Week of Monday, April 11, 2022 by Daily Titan

Monday, April 11, 2022

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Pollak Library closes due to flood

Volume 111 Issue 14

Fullerton cuts ties with Brea fire department 2011 merger ended as Fullerton considers disbanding its own fire department. CARLOS CORDOVA Staff Writer

The north and south towers of the library both sustained water damage after flooding. (Spencer Otte / Daily Titan)

MELANIE NGUYEN Asst. Editor

A flood broke out at the Pollak Library around 3:12 p.m. on April 8. Both the north and south towers of the building sustained water damage on several floors. Emily Bonney, Dean of Pollak Library, said the library would remain closed throughout April 9-10 and reopen on April 11 as crews continue their inspections. Cal State Fullerton Police Capt. Scot Willey said the police department received a call about a fire alarm in the library. Although there was no fire or smoke, there was water running down the walls from what seemed to have been a water

leak or break, Willey said. “In fact, water took out one of our security cameras that we were using to watch it,” Willey said. Students were notified of this incident via phone call, text message or email. The message sent out by the CSUF Emergency Alert system, stated that there was a break in a waterline. However, the cause of the fire alarm and water damage is still under investigation. There is speculation that the fire alarm could have been set off by the heat outside, but this is not confirmed yet, Willey said. Firefighters, plumbers, electricians and library staff are still assessing the damage to the building. Willey said that the damage can be

Visible water damage can be seen outside the atrium. ( Spencer Otte / Daily Titan )

seen on the floors and walls, but they are uncertain of how deeply the water seeped into the building. Jeffrey Whitten, television coordinator and media analyst, said that the communication facilities located in the Pollak Library South basement were not affected by the flood. Titan TV, Titan Radio and the Communication Stockroom will remain open. The library was evacuated and everyone was cooperative, Willey said. Some students left behind their personal belongings during the evacuation. “Some people had some backpacks and laptops and wallets and things were left behind. They’re able to go in now and retrieve those so they can leave for the day. But, there were no

injuries,” Willey said. The Pollak Library was out of service during the CSUF Experience Day on Saturday, April 9. “They really wanted to be able to show everybody what services they can offer there. So they’re not going to be able to do that now. So I know that’s a big disappointment for everyone that’s involved in the library. But they’ll hopefully be able to see it soon,” Willey said. Willey said the event was a chance to show prospective students some of the services that Cal State Fullerton offers. However, attending guests were not able to see the inside of the library during the campus tour. The Pollak Library will be updating the Titan community on its website.

The Fullerton City Council has voted to end a cooperative agreement with the city of Brea that saw the consolidation of the two cities’ fire department command staff. After a letter was sent by the city of Brea asking for the partnership to be disbanded by June 30, the council agreed that ending the agreement would be less stressful to the fire departments that are experiencing short staffing with their command staff. The council voted 3-2 on the motion. Both cities combined their command staff in 2011 to capitalize on cost savings and better meet the demands of each community. In total, the joint agency oversaw 10 stations, and over 100 personnel that have responded to nearly 19,000 emergency incidents. SEE COUNCIL 2

Softball sweeps series against CSU Northridge CSUF tops the Big West after three-game series in Northridge. NAVTEJ HUNDAL Deputy Editor

Titans softball secured a series sweep against the Cal State Northridge Matadors on April 8-9 at the Matador Diamond. Despite the disparities in overall records, Northridge stayed afloat with Fullerton. However, the Titans earned the conference’s best record with their lategame execution of clutch runs and stops. After the series, Fullerton has won five-straight games. The Titans are now 25-13 overall and 10-2 in the Big West Conference. CSUF pitcher Myka Sutherlin threw an exceptional 8.1 innings in the doubleheader, allowing an unearned run on three hits and struck out 11 Matadors players. Pitcher Alexia Silvas proved to be the catalyst for Fullerton’s victory on April 8 in her 4.2 innings, only allowing one hit and one run in relief while retiring the VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

final 13 CSUN batters. The Matadors, however, continue to struggle as they extend their losing streak to nine games. The first game of Saturday’s doubleheader was tightly contested between the conference rivals. Center fielder Megan Delgadillo started things off for the Titans by scoring an unearned run to lead, 1-0, from first baseman Daisy Munoz’s sacrifice fly. CSUF continued to pour in two runs into the second. Jessi Alcala scored an unearned run on an error at first base by Northridge’s Sami Garcia, which allowed Antuanett Dean to reach first. Alexa Neil later capped Fullerton’s scoring bout off of Alexis Martinez’s wild pitch, extending the Titans’ lead, 3-0. However, the Matadors responded and scored two runs in the bottom of the inning. Eventually, Northridge overcame their deficit to tie the contest at 3-3 in the bottom of the third after Steward hammered a home run to right-center field. After two scoreless innings, the Titans regained the lead, 4-3, in the fifth with third baseman Hannah Becerra running to home plate off Munoz’s single RBI.

In the sixth, Northridge third baseman Vinessa Nunez ran from first base to home plate off of Mia Stankiewicz’s RBI double to knot the game at 4-4. With no runs in the seventh and eighth innings, the contest would head to the ninth where the Titans ultimately prevailed. On third, Delgadillo successfully scored off Alyssa Hernandez’s sacrifice fly to right field and lead 5-4. Following Degadillo, Munoz’s RBI double to right field brought Becerra from first base to home, sealing a 6-4 victory for Fullerton. In the series opener, both teams went scoreless in the first two innings, but things started to change in the third for Northridge. After reaching third on Sutherlin’s wild pitch, Carman got the Matadors on the board with a run from Steward’s double. With Northridge’s bases loaded, Silvas walked Nunez, brought Steward home and gave the Matadors a 2-0 advantage. With two on base, CSUN pinch hitter Kylie Galindo RBI singled to end the inning, bringing in two runs from Mia Cortez and Ariel Gomez. SEE SWEEP

Myka Sutherlin winding up a pitch against UC Riverside on April 2 at Anderson Family Field. (Marisa Palmerin-Flores / Daily Titan) FOLLOW US: @THEDAILYTITAN

2 News

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022

The partnership between the two citie’s fire departments was disbanded by the council due to short staffing. (Daniela Navarro / Daily Titan)

Council: Changes to be made before next fiscal year 1 At the time of the merger it was estimated that it would save the city of Fullerton $463,000 annually, according to The Orange County Register. “We are at a point with my command staff where I have two members that are pulling double duty essentially, and I have no way to expand upon that or to give them any relief at this point due to the evaluation that is going on between our current fire department and the (Orange County Fire Authority) and Brea’s desire to have their own fire department and command staff,” said Fire Chief Adam Loeser, who has overseen the shared operation since Dec. 2018. Mayor Fred Jung agreed that this was an issue better taken care of immediately, as opposed to pushing the termination date further down the line while asking emergency responders to work double shifts. “I am not a fan of keeping the Band-Aid on when you should pull it, so at this point I would support moving us forward, making sure that our own fire department has stability and CONTINUED FROM

command staff in place. This is not something that we instigated, this is the city of Brea that initiated this, so we are just taking our own selfish values, I suppose,” Jung said. Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Whitaker expressed frustration over the city of Brea not giving the council at least a six-month notice, which was supposedly stated in the agreement. “I just find it unusual that normally those types of requirements are binding. To make it optional is a little bit out of the norm, I think,” Whitaker said. Whitaker and Council Member Rick Dunlap were the only two to vote “No” on the motion. Council Member Jesus Silva stated that he almost voted against leaving the agreement, but once he was made aware of the staffing issues, decided that it was probably best for the city to address this issue sooner rather than later. This move brings the city closer to possibly joining the Orange County Fire Authority as the Fullerton City Council considers budget cuts to avoid bankruptcy. Per the Orange County Register, the fire authority could save Fullerton millions

annually as it will oversee the city’s six fire stations, emergency responders and equipment. According to the Orange County Register, under the fire authority, Fullerton would be paying around $21.5 million in the first year with an annual increase up to 4.5% a year. In addition, the city will have to pay for new uniforms, transferring communication programs, changing equipment and changing station signage. All of which can cost the city $1.6 million. Fullerton neighbor city, Placentia, left the fire authority in 2019 due to cost increases over the years under the fire authority. The city, which only has two fire stations, said that it could run its own stations in a more cost efficient manner. Currently, Fullerton has allocated $27.3 million toward the city’s fire department. Fullerton will now have to reestablish the Fullerton Fire Department Command Staff in preparation of the upcoming fiscal year 2022-23 budget. “This is doable from our perspective,” said Jeff Collier, the acting city manager.

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News 3

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022

Students express thoughts on mask mandate As of November 19, 99% of students have been vaccinated or exempted. MICHELLE IBAÑEZ Asst. Editor

The mask mandate was in effect since the return to campus in August 2021. (Michelle Ibañez / Daily Titan)

Campus events for the week of April 11 Staff Writer

Here is a list of upcoming events that offer both fun and useful information for Titans! CSUF Percussion Ensembles The Cal State Fullerton Percussion Ensembles will perform in Clayes Performing Arts Center room 119 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m on April 11. They will perform different musical genres and styles from all over the world. Admission is free, and the ensembles invite everyone to come and hear percussion in new ways. Titan Table Talk: Resiliency in the APIDA Community CSUF’s Director of News Media Services and Senior Communications Counsel is set to moderate a discussion about Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American resilience from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 12. The discussion will take place on Zoom. Students can register for a link through the CSUF website. Grad Fest 2022 From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 12-14, spring 2022 graduates can stop by the Titan Shops to take care of everything for commencement in VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

one place. Students can buy their caps and gowns, order announcements, take graduation photos, join the alumni association and have any graduation questions answered. Guest Artist Recital : “Trumpet in the Baroque” John Thiessen CSUF will host guest artist, John Thiessen in the recital hall on April 13 at 8 p.m. The recital costs $8 for Titans and $10 for regular tickets. Thiessen will be playing the baroque trumpet to capture the beauty of 17th-19th century clarino repertoire. Guest Artist Recital: Boris Slutsky At the Meng Concert Hall, CSUF will host pianist Boris Slutsky, on April 13 at 8 p.m. Slutsky is set to perform pieces by Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann. Tickets costs $10 and $8 for Titans. A Midsummer Night’s Dream Tommy Statler, will be directing William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in the Young Theatre at the Clayes Performing Arts Center starting April 15 to April 30. There will be shows at 8 p.m. on weekend days, as well as matinee shows at 2 p.m. on April 16, 23 and 30. Tickets are $14. With a Titan card, tickets are $12.

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22, CSUF announced that the indoor mask requirement would remain in effect until March 31, regardless of vaccination status. “I think it’s right that they said that if you want to keep it on, keep it on,” Peña said. “I mean we still have the virus going on, also we don’t know when it might end or who has it, people cough, people get sick, it’s for our own safety.” Pantaleon, who is part of the Latinx community, said she hadn’t been aware whether the virus was still going around or not, and because of that, she believes that the university should offer more information on COVID-19. Arianna Cisneros, a public health major, said that it was a little bit scary to have the mask mandate lifted after spring break, since people

EDITORIAL

anything to the workers, but that they would continue to choose to wear face coverings, just to be sure. “That’s the problem, that we can take it off, but if someone is sick and they don’t wear it, there’s a chance that we’ll be infected,” Pantaleon said. On March 17, the university officially announced that the mandate would be lifted by the first week of April. In it, CSUF stated that the campus community would have the opportunity to decide whether or not they continued wearing face coverings, and that these would still be available for free on campus. On Feb. 11, after the first two weeks of the spring semester were virtual, the university had extended the mask mandate until Feb. 28. Within a couple days and as outlined in President’s Directive

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Fresh off of spring break, some students continue to readjust their face coverings, even after Cal State Fullerton lifted the mask mandate on April 1. Heaven Peña, a psychology major, said she thinks it’s too soon for the mandate to be lifted. “I still don’t think it’s the right time,” Peña said. “I still think that we should keep them on, because not all people are vaccinated yet.” According to the CSUF COVID-19 Case and Exposure Dashboard, which was last updated in December 2021, 99.47% of CSUF students have been vaccinated or exempted as of Nov. 19. At the time, less than 1% were unaccounted for, and 6.13% of students had approved exemptions. However, there is no clear statistical update on the dashboard on whether the 1% has now been fulfilled or if the number of approved exemptions has increased or decreased. As of April 9, the last positive report on campus was on March 29 with three reported employee cases. Martina Pantaleon, a janitorial custodian at CSUF, said she wishes the university would offer more information about the coronavirus, regardless if the mask mandate is lifted. “Before, there used to be signage saying that we had to use the masks, but they took those away. Now I think it’s optional if we want to use them or not,” Pantaleon said. Pantaleon said they haven’t specified

are usually out and about. “I’m fine with it,” Cisneros said. “I’m actually surprised at how much more people are wearing the mask, I thought there was going to be nobody when I came on Monday after spring break, I thought ‘Oh, everyone’s going to be maskless,’ but I still see a lot of people with masks.” Cisneros said that in her classes, there have been variations of people wearing or not wearing masks. “Some of my classes are more maskless, but there are still a couple who have masks,” Cisneros said. “One of my classes has like 120 students and about three-fourths of the class still have their masks on.” She said that at least one of her professors has spoken to the class about making the class wear masks if there

were reports of cases increasing. Peña, on the other hand, said she has a weak immune system, and she has noticed a difference in her classes, with a lot of her classmates not wanting to wear masks. She added that none of her professors have spoken about mitigating any concerns from students about the issue. “My partner sits next to me and she doesn’t wear a mask, and she was sick the other day, so I kind of felt uncomfortable,” Peña said. “Everybody’s different, I personally think that we should keep it on.” Peña said she wears her mask everyday, unless she is socially distancing and sitting outside. Like her, Cisneros also said she will continue to wear her mask unless there are certain moments that do not require it.

Editor-in-Chief Lily Lopez Managing Editor Anthony Bautista News Editor Spencer Otte News Deputy Amber Juarez News Assistants Elena Hanna Michelle Ibañez Heather Eyre Sinclair Andruska Melanie Nguyen Opinion Editor Vanessa Siguenza Deputy Opinion Nollyanne Delacruz Opinion Assistants Hugo Rios

Sports Editor Marisa Palmerin-Flores Deputy Sports Editor Navtej Hundal Sports Assistants Jeseny Escobar David Goodkind Bryan Corrales Lifestyle Editor Jessica Choi Deputy Lifestyle Editor Eder Ramirez Lifestyle Assistants Genesis Pavia Catherine Norby Tristan Zelden Layout Editor Alexander Alvarado

Copy Editor Stepheny Gehrig Deputy Copy Editor Jessica Bernal Copy Assistants Dimitra Doiphode Stephanie Jasso Michelle Ibañez Photo Editor Jon Buzdar Photo Assistants Connor Hedges Rosemary Montalvo Daniela Navarro De Sanchez

Social Media Editor Jessica Benda Head Illustrator Gabriela Mendoza-Legorreta Illustrator Assistants Cassidy Molina Tiranjini Pillai Marian Lynn Chin Multimedia Editor Matthew Keyser Faculty Adviser Walter Baranger

Director of Sales Isabel Cambiaso Director of Marketing Dakota MacDonald Assistant Director of Sales Tyler Costa Sales Manager Isabela Veloro

Social Media Manager Annie Kuo Marketing Coordinators Chloe Lau Ivan Calderon Lauren Le Accountant Doris Henriquez

Account Executives Kevin Garcia Clerise Yumul Jay Song Senior Graphic Designer Josephine Tang Graphic Designer Allison Nishi

Distribution Manager Brianna Rodriguez Distribution Coordinators Omar Lopez-Deniz Aurora Chavez Faculty Adviser Michelle Kurland

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FOR THE RECORD It is Daily Titan policy to correct factual errors printed in the publication. Corrections will be published on the subsequent issue after an error is discovered and will appear on page 3. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections will also be made to the online version of the article. Please contact Editor-in-Chief Lily Lopez at (657) 278-5815 or at editorinchief@dailytitan.com to report any errors.

© COPYRIGHT DAILY TITAN 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Thursday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, Inc. College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free.

4 Lifestyle

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022

Olympic medalist shares mental health journey Michael Phelps advocates recognizing and validating stress and mental illnesses. AMBER JUAREZ Deputy Editor

Phelps emphasized the importance of asking for help. (Daniela Navarro / Daily Titan)

Michael Phelps. (Daniela Navarro / Daily Titan)

Show

REVIEW

time was out of his comfort zone since he was always on the road. He said that being forced to stay home became scary at times because of the unknown. “I feel like loneliness struck up a lot more in people’s lives than it ever has in the past and loneliness helps lead you to depression,” Phelps said. “I joke about communicating, but if I don’t feel good inside or my emotions are off I talk about it. I write it down. I don’t want to carry it on, if I can get it out into the open, I’m free.” He said in order for student-athletes to protect their own mental health they need to keep it simple and have a routine. Phelps went on to say that, for him, having a routine is crucial and you need to listen to your body and your emotions. He also said the biggest thing is to not give up and remember to take care of yourself. When Phelps earned a gold medal in 2008, along with a million dollars, he decided to use the money to create the Michael Phelps Foundation because he wanted to help change lives, promote water safety and teach the importance of healthy lifestyles. His foundation also added a mental health section. After spending forty-five days in treatment, he learned the basics of emotions and understood it is OK to talk about it, he said. Phelps gave attendees the advice to not overthink things, write out your problems on a piece of paper and take the word “can’t” out of your vocabulary. “Ask for help,” Phelps said. ”Together, we can make anything.”

‘Twenty Five Twenty One’ is a refreshing production with a youthful charm

Netflix’s latest Korean drama depicts love and goals in a realistic way. GENESIS PAVIA Asst. Editor

“Twenty Five Twenty One” is a heartfelt South Korean drama starring Nam Joo-Hyuk as Baek Yi-Jin, a once wealthy son who lost it all, and Kim Tae-Ri as Na Hee-Do, a young aspiring fencer. The show takes place in the late ‘90s through flashbacks as Kim Min-Chae (Myung-Bin Choi) Na Hee-do’s daughter, finds her mother’s diary after quitting ballet and running away to her grandmother’s house. Na, a once-fencing prodigy, struggles to prove to herself and others that she can reach her full potential after her school’s fencing team disbanded due to

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Olympic medalist and mental health advocate, Michael Phelps, ended the “Beyond the Conversation” series on April 7 by speaking about his struggles with mental health and stress. The series is hosted by Cal State Fullerton’s Associated Students. Previous speakers included Angela Davis and Daniel Dae Kim. In 2018, Phelps opened up about his battle with depression and his struggle with ADHD. He said, since opening up about his mental health, there have been no negatives to it; the positives for him feel like a weight lifted off of him, and it has changed the way people view mental health. “Five years ago, there wasn’t a single human being that wanted to talk about it,” Phelps said. “We just wanted to shove it under the rug. No, let’s take the BandAid off, let’s talk about how to get there together.” While mentoring, Phelps learned how to be a mental health advocate every day. He said he learned how to communicate and that not being OK is OK. Throughout the event, Phelps stressed the importance of asking for help when you need it. He went on to say that for a long period of time he was too afraid to

ask for help because he didn’t want to hear someone say no. He added that when you ask someone for help and they’re not able to help you, it doesn’t mean no forever; it just means they don’t have the time to help you at that moment. When it comes to self-love, Phelps said most of his career he lacked self-love because he viewed himself as an athlete and not a human being. It was a long journey for him to learn and accept himself for who he was as well as the person who looked back at him in the mirror. For him, self-love is self-care. “In order for me to be the best dad and the best husband, the best friend and the hardest worker, I have to actually take care of myself and no, that’s not being selfish,” Phelps said. “You need to do that for yourself. You want to be your best you every day, your authentic self every single day.” Phelps said he believes the next chapter in his life outside of the water is going to be bigger than anything he has done so far. Aside from all his 23 gold medals and 39 world records, having the opportunity to help save someone’s life means more to him. “I’ve gone through that and I want to help anybody and everybody out there as much as I can to give them the support that they need to get through those times,” Phelps said. “I know it’s dark, I know it’s scary, I know it’s hard, but I also know it’s possible to get through those times.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Phelps said having to stay home all the

the 1997 Asian financial crisis. After Na’s mother and coach urge her to quit fencing, Na embarks on a journey to prove them wrong. However, her wacky character is what gets in the way of others underestimating her. The story follows a naive and determined Na as she does everything in her power to become the rival of Ko YuRim (Bona), a South Korean gold medalist champion. Na’s younger mentality is showcased when she goes as far as doing illegal activities to get expelled from school so she can transfer to the school Ko attends. Her reckless actions are the core of why she has failed in fencing for so many years. Na’s love interest, Baek, also suffered from the financial crisis after his father’s business went bankrupt, leaving him to fend for himself. He secures a job delivering newspapers for his town, where he meets Na for the first time.

Baek is also very young and comes off as cold and a killjoy, but unlike Na, he is an over-thinker who believes his mission is to work hard to rebuild his family’s reputation. On the surface, the plot of this drama is a love story between Na and Baek, who always seem to run into each other. The two can’t stand each other at the beginning of their relationship as Na is still very young and reckless, however, Baek, who was forced to grow up quickly and carry his family’s burden, becomes drawn to Na’s careless attitude. It’s a refreshing take on a youthful love story. It doesn’t aim for a picture-perfect ending between both protagonists like other Korean dramas often do. Instead, it centers on the characters’ coming of age. Because the series jumps between the present and the past, viewers get the sense from the beginning that Na and Baek do not end up together.

With this in mind, it helps the story dive further into the development of Na and Baek’s relationship. Instead of focusing on a happy ending, it prepares the audience for a heartbreaking, yet realistic end, reminding us that some relationships are not meant to last forever. The couple hit their breaking points after Baek scored a job as a reporter. In the beginning, he is naive and tries to make things work with Na, but he soon faces an ethical dilemma as a reporter dating a professional athlete. Still, as the couple tries to make it work, they are warned plenty of times that Baek’s career will cause the fall of their relationship. Like many Korean dramas, parallel tales help connect each character’s story. In the present day, Na’s daughter struggles with finding the motivation to continue ballet, which is something that we see Na struggle with in the beginning as she

tries to prove her full potential. Na’s relationship with her mother, also a news anchor, reflects the kind of relationship that she embarks with Baek. Throughout the relationship, there is a lot of growth from both protagonists. Na matures enough to reach her ultimate goal of winning more than one victory against her fencing idol. Baek hits a turning point in his career when he is sent out to New York City to cover the 9/11 attacks. Eventually, he is offered the news anchor position that Na’s mother once held. The show focuses on the brief memories shared with loved ones, accepting the outcomes and moving on. Overall, this show does a great job creating a sweet coming-of-age story. Unlike other Korean dramas that are over fantasized and tend to trauma dump, “Twenty Five Twenty One” gives the viewers something to swoon over and also hits you with a huge reality check.

Lifestyle 5

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022

Movie

REVIEW

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ is wildly imaginative and fun

With stunning visuals and a thoughtful storyline this film highlights creativity.

MATTHEW KEYSER Editor

A24’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” dives into the multiverse and offers audiences an originally bold story that’s dazzling and pushes the boundaries of filmmaking. Written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the movie is a chaotically fun rollercoaster that does a great job weaving action and humor, while instilling a strong emotional core. Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) is a middle-aged Chinese immigrant who owns a failing laundromat with her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). Dissatisfied with her messy life that entails a struggling marriage and a struggling relationship with her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu), Evelyn’s disappointment with her life choices has created a huge strain within her family. To make life worse, the Wangs are also in the middle of an IRS audit which has them in the grips of Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis), a judgmental auditor who doesn’t particularly care for Evelyn and her family. During their meeting, Evelyn is suddenly called into action as a different version of Waymond appears and tells her she is needed to save the multiverse. Advised that she is the “only” Evelyn throughout the multiverse that’s equipped to

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stop the evil Jobu Tupaki, she embarks on a daring mission that grants her access to other universes where she acquires skills from different versions of herself. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” clearly derives its influence from films like “The Matrix,” “Kill Bill” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” with its stunning visuals, amazing choreography and metaphysical storytelling that gives viewers something fresh, daring and exciting. Kwan and Scheinert take the current popularity of exploring the multiverse by inserting a chaotic and emotional story full of wit and surrealist humor. From dildo

fights, people with hotdogs for fingers, and using a fanny pack for Kung-Fu, the duo spares no expense in providing audiences with the experience of a lifetime. The film’s cast is exceptionally brilliant. Yeoh delivers a masterful performance that allows her to flourish, showcasing the actress’ ability to dive into the seriousness and absurdity of her character. The film is also a testament to Yeoh’s career, as it celebrates her reputation as not only one of the most prolific action stars but as one of the highest caliber of actors in the industry today. Quan is irresistibly charming as Waymond. He shifts fluidly between both versions of his character, allowing him to seamlessly transition from his happy-go-lucky self to his hyper-competent alter ego. Hsu and Curtis are both a delight and shine equally throughout the film. Hsu demonstrates her range as an actress

allowing herself to have fun with her character. As Joy, Hsu illustrates the struggle and emotional impact of trying to gain her mother’s acceptance, while her counterpart’s ability to let go reveals the character’s potential to be dark and sinister. Curtis relishes as a snide bureaucrat whose many personas allow her to go full-throttle in all her scenes. It’s obvious that Curtis had a blast portraying Beaubeirdra. The film’s fight scenes are as phenomenal as they are bizarre. Andy Le and Brian Le deliver some of the most over-the-top action scenes, blending the classic fighting styles in Hong Kong cinema with Kwan and Scheinert’s slapstick comedy. Kwan and Scheinert excel at providing a multidimensional story that is insanely wacky and yet, comprehensively grounded in emotion. Leaning on the duo’s previous eccentricities with their 2016 film “Swiss Army Man,” this movie basks in the absurdity, connecting the film’s humor with its virtue. At its core, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is about family. It explores the relationships within the generations of one family and the pressures of failing to live up to one’s full potential. Though it may have a bit of a long runtime — clocking in at 2 hours and 19 minutes — the film utilizes its time to deliver a visual and comedic spectacle that will resonate with audiences for years to come.

6 Sports

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022

Daisy Munoz crosses home to score against UC Riverside on April 3 at Anderson Family Field . (Marisa Palmerin-Flores / Daily Titan)

Sweep: Titans bring in fifth-straight win CONTINUED FROM

Northridge’s 4-0 lead ignited the Titans in the fourth inning. Munoz hammered her fourth home run of the season with a solo blast over the left-field fence to get Fullerton on the board, 4-1. A pair of errors from Northridge allowed the Titans to close in on their deficit, with Beccerra recording an RBI double to give the Titans a 5-4 lead heading into the fifth. After scoreless fifth and sixth innings,

Alcala blasted a game-clinching home run to left field, her fourth home run of the season, securing the series opener, 6-4. The final game of the series was a nail-biter until the final inning. With two outs in the top of the first, Munoz RBI singled up the middle to bring in Delgadillo and gain Fullerton’s first run. Northridge responded in the bottom of the second with a left-field home run from Alexa Landeros to tie the score early at 1-1. This was Landeros’ first home run of her

collegiate career. Errors cost the Titans throughout the fourth, including an overthrow from Sutherlin to Munoz that allowed Samantha Kwiatkowski to score for a 2-1 Matadors lead in the fourth. Facing a deficit, Fullerton once again took the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth. Following a scoreless sixth inning, Fullerton sealed the win with five runs in the top of the seventh. With runners on second and third, Hernandez singled to left field to bring

in Delgadillo. Later, Munoz’s RBI single brought Becerra home to extend the Titans’ lead to three. The scoring outburst continued as Hernandez came home off of Alcala’s RBI double. The scoring came to an end after Toto singled up the middle, which allowed Lauryn DeGuzman and Munoz to head to home base with a commanding 8-2 lead and secured the series sweep. Next up, Fullerton heads to California Baptist University with the chance to extend its winning streak to six on April 12.

Softball alumna strikes deal with MLB affiliate DAVID GOODKIND Asst. Editor

Former Cal State Fullerton softball star and Big West Conference Player of the Year Kelsie Whitmore made history on April 8 as she signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, an official partner of Major League Baseball. The Atlantic League is one of four independent leagues that are partnered with the MLB. While comprised of 10 teams, it also serves a testing ground for potential new rules that can be implemented in the MLB. The 23-year-old is one of the first women to sign with a league affiliated with MLB and her status as a trailblazer immediately brands her as a major face of women in baseball. Although Whitmore played softball at Fullerton, where she hit .395/.507/.824 and won Big West Field Player of the Year in 2021, her background has mostly been in baseball. A two-way player in the vein of Los Angeles Angels’ dual threat Shohei Ohtani, Whitmore is a prolific hitter and pitcher, pitching a fantastic 1.35 ERA for the U.S. Women’s National

Baseball Team from 2014-19 and hitting .348 during the 2019 Pan American Games. The San Diego native and Temecula Valley High School graduate started playing baseball at six years old and participated in her local little league and baseball tournaments. She only turned to softball because baseball was not offered to female collegiate athletes. Whitmore’s stint with the FerryHawks isn’t her first with professional baseball. She also played for independent teams, the Sonoma Stompers and Portland Pickles. While the pressure on her to succeed at a professional level isn’t new, participating at this level presents new challenges. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Whitmore took a realistic approach and said, “I’m going to make mistakes; I’m going to fail. And that’s all part of it. And my biggest goal was to come here to develop, and gain knowledge to be the best version of myself.” Whitmore’s first step towards development began on the right note in New York with the team, as she struck out the first batter she faced during an invitation-only tryout on April 9. The FerryHawks, new to the Atlantic League, will begin their season on April 21.

Kelsie Whitmore played at Anderson Family Field from 2016 to 2021, and earned Big West Player of the Year in her last season. (Hayley M. Slye / Daily Titan) VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

Leisure 7

WEEK OF MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2022

WRITTEN by Stepheny Gehrig