Duquesne seniors falling in love one second at a time
Griffin Sendek | Multimedia Editor
09/10/2020
http://www.duqsm.com/duquesne-seniors-falling-in-love-one-second-at-a-time/
It’s said when you meet the one you love, time comes to a stop. However, for Jacob Schwab and Olivia Babyok, it’s the passage of time that brought them together.
Together, the Duquesne seniors have found an immense passion for watchmaking, and through it fell deeper in love with one another.
The story of Jacob and Olivia’s growth as watchmakers follows closely to that of their relationship.
Watchmaking began as a mere fascination of Jacob’s spurned by a life of tinkering. The catalyst was when he received an old broken watch of his grandfather’s, an Accutron. After taking it to be fixed, he realized how interested he was in the art of watchmaking. It was then the sophomore computer science major became committed to becoming a part of the watchmaking world.
Ever since he was a child, Jacob has always held a fascination for the mechanics of how things worked, constantly ripping stuff apart just to figure out how it all fit back together.
Traditionally, the craft of watchmaking is only mastered through either an apprenticeship or attending watchmaking school. Olivia and Jacob didn’t have either of those luxuries, but filled with an immense curiosity for timepieces and a heart for mechanics, they did everything they could to teach themselves.
“I’m very mechanically inclined. I like how things are predictable that way — engines, cars, watches. I like to take things apart,” Jacob said.
This day and age there is seemingly nothing out there YouTube can’t teach — including vintage watch assembly and repairs. Though not in any way formally trained, they became apprentices of the YouTube watchmaker community.
“He was able to watch YouTube videos of someone taking apart this specific watch and then do it himself,” Olivia said.
No other time in history could someone like Jacob take a mild fascination for what truly makes a watch tick, and with no formal training turn it into a passion and business.
The learning process was never something he underwent alone; from the very beginning, Olivia has been by his side.
“I didn’t know anything about watches really, but I loved that he was passionate about it. And I love stories and I love history, and I was like screw it, why don’t you do it,” Olivia, a biology major, said.
Jacob’s passion was infectious. Learning the ins and outs of watchmaking took over their time together as they spent hours combing through antique store display cases and stayed up late into the night watching YouTube tutorials. Before long, Olivia became just as obsessed with the craft as Jacob.
“It would become a normal thing that he would invite me up and we would watch some YouTube guy talk about watchmaking or a new watch that he made that was historically significant,” Olivia said.
Jacob and Olivia are a team; he focuses on the fine-tuning and mechanical assembly while she takes on the important job of cleaning and has a much better eye for picking the pieces.
Their watchmaking efforts began in a small fashion with basic tools all within the cozy comfort of Duquesne dorm rooms.
“Since I’m a scientist I had pretty good knowledge of how to do intricate work,” Olivia said, “so we started with a toothpick, a Q-tip, a toothbrush, water and a little bit of alcohol wipes. I would wrap the alcohol wipe around the toothpick and would take hours to clean these watches out.”
As they improved and their love for the craft grew, more and more of their time became engulfed by watches.
“We used to do it all the time. That used to be date night for us: We’d pick up a vintage watch and I’d spend two hours cleaning it and he’d spend two hours fixing it,” Olivia said.
Not a single moment of that time spent together slaving over a massive collection of the minutest gears, knobs and screws ever felt wasted.
“It’s always good when you love someone to watch them be really passionate about something,” Olivia said. “It’s so cheesy,” she said to Jacob, “but it makes me love you even more when you get excited about fixing something, or finding something.”
As he would talk about the small intricacies of reassembling watches piece by piece and share tidbits of knowledge only someone immersed so far in the watch world would know, Olivia would watch him speak with a wonderful grin on her face, looking on as if just for a moment, he was the only person in the world.
It was clear that their love for the history and craft of watchmaking is intertwined with their love for each other.
Watchmaking in many ways is more than a hobby — what they do is incredibly important. In a small but crucial way, they are taking the necessary steps to help preserve history and keep the industry, which quite literally is nearing its deathbed, alive.
“The fact of the matter is it’s a dying industry. Your independent watchmakers are all overloaded with work and they’re all old,” Jacob said. “I feel I preserve a piece of history, a piece of art. So if I can make something live longer, instead of just throwing it away or have it be disposable, I’m all for it.”
The wrist and pocket watches they operate on are time capsules of bygone eras. Unlike clothing and other personal effects that have been withered, lost and worn, watches have been able to survive throughout the year, and with a few minor tweaks from students like Jacob and Olivia, they keep on ticking to this day.
Olivia and Jacob, through their joint nerdiness for mechanics and history and incessant need to learn, have created something truly unique and seldom seen.
They will forever and always be partners in time.
Masked Ambition
Griffin Sendek | Photo Editor
3/19/20
http://www.duqsm.com/masked-ambition/
It’s tremendous how much one email can throw a wrench in everyone’s lives. The punching of a few keys and the click of a single button and suddenly our lives as students are changed forever.
This photoshoot was planned a week ago to coincide with this once-a-semester special fashion issue. The thought behind it was fashionably done eye makeup paired with a surgical mask, being the “it” look for this oh-so-eventful spring was ironically hilarious. Perhaps we were being a little crass, and maybe a select few might be offended by the photo’s inclusion. However, it’s at times like this, when everything appears to have hit rock bottom, that being able to laugh at ourselves is one of the best ways to cope.
What was meant to be a fun take on a beauty photoshoot, making light of an otherwise terrifying state of the world, ended up being the most depressing and utterly heartbreaking photoshoots in all my years as a photographer.
Minutes prior to the shutter firing, we received the message from President Gormley that classes would be moving fully online for the remainder of the semester and everyone should start moving out of their dorm buildings.
Photoshoots in the makeshift photo studio in my Brottier apartment are nothing new to either of us — and something that has always been fun for us both.
Colleen is not one to cry easily, but what happened in this last week was enough to make anyone start bawling. With the message from the university came the immediate realization that this semester as we knew it was immediately coming to an end. She would have to say goodbye to all her friends, unclear of the next time she will see them again, pack up her entire room into the trunk of a car and head back to her home in Michigan.
“I was thinking about how the world I know is falling apart, how everything is shutting down, how we are entering a dark historic moment,” Colleen Hammond, opinions editor, said. “And I would have to face it all without my best friend by my side.”
Colleen held back tears as long as she possibly could as to not ruin the makeup and so we could still get the shot. But that didn’t make it any easier for either of us. In the photos you can see the tears welling up in her eyes; you can see her face tensing up fighting to hold them back.
While we have the advantage of not yet being seniors, several of our fellow editors are not so lucky. I do not envy any of them for being forced into the workforce at the worst time imaginable. My heart goes out to all the graduating seniors whose last few months of their college life were cut short without warning.
Sunday, the night this photograph was taken, the majority of The Duke staff attended mass on campus. Unknown to us, this was the last mass for the foreseeable future, as Bishop Zubik canceled all other services. Rev. Bill Christy spoke to the sparsely populated room, saying that we will “improvise, adapt and overcome./” Through this uncertain last week, we at The Duke have done exactly that.
This photograph is reflective of all our feelings and sentiments regarding the current situation, holding back tears and doing everything we can to remain healthy in these strange times.
Tamburitzans perform at Pittsburgh high school
Griffin Sendek | Photo Editor
03/12/20
The life of a Tamburitzan is one that is always on the move. Whether it be gracefully gliding across the stage, traveling around the country or racing through the studio to find the right color socks, a Tamburitzan never stops.
The Tamburtizans gave a brief 45 minute performance on Feb. 29, for the students at Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School (CAPA). Before they could take the stage, everything needed to be prepared and ready to go back at the Tamburitzan headquarters on Bluff Street.
Performance prep is at the Tamburitzan headquarters, and it’s an organized mess of performers packing up and moving an assortment of musical instruments, piecing together layers of elaborate outfits and chains of girls braiding one another’s hair.
For the most part, it all takes place in a single narrow hallway adorned floor to ceiling with dozens of black and white headshots of Tamburitzans from eras gone by.
The Tamburitzans have a deeply rooted history in the city of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University. This traditional Eastern European song and dance group got its start in the city back in 1937 and is still thriving more than 80 years later.
The group joined Duquesne University shortly after, and at the time would offer full scholarships to all of its members. For financial reasons, the university parted ways with the Tamburitzans in 2016, transforming the troupe into an independent non-profit.
Though the Tamburitzans are officially separate from the university, 22 out of its 29 members are students currently enrolled at Duquesne.
This performance for Pittsburgh CAPA was a number depicting traditional Serbian songs and dances. This showcase, however, was just one piece of what the Tamburitizans have to offer in their 2019-2020 season: Symbols-Expressions of Culture.
The showing for the CAPA students was significantly toned down from the Tamburitzans usual affair.
“This is literally nothing compared to what we normally have, you just see wires and cables going all across the floor, lights lots of lights and sometimes you’ll see costumes just all over,” Stevan Pastar, a first-year music education student, said.
The entirety of the two-hour show is learned in less than a single month during Tamburitzan summer camp.
“It takes us … about a day to learn the set, and we just pound through it we just keep going and going,” Tamburitzan dancer and third-year biochemistry major Alex Hrisenko said.
All the members learn the set as a group, blocking exactly where they’re supposed to be before adding style into the mix.
“For male dancers and female dancers I would say that the work is entirely the same; it’s all style, it’s very stylistic and the costumes are different,” Hrisenko said.
Learning a wide variety of intense songs dances and from all across Europe is no easy feat but members of the Tamburitzans describe in an incredibly casual manner.
“Stylistically and stepwise to separate the men from the women and we each have some really hard sessions, and we’ll get that style down and really what we’re supposed to be doing. And then we go down to the wardrobe and they put different costumes on us,” Hrisenko said.
The full performance includes numbers from eight different cultures (Croatian, Georgian, Russian, Nordic, Serbian, Polish, Celtic and Bulgarian) each with their own unique costumes and performing style. The typical show utilizes far more technical elements — colorful lights, booming sound and a projector screen displaying the history and information about each country is typical.
“I personally prefer when it’s hectic; it gets you to stay on your feet. You never know what’s going to happen next,” Pastar said.
Though that Saturday afternoon performance was stripped down, that did not mean the frenetic nature of the Tamburitzans had but all gone away.
“We’re used to having everybody at the show with us, we have probably four or five people missing today so we have to reblock all of the dances,” Karsyn Kuhn, a second year nursing student, said. “We have to like makeup for the people that are missing and figure out what we need to do differently.”
The warmup before a performance is a tremendous cacophony unique only to the Tamburitizans. Nowhere else are will you find the discordant sound of tuning instruments both familiar and exotic joined by the constant clang of the metal pieces adorning the Serbian outfits and headdresses as dancers tap their feet on the hard wooden floor.
The presentation itself was nothing short of astounding. To say that every member of this group is immensely talented is a huge understatement.
The sound of the vocalists joining together in unison was hauntingly beautiful. It was clear that the immense amount of fun each member was having as the dancers raced around the stage.
Oscar nominees rife with strange choices and poor diversity
Griffin Sendek | Photo Editor
01/16/19
Award season is upon us once again, meaning it is the annual time of the year when everyone bickers over who among the most famous movie stars and entertainers do and don’t win little gold statues.
The Oscars, as of the last few years, have yet to fail to be the dumbest and most controversy-filled of all the award shows, but it is impossible to deny that they are given the most importance.
The announcement of Oscar nominations have become an event within itself, almost as exciting as the actual award night. The Academy graced us with the long awaited list of nominees on Monday Jan. 13.
A lot of this year’s decisions followed predicted expectations — despite your opinion on the films, I doubt anyone was surprised to see Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood and Scorsese’s The Irishman popping up in the Best Picture category. However the 2020 Oscars are not without its share of surprises or questionable choices from the Academy.
Joker, a film that was no stranger to controversy and discourse in the latter half of 2019, came careening back into the public sphere when it was announced Monday that the Todd Phillips film had been nominated not only for best picture but 10 other award categories as well.
Yes, you heard that right; 2019’s Joker has been nominated for 11 Oscars. Earning more nominations of any other film, just ahead of Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood, The Irishman and 1917.
Another unfortunate, yet completely unsurprising reality of this year’s Oscars is the continued trend of a lack of women and people of color nominated for awards.
Greta Gerwig, the director Little Women was expected to earn a best directing nomination, only for her name to be noticeably absent. For Best Director, the Academy has nominated entirely men for the second consecutive year. Although this is not surprising knowing that within the Academy awards 92-year history, only five women have ever won for Best Director.
Among the 20 actors and actresses nominated Cynthia Erivo, for the role of Harriet Tubman in Harriet, is the only person of color.
Of course not every film and every actor can be nominated, that’s what makes these award shows special, but every year there are a handful of names and titles that get completely snubbed.
Lupita Nyong’o, for her role in Us, seemed to be a sure shot for a nomination but, she didn’t receive one.
The Farewell by dir. Lulu Wang and the rest of A24 releases, Midsommar, Uncut Gems and The Last Black Man in San Francisco are nowhere to be seen at this years’ Oscars.
The winners and losers of the 2020 Oscars will be announced Feb. 9, at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Group tells the stories of sexual assault survivors
Griffin Sendek | photo and features editor
11/21/2019
Sexual violence occurs on college campuses across the nation, and Duquesne University is no exception.
Students Against Sexual Violence (SASV) hosted an event entitled It Happens Here on Nov. 18, at the Genesius Theater. The primary goal of the event was to inform students that sexual assault and rape are a reality on Duquesne campus, as well as to educate on all the options available to students.
“[It’s] not just a Pittsburgh or college issue, but a Duquesne university issue,” SASV member Olivia Scherer said in the opening statements.
The members of SASV sought to be as raw and brutally honest as possible with the It Happens Here event. The event recounted three stories of Duquesne students who experienced sexual violence on campus, as performed by actors. Only one of the three stories were ever reported to the university.
The names of the actual survivors were not disclosed to the audience. Actors Liviu Reynolds, Erin Lexner and Mikayla Gilmer performed readings of the survivor accounts of living after experiencing rape.
“Simply knowing he’s here puts me on edge,” said Reynolds, in character as an anonymous survivor.
The stories, while being uniquely different situations, all tread similar ground: the immense sense of discomfort and danger the students would feel seeing their perpetrator on campus.
“Now I have to see him on campus all of the time and I have to live with it,” said Lexner in character. “I hate that I see him around.”
Through the survivor recounts, it was evident that these memories still haunt them and have placed a significant impact on their life.
“Still hurts me to look back on this moment,” said Gilmer’s character.
Between each of the actors reciting the accounts of survivors, SASV additionally hosted Ryan Sabokik, a prevention educator from Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) and Lee Robbins, the Title IX coordinator for the university.
Sabokik spoke to how PAAR seeks to highlight the voices of people who experienced sexual violence and provide the most help and assistance in every way it can.
Sabokik told the audience about PAAR’s legal advocacy programs. PAAR will walk sexual violence victims through the legal process so they can make an informed decision on whether or not they wish to report to the authorities.
Sabokik believes that a lot needs to be done to educate the public to prevent the continuation of rape culture.
Robbins outlined the vast extent of what Title IX is able to do for students, such as changing classes and living situations, and confidential services to keep students’ identities private throughout the reporting process.
“As Title IX coordinator, I want you to be aware that there are many people at the university and resources that are here to support you and those around you if situations like this arise,” said Robbins.
President of SASV, Vanessa Llewellyn also spoke.
“We wanted to do something like this because it’s easy for survivors to feel stigmatized or silenced by how difficult the reporting process can be,” Llewellyn said.
She continued to drive home the point that sexual violence isn’t something isolated outside of the university but is something to always be aware of.
“So we wanted to raise awareness to the fact that it happens here, which is where the title comes from,” Llewellyn said, “that it isn’t just like this vague college issue that we hear stats about, but it’s something that happens right here in our own dorm rooms and our own campus.”
Llewellyn hopes that spreading the word of the resources available for survivors will encourage people to be more confident and report sexual violence incidents.
On-campus resources.
1. Spiritan Campus Ministry, 412-396-6020
2. University Counseling, 412-396-6204
3. University Psychology Clinic, 412-396-6562
4. Health Services, 412-396-1650
5. DUPO 412-396-COPS (2677)
Off-campus confidential resources include:
1. Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR): 24 hour helpline: 1-866-END-RAPE
2. Center for Victims of Violence and Crime (CVVC): 24 hour helpline: 1-866-644-2882
3. Resolve Crisis Network: 24 hour helpline: 1-888-YOU-CAN
On-campus resources.
1. Spiritan Campus Ministry, 412-396-6020
2. University Counseling, 412-396-6204
3. University Psychology Clinic, 412-396-6562
4. Health Services, 412-396-1650
5. DUPO 412-396-COPS (2677)
Off-campus confidential resources include:
1. Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR): 24 hour helpline: 1-866-END-RAPE
2. Center for Victims of Violence and Crime (CVVC): 24 hour helpline: 1-866-644-2882
3. Resolve Crisis Network: 24 hour helpline: 1-888-YOU-CAN
The Goldfinch is a mess, in spite of great cast
Griffin Sendek | Photography Editor
09/18/19
Never before have I witnessed a film so desperately try to be meaningful only to result in something vapid and astonishingly empty.
The Goldfinch, directed by John Crowley, is a film adaptation of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name that tells the fictional story of a young Theo Decker (Oakes Fegley) whose life profoundly changes after his mother is killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and within the heat of the moment, he steals the priceless artwork aptly titled The Goldfinch.
The story is told non-linearly transitioning back-and-forth between Fegley and Theo’s adult self, played by Ansel Elgort.
Unfortunately, The Goldfinch is yet another example of a loss in translation from book to screen.
The original novel’s whopping 771 pages did no favors to ease the adaptation, resulting in a bulbous two hour 20-minute run time. Watching The Goldfinch all the way through feels like a journey that will never end. When the credits finally roll across the screen it is cause for celebration; not due to wonderment caused by a moving piece of cinema, but rather for the fact that it is now time to leave.
Attempting to describe the plot of The Goldfinch is a lesson in frustration because there is hardly any narrative throughline or thematic consistency. The story can be best described as a series of subplots continuously piled on one another.
Having multiple subplots in a film is not always a bad thing. It has been done very well in many instances. For the case of The Goldfinch, the central plot of Theo and the painting hardly takes priority over the others, and new subplots are constantly introduced without resolving any of the previous.
This form of storytelling might have worked well within a book format, broken up into clearly defined chapters, but on screen, it creates a muddled film with a highly inconsistent tone.
The Goldfinch appears to be in the midst of an identity crisis, unable to decide what it wants to be or even keep to the confines of a single genre. This film is a tale of loss and redemption, a romance, a coming-of-age story, and in the final moments morphing into an action-thriller. Choosing any one of these story conventions and running with it might have produced a work with more coherency but as is, The Goldfinch is an ununified mess.
Watching The Goldfinch has one questioning what it is really trying to say.
The Goldfinch is an illustration of how good performances from award-winning actors are unable to save a deeply flawed film. Giving credit where credit is due, everyone in this film does an impeccable job.
Nicole Kidman does a marvelous job as Mrs. Barbour, leaving by far the biggest lasting impression upon exiting the theater. Jeffery Wright plays his character to absolute perfection and Sarah Paulson gives it her all. Both Fegley and Elgort help drive the story forward, although Elgort’s performance is the slightly more forgettable of the two.
Who really steals the show, however, is Finn Wolfhard, who plays Boris. Not that his acting is necessarily anything groundbreaking, but rather that his character provides some comedic relief, pumping some much-needed life back into the film.
This film has glimmers of hope throughout. The Goldfinch is full of scenes that are beautifully shot and composed. The scenes in the MET where the bombing occurs are elegantly shot and masterfully done. Crowley knows when to let certain moments slow down and breathe.
The production design is top-notch, the attention to detail is utterly insane. For those who do wind up watching The Goldfinch, look closely at backgrounds. The production and set design do so much for telling the story and establishing who the characters are, yet is done so successfully, it goes by almost completely unnoticed.
The seeds of a great film are buried deep within The Goldfinch, which is why it is so disappointing it developed into such an awful viewing experience. It makes me sad knowing that everything special about this film is bogged down by a myriad of other issues, and it will likely only be remembered for those.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and despite its bright spots, The Goldfinch is an overly long confusing slog of multiple subplots without a consistent message or story to tell. At the end of the day, The Goldfinch is just plain boring and does not deserve your time.
Engame wraps up a generation's favorite films
Griffin Sendek & Josiah Martin | The Duquesne Duke
05/02/19
It is near-impossible to think of a film series as expansive and long-lasting as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Nobody could have predicted 11 years ago that the franchise would grow to include 23 films, or that its flagship Avengers arc would conclude with the three-hour, genre-defining epic that is Avengers: Endgame.
It is wild to think that 2008’s Iron Man came out when the Duke’s editorial board was in elementary school. These actors have played these characters in more movies than even the iconic casts of franchises like the Hobbit or Star Wars films. The MCU has defined a generation of filmgoers, and Marvel and the Russo Brothers appear keenly aware of this. Endgame heavily plays the nostalgia card, with references and returns to many of the series’ iconic films. For decade-long fans, it’s an effective and emotionally stirring element.
“Emotionally stirring” is an understatement for every second of this film. The opening minute shows how Thanos’ snap in Infinity War affected Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), who was absent from the previous film. This film explores in detail the effect that half the population’s death had on the people of Earth. As a result, nearly every scene carries a deep emotional weight, as characters deal with what they lost, and fight to keep what they still have. Endgame, though as action-heavy as one could possibly want, found a way to explore the more sentimental and deeper aspects of its plot without dragging on through its long runtime. In fact, the movie’s pacing, a big concern going into it, is near perfect.
There was not a second of Endgame that dragged, every scene felt entirely necessary and effectively contributed to telling an all-encompassing, multifaceted story.
The first act of Endgame takes it slow and gives the story time to breathe. The film is chock-full of intense, high-octane superhero action, but the opening sequences focus primarily on the characters and plot. Making a three-hour movie, not feel excruciatingly long or exhaustingly action-packed, is no easy feat, but the Russos pulled it off beautifully.
The Russo brothers deserve tremendous credit for creating action and fight scenes that do not feel monotonous or redundant. Every fight in the film plays to the diverse strengths and abilities of the heroes involved, flows smoothly and is intensely suspenseful. Many of these scenes, particularly those featuring Hawkeye, are beautifully choreographed. One of Hawkeye’s major fights is reminiscent of a Japanese action film — right down to the setting — and is emotionally heavy-hitting to boot.
After the serious tone of Infinity War, something even darker and more depressing was expected for this film. Surprising though the humor runs throughout, and is some of the best the series has ever seen. Marvel movies have many times been criticized for their implementation of jokes and humor, but an even balance of when to be serious and when it is time to have a few laugh is found in Endgame.
Endgame, first and foremost, is a movie for the fans. The 23rd chapter of this decade-long cinematic endeavour works under the pretense that its audience is knowledgeable of all the previous films. Endgame does not waste any time trying to catch up non-fans. Coming into the series 22 movies late is a recipe for disaster; without an understanding of the earlier films, Endgame would be a confusing mess. For a fan of the series that has stuck through the Marvel cinematic universe since its onset, Endgame is a masterpiece and a fitting conclusion to what has been built up to for so long.
Elsinore Bennu Think Tank: A beacon of restorative justice
Katia Faroun and Griffin Sendek | The Duquesne Duke
Standing on the Bluff facing west, students have a striking view of Pittsburgh’s historical South Side, Mount Washington and the majestic Ohio River, with the Allegheny County Jail prevailing in the foreground.
A mere stone’s throw away from Duquesne’s campus and close enough for students to catch glimpses of figures moving in the windows, the County Jail goes by unnoticed and unthought of, blending in with the backdrop of the city. Yet inside, it houses over 2,000 men and women whose stories and histories contrast greatly from those of the students right across the street.
Our proximity to those who are incarcerated could not be any closer, but the lives of those inside and those out rarely intersect. Once men and women are sent away to jails and prisons, they are oftentimes dehumanized and forgotten, negatively labeled by those on the outside as “criminals” and once they return, “ex-cons.” Prejudice and stereotypes act as barriers between those inside and those outside, preventing each group from understanding the other.
The Elsinore Bennu Think Tank for Restorative Justice (EBTT) aims to break these barriers, working from right here on campus.
EBTT started in the now-closed State Correctional Institution (SCI) — Pittsburgh, created by six individuals inside the facility. The group started meeting in 2013 with the intentions for inmates to talk about their different experiences inside. Once SCI Pittsburgh closed in June 2017, the original six members disbanded and were moved to various facilities. However, they had dreams to keep the think tank alive, and outside members involved in the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program that had been present in the early days of think tank discussions continued the think tank in various Pittsburgh locations. It now meets weekly in Canevin Hall on campus.
EBTT includes a diverse range of attendees, including formerly incarcerated individuals, or “returning citizens,” lawyers, professors, students, journalists and various professionals. Its core members also consist of currently incarcerated inmates that the outside members keep in contact with.
The think tank’s mission is to bring together victim, offender and community to promote understanding and awareness of social justice. The think tank seeks to educate anyone willing to learn, but also take the necessary steps to make difference.
Dr. Rick McCown is a member of the think tank and a professor of education at Duquesne. He is an active member of EBTT and regularly leads the meetings.
“It allows people whose experiences are extraordinarily diverse to learn together and to learn not just from each other, but with each other,” McCown said.
The think tank meetings usually begin with a synopsis of EBTT’s history, the day’s meeting schedule and goals, as well as short introductions from everyone in the room. Every meeting, EBTT leaders introduce to newcomers the idea of gracious space, the idea that the think tank is not only a space to learn, but a space to grow. Gracious space allows for first-timers to ask questions without hesitation or fear of judgment. It also allows for long-time members to hear the perspectives of individuals unacquainted or unfamiliar with restorative justice.
The meetings havea revolving four week schedule, with each consecutive meeting having a different objective or theme. The last meeting of every month is a time where members share updates on their work and progress on their restorative justice projects. Different projects range from overarching efforts such as development of an application designed to help returning citizens upon re-entry to smaller, more personal endeavors such as working to obtain housing for a newly returning citizen.
Other meetings discuss the relationship between law enforcement and offenders, resources and public support for returning citizens and publication or program updates.
On any meeting day, it is likely that individuals within the group have collectively served over 100 years inside. Some regular attendees have served short sentences for minor offenses; others have served decades. For some of the returning citizens, EBTT is almost like therapy.
“The Think Tank to me is a blessing, and it ain’t a disguise,” said Alexander “Big Lew” Lewis, who served 32 years in Harrisburg and is a regular member of EBTT.
The idea that these returning (or “returned”) citizens are experts on re-entry has been reiterated throughout each meeting. Within three years of release 67.8% of all prisoners reoffend, and that number increases to 76.6% after five years, according to a Bureau of Justice Statistics study.
A majority of the returned citizens that regularly attend the think tank meetings have not only beat those odds, but are working hard to assist others and to help eliminate the process that causes so many to reoffend.
For those who attend, EBTT can be an eye opening experience as it offers diverse perspectives not only on social justice, but life experiences. The exchange of information and personal knowledge encourages open mindedness and leaves attendees with new understandings.
“It becomes a space for learning, and learning in public,” McCown said. “It really is a way of providing pathways for learning and I think that’s its biggest impact.”
EBTT meets at 8:30 a.m. every Friday in Canevin 108. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings to learn more about the work EBTT members are doing in the community and how to get involved.
“The Think Tank to me is a blessing, and it ain’t a disguise,” said Alexander “Big Lew” Lewis, who served 32 years in Harrisburg and is a regular member of EBTT.
The idea that these returning (or “returned”) citizens are experts on re-entry has been reiterated throughout each meeting. Within three years of release 67.8% of all prisoners reoffend, and that number increases to 76.6% after five years, according to a Bureau of Justice Statistics study.
A majority of the returned citizens that regularly attend the think tank meetings have not only beat those odds, but are working hard to assist others and to help eliminate the process that causes so many to reoffend.
For those who attend, EBTT can be an eye opening experience as it offers diverse perspectives not only on social justice, but life experiences. The exchange of information and personal knowledge encourages open mindedness and leaves attendees with new understandings.
“It becomes a space for learning, and learning in public,” McCown said. “It really is a way of providing pathways for learning and I think that’s its biggest impact.”
EBTT meets at 8:30 a.m. every Friday in Canevin 108. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings to learn more about the work EBTT members are doing in the community and how to get involved.
Bryan Stevenson speaks on how to change the world
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
04/04/19
As part of Robert Morris University Pittsburgh Speakers Series, Bryan Stevenson, an acclaimed lawyer famous for his work in criminal justice reform, was invited to give a speech at Heinz Hall on March 27
Stevenson structured his lecture around the ways in which people can change the world, beginning with the power of proximity — delineating the importance of being close to those who are suffering.
“You can’t change the world from the comfortable place we know,” he said.
He fundamentally believes that positive social change will never be possible until those who are living comfortably become close with those who are suffering.
“Power in proximity is in places where people are struggling,” said Stevenson. “Listen, the things you take in will empower you to change the world”.
Scattered throughout his discussion of criminal justice were stories and anecdotes from his childhood, college days and life as a lawyer. Stevenson told of the first time he went to visit an inmate on death row, all he had to do was tell an inmate named Henry that he was not going to be executed any time within the next year, yet Stevenson was still remarkably nervous for the encounter. When he told Henry, the news, Henry immediately took Stevenson by the hand and he could not be happier to find out that he still had more life to live.
Stevenson and Henry ended up speaking for several hours before the guards shackled and forcibly removed Henry from the cell.
The second method Stevenson gave for changing the world was by changing narratives.
Stevenson spoke at length about the racial issues that this country still faces, bringing up how America was founded with the slaughter of native Americans.
Stevenson said, “The fact that we live in a post-genocide society” had shaped and formed the narrative of racial difference to justify violence, and that very narrative of racial difference was used to justify slavery.
Stevenson went on to state how the belief that racial disparity all but ended in the 1960s is as far from the truth. The battle for equal rights is a battle being fought to this very day. “We’ve gotten too celebratory of the civil rights movement,” he said.
Stevenson gave the example of Germany trying to change the narrative, doing everything they can to separate themselves from Nazism, meanwhile “no one in the U.S. likes talking about race and slavery.”
The third method Stevenson discussed was committing to staying hopeful.
“Hopelessness is the enemy of justice,” he said.
Without hope, Stevenson believed that the world was incapable of any change whatsoever.
“Either you’re hopeful or you’re the problem,” Stevenson said.
The fourth method Stevenson gave was being willing to do things that are uncomfortable and inconvenient.
Stevenson spoke to the fact that social change has ever happened by people doing something comfortable or convenient.
One of the final stories that Stevenson told was of a phone call he got from a desperate inmate, 30 days away from his execution, asking Stevenson if there was anything that he could do. Stevenson quickly discovered that the man had an intellectual disability, and there was a law preventing the execution of any prisoners with intellectual disabilities.
Stevenson argued the man’s case in court only to be told that the disabilities should have been recorded previously and that it was too late to change anything. The case moved up from court to court, each time receiving the same response that it was too late. One hour before the execution, they received the verdict from the Supreme Court, finding out that the motion was denied.
Minutes prior to the execution Stevenson got on the phone with the inmate. The inmate was sobbing on the phone and trying to get a word out but couldn’t because of his bad stutter. Eventually when he was able to get his words out, he told Stevenson,
“Mr.S, I want to thank you for representing me. Mr.S, I love you for trying to save my life.”
At that moment Stevenson felt broken, that he worked trying to help broken people within a broken system. It was also that very moment after hanging up the phone that Stevenson realized, “I do what I do because I’m broken too.”
Harking back to his statement about changing the world with proximity, Stevenson said, “You don’t have to be perfect and whole to change the world, sometimes it’s the broken that can show us what it means to be human.”
Stevenson believes the world is in deep need of change, but he does not think that change is unobtainable. Attending his speech, it was clear that he truly believes in the human capacity for making a difference. People just need to get off their feet, out of their comfort zones, close to those who are struggling, and above all remain hopeful.
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Panelists talk solidarity and change
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
03/21/19
As part of the fifth annual Day of Learning and Speaking Out Against Racial Injustice, “Whiteness: From Complicity to Solidarity,” five different discussions were held in the Fides Shepperson Suite of the Power Center on Wednesday.
The five events included: Hate in America: Hate and Extremism in Pennsylvania and Abroad; Working across Boundaries to Achieve Solidarity: A Panel of Partners; Race and Pedagogy: A discussion of Readings; Not Giving Up: Maintaining Our Commitment to Justice in Unjust Time and A Walk in My Shoes – Sacred Conversations on Race Student Roundtable Discussion.
The talks ran intermittently from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
During the Working Across Boundaries discussion, members of the Elsinore Bennu Think Tank for Restorative Justice, including a panel of formerly incarcerated citizens, a lawyer and a Duquesne professor, spoke at length about restorative justice.
This event, which ran from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., began as a tribute for one of the founding members of the Think Tank, Richard “Khalifa” Diggs. It opened with what was said to be his favorite song, “Breathe into Me Oh Lord” by Fred Hammond.
Diggs had been charged with a double homicide and sentenced to life in prison. In his time in prison, he started writing stories about his life. Members of the panel, Alexander “Big Lew” Lewis and Foster Tarver stood at the podium and read aloud a piece that Diggs had written, titled See Me.
Diggs died of pancreatic cancer in December 2017 in prison.
Diggs was one of the members of a class taught at the State Correctional Institution (SCI) – Pittsburgh by “Little Lew” Louis Gentile, and over the years they formed a strong friendship.
Gentile was the former director of the bureau of narcotics when he met Diggs. Even though Gentile didn’t receive any payment for the course, he continued to teach for seven years, until the program was eliminated as part of a new action from the state to “get tough on crime,” according to Gentile.
Gentile was very critical of the program’s closure, stating that recidivism of the inmates involved dropped by 70 percent.
After Gentile’s program closed at SCI Pittsburgh, he received an invitation to become involved with the Elsinore Bennu Think Tank.
The Think Tank deals primarily with the ideas of restorative justice with the fundamental idea that it is never too late for anyone to re-enter society post-incarceration. It meets Friday mornings in Canevin Hall, where the attendees “try to make a gracious space” and spend time learning “from each other and with each other,” according to Dr. Rick McCown.
McCown uses the phrase “bright spots” when describing panel members Taili Thompson, Alexander Lewis and Foster Tarver. After inmates are released from prison, they are statistically more likely to end up back behind bars in few years. McCown has referred to these individuals as experts regarding rehabilitation.
Thompson, Lewis and Tarver each shared their own personal stories of reentry into society.
The panel allotted time to answer questions from the audience. One student asked Tarver how, after spending 49 years in prison, he never gave up hope.
“Even if you can’t change your environment, you can change yourself,” Foster said, reiterating multiple times the importance of keeping faith.
Later in the panel discussion, a video-interview of Diggs was projected on the screen.
At the time of the interview, Diggs had been in prison for 19 years. In the video Diggs introduced himself and told how Khalifa was a name he adopted in 1977 in Allegheny County Jail. He said that it was derived from an Arabic word meaning “protector,” “community leader” and “provider.”
Diggs viewed children as the future. The last thing he ever wanted was to see children grow up headed down the path towards incarceration.
“They represent our future and without them, I don’t see nothing but destruction,” Diggs said. “If we think we can go on without our youth, there’s something wrong with us as adults.”
Diggs went as far to say that he would give his life to see the youth provided for. He wasn’t afraid of death, but rather, he was scared of not being able to get out of prison and provide for his family and community in the way he wanted.
“I fear not being able to be a human being,” Diggs said.
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Faces of Homelessness: Generosity amidst hardship
Katia Faroun and Griffin Sendek | The Duquesne Duke
03/14/19
Writers from The Duke went into the city to gather the stories and opinions of people without homes. Duquesne University is located between Uptown and Downtown, where there’s a significant population of homeless individuals. This week, Robert spent some time talking to us about his experiences being homeless in Pittsburgh and his views of the world.
***
Sitting on an upside-down orange milk crate on the corner outside of Chipotle Mexican Grill in Market Square was an aged man with a blanket strewn across his lap and a 7-Eleven Big Gulp cup of coins at his feet. He had a large graying beard and wore a jacket with multiple rips hastily patched over, a thick beanie and an oversized pair of pants.
We asked him if he’d be willing to share his story with us, and he began talking before the sentence was even finished.
His name is Robert. He lived in Gibsonia before coming to Pittsburgh, where he now spends most of his time. He stays the night at a personal care home with eight other people in Wilkinsburg, a half-hour bus ride from Downtown. Robert tries to be there by 9 p.m., when he’s supposed to, but he tends not to make it back until 11 p.m. When he doesn’t make it to the home, he finds a place to sleep Downtown.
Robert never knew his biological father, and the moment his mother died was when “everything went downhill.”
He spends the majority of his days earning money on street corners. Most of the cash he receives from generous passersby goes into paying for bus fare and cigarettes.
“You always need money for something,” Robert said.
Robert mentioned his gratitude for the people of Pittsburgh. During the span of our 15-minute conversation, two individuals walked up to him, handed him some cash and gave him their blessing. Another came over and handed him a meatball hoagie from DiBella’s, which is a favorite of Robert’s.
Despite the generosity of its people, making a living in Pittsburgh hasn’t always been very easy for Robert.
He stated that during his time on the streets, he has received multiple false accusations of crimes, and has been harassed by business owners. He described to us a story where a man reported him for harassment by communication for hanging around an area for three days, and another of a local restaurant owner who allegedly threatened him for remaining outside of his restaurant. Robert also stated that he was arrested for possession of marijuana at one point, and claimed that while in jail, the guards stole some of his only possessions.
His outlook on life was notably cynical. He spoke a length about world politics and views of the current administration, touching on topics such as nuclear war and homosexuality.
“With Trump and all, I don’t know how many years America has left,” he said.
We asked whether or not he had plans to find more a permanent living situation or if he was saving up to get an apartment, and he said no.
“With Trump and all, I don’t know how many years America has left,” he said.
We asked whether or not he had plans to find more a permanent living situation or if he was saving up to get an apartment, and he said no.
Robert also spends a majority of his earnings on medication.
“Sometimes I want to take a large dose to help me sleep. I have trouble sleeping.”
Robert frequents this corner of Market Square and is always willing to have a conversation.
Homelessness is habitually viewed with a negative connotation. Speaking to Robert gave us a further glimpse into a world that is so often shied away from. These are real people with real lives, and Robert’s story supports this truth.
***
This story is part of the Duquesne Duke series titled “Faces of Homelessness,” where Duke writers go into the community and ask people without homes about their stories. We aim to focus specifically on their opinions and perspectives on social and political issues, locally and nationally. We believe that every opinion matters, and that theirs should be told. We hope this series will impact the Duquesne and Pittsburgh communities positively, offering those without a home the chance to have their voices heard. Hopefully, we all will listen.
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Watsky and strong opening acts impress at Mr. Smalls
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
02/28/19
My introduction to Watsky’s music was roughly two years ago. After playing a single song I was immediately entranced. I subsequently spent the next few weeks listening to the entirety of Watsky’s discography, and he quickly took the spot of one of my favorite artists. The moment I heard he was coming to Pittsburgh, I purchased tickets almost instantly.
On the 11th stop of the Complaint Album Tour, Watsky performed at Mr. Smalls Theater on Feb. 25. I was surprised he wasn’t going to be performing at a larger venue, but the smaller, more intimate space best suited the kind of performance that Watsky gives.
The concert had two openers, Feed the Biirds and Grieves, both of which I had never heard of before and had no preconceived notion of what to expect. I was more than happy to have gone in blind because Feed the Biirds’ two-person act with Camila Recchio on vocals and Kush Mody on the bass completely blew me away. It was a short performance of three or four songs, including the beautiful “She Came.” Recchio was very engaged with the audience, taking breaks between each of her songs to speak to and crack jokes with the audience.
Feed the Biirds got the concert started on a strong note before Grieves entered the stage getting the whole room hyped up for an excellent night. Fans of Watsky will most likely be fans of Grieves as well, they both have similar styles of rap and methods of conveying their emotions through music.
I had never heard a single song by Grieves before, but the moment the he started rapping I was was dancing along to the thumping beat like there was no tomorrow. From the band’s name alone, I was expecting some remarkably edgy music, but I was pleasantly surprised to find rapper Benjamin Laub performed songs with an unconventional interpretation of love and relationships.
Grieves wrapped up and exited the stage with a roaring applause from the crowd. Grieves’ performance was fantastic and would have been well worth the price of admission alone. But a good concert was just about to become great one, Watsky was up next.
The lights went dark before exploding into an array of colors as Watsky made his entrance. Everyone in the audience was screaming in utter delight, as Watsky kicked off his performance with “Brand New World.”
Watsky is not a performer that simply stands still holding the mic and sings his songs, he was moving his body at every possible moment. He used every inch of space that he had possibly had, whether it be dancing to his heart’s content, jumping up and down, balancing on a beam on the edge of the stage, crowd surfing, Watsky did it all, and never missed a beat.
Watsky is killing two birds with one stone on this tour, having Camila Recchio of Feed the Biirds sing all the background vocals. A big portion of Watsky’s songs have a female vocal backing, and Recchio’s beautiful voice fit each and every song perfectly. I would go as far to say that I want to see an entire album of Watsky songs recorded with her. I desperately hope that they have more chances to collab in the future.
I was delighted to find that even though this was the Complaint Album Tour, Watsky sang a good selection of his older songs as well. “Pink Lemonade” from 2016’s x Infinity was extremely fun to see performed. “Hey A—–e” from 2013’s Cardboard Castles has always been one of my favorites, and seeing it live paired with Recchio’s excellent vocals, was absolutely phenomenal. Watsky and Recchio sat down gave an enchanting, mellowed rendition of “Sloppy Seconds” from Cardboard Castles. This different take on the song was an unexpected but welcome change.
On the initial release of Complaint, I was not the biggest fan compared to his previous work, but being able to witness the tracks live gave me a new found appreciation for the album.
For an encore, Watsky sang Whitecaps from Complaint and gave a grand finale of “Woah Woah Woah” from 2014’s All You Can Do.
This was without a doubt the best concert I have ever been to in my life. My appreciation for Watsky has shot through the roof. I hope he returns to the Pittsburgh area sometime in the near future, because I know for a fact I will be the first one in line.
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Faces of Homelessness: Local man shares story
Katia Faroun and Griffin Sendek | The Duquesne Duke
02/21/19
Writers from The Duke went into the city to gather the stories and opinions of people without homes. Duquesne University is located between Uptown and Downtown, where there’s a significant population of homeless individuals. This week, Jacob shared his story with us and briefly acknowledged the challenges he faces being homeless in Pittsburgh.
A man wearing a blue coat, maroon hat and black sweatpants slowly made his way up and down the median on Washington Pl., at the intersection of Washington and Center Ave. Holding out a sign to vehicles stopped at the light, he shuffled along the small patch of concrete, patiently keeping his eye out for any generous drivers.
We approached the man from behind and accidentally startled him. He didn’t seem accustomed to others walking up to him and starting a conversation. We introduced ourselves and he began to talk.
He told us his name was Jacob. We offered him a sandwich and a bottle of water, which he gratefully received and promptly began to eat. We asked Jacob about the difficulties he faced in trying to find housing in Pittsburgh and he immediately started to tell us his story.
Jacob explained that he had been living in North Carolina before he came to Pittsburgh. He lived in an apartment, and in the fall of 2017, suffered a severe spinal infection. He was hospitalized, and most of his savings went into paying off medical bills.
As soon as Jacob was released from the hospital in September, Hurricane Florence hit the coast. He returned home, only to find his apartment destroyed.
Jacob gathered up all the money he had left and purchased a bus ticket to Pittsburgh, a city he had lived in before. He had faith in the opportunities it would offer him, and for the past few months, he’s been trying to pick himself back up again.
We asked him where he was staying, and in between mouthfuls, he explained how he was staying on-and-off at Light of Life in the North Side. He mentioned the help it has offered him: food, warmth and a place to stay. In order to get a bed for the night, Jacob has to show up at check-in, where the volunteers take his name and assign him a ticket for the night.
A couple days a week, Jacob works cleaning buildings, and gets paid under the table. Sometimes he doesn’t get back to the North Side until late at night, missing check-in.
“If you’re not there, you don’t have a bed,” he explained.
When he’s unable to stay the night at Light of Life, Jacob has to find other options. Sometimes he goes back Downtown, where there’s a warming shelter.
“It’s gross. It’s just a gym floor,” he said. “They give you a little mat and you have to be up at 5:30 a.m.”
It’s hard for Jacob to sleep on the floor and then spend his days bent over cleaning with his back still in rough shape. It’s not a lot of money, so he has to work a little extra to get enough money to find a place to stay permanently.
Jacob spends a majority of his afternoons where we found him, holding up a sign asking for some cash and mentioning that he was a previously a Marine.
He cut our conversation short, saying he needed to take advantage of the traffic. Before saying goodbye, he assured us that though people often don’t have a lot to give, every little bit helps.
“Anything is enough.”
This is the start of a new series titled “Faces of Homelessness,” where Duke writers go into the community and ask people without homes about their stories. We aim to focus specifically on their opinions and perspectives on social and political issues, locally and nationally. We believe that every opinion matters, and that theirs should be told. We hope this series will impact the Duquesne and Pittsburgh communities positively, offering those without a home the chance to have their voices heard. Hopefully, we all will listen.
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Pittsburgh Ballet Theater's The Great Gatsby Impresses
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
02/14/19
My theater-going experience began at a young age; I have been to countless plays and musicals, from comedies to dramas, classical Shakespeare to modern experimental projects, but never have I gone to a ballet.
I finally got my chance last Saturday at the premiere of Pittsburgh Ballet Theater’s production of The Great Gatsby at the Benedum Center Downtown.
I had little idea what to expect from a ballet based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel — my attendance was a last minute decision, so I had little time to research any details about the production. In retrospect, I was happier that I walked in with a completely open mind.
As is tradition with ballet, there is no spoken, narrated or sung dialogue. The story is told to the audience entirely through live orchestration and dance.
How a 200-page novel is to be transformed into a ballet and still be a cohesive, understandable story that is also entertaining to watch is no easy task. I was a bit skeptical at how well it was going to be pulled off, but I was proven wrong in the most spectacular fashion.
The challenge was up to artistic director Terrence S. Orr and choreographer Jorden Morris to mold the story of Gatsby to fit the traditions of ballet, and they did so fantastically.
If I had to describe The Great Gatsby in one word, it would be “beautiful.” You can clearly see the numerous hours of work that went into getting this production ready for the public. Every single element of the ballet came together seamlessly and with fantastic results.
The music played by the PBT Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Charles Barker, would have been well worth the admission price alone. The orchestration brought thought, flow, pace, emotion and meaning to the performers dancing. Ballet is a unification of elegant dance and melodious music; one cannot be as captivating or effective without the other. The music fit perfectly with the 1920s setting, all the while guiding the story forward.
I have seen a lot of different dancing throughout my life, but this was by far the best I have seen. Every minute movement, every toe-point, every jump and leap, every twist of the body was choreographed to the point of mistakes being impossible. The performers danced for the entire show, and they did it as if it was effortless; the dancing was utterly flawless.
The leads — Lucius Kirst, William Moore, Luca Sbrizzi and Alexandra Kochis (playing the roles of Jay Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, Nick Carraway and Daisy Buchanan) — all danced like there was no tomorrow. Kochis’ performance was breathtaking as glided across the stage as if she were as light as a feather. Kirst and Moore spun through the air with great power yet perfect elegance and precision. And Sbrizzi, through his movement, embodied the character of Nick Carraway exceedingly well. I can’t fail to mention the ensemble of supporting and minor characters’ excellent dancing. They were another factor that took this show from the fantastic performances of a few to the wondrous spectacle that was The Great Gatsby.
The Great Gatsby at the Benedum Center, being my first exposure to ballet has set the bar high; it will be hard for another ballet to surpass this wonderful experience.
The show runs until Feb. 17; Tickets are available at
www.trustarts.org.
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Cold War a chilling, unconventional, Oscar-worthy film
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
02/07/19
I did not hear about Cold War from trailers or online Oscar discussion. Rather, I first discovered the film on the T back to campus.
Wedged between the seat in front of me and the wall was an issue of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. As I unfolded the wrinkled-up paper and opened it to a random page, staring me right in the face was a movie review for Cold War. From the headline and photo alone, I learned the film was 1) Oscar-nominated, 2) Polish, 3) shot in black and white and 4) a love story.
At that point I did not need to read a single line of the review because I was already hooked. I made the decision that I needed to see this movie in a matter of seconds. Precisely two weeks later, I was sat in the Manor Theater for a matinee screening of Cold War.
From the title alone one might think Cold War is yet another film documenting the tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union post World War II, but that could not be further from the truth. In fact, the U.S. is not mentioned once within the 1-hour-29-minute runtime.
Cold War, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, tells a story of the era never before seen. The film opens in 1949 with the talented conductor Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) and producer Irena (Agata Kulesza) traveling the Polish countryside recording traditional folk tunes with the goal of reintroducing the music to the masses. Wiktor holds auditions for the creation of a folk choral ensemble; it’s at these auditions that he first comes across the fiery Zula, played excellently by Joanna Kulig.
It is not long before Wiktor and Zula’s immensely passionate, yet turbulent, romance begins. As Wiktor’s folk ensemble gains popularity, pressure from the Soviet government forces the group to sing songs of peace, homeland and Stalin. To avoid becoming another cog in the Soviet propaganda machine, Wiktor plans his escape to the West with Zula. Wikter makes the journey alone, though, for Zula never shows.
Cold War is a stunning but incredibly bleak love story told over the course of 15 years through a series of vignettes. Wiktor and Zula’s love is intrinsically tied to music; music is what brings the two together and what tears them apart time and time again.
Without music, Cold War would have no story; it is one of the most critical pieces of the film and the work put into the music is impeccable. The music, whether it be Joanna Kulig’s enchanting singing voice as Zula, the beautiful notes Wiktor stikes on his piano, Polish folk singers, jazz club musicians or concert accompaniment is all breathtaking. Music follows the story every step of the way; there is seldom a scene without it. More impressive, however, is that not a single non-diegetic note plays.
Color film is one of the most significant innovations for the entirety of the medium, I do not dispute that for a moment, but there is a certain kind of beauty and elegance to black and white that color will never be able to replicate.
When filming in black and white, contrast is absolute. In Cold War every piece of the puzzle, from the lighting to costumes, makeup and scenery, all fall perfectly into place, creating striking contrast throughout its runtime. The unification of all the elements results in the entire film having a superb balance between light and dark.
My jaw dropped in awe at the beauty of this film more times than I can count. Had I the ability to pause the projector and analyze individual frames, I guarantee I would still be sitting in the theater at the edge of my seat, eyes glued to the screen.
It is no surprise Cold War was nominated for best cinematography, as the film showcased absolutely excellent camera work. Cinematographer Lukasz Zal truly outdid himself.
The urge to constantly cut and move the camera was fought in Cold War. More often than not, the camera is put in a single place in front of the actors or scene and left there. It might seem overly basic or simplistic, but in an age of films in which the camera is either cutting every few seconds or moving incessantly, leaving the camera in one place and letting the scene speak for itself, allowing the actors to display the best of their abilities genuinely, is a breath of fresh air. Camera movement is used deliberately and sparingly.
The traditional method of recording people having a conversation was thrown out the window for Cold War; instead of cutting back and forward between the two actors, Pawilkowski and Zal simply framed everyone within the shot and recorded the conversations from a single angle. It was done so well, so seamlessly, that the average audience member would never notice a difference.
A sure sign that a film has you fully engaged is when you lose awareness of the passage of time. Nothing is worse than the feeling of wanting a movie to just end already, but Cold War had me so captivated I did not even realize it was ending until a short time before the credits rolled across the screen. I easily could have sat in that theater watching for another hour, but Cold War ended at the exact right moment, not a second too soon or too late.
Upon looking up the runtime of the film, I was shocked to discover it was only roughly 90 minutes long; for the amount of story and events contained within the film, it was amazing it all fit within the length of the average children’s movie.
The film doesn’t give the feeling of a single corner being cut, going to show that everything within Cold Warwas clear and deliberate choice culminating in creating a masterclass of 21st-century cinema.
Cold War is nominated for best foreign film, best cinematography, and best director at The Oscars. In my opinion, it deserves to win all of three. Unfortunately, I do not think it will be that lucky. On Feb. 24, when the Oscars air, hopefully, the filmmakers will be able to take home at least a single win, but even if Cold War gets horribly snubbed, you owe it to yourself to watch this film.
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Gallery Crawl Showcases excellent Pittsburgh artists
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
01/31/19
Pittsburgh’s celebration of art returned last Friday with Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District. Featured works ranged from paintings, photography and abstract sculptures, to dance, light shows and glow-in-the-dark creations.
While some of the galleries are open for multiple days, others were only available for the single night. Gallery Crawl and its one-night-only tradition has solidified a spot in Downtown Pittsburgh events that need to be attended by all art lovers. If you happened to miss it last Friday, don’t be too upset, for Gallery Crawl will be returning in April with all new and unique art.
I began my night in the Trust Arts Education Center, following the crowded staircase up three floors and stepping foot in the Glow Gallery. Upon entry, I was greeted with hip-hop beats from the DJ and floral-patterned multi-colored canvases on the walls. From the ceiling hung what looked like a bright green stuffed oval, floating beside a neon orange ball painted with a spiral. All the artwork was illuminated by black lights lining the entire ceiling of the venue.
The large crowd had formed around the leftmost wall, carrying an assortment of multi-colored sharpies. They decorated what was called the “graffiti wall.” Everyone in the room wanted to make their own addition; many signed their names, others wrote inspirational messages and some created their own designs. Two giant black lights aimed at the wall made every little addition pop out among the black background.
The other half of the room was scattered with couches and beanbags to rest on to while watching various neon glowing balloons frantically blowing around by a row of fans.
The Glow Gallery was an excellent first stop, but I did not have time to sit for the rest of the night. I exited the Glow Gallery and went up a floor to the Radiant Hall Studio Artists.
The hall was an open space allowing more than a dozen artists to showcase their work. This was home to a lot of exquisite paintings, and several artists were working on new pieces in real time. The center of the floor was a sculpture of a rather strange amalgamation of items strewn about. The piece was intriguing, but did not capture my interest for long.
My personal favorite of the floor was artist Oreen Cohen’s demonstration of her work. Cohen laid out a giant piece of paper on the floor and worked with a mixture of charcoal and black paint, scribbling a seemingly random series of markings all across. Cohen was rolling all over the paper as she created her piece; her hands, feet and clothing were absolutely covered in charcoal. Watching the process made me appreciate the product so much more.
I left the hall and made my way across the cold street to the Wood Street Galleries, which had a line almost out the door. The first of Refik Anadol’s exhibits was, from my short glimpse inside, a small room that seemed to be covered with bright moving stars from every angle. It had nearly an hour wait, however, so I elected to skip it and move upstairs instead.
Anadol’s second exhibit was a room filled to the brim with fog. In the room was a single bright light on one wall creating sharp lines through the mist. On the ceiling were three more lights shining down, creating different series of squares on the floor. The lights, paired with robotic and electronic sound effects created an engulfing futuristic atmosphere. Anadol’s light show was captivating and one of my favorite part of the Gallery Crawl.
I stopped by the Emmanuel Fine Art Photography Gallery and saw some beautiful nature and cityscape photos printed onto large panes of glass. Additionally, a local artist had set up a canvas within the gallery for every guest to make some small addition.
DanceFilm, an exploration, combined the art of dancing with the art of film to make some of the most unconventional and surreal films that I have ever watched.
One of the biggest highlights of Gallery Crawl was the exhibit 10 Futures. Showcasing 10 different artists all with unique styles and mediums, 10 Futures held the greatest variety of the entire night’s events. Home to some extraordinarily strange art, this exhibit had cinderblocks made out of hair, plastic birds trapped inside hexagonal cages and a multi-colored brain with a plant sprouting out the top.
My favorite of the exhibit was none other than “Portmanteau” by Maybe Jairan Sadeghi. “Portmanteau” consisted of several pedestals with what looked like science experiments of strange alien life.
Along with the pedestals was an unceasing video of two doctors conducting surgery on what appears to be a patch of the moss. As they cut into the moss with a scalpel, out came this strange gooey substance. Multiple people saw roughly two seconds of the video and abruptly turned away, but some, like myself, could not help but stay to watch the whole thing.
I cannot adequately describe what it was that I enjoyed so much about this piece; I think it was just that it was so new and different from anything I ever have seen before.
Attending Gallery Crawl was a fantastic experience that was well worth facing the cold January weather. I, without a doubt, will be returning to the Cultural District in April for the next Gallery Crawl.
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Guide to the Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
01/24/19
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Gallery Crawl returns to the Cultural District Friday, Jan. 25, and as always is showcasing a tremendous amount of art galleries, performances and events from Pittsburgh based artists. Per the usual, it is also completely free to attend.
The gallery crawl only comes around a few times a year, and is never the same twice. If you happen to miss it this Friday, it won’t be coming back around until late April, so now is the time to bear the cold and witness some of the best art this city has to offer.
Almost 30 different events are scheduled for Friday evening, and while it would be amazing to be able to witness them all, not everyone will have either the time or energy to do so. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of sifting through the events listed on the website and picked out the top few, hopefully helping to make 2019’s first gallery crawl a little less daunting and more fun for you and your friends.
Refik Anadol — Wood Street Galleries
I have never once walked out of Wood Street Galleries disappointed. Every single artist Wood Street puts on display has always showcased spectacular work that stretches the conceptions of what art really is. Refik Anadol’s featured work embeds media into architecture, seeking to be some of the most transformative contemporary art ever seen.
Glow Gallery — Trust Arts Education Center
Black lights make everything better right? Stop on the third floor of the Trust Arts Education Center to witness mesmerizing black light art. Your unrealized potential as a graffiti artist is calling! Come to add your very own tag to the glowing graffiti wall.
Cell Phone Disco — Tito Way
Not to be confused with the silent disco, the cell phone disco combines science and art by capturing electromagnetic fields given off by mobile phones and visualizing them onto a 16 by 16 foot LED light screen.
Silent Disco — SPACE Gallery
Ever been to a club and not like the DJ’s song choice? Do you love to dance but cannot stand when the music is ridiculously loud? Do you absolutely love the idea of wearing dope light-up headphones? If you listed yes to any and all of the above, the silent disco is just the thing for you! If you have been living under a rock and are not in the know about silent discos, they are just the same as any other disco, except the music comes out of sync-up head
phones passed out to each patron.
phones passed out to each patron.
Water Cube — Penn & 8th
All this jaw-dropping art leaving you thirsty? Have no fear, for the U.S.’s first public sparkling water fountain is located on Penn & 8th. Don’t let the bubbles scare you away, the water cube also caters to those who prefer still water.
10 Futures — 937 Liberty
The future is all around us. Come see it fully realized with collection from ten different artists in a variety of mediums. Artists create their own world with every piece they create; visit the first floor of 937 Liberty Avenue to witness 10 unique artistic takes of what the 21st century might hold.
Emmanuel Panagiotakis — Emmanuel Fine Art Photography Gallery
Photographers and fans of the photographic medium shouldn’t miss Emmanuel Panagiotakis’ fine art gallery exploring the beauty of the architecture and landscape from his native country of Greece all the way to Pittsburgh.
Culinary artist chef Nicolas Saxon — Braddock’s American Brasserie
Do not think that this celebration left out the oh so crucial culinary arts. Culinary artist Nicolas Saxon is showcasing cooking demos as you enjoy live music and drink samples from Mixologist Mike Marts. It is really something to sink your teeth into.
The gallery crawl takes place from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25. Do not let the weather slow you down, grab your hat, scarf and gloves and take part in one of Pittsburgh’s best art events.
New series takes unconvincing look at Dakota James case
Griffin Sendek | Features Editor
01/24/19
If you turn on the TV and flip through the channels, chances are you are quickly going to find some program retelling the story of some murder or unexplained death. These dime-a-dozen made-for-TV specials draw in a wide audience and are good for a captivating hour of entertainment.
What these shows don’t prepare you for is when the death they are depicting hits very close to home.
The first episode of a six-part limited series event, Smiley Face Killers: The Hunt for Justice, aired Saturday, Jan. 19, on Oxygen.
The first episode of the first season was titled plainly, “Dakota James.”
For those who are unaware, Dakota James was a 23-year-old Duquesne University graduate student who was last spotted in Downtown Pittsburgh on Jan. 25, 2017. On Mar. 6, 2017, his body was discovered in the Ohio River. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office ruled James’ death an accidental drowning.
Dakota’s parents, Pamela and Jeff James, were in disbelief upon hearing the ruling, firmly believing there was foul play and that Dakota’s death was no accident.
“I knew 100 percent in my heart that someone did something to Dakota,” Pamela James said.
Following the verdict, the James family hired forensic pathologist and former Allegheny County coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht to review the evidence of the case independently.
The television series follows retired NYPD detectives Kevin Gannon, Anthony Duarte and Mike Donovan, as well as criminologist D. Lee Gilbertson, as they investigate the circumstances of several young men whose bodies were found in rivers. The detectives believe that these young men did not die of accidental causes, but rather were victims of a series of murders committed by the “Smiley Face Killers.” The predominant link between all the young men’s deaths was a smiley face graffitied nearby where the bodies were discovered.
The Smiley Face theory goes that there is a “well-structured, organized gang with cells in major cities across the United States,” Gannon told Oxygen, “who drug, abduct, hold the victims for a period of time before they murder them and place them in the water.”
This episode does not focus heavily upon the Smiley Face Killer theory, but instead deals primarily with investigating James’ death. The retired NYPD detectives, with the support of James’ parents, had a singular goal in mind: Find substantial evidence to reclassify his death from accidental to homicide, subsequently reopening the investigation for Pittsburgh authorities.
Almost the entirety of the episode is spent seeking hard evidence to prove one thing — that James’ body was in far too good a condition when he was found for him to have been in the water for 40 days. The state of the body seemed to be the only lead they had to go on, for it was investigated from multiple sources and reiterated to the point that it became repetitive upon viewing.
A significant portion of the investigation involves Dakota James’ parents. Multiple moments throughout the episode, we see the very raw emotional reactions of the parents. The documentary makes it clear that Dakota was not just another dead body, but an important part of a loving family and community.
The investigation was at a halt until the medical examiner released the autopsy photos to Pamela James, and at her own discretion decided to share the photos with the former NYPD detectives and Wecht.
Upon review of the photos — specifically, a photo of the back of James’ neck — forensic pathologist Wecht concluded that James was victim to ligature strangulation. Furthermore, according to Wecht, the photos displaying marks on the third and fourth fingers were characteristic of someone fighting to loosen a binding around one’s neck.
With this newly found evidence, the family, along with Wecht and the retired NYPD detectives, held a press conference announcing their findings to the public as an attempt to sway the opinion of the medical examiner to reclassify James’ death as a homicide.
This is where the episode ends, with a final note that to this day, James’ death is still classified as an accidental drowning.
Had the episode been primarily focused on attempting to prove the Smiley Face Killers at fault for James’ death, it would have left a decisively sour taste in my mouth. Having only been two years since James’ disappearance, he is still fresh in the minds of the family and Duquesne and Pittsburgh communities. The retired detectives played their cards right by keeping the conspiracy in the background, and pushing what they consider proof of homicide to the forefront.
I cannot dispute the findings of the retired NYPD detectives and Wecht. They did as thorough an investigation as they possibly could. The evidence put on display was immensely convincing and difficult to argue against. Yet, it does not like feel my place to put my own verdict on whether or not I believe James was murdered.
There is not enough evidence present, however, to make me honestly believe that James’ death was at the hands of the Smiley Face Killers. A short scene revealing that a smiley face was present at a nearby structure to where James’ body was found was in no way sufficient affirmation that James’ death was the handiwork of the Smiley Face Killers. The retired detectives were never able to find an exact location in which James’ body would have been dropped, therefore the presence of a smiley face is merely coincidental. I do not subscribe to conspiracy theories, and the Smiley Face Killers are nothing but that, a theory.
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The 15:17 to Paris proves not everyone can act (or direct)
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
01/17/19
For every Oscar-winning masterpiece, there are 100 more god-awful films. 2018 had its share of cinematic works of art, but it had its share of films that were nearly unwatchable as well.
The world was graced with what I believe was the worst film of 2018 in early February. From the creative mind of the once western movie hero and now Hollywood director, Clint Eastwood, came The 15:17 to Paris, a film which unequivocally is a dumpster fire projected onto the silver screen.
I had originally planned on reviewing this 94-minute disaster upon release, but got severely sidetracked by sudden hospitalization. Could it be that this movie was so bad it caused my spontaneous organ failure? Probably not, but I won’t rule it out.
The 15:17 to Paris is the film adaptation of the true story of Aug., 21, 2015, when three Americans stopped the attempted terrorist hijack of a train en-route to Paris, likely saving the lives of everyone on board. I won’t argue the merits and titles of the three friends as heroes. That being said, this film does not serve them justice.
Eastwood decided that no one could tell the story of these three friends — Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and Alek Skarlatos — better than themselves in his movie, and the three real-life heroes star as themselves in this flick.
Much like the movie itself, this is an interesting concept in theory, but it fails in execution. Its biggest problem arises from the fact that none of these three men have any acting experience, and putting them in front of a camera did not magically change that fact. It is surprising how well they did given the circumstances, but their inexperience is still evident throughout and severely weighs down the film.
The climactic terrorist-stopping event which The 15:17 to Paris centers around took place start to finish in only a matter of minutes. Stretching a 15-minute sequence into a full-length movie is obviously impossible. Therefore, Eastwood extends the run time by including moments of the three men’s childhoods, jumping to their adult life with a large portion dedicated to their vacation across Europe.
I understand the need to flesh out who Stone, Sadler and Skarlatos are, and the idea of showing how seemingly-insignificant decisions and events in our lives can lead us to be in the right place at the right time is executed well enough. Unfortunately, all of those sections are horribly dull and feel like unnecessary padding.
The story and characters aren’t the only things which were dull. Nearly the entire film is blandly and incoherently shot. The heavy use of handheld camera throughout appears to have been an attempt to replicate a realistic feel of the film. This is yet again another interesting idea that fell short. When the handheld cameras are used, they are distracting, and their absence is jarring and does not feel consistent to the rest of the film.
The 15:17 to Paris feels like a film that was quickly thrown together without any thought, communication or any comprehensive theme or style. The movie is chock-full of moments that are utterly painful to watch. Out of nowhere, the film features one of the worst and most unnecessary training montages that I have ever seen put to screen. Also, a scene in an Amsterdam nightclub looks like an honest attempt to try something new and different but ultimately feels entirely vacant of meaning.
For a movie that is relatively short, The 15:17 to Paris feels remarkably long to watch. The pacing is just so dreadfully slow and the content surrounding the train sequence is so brain-numbingly dull that the movie is practically unwatchable.
The one saving grace of this film is the train sequence, spliced in four-or-five moments throughout, before coalescing near the end. This scene, or collection of scenes rather, appears to have had the most thought and work put into it. Comparing it to the rest of the film, it is almost as if it was made by a completely different director. There is intensity, emotion and suspense, it showcases the best acting from the three leads and its cinematography demonstrates consistency and coherence. Unfortunately, one good scene chopped up into four or five little bits cannot salvage an otherwise awful viewing experience.
Clint Eastwood has made great films in the past, and I expected far better from him. Hopefully one day he is able to make a film that can redeem himself, but until then, do yourself a huge favor and do not watch The 15:17 to Paris.
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Netflix Cancels Daredevil after three seasons
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
12/06/18
Marvel’s Netflix saga is coming to an end. With the cancellation of Daredevil, the show that started it all back in 2015, the light of Marvel’s most successful venture onto the small screen is slowly, but surely, burning out.
The announcement on Nov. 29, 2018, that Daredevil would not be returning for a fourth season came as a surprise that no one saw coming. This decision not only blindsided the fans of the show, but the actors, writers and even the Marvel executives as well.
“Marvel’s Daredevil will not return for a fourth season on Netflix,” Netflix told Deadline in an official statement. “We are tremendously proud of the show’s last and final season and although it’s painful for the fans, we feel it best to close this chapter on a high note … While the series on Netflix has ended, the three existing seasons will remain on the service for years to come, while the Daredevil character will live on in future projects for Marvel.”
That final statement about the Daredevil character living on in future projects might be a sign of hope for die-hard fans, but should be taken with a grain of salt. Netflix holds no domain over the character, and what they say should not be taken as an immediate announcement that Daredevil will return elsewhere for season four, if at all.
Marvel followed up Netflix’s statement the very next day with their own: “Marvel is extremely grateful to the huge audience that loved Marvel’s Daredevil …We look forward to more adventures with the Man without Fear in the future.”
Yet again a hopeful message, but one that gives zero concrete details of when the character of Daredevil might return, or in what capacity. No matter how much I would like to add to the rumors that the show might be making the transition over to Disney’s upcoming streaming service Disney+, all the current evidence points to that not being the case.
Disney already has announced a list of Marvel-themed plans for the streaming service, such as a Loki show, Winter Soldier and Falcon series, as well a show centered around Scarlet Witch — not included is any mention of Daredevil or other Marvel Netflix show characters. Another nail in the coffin for Daredevil making the transition is that all the planned Disney+ series are being developed by Marvel’s movie studio and not its TV division.
After Netflix axed Marvel’s Iron Fist and Luke Cage in October, the signs that Netflix was seeking to can the majority of its Marvel TV series were beginning to show. After the immense critical success of Daredevil season 3 though, it appeared that the show would be here to stay, but obviously, that was not the case.
Netflix doesn’t reveal viewership statistics for their shows and likely never will, but third-party data measurement platforms are occasionally able to extract some figures. According to Parrot analytics, Marvel’s Daredevil placed fourth in viewer demand and popularity among Netflix original content. If Parrot analytics’ data is to be believed, it seems as though Netflix saw the substantial interest in Daredevil, but turned a blind eye.
The only remaining Marvel Netflix series are Jessica Jones and The Punisher. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet but all the signs point to Jessica Jones and The Punisher soon joining the ranks of the other canceled Marvel Netflix shows, after the release of their latest seasons. The chances of Jessica Jones surviving past season 3, and The Punisher continuing past season 2, are slim to none.
It is sad to see Daredevil go, but if this truly the end for this iteration of the character, season 3 was the best goodbye anyone could have asked for.
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Imagine Dragons delivers strong, not flawless, Origins
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
11/15/18
Imagine Dragons continues to spoil their fans with more new music through their fourth studio album, Origins, a little over one year since the release of 2017’s Evolve. This new release marks the fourth brand-new album in the band’s six-year history.
I was a huge fan of Imagine Dragons’ debut album, Night Visions(2012), and I loved their sophomore saga — Smoke + Mirrors (2014). Evolve (2017), on the other hand, left me disappointed. I, for the most part, lost interest in Imagine Dragons; my excitement for their next release was almost nonexistent.
I’m delighted to say that Origins, while not perfect, far surpassed my expectations.
Origins delivers something new and different for the band, and at the same time manages not to stray too far from the style and sound that fans know and love.
Origins begins on a strong note, kicking off the record with a heavy hitter — “Natural.” Those familiar with the band will be no stranger to lead singer Dan Reynolds’ trademark booming vocals, which are in full fledge with “Natural.” Apart from being an overall fun song, “Natural” sets up the tone and theme for the rest of the album.
Imagine Dragons’ songs have always had their gloomier moments, but never before in the band’s history has an entire album followed such a mellowed, somber tone.
The songs on Origins undoubtedly depict someone going through a hard breakup. It is evident that Reynolds’ recent divorce had a substantial effect on his songwriting process.
Taking a closer look at the even more upbeat songs of Origins, such as the excellent “Boomerang” or “Zero,” you’ll find hard-hitting messages such as not being able to let go of somebody and feeling worthless.
Compared to Imagine Dragons’ previous work, this melancholy tone is the most significant change that Origins provides, and I am all for it.
Number four on the tracklist “Cool Out” has a slower pace, somber theme and is underscored with mellow beats, but it doesn’t bog you down with its overall depressive atmosphere. “Cool Out” also houses my favorite pre-chorus interlude of Origins:
“Standin’ on your front porch, sayin’ Don’t let go / You were lookin’ at me wild, sayin’ Just go home.’”
Two more standouts on the album are “Bad Liar” and “West Coast.” “Bad Liar” is a pure outcry of emotion that translates almost perfectly into the music. The song is not overly complicated, comprising of synthesizer highlighting the verses before dropping into a series of beats for the chorus. I don’t often listen to a song for the very first time and immediately imagine an entire concert hall singing the words in unison, but for “Bad Liar,” the image was clear as day.
“West Coast” stands out among the rest due to the fact it is entirely acoustic. For a band that produces solely high-strung alternative rock, the calming sound of an acoustic guitar is a pleasant change. The subdued instrumentals allow for Reynolds’ vocal prowess to shine. Not the mention that “West Coast” holds one of the catchiest choruses of the album.
It isn’t all sunshine and daisies though; Origins is far from perfect. In a 15-song album produced in a little over a single year, there are bound to be a few duds.
The latter half of Origins simply doesn’t hold up to the strength of the first half. “Bullet In a Gun,” “Digital” and “Only” all hark back to the loathsome style of 2017’s Evolve.
“Bullet In a Gun” is the most promising of the three, but ultimately falls short and does nothing special. “Only” starts strong but devolves into a generic pop song with a message that has been redone many times before. Finally, the worst offender by far, and my least favorite track on Origins: “Digital,” which has a decent chorus surrounded by a horrible cacophony of incoherent electronic beats.
Had these songs been on their own I might have viewed them a little more favorably, but they clearly do not follow the tone of Origins and felt very much out of place in the album.
The next four songs — “Stuck,” “Love,” “Birds” and “Burn Out” — all tackle different aspects and stages of love in relationships.
“Stuck” returns the album to the somber feel. The song’s message about being unable to move on from someone is clear and easy to understand, packaged together in an overall decent song that fits nicely within Origins. “Love” utilizes background vocals in a style similar to stage choirs, creating a song with a lot of heart. “Birds” raises the mood with a more hopeful and slightly happier spirit, before bringing everything back down with “Burn Out.” All are good songs on their own merits, but, in the grand scheme of the album, are ultimately forgettable.
Closing the album, with a more profound message than I ever expected from Imagine Dragons, is “Real Life.” The song touches on the idea that the world is full of awful things that you’ll never be able to stop, but you can’t let it get the best of you; you still need to live your life. An Imagine Dragons song mentioning the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing is among one of the last things I expected. “Real Life” is reminiscent of the sound and feel of album opener “Natural,” taking Origins full circle.
Going into Origins, I was expecting a relatively basic alternative-rock album that was to be good but at the end of the day unexceptional. Origins surprised me more than I ever expected; the album has its flaws, of course, but when its songs are good, they’re firing on all cylinders.
Origins reminded me why I like Imagine Dragons in the first place. I strongly recommend giving it a listen.
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Tragedy Postpones TV's Heathers for a third time
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
11/08/18
The 2018 TV reboot of Heathers recently had two episodes pulled from the air following the Squirrel Hill Synagogue shooting, marking the third time a mass shooting has interrupted the show from airing.
In the current age of constant remakes, reboots and reimaginings, there are some movies that should just be left alone and never touched again. Heathers is one of those movies; It should have been left on the shelf to simply be enjoyed as a piece of its time.
For those who are unaware, the story of the original Heathers follows characters Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) and her new boyfriend JD’s (Christian Slater) plot to kill all the cool and popular kids, among them none other than the three infamous Heathers; Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty), Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk) and the leader of the pack, Heather Chandler (Kim Walker). Together, they are the most popular girls in school, but also the most vicious and feared.
Nonetheless, the Viacom-owned Paramount Network decided to remake the 1988 cult classic in a modern setting. After the initial trailer was released, it was met with immediate backlash for this new dark and edgy take. Fans commonly get up in arms over even the smallest changes in their beloved movies. After watching the first trailer, it was apparent that nearly every aspect of the original story had been forcibly shaped and bent to fit the new setting.
Watching the 1988 Heathers today leaves you wondering how this movie was ever made in the first place. It boggles my mind that someone thought to give a modern twist to a story about violently murdering high schoolers and covering them up as plea for help or suicides was in any way a good idea.
One of the most contentious decisions is the show’s use of representation. In this remake, Heather Chandler is plus-sized, Heather Duke is genderqueer and Heather McNamara is a biracial lesbian. At first glance, this choice is an interesting subversion and brings some much-needed diversity to the forefront on television.
However, its implementation and execution into a story such as Heathers is ultimately shallow and uninformed.
The idea was that times have changed and that in today’s day and age, anyone can be popular and anyone can be the bully. But inserting that ideal into this story that the victims of violence are now minorities does far more harm than good. This superficial attempt at progressiveness falls flat on its face. If the only on-screen representation these demographics are going to receive is demonization and promptly being killed off, they would be better off not being included. Just because Heathers (2018) is diverse does not mean it in any way provides good representation.
Getting Heathers (2018) on the air has been a hectic and controversial process to say the least. It was initially slated for a March 7, 2018 release, but the show was pushed back in the wake of the Parkland high school shooting.
In an official statement, a Viacom spokesperson said “while we stand firmly behind the show, in light of the recent tragic events in Florida and out of respect for the victims, their families and loved ones, we feel the right thing to do is delay the premiere until later this year.”
If a mass shooting being fresh in the minds of audiences makes the entirety of a show too controversial to air, that should have been a glaring red flag that this show was not a good idea. The reality is that depicting the murder and suicides of high schoolers is not going to become any less controversial or problematic no matter how much time has passed since the latest mass shooting.
The July premiere date was bumped yet again after the events of the Santa Fe High School shooting, and it was announced in June that the show would not play on the Paramount Network.
If the first time a school shooting interrupted the premiere wasn’t evidence enough that this show should never make it past critic screenings, the second time a shooting interrupted Heathers (2018)’s airdate should have been the final straw.
After the initial cancellation, Paramount Network attempted to sell Heathers (2018) to other networks but to no avail, Netflix and Freeform being among those who refused the offer.
Paramount was not willing to give up on Heathers (2018) so quickly, for it would eventually be brought back in the network’s third attempt for a weeklong release in October. This time successfully making it onto the air, albeit not without a few caveats. After several cut scenes and extensive reshoots, the show was ready to be aired. One of the most extreme changes was the two-part series finale being compacted into a single episode, completely cutting the sequence in which the school is blown up by an explosive device, leaving the show with an unresolved and ambiguous cliffhanger.
The Tree of Life synagogue was attacked by an armed assailant on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, leaving 11 dead. This tragedy coincided with the weeklong release of Heathers (2018). Episodes seven and eight, scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 28, which featured an active shooter drill were pulled from the air but still made available to watch on the Paramount Network website.
This marks the third time in Heathers (2018)’s turbulent history that a shooting has caused episodes to be pulled, the third time the show was deemed too controversial too insensitive to be placed on live TV. The way I see it, three strikes and you’re out. Heathers (2018) should have never made it off the cutting room floor, let alone be broadcast on live television. By no means should this show be allowed to continue into future seasons.
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DU’s three choirs impress at joint performance
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
10/25/18
Saturday, Oct. 20, the Mary Pappert School of Music presented a student choir performance in the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. The performance was titled There Was A Time and featured three groups: the Pappert Women’s Chorale, University Singers and Voices of Spirit. There Was A Time was made possible by the Director of Choral Activities Caron Daley and Conductor Joseph Stuligross.
The cathedral was nearly full at the time I arrived. Though mostly an older crowd, likely family members of the performers, it was also littered with small handfuls of students throughout.
The performance began from the back, a soloist from the Pappert Women’s Chorale walking down the aisle. She was shortly joined by the chorale’s other members slowly parading from the back two by two before eventually finding their place on the risers. As the last member found her spot, all their voices came together in unity. As they continued to sing “Bruremarsj fra Valsøyfjord” (Wedding March from Valsøyfjord), the song gave the effect of a series of bell chimes and was a rather pleasant opener.
The songs the Women’s Chorale sang followed a progression from the mellow and somber vibe of the songs “Ad Admore” and “O Vos Omnes” to the faster and more upbeat “Lift thine eyes.” Culminating in their fifth and final song “Gloria,” which was the first to add piano into the mix, was by far the most cheerful and joyous song.
At the conclusion of “Gloria,” the audience gave booming applause.
Next up were the University Singers, Duquesne University’s newest choir, which is open not only to men and women music majors, but non-majors, DU alumni, DU Faculty and staff and local community members. Dr. Laurel Willingham-McLain, Director of Faculty Development & Teaching Excellence, has been a member of the University Singers since it began. She told me that one of the best parts of the University Singers is how the variety of ages and experience in the group creates a unique and different kind of sound.
The University Singers opened with a piece by Bob Chilcott, “Five days that changed the world”. This piece is split into five separate pieces, one for each day. For this performance, only three of the five were chosen to be played—”The Invention of Printing,” “The Abolition of Slavery” and “The First Powered Flight.” The songs try to capture the certain feeling of the event, the best recreation being in “The First Powered Flight” which had an appropriately more floaty and airy feel to the words.
The choir changed the mood back to a more somber feel for their fourth song “The Road Not Taken” by Frostiana which was much slower, quieter and had a greater emphasis on piano. They did not end on a low for their final song, “Wanting Memories, from Crossings” a high point of the performance. The song follows an arc delineating the role memories play in somebody’s life: It begins with a solo, slowly joined by other female singers as the men provide background hums.
The Voices of Spirit entered as the University Singers left.
The Voices of Spirit by far had the most varied of performances with a partial biblical focus. The first song, “Haec dies,” was very multifaceted with a lot going on at once before unifying. The entire performance was named after the second song on the list: “There Was a Time.” The piece is a combination of multiple pieces coming together, with a heavy emphasis on repetition; many of the same lyrics are repeated over and over in many different pitches and tones. The next song, “Pseudo-Yoik” sounding much like a sort of tribal chant, was by far the strangest and most different song of the performance.
The final two songs returned back to the biblical theme. When David Heard went through highs of loud excitement to lows of slow and subdued. Closing the show, “The Battle of Jericho,” the mixture of the men repeating “the Battle of Jericho” in a low, deep voice as the women sang the story of the battle created a captivating and fun listening experience.
All three choirs performed excellently, delivering their best and showcasing the vocal talent that is found at this university.
After the final note played, the audience gave a standing ovation.
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James Gunn writing Suicide Squad 2 after Disney ousting
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
10/18/18
http://www.duqsm.com/james_gunn/
The Wrap first reported on Oct. 9, 2018 that James Gunn was in the talks to write and possibly direct Suicide Squad 2 for the DC franchise.
Disney parted ways with Gunn back in July, immediately removing him from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn was fired following the resurfacing of nearly 10-year-old tweets by far-right Twitter user Mike Cernovich, who has been known to share offensive content from prominent left-leaning creatives’ pasts. Gunn often voiced his personal political beliefs and objections to the current administration on social media, which made him a target for Cernovich and other conservative voices. The tweets in question were of Gunn making several rape and pedophilia jokes.
Gunn’s sudden dismissal came as a shock and was received with an outcry from fans and cast members alike. A petition to Marvel on change.org to re-hire Gunn has received upward of 421,000 signatures. Additionally, a personal letter from the main cast of Guardians of the Galaxy showed their support for Gunn, and their views of his removal being unjust. Cast member David Bautista has been particularly vocal about the matter, showcasing his specific distaste at the nature of Gunn’s firing. Bautista went as far to say that he will quit the franchise if Gunn’s script is not used for the third Guardians film. Despite this and an apology from Gunn himself, Disney has zero plans of reinstating Gunn’s position at Marvel.
Since severing ties, Gunn has been approached by multiple producers and studio executives to work on their movies. Gunn ultimately chose to partner with Warner Bros and DC, Marvel’s immediate rival in the superhero movie genre. Whether this decision was merely business or a method of Gunn’s to get back at Disney is up for speculation.
Gunn is making the shift from leading a ragtag team of superheroes to a ragtag group of super villains. Him being the powering force behind Suicide Squad 2 could be precisely what the series needs. Even more so, it would benefit the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) as a whole.
The original Suicide Squad had all the potential and promise to be a terrific movie with a solid concept, a talented cast and good source material to draw from. Unfortunately, the film was plagued by the studio meddling with extensive re-shoots, numerous cut scenes and complete re-editing which held it back at every turn.
Suicide Squad has been included amongst Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, other DCEU films of which all had promise but either failed in execution or did not live up to the hype, causing many to draw their conclusions that DC’s take on a cinematic universe is failing, and only one or two more bad films away from crumbling. Meanwhile, Marvel seems to soar higher with each consecutive release.
Five movies in, with Wonder Woman being the only one to receive widespread critical and commercial acclaim, it is evident that the DCEU is in need of a change. Bringing James Gunn on board for Suicide Squad 2 could be a big step in the right direction.
Gunn is reportedly taking the sequel in a new direction; there is no word yet on precisely what that means and how Gunn’s take will differ from David Ayer, director of Suicide Squad. If Gunn’s previous work is any evidence to go on, Suicide Squad 2 could very well be one of the best blockbusters of its year. With Guardians of the Galaxy, Gunn took relatively unknown characters and broke them into the mainstream. Guardians was a risk for Marvel, but at the time they trusted Gunn to make it work, and it ended up being a smashing success. If Wander Bros. and DC believe in Gunn and let him do his job with limited studio interference, Suicide Squad 2 has all the potential to be excellent.
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Scares abound at Phantom Fright Nights
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
10/11/18
http://www.duqsm.com/phantom-fright-nights/
It’s that time of year again. The leaves change color, the weather gets cooler and pumpkin spice is back at Starbucks — all signs that the spooky Halloween season has begun.
What better way to kick off the season than with Kennywood’s Phantom Fright Nights?
Though not my first visit to Kennywood, this marked my first Fright Night, and I had no idea what was in store for me. Does Fright Night live up to the name of one of the best haunted attractions in Pennsylvania?
Along the line, someone at Kennywood learned the strength of what a few smoke machines, dimmed lights and eerie music can do to create a creepy atmosphere. A few slight tweaks, and the happy and colorful Kennywood Park was completely transformed into an ominous hellscape — the perfect mood for Halloween.
The entrance to the park was prefixed by a fog-covered pathway illuminated by a faint green light. Three menacing silhouettes could be spotted through the haze; a closer inspection found they were three men fitted in clown makeup who gave a deep, uneasy stare, without speaking a single word. The path came to a tunnel filled to the brim with thick mist. In the tunnel were a series of other frighteningly costumed actors jumping out at every opportunity. Before even entering the park, Fright Night lets you know it is not for the extra squeamish.
For those who have visited Kennywood in the past, the first glimpse at Fright Night will be inherently familiar but surprisingly new. It is no exaggeration to say that fog blanketed the whole surface of the park. In some places, it was so thick that it was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.
As if the fog and darkness weren’t enough to create scares, scattered all throughout the park were dozens more actors costumed as a variety of spooky characters. From crazy clowns and zombies to bloody victims and weapon wielding maniacs, Kennywood had it all.
Each of the actors made the characters their own. Some went for intimidation and others for laughs, but the majority favored the jump scares, screaming in the face of all park-goers that crossed their path. At almost every turn, someone was jumping out of the shadows and screaming in my face. It happened at such a frequent rate that I began to see it coming and prepare myself. Despite my best efforts not to be scared, one lucky asylum nurse caught me off guard and sent me shooting into the air out of fright.
Not only had the scenery been changed, but to my surprise, the roller coasters were different as well. All of Kennywood’s coasters are as good as ever, but this time around, the lights illuminating the track were switched off. I never imagined I would get something unique out of the coasters, but riding in the near-pitch darkness created an entirely new feeling. In the dark it’s harder to predict when there is going to be a big drop or a sharp turn, creating a more suspenseful and overall scarier riding experience. The effect was even more significant in Kennywood’s singular indoor coaster, The Exterminator. Traditionally, the ride is dimly lit, but this time around there was not a single light source. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, let alone the track’s numerous twists and turns.
Kennywood went all out with its haunted house style events, such as emptying the water from the ride Raging Rapids and shifting it into the Voodoo Bayou, a winding path filled with many swamp themed props and actors lurking in the dark corners to jump out. Though not the scariest of the attractions, it was a rather fun experience. Those seeking the best scares Fright Night has to offer should look no further than the Mortem Manor. The cafeteria was completely transformed into a maze of rooms with tight, claustrophobic corners, most fitted with hidden spots for performers to jump out from. One actor even followed right behind me for several rooms. The Mortem Manor honestly had me jumping at almost every turn.
Keep in mind that Phantom Fright Nights are limited compared to Kennywood’s regular season, as several rides, restaurants and stores are closed. However, they make up for it by giving a fun and scary Halloween experience while also providing many of the exhilarating roller coasters Kennywood is known for.
Phantom Fright Nights are open at Kennywood Park Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Oct. 28; tickets are $30.
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Telltale Games unexpectedly lays off most staff
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
09/27/18
http://www.duqsm.com/telltale/
The award-winning video game studio Telltale Games, best known for The Walking Dead, Batman, Guardians of the Galaxyand other licensed adventure games, announced Friday, Sept. 21 that it was shutting down. The studio has laid off 250 of its employees, keeping only a small staff of 25 to complete prior commitments. Development on all current games was subsequently canceled.
“It’s been an incredibly difficult year for Telltale as we worked to set the company on a new course.” CEO Pete Hawley said. “Unfortunately, we ran out of time trying to get there. We released some of our best content this year and received a tremendous amount of positive feedback, but ultimately, that did not translate to sales. With a heavy heart, we watch our friends leave today to spread our brand of storytelling across the games industry.”
Telltale Game’s closure was sudden and unannounced. All 250 of the now former employees received no warning regarding the state of their company and were given no time to seek alternative employment prior to being let go. Worse yet, they were given no severance pay.
The closure of the studio was not only attributed to poor sales, but directly tied to financing. Dan Connors, the co-founder of Telltale Games, responded to questions from Variety on the topic.
“Unfortunately, when the last potential financial backer abruptly pulled out … we had no choice but to stop production,” Connors told Variety. “Sadly, everyone was so focused on doing what was required to keep the company going that when the last potential partner backed out, there were no other options.”
Though it is unknown which backer pulled out, the removal of the funding left Telltale Games essentially bankrupt.
The last commitment Telltale Games has to fulfill is bringing an adaptation of its game, Minecraft: Story Mode, to Netflix. This is what the remaining skeleton crew of 25 employees is currently working on before most likely being let go as well.
This adaptation for Netflix appeared to be the last thing Telltale Games would ever produce, leaving the last two episodes of The Walking Dead: The Final Season, unfinished and unreleased, fans never to see the conclusion to the story Telltale Games started back with the first season of The Walking Dead in 2012. On its official Twitter, Monday, Telltale Games publicized the following:
“Multiple potential partners have stepped forward to express interest in helping to see The Final Season to completion”
Responses to this message have been mixed. It has garnered hope and excitement from many who have been following the game’s story and characters for years. A great number of people have also heavily criticized Telltale Games for focusing on game development, rather than attempting to pay its employees. There are many who would love to see The Final Season completed, but strongly believe in giving the employees the pay they deserve should be the main priority.
Wednesday morning, Sept. 26, it was revealed that Telltale had removed The Walking Dead: The Final Season from all digital storefronts such as Steam, GOG.com, the PlayStation Store and the Xbox Marketplace, and replaced it with either a demo or information about the game. Polygon.com reached out to Telltale for comment.
“Yes, we have removed season passes for The Walking Dead: The Final Season from stores for the time being,” a representative told Polygon. “We’re currently still working to find a way to hand off production of episodes 3 and 4 so that the season can be completed. The outcome of those efforts will determine when and how The Final Season returns to stores. We hope to have a firm announcement before the end of the week. For now, we apologize for any inconvenience.”
One of the former employees, Vernie Roberts Jr., has filed a class-action lawsuit against Telltale Games on Monday, alleging it violated California labor laws for not notifying its employees 60 days in advance of the mass layoffs, in accordance to the WARN Act. Roberts is requesting a jury trial and is seeking to gain compensation for all the terminated employees equal to the wages and benefits as if they had continued to work another 60 days.
The other 250 ex-employees are left to find new work, but are not completely on their own. Many of the former employees took to Twitter to speak of their current situation. Out of this came #telltalejobs, in which dozens of other game companies have reached out to offer those affected take a look at their job openings. On a lighter note, #telltalememories surfaced as a place for fans and employees alike to share their favorite moments and memories from the company’s 14-year history.
For many, Telltale Game’s closing came as a shock. Although the studio’s popularity had since waned following their explosion of fame after the 2012 release of The Walking Dead, and at times received criticism for lack of innovation between games. Despite that, few could have predicted the studio, which covered several large licensed franchises, would have such a sudden and unannounced collapse.
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Insurgency: Sandstorm release pushed back for bug fixes
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
09/20/2018
http://www.duqsm.com/insurgency_sandstorm/
New World Interactive’s upcoming multiplayer first-person shooter game, Insurgency: Sandstorm has been delayed from the original Sept. 19 release date, to Dec. 12.
New World Interactive (NWI) might be a relatively small indie game studio, but Insurgency: Sandstorm is not its first foray into video game development.
NWI began as a team of modders, its first project being a total conversion mod of Valve’s Half-Life 2. NWI released mod Insurgency: Modern Infantry Combat in 2007. Seven years later, NWI released the standalone sequel to the mod titled Insurgency, expanding upon the realistic and tactical first-person shooter gameplay of the previous game. In 2017, NWI came out with Day of Infamy, which took the style and framework of Insurgency and placed it into a World War II backdrop.
This new game was a testing grounds of sorts for several features that would be added to the then unannounced sequel, Insurgency: Sandstorm. Day of Infamy added the ability for players to call in air support, such as bombing runs, smoke barrages and resupply drops. The game also included greater class diversity, larger asymmetry between factions and some basic character customization, all of which have been implemented and expanded upon in Insurgency: Sandstorm.
After NWI’s success with its previous titles, the publishing studio, Focus Home Interactive signed on to publish the next game in the Insurgency series. NWI was no longer working with an indie budget and had the ability to expand the game further than before. The first biggest change made was the switch of the game engine from Valve’s Source engine, the engine that powered all NWI’s previous games, to Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4.
Insurgency: Sandstorm pre-order beta went live on Aug. 9, 2018 and ran to Aug. 13, 2018. This was the first chance for the majority of players, including myself, to get their hands on the game. Unfortunately, the responses were relatively mixed. The game launched into open beta with a myriad of performance issues and a number of glitches. Imperfect performance and a multitude of glitches are what is to be expected from online betas, but even those who had souped-up PCs with all the latest and greatest hardware were still experiencing performance problems and frame rate drops across the board.
Personally, I had to turn every graphics setting as low as possible to achieve a playable frame rate.Insurgency:Sandstorm was a game I had been waiting to play for over a year, so I will admit it was upsetting to see it in such a state. Although slightly upset, I also had faith that the developers at NWI would be working around the clock to get the game properly optimized before release.
The very next day, a hotfix was released addressing some of the issues, and while it did not suddenly make the game run butter smooth, it gave a slight but noticeable performance boost.
My consensus, as well as what I gathered from online discussions, was this: the gameplay was solid; the shooting, for the most part, felt great; and the sound design, apart from the occasional sound glitch, was amazing. All of the framework of a great game was there, the game is just held back by poor performance. While I did believe that the developers would fix the problem, I knew that if they were not able to iron out the issues and improve the frame rate it would be a death sentence for Insurgency: Sandstorm.
After the first beta session ended, the developers had a little over two weeks to do as much work as they could on the game before the second beta opened for players. This beta was set to run from Aug. 30 all the way up to release. After downloading the big patch, I excitedly logged back into the game, and was disappointed to find that the performance, while slightly better, was not in the place in which I had hoped. I logged out after playing a single match.
I did not play the game again until Sept. 6, but having been gone only a week, I came back to find there had been three significantly-sized fixes and improvements. These patches were not only performance fixes but updates to the graphics, animations, character models, map and gun balancing, adjustments to weapon sights, changes to the user interface and even more options added to the settings menus. It felt like coming back to a brand new game.
Being able to play the game with a more consistent and higher frame rate was like night and day. I got more enjoyment out of a single night of playing with good performance than I did out of the entire first beta.
Insurgency: Sandstorm has some of the tightest shooter gameplay that I have ever experienced, and is well on its way to being one of the best shooters of the year. Unfortunately, it is not there yet; while NWI could have potentially kept its original Sept.19 release date and would have done alright, the game would not lived up to its full potential and would have scored more poorly. The developers clearly would not be happy delivering a flawed product.
“This was one of the hardest decisions our team has ever had to make and not one taken lightly.” said New World Interactive on the delayed release. “However, we feel it is in the best interest of the game and our community to spend more time working to ensure we deliver the best possible experience.”
The reality is you only have one release, and no number of patches and fixes after the fact can ever make up for a subpar launch. I agree with NWI’s decision to push the game back: I would much rather wait for a better game, than have a worse game sooner.
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Red Masquer recalls mayhem of 24-Hour Play Festival
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
09/13/18
http://www.duqsm.com/24hourfestival/
The 24-Hour Play Festival returns to Duquesne University, kicking off the Red Masquers’ 106th annual season. As one of the actors, I experienced this tumultuous whirlwind of a day firsthand, and I will be going through my perspective of the festival.
The festival is a tradition that began on Duquesne’s campus for the first time last year showcasing multiple plays written, directed, rehearsed and performed for an audience, all in the span of 24 hours. After an incredible amount of positive feedback from last year’s performances, two 24-hour play festivals have been added to the 2018-2019 season. As long as the interest to participate remains in the writers, directors, and actors like myself, there are plans to keep the tradition going for many years to come.
24-hour play festivals are specifically designed to not allow any work to begin until the official start time. Directors cannot think up any concepts for the kind of show they want to put on because there are no scripts yet. Writers cannot begin the script without the writing prompt. Actors are unable to prepare for roles or begin memorizing lines without knowing who their character is or what they say. Finally, the tech staff will have no idea what the directors will require. The thought of starting from scratch with only a day to complete the show is extremely daunting for everyone involved, but that is precisely what makes it more fun. Personally I often take a few days to get my lines fully memorized, so being handed the script and told to be memorize it ASAP was no easy task.
Putting on a play is a lot more complicated than simply putting actors in front of the audience and having them perform; to make any of the shows possible, a hard-working and skilled tech staff is absolutely necessary. Most productions have weeks to design and organize all of the set, lights, props, sound and costumes; this time around there were only a matter of hours to fully organize all the technical elements of the Festival for five separate plays.
Putting on five plays requires lots of people: five writers, five directors, eighteen actors and an eight-person tech staff are what made this festival possible.
Auditions were held at 8 p.m. the night before the performance. The 24-Hour Play Festival is open to all Duquesne University students and alumni, pulling in new and familiar faces alike, all with varying amounts of experience. As an actor I was asked to recite a short comedic monologue and fill out a list of skills, as well rate my ability to memorize lines on a scale from 0 to 10. The skills that I and my fellow actors listed varied from serious, such as singing, dancing and stage combat abilities, to seemingly random things such as hula-hooping. It was important to list a good number of skills, no matter how random, because any one skill could have given the writer inspiration for an entire character or plot point.
Following a short period of deliberation after auditions, all actors were sent back into the theater to find out our scene partners, as well as who would be writing and directing our shows. At this point, some of the writers already had a general picture of what the story and characters were going to be, while others were still developing ideas. For example, Tyler Jennings, the writer of my group’s play, was still bouncing around ideas, but he was able to ask our group two questions: “Are you OK with kissing on stage,” and “Do you all have booty shorts?” No one had any objections to the kiss, and there were enough booty shorts to go around, but we left the theater understandably having no idea what to expect from the finished product.
As soon as we left, the long writing process began. The writers stayed up all night to finish the final draft of their script by 7 a.m. After hopefully getting a good night’s sleep, everyone returned to the theater at 8 a.m. to have breakfast and read through the scripts for the first time. Following the first read through, there were only 12 hours remaining to get the show on its feet and ready for an audience.
Now the rehearsal process had begun, which meant that all the writers could finally catch some sleep. For my group, rehearsing began with reading through the script a few more times to get a better grasp on the story and characters. We discussed costumes briefly and it was for the most part all clothing we already owned. The only exception was a pair of gold booty shorts to be worn by the character Oliver, played by Max Begler. Begler was not the happiest about the shorts, but did not argue with the decision.
We began learning some rough blocking, getting the general idea of where everyone should be throughout the scene. The next several hours were spent working with our director, Katherine Hess, to improve and refine the show. Most often, productions have several weeks of rehearsal, allotting plenty of time for actors to be off-book; here we had under 12 hours, so almost every moment of the day the lines had to be running through my head, for forgetting my lines in front of an audience is one of my worst nightmares.
Throughout the day the tech staff made rounds to all the groups asking what set, prop, costume, light and sound elements were needed. If the directors were being too ambitious this was the opportunity to state if what the directors wanted was not possible.
My group continued to rehearse until our allotted tech run time slot. This time was just for the tech staff, giving them a chance to run all of the set changes, light and sound cues. This also allowed the directors to see what it looks like on stage, and ask for small tweaks to the tech to make it a smoother, better performance.
Following the tech runs was a short break to gather everything we needed before our first and only dress rehearsal. The dress rehearsals were the first chance we had to watch our fellow performers shows. After being so focused on my own show all day, it was incredibly entertaining and relaxing to sit back and take a moment to laugh along at everyone else’s hard work.
Exactly one day after the initial auditions, the theater was packed with audience members, and the first of five shows began. They all went off without a hitch, and the audience was alive as ever; laughter could be heard all throughout the entire theater.
The day was long but there was so much to do in so little time that it went by lightning fast. After the performance, I, and likely everyone else was completely exhausted, but for me, the 24-Hour Play Festival as such an incredible experience to be apart of. It was more than worth the exhaustion at the end.
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OP-ED: Lazy plagiarism at IGN tarnishes reputations
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
08/23/18
http://www.duqsm.com/ign_plagiarism/
If there is one thing to do to absolutely ruin your editorial career and destroy every ounce of credibility, it’s plagiarize.
Filip Miucin, a video game reviewer, was recently fired as an editor from IGN, one of the gaming industry’s biggest media outlets. Miucin had been accused of plagiarizing his review of the game Dead Cells from a youtuber known by the name Boomstick Gaming. On Aug. 6 2018 Boomstick Gaming uploaded a video giving a side-by-side comparison of their own review and that of Miucin’s, and the evidence is damning.
IGN acted quickly and removed Miucin’s review from their website and issued this statement:
“Editor’s Note: As a group of writers and creators who value our own work and that of others in our field, the editorial staff of IGN takes plagiarism very seriously. In light of concerns that have been raised about our Dead Cells review, we’ve removed it for the time being and are investigating.”
In a time that corporations are firing first and asking questions later, IGN should be applauded for taking the time to investigate the accusations. Nonetheless, to IGN, Miucin’s plagiarism was as clear as day and that evening he was let go. IGN has issued an apology and found another editor to review Dead Cells.
The accusations against Miucin opened the floodgates, putting everything he had ever written under scrutiny. Kotaku News Editor Jason Schreier took it under himself to investigate all of Miucin’s other reviews. Schreier was tipped off to Miucin’s review of FIFA 18 having striking similarities to a Nintendo Life review, and another tip sent him to Miucin’s Return of Samus review taking almost word for word from Engadget. As if the grave of his career could not get any deeper, Miucin picked up a shovel and started digging.
After everything blowing up in his face, on Aug. 11 2018 Miucin uploaded an apology video to his youtube channel, which has got to be one of the most insincere and biggest non-apologies ever seen. He eventually deleted the video from his channel after incredible backlash.
Had Miucin admitted guilt and given a genuine apology and owning up to his mistakes, or given any form of evidence for a sturdy counter argument, he might have had a slim chance of gaining some credibility back and possibly getting a job elsewhere within gaming, but that is not what he did.
In his apology Miucin said he “took complete ownership over what happened with the Dead Cells review” but never once admitted to plagiarizing, only ever calling them “plagiarism allegations.” At that time for many it was far past the point of arguing, Miucin’s plagiarism was almost indisputable.
“What happened with the Dead Cells review was not at all intentional,” said Miucin.
Large-scale plagiarism is always intentional. It is never something that happens on accident. Sure coincidences happen, it is possible to word things similarly, and especially when speaking about games, there are only so many ways to describe specific modes and mechanics. While true that people can make mistakes, what Miucin did with the Dead Cells review appears to have been no mistake.
Miucin attempting to play the victim, Miucin suggested that Jason Schreier of Kotaku was just trying to get clicks off of his name, stated that his work on the FIFA 18 review was entirely his own and challenged, “you can keep looking Kotaku and let me know if you find anything.” He likely regretted those words, for Miucin not only gave the invitation to Kotaku, but to hundreds of people all across the internet to take a keen eye to all of his work, searching for any signs of plagiarism.
Challenging the internet to find any stolen work was possibly Miucin’s biggest mistake, maybe second only to supposedly plagiarising in the first place. Unsurprisingly, many possible cases of plagiarism were found across almost the entirety of his work.
He seemed not only to have copied from one review, Miucin appeared to have from stolen from all across the internet. He had even taken from one of his own colleagues at IGN, Seth Macy, who was entirely distraught and baffled that somebody would steal from their own company. In light of all of these findings, IGN has elected to remove all the ex-editor’s work. Dan Stapleton, IGN’s executive editor of reviews, tweeted the following on Aug. 14, 2018 regarding Muicin:
“FYI we’ve seen enough now, both from the thread and our own searches, that we’re taking down pretty much everything he did. It’s a process, you’ll start seeing stuff come down tonight.”
IGN will begin the slow process of getting other editors to rewrite Miucin’s reviews and repair the damage he has done.
Truly the most ridiculous of all is Miucin copying his Linkedin resume verbatim from a job template website.
Miucin’s job was to play video games and write his opinions on them. While I’m sure it was often more complicated than that, and had its hardships like any job does, Miucin held what many would consider a dream job, and he threw it all away. There is never a need to plagiarize, as game reviews are based in opinion, and there can be no wrong answers.
Miucin likely will never work in the games industry or any other editorial publications ever again. The reality, though, is that he is far from the only one affected. The game Dead Cells will forever be centered in controversy at no fault of the developers, Motion Twin. IGN handled the situation well and Miucin’s actions clearly do not represent the whole of IGN, but unfortunately his actions have somewhat smeared the site’s credibility and reputation.
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Fortnite at head of rapidly growing genre
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
04/26/2018
http://www.duqsm.com/battle_royale/
Since its release, Fortnite Battle Royale has captured the hearts of over 45 million players, claiming the title of most popular video game in the world. Epic Games’ smash hit is not alone though. It is just one in an ever-growing sea of recently released battle royale games, all fighting to be number one.
The battle royale genre, at its most basic, consists of a large number of players fighting it out until only one is left standing; the last one alive is the victor. The genre’s simplicity has proven successful among a wide variety of gamers. Developers can relatively quickly and easily adapt their already existing game or build one to follow the battle royale formula.
In fact, Fortnite’s battle royale mode was something of an afterthought, an addition to the survival game Epic had been developing since 2011. The game that has accrued so much fame, popularity and money was put together in only two months. Epic Games simply took the gameplay and mechanics of their survival title, then called Fortnite: Save the World, adapted it to the game mode and released for free.
The chance of ending a match in the number one position and the thrill and achievement of being the best among a horde of other players are what make battle royale games so compelling. The gameplay loop of these games creates this addicting rush, as the number of players alive slowly diminishes and the playing field gets smaller and smaller. The mode creates a stressful atmosphere where an enemy player can pop out of nowhere and one lost gunfight puts an end to all progress made. These games keep people playing, too; as soon as someone dies, the player can be in a new match within seconds, completely eliminating all downtime between games. Participants will play matches over and over again, striving to be better, to fix their mistakes and make it closer to the elusive number one spot.
Not only have the games exploded in terms of the amount of people playing them, but the viewership on sites such as YouTube and Twitch for battle royale-related content have skyrocketed as well. Fortnite has been the most viewed game on Twitch for months and consistently has more than 200,000 viewers (269,953 at the time of writing). Almost half of those views go to a man named Tyler Blevins, better known as Ninja, who achieved his fame from skill alone. Ninja currently has over 9 million YouTube subscribers and over 250,000 on Twitch and is making $875,000 a month. Fortnite is all over YouTube, and it is getting thousands of views. There are even multiple channels dedicated solely to “best plays and funny clips.” Commonly, clips from streams are recorded and edited together to make one of many “best moments” videos. People are eating up Fortnite content faster than it can be created.
A battle royale mode is easy to make and is extremely popular, so it is no surprise many developers are hopping on the trend. Fortnite Battle Royale and PUBG Corp’s PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds currently hold the number one and number two spot for best selling battle royale-style games.
It may seem foolish to attempt to dethrone the big two, but more games keep getting announced, and the moment a game comes along that does something better than Fortnite or PUBG, gamers will flock to the new title. Even if one of the 17 new battle royale titles slated for release in 2018 manages to siphon even 0.1 percent of Fortnite’s 45 million+ player base, that is 45,000 new players populating the new game. That is more players than some games reach in their lifetime.
The video game industry has always followed trends and this time it is no different. Right now, creating a battle royale game or adding the mode is a safe bet and a surefire way to make a lot of money. As long as the genre’s making money, more and more games like this will continue to be released. Time will tell if the market will become oversaturated with battle royale games and people will be completely burned out on the genre. Fortnite won’t be the most popular game in the world forever, as is the way with gaming: some new craze will come along knock it off its mighty throne, but for now, Fortnite and battle royale are here to stay.
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Tomb Raider mediocre, but visually pleasing
Griffin Sendek | Staff Writer
03/22/2018
http://www.duqsm.com/tomb-raider/
After 15 years, Lara Croft made her return to the big screen on March 16 with the enjoyable, albeit imperfect, Tomb Raider.
The box office bomb of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life in 2003, starring Angelina Jolie, made it look as if the series would never find its way to theaters again. Basing this rendition off the 2013 video game of the same name, director Roar Uthaug takes his stab at the franchise, and filling Angelina Jolie’s shoes is Alicia Vikander, portraying a much younger and very different Croft.
The film opens with Lara (Vikander) struggling to scrape by in London while being pressured to sign the death certificate of her father Richard Croft, (Simon West) who has been missing for seven years. Signing brings a transfer of the Croft Family fortune, but Lara refuses, believing her father is still alive. After discovering a clue concerning his last location, she sets off to the island where he went missing.
The opening sequence sets out to introduce the audience to the character of Lara and to give some background on the relationship with her father. This is effective to an extent, but the movie certainly drags at this point. A bike race early in the film, for example, while somewhat entertaining, seemed ultimately unnecessary. The movie really starts to pick up when Lara meets with the ship captain Lu Ren (Daniel Wu) and sets out for the island.
Vikander’s performance is undeniably the best, and though the Oscar-winning actress won’t be carrying home another award, she certainly carries the film. While her portrayal of Lara will likely be debated amongst fans of the game series for years to come, Vikander makes the transition from game to film as smooth as possible.
The villain, however, is one of the weakest links of the film. Walton Goggins’ performance, while not awful, is ultimately lackluster and leaves the audience wanting more. This is mainly due to the writing portraying him as a jaded man that does what he has to do to make it back to his family. Goggins is not given enough characterization and screen time to effectively show this. He is a good actor, but he is simply not given enough to work with. In the end, it creates an uncompelling villain.
The cinematography of Tomb Raider might not be award-winning, but scattered throughout are a handful of shots that are very beautiful and show the skill and potential of those who worked behind the camera. There was one moment in particular that captures Vikander’s performance almost perfectly, creating an emotional and moving scene. It is obvious that care was put into this film, and Tomb Raider was not treated as just another throwaway video game movie.
The movie is an effective action-adventure film, and for those who have played the video games, it adds another layer of enjoyment to the experience. Tomb Raider wears its influence on its sleeve, and while the story ends up unfolding very differently, it does not try to hide the heavy influence from the 2013 video game. The costume designers looked at the outfit Lara wore in the game and replicated the attire almost exactly. Several action set pieces — and even some of the injuries Lara suffers — are taken directly from the source material. The director did not just make a live action version of the game, though. Uthaug used the game as a basis but made his own film.
For a fan of the franchise, it is these many references to the games throughout that transform this film from a good enough action-adventure film to a quite enjoyable one. Being in the theatre and watching a scene unfold that I have strong memories of playing truly brought a smile to my face. Audiences have been burned many times with bad video game movies, but this is not one of those times. Tomb Raider does not hit every mark, but aided by Vikander’s performance, the film does not miss every shot it takes. The end of the movie sets up a sequel and potentially the start of a series. I’m hopeful for this movie to succeed and to see Vikander return as the role of Lara Croft. I want to see Tomb Raider be the stepping stone for a more ambitious and superior sequel.
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