Agree to Disagree: Godzilla vs. Kong
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OK and Graham break down Microsoft's recent slew of buying up other companies, and their possible purchasing of Discord.Checkpoint is Byte's video news series, reporting on recent events in the world of entertainment, tech, and pop culture. Whether its video games, film, television, or music, we've got you covered!Anchors: OK Schlatter, Graham HardingExecutive Producer: Aaron DwyerVideo Editing: Mason KupianenAudio Editing: Shwetha SundarrajanGraphics: Taylor SheridanMusic: Jack McGinnis
Ball State Esports recently opened their new competition and broadcast facility in the Robert Bell building. Take a look around as Director of Esports Dan Marino shows Blake Chapman what new technology can be found inside and how it will be utilized by athletes and students in the future. Producer: Blake ChapmanCamera: Jacob HaleVideo Editor: Blake Chapman
Welcome back to another minisode of Remixed! In this episode, join Sam as he discusses the controversy surrounding Lil Nas X's new single, MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) and Sam's thoughts on it! Tune in as we discuss all this and more on this week's minisode!
Ball State Daily · Remixed Minisode: Lil Nas X stirs up controversy Welcome back to another minisode of Remixed! In this episode, join Sam as he discusses the controversy surrounding Lil Nas X's new single, MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) and Sam's thoughts on it! Tune in as we discuss all this and more on this week's minisode! Hosts: Sam Shipe Edited by: Sam Shipe Graphic by: Emily Hanes
by Kellyn HarrisonDespite the alarming number of assignments congregating on my to-do list and the mountains of textbooks piled on the desk in my tiny dorm room, I scrolled through Tik Tok. I did this because it is the only thing that drags me from the pull of schoolwork and gives me a break from the pressures of being a sophomore in college. Most of my feed includes memes and music, so I am used to people on the platform recommending me new music. But it was the dreamy and up-beat sound used as a dramatic parallel to the heavy references including systematic racism and generational trauma that drew me to Rina Sawayama. I immediately searched for her music and have been listening to her self-titled debut album since then. In fact, I am listening to it now as I fiercely type at the very desk I should be finishing homework at. Instead, I need to share with the world how groundbreaking Sawayama is, so her music can be spread and appreciated as the piece of art it is.
Welcome back to another episode of Byte's news podcast, "Wrapped Up"! In this episode, Kellyn Harrison reports on E3's return after a year of COVID, Jimmy Fallon's AmongUs charity stream, and what to expect for Record Store Day 2021. But that's not it! Listen in on the latest news regarding Twitch's new misconduct policy and the U.S's stance on the 2022 Beijing Olympics!
Welcome back to another episode of Byte's news podcast, "Wrapped Up"! In this episode, Kellyn Harrison reports on E3's return after a year of COVID, Jimmy Fallon's AmongUs charity stream, and what to expect for Record Store Day 2021. But that's not it! Listen in on the latest news regarding Twitch's new misconduct policy and the U.S's stance on the 2022 Beijing Olympics!Host: Kellyn Harrison
By Conner Tighe Artist AJ Mitchell dropped his next teaser for his upcoming album Skyview, a music project inspired by the Skyview Drive-In in his hometown Belleville, IL. “STOP” is relatively similar to “Camera’s On” in vocals and presentation; however, the message is on the opposite end of the spectrum. The latest single takes the spotlight away from Mitchell’s inner struggles and taps into his personal desires. However, despite the amazing quality of his recent music, his tracks are beginning to blend together as fans— myself included— impatiently wait for Skyview. This album is something the artist has been discussing with the media since 2019. Mitchell’s latest single is electric, fun, and solidifies the young artist’s rise to pop stardom. Taking place after his previous single “Camera’s On,” “STOP” continues Mitchell’s story of fame, this time focusing on his passions and inspirations.
By Mason Kupiainen Melissa McCarthy’s career feels like it is going down the same path as Adam Sandler’s. She started with a few gems, including Bridesmaids and Spy. Then—for some reason—she started appearing in awful projects like The Happytime Murders, Ghostbusters, and The Kitchen. One aspect that has made many of her films bad has been her performances. Like Sandler, McCarthy has taken on the shtick of being the loud, obnoxious, annoying, and idiotic character. It worked in Spy, but that type of character hasn’t worked for her in any of her other comedies. McCarthy’s latest comedy brings her gimmick to the superhero genre in what might be labeled her worst performance and film yet. Thunder Force takes place in a world with superpowered individuals. When Emily (Octavia Spencer) creates a treatment that gives ordinary people superpowers, Lydia (Melissa McCarthy) accidentally gets injected and develops super strength. Lydia’s friend, Emily, starts the treatment as well, developing the power of invisibility, and the two must team up to stop a dangerous villain. Although the Thunder Force trailer wasn’t promising, having Spencer as one of the leads was promising since she generally picks great projects. However, Thunder Force turned out to be worse than it appeared. A comedy without humor The main priority of any comedy should be to make the audience laugh. Unlikable characters, a horrible story, and cringy dialogue can be forgiven if the movie can make you laugh. McCarthy has proven herself to be a great comedic actress in Bridesmaids and Spy, but the comedy here goes for the low-brow, uncomfortable, and cringy humor. The humor switches from McCarthy’s usual screaming and obnoxious comedy style to drawing out what should have been a quick joke into a full scene of focusing on one joke. For example, there’s a scene where McCarthy makes a joke about Steve Urkel, which then gets drawn out into a scene where no one understands the joke and her imitating Urkel. The same thing is done a little bit later with a joke about Jodie Foster. The humor was more uncomfortable to watch than it was funny. Almost all the characters are unlikeable in the film. With the exception of Emily’s daughter, Tracy, who was the most level-headed of all the characters; everyone else is too annoying to like. McCarthy basically plays herself: the screaming and wailing, over-the-top unpleasant person. She has given some awful performances in films like Tammy and The Boss, but her character is too obnoxious and annoying to care about. The film even has two great actors, Spencer and Jason Bateman, and still isn’t able to have any likable characters. Spencer’s performance is poor, and her character lacks any substance. Although the film takes place in a world with superheroes, Bateman’s character felt odd within the film as his character has crab claws for arms. It didn’t add any humor to the film and didn’t fit within the world they set up. Spotty action The action in the movie is a mixed bag. Some action sequences were terrible, while other scenes were well-handled and entertaining. The final fight of the film is thrilling for the most part and has some great moments. It takes place within an office building, and they’re able to integrate their surroundings into the fight. Some of the other action scenes try to add awful humor into them by making jokes throughout the fights. During these sequences, the humor throws the scene off and makes what could have been thrilling action into a mess of a scene. A great element of many superhero films is the villain. Characters like the Joker, Thanos, Mr. Glass, and Loki have helped improve their films. The villain in Thunder Force, The King, doesn’t have any of the elements that made villains like those great. He was your typical, run-of-the-mill villain who doesn’t have any depth and comes off as simply an evil villain who must be stopped. From a filmmaking aspect, this movie doesn’t provide anything worthwhile. There weren’t any creative shots or scenes that were well handled. It all felt fundamental and cookie-cutter. Nothing ever felt intentional or the director trying to make a creative decision but rather felt like an average person trying to make a movie. Having some creative work behind the camera could have made some scenes more interesting; instead, you’re left with every scene feeling lifeless. Sources: YouTube Images: Den of Geek, Chicago Tribune Featured Image: TV Insider
Warning: This review may contain spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of "My Hero Academia"
By Kellyn Harrison Warning: This review may contain spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of "My Hero Academia" After the last heart-skipping episode, many My Hero Academia fans were left vying for answers despite the number of questions addressed, alongside the huge presence of character and plot development the creators granted us. The resulting Pandora’s box is why this slightly easy-going episode might have been a blessing for the fans’ headspaces. Plus, it finally gave us the Class A and B combat training episode viewers were expecting to watch when the season's cover art dropped. It was apparent by the stark blue-red color differences and all the hero course students being featured that there would be some sort of clash between the two classes. We were just waiting for the episode/scene to happen. Fans who are not caught up on the manga likely only questioned why Hitoshi Shinso, the brainwashing quirk user, was featured on the art since he was considered a general studies student when we last saw him square off against Deku at the UA’s annual sports festival in season two. “You Are Not Alone” In the previous episode, we were left dangling with another cliffhanger, but Deku’s broken window was the farthest thing from our minds when it came to why he held the memories of the first One For All user, All For One, and the other One For All wielders. Not only that, but why Deku was able to speak directly with the first One For All user, unlike All Might, who received similar interactions from the vestiges. We weren’t given much beyond this information when Deku talked to All Might about the dream, but fans can only assume that this situation will be one of the main plot points developed in this season, alongside many others. While this long list of plot points may seem overwhelming, it isn’t. The story web works cohesively, and as we see later in the episode, when Shinso is introduced again, it only brings the storyline together. The last time Deku squared off against Shinso at the sports festival, Deku saw the vestiges under Shinso’s brainwashing and thought they forced him out from under his control by activating One For All, similar to Deku breaking his window. Therefore, Deku contemplates whether there is a correlation between Shinso and the visions, and feels drawn to him. This connection only strengthens the purpose behind Shinso’s introduction among the many other reasons, as we will get into later, and furthers Deku's character development by pushing him farther along in his quest to master One For All. Other than the beautiful story building, the visuals in this scene were breathtaking. As I have stated before, amazing visuals in My Hero Academia are a given. It wouldn’t be MHA if there weren’t at least several breathtaking visuals throughout. Especially when paired with seat-gripping or tear-jerking scenes, but this scene was something else. There aren’t many times where the viewer can just appreciate the art without action being thrown in and distracting the viewer from the design’s essence. But, when there are scenes without distractions, the impact is groundbreaking. There is only one other time where I have been awed senseless just from the art, and that was when Deku and All Might fist-bumped in the woods during season four. But what caught my attention this time, was the sheer magnitude within the shot of Deku standing outside contemplating his dream in the early morning light for several long seconds. The creators knew what they were doing, and they did it beautifully. At that moment, Deku was no longer the little boy All Might plucked off the side of the road. That was Deku, the young adult with the weight of the world on his shoulders and taking a break to process it all. Absolutely gorgeous and eye-opening. Never judge a book by its cover When I saw this season’s cover art and title sequence, I wasn't surprised to see Shinso shown because I knew the creators foreshadowed his return during the sports festival when his general studies classmates praised him for his fight with Deku. The fight gave them hope that they too, could be heroes. That in itself told me Shinso would fight to become a hero, especially when his quirk is constantly labeled as a villain type. However, I was surprised by his introduction into the show because I thought someone already enrolled would have to vacate to join a class. At least, that is what the anime established at the beginning of season two. However, the show kind of just welcomes him into the hero course, without giving him a seat in a specific class. I honestly prefer this change because the manga’s portrayal of Deku’s character development is getting to me right now. But, I have been waiting for Shinso’s introduction because we see Class 1-A’s homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa, (Hero name: Eraserhead), take the student under his wing. This budding relationship is exciting because Aizawa has always seemed like a distant father figure for the students, limiting his appearance of concern. Now, with Eri (a small girl rescued in season four) and Shinso growing under Aizawa’s guidance and the teacher driving Shoto Todoroki to see his family in the previous episode, we see the teacher warm up more to the students. This dynamic is a nice parallel to All Might and Deku’s relationship, which this episode pokes at, especially when we see how Shinso’s and Deku’s costumes reflect their teachers’; Deku with the ears and smiling mask, and Shinso with the scarf. Going forward, I am curious to see how Shinso’s character develops because he has always seemed distant, like his teacher. At the beginning of the training episode, the student tells the others that he does not plan on being their friends; he only wants to work hard and grow beyond their level as heroes. It’s an interesting parallel to Todoroki’s stance on the hero course at the beginning of the show. But, soon after, Deku thawed the ice and warmed the youngest Todoroki’s attitude. (Pun intended) So, I am expecting the same for Shinso, especially when he goes head-to-head with Deku again in these next episodes. Joint training While this training arc is primarily focused on Shinso’s growth, some aspects of the event’s introduction pertaining to structure and class hierarchy need highlighting. At the beginning of the exercise, we see the students show off/examine each other’s costumes because the setting has shifted into winter. While this lowkey worked as a timestamp for the show, the placement of the interaction was confusing. For how long the show has been running for, fans can forget just how much time has passed. However, why were the students showing off their costumes now instead of in the first episode when they had the prime opportunity to? The premiere episode was a review of the student’s abilities, so reviewing their costumes at the same time would have been seamless. It felt a little out of place, but I did enjoy hearing about the developments in their costumes, so I knew their advantages before going into the exercise. Despite this, I loved the joint training arc because, as the copy quirk user, Neito Monoma, from Class 1-B points out, his class is seen as less competent than its counterpart. The class is always seen as less talented than Class 1-A, who are put on a pedestal, and I am curious to see how each fair in the exercise. As All Might said, Class 1-A has gotten more field experience, but Class 1-B has been studying the curriculum and training one-on-one with each other. Therefore, they are more aware of each other’s quirks and abilities. Overall this episode was a great transition between the heaviness in the previous episode and the intense action predicted for the next. We received a little more information on Deku’s quirk development, saw Shinso again after so long, experienced breathtaking visuals, and finally got a taste of the joint training arc creators have been teasing. Viewers received a breather and are now ready to take on the next episode. Sources: Byte Images: IMDB, Fandom, Fandom Featured Image: Crunchyroll
By Conner Tighe When Taylor Swift rereleased her classic “Love Story” back in February, you best believe I was hyped. It was a teaser for her latest reimagined vision of her 2008 Fearless. I only now realized the crooked business war behind the album, but the announcement was something fresh and new she hadn’t done yet. We hadn’t heard country from Swift in years. The artist added an additional 13 tracks to her 2021 version making it her longest tracklist to date. You may find yourself accidentally listening to it for a number of hours like I did. Long story short, it’s worth the listen, let alone the purchase, if you have the cash. Swift has come a long way after moving from Pennsylvania to Nashville at just 10-years-old. With inspirations from female country icons like Shania Twain and Faith Hill, who sang about faith and womanhood independence, the young artist pursued her interest in country, releasing her first album Taylor Swift in 2006. If you listen closely, Swift continues to keep those themes with some of her tracks. The 2006 album was the first of a string of troubles to come with previous label, Big Machine Records. Her latest album Fearless (Taylor’s Version), is her tenth album, and it is her best since 2019s Lover. Ten years can make a difference for anyone, but try 13 years. After an ongoing battle with previous music manager, Scooter Braun, Swift decided to revamp her musical roots after Braun sold six of Swift’s albums for more than $300 million last year. This event came after Braun bought Big Machine Records. Since he was then in charge of Swift’s music future, he limited the artist on what she could and couldn’t perform. The founder of the company, Scott Borchetta, offered Swift a new label, but the artist took matters into her own hands singing onto Universal Music. “Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it,” the singer said in a 2019 Tumblr post. Well, no more. 2021’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is a direct act of defiance toward Braun, and honestly, she’s better off because of it. Her independence as both a female artist and an artist of free will makes me love her even more. Swift advocated for artists having the right to own their own work tweeting on Feb. 11. Astounding tracklist I would be tone-deaf if I said the tracklist was overdone or not worthy of a listen. Fearless 13 years later continues to be heartfelt, even more so now with the history. I did not expect a 26-track filled album, as many of her albums range from 15-17 tracks per album, yet here we are. Swift combines past hits like 2008s “Fearless,” “White Horse,” and “You Belong With Me” and new tracks with her own spin on the classic guitar and love ballads. The album is a return to her teen angst years of high school, love gone wrong, and early days in the country music world. We used to watch the sun go down/On the boats in the water/That's sorta how I feel right now/And Goodbye's so much harder/'Cause we were happy Unlike Folklore and Evermore, Swift manages to carefully balance tear shedders with upbeat feminist vibes. Old collaborations like Colbie Caillat’s “Breathe” return, but its revamped version brings additional voices from Maren Morris (“You All Over Me”), and Keith Urban (“That’s When”). I enjoyed the collaborations as they were a breath of fresh air from her usual pop aesthetic. I only wish there were more country collaborations. Not only was the album a wave toward Braun, but was a heartwarming reminder of her musical past. Swift has always been one for not needing a man in her life, but as she does, the singer sneaks in tracks like “Jump Then Fall (Taylor’s Version)” and “Don’t You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” to provide reassurance that the artist is not entirely lost. Swift has been dating actor Joe Alwyn for four years and shows no signs of creating a breakup hit as she has kept her relationship out of the spotlight. Original vs. Taylor’s Version Swift came for first place when she delivered those additional 13 tracks. I found her original 13 tracks (Taylor’s Version tracks) to be better in presentation compared to new tracks (From the Vault). It’s difficult to pinpoint why but lately the artist has delved more into melancholy, slow-paced tracks which can deliver amazingly at times. Particularly “We Were Happy” sticks out as one of her best slower-sounding tracks on the list. I guess I have a special place in my heart for the young, country singer many of us were introduced to so many years ago. But don’t let this discourage you. Swift can still sing some country. I was a dreamer before you went and let me down/Now it's too late for you and your white horse/To come around Swift’s versions of past tracks like “White Horse,” “Hey Stephen,” and others sound nearly identical to her 2008 releases, but perhaps that’s the point. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is exactly that, Taylor’s version. In that regard, the revamped versions neither sink nor help her past releases climb in progression. Top tracks: Fearless (Taylor’s Version) Fifteen (Taylor’s Version) White Horse (Taylor’s Version) Recommended if you like: Harry Styles Shawn Mendes Maren Morris Sources: Byte, TaylorSwift.com, Time, Fandom, Rolling Stone, Page Six, The New York Times, The New York Times, New York Post, Twitter, Insider Featured Image: Genius
By Conner Tighe Actor and artist Darren Criss released his latest music piece, “F*KN Around,” which centers on Criss’s days as a young wannabe star. I originally thought the piece was a larger project, and it turns out it is. But it would not be in an album but a start for more music, which is yet to come. Diverging from his other works like EPs Human and Homework, “F*KN Around” comes with a comedic, fun vibe that makes the singer sound like a half rock star and half pop star. Criss grew up in California, mainly doing theater work for Team StarKid. He was always into the music scene, playing alongside his older brother Chuck. The two never went into full stardom until 2017, when they released EP Lost Boys Life under the name Computer Games. Perhaps what Criss is most well known for is his time in the spotlight as character Blaine Anderson on Fox’s Glee, which lasted for six seasons. He was one of the first openly gay characters on the show, an act completely different from Criss’s real life as he married his wife Mia Swier in 2019. He’s continued working for shows under Ryan Murphy’s handling, like American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace and Hollywood.
By Blake Chapman
By Blake ChapmanEarl Simmons, aka “Dark Man X” or “DMX,” has died at the age of 50 after suffering “catastrophic cardiac arrest” according to a statement from his family.The Yonkers-born recording artist, famous for songs like “X Gon’ Give It to Ya,” “Ruff Ryder’s Anthem,” and “Where The Hood At,'' was rushed to White Plains Hospital in New York early April after suffering a heart attack following a potential overdose, which remains unconfirmed. Soon thereafter, he was reported to be in critical condition and placed on life support.News of DMX’s condition was met with support from all around the music industry including artists like Missy Elliot, Rick Ross, and Chance the Rapper. In a statement to TMZ, a representative for Simmons said, “the overwhelming outpouring of heartfelt love, encouragement, support and prayers for Earl. Earl is someone whose life and music have been a source of inspiration and strength to so many people around the world. It is reassuring to see his fans return that same passion and energy to him during his time of need."https://twitter.com/chancetherapper/status/1378412368393277444?s=20Along with a lengthy discography and filmography including three Grammy Award nominations and 19 movie roles, Simmons' legal issues and health issues have also been numerous. He spoke openly of his crack cocaine addiction in the past, and claimed he suffered from asthma and bipolar disorder. Over the course of his career, he racked up multiple arrests for reckless driving, animal cruelty, and drug possession. In July 2017, he was charged with 14 federal counts of tax fraud for failing to file income tax returns between 2010 and 2015.He is survived by his 15 children, mother, and fiancé Desiree Lindstrom.
by Mason KupiainenDuring its seven-season run, Sons of Anarchy became one of, if not the most, successful series on FX, gaining a massive following along the way. With the popularity of the show, it is no surprise that a spin-off series, Mayans M.C., was put into development. Season three recently premiered on FX, however, the original creator of the Sons of Anarchy universe, Kurt Sutter, was fired after Disney took over the brand. Before his departure, Sutter had other projects in the works that now possibly won’t come into fruition. Sutter has mentioned in the past that he envisioned the SOA mythology to revolve around four shows. Two of the shows have happened with Sons of Anarchy and Mayans M.C., but the future of the remaining two is up in the air. Beyond television, there have been books that were in the works as well that would help flesh out the world of SAMCRO.
Blake and OK break down China's new campaign of showing and celebrating propaganda films.Checkpoint is Byte's video news series, reporting on recent events in the world of entertainment, tech, and pop culture. Whether its video games, film, television, or music, we've got you covered!Anchors: Blake Chapman, OK Schlatter Executive Producer: Aaron DwyerVideo Editing: Blake Chapman Audio Editing: Shwetha SundarrajanGraphics: Taylor SheridanMusic: Jack McGinnis