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(10/22/19 5:00pm)
by Christian Dixie
The Need for Speed series is one of the most beloved racing games of all time. Electronic Arts is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the game this year, and I thought I’d share my favorite Need For Speed games that I’ve played over the years. There are so many distinctive features that have made it what it is today: the fast cars, customization, cops, open world, etc. Get ready racing fans, because we’re going to go on a nostalgic trip as I share my top five Need For Speed games.
(10/21/19 7:36pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
(10/16/19 3:00pm)
by Tt Shinkan
(10/08/19 4:00pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
With the release of the new film Joker opening in theaters on October 4th, many people have been questioning the movie because of the level of violence the film is supposed to contain. Many people have also been raising concerns about whether or not the film will invoke violence in people, and potentially influence people to cause crime, similar to what the main character does in the movie. These concerns have further been raised when it was announced that the FBI had found on the dark web threats of potential violence towards certain unidentified theaters. With all of this, many people have begun to question whether the film should be shown at all, and if violent movies should even be allowed to be produced.
To begin, it's worth seeing where many of these concerns stem from. Back on July 20, 2012, a mass shooting took place during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises at a theater in Aurora, Colorado. During the screening, James Holmes, the identified shooter, left the theater out of an emergency exit door, leaving it propped open. He then went out to his car, gathered his things, and returned back into the theater wearing bullet-proof gear, a ballistics helmet, a gas mask, and gloves. He then threw several smoke bombs into the crowd before opening fire onto them, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.
According to some sources, including an article on ABC News, some claim that after being arrested, Holmes told officers that he was “The Joker”, which was a reference to the villain in the previous movie of the Dark Knight trilogy. In a report by the Denver Post however, they said; “He never told witnesses or arresting officers he was the evil and charismatic villain from the Batman comic strip and movies.” They’ve stated that; “It is not true [and] ridiculous.” and that “It had nothing to do that we can find with Batman.”
When a standalone movie about the Joker was announced by Warner Bros., many of the victims’ families were alarmed by it. “When we learned that Warner Bros. was releasing a movie...that presents the character as a protagonist with a sympathetic origin story, it gave us pause,” wrote one of the family members of a victim in their letter to NBC News. Sandy Philips, who is the mother of one of the victims killed during the shooting, said that the movie feels “like a slap in the face.” She also stated; “My worry is that one person who may be out there--and who knows if it is just one--who is on the edge, who is wanting to be a mass shooter, may be encouraged by this movie. And that terrifies me.”
Victims of the Aurora shooting and others have begun questioning if the film should even be released at all, with some even asking Warner Bros. to pull the movie from theaters. Warner Bros. released a statement talking about how the company has had a “long history of donating to victims of violence, including Aurora." At the same time, Warner Bros. believes that one of the functions of storytelling is to provoke difficult conversations around complex issues. They continued saying, “Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker, nor the film, is an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind. It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero.” Warner Bros. continues to insist that the movie is not intended to glorify the character, but rather is designed to “provoke difficult conversations around complex issues.”
Both Todd Philips and Joaquin Phoenix have responded to the concerns. Todd Philips has asked viewers who intend to watch the movie do so with an “open mind.” In an article on IGN, Philips states, “The movie makes statements about a lack of love, childhood trauma, lack of compassion in the world. I think people can handle that message.” When asked if their movie could “fuel” someone toward wanting to commit a crime, Phoenix said, “I think if you have somebody that has that level of emotional disturbance, they can find fuel anywhere. I just don’t think that you can function that way.” Neither Philips nor Phoenix see this film any differently from any other film that deals with this subject matter, and believe that this movie can stir up conversations about the uncomfortable topics being showcased in the movie. Even with these statements from the studio, director, and lead actor, many people are still concerned about the film and how it could provoke violence.
Not long after concerns were raised, the U.S. Army began investigating the movie and potential threats toward movie theaters. According to an article on CNN, the Army sent out a memo about a potent threat toward a movie theater. The Army found discussion on the dark web about a possible violent threat toward an unidentified theater during the film’s release. The Fort Sill Criminal Investigation Command office stated, “At this point, we are not aware of any information indicating a specific, credible threat to a particular location or venue.” It should be known that authorities are not telling people to stay away from the film, but rather to stay alert and aware of their surroundings.
With the controversy and rumors of threats surrounding the movie, some theaters have begun to put bans on certain objects during screenings of Joker. In an article by The Washington Post, they report that Landmark Theaters have placed a ban on costumes, masks, painted faces, and toy guns. AMC theaters are allowing customers to dress in costumes, but they are not allowed to conceal their faces with anything, such as masks or face paint. Some theaters have even opted not to screen the film at all. To no surprise, one such theater is staying clear from screening the movie: the Century 16 theater where The Dark Knight Rises shooting took place.
It will be interesting to see how people respond to the film. Those planning on seeing Joker should remember to stay alert, be aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious activity.
(10/08/19 1:00pm)
by Katherine Simon
If there’s one thing video game enthusiasts can agree on, it’s that live-action film adaptations of video games are usually pretty bad.
While there are a few stand-out exceptions such as Detective Pikachu and the Ace Attorney movies, the bad examples vastly overshadow the few gems in the rough. Whether it be the hilariously awful Super Mario Bros. Movie or the 70 billion Resident Evil movies that keep getting made for some reason, video game movies are notorious for their low quality and complete disregard for what makes the source material work. With the infamous Sonic movie being on the horizon and a live action Monster Hunter movie that has nothing to do with the source material being in production, this trend does not seem to be dying anytime soon.
While we’re on this dark timeline, let’s take a moment to think about what it’d be like if Undertale got the Hollywood treatment. While Toby Fox has yet to sell out his critical darling to the hands of Hollywood yet, I’d like to take a moment to think about what kind of disaster a live-action adaptation would be like.
(10/04/19 4:40pm)
by Chris Hutton
For the average Ball State University student, income is essential. While the university does provide flexible job opportunities that work with your schedule, they rarely pay more than minimum wage and are capped at 20 hours per week. It’s hardly enough to make a living wage. Some students may seek out ways to make money without signing a contract or being restricted to the work schedule of another. Often, this leads to students seeking out side gigs to make extra cash. In our technologically-advanced world, companies like Uber, Postmates, and Lyft are providing that side gig, where they deliver food or people to their preferred destinations.
This is what economists now call ‘the Gig Economy,’ where individuals are treated more as contractors who perform select tasks, rather than employees who work some hours and get benefits. If you’ve ever heard or seen an ad from Postmates, Uber Eats, Instacart, or Grubhub, then you are seeing the gig economy in action. In fact, we’ve even seen it go solely online with Amazon Mechanical Turk, a service that will pay you low rates to perform menial tasks online.
These companies often advertise that you can make thousands of dollars a month with the right amount of work and a bit of luck. A recent ad from Instacart claims that you can make 2,000+ dollars if you only do 400 "batches” of orders. That sounds reasonable, right? Not exactly. These companies are often misleading in their sales pitches, not offering anywhere near the income that you hope they will.
(09/28/19 7:36pm)
by Matthew Yapp
(09/27/19 5:34pm)
by Emily Worrell
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the first season of 'The End of the F***ing World' season one.
When The End of the F***ing World first came out back in 2017, I was one of those people who watched the whole show in less than a week. I was also one of those people who stared at the TV screen for a good five minutes before sobbing uncontrollably at the ending. I naturally was one of those people who then binged it again, recommended it to every human being who would listen to me, and asked my high school teacher if I could write about it (they said no). But yeah, I was basically a The End of the F***ing World superfan from the minute it came out.
(09/26/19 9:00pm)
by Baylie Clevenger
(09/19/19 5:30pm)
by Blake Chapman
Hip-hop, when compared to other genres of music, is probably the most diverse and unique for multiple reasons. The culture and history of rap has been paved by visionaries from the Jamaican immigrants of the Bronx in the 1980s, to the polarizing gangsta rap movement of the 1990s by groups such as the N.W.A. Today, artists like Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole speak to the injustices that the African American community still face while crafting some of the greatest lyrical masterpieces of the 20th century. One of the most prominent differences that hip-hop experiences over other forms of music is production.
A single rock band could produce the vocals, instrumentals, and proper mixing necessary for a platinum record in house. Rappers, on the other hand, create music in a much more team-oriented atmosphere. Even though the growth of Soundcloud has given rise to much more independent artists, most major stars still surround themselves with audio engineers, studio technicians and most importantly; producers.
Much like a movie director, the music producer is tasked with making the major decisions when it comes to how a project will sound and how to achieve the best performance out of the artist. While that may be a generalization, the role of producer encompasses everything from song writing to financial management. With that in mind, it should not come as a surprise that many signature musical artisans choose to tag their songs with lyrics synonymous with their style.
(09/17/19 9:00pm)
by Baylie Clevenger
(09/13/19 5:15pm)
by Ben Sapet
(08/30/19 2:15pm)
About five minutes from Ball State’s campus, Minnetrista offers several exhibits, plays and programs for the Muncie community to participate in and enjoy. Here are the events Minnestrista will offer throughout September:
(08/29/19 6:57pm)
At Cornerstone Center for the Arts’ 3rd annual Community Arts Expo, the Muncie community can experience the power of creative expression. From 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, community members can visit more than 30 local art exhibitors, listen to live music and win door prizes.
(08/28/19 9:17pm)
by Baylie Clevenger
(08/27/19 4:00pm)
Editor's note: Miles from Muncie is a Ball State Daily News series profiling Ball State students and their study abroad programs. If you have any suggestions as to who we should feature next, send an email to features@bsudailynews.com.
(08/15/19 3:00pm)
It started with a high schooler caring for a child impacted by a disease. The high schooler, now a Ball State graduate, will be traveling abroad to help with research into the same disease.
(08/11/19 1:00pm)
by Blake Chapman
The Pokemon series is a very strange set of games. You play as a ten-year-old (or sometimes slightly older) boy or girl that willingly journeys into the forests, oceans and caves of an unfamiliar country discovering unnatural creatures. After battling said creature until their life force is weakened a substantial amount, you capture them in a small spherical object, train them in battles with other small mammalia and work your way throughout the world defeating other trainers and proving you “wanna be the very best”. Though this premise sounds pretty sinister when you do not take into account the vibrant colors, intricate R.P.G. gameplay and excellent music there are still plenty of strange encounters every player experiences. One of those creepy entries are the calls and cries that almost 800 Pokemon make when first finding them in the wild.
There are some though that dance the line between realistic and downright ridiculous more than any other.
(08/02/19 1:00pm)
by Blake Chapman
The fighting game community has become one of the most prolific in all of esports. Year after year thousands of combatants flock to tournaments and test their strength in the pursuit of both impressive monetary prize pools as well as global recognition. Every August the hopes and dreams of competitors and fans alike come to fruition in Las Vegas at the world’s largest fighting game event: Evolution (EVO). This year sees an impressive range of new titles for athletes to participate in including Super Smash Brothers Ultimate and Mortal Kombat 11. Returning stars of the show like Tekken 7 and Dragonball Fighterz are sure to make a substantial splash as well even when considering their relatively low entrant numbers.
As we head straight into the group stages let me give you a quick player guide and some useful predictions of who might be sitting on the main stage in top 8.
(07/29/19 8:00pm)
by Anthony Herring
Tuesday, July 2nd saw the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home, the whopping twenty-third installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film acts as the final film of the franchise’s Phase Three, and the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, which are the first three phases as a whole. In the film, Peter Parker and his classmates go on a trip to Europe, where Peter hopes to have a normal summer vacation after the climactic events of Avengers: Endgame. However, things quickly derail when Nick Fury and Maria Hill task Peter with working alongside Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio (an interdimensional warrior), in order to stop four Elemental creatures from destroying the planet.
As per the usual MCU standard, Far From Home has one mid-credits scene and one post-credits scene. Now, while the typical formula would be to have the mid-credits scene actually tease a future film and the post-credits scene played just for comedy, the ones present in Far From Home actually tease potential films while also using comedy.
Let’s start off with the mid-credits scene. Beginning shortly after Peter and his girlfriend MJ stopped web-swinging through the streets of New York City, they, along with numerous other people, find themselves watching a news report on a billboard. The report shows footage of Mysterio claiming that Peter—who had successfully defeated him in London at the end of the film—was actually the one attacking the city. The footage ends with Mysterio revealing that Peter is Spider-Man, with our hero comically about to swear as the credits roll.
Such a bombshell isn’t new to Peter Parker, as his identity being revealed to the world has happened in the comics, most notably during the 2006 Civil War event. During that, Peter willingly chose to reveal his identity, which had disastrous consequences for not only himself, but also his loved ones. That soon led to the infamous 2007 One More Day storyline, where Peter made a deal with a demon named Mephisto which allowed his identity to become a secret once more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wOxfJlBbSU
While it is impossible to go the Civil War route (as the storyline was already adapted into Captain America: Civil War back in 2016), and extremely unwise to go the One More Day route (Marvel fans would loathe this), it would be more practical to have this lead into the introduction of Kraven the Hunter in the next Spider-Man film. In the comics, Kraven is a hunter that seeks to track down and kill Spider-Man in order to prove that he is the greatest hunter in the world. For the MCU, the next film could have Peter be a fugitive on the run, with Kraven acting as a bounty hunter obsessed with finding him. Should the film want, it could potentially have a post-credits scene where it’s revealed that Kraven was hired by a major corporation—say Oscorp, an infamous company from the comics—which could help make things direr in Spider-Man’s future.
Now onto the post-credits scene. Fury and Hill are driving down an empty street, sitting in silence while listening to music. Things turn interesting when they transform into their real selves, the Skrulls known as Talos and Soren, respectively. (The alien couple was first introduced in the ‘Captain Marvel’ solo film, as refugees that were looking for a new home after the warlike Kree Empire destroyed their old one). Soren tells Talos that he needs to contact Fury and tell him about what happened with Peter and Mysterio, and after some light banter, the latter relents. The scene cuts to Fury, who received Talos’ message. In yet another reveal, Fury walks into the hangar bay of a large spaceship, visibly tired, and tells its inhabitants that there is work that needs to be done.
The biggest concept that this post-credit scene could potentially hint at is the establishment of SWORD (Sentient World Observation and Response Department). In the comics, SWORD is an intelligence agency dedicated to protecting the Earth from alien threats. Due to this, the organization essentially acts as the interplanetary version of SHIELD (Strategic Homeland, Intervention, and Logistics Division), which dealt with more Earth-based problems. Since Nick Fury is at the forefront of his potential development, it is possible that he could be developing SWORD as not only a replacement for SHIELD (which is effectively defunct at this point within the MCU), but also as a way to create a new team of heroes to defend the Earth (the Avengers are also defunct at this point).
If this happens, it is possible that Captain Marvel might be the leader of this new team, as she has spent the past several decades in space, protecting planets that have been affected by the Kree-Skrull War. Not only that, but her friendship with Fury may also aid matters as well. Last but not least, the inclusion of SWORD within the MCU can help introduce a plethora of space-based characters into the universe, such as Richard Rider (a hero that calls himself Nova), and Galactus (a gigantic, planet-devouring alien).
It was hard to picture Spider-Man: Far From Home having such important post-credits scenes, especially since this is on a much smaller scale when compared to Avengers: Endgame. Alas, here we are, with two scenes that could push the Marvel Cinematic Universe into new and fascinating directions.