Mount Hood

“In the Aeroplane Over the Sea:” 17 Years Later

By DECLAN HERTEL
 Staff Writer

Everyone has a piece of art that speaks to them like no other, and for many people, that work is their favorite music album. There are few more potent ways to learn about who someone is at heart than to listen to their favorite album. Just by knowing that a piece of music speaks to them on some deeper level allows you to connect to them through the music.

This week marks 17 years since the release of my favorite album, Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea,” released Feb. 10, 1998. It is everything I love about music, and one of only two albums to ever make me tear up (the other being Cage the Elephant’s “Melophobia”). It is heartbreaking, scary, beautiful, and strange.

And I believe it to be perfect.

The album can best be summed up as “absolutely fearless.” Jeff Mangum, the reclusive genius behind the band, clearly just did not give a damn if anyone liked the record, electing to be completely honest and let the work speak for itself.

All the songs carry an urgency of spirit, a sense that he had to get these words and melodies out of his body right now lest he collapse in on himself. His voice cracks and wails, his lyrics are nigh impenetrable on the first listen, and the songs are musically simple with no frills and a lot of lowfi energy. The drums blast, the bass is fuzzed within an inch of its life, and the guitar tracks clip all over the place.

One gets the sense that when songs like the raucous “Holland, 1945,” the band purposefully pushed their equipment right up to the breaking point.

The songs themselves are simple and unpretentious, using simple chords and melodies with unbridled passion and energy. All the musicians on the record are self-taught, including some who learned instruments specifically for recording this record, and this dedication is apparent all through the album.

Upon deeper listening, one finds the method to all the madness: the record is a concept album about plant-like people, a two-headed fetus in a jar, Mangum’s own life, and Anne Frank.

It expresses the rage, hope, loneliness, despair, sexuality, sensitivity, fear,
and love of these strange characters as their worlds change and go up in flames around them.

The whole album lays out an atmosphere of darkness, but within that darkness there is hope for these doomed misfits that they might find love and comfort in their unique existence.

There is apprehension about the future, but because of this uncertainty, we must now “lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see,” as Mangum sings on the title track.

“Aeroplane” speaks to me like no other record ever made. It would be impossible for me to articulate exactly why that is, so I’ll settle for this: please seek this record out. Even 17 years after its release, I could not possibly give “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” a high enough recommendation.

Game night: table-top games with huge replay value

By NATHANIEL DUNAWAY
 Entertainment Editor

My friends and I have taken up to playing games.

Right now, you might be imagining kickball or “Grand Theft Auto”; however — while those are both awesome — the games we’ve been playing aren’t at home outside or on the TV, but instead on the tabletop (or the carpet).

Game night has become a weekly tradition at my house, and in case you’re considering making it a tradition at yours, here’s a quick rundown of some of the best board and card games my roommates, friends, and I keep returning to every weekend. All of these games are best played with 2-6 players.

“Once Upon a Time”

My only disclaimer for this card game is this: it’s not for everyone. Or maybe a better way to put it is that not everyone is for this game. The entire focus of “Once Upon a Time” is on storytelling.

Players have a hand of cards with fairy tale elements such as “Princess,” “Dragon” and “Dungeon.” These are called Story Cards. The game begins as one player, the Storyteller, who begins telling a story, utilizing their cards to
further the plot, guiding it to their specific Ending Card.

The other players can use Interrupt Cards to become the new Storyteller. The first player to play all their Story Cards and reach their ending wins. It may sound complicated, but you get the hang of it quickly. The more creative and inventive the players are, the better. The stories created during this game can be hilarious and exciting, and you’ll find yourself wanting to write some of them down.

“Clue Mysteries” *

If I have any complaints about the game “Clue,” it’s that games don’t last nearly
long enough. If you agree with that sentiment, and also worry that “Clue” isn’t complicated or convoluted enough, then “Clue Mysteries” is the board game for you.

Taking the mystery-solving theme of “Clue” and expanding it from a single crime in a single house to 50 individual crimes in a whole town full
of suspects, “Clue Mysteries” has a terrific amount of replay value. The gathering of clues involves getting statements from characters (many of them new, although the usual suspects are still present), cracking codes, and traveling all across town to catch a criminal.

While the classic murder weapons are unfortunately absent, the game makes up for it with cool detective tools such as a magnifying glass, mirror, and key.

“Fluxx” *

Another card game and one of the wildest, most wonderfully unpredictable games
I’ve ever played. In “Fluxx,” the rules are determined by the cards in your hand, and they’re always changing.

Complete aspects of the game can be changed with a single card, such as how many cards can be drawn, how many or what cards can be played, and what it takes to win. Games can last five minutes or they can last an hour.

There are dozens of versions, ranging from “Cartoon Network Fluxx” to “Cthulhu
Fluxx” and “Monty Python Fluxx.” Every play-through is different, making “Fluxx” endlessly enjoyable.

Board and card games are fun; that’s kind of the whole point. And while some are
more fun than others (I’m not a huge fan of “Settlers of Catan,” but it’s a popular one you should also check out), try to be open to whatever games come your way. You’ll find the ones that stick.

Tabletop games may not be as popular as sports or video games, but they can be just as much — if not more — fun.

*Shout out to Sarah Cotter for recommending these games.

International Championship of Collegiate A Capella

Western’s all female group competes in their first ICCA quarterfinal.
Western’s all female group competes in their first ICCA quarterfinal.
15 Miles West reference to their University of Oregon competitors On the Rocks during their performance. The group placed third in the ICCA quarterfinals. PHOTOS BY NEIL GRAVATT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
15 Miles West reference to their University of Oregon competitors On the Rocks during their performance. The group placed third in the ICCA quarterfinals. PHOTOS BY NEIL GRAVATT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
By STEPHANIE BLAIR
 Staff Writer

An array of pink, purple and blue streams of light are splashed across the stage and overhead the house lights bathe the audience in a soft yellow as they wait for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Quarterfinals to begin.

It is Jan. 31, 2015 at the Rolling Hills Community Church in Tualatin, Ore., and this is the first and last competition of the season for Western’s two a cappella
groups: the powerhouse, all-male group, 15 Miles West and the freshfaced, all-female group, Suspended.

Across the room, friends, family and a cappella fanatics alike, have come from all over the state to watch as tonight’s performers compete for the top two spots, which will continue on the semi-finals in March. This means that for eight of the ten groups here their competitive season ends tonight.

The lights go down and Courtney Jensen, Brigham Young University alumna and vocal percussionist of the Backbeats (the Sing Off season two competitors), climbs the stage and begins the night, announcing herself as the MC for the evening. The first group to perform is Suspended.

They take the stage in Western’s school colors, wearing a mixture of black, red and white — each in their personal style — and form a triangle, with junior Meghann Thilberg standing at the front. The women start us off with the ‘90s classic “Zombie” by the Cranberries, which bleeds into their rendition of “Where is the Love?” by the Black Eyed Peas, in which first year Jennifer Lindley dominates the piece with her fluid ability to rap.

The piece comes to an end and the audience is treated to two arrangements:
Florence and the Machine’s “Shake It Out” and Fall Out Boy’s “Centuries”– the hit single off of their new album “American Beauty/American Psycho.”

This final number was the biggest crowd-pleaser of the set, with lead vocals
sung by first year Lauren Hebing, whose older brother, senior Max Hebing, would sing the first number of 15 Miles West’s set.

In contrast to Suspended’s organized and ordered walk to the stage, 15 Miles West runs and yells, climbing the stage to the sounds of Western fans shouting out their names in anticipation of the performance to come.

The entirety of the set was composed of mashups, arranged by senior Jake
Yoakum, including songs by Beyoncé, George Michael, and an original section
calling out the all-male groups from University of Oregon (On the Rocks) and Oregon State University (Outspoken), which riled up the crowd even further.

“15 Miles West, to me, had the most fun on stage,” said 15 Miles West choreographer Michael Johnston. “The audience was having fun watching them
perform.”

Of the whole night, 15 was definitely the biggest crowd pleaser, receiving the most laughs and engaged applause during their performance.

The choreography in particular, courtesy of Johnston, stirred the audience up instantly. The surprise of men twerking, swaying their hips, and doing hair flips to Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” was overwhelming for the audience.

“15 Miles West blew the house down,” Jensen said. “I’ve never seen boys move like that — in a good way.”

However, despite incredible performances from both Western groups, neither will be advancing to the semi-finals at Paloma College in March. 15 Miles West placed third, behind University of Oregon’s two a cappella groups, Mind the Gap and On the Rocks, who took first and second, respectively.

“You obviously always want to finish first, but sometimes things don’t go your way,” said senior Grant Harris. “We learned a lot from the experience.”

“We just wanted to show people how much fun we have singing and performing,” member David Takano said. “And if you were there, you could tell that the crowd really enjoyed our set.”

Suspended, on the other hand, did not place but were pleased to compete in their first ICCAs.

“It was more for the experience and to meet people from other groups,” said first year Brianna Williford. Sydney Culpepper said, “The experience of competing and meeting other a cappella groups was great, and we’re already looking forward to next year.” The season is over, but these vocalists are not finished yet.

“Right now we are working with Digital Production Services and Dr. Dirk Freymuth on campus to produce Western’s first official music video,” Harris said. “It will be all a cappella and made to promote [15 Miles West] as well as the school.”

Harris also hinted at spring auditions being held for the men’s group in the next few months, as 15 will continue to perform at events around campus for the remainder of the year.

Auditions for both groups will be held again in the fall. For more information,
each group can be contacted through email at 15mileswest@gmail.com and suspended.acapella@gmail.com.

For more information regarding the ICCAs, visit varsityvocals.com

Student-directed Play “None of the Above”

PHOTO FROM SCOTT GRIM
PHOTO FROM SCOTT GRIM
By NATHANIEL DUNAWAY
 Entertainment Editor

Directed by Bachelor of Arts theatre major Dani Potter, “None of the Above,” a play by Jenny Lyn Bader, opened this weekend and will run for a total of four performances.

Starring Bachelor of Fine Arts actors Rosie Peterson and Nicholas Kintz, “None of
the Above” is a comedy about Jamie (played by Peterson), a rich New York City private school student, and her SAT tutor Clark (played by Kintz).

Throughout the play, the two are at odds over their respective priorities, and importance of the SATs.

Jamie is a part-time drug dealer with distant parents, and Clark is a geeky graduate student who counts all the words in the sentences Jamie says.

In order to be chosen to direct this year’s studio play, Potter was required to take both directing classes on campus, as well as direct a 10-minute play and a one-act play for last year’s one-act festival.

“Then it was a waiting game,” Potter said. “The powers-that-be met and talked
about all of the work I had done and how they felt my productions went. Then [I was told] at the end of spring term 2014 that I was chosen to direct the studio show.”

Peterson and Kintz were cast back in December, with rehearsals beginning at the start of winter term. Potter said that she’s had this show picked out since last July, and was notified of its approval the following month.

“Directing ‘None of the Above’ has been an experience I will never take for granted,” Potter said. “It has taught me so much about myself, about people, and about how important art is for the educational process.”

“None of the Above” will continue its run Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Feb. 7 as well.

Performances are in the Studio Black Box theatre of Rice Auditorium. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 seniors, $7 students and Western students can get in free with student ID.

Tickets can be purchased at the Rice Auditorium box office by calling 503-838-8462. Box office hours are Monday-Friday 12:30-4:30 p.m.; it will also be open an hour before each performance.

“Breaking Bad” spin-off “Better Call Saul” to premiere this weekend

By NATHANIEL DUNAWAY
 Entertainment Editor

Television spinoffs get a bad rap. And when you look at shows like “Joey,” “AfterMASH” and “Saved by the Bell: The College Years,” it’s not exactly hard to see why. Sometimes companion shows just don’t work.

This concern was the first to pop into many a viewer’s mind when it was announced last year that “Breaking Bad,” one of the most critically-acclaimed and audience-adored television dramas of all time, would be getting a spinoff.

But for every “Buddies” (spun off from “Home Improvement”), there is a “Frasier” (spun off from “Cheers”) and for every “Joanie Loves Chachi” (spun off from “Happy
Days”) there is an “Angel” (spun off from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).

For my money, “Better Call Saul,” the “Breaking Bad” spinoff focusing on the early years of sleazy criminal lawyer Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk) will certainly fall into the same realm those latter examples reside in.

We first met Saul in season two of “Breaking Bad,” when he became the full-time attorney of chemistryteacher-turned-drug-lord Walter White.

Throughout the series, Saul used his wits, charm, and legal know-how to keep Walt and his partner Jesse out of jail (or worse, the morgue or a ditch in the desert).

“Better Call Saul,” produced and co-written by “Breaking Bad” showrunner Vince Gilligan, takes place five years before Walter White’srise to power, when Saul was still known as James McGill, a struggling, unknown defense attorney.

In addition to Odenkirk reprising his role as Saul, actor Jonathan Banks will return to play fan-favorite hitman and fixer Mike Ehermantraut in the prequel series.

So will “Better Call Saul” find itself among the ranks of the great spinoffs like “The Legend of Korra” (spun off from “Avatar: the Last Airbender”) and “The Simpsons” (spun off from “The Tracey Ullman Show”)? With much of the same talent that made “Breaking Bad” great returning, I’d say it’s a safe bet.

“Better Call Saul” premieres Sunday, Feb. 8 on AMC, right after the mid-season premiere of “The Walking Dead.

WOU A Capella Groups Prep for NW Quarter Finals

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Photos by Neil Gravatt

Western’s very own a cappella groups, 15 Miles West (below) and Suspended (above) at their dress rehearsal on Jan. 28, will be competing in the Northwest Quarter Finals of the Inter-Collegiate Competition of A Capella (ICCAs) on Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Rolling Hills Community Church in Tualatin. This will be Suspended’s first time competing at the ICCAs, while 15 Miles West has taken top-two since 2013 and, in fact, tied with the University of Oregon’s all male a cappella group On the Rocks last year. The a cappella faculty adviser, Dr. Dirk Freymuth, said performing in a larger performance space (rather than Smith Hall) will only enhance their performances.

Science, storytelling and sock-puppets

By Nathaniel Dunaway
 Entertainment Editor

“Portal. noun: a door, gate or entrance. A way in. Any entrance or access to a place.”

This is the definition provided by Portal Theatre’s website, and it helps to paint an accurate portrait
of the mission statement this small, Portland-based theatre company strives to uphold.

Portal Theatre wants to take you somewhere.

Created by Western associate professor of theatre Michael Phillips, Portal Theatre is a devised theatre company, meaning that their scripts are not the work of a playwright, but instead are created through the collaboration and experimentation of its members.

Last summer, the company took their very first show “No Belles” to Scotland to perform at the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

“It’s daunting to take your first show to the biggest festival in the world,” said Phillips, “where
you’re competing with 3,200 other shows for audience and press.

But, we were in a great venue … [and] we managed to get five press reviews. To put that in perspective, many shows go the entire festival without a single review.”

All of the reviews for “No Belles” were positive, earning raves from “The Scotsman,” “The Cult Den,” “Broadway Baby,”

“Arts Award Voice” and “The Public Review.”

One reviewer said, “I know it’s early in the month but this is my show of the Fringe this year and
anything else will have to be truly great to beat it.”

The focus of “No Belles” is women in science, and how they’ve gone undervalued and virtually unrecognized by the Nobel Prize committee for decades.

The statistics are dismal: of the 566 winners of the Nobel Prize for Science, only 15 of them have been women. Some of these women — as well as some who didn’t win, but whose contributions
to science were nonetheless paramount — are portrayed in the show.

Using song, storytelling, poetry, reenactments, and one delightful scene featuring sock-puppets, “No Belles” captures the audience’s attention from the word go.

The cast of “No Belles” is made up of Western theatre graduate Kimberly Wilson, as well as actors Jade Hobbs and Melissa Schenter. Western alum Jenessa Raabe serves as production manager.

After their success overseas, Portal will be performing “No Belles” at three separate fringe festivals in Canada this summer.

“We’ll make three stops,” Phillips said. “Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton. There are advantages to trading off between Edinburgh and Canada, in that Canada doesn’t cost the company near as much, and has the potential to actually make us a bit of money, which would then go to support the next trip to Edinburgh.

“So, the tentative plan is do that: switching off between Edinburgh and Canada every other year. And, of course, that means making new work,” Phillips said. “We figure that each show will have a life cycle of about two years, and during that time we’ll be putting a new show together. We’ll be starting on our next show soon.”

Phillips has some experience with devised theatre. In 2013, he directed the Western theatre department production “Half a Block from Home,” a play which dealt with themes of social injustice and discrimination, and was written by a company of Western students.

Another devised play, once again led by Phillips, is currently in development, slated for spring 2015. Just as the body of students collaborating on the Western shows has changed, the members of Portal Theatre will evolve as well.

“Not everyone involved in the company will work on each show, but the idea is to gather a small group of people who we can draw from for various projects.” Phillips said. “And, ideally, I would begin to use a few current [Western] students from time to time. I’ve already brought on a student intern, who will be helping with the nuts and bolts of the company in the coming year. It would be good to include a student actor in the near future also.”

Phillips added that there isn’t an idea yet for what Portal Theatre’s next project will be, but he’s enthusiastic for the company to begin work on their sophomore show.

“What matters most is that we really care about what we’re working on, and that it makes a personal connection with the audience. It’s an adventure, and we don’t know exactly where it will lead, but
finding out should be a lot of fun.”

April Verch Band

By NATHANIEL DUNAWAY
 Entertainment Editor

Led by acclaimed Canadian fiddler and step dancer April Verch, the April Verch Band will perform at Western next week as part of their Pacific Northwest Tour.

Specializing in traditional folk fiddle music and supported by a combination of bass, banjo, mandolin, and guitar, the band has traveled all over the world to perform for audiences in China, Wales, and Germany, just to name a few.

Verch, who grew up in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada, told the Journal that she started step dancing (a dance style focusing primarily on the feet, tap and Irish river-dance are two examples) when she was three, and began playing the fiddle when she was six.

“I decided early on that I wanted to make a career out of it,” Verch said. “I loved performing and sharing music.”

After a year at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Verch became the first woman to win both of Canada’s two top fiddle championships. She also performed in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The Ottawa Valley style of step dancing, according to Verch, is a “melting pot” of dance styles.

“[When] people see it, it usually looks like something they’ve never seen, but they always recognize an element of it.”

The finale of Verch’s performances typically involves the performer playing the fiddle and step-dancing at the same time.

“If you’re not a fiddle fan,” Verch said, “you shouldn’t be afraid to come out and you shouldn’t think it’s going to be the same thing all night. There will probably be something that will grab you.”

The April Verch Band will be performing on campus at the Smith Music Hall Feb. 6th and 7th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.

“Frank” and the myth of the tortured artist

By DECLAN HERTEL
 Staff Writer

Many of my favorite musicians fit the idea of the “tortured artist”: a person with a tumultuous past, who has never been quite right, who creates beautiful works of art because of their messed-up life. It seems that we all idolize and romanticize these sorts of people to an extent.

I would wager that every artist at some point has wished they were a long-suffering artist, to have an endless pool of inspiration born of misery and sorrow. This idolization and worship of the “tortured artist” is what gives Leonard Abrahamson’s brilliant film “Frank” its purpose.

It is difficult to articulate what makes this movie so great without taking away some of what makes this movie so great. You can know about the incredible music though. The music is phenomenal. The whole film is a trip through our perceptions of art and genius, and I do mean a trip.

The film moves quickly through scenes depicting the trials and tribulations of Jon Burroughs (Domnhall Gleeson), a wanna-be musician that gets thrown headlong into the Soronprfbs, an inexplicably named experimental band led by the enigmatic and seemingly genius Frank, played masterfully by Michael Fassbender.

Jon’s dweeby, mainstream-grounded personality clashes with all the other members of the band, especially the domineering, violent, humorless synthesizer/theremin player, Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal).

These people, including the guitarist that speaks only French (François Civil) and a near completely silent drummer (Carla Azar) make “Frank” feel very much like a Wes Anderson film, if Wes Anderson decided to do an introspective, nuanced dark comedy.

“Frank” is very funny, but one still feels the pain and fears of the characters even through all the shenanigans, a credit to the direction and performances contained in the speedy 95-minute runtime. Every bit of violence is played for laughs right up until the dust settles and you realize what it means for the characters.

The film has a number of things to say about art and humanity, and says them all well. The clash of the hipster, artsy foundation of the band with the mainstream-minded Jon is a battle for the ages.

Jon’s obsession with Frank and desire to be a genius like him will be familiar to many an artist. “Frank” postulates that people are deeper than they might appear on the surface, and it is important to remember that though they might be a genius, there’s a real person under the hood.

“Nightly Show” already a fitting replacement for “Colbert”

By NATHANIEL DUNAWAY
Entertainment Editor

On Monday, Comedy Central premiered their newest nightly comedy news program, “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.” Filling the time slot after “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” that has for the past nine years been dominated by “The Colbert Report,” Larry Wilmore’s show tackles serious issues such as race, class, and social injustice, but in an expertly comedic way.

In just his first week, Wilmore has gone straight for the throat, addressing controversial topics such as the Bill Cosby rape allegations and the Ferguson riots.

While not as light in tone as “Colbert,” “Nightly Show” is still satirical and fun at heart (the first episode commented on “The Lego Movie’s” recent Academy Awards snub).

Wilmore previously appeared on “The Daily Show” under the moniker of the “Senior Black Correspondent.”

Will “The Nightly Show” draw the same immense viewership as “Colbert”? It’s too early to tell, but Wilmore is a terrific host, and hopefully he and his show are here to stay.

“The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore” airs every weeknight at 11:30 p.m. after “The Daily Show.”

Civil Rights in Film

By DECLAN HERTEL
 Staff Writer

This past week at Western has been dedicated to the memory and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and with Black History Month coming in February, memories of the Civil Rights movement are in the air.

For the last five years, Dr. Dean Braa, sociology professor, has presided over the Civil Rights Film Series: an open class dedicated to educating the greater community about the Civil Rights Movement through film.

“We were talking at one of our organizational meetings, and we were commenting on how most students know very little about Civil Rights, that social studies in high schools particularly are doing a very poor job,” Braa said.

“People hardly knew Dr. King, let alone the greater Civil Rights Movement.”

He suggested that showing Civil Rights-centric films would be great for providing “a very good general education through film about Civil Rights.” He offered to go further, suggesting a full class be developed around the film series to be offered during January and February when we celebrate the fight for Civil Rights. And thusly, SOC 407 was born.

The series always screens some of the 14 episodes of “Eyes on the Prize,” an Academy Award nominated documentary and personal favorite of Dr. Braa detailing the Civil Rights movement from 1954-1965, and then the struggles of a post-integration America from 1965-1985.

About three years ago, the series added several films about Native Americans and their own ongoing, oft-overlooked civil rights battle, dealing with issues like control of their land and treaty violations throughout the years that still impact their lives today, many years after the initial forced exodus of Native Americans.

The best part of this class is that it is available to everyone, regardless of whether or not they’re taking it as a class or are even a student.

The series runs every Wednesday until the end of winter term, showing a different film.

“Come as you are interested, enjoy some good films, bring some popcorn, bring your dinner, come and sit with us and watch a good movie,” Braa said. “Enlighten yourself!”

“Selma”: Celebrating and revealing MLK Jr’s fight for equality

By JENNIFER HALLEY
 Copy Editor

I went to see “Selma,” the recently released Martin Luther King Jr. biopic, assuming the horrific end to such a powerful man would be the main focus of the film, but I was wrong.

This movie is a breath of fresh air, in regards to the presentation of someone so prominent. It is beautifully written, teemed with a core of talented actors, and wonderfully carried out via unique cinematic photography.

Directed by Avery DuVernay, Selma is set in Alabama in 1965. The audience follows Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo, “Interstellar”) as he, his wife, Coretta (Carmen Ejogo, The Purge) and both the black and white communities fight for equal rights and, ultimately, the right to vote, focusing especially on the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

Oyelowo’s portrayal of King Jr. is spectacular; everything from the way he carries himself to his speech is a genuine and true depiction of who King was.

Ejogo is a wonderful supporting actress and introduced the audience to a small glimpse of what it felt like to be the wife of such a known, powerful and hated man – information not always talked – or thought about – when on the topic of Martin Luther King Jr.

The emotions in the film are penetrating and palpable, due to the unique and constant close up shots displayed throughout the movie. And even though the film is slow at times, I never felt bored. Each word seems to be precisely chosen, each scene deliberate.

The tension felt between political powers, such as the President, and King Jr. are also displayed, from which the audience can extrapolate how complicated, how nearly impossible, the fight for equality was.

There were some violent scenes, scenes that made me cringe. “Selma” does not shy away from demonstrating how it was back then, how violent and painful living in that time was. But that is how the whole movie went: a realistic depicture of America’s messy and violent history and the powerful men and women who fought hard to create peace.

Go see “Selma”. This film gave me a new appreciation for the legendary figure and those who fought beside him. It is intense, painful and sad. But it is also riveting and exciting. If those are not good enough reasons to see it, then, ultimately, it is an honorable dedication to Martin Luther King Jr. and what he stood for and what we can still stand for.

Innovative Films Win Big at Golden Globes

BY NATHANIEL DUNAWAY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
BY NATHANIEL DUNAWAY
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

It’s awards season for Hollywood, and one of the most hotly anticipated ceremonies of the year -the 72nd Annual Golden Globes – aired on Sunday, Jan. 11, with some winners bringing little surprise and others coming seemingly out of nowhere. Here’s a brief rundown of the night’s winners and a look at whether or not this year’s Globes may have predicted the upcoming Academy Awards.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Julianne Moore (“Magnolia”, “Children of Men”) took home this award for her starring role in the film “Still Alice,” in which she plays Dr. Alice Howland, a university linguistics professor who’s diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama-
This award went to relative newcomer Eddie Redmayne (“Les Miserables”) for his portrayal of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything.” The film focuses on Hawking’s early life as a student at Cambridge, his marriage and his eventual diagnosis of motor neuron disease at the age of 21.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams won her award for the film “Big Eyes.” Directed by Tim Burton (“Big Fish,” “Beetlejuice”) and co-starring Christoph Waltz (“Django Unchained”), “Big Eyes” is based on the true story of artist Margaret Keane (Adams) and her husband Walter (Waltz), who took credit for her paintings in the 50s and 60s.
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical-
Considered by many in Hollywood to be past his prime, Michael Keaton’s comeback in last year’s mind-bending “Birdman” earned him a Golden Globe. Keaton stars as Riggan Thompson, a washed-up superhero actor attempting to mount a Broadway play as his big comeback. Keaton is one of the top contenders for the Oscar for Best Actor.

Best Screenplay,
Motion Picture
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo won this award for their screenplay for the aforementioned “Birdman,” which was also directed by Iñárritu and edited to appear as though the film was shot in one long, continuous take.

Best Director,
Motion Picture
Richard Linklater (“Dazed and Confused,” “Bernie”) beat out the competition to take home the coveted Best Director award for his film “Boyhood.” Shot over a period of twelve years and co-starring Ethan Hawke (“Before Midnight”), Patricia Arquette (“True Romance”) and Linklater’s daughter Lorelei, “Boyhood” shows the coming-of-age of a young boy named Mason, played by Ellar Coltrane.
Best Motion Picture, Drama-
“Boyhood” also earned the prized Best Picture, Drama award. Like “Birdman,” it was an immensely ambitious undertaking for Linklater and company, and there’s nothing else in the world quite like it. “Boyhood” is easily the top contender for this year’s Best Picture Oscar.

Best Motion Picture,
Comedy or Musical
Undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the evening was this award being given to the Wes Anderson (“Moonrise Kingdom”) comedy “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Released way back in March, “Budapest” was considered by many to have little chance against the awards juggernaut that is “Birdman.” The 1930s set ensemble piece features Wes Anderson alumni Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum and Owen Wilson, alongside stars Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori.
The Golden Globe Awards are typically seen as strong indicators for Oscar-winners, but surprises and snubs are nearly as common as correct predictions in the awards business. Will Best Actor go to Redmayne or Keaton? Or will Steve Carell steal the show for his haunting performance in “Foxcatcher”? And which film will find itself alongside the other historic Best Picture winners, such as “The Godfather” and “The Silence of the Lambs”? Predictions are running wild, but we’ll all have to wait for the 87th Academy Awards, airing Feb. 22, 2015.

Review: “Marco Polo”

By DECLAN HERTEL
Staff Writer

 

Netflix’s “Marco Polo” released its first season in December 2014 to find it widely panned by critics; review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes says a mere 27 percent of professional reviews were positive.

And yet, feedback from its audience tells a different story: the people watching it absolutely love it, with user ratings of 8.3/10 on IMDB, 8.7/10 on MetaCritic and 93 percent positivity on Rotten Tomatoes.

I believe this is a great — if harsh — summary of the show: it is imperfect and by no means high art, but, oh man, is it entertaining.

The show is a highly fictionalized account of famed explorer Marco Polo’s time spent in the court of Kublai Khan in the latter part of the 13th century. And boy, is it epic in every sense.

It’s bursting with court intrigue, martial arts mysticism, medieval brutality, challenges to honor, overly dramatic dialogue, beautifully rendered costumes, one extremely handsome Italian and more rarely justifiable female nudity than you can shake a scimitar at.

It has the makings of a wild roller coaster ride through medieval Asia, but instead moves at a satisfyingly tense slow burn, more of a feast-for-the-eyes boat ride with occasional thrilling bursts of speed.

While ostensibly about the adventures of the titular Italian played by Lorenzo Richelmy, they are hardly the best part of the show. Polo’s character arcs occasionally feel like an afterthought, as if the writers sometimes forget he’s in the show.

His romance is flat and his character goes from highly engaging to highly boring at random intervals, but he is fun when he gets a chance to be with just enough shine to him that I hope he gets further building in later seasons. He’s also very attractive. Just saying.

Despite the title, the truly exciting part of “Marco Polo” is the intrigue in the court of Kublai Khan. Betrayals, wars, disgraces, insults, beatings and a touch of gout all come together to create an ever-shifting map of favors and plans presided over by the Great Khan, masterfully portrayed by Benedict Wong.

He commands the attention and respect of the viewer in the way his character commands the same from his court. In an ensemble of actors of varying ability, Wong stands tall; I found myself glued to my screen absorbing every second of his screen time. Without exaggeration, the show is worth watching purely for his performance.

All said, “Marco Polo” puts into perspective my dislike for much entertainment criticism: it often neglects the spirit of the work. “Marco Polo” is not high art; it’s somewhat inconsistent and uses some pretty tired tropes.

But it’s always good with enough moments of brilliance to hold its own, and it is an epic adventure as entertaining and fun as anything I’ve seen.

That is the spirit of the show: a grand epic. No moral, no message, just epic.

I will certainly be revisiting the court of Kublai Khan upon the release of the second season. I hope you will join me there.

A Timeline of the Sony Hack

BY NATHANIEL DUNAWAY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
BY NATHANIEL
DUNAWAY
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

During the break, you likely caught wind of the strange and terrible saga that was the controversial Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy “The Interview.”

The timeline of events that lead to the film’s rollercoaster of a release week began back in June, when the North Korean Foreign Ministry released a statement saying the film, which — if you don’t already know — details a convoluted and comedic plot to assassinate Kim Jong-Un, was an “act of war.”

In the film, James Franco plays an extremely popular celebrity talk show host named Dave Skylark, who receives the opportunity of a lifetime when his producer, Aaron Rapaport (Rogen), books him an in-person interview with the leader of the militarized nation of North Korea.

The CIA approach Skylark and Rapaport, asking them to eliminate Kim Jong-Un. The CIA believes that Un’s death will lead to a successful uprising and revolution of the Korean people.

In their statement, the Ministry also asserted that the film, which, it should be reiterated, stars the two pot-head burnouts from “Freaks and Geeks,” was “reckless U.S. provocative insanity.”

Skip ahead to November, when another statement from North Korea threatened “catastrophic consequences” for the release of the comedy by the guys who brought you “This Is the End” and “Neighbors.”

One week later, during Thanksgiving week, employees at Sony Pictures Entertainment found their computers invaded by an image of a grinning skull and the message “this is just the beginning” on their screens.

Five Sony releases, which included “Fury” and “Annie,” were leaked online and downloaded by millions. It becomes clear to Sony that a huge amount of their company’s data has been compromised.

On Dec. 1, thousands of emails and other documents pertaining to Sony executives and employee’s salaries are leaked online, immediately leading to hundreds of media outlets to publish the stolen material.

That week, Sony employees receive emails from the hackers responsible, calling themselves the “Guardians of Peace.” The emails threaten the employee’s families if they don’t renounce their company.

North Korea is strongly suspected of being behind the cyber-attack, due to similarities between this hack and the hack on South Korean businesses, perpetrated by North Korea.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, North Korea denies involvement.

In the ensuing weeks, scripts are leaked, financial spreadsheets are deleted, and Sony’s stocks are plummeting.

On Dec. 16, the Guardians of Peace sent an email to various news outlets, stating “we will clearly show it to you at the very time and places The Interview be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to.

Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time.”

The Sony hack, now a prime example of cyber-terrorism, suddenly became a matter of Homeland Security. North Korea becomes the number one suspect.

By Dec. 23, mainly due to nearly all major theatre chains refusing the show the film, Sony has scrapped all plans for a Christmas release of “The Interview,” a decision that is derided by many as an act of negotiating with terrorists and simply giving in to the demands of the hackers.

On Christmas Day, 2014, “The Interview” is made available online via YouTube Movies and Google Play for $5.99. In the first four days of its release, the film rakes in $15 million.

Despite being dropped by the large theater corporations, just over 300 independent movie theaters screen the film, bringing in a total of $5 million.

The budget for “The Interview”, according to IMDb. com, was $36 million, a figure that has very nearly been reached in box-office revenue.

Sony has almost made its money back, which is surprising, considering that just two weeks ago it appeared as though Sony had a catastrophe on their hands.

The hacking of Sony and the insanity that followed was unprecedented for Hollywood.

In terms of scope and lasting effect, it blows last year’s nude photo leak completely out of the water.

It’s made a farcical, screwball comedy into a successful art house film, a film that has broken records left and right when it comes to digital release revenue.

Yes, “The Interview” is stupid (and hilarious), and yes, Sony pulling the film from its initial release has set a disturbing precedent that we may not see the residual effects of for some time, but Hollywood, and the way those within Hollywood think about the way people want to see and consume films, has changed, to some extent for the better.

To be bold, it’s as though we’re now living in a “post-Interview” world; a world where the standards what can and can’t be controversial and revolutionary are set differently for all types of films, not just comedies. But isn’t the fact that those standards have been altered because of a comedy pretty cool? I think it is.

You should watch “The Interview,” though not simply because it’s a game-changer. You should watch it because it’s funny; it’s crass, it’s irreverent, it’s dumb, and you should watch it because there are people out there who don’t want you to.

Bringing in the New Year with mass peril

BY AMANDA MCMASTERS
COPY EDITOR

Bringing in the New Year typically brings to mind images of champagne, watching the ball drop in Times Square and everyone breaking out into a chorus of “Auld Lang Syne.”

The masses are filled with hope as fireworks go off and everyone looks forward to a better year, making all sorts of resolutions that probably won’t be kept.

This year, however, New Year’s Eve turned into an evening of mishap and misfortune around the globe, bringing ambulances and injuries instead of poppers and party hats.

In Shanghai, China, a stampede during New Year’s Eve festivities left 36 dead and 47 injured according to CNN news reports. More than 300,000 people had gathered in Chenyi Square to celebrate when the stampede occurred 20 minutes before midnight, lasting about 30 seconds.

Adding to the tragedy, 593 people were injured in fireworks-related incidents on New Year’s Eve in the Philippines. More than half of the reported injuries were caused by illegal fireworks.

Closer to home, a man was seriously injured during New Year’s festivities at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Albany, Ore.

Austin Bottcher was taken to Legacy Immanuel Hospital in Portland after being attacked by a bull in the arena three times.

Bottcher was participating in what is known as Bull Poker, which is playing a hand of poker in the middle of the arena while a bucking bull is released and whoever stays seated the longest wins the cash prize.

Bottcher rang in the New Year in surgery to reconnect his femur to his hip after volunteering and paying to play the game in the arena.

Check out the video footage of the Linn County Fairground bull attack taken by Amanda McMasters at wou.edu/WesternJournal

4 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To

PHOTO COURTESY OF PODBOYS.COM

 

By Nathaniel Dunaway
Entertainment Editor

 

Ideally, winter break is a time to sit back, relax, and let all the stress and worry of fall term just melt away. It’s also a great time to grab a nice cup of cocoa or eggnog, pop in some earbuds, and listen to some podcasts. If you aren’t already a fan of podcasts, you should give them a shot. They can help you learn a language, cook a meal, or study for an exam. Podcasts can make you smarter, and they can make you happier. The following is just a handful of podcasts you should give a try this winter break.

  1. “The Truth”

thetruth2

Described as “movies for your ears,” “The Truth” is a frequently improvised story podcast that serves as a form of dramatic audio storytelling. Ranging in tone from hilarious to deeply emotionally affecting, the stories that unfold on “The Truth” are always full of heart and, well, truth. The first episode, entitled “Moon Graffiti,” was inspired by the speech Nixon wrote in case the 1969 Apollo moon landing had failed.

 

  1. “Thrilling Adventure Hour”

thrilling2

 

Staged live in the style of old-time radio stories of the ‘40s and ‘50s, “TAH” is a wonderful little podcast that’s perfect for the listener who’s looking for long story arcs and plenty of recurring characters. One series, called “Beyond Belief,” chronicles the paranormal investigations of socialite couple Frank and Sadie Doyle. Another, “Sparks Nevada,” tells the ongoing tale of the heroic marshal of Mars. Nathan Fillion makes frequent appearances in the latter series, as the Mayor of Mars, Cactoid Jim.

 

  1. “Stuff You Missed in History Class”

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A spinoff of the “Stuff You Should Know” and “HowStuffWorks” podcasts, “SYMiHC” covers unique or little-known historical topics such as “5 War Dogs of History,” “Is there a real Macbeth curse?” and “Mary Anning, Princess of Paleontology.” It’s an incredibly informative podcast that is always fascinating and engaging. Each episode is only about 25 minutes long, so in just one afternoon you can learn an incredible amount.

 

  1. “The Moth”

moth23

Much like the similar podcast “StoryCorps,” “The Moth” is dedicated to the art of storytelling. Unlike “StoryCorps,” however, these stories are told and recorded on stage in front of live audiences. These first-person tales are often heart-wrenching and beautiful, and they help us to understand the importance of recording stories, as well as give credence to the adage that everyone has at least one great story to tell.

 

Watsky Destroys Portland

George watsky is the recipient of the youth speaks and brave new voices poetry slam awards. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

 

By Declan Hertel
 Staff Writer

I feel music on a spiritual level. My belief in the power of
music is the closest thing I have to a religion.

The philosopher Kant called music “the quickening art”; it changes moods and minds and brings life back to the lifeless.

Music is the one thing I believe in wholeheartedly, and as such it has become my religion in a way.

If music is my religion, then live performances are my church. And boy, do I love going to church. I had the privilege Dec. 1 of hearing a sermon delivered by the reverend Watsky, an alternative hip-hop artist from San Francisco.

I have been a fan of Watsky for a long while and tonight was the first time I had ever seen him live. He did not disappoint.

Watsky played the Wonder Ballroom, a great little Portland venue, on the final leg of his North American tour supporting his stellar new album “All You Can Do.”

After excellent opening performances by Anderson Paak and KYLE, both of whom have a new fan in me, Watsky stormed out of the gate with the raging anthem “Bet Against Me” from his new record. He immediately had the entire crowd screaming along with him, and they didn’t stop for the entirety of his hour-thirty set.

He blazed through old songs and new, occasionally offering some of his brilliant spoken word poetry, flawlessly and passionately delivering his intricate lyrics as his backing band tried their very best to match his energy (they succeeded).

When he stopped to talk to us about things he cared about, he was very genuine and kept wide of condescension. He closed the main show with “Whoa Whoa Whoa,” a song showcasing the incredible speed at which Watsky can rap with a chorus so catchy it ought to be criminal.

After a deafening chant of his name from the crowd, Watsky and his band returned to the stage to play the title track from “All You Can Do,” and ended the night with “IDGAF,” a song from his first album that once again had the crowd bellowing the profane chorus. It was reckless, joyful and immensely inspiring.

Folks, please, please go see live music. It is an experience like no other. You become part of something greater than yourself; at a show a community is born and then lives spectacularly and dies with an explosion all in the space of three hours. And it is beautiful.

The volume of the show made me near deaf. My throat hurt from screaming along. My entire body ached from jumping around all night. But I had the time of my life.

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