This is an unprecedented shift from the last several episodes of season 45, which were all aired virtually and filmed from cast members’ homes. Show creator and producer Lorne Michaels defended the decision to include a live audience. “With comedy, when you don’t hear the response, it’s just different. With the kind of comedy we do, which quite often is broad, timing gets thrown off without an audience,” he reflected.

For this episode, timing in general was a major challenge, as just one day before the show went live, President Donald Trump announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Writers scrambled to incorporate information surrounding his diagnosis into the cold open which parodied the presidential debate between Trump (played by Alec Baldwin) and Joe Biden (played by Jim Carrey). They ultimately went the ironic route with Carrey as Biden remarking, “Imagine if science and karma could somehow team up to send us all a message about how dangerous this virus can be. I'm not saying I want it to happen, but just imagine it did.”” Later, in host Chris Rock’s monologue, the comedian quipped, “President Trump’s in the hospital from COVID[-19], and I just want to say, my heart goes out to COVID[-19].”

After the show aired, writers were accused of mocking Trump’s diagnosis. Baldwin responded to claims that the jokes were in poor taste. “We only have the words of the White House itself and the people who work there themselves to go on and all of them have been saying he is not in any danger. We only have their word to go by. If their word had been that he was in serious trouble, then we wouldn't have done it,” Baldwin said. Additionally, the (albeit morbid) irony of Trump’s diagnosis would have been difficult to ignore, especially in the context of that week’s debate, in which Trump mocked Biden for wearing masks in public. 

Following the cold open, Rock brought both levity and urgency to the nature of presidential elections themselves. “I think we need to renegotiate our relationship to the government,” he explained. “Does it work? I mean, I think Joe Biden should be the last president ever. Like, we need a whole new system.” 

He added that “we’ve agreed in the United States that we cannot have kings, yet we have dukes and duchesses running the Senate and the Congress, making decisions for poor people. Rich people making decisions for poor people — that’s like your handsome friend giving you dating advice.” The comedian reminded the audience — both the socially distanced audience present and the millions of viewers watching from home — that “we’ve got to take this serious, man.” 

His monologue called into question what the role of comedy should be during this unprecedented time. Can shows like SNL justify the playfulness with which their platform addresses serious structural issues, even in the name of comedy? It is a delicate balance to tread.

Megan Thee Stallion tackled this interplay between entertainment and advocacy in her performance of “Savage.” Midway through the number, she and her dancers raised their fists as the screen behind them shattered and the sound of gunshots rang through the studio. As they stared directly into the audience, an audio clip from Malcolm X’s speech “Who Taught You to Hate Yourself?” began to play, while the screen projected the quote, “The most disrespected, unprotected, neglected person in America is the Black woman.” 

When Megan Thee Stallion broke her silence, she said, “We need to protect our Black women and love our Black women, ’cause at the end of the day, we need our Black women. We need to protect our Black men and stand up for our Black men, ’cause at the end of the day, we’re tired of seeing hashtags of our Black men.” She and her dancers ended the song with emphasis on the message that had been projected onto the back wall of the stage: “Protect Black Women.”

Megan Thee Stallion’s appearance enabled her to make a powerful statement while still being able to enjoy her time on set and showcase her lyrical and comedic talents. The rapper and singer-songwriter continued her SNL debut with a performance of “Don’t Stop” featuring Young Thug. Later, she also joined cast members Chris Redd, Kenan Thompson, Pete Davidson and Ego Nwodim in “Bottom of Your Face,” a music video commentary on dating while wearing masks.

Since the first at-home episode of SNL, COVID-19 has been a recurring cast member, and it framed much of the context for this in-person episode. Despite limitations of social distancing, time constraints and the sheer volume of material to be packed into a single episode, this was a show to remember.

Late Night Responds To Chaotic Presidential Debate

By Rose Cohen ’22

Staff Writer

After President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joseph R. Biden Jr. went head-to-head during the Sept. 29 disorderly debate in Cleveland, Ohio, late night hosts satirized several key moments. They mocked “Fox News Sunday” anchor and debate moderator Chris Wallace who repeatedly wrestled with stopping Trump from interrupting Biden. They ridiculed Trump’s blatant refusal to condemn white supremacists. They emphasized that fact checkers should alert viewers about candidates spewing misinformation.

 Late Night vs. Wallace

 “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon compared Wallace to a kindergarten teacher attempting to run a class on Zoom. 

 On “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” host Jimmy Kimmel jested, “Trump treated Chris Wallace like he was Eric [Trump] asking for more allowance money. You know things are getting heated when the moderator pleads, ‘Please, gentlemen, let’s return to the topic of race.’”

 During a monologue on “The Daily Show,” host Trevor Noah thanked Wallace for his service. “I hope that you have a lot of money for your therapy,” Noah said, addressing Wallace. “You made a valiant effort, but you were not ready for this, because no human being could’ve been ready for this.” 

  “The Late Show” frontman Stephen Colbert poked fun at Wallace’s question about why Trump holds big rallies and Biden favors much smaller events. Colbert chided, “We already know the big rallies are bad, Chris. This is like asking, ‘Mr. President, you’re tying ladies to the railroad tracks as the choo-choo train approaches. Mr. Biden, why did you go with the strategy of not killing your supporters?’” 

On Trump Rejecting the Opportunity to Denounce Far-Right Hate Groups

 During the debate, Wallace asked Trump if he was willing to decry white supremacists and militia groups. In response, Trump told the Proud Boys, an extremist organization that has been called “misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and anti-immigration” by the Anti-Defamation League, to “stand back and stand by.” 

 Colbert called Trump’s answer one of the most upsetting moments of his lifetime. With both of his pointer fingers in the air, Colbert then parodied the president. “I don’t support white supremacists. I just command them like a dog. That’s why I’ve got this shiny dog whistle. Proud Boys! Proud Boys! Stand back! Sit! Who’s a proud boy? You’re a proud boy!” 

 “Yeah, it’s not good when you ask the President if he’ll condemn white supremacy, and the ‘Jeopardy!’ music starts playing in his head while he thinks it over,” Fallon quipped. 

 Noah also commented on Trump’s frantic performance, exclaiming, “I can’t believe how hard his brain malfunctioned when they asked him to denounce white supremacists.” 

 The Fight for Live Fact-Checking 

 Prior to the debate, the co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., told CNN that the nonprofit corporation does not require their moderators, including Wallace, to act as fact checkers. In a Fox News interview, Wallace had stated that he wanted to try to be invisible during the upcoming debate. Noah and Colbert both brought up the importance of fact-checking in their monologues. 

 “Guys, debates need fact checkers, because otherwise, people can just stand on the stage and say whatever they want,” Noah said. “And there are no consequences — zero, nada, zilch. Every time a candidate says a lie, there should be some sort of, like, sign that they lied. Like, maybe a brick should come down on their side of the screen, you know, like ‘Tetris.’” 

 “Ultimately, I think the American people — they were hurt tonight,” Colbert said. “And if you look online, they’re angry. Because this is a serious moment where human lives and the future of this irreplaceable country is on the line. And I know that Chris Wallace says he’s not a fact checker. But after one-and-a-half hours of chaos and lies, I can say there’s one statement tonight that was absolutely true.” The statement in question? A moment during the debate when Trump said, “This is not going to end well.”

The 72nd Emmy Awards Streams From Home

Image courtesy of Flickr

By Sabryna Coppola ’22

Arts & Entertainment Editor

On Sept. 20, the 72nd Emmy Awards took place, celebrating all of the triumphs of television in the last year. The show aired as a primarily virtual event  for the first time. It was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, who made his comedic monologue to an empty Staples Center. Because everyone had to stay safely in their homes, or at least away from the crowds, the virtual Emmy Awards were very different than in past years, but there were a few shining moments. 

The first section of the show was devoted to comedy, and Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Creek” swept the board. Winning every single award for a comedy series, the Canadian show took home seven wins. Crediting each member of the fictional Rose family with an Emmy, the Academy also awarded the show for its writing, directing and overall quality. 

As a fan of the show, I am delighted to see their hard work being recognized. But as someone who has watched a lot of television in the past six months, I have to say there were so many more shows that deserved a share in the glory. Other nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series included “Insecure,” “The Good Place” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” all of which I believe stood their ground compared to “Schitt’s Creek.” I think individuals who made incredible contributions to television this year, like Ramy Youssef and Issa Rae, deserved to be celebrated as well. Essentially, “Schitt’s Creek” earned its success, but taking home every single award in the category seemed wrong considering all of its strong competitors. 

HBO’s “Succession” took home the win for Outstanding Drama Series, beating “Ozark,” “Killing Eve” and others. Zendaya made history as the youngest recipient of an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at just 24. Amid her surprise, she took a moment to thank the other women in the category, as well as young activists all over the country. 

“To all my peers out there doing the work in the streets: I see you, I admire you, I thank you,” Zendaya said, accepting her Emmy. She was not alone in acknowledging politics that night. 

Regina King, who won Best Actress in a Limited Series, accepted her award for playing Angela Abar in the adaptation of the comic “Watchmen” while wearing a shirt with Breonna Taylor’s face on it, accompanied by the words “Say Her Name.” “Watchmen” was bitingly relevant in the last few months, confronting the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre and police brutality. Her co-star, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, won the nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, and the show itself won Best Limited Series, taking home a total of four wins. Uzo Aduba, who won Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her role in “Mrs. America,” also wore an outfit honoring Taylor. 

Tyler Perry won the Governors Award in recognition for “outstanding achievement …  either of a cumulative nature or so extraordinary and universal in nature as to go beyond the scope of the Emmy Awards presented in the categories and areas of the competition,” and delivered a touching speech about a quilt his grandmother gave him, which he sees as a representation of America. 

“I stand here tonight to say thank you to all of the people who are celebrating and know the value of every patch and every story and every color that makes up this quilt that is our business, this quilt that is our lives, this quilt that is America,” Perry said, honoring the representation of Black Americans in television, something that his grandmother didn’t have. 

This year, the Emmys seemed oddly unfamiliar in that everyone accepted their awards from home. The show followed a lot of the formulas we have seen in the wake of the pandemic: awkward jokes about social distancing and never leaving the house, commending essential workers and desperately urging viewers to vote. We saw some instances of true heartfelt acknowledgment of discrimination in the television industry and certainly felt the shortcomings of the Academy, including the failure to go further than nominating up-and-coming creators of color for their work.

Netflix’s ‘Ratched’ Feels Like an Addendum To ‘American Horror Story’

By Rose Cohen ’22

Staff Writer

Content Warning: This review describes graphic violence, homophobic scenes and homicide.

The Netflix series “Ratched” promises to tell the origin story of Nurse Mildred Ratched, the notorious antagonist of Ken Kesey’s 1962 classic novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and Czech-born director Milos Forman’s book-to-film adaptation of the same name. The show, which premiered on Sept. 18, feels more like a combination of an Alfred Hitchcock psychological horror and FX’s dark series, “American Horror Story.”

Jennifer Salt, Tim Minear, Alexis Martin Woodall and Ryan Murphy, the creators of “American Horror Story,” are the producers of the show. Sarah Paulson, who stars as Ratched, has acted in nearly every season of the anthology series. 

Hitchcock could have easily directed the first few minutes of the pilot of the eight-episode season. The eerie weather — complete darkness and a heavy thunderstorm — mirrors the beginning of the director’s 1959 thriller, “Psycho.” 

In the first scene of the show, it’s 1947 and a priest leaves a church sermon. The camera pans to Edmund Tolleson (Finn Wittrock), but shadows conceal his face. Tolleson begins to stalk the clergyman, following him home, where he lives with several other priests. 

Once the father’s housemates venture out to a movie theater to watch the Christmas classic “Miracle on 34th Street,” Tolleson — whose face remains hidden — bangs on the door, claiming that his car broke down. He asks to use the telephone. Once he enters the home and we finally see his face, he stares at a knife on the dinner table, adding to his villainous vibe. 

When the rest of the priests return home, they find the sole priest left behind dead. Tolleson goes on a rampage through the house, attacking and killing all of the priests but one, all the while smiling. This is once again reminiscent of Norman Bates, the murderous mama’s boy in “Psycho.”

Six months after Tolleson’s killing spree, we meet the young version of Ratched. She drives along California’s northern coast, in her mint green Ford Coupe, to Lucia, California, where she has orchestrated an unplanned interview at Lucia State Hospital, the facility in which the homicidal Tolleson is about to be held. The director of the hospital, Dr. Hanover (Jon Jon Briones), is diving into experimental treatments including hydrotherapy, hypnosis and lobotomies. An assortment of violent patients terrorizes the staff. But because of the focus on the storyline within the hospital, we still know very little by the end of the series about Ratched’s behavior in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

The bloody and brutal scenes in “Ratched” parallel the ones we see in “American Horror Story,” and beware: They’re just as gory. In one especially grisly episode, Ratched locks a man (Corey Stoll) in a hydrotherapy tub and attempts to boil him alive. We see him stagger from the tub, his gruesome burns making it nearly impossible not to turn away from the screen. Another horrific scene from an early episode shows a grisly depiction of a boy (Brandon Flynn) removing his own arms. 

Producer Ryan Murphy may have set out to explore what turned Ratched into the tyrant that Kesey created, but we receive only a superficial version of the character. Scene after scene, “Ratched” showcases murder and torture, but fails to provide any source of dramatic tension.

“Ratched” throws around a lot of heavy topics. There’s the sensationalized depiction of people with mental illnesses and the treatment of homosexuality. One patient suffers from dissociative identity disorder (which is derogatorily referred to in the show) and becomes violent when she takes on the role of Olympian Jesse Owens. A lesbian character receives brutal conversion therapy. Both scenes are equally offensive, and they don’t drive the narrative forward in any way. Like the whole show, they just serve as an excuse for “American Horror Story”-style torture porn. 

At its best, “Ratched” could be another storyline in “American Horror Story,” presented in multiple episodes. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Murphy stated, “I feel like Nurse Ratched is sort of shorthand for barbarism.” He continued, “What was interesting was trying to create an emotional character from a reputation that’s very cold...trying to figure out every little detail about her childhood, her relationships, her sexuality.” He also admitted that he was scared to take on such an iconic character.

If you’re looking for insight into Kesey’s Ratched, this isn’t the show for you. But if you’re an “American Horror Story” superfan, reserve a weekend to binge the show.

BTS Makes History With New Single ‘Dynamite’

Photo courtesy of Flickr

By Anika Singh ’24

Staff Writer

Sept. 5, 2020, was a historic day in the world of music as BTS’ new all-English single “Dynamite” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, the first South Korean act to do so. This was BTS’ first song entirely in English, made to bring a little bit more “funk and soul,” as the song says, to these dark times. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everything that was considered the norm, including BTS’ world tour that was to take place this summer. Its cancellation sent a wave of disappointment to not only the band’s fans, but the members themselves. 

“Dynamite” aims to spread positivity far and wide in order to uplift the spirits of BTS and their ARMY, as RM points out in their interview with USA Today. “The goal of ‘Dynamite’ is really simple ... to explore the world with positive vibes and energy,” he said. “We’ve been through all the sadness and desperation but with this song and performance we just hope the world gets more positive and [can] be happy.” He is true to his word as “Dynamite” is an upbeat anthem with catchy lyrics — the band sings the chorus, "So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight/Shining through the city with a little funk and soul/So I’ma light it up like dynamite.” This disco-pop tune will get you dancing to the beat in no time. 

This is not the first time BTS has been on the Billboard charts. Their hit song “Mic Drop” debuted at No. 28 on Dec. 16, 2017, and their latest album’s single “ON” debuted at No. 4 back in March. “Dynamite” outranks all of BTS’ previous singles as the 43rd single in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. 

BTS has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years and has amassed a fanbase called the ARMY. BTS debuted back in 2013 as Bangtan Sonyeondan (방탄소년단), also known as the Bangtan Boys, and consisting of seven members, all of whom remain active in the band today: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. Since then, they have continued to grow in popularity. 

BTS did not have the backing of the “Big Three,” the three companies that have a huge role in the Korean entertainment industry — JYP, YG and SM Entertainment — yet they succeeded in breaking records nonetheless. BTS is signed under Big Hit Entertainment, a small company that has now expanded exponentially due to the international recognition of BTS and their other groups, TXT, GFRIEND, SEVENTEEN and more. 

What sets BTS’ music apart from other boybands is its genre versatility, with releases ranging from hip-hop to pop to rhythm and blues. Each album follows a theme, including a series of subunits and solos from members to showcase their talent and musicality, but it does not stop there. Along with their ability to sing and rap, each of the members also masters complex choreographies that are performed live as well as showcased in their music videos. 

BTS has helped popularize K-pop on a global scale. With growing numbers of chart-topping hits and consistently sold-out stadiums, they appear to be growing in popularity by the second. Their latest album “Map Of The Soul: 7” debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 422,000 album-equivalent units (including 347,000 sales) earned in its first week. 

BTS itself seems to be riding the K-pop wave originally started by their predecessors, Big Bang. 

Along with dominating award shows on both national and global scales, they have been giving back to charity and spreading their message of self-love not only through their music, but also through their UNICEF campaign “Love Myself,” which aims to empower youth and combat violence toward teens and children. They are considered an important part of South Korean culture and are regarded as the leaders of today’s youth, as they shared empowering messages regarding their inner struggles and how they rose above them for South Korea’s Youth Day, held on Sept. 19. On Sept. 23, they addressed the U.N. General Assembly for the second time, speaking on the mental hardships that quarantine and the pandemic had brought them. 

In July, it was confirmed that BTS will be releasing their first self-produced album. So, keep an eye out for that, and stream “Dynamite.”

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s Sex-Positive ‘WAP’ Goes Viral

Pictured Above: Cardi B (left) and Megan Thee Stallion (right)

By Sabryna Coppola ’22

A&E Writer

Being in quarantine this summer has brought us some great music (and subsequently some great TikTok dances), and Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s duet “WAP” made a huge splash. The song spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list and has become an instant hit, breaking 93 million streams in its first week. “WAP” has received tons of support from fans of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, but has also drawn the attention of conservative public figures weighing in with their opinions. 

The song itself is a sexy, boisterous anthem, celebrating sexuality for anyone with a “WAP” (wet ass p----). The song opens with a sample from Frank Ski’s song “W----- in This House,” looping throughout the song and setting the tone right away. The lyrics are explicit and detailed, putting euphemisms and double entendres to brilliant use. 

The music video is visually striking and iconic in its own right, using water to double down on the message, and other symbols of prowess — like tigers — to denote the fierce attitude and intentions of the performers. The video was choreographed by JaQuel Knight who is also known for his work with Beyoncé.

Personally, I loved the song. I love the message, the honest celebration of women’s sexuality and the bold self-awareness of “WAP.” The song has received a lot of attention on the social media app TikTok, sparking a viral dance choreographed by Brian Esperon for viewers to partake in. TikTok influencers, parents and church groups alike have used the song to record their own rendition of Esperon’s dance, embarrass their kids or make up their own parodies. 

However, not everyone had such positive feelings about “WAP.” Most notably, political pundit Ben Shapiro made a video on his YouTube channel dissecting the lyrics and reacting to the song. He read the lyrics in his signature monotone, adding his own commentary, which later would inspire remixes with the song performed in his voice. He mocked the song, implying that the sexual confidence portrayed by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion would only lead to further objectification of women, and gave the opinion of his wife, a doctor, who apparently advises people with “WAP” to see a doctor. 

This response is rather unsurprising from the likes of Shapiro, but parents and critics have denounced the sex-positive anthem as well. The National Review describes the song as “hoary sexual cliches and deification of lowlifes in a music-video milestone,” demonizing both artists for their pasts and shaming them for their sexual content. 

This song does what so many songs have done for men in the past. Singing and rapping about sexual prowess is nothing new for men in the music industry. What makes it a problem in “WAP,” besides the fact that it’s two women singing? American culture embraces the sexuality of men while suppressing the same sex positivity for women. The layer of respectability politics overlaid only proves the point more: Rapping about sexuality is only okay when it’s a man, forget two women of color. 

Negative reviews and slut-shaming aside, the song has generally been embraced by audiences around the world. It has already been nominated for MTV’s Song of the Summer award, and its star status doesn’t seem to be subsiding. “WAP” makes it clear it is a song made for female empowerment. Its adoration on TikTok makes its generally positive reception obvious, mirroring the popular use of songs by ppcocaine (or Trap Bunny Bubbles) known for their sexual content and inspiring many viral dances. 

The National Review writes, “This wanton spectacle is praised as ‘sex positive’ by college-grad journalists who’ve never known any sexual propriety (or the deliciousness of restraint).” The author seems to miss the point that the song was not created for them, or anyone else, but that it’s a form of self-expression and a celebration of the artists’ bodies. As myself, a “college-grad journalist” — if the shoe fits...

Disney’s ‘the Owl House’ Is a Spooky and Heartfelt Show From the Creators of ‘Gravity Falls’

Graphic by Karina Wu ‘22

by Ezri Braid-Grizzell ’23

Staff Writer

On Aug. 29, 2020, the Disney Channel aired the season one finale of its new animated series, “The Owl House.” The show tells the story of Luz Noceda, a teenager deemed “too weird” after her frequent chaotic mishaps at school and sent off to “Reality Check” camp for the summer. But as a name as strange as “The Owl House” might imply, Luz does not find herself at camp. Instead she stumbles through a door into a magical world full of witches, demons and spider-breathing griffons. (Who knew?)

After Luz (Sarah-Nicole Robles) settles in with the rogue witch and con woman, Edalyn Clawthorne (Wendie Malick) and King (Alex Hirsch), a demon, she sets off to find her own magical calling. 

There have been so many stories in the world that, at this point, it’s impossible to avoid common narrative tropes. But “The Owl House'' doesn't fall into cliches. A magical school may at first scream “Harry Potter,” and while there are many purposeful nods to the franchise, Hexside is completely unique and full of new possibilities to explore. “Chosen One” quests and “impossible” trials are included in the show as a warm, giggling acknowledgment that the show knows exactly what it’s supposed to do as part of the fantasy genre.

But perhaps one of the most celebrated elements of “The Owl House” is that Luz, the main character of the series, is confirmed as bisexual. According to creator Dana Terrace, there was some initial resistance from Disney higher-ups, but now she is “VERY supported by current Disney leadership” (@DanaTerrace, Twitter). Another major character, Amity Blight (Mae Whitman), is initially introduced as the gold star student and the main rival to Luz. Over the course of the show, however, she gets her own redemption arc and is revealed to have feelings toward Luz. 

That’s not one main character, but two, confirmed as LGBTQ+. 

That’s a big step up from Disney’s shallow attempts at representation with LeFou in the live-action “Beauty and the Beast” or the minor character of Officer Slater from “Onwards” (who was considered by many to be Disney’s first-ever openly gay character).

When I first started watching “The Owl House” about a week before the final episode of this season aired, I wasn’t sure quite what to expect. My only real connection to the show was Alex Hirsch, the creator of another Disney favorite, “Gravity Falls,” who is now the voice of a two-foot, tummy-rub-loving demon in “The Owl House.” But actually, the connection tracks — Terrace worked as a storyboard revisionist on “Gravity Falls” way back in 2012. Because of these overlaps, it’s not hard to notice the similarities in animation style, writing and humor. The overarching elements of the supernatural, mystery, family-friendly cosmic and eldritch horror and government conspiracy all align as well. That, and Alex Hirsch is still the voice actor for many minor characters in the show. 

If you’re looking for a sort of spiritual sequel to “Gravity Falls,” or just a segue into the new, quirky and colorful era of animation, “The Owl House” has got your back.