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by Conner Tighe When Johnny Depp made his way to Port Royal, Jamaica on a sinking boat, the world was introduced to a character like no other; part of this because of Depp’s superior acting skills and the storyline that would follow. Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the few pirates who’d run away from a fight, unlike most pirates, and would rather spend his time in a pub. The series, temporarily ending in 2017, has had its highs and lows with plot and overall decentness. Here we look at where the beloved series sank and floated its way throughout the years. 5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides The pirate series didn’t hold up after Gore Verbinski stepped out as director after At World’s End. When Sparrow reunites with past love Angelica, daughter of evil Captain Blackbeard/Edward Teach(Ian McShane), Sparrow finds himself on a mission to find the fountain of youth. The film tried to introduce new elements, like man-eating mermaids and a strange love story between a mermaid and a pacifist. The two didn’t sit right with the plot and seemed “thrown in” to make the film more enjoyable, which didn’t work. Although not as well done as past films, the fight scenes were decent, and surprisingly the best scene comes from the beginning of the film, where Sparrow finds himself trapped in King George II’s palace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR_9A-cUEJc 4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales This film is the definition of a “cash grab”. Sparrow’s adventures continue by introducing new characters, obviously trying to set up a new generation of characters. When Turner and Swann’s son Henry ventures to free his father from the Flying Dutchman curse, he comes across Barbossa’s daughter Carina. She is considered a witch during this time as she’s obsessed with science and astronomy. Sparrow is as goofy and silly as ever in this film, and although Javier Bardem’s Captain Armando Salazar was an excellent villain, it all feels so tired at this point. The group searches to find Poseidon’s trident as it will reverse all curses, thus freeing Henry’s father. In a post-credit scene, Turner has a nightmare about Davy Jones, a tentacle wearing horror of a character incapable of death, who appeared in films two and three having returned after the curse was lifted. However, wouldn’t the curse have made Jones human again? This is how you know it’s getting ridiculous at this point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hgeu5rhoxxY 3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Out of all films, the original still holds up as the highest-rated film. Viewers are introduced to the original characters when young Swann finds Turner floating among the wreckage of a ship that had been destroyed prior. Their love is forbidden and secretive as she discovers Turner is a pirate. When Barbossa’s crew captures her, the film begins to pick up speed. The film has some mediocre sword fights, including Sparrow and Barbossa in Isla De Muerta, an island where roughly 75% of the film is shown. My favorite part of the film is when Swann and Sparrow are marooned on an island with nothing but a pistol with a single shot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naQr0uTrH_s 2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest The story of Sparrow continues when a curse haunts him throughout the film. Sparrow develops what’s called “the black spot” on his hand, as his debt is overdue to the fearsome Jones. Bill Nighy joined the cast as Jones and did a fantastic job with reprising his role in At World’s End. Although much of the film was exposition and background information on Jones’ character as well as Bootstrap Bill, Turner’s long-lost father found aboard Jones’ Flying Dutchman, the film overall delivered excellently. The film's highlight includes a “three-way” swordfight between Sparrow, Turner, and Norrington, who returns as a lowlife drunk trying to reclaim his honor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozk0-RHXtFw 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End At the time, in 2007, the series’ third film was the most expensive film made. At World’s End was the final film in the series to be directed by Verbinski. The nearly three-hour film follows Dead Man’s Chest's events with Swann, Turner, and Barbossa traveling the high seas to rescue Sparrow from Jones’ Locker. The film delivered amazingly, with its visuals, sea battles, and overall plot being the best of all five films. The maelstrom battle at the end is the best battle of all the films and provides humor and seriousness well to solidify the, at the time, ending to the trilogy. Unfortunately, the esteemed series continued for monetary reasons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_54IUIv97nI Sources: IMDB, YouTube Images: YouTube Featured Image: Polygon
by Conner Tighe Jennifer Lawrence’s acting skills expand well beyond The Hunger Games. Over the past decade, Lawrence has appeared in various genres like horror, drama, romance, and action. The actress can separate her real-life persona from each character’s personas and comes off as a strong, independent, and fierce actress. Here are the actress’s top five films that are a must-watch. 5. Passengers This 2016 sci-fi romance is a modern take on James Cameron’s Titanic. Passengers details the journey of Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Lawrence) as they have been woken up too early from their hibernation pods in their traveling vessel heading toward a more habitable planet. This, in turn, means the two will be dead long before they reach the new planet. Lane, a journalist, details the journey as well as her developing feelings toward Preston. Lawrence delivers wonderfully, but it’s not her best role. This film feels like Lawrence is playing herself in the film as nothing separates her character from her real-life self. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BWWWQzTpNU&ab_channel=SonyPicturesEntertainment 4. Silver Linings Playbook 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook sees Lawrence quite different from her average roles, this time as a widow with an unnamed mental disorder fixated on her sister’s friend Patrick Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper). She becomes fixated on him after meeting him at her sister’s house at a dinner party. Solitano, dealing with bipolar disorder and his wife's leaving after he found her cheating on him, affects nearly every decision he makes to which Tiffany Maxwell (Lawrence) uses to her advantage. As Solitano hopes to reconcile with his ex-wife, Maxwell pretends to be her as a way of getting closer to Solitano. Several scenes like the diner scene when Maxwell reveals her dark past to Solitano and says Solitano is a “conformist” and “afraid to live” reveals how versatile Lawrence is as an actress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPIkdKfJS5M&ab_channel=MovieclipsComingSoon 3. X-Men: Days of Future Past Lawrence jumped back into the world of mutants when 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past decided to revamp the beloved film series. Again, the actress plays Mystique, the blue shapeshifter, and becomes the center around which the film revolves. When the X-men face extinction because of sentinels, indestructible beings that hunt down mutants, Hugh Jackman’s Logan/Wolverine volunteers to travel back to the 1970s to prevent Mystique’s death at the hands of evil scientist Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage). Trask plans to use the shapeshifter’s DNA to create the sentinels. Those who watched the film’s predecessor, X-Men: First Class, can see the change in Lawrence’s character from Raven – the name given to her – to Mystique and how she slowly sided with Magneto. Toward the end of the film, Mystique goes solo and becomes a fugitive as she’s broadcasted on the news. The film further points out that Lawrence plays a fighter and a woman unafraid of exploring her path as a natural leader, which is later explored in X-Men: Apocalypse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK2zYHWDZKo&ab_channel=X-MenMovies 2. American Hustle Big hair and an even bigger ego surround Lawrence’s character in 2013’s crime drama, American Hustle. Lawrence plays Rosalyn Rosenfeld, Irving Rosenfeld’s (Christian Bale) wife, an unstable and comical mess of a woman. She’s left in the dark much of the film as her husband schemes alongside his lover Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) to help bring down corrupt politician Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). Rosenfeld is a character all on her own, and viewers may find themselves forgetting the woman is the actress as she’s that convincing in her own right. The cleaning scene with her singing along to Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” and when her husband comes clean to her about his illegal career shows how far Lawrence is willing to convince her audience she is married to an egotistical maniac. The film seldom finds the actress without a cigarette in her hand and a sense of fashion 70s style. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST7a1aK_lG0&ab_channel=MovieclipsComingSoon 1. Joy In 2015 Lawrence went above and beyond to do justice to Joy Mangano, a self-made millionaire that created her empire in the 90s. This autobiographical drama centers on Mangano, struggling financially in New York as an airline booking agent. Growing up in a broken household, Mangano finds hope through her inventive and creative thinking, so when her friend Jackie encourages her to pursue her inventions, our story begins. The film does an excellent job of spanning four generations of family. As Joy and her half-sister Terry battle over finances and her father’s business, she comes across an opportunity that changes her life. Bradley Cooper is no stranger to working alongside Lawrence. Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and Serena all feature the duo working together. Cooper, who plays Neil Walker, an executive of QVC, believes in Mangano’s ability to persuade customers to buy her self-wringing mop while also bringing more business to QVC. Joy is Lawrence’s best role to date. Viewers can feel Mangano’s stress dealing with a good for nothing ex-husband and insane household. Everything in this film is going against Mangano. When she addresses contract issues with Derek Markham for him to avoid criminal charges involving fraud, we know how powerful and innovative this woman is. As she walks down the street smiling, there’s something so satisfying and pleasing knowing she overcame so much. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR-2TiQVY-k&ab_channel=20thCenturyStudios Sources: YouTube Images: YouTube Featured Image: Bustle
by Mason Kupiainen With the popularity of big-budget, high profile fantasy shows popping up everywhere recently, streaming services seem to be looking for the next Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones to fill in that empty void. Shows like The Witcher and the upcoming Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings, and the Game of Thrones prequel will hopefully continue to provide great, epic fantasy entertainment. There are many other fantasy book series that often get overlooked by bigger series however, they deserve the same, if not more, recognition as the bigger show stoppers. These series could also make for great book-to-screen adaptations, like some of the others. Considering the state of the world right now, we all could use a break and jump into a fantastical world where our problems don’t seem quite as bad. The Cosmere Universe by Brandon Sanderson It’s safe to say that Tolkin is the best fantasy author of all time. Considering his novels are constantly being discovered by new readers, and the films based on his novels are incredibly successful, his work will continue to be an influence indefinitely. He was able to create a wonderfully, fleshed-out world with enduring characters. With that being said, Brandon Sanderson may be this generation’s Tolkin, beating out the likes of George R.R. Martin. His version of Middle Earth, the Cosmeriae, consists of multiple series, including Mistborn and The Stormlight Archie with many more books to come in this planned 35 novel epic. His writing style is similar to Robert Jordan’s, with the series having similarities to The Wheel of Time books. Looking past the incredible universe Sanderson has built, he crafts enduring characters that invest you with their stories, making for notable, compelling novels. Like Tolkin, his work feels as if it will stand the test of time and influence the genre in many ways as well. The Burning series by Evan Winter Originally a self-published book that exploded into a mega-hit, the first novel in the series, The Rage of Dragons, has recently joined Time magazine's top 100 best fantasy novels of all time. The novel takes the tropes of fantasy and mixes it with African mythology, making for a new and unique twist on the genre. The story is fast-paced and packed with incredible action sequences that keep you on the edge of your seat. Feeling like a combination of Gladiator and Game of Thrones, genre fans will surely enjoy the breath of fresh air the novel provides, along with getting all the things you expect from a fantasy novel. The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie Originally a trilogy, the series has grown to include standalone novels, short stories, and a new trilogy set in the same universe. Fans of George R.R. Martin will enjoy Abercrombie’s take on the grimdark subgenre, building a dark, sinister world that’s similar to, A Song of Ice and Fire. Abercrombie’s writing style gives a different voice within the crowded genre that feels fresh and original. With gruesome violence, fantastic world-building, and a well-written story, The First Law series will hopefully grip readers with its intense world. Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher Taking two of my favorite genres, hard-boiled crime and fantasy, the Dresden Files follow Harry Dresden as he investigates mysterious crimes in modern-day Chicago. Considering the series currently has 17 novels, many traditional monsters have been explored, including vampires, werewolves, and spirits, while also creating its own creatures. Having the series take place in modern-day Chicago, and having the series be detective fiction, makes the books stand-out from others in the genre. Despite having 17 books so far, the novels are quick reads compared to other fantasy novels and make for easy reads in-between larger fantasy epics. Red Rising series by Pierce Brown A question that gets asked by Red Rising fans is whether or not the series is considered fantasy or not. The series is technically dystopian sci-fi and gets compared to other exceptional works like Ender’s Game or Dune. However, Red Rising has many fantasy elements that make it feel qualified enough to be considered fantasy as well. The series takes place on Mars and follows humanity as they expand their colonization. Incorporating a class system similar to the one seen in The Hunger Games, humanity has split society into a color system with reds being the lowest, and golds being the highest. The original trilogy follows the character Darrow as he tries to infiltrate the elite gold class so he can bring it down. The sequel trilogy expands past Darrow’s perspective to explore other character’s perspectives within the world. With commentary on politics and class warfare, the series takes large concepts, ideas, and questions, bringing them to a fun, entertaining narrative. All of the sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian elements blend well together to create a unique reading experience where fans of all three genres can enjoy it. Sources: Brandon Sanderson, TIME Featured Image: Vocal Media
by Kellyn Harrison Whether it is the unique animation-style music videos, canned lemonade, organic environment flourishing within a warehouse in Chicago, or Summer Smash music festival; Cole Bennett, 24, has quickly become a prominent figure in the music industry and he is nowhere near slowing down. What originally formed as an idea for a blog, quickly became more after Bennett swiftly established himself as a prominent figure amongst the hip-hop/rap community. Bennett released his first music video in high school, at the age of 17. Thus, his brand, Lyrical Lemonade, has spearheaded itself to be a symbol of attaining any dream, no matter the depth. Big City Mindset Bennett was born in Plano, Illinois about an hour from the bright lights of Chicago. The opportunity the “windy city” screams called to the young entrepreneur at a young age. Bennett made trips to Chicago every weekend after getting his driver’s license. There, he explored the depths of the city and documented everything he experienced. Most of which included attending events for rising artists: Vic Mensa, Mick Jenkins, Chance the Rapper, etc. The footage was edited together and uploaded onto his YouTube Channel. There, viewers watched show recaps, documentaries, and local cyphers. Bennett studied digital cinema at DePaul University but stopped attending because of business goals taking his mind elsewhere. Thereafter, Lyrical Lemonade was born, no longer just a high school dream scribbled in a notebook. https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxSvQGhn_h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link “You'd see Vic Mensa just walking down the street. Everything was right in front of you. It was all happening right in front of your eyes, and it was the craziest thing.” - Cole Bennett, COMPLEX Interview In 2017, Bennett began working with artists like Lil Pump, Ski Mask the Slump God, and Famous Dex. This made him one of the most in-demand video directors in the market, for a quickly developing punk subgenre formed from the work of the SoundCloud youth. At the age of 22, he had already created more than 300 music videos. What made him stick out was his specific editing style. All of his videos add animation to enhance the classic editing done. You can watch Bennett’s work develop in his Music Video Reels located on the Lyrical Lemonade YouTube channel. After working with other big-name artists like Juice Wrld, Kanye West, Trippie Redd, etc., Bennett found his work reaching outside of Chicago. But, no matter what offer came his way, the “windy city” continued to drag him in. Although Bennett admitted moving his business to larger cities, like New York or Los Angeles, would make his business grow even faster, he wanted to stay where the roots of his goals lie. “I am in a position where I can help possibly make Chicago that next city, the next L.A., in terms of resources and hubs,” he says, “and really just make people more aware of the music culture here. For some people, it’s beneficial to move out of Chicago once you’re in a position to do so, but I think that there is also something to say about trying to give back to the city.” - Cole Bennett, COMPLEX Interview [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="374"] Image from Facebook[/caption] Bennett recognizes the harsh environment that surrounds the small communities of Chicago, which makes venues nervous to book hip-hop events in the city. But, Bennett has worked to break this stigma down by hosting Lyrical Lemonade’s first summer music festival, Summer Smash, 2018. Many artists who worked closely with Bennett supported the event and what it stood for the community. These artists included Trippie Redd, Lil Skies, Lil Mosey, Gunna, Ski Mask the Slump God, and Famous Dex. All of which, and more, performed that year. On the first day, the event brought in over 11,000 people, and the next year 20,000 people. Sadly the festival was canceled this year due to COVID-19, but Bennett is planning on making the festival a three-day event for summer 2021. “We want Chicago to be the place everyone wants to be. As much violence as there is going on in the summer, there are just as many amazing things happening. Festival season is always such a highlight in all these kids’ lives in Chicago. It’s just a fun time to be around, so it was important for me to bring something like this to Chicago. It inspires people and gives them a fun, safe place to go and have a good time for a weekend. It’s something to look forward to. Something to take pride in, really.” - Cole Bennett, COMPLEX Interview Supporting the Dreaming Youth [caption id="" align="alignright" width="321"] Image from XXL Magazine[/caption] In May 2019, Bennett mentioned in a TED talk how important it is for not only society but his work environment to be full of “glass-half-full” thinkers. He hints most of the business’s success has come from the small space full of people who like to share what seems like crazy ideas. Then, they find ways to make their ideas work and end up making it happen. Bennett shared the importance for people to have a safe space where they can have conversations about hip-hop, where it currently is, and where they would like to take it. Due to this close space, everything Lyrical Lemonade produces originates from the office building and the collaboration of the people within it. The team has forged a lot of trust within the hip-hop/rap and youth community because of their focus on quality over quantity. It shows the amount of time they are willing to put into their projects to make them attuned to their audience and staying aware of what they want to see next. But, this means they must be selective in their work and partnerships with artists. However, being selective has its perks for many young artists. As seen with artists like Lil Tecca and Lil Mosey, Cole Bennett directing a music video is a major step into the music industry. Juice Wrld signed a $3 million record deal with Interscope not long after his first music video, "All Girls Are the Same," with Bennett released. Therefore, Lyrical Lemonade has become a major platform for rising rappers to take that step from SoundCloud status to record label status. In turn, portraying Lyrical Lemonade’s focus on the future of hip-hop/rap. When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade [caption id="" align="alignright" width="238"] Image from Lyrical Lemonade[/caption] It is apparent Bennett craves crazy ideas, and that is evident in the new projects being produced rapidly. Although many predicted a line of lemonade from the company, I don’t think we expected it so soon. In a 2018 interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, Bennett first entertained the idea, which warranted many phone calls from beverage companies looking to partner with the influencer. Bennett launched his cans of lemonade in 2019 at large entertainment events like Summer Smash and ComplexCon. Now, he sells them on the Lyrical Lemonade website in 4-packs. As part of Lyrical Lemonade’s seven-year anniversary, limited edition collectors cans were available for not only fans of Lyrical Lemonade, but fans of artists working closely with Bennett. Artists with special cans include Lil Tecca, Blueface, Polo G, and The Kid Laroi. Bennett hopes to make the lemonade available in stores across the country soon. Another project Bennett recently dropped in April 2020 was, “The Life of Lenny.” This project includes a series of short animated clips portraying the different adventures of wooden-like friend, Lenny. Lenny was created to portray positive vibes, especially during a time of COVID-19 fear and mourning for those in the Juice Wrld community. “The Life of Lenny” is found on Lyrical Lemonade 2’s YouTube channel and Lenny sometimes makes a cameo in Bennett’s music videos. Other projects Bennett hopes to pursue in the future are other mediums of entertainment including cartoons, feature films, TV shows, and books. But one thing that will always stay constant is Bennett’s love for Chicago, work in music videos, roots in hip-hop/rap, and faith in the dreams of the youth. Sources: COMPLEX, Lyrical Lemonade Shop, Medium, Studybreaks, YouTube Images: Facebook, Instagram, Lyrical Lemonade Shop, XXL Magazine Featured Image: Thred
by Annie Bastian For anyone looking for new music, I highly recommend checking out Sammy Rae. Last year when I was getting prepared for a long car ride, I reached out to people asking for new music recommendations and a friend of mine told me about Sammy Rae’s EP, The Good Life. I remember that the first song that came on shuffle from the EP was “Kick It to Me.” I was automatically captivated due to the saxophone during the introduction and her unique voice. I vividly remember that when I stopped for gas after hearing it, the first thing I did was text my friend thanking her for telling me about this EP. I then sent the song to my father who used to play saxophone and therefore has a strong appreciation for any music that features one. While stopped, I also queued the rest of the EP on Spotify. I have been in love with Sammy Rae’s music ever since. I am strongly attached to the EP The Good Life, but Sammy Rae also has some other music that is well worth a listen. Unlike some groups where if you’ve heard one song you have heard them all, Sammy Rae keeps the listener interested by reflecting many genres such as jazz, pop, blues, and rock in her music. With a diverse array of genres in her music, every song has a distinctive sound.
by Conner Tighe My PlayStation 2 would sit, stirring loudly as I would game until the sun rose. After some homework, I would return to the imaginative world where I found game discs piled on top of one another, building up scratches, and the gaming system collecting dust that would lead to its downfall years down the road (clean your PlayStation folks). Those days are long gone. Today, you’ll find wall mounts containing specific orderings of game titles and legs that keep my PS4 from overheating. PlayStation has come a long way, as the gaming world has evolved with new systems and games. It’s essential to keep up with your systems (*cough* PS5 releasing Nov. 12) and your gaming area’s overall look. Here are five items you need to keep your gaming sanctuary looking up to par. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="216"] Image from Amazon[/caption] Cooling System Nothing lasts forever, and that includes your gaming system getting overheated after hours of beating zombies and enemies in a wasteland. Cooling systems, although they take away the overall look of your system, provide excellent circulation, and maintain proper airflow for all gaming systems. There is an array of cooling systems with some on stands with mini fans like the LinkStyle PS4 Cooling Fan and others merely being small legs to support your systems like the Simple Feet product, which lifts a PS4 off surfaces. Although gaming systems come with built-in fans, the work doesn’t seem to be enough, and you may find yourself sitting next to a campfire-like warmth billowing from your gaming system. Cooling systems could be your savior. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="161"] Image from Cougar Gaming[/caption] Gaming Chair I hope you’re not sitting on the floor while you’re shooting enemy soldiers through skyscraper windows. Give yourself the gratitude of getting a gaming chair that’s both affordable and comfortable for those fast passing hours of well-earned kills and yells at the screen. Prices generally range a little over $100, like the GTRACING Gaming Chair, but those prices can shoot into the thousands, like the Cougar Armor Titan, for diehards. Gamers can keep their color scheme consistent with designs and colors that come with choosing the perfect “throne.” [caption id="" align="alignright" width="187"] Image from Amazon[/caption] Organization System Video games are a luxury and a nuisance as they can begin to pile quickly if one is not careful with their organization. GameStop and other stores offer wall mounts and other shelving systems to get your games off the floor and onto a more suitable position. These shelving systems provide more room for other gaming equipment on your desk. I would consider this item to be the most crucial point of gaming spaces, if nothing else. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="105"] Image from Tom's Guide[/caption] Headphones It comes as no surprise that I consider headphones to be the foundation of any gaming space for easily distracted people. Gaming has been a haven for players since the dawn of time, and with headphones, everything else disappears—at least temporarily. With the right headphones, gamers can experience surround sound, sometimes with a microphone allowing gamers to communicate with other gamers. The top three best gaming headphones include the SteelSeries Arctis 7P/7X, HyperX Cloud Stinger, and Razer Blackshark V2. Gamers can also be like me and use their own standard headphones. Extensive Memory/Storage System As a gamer’s collection grows, so does the amount of space required to store all the memory and save points gamers have tirelessly worked to acquire. Without a proper storage system, any gamer’s system will fall flat sooner rather than later. Some systems, like the original PS4, require an extension quite literally attached to the system. The PS4 Pro expanded on this issue and included sufficient storage space. Some gamers don’t keep games and will trade them as soon as they’ve completed them, while others, like me, keep games for another round of adventure. Make sure to make this decision early in your gaming career to avoid any “unpleasantries.” Sources: Amazon, Cougar Gaming, Simply Feet, The Container Store, Tom's Guide Images: Amazon, Cougar Gaming, Tom's Guide Featured Image: Playstation
by Anthony Herring
by Conner Tighe Role-playing mechanics were never at their peak until 2001’s Final Fantasy X was released. Easily one of Final Fantasy’s best releases, if not the best, the tenth video game entry holds superior gameplay and a story lasting well past a decade that can’t be said for other role-playing games since then. Japanese company Squaresoft, now Square Enix, is known for its work with other popular titles, like the Kingdom Hearts Series. The series, which featured characters and designs inspired from the Final Fantasy Series, unknowingly reached a gold status when 2001 came around. When Tidus, a young adult who is a well-known Blitzball player from Zanarkand, meets a mysterious man named Auron, all hell breaks loose. After being sucked into a time-lapse, sending him into an unknown world known as Spira, he slowly learns what’s at stake when he meets young summoner Yuna, daughter of High Summoner Braska, who defeated Sin prior years before. Sin is a massive creature of time and darkness shattering cities across Spira whenever it wishes and is considered the main antagonist of the story and Seymour Guado leader of the Guado. This is only the tip of the iceberg that dazzles players as they continue to upgrade their characters and realize each character's background, mainly Tidus, who faces haunting memories of his father Jecht, who disappeared 10 years before the story’s beginning. Earlier releases of FF were nothing short of groundbreaking with their unique worlds and characters that shared common destinies while battling evil. So, when number 10 was released, new worlds were presented as well as the memorable role-playing mechanics, but the story hugely established itself. Several relatable tendencies and issues are presented in this media. Daddy issues, the death of a brother, and following in the footsteps of parents are engaging lessons and morals explored in this crazy game of passion and love for diversity. At the same time, characters develop partnerships and connections on their journey to each city where Yuna builds relationships with locals and develops powerful connections with the “fayth,” spirits of the dead that have been killed by Sin. One of the most memorable moments in the game comes shortly after Yuna and her guardians travel around Spira to Kilika islands. The group finds the town in disarray as Sin had attacked the city shortly before the group’s arrival. Yuna walks across the water with her staff performing “The Sending,” a ritual that sends souls to the Farplane where they can rest in peace. At this moment, players see the love Tidus feels toward the young summoner, a love that would not be explored until long after the two are well into the journey. Players find the characters butting heads frequently over personal issues, but all remember their mission to bring “The Calm,” a decade lasting time of peace, from Sin until he’s reincarnated. Like previous titles, each character has unique abilities: magic (white mage/black mage), strength, nimble and agility, or comedic relief. Final Fantasy X brings all the emotions with every character fueled by battles with enemies, the foremost being Guado. The latter will spark every player’s fury when he comes after Yuna and her guardians after she refuses to marry him. Two years later, a direct sequel was released, Final Fantasy X-2, which explores more of Yuna’s character. In 2013, the two were remastered on newer game systems, and the releases still hold up to being one of the best video games ever released.
by Mason Kupiainen When Disney+ was originally announced, I was excited to see the live-action Star Wars and Marvel Cinematic Universe shows that were more closely tied together with the films. Having access to Disney’s vast vault of original classic movies and series was an added bonus that made the service seem like it would stand out among the rest. Once the streaming service finally launched in November 2019, things started off great in terms of content. They launched with The Mandalorian, one of the most exciting shows in recent years, as well as a large library of content, unlike other streaming services like Apple+ and CBS All Access that launched with smaller amounts. However, once The Mandalorian's first season came to an end, the streaming service quickly began losing steam and soon became one of the more disappointing services out there. Bland Original Content With the exception of The Mandalorian, Disney+’s original content has been quite poor. While I haven't seen all of their original content, from the good chunk that I have watched, the content has fallen between mediocre to terrible. Movies like Artemis Fowl, the live-action Lady and the Tramp, and Noelle have turned out to be awful, with movies like The One and Only Ivan being more bland than good. Their original films and television feel like the worst Disney Channel originals from the early 2000s, almost like they were the rejects for theatrical releases. Promised content getting delayed Due to the coronavirus pandemic interfering with the scheduling of many projects, Disney wasn’t able to release some of their originals this year as intended. Some of their main series that have been delayed are their Marvel shows, which were originally slated to release this year. However, the pandemic interfered with filming shows like Falcon and Winter Soldier, which ultimately caused them to delay the series into next year. Despite the pandemic interfering with some of Disney’s plans, they didn’t have any noteworthy originals coming to the service after The Mandalorian dropped. The finale season of Clone Wars was a nice addition back in February, but with Falcon and Winter Soldier originally scheduled for this August, that would have been five months without any noteworthy titles coming to the service. Sure, Disney+ has many nostalgic movies and television shows, but that’s basically all they’re relying on. Practically all of their films and television pander to younger viewers, not really making it worth keeping the service around just to stop by every once in a while for a quick nostalgic kick. Now, I understand that Disney+ will probably never drop anything R rated on the streaming service; the fact that all of their original content focuses on kids and families makes the service feel worthless for those without kids. Being in college, I don’t have a kid I have to entertain, which is what Disney+ feels like it's meant for, and I don’t really spend time rewatching kids' shows and movies from my childhood. The Mandalorian did a great job of being appropriate for younger viewers, while also entertaining older audiences. Their live action Star Wars and Marvel series are truly the only content at the moment appealing to older audiences, making the service feel like it's alienating a large percent of audiences. Confusing standards One of the first controversies coming from Disney+ came from Splash. When Splash dropped on Disney+, some viewers were angry that they removed a quick butt shot. This wouldn’t be an odd move since Disney seems to want their service to be kid-friendly, and removing any form of nudity that didn’t fit their code isn’t outrageous. However, Disney has dropped X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men Apocalypse, and left both the nudity and cursing that they’ve removed from other films. So where does Disney hold their standards? They altered scenes from one film claiming it didn’t fall in line with what they considered wholesome for their service, but left it in another movie. A more recent controversy comes from the release of Mulan. Originally, they dropped this movie on their service with a $30 charge to view it, with the movie eventually being available to all subscribers. Then, only a few weeks later, Disney released the movie to all streaming services, such as iTunes and Google Play, with the same $30 price tag. However, consumers were able to own the film on these services, unlike Disney+ subscribers who can only view the movie as long as they keep their account. Those who purchase the film on other services also get added special features that aren’t available when you get the film through Disney+. Although this feels like a desperate move from Disney to try to make up for lost revenue for not having a theatrical release, it seems like Disney is cheating their subscribers. By not giving subscribers special privileges besides being able to see the movie a few weeks early, it causes the service to feel more pointless, since you aren't getting anything special from being a subscriber. There is still a shred of hope for Disney+ to be one of the better services, but only if they can get over these few hiccups. Sources: Deadline, MobileSyrup, Vanity Fair Featured Image: TechHive
by Kellyn Harrison I am a 19-year-old political science minor, and I voted for the first time last week. As a junkie for political science research, I have always been aware of my place in the election process. However, this year was different. It felt like I was standing in a room surrounded by people screaming at me; those people being older politicians, celebrities, advertisers, etc. Everyone demanding me to vote, but never looking at who I am. Politicians seeing me as a percentage, just a mindless number in their popular vote. "It's difficult to mobilize people in a system that's continuously telling them their political goals, and movements they want to see happening, are not viable." - Grace Wells, 22, home state of Texas, currently studying in Chicago, Democratic. Don’t get me wrong, I felt privileged to vote and I strongly advocate for people to do so in order to fight for the change we continuously demand. However, it is the execution of these campaigns that can make me numb towards the process. It is the same advertisements we had in 2016; only with heightened frequency, demand, and fear. Fear for how much power a little bubble on a scantron sheet can have. Especially in a time where we are demanding reforms in the health, economic, and human rights sector. My only question regarding this outreach is: Where is the voice of the youth? We stress how important educating and relying on the future of the youth is, but how is this being translated into our political campaigns? We can’t give up on the people who only just started to take that first step into the political world. “Many young people can feel disengaged from politics. A Harvard survey found that only 16% of those aged 18 to 29 agreed with the statement that ‘elected officials who are part of the Baby Boomer generation care about people like me.’” - Helier Cheung of BBC News Generally, politicians have used television to further their campaigns. By paying for advertisements on local television or partaking in interviews on shows like Face the Nation. Such platforms appeal to the older population who make time to watch television each night and wake up early on Sundays to watch shows like Sunday Morning. (Note: this point is made despite how much SNL still informs young voters on the election/campaign process. Even though I argue how SNL’s influence pales in comparison to social media.) Something out of style for young voters and professionals with busy schedules who would rather pay for streaming packages. Thus, showing a general decrease in cable news consumption. News platforms like ABC News shifting their attention to streaming recaps of their shows on social media, like Snapchat and Twitter, are the only references people have to low profile interviews analyzing the campaigns/election itself. Only recently have we seen politicians reaching out to voters on streaming platforms. However, the question is whether these advertisements are as transparent as they claim to be with a few federal laws regulating them. https://twitter.com/barackobama/status/992176676?lang=en But, other than President Obama using Twitter in 2008 to reach out to young voters, this shows how slow politicians have been to reach out to their younger audience. Plus, this points out how unaware politicians are of what Gen Zers want from them or the small communities that are created on social media. Although, many argue how politicians are aware but refuse to reach out because of the uncertainty of how this demographic will perceive their political ideals. Nonetheless, when politicians do try to reach out, they do it in a cringing manner that doesn’t entirely hit home. The only example I am going to provide is of Hillary Clinton using Pokemon Go to encourage her supporters to vote in the 2016 election. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt6riM2aDLk&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=CNN There are so many things I could say about how uncomfortable watching this is, but I am just going to state how important it is for older politicians to understand how off-center making references to pop culture phenomenon like this is. Especially for politicians who may not be as immersed in the phenomenon as young voters are. How are we supposed to feel connected to politicians when they make unrelated references to platforms they only know of because of Twitter trends and their younger peers. Especially when they already have the majority of young voters supporting them. Cringey references like this are not needed when they are a half-hearted attempt to further a campaign. It just falls flat and pushes young voters to feel even more disassociated from the voting process, politicians, and the political process itself. Reaching out to young voters based on pop culture trends is something Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is used to and does correctly. Ocasio-Cortez uses her knowledge in technology and relative association with Gen Zers to connect with them online by joining in their gaming communities. Thus, encouraging a growth in the demographic’s political activism. On May 7, it was announced Ocasio-Cortez had purchased a Nintendo Switch and the game Animal Crossings: New Horizons. That same day, Ocasio-Cortez opened her direct messages on Twitter and asked supporters to send their Dodo codes, so she could leave a note on their bulletin board. https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1258516156408713216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1258517774499889154%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fvideo-games%2F2020%2F05%2F07%2Falexandria-ocasio-cortez-is-now-playing-animal-crossing-shes-visiting-her-followers%2F Other than the connection it created/strengthened between young voters and politicians, it also let people know someone in Congress was thinking of them during a scary time. At the peak of the pandemic, while everybody was home, it was nice to connect with someone who could make a difference when politicians tend to be seen as disassociated from the general public. https://twitter.com/jmirsky87/status/1258548085719830528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1258548085719830528%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fvideo-games%2F2020%2F05%2F07%2Falexandria-ocasio-cortez-is-now-playing-animal-crossing-shes-visiting-her-followers%2F Now, Ocasio-Cortez has teamed up with fellow Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to expand upon their connection to Gen Zers, by getting them involved in the election process through Twitch. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Ocasio-Cortez and Omar played the recently revived game, Among Us, with a group of high profile streamers including JackSepticeye, Pokimane, HasanAbi, Disguised Toast, and DrLupo. The stream not only garnered a peak of 439,000 views, becoming the third most-watched stream for an individual gamer, but it successfully made a seemingly forgotten generation feel connected to at least two politicians representing our country. Setting an example of how our government should appeal to young voters despite how difficult replicating the same event will be for older politicians because of their different ages and interests. Ocasio-Cortez and Omar not only represent Gen Z because of their ages and policies (compared to their coworkers) but because of their representation of the minorities in our country. Diversity is a demanding value amongst Gen Z voters. Clinton only made a small reference to a video game many doubted her involvement in. Ocasio-Cortez and Omar physically played with/for young voters and have been for a while now. Thus, making the focus on relating to the streamers instead of solely on the politicians’ or their party’s platforms. It truly felt they wanted to get involved in Gen Z culture instead of pretending to understand. It didn’t feel like another fruitless ad screaming at me amongst the countless others. I just hope other politicians take note of this event and make an effort to think of ways they too, can properly reach out to young voters in an effort to urge more of us to vote for matters that will impact our lives for years to come. Here you can watch the Among Us Twitch stream with Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, along with many other high profile streamers. Sources: BBVA, BBC News, FiveThirtyEight, Fordham Political Review, Jeremiah Owyang, Mozilla, Pew Research Center, The Philadelphia Citizen, The Wall Street Journal, Twitter, U.S. Department of State Images: Twitter, YouTube Featured Image: Blake Chapman
by Lia Weisbecker-Lotz Three years ago, the Nintendo Switch was released, and it quickly became one of the company’s most popular home consoles. Everyone quickly became focused on the console’s unique design and the game sequels Nintendo planned to release for it, some being: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Splatoon 2. However, one aspect of the Switch that was less marketed was the company’s decision to let indie game developers publish and port their games to the console. This has given a variety of indie games a chance at a wider audience and greater acknowledgment for their work. Here is a list of the top underrated indie games. A Short Hike [caption id="" align="alignright" width="343"] Image from Nintendo[/caption] Created by Adam Robinson-Yu If you love Animal Crossing, you will very likely love A Short Hike. The focus of the game is merely to relax and explore. You play a bird, named Claire, who has started living in a vast and beautiful mountain valley. As Claire, you go on adventures around the area as well as help any neighbors with some basic tasks, such as collecting shells and finding lost items. You can climb and glide your way around the mountain, allowing you to collect a variety of items and meet several friendly characters. These characters help you do minigames and activities, such as fishing or playing volleyball. The music and art style of the game adds a simple beauty that works to create a peaceful setting. Raji: An Ancient Epic [caption id="" align="alignright" width="331"] Image from Nintendo[/caption] Created by Nodding Heads Games Raji: An Ancient Epic is an action-adventure game that is similar to Gods of War in both its combat and focus on mythology. Raji is a girl in ancient India whose little brother, Golu, has been stolen by demons. In order to get him back, and help the gods, she takes on the quest of defeating the demons and their leader. The game is a homage to India’s culture, as it manages to teach the player pieces of Hindu and Balinese mythology while also being beautifully painted in a traditional Indian art style. This aspect of the game helps expand its story and world as well as explain the abilities of the weapons Raji uses for combat. The game is both a hack and slash game and a platformer game, as you get to use a variety of powerful, mythical weapons and traverse India in order to save not only Raji’s brother but the world. Spiritfarer [caption id="" align="alignright" width="338"] Image from Nintendo[/caption] Created by Thunder Lotus Games Spiritfarer is a gorgeous management game where you play as Stella, a ferry master for the dead. You’re able to build different rooms on your boat to craft different items, grow a farm, and accommodate your passengers. Throughout the game, you get to delve into the lives of several spirits in order to help them cross over to the afterlife. The story is a major aspect of Spiritfarer. You get to take your time going through it; enjoying the beautiful, vibrant art style and setting. While you work on your boat, you also help take care of your passengers by serving them homemade meals and spending quality time with them. The game has a bit of an open world where you get to travel around to different islands and meet their inhabitants. The game also has a cooperative mode where a second player can join as Stella’s cat, Daffodil. Inmost [caption id="" align="alignright" width="336"] Image from Nintendo[/caption] Created by Hidden Layer Games This game is an incredibly beautiful and melancholic puzzle platformer. In Inmost you switch between playing three different characters: a middle-aged man, a knight, and a little girl. Each character involves a different style of gameplay in a dark, pixelated world. The little girl uses items in her house to climb around and explore, while the middle-aged man travels around a strange world and solves more complex puzzles. The knight travels in a similar world, fighting a variety of shadow enemies. While the worlds and stories seem completely different, they all end interconnected. A warning has to come with this game; however, as the story is very dark and deals with serious issues surrounding love and grief. There are hundreds of more interesting indie games that the Switch offers. This means no matter your preference, you are likely to find an indie game to fall in love with. The world is in a state of uncertainty, and while it’s important to stay informed and be involved, it’s just as important to take care of yourself and find ways to enjoy your life. Games like these are often meant to bring comfort, adventure, and catharsis. So, do yourself a favor, and try out some of these games because you might find your new favorite. More Recommendations: Rime Celeste Hades Summer of Mara Bastion Hyper Light Drift Sources: CNET, Video Game Chronicle: VGC Images: Nintendo Featured Image: The Verge
By: Nicole Thomas Editor’s Note: This story was originally published at The Ball State Daily News. None of the content was altered but slight grammatical changes were made in order to conform with Byte style guidelines. Celebrating Halloween may look different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To stay safe yet entertained, consider spending the spooky holiday with the top 10 highest-grossing horror movies, according to The Numbers, a movie industry data and research service. “I am Legend” Released: Dec. 14, 2007 Rating: PG-13 Stars: Will Smith, Alice Braga, and Dash Mihok Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68 percent Synopsis: U.S. Army virologist Robert Neville is the last person in New York after a virus killed most of mankind. Immune to the virus, Neville must develop a cure as he defends himself against those who the virus turned into cannibalistic mutants called Darkseekers. “It” Released: Sep. 8, 2017 Rating: R Stars: Jaeden Martell and Bill Skarsgård Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85 percent Synopsis: Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, seven children called “The Losers Club” come together to fight the murderous clown Pennywise, who preys upon children in their small town in Maine. “Hannibal” Released: Feb. 9, 2001 Rating: R Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, and Gary Oldman Rotten Tomatoes Score: 39 percent Synopsis: FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling works to capture Hannibal Lecter before Mason Verger, Hannibal’s surviving victim, seeks his revenge. “The Blair Witch Project” Released: July 14, 1999 Rating: R Stars: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86 percent Synopsis: Three film students set out to film a documentary about the Blair Witch, a local legend in a Maryland forest. The students disappear, but a year later, their footage from what they discovered in the forest is found. “It Chapter Two” Released: Sep. 6, 2019 Rating: R Stars: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, and Bill Skarsgård Rotten Tomatoes Score: 63 percent Synopsis: Set 27 years after “It,” this sequel follows the Losers Club again as they discover the murderous clown Pennywise has returned to their Maine hometown. “Scream” Released: Dec. 20, 1996 Rating: R Stars: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78 percent Synopsis: The first movie of the “Scream” franchise focuses on teenager Sidney Prescott one year after her mother’s murder. A new killer named Ghostface attacks Sidney’s small hometown of Westboro as he murders his victims when they wrongly answer his trivia questions about horror movies. “The Ring” Released: Oct. 18, 2002 Rating: PG-13 Stars: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, and David Dorfman Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71 percent Synopsis: Journalist Rachel Keller investigates a cursed videotape where anyone who watches it dies a week later. After watching the video herself, Keller now only has a week to uncover its mystery. “Scream 2” Released: Dec. 12, 1997 Rating: R Stars: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81 percent Synopsis: After two students are murdered during a preview of “Stab,” a movie based on the events of the first “Scream” film, Sidney Prescott realizes there is now a Ghostface copycat on her college campus. “A Quiet Place” Released: April 6, 2018 Rating: PG-13 Stars: John Krasinski and Emily Blunt Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96 percent Synopsis: Lee and Evelyn Abbott raise their family in silence to hide from blind, extraterrestrial monsters who kill anyone who makes a sound. “Sleepy Hollow” Released: Nov. 19, 1999 Rating: R Stars: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, and Miranda Richardson Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69 percent Synopsis: Police constable Ichabod Crane investigates a series of decapitations in New York by the Headless Horseman. Images and Featured Image: Taylor Smith and Kamryn Tomlinson Sources: The Numbers, Rotten Tomatoes
by Conner Tighe In 1996, the birth of true horror was released when Resident Evil hit the shelves. The game features Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine as members of the task force S.T.A.R.S. trapped within Spencer Mansion. Players face several obstacles, including puzzles, terrifying zombies, zombie dogs, and even more terrifying… the dialogue. Years later, the classic game would become a worldwide phenomenon within the gaming world, spurring several sequels, prequels, and a whole movie franchise centered (roughly) on the video game plot. What also came afterward was even more unexpected. The likes of other horror genres surfaced with Silent Hill, Doom, and Clock Tower, among many others that would later come after. The horror genre in the video game industry has soared since the 90s, with many franchises and memorable characters coming to light facing the forces of evil and science experiments gone awry. After some careful deliberation, here is a ranking of the top five horror video games that continue to frighten players to this day. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="309"] Image from Eurogamer[/caption] 5. Resident Evil 4 This is a title I often replay. There is always more to explore in Resident Evil 4. When the president’s daughter goes missing, players will join with Leon Kennedy once again, this time, in rural Spain, to discover what lies underneath the mysterious Los Illuminados cult. This title offered more than previous games in the series, including the infamous chainsaw-wielding man and sisters recycled in later games. Resident Evil 4 was the first game in the series to step away from the odd camera angles featured in previous games, which was big at the time. There’s something magical about this release that brings players back again for one more scare. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="280"] Image from Microsoft[/caption] 4. Outlast Miles Upshur, an investigative journalist, finds a newfound terror when he checks out of a seemingly abandoned psychiatric hospital. This first-person perspective combined with limited lighting, no ability to fight back, and unpredictable jump scares will leave players running. The frights and nightlife scouring the hospital seem endless, with requirements to do the most basic tasks and players must balance smarts and curiosity to survive. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="252"] Image from Microsoft[/caption] 3. The Evil Within 2 Detective Sebastian Castellanos descends even more into the evil of the STEM system when he’s approached by a former detective partner who informs him his daughter is still alive after a fire had taken the lives of her and Castellanos’ wife years earlier. The sequel in this beloved series takes players to an even darker world, the city of Union, where ghosts, mutated monsters, and a mysterious photographer terrorize Castellanos as he shoots, hides and runs from them. The game hugely expanded on its predecessor with its open-world concept while still maintaining the third-person perspective. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="287"] Image from MCV/DEVELOP[/caption] 2. Resident Evil 2: Remake In 1998, players got to experience more of the zombie world with new characters: Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, and Ada Wong. Trapped in a police station for roughly 70% of the game, players battle zombies as usual but face a new enemy, Mr. X (Tyrant) stalks players around the police station, forcing them to hide as the enemy is indestructible to basic weapons, like gunfire and knives. Last year, the game was remade and the gameplay, graphics, and dialogue were overall excellent. The remake introduced an additional element to the game, allowing a limited amount of ammo around the police station forcing players to either flee or perform headshots on enemies. Resident Evil 2 is the definition of survival horror. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="307"] Image from Cnet[/caption] 1. The Last of Us 2 According to GameSpot, the original The Last of Us was praised for its inventiveness and creativity with the apocalypse genre, which had been done many times previously. The Last of Us 2 takes players further through a darker world and story that will leave fans angry and bittersweet, feeling sadness but understanding. When Washington Liberation Front leader Abby Anderson kills mentor and friend Joel Miller, Ellie swears revenge. The story amped up its apocalyptic appeal and helped show the progression of hierarchy and power struggle within a broken world. The gameplay is better this time, including new features like allowing characters to hide from enemies in tall grass. Although the “horror” factor isn’t as prevalent as the predecessor, the overall plot reigns supreme. Sources: GameSpot, YouTube Images: Cnet, Eurogamer, MCV/DEVELOP, Microsoft Featured Image: EssentiallySports
by Conner Tighe In 2017, an 18-year-old was introduced to the world through YouTube and social media as a young man capable not only of writing, but wrestling, singing, and potential being a voice for the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout two-and-a-half years, Geick had populated his content throughout social media, talking about his on-and-off relationship with Jackson Krecioch, vlogging with his friends and brother, and addressing silly and sometimes serious topics on his short-lasting podcast Out of Frame. It’s 2020, and Geick’s channel lies empty without updated content and a trail of breadcrumbs that left him leaving the spotlight possibly for good. Geick’s channel garnered thousands of viewers and subscribers after his take on pride in Los Angeles in one of his videos from 2017, while wearing a Nike spoofed “Just Fook It” shirt and recognizably perfect quaffed hair. “When I was growing up, there wasn’t as much a diverse LGBT showing,” said Geick in the video. He criticized pride’s assumption that all gay men are feminine, but he supports the underlying message. “Pride gives off the message of the LGBT community as a whole, which is you can be whoever you want to be as long as you’re not hurting somebody else.” He also loves that more men can be gay and not fit the stereotype that has been portrayed throughout the media for decades. Geick’s masculinity, talent, and overall outspokenness, with the help of his imagery in the public eye, made the influencer shatter a glass ceiling of stereotypes with something the world had not seen before. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Image from YouTube[/caption] In 2017, according to Earn The Necklace, Geick began dating Krecioch, another LGBTQ+ influencer popular on the platform YouNow. The two posted on Krecioch’s channel and YouNow talking about their lives and taking part in challenges. Geick grew up in Illinois and graduated from Adlai E. Stevenson High School, where he won two state wrestling championships in a row. He self-published his poetry titled, Early Works: A Collection of Poetry, which talked about painful memories in his childhood and small details in his life he found appealing enough to address through prose. At the end of the book, Geick previewed a brief prologue about a novel he had been working on at the time. Geick has made it clear on social media that his favorite author is Cormac McCarthy, and anyone that has read the prologue can see the similarities and influence. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1LFHK7g1Wv/ [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="325"] Image from Pinterest[/caption] When 2018 came, Geick was written about for his exceptional writing and wrestling skills in The New York Times and Chicago Tribune. Later that year, Geick and Krecioch broke up due to personal issues. “We just broke up, that’s it,” said Geick in 2018. “Nothing happened. I’m okay with saying it live. It’s not a secret we broke up.” The two got back together only to break it off for good in 2019. Geick was known for his exceptional vlogging skills, where he featured his friends and even featured a “motovlog” of him swerving and driving through hectic New York traffic to get to an Apple store while on his motorcycle. The influencer wanted his fans to be a part of his life as much as possible and provided 35 videos with approximately 197,000 subscribers. In December last year, Geick posted his latest YouTube video of himself playing the piano while covering Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.” The caption reads, “I still hate making music videos.” The video received over 2,000 likes and received over 58,000 views. Earlier this year, Geick began to date the TikTok influencer known only as Okjohnnyboy. The two are not as public as Geick was with Krecioch. Many rumors surfaced throughout social media about Geick’s secret past and possible motives for obtaining substantial amounts of money. The influencer began posting less and less on his platforms until his announcement that he would be joining the military. https://www.instagram.com/p/B69pseCAUi1/ Contrary to what Geick originally stated, he’s been active on his Snapchat and Instagram accounts, updating fans and friends about his current whereabouts and daily activities. His latest Instagram post features him in uniform with the second part caption, “There are moments I lose my breath. I feel the dam set to break. Everything I run from in bottles and everything I run to in dreaming. All of it. The weight, the uncertainty, the missing so much so strongly that my heart tries to cut itself free and abandon me.” Neither Geick nor Krecioch was able to comment. Sources: Blurb, Chicago Tribune, Earn the Necklace, The New York Times, Tiktok, YouTube Images: Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube Featured Image: GAYNRD
by Annie Bastian Nothing beats sitting in a stadium seat and hearing the roar of the crowd, as the floor nearly shakes from the endless stream of fans screaming, cheering, and singing along to their favorite artist. Before 2020, going to concerts was something that countless people across the globe would plan weeks in advance to attend. But as COVID-19 has brought the ability to attend in-person concerts to a halt, the music industry has had to get creative to still connect with their audiences. To overcome this obstacle, many artists have taken to performing live stream concerts online. Recently, South Korean Male Group, BTS, hosted their “Map of the Soul ON:E” shows, which consisted of two pay-per-view online concerts that were live-streamed on back-to-back days. Not Their First Rodeo [caption id="" align="alignright" width="376"] Image from Forbes[/caption] Before the “Map of the Soul ON:E” concert was broadcasted, BTS was a group that already had experience connecting with their fans through the internet. The international boy group had been planning their Map of the Soul world tour that was scheduled to begin in April 2020. As COVID-19 began shutting down international travel, the group, like many other artists at the time, had no choice but to delay their tour. Instead, the group had a 2 night back-to-back free concert weekend where past concerts from their old tours were streamed online for fans to see. This streaming event, called “Bang Bang Con”, consisted of nearly 24 hours worth of concert content in the span of two nights, or days depending on the time zone. After this streaming event, there was also a “Bang Bang Con: The Live” concert which was a pay-per-view concert shown in June. “Bang Bang Con: The Live” set a Guinness World Record for the most viewers for a music concert live stream with 756,000 paid viewers from over 100 countries. As the pandemic dragged on, BTS released the official announcement that they would be having another online concert: “Map of the Soul ON:E”. Originally, there was supposed to be a live component of the concert in Seoul, South Korea but it was canceled once again due to COVID-19 which left the entire event online. The Experience Going into this experience, I was a little hesitant. When concerts were in person, people knew what they were signing up for, and more or less could expect the quality of the performance they were paying for. So as a fan, it was hard to decide whether attending an online concert is worth the money. I have streamed two different free concerts since the beginning of the pandemic just for fun, but have yet to spend money to watch one. As someone who has seen BTS both in an in-person concert and in online concert streams, I had high expectations for the experience. To see for myself, I bought the $45 ticket and woke up bright and early Saturday morning at 6 am to watch BTS’s “Map of the Soul ON:E” day one concert. Two and a half hours of BTS performance later, I closed my computer quite impressed. When I say BTS spared no expense, I mean there was a full-blown carousel on stage for one performance. BTS went above and beyond to make their virtual concert an experience that their fans could enjoy and remember. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="373"] Image from NBC News[/caption] As a fan, it was hard getting into the experience without being in a stadium, but the technology and set pieces that were presented took the viewer to what felt like a different dimension. It was a very different experience without other people. It almost felt like I zoned into my own world watching the performances. Was the concert the exact same as an in-person one? Absolutely not. If it was, the production companies would be charging you a lot more. But as a fan of the group, I would say that it was a worthy experience. The concert was formatted exactly as an in-person concert: the intense dances, outfit changes, and breaks for the artists to talk to the viewers. The only difference was you weren’t actually in the same room. Online concerts take away the feeling of community that comes with being in a stadium filled with other fans, but it still allows the artists to be in touch with the audience. BTS live-streamed some of their fans into the concert venue on screens around the room to fill in for the audience during the concert as well. During the ending song, there were cubes suspended around the room with live videos of fans broadcasted on them. It made for a very whimsically surreal experience as a fan, and I applaud BTS’s team for thinking of such amazing ideas to incorporate fans even though we are in a pandemic. It was also a multi-view stream, so fans were getting not just one view, but six they could choose from to watch. This, along with the rebroadcasting of the performance later that evening, at 10 pm, for those wanting to watch the concert again or who missed it the first time, made the concert worth its money for me. The Takeaway I don’t believe online concerts will ever be as good as an in-person concert, but some may be worth the money that you are paying to stream. If the artists go above and beyond to alter parts of the concert to cater to the distance, it can be a very worthwhile experience. Concerts still allow for a person to have something to do to break apart days that are quickly beginning to blur together in the current pandemic. As a K-pop fan, concerts also allow for fans to see new choreographies and performances. After the two days of concerts, my social media erupted in chaos due to the excitement of having new content from the group. But if you are someone who is just a casual fan of the group and go for the fun atmosphere, online concerts would probably not be very engaging and entertaining. Deciding what draws you to a concert, the performers, or the atmosphere, is definitely the deciding factor on whether online concerts would be an enjoyable experience for you. I would say it is worth it to see the sets, performance, and live music. Not every artist will do their concerts the same way, but I would definitely still attend BTS’s concert if I had to do it all over again
by Arianna Sergio One of my favorite up-and-coming artists right now is BETWEEN FRIENDS. After hearing their debut single — “suburban wonderland” — my senior year of high school, I was immediately drawn to their sound. I dove head first into the rabbit hole that was their Spotify artist page and wondered how this band, that I now adored, wasn’t more popular. When scrolling through their artist page, I noticed that they only had their one single released, and it had a little over 1 million streams. 1 million streams is a significant amount don't get me wrong, but it blew my mind that they weren’t amassing more buzz. I was stunned. Their self dubbed “laptop-dream pop” was something I couldn’t get out of my head. I found myself reverting back to “suburban wonderland” over and over again. Now, they not only have that single, but they also have an EP titled, we just need some time together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKuBVGFnW24&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic From Savannah and Brandon Hudson to The Heirs to BETWEEN FRIENDS Brandon and Savannah Hudson knew they had a passion for performing at an extremely young age. Brandon taught himself how to play guitar; from there, he rapidly grew curious and enthusiastic about writing his own music. Savannah began singing and dancing as soon as she was old enough to walk, and inevitably, she found herself writing music with Brandon. Thus, the start of a masterful musical duo was born. In 2013, they auditioned for America’s Got Talent and got a resounding “yes” from all four judges. That yes brought them to Las Vegas, where again, the judges were impressed with how talented the 13-year-old and 15-year-old siblings were. It was at the Quarterfinals where their America’s Got Talent adventure ended. The duo didn’t collect enough votes to be sent to the Semifinals, so they packed their bags and headed home. Two years later, the brother-sister duo formed a band with Savannah on vocals; Brandon on vocals and guitar; Brennan Benko on drums; Alex Flagstad on guitar; and Eian McNeely on bass and keys. This Los Angeles based band called themselves The Heirs, or HEIRS, and were recognized as an alternative/indie band. They released their debut EP “Ecliptic” and found themselves on the lineup of the 2016 Vans Warped Tour. The Heirs quietly drifted apart, but some of the members stuck together. It was then, in 2017, when BETWEEN FRIENDS was created. The Hudson siblings assembled this new band with their drummer, Benko — from The Heirs — and this super-trio was now complete. Their current sound has definitely changed from what The Heirs sound was. The Heirs were focused on the typical teenage angst and rebellion, whereas BETWEEN FRIENDS is mature and grown and focuses on young adult subjects — like the complications of love and heartbreak. They dress those topics up with an upbeat, pop overcoat. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="325"] Image from Discogs[/caption] A breakdown of we just need some time together BETWEEN FRIENDS released their debut EP we just need some time together on April 5, 2018. Throughout this EP, they exhibit what it’s like to be young in LA and share their intimate thoughts and feelings through the art of music. Their EP cover art displays Savannah’s bare back, with the title of the EP written on her in orange capital letters. She is surrounded by a wide array of colorful flowers. She is holding, presumably, her brother's hand to the right. From the aesthetic floral fantasy that is the cover to the personality-filled song titles, everything about this EP is absolutely sensational. “iloveyou” is the first song off of their EP. This song discusses earnestly looking back on the old times you have with someone, specifically in a relationship. The line, “I love you, tenderly, tragically,” is repeated throughout the entire bridge and chorus. This line is one that their listeners can surely relate to. It’s certainly one that hits home for me. It’s about loving someone so dearly and so deeply, but at the end of the day it’s merely young love. That person wasn’t “the one.” It ultimately didn’t work out; therefore, it ended in tragedy. They did a live version of “iloveyou,” which is just as phenomenal, if not better, than the studio version. This song has such an alluring hook, and in the live version it’s the star of the show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GJIJlVnLN4&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS “u can still come over” is an ode to past relationships that will always mean something to both parties involved, despite the fact that they are over. Even though those relationships are over, the memories and moments shared between those two people will always hold a special place in their hearts. This song sounds like it’s dripping wet, while also being a track pulse. With its downtempo beats, it’s a relaxed song you could blast on maximum volume in a car with friends and cruise and vibe to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62q0R9aCOR8&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS “affection” is my absolute favorite track from not only this EP but my favorite track they have ever released. They express an inability to find the desired affection they crave; because of that, they fall back on each other — like a back-up plan — to make up for it. They aren’t willing to let go of each other. Even if they are conscious that that person isn’t right for them and are still left unsatisfied in one way or another, they need each other to fill their needs of being loved and giving/receiving affection. Some form of affection is better than none even if it leaves you feeling empty. The chorus is, “Oh I’m looking for affection in all the wrong places/And we’ll keep falling on each other to fill the empty spaces,” is the perfect example of that. This line emphasizes that they are not falling for each other, rather falling on each other. The tone of Savannah’s haunting vocals over the dreamy synth-beat will be sure to make you melt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJoMqYumxmA&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS BETWEEN FRIENDS explores being young, reckless, adventurous, and ultimately having fun in “better friends.” It’s about living by your own rules and doing things that you want to do. In the chorus, "If I looped my life to live again I'd pick more roses/ And pick better friends who like to sleep in the daytime/ Fall in love and kiss at night,” it discusses picking better friends who will do spontaneous things with them that makes them truly feel alive. This is my other favorite song on the EP because it’s nostalgic of the times of being in high school and doing wild things with your friends. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGASobWoiwE&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic “blushing!” is the final track off of their EP. It’s simply about wanting to see that special person who makes you giddy and gives you butterflies; makes your cheeks rosy; and leaves you, well, blushing. BETWEEN FRIENDS celebrates that feeling of new-found love and the delightful memories associated with that. The lavish melodies mesh well with Savannah’s soft and warm vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUTIX0Z7Kfs&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic When will they release new music? BETWEEN FRIENDS hasn’t released any new music since we just need some time together; that means they haven’t released new music in over two years. So, the question on everyone’s mind is when will they release new music? When will the wait for new music end? I can’t guarantee anything soon, but in an interview with Ones to Watch, BETWEEN FRIENDS said, “We thought this [we just need some time together] would be a good intro for us and we love being so hands on with everything throughout the process,” so I can infer that this EP being an “intro” for them means there will be new music in the future. At least, one can hope that there is. It did take them two years to release we just need some time together, so hopefully by the end of this year — or by the beginning of next year — we will have some new music to listen to. If not, you know I will be going back to “suburban wonderland” for the millionth time. Sources: Galore, Ones to Watch, San Gabriel Valley Tribune Images: Discogs, YouTube Featured Image: Forbes
by Mason Kupiainen There are certain horror movies that are must-watch, staples for the Halloween season. Classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Shining, Scream, and of course, Halloween are essential October watches. However, there are plenty of other spook-worthy films that should be watched during the month of October that don’t receive the credit they should. Trick ‘r Treat (2007) A film that didn’t receive the recognition it deserved upon its initial release but has slowly gained a cult following is Trick ‘r Treat. This wonderfully-woven anthology film is similar to the likes of Pulp Fiction. We follow four stories that connect with one-another, with the central character tied to each story being Sam, a burlap sack-wearing child who punishes those who disrespect the holiday. Working as both a creepy, spine-tingling horror film, splashes of dark comedy add a surprising comedic side to an over-all dark movie. Taking place on Halloween night, the film helps get you into the Halloween spirit similar to films like Halloween. https://youtu.be/NJ66Htmmq4M Friday the 13th (2009) Although the Friday the 13th franchise is well-known among the masses, this remake has received poor reviews from both critics and audiences alike. Personally, it surpasses most of, if not all, the films in the series, including the original. By having a higher budget and including all of the tropes of the series that Friday fans have come to love, this film adds to the mythology in clever ways. Being a remake, it takes an interesting approach by combining the story of the first four films and updating it for a modern audience without disrespecting the originals. A few tweaks are made to Jason’s character, but those changes make the film more suspenseful; those notable changes being that Jason sets traps around Camp Crystal Lake, travels around in an underground tunnel system, and has set up a weed farm in order to lure teens. Having a clever Jason versus the previous dimwitted interpretation of the character makes the character and the film much more frightening. https://youtu.be/cCfO1aB8CIE Tusk (2014) Directed by Kevin Smith — the creator behind films like Jay and Silent Bob, Clerks, and Dogma — this is his first horror film and the first film in his planned True North Trilogy. This creature feature follows a young podcaster who travels in search of the strangest, most wildest stories he can find. After coming across a man who was rescued by a walrus, the podcaster gets captured by the man and turned into a human walrus. Definitely the weirdest film on this list, Tusk takes the bizarre concept and never lets the strangeness up until the credits. Not Smith’s best work, but it definitely holds itself up against the rest of his work in terms of there always being something creative to keep the film going in strange directions. At times, the movie will have you laughing only to have you becoming sick and horrified in the next scene. The prosthetics done to transform Justin Long’s character into a human walrus are some of the best in recent years, as well as some of the most grotesque looking. It’s reminiscent of prosthetic work done in horror films from the 80s with the realistic approach taken in the film. https://youtu.be/BCQJnOn0ru0 Doctor Sleep (2019) The long awaited sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep takes to the challenge of being a faithful adaptation of King’s original novel while also being a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's classic film. Being true to both, it’s able to please fans of the book while adding in Kubrick’s sensibilities in a beautiful fashion. Despite how great the film is, it failed at the box office, only scavenging together $71 million on a $45 million budget. The film follows Danny, now a grown man dealing with alcoholism like his father, as he must help a young girl with the power to shine escape from an evil cult group trying to kill her. Doctor Sleep improves on many things from The Shining making it a surprisingly better film that develops it’s characters more and has a more intriguing plot that keeps you invested until the credits roll. https://youtu.be/BOzFZxB-8cw The Fly (1986) Another remake on this list, The Fly takes the concept from the original film and improves it in every way. The main thing this remake does differently is embrace the horror aspects while making it a cautionary tale. The character of Seth Brundle is portrayed wonderfully by Jeff Goldblum, who is able to create a charismatic character right from the start. As the film continues and you watch him slowly degrade into a monster, you start to feel for the character because you’ve grown attached to him. The Fly also has some of the greatest animatronics and make-up to ever be in a film. Seeing Goldblum slowly transform into a monster is horrifying to watch and only amplified by the grotesque make-up that is done. It’s incredible work that still is horrific and disturbing to watch today and is far superior than most of the CGI we currently see today. With an incredible cast that brings a certain charm, a well-constructed story with a great message, and incredible make-up, The Fly is a must-watch for any horror and creature-feature fan. https://youtu.be/Z-V3X963DRI Sources: Box Office Mojo, YouTube Featured Image: IMDB
by Conner Tighe Sunday, we celebrated the hardship, failures, and suffering that LGBTQ+ youth and community endure and have endured since the beginning of time. We also celebrated the successes, stories of hope, and love and connection that make this community one of the unique and essential aspects of human history. National Coming Out Day was first observed in 1988 after a massive march for LGBTQ+ rights outside of Washington, D.C., took place a year prior. Thirty-two years later, the month of October has turned into a month that is bigger than getting free candy in a costume. It’s a celebration of love and the lives of the LGBTQ+ community that continues to fight for the right of all humanity — which is equal treatment for all of humanity everywhere. To commemorate this historic event, we look at the top five LGBTQ+ films. 5. Brokeback Mountain (2005) The late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal show viewers what it’s like to be gay and living in early 60s Wyoming. The pair's characters are monumental in the LGBTQ+ film industry as one of the most heartfelt films about two men in love. The film perfectly represented the struggle between self-acceptance and society’s desire to claim default heterosexuality during this time. The story of two cattle ranchers broke many barriers that some film industries at the time would not dare try in film. Femininity in gay men and bisexuality was thrown into the mix, challenging the norms of being gay and masculine. https://youtu.be/U5D1iU5KnqQ 4. Shelter (2007) Zach — a surfer and artist living with his older sister, his disabled father, and young nephew — finds love and an interest in his older brother’s friend Shaun. Although Shaun is out, Zach is not, and him finding inner acceptance with himself is relatable and something LGBTQ+ youth everywhere can latch onto. Although the film is mediocre compared to most LGBTQ+ films, Shelter expresses a simple plot with a satisfying ending. https://youtu.be/bKsCvcvoZcE 3. Call Me by Your Name (2017) Timothée Chalamet lends his talent as Elio Perlman, a young teenager living in 1983, Northern Italy. When his father’s graduate student, Oliver, enters Elio’s life, everything changes. The film speaks true to what it meant to be gay in the early 80s, with an overarching theme of secrecy and desire that can never fully be pursued and accepted in society. The movie, however fantastic, will rip your guts out and throw them into the fire. The film won best adapted screenplay at the 2018 Academy Awards, where Chalamet was nominated as “best performance by an actor in a leading role.” According to Variety, among many other sources, Call Me by Your Name will have a sequel. Although little is known about the film, the sequel novel to the original is titled Find Me and takes place 10 years after the events in the first novel. The original cast will return to reprise their roles. Evviva! https://youtu.be/Z9AYPxH5NTM 2. I Am Jonas (2018) This Netflix film received a 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and captured LGBTQ+ youth in the late 90s as well as the life of Jonas, a young teenager living in France who meets Nathan, another young man. Nathan and Jonas’s journey of combating discrimination and finding love in an unaccepting society is beautiful. When viewers learn of the tragedy in Jonas’s life, it stays true to the horrors, specifically kidnapping, which is something that LGBTQ+ youth have faced and may continue to face in today’s world. According to NBC News, in 2017, Chechnya — a region in Russia — institutionalized an anti-gay purge where Ilyas (whose name is withheld for safety reasons) was dragged from his car and beaten by the Russian military all because he was gay. The man now lives as a refugee after speaking out against a state-sponsored violent campaign where as many as 100 gay and bisexual Chechen men were kidnapped and sent to a detention center where many have died. I Am Jonas was an awareness of sorts about underground torture and discrimination gay and bisexual men face in countries outside the U.S. The film provides a bittersweet ending that will leave viewers wanting a second watch. Although the film is in French, don’t let that discourage you from watching a pure masterpiece. https://youtu.be/HHigllswzSc 1. Love, Simon (2018) Nick Robinson provided his best role to date as young Simon Spier, looking for acceptance and love from his friends and family in the beloved Love, Simon. When Robinson’s character develops a secret pen pal through email, his whole life flips upside down, especially when a local high schooler discovers he’s gay and blackmails him. Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, Katherine Langford and Keiynan Lonsdale lend their talents to this sweet family film. Love, Simon was unlike any other LGBTQ+ film at the time until its spinoff series Love, Victor was released two years later. https://youtu.be/E0cbWdlQg_8 Sources: Human Rights Campaign, IMDB, NBC News, Rotten Tomatoes, Variety, YouTube Featured Image: IMDB