The Commuter: October 6, 2021

T H E

L I N N - B E N T O N

C O M M U N I T Y

VOL. 53 EDITION 2

C O L L E G E

OC T. 6, 2021

marching for women's rights

For Women’s Day Citizens of Corvallis March in Protest Against Texas Senate Bill 8 STORY BY DAKOTA GANGE by private citizens who could sue

In addition to the rest of the country, hundreds in the City of Corvallis took to the streets on Oct. 2 in support of women in Texas, protesting the abortion ban.

What’s unique about this ban, is that rather than the state doing the penalizing, Senate Bill 8 is only enforced

abortion providers and those involved in aiding or abetting an abortion after a “heartbeat” is detected.

Check out this informational article here.

PHOTOS: SABRINA DEDEK

Signs were held high, and whoops and hollers filled the blue sky as women, men, and children marched by.

Inside this Edition

GRAPHICS FREEPIK.COM

LBCC WELCOMES STUDENTS

SEE PAGE 3

SHREWSBURY RENAISSANCE FAIRE

SEE PAGES 5-6

SPORTS

SEE PAGES 7-8

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CAMPUS NEWS

OCTOBER 6, 2021

LBCOMMUTER.COM 

Wellness Wednesday Co-Department Chair of the Advising Center at LBCC Shares Wellness Advice

The Commuter is the weekly student-run newspaper for LBCC, financed by student fees and advertising. Opinions expressed in The Commuter do not necessarily reflect those of the LBCC administration, faculty and students of LBCC. Editorials, columns, letters, and cartoons reflect the opinions of the authors.

LBCC is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Letters Welcome The Commuter encourages readers to use its “Opinion” pages to express their views on campus, community, regional and national issues. The Commuter attempts to print all submissions received, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, libel, privacy concerns and taste. Opinions expressed by letter submitters do not represent the views of the Commuter staff or the College.

Deliver letters to: Address: The Commuter Forum 222 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, OR 97321 Web Address: LBCommuter.com Phone: 541-917-4451, 4452 or 4449 Email: commuter@linnbenton.edu Twitter @LBCommuter Facebook LBCC The Commuter Instagram @LBCommuter

Our Staff

STORY BY

LISA HOOGESTEGER

​ Greetings of the 2021-2022 school year.

I work in the L ​ BCC advising center and one of my focus areas is health and wellness. I love advising and I love creative thinking about wellness - what it is, how to "do wellness" and all things that contribute to being a whole human being. In these weekly articles, my goal is to make you think. Even just one moment of "aha". Learning something, challenging a belief, and providing food for thought. This is not about what is right or wrong in self-care and wellbeing. There are hundreds of wellness experts and articles to support many brands of the best _____________ to make you better, stronger, smarter, richer, balanced... Find what works for you.

We flawed human beings a​ re sometimes in a game of comparison. ​You be you. You be you, and that's enough.

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” -Dr. Seuss

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

– J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

My 12 year old told me this joke

the other day Dad says to son who is complaining about walking to school, “Son, when I was your age I had to walk 3 miles across the muddy, hilly farm fields to get to school”. Son says, “Dad, when Abraham Lincoln was your age he was President”.

Comparison.

If you look around, you will always find (or perceive) others as ► smarter ► fitter ► more together ► having more money or friends, connections ► Or those who have less, or aren’t as cool

So what? Nobody gets out of life alive. Nobody wins.

The best we can do is both to be our best self and be intentional to not judge others.

GRAPHIC: FREEPIK.COM

Adviser Rob Priewe

Editor-in-Chief Dakota Gange Layout Designer Rebecca Fewless Marketing/Advertising Isaieh Heiken Sean Ramos A&E Steven Pryor Editor Leah Biesack Avery Leon-Castillo Web Master Marci Sischo Photography Chrissy Veach Contributors Brenda Autry Tanner Johnson Logan Hannigan-Downs Kolby France Sabrina Dedek

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CAMPUS NEWS

OCTOBER 6, 2021

3

LBCC Welcomes Students Students of Welcome Day Share What They’re Most Excited and Afraid About.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRISSY VEACH

Robert Year: Freshman Major: Business Robert is most excited about meeting new people, finding new opportunities and taking the next step in his education. Naturally, he is afraid of not doing well in his courses, and not keeping up with his previous straight-A-student streak.

We all have our doubts, fears, and things we are excited about; Emotion is a beautiful and relentless part of our lives.

Thank you to the students of LB who openly share their excitement and fears out loud! We here at The Commuter are right there with you.

Lauran Thompson Year: Freshmen Major: Phlebotomy Program; Specializing in Physical Therapy Thompson is most excited about a new environment and to experience something different, but is nervous about classes being too hard.

Annastashia Year: Freshmen Major: English Annastashia is most excited to be around people again, but is also most afraid of coming back to school.

Nicole William Year: Freshmen Major: Nursing William is most excited about meeting new people, but is afraid of the class struggle.

Roman Year: Freshmen Major: Undeclared Roman is most excited to be able to do something that he loves, and getting to wake up knowing that he loves it. Roman is “not scared” and “is pretty determined in what he wants.”

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COLUMN

OCTOBER 6, 2021

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Confessions from Concessions Working OSU Game Day Concessions as a Non-Sports Fan

STORY BY LEAH BIESACK

I didn’t do sports as a kid. I don’t do them as an adult. There isn’t a single thread of team apparel in my entire house (that includes both the closet and the dresser). I don’t check scores. I don’t follow drafts. I’ve never said ‘off-sides.’ I’ve never wanted to.

And for the life of me, I cannot comprehend what could possibly be so special about special teams. Naturally, this all made me think I would make the perfect candidate to work the OSU football season. I imagine you’re thinking the same.

On game days, I walk the 20 minute stretch from my apartment to the statement piece of a stadium (because if I wanted to experience lawless driving and non-existent parking, I’d just move back to L.A.). I hire a dog-walker, because my Saturday nights are now standing dates with the Orange and Black. Our relationship is new — I never know what to wear, I get nervous before walking in the door, and I still can’t tell if this thing has legs. So far, though, neither of us have stood each other up.

The grounds of Reser are pooled with the devoted masses, everyone in a notso-secret competition to prove their loyalty.

There are cymbals and peanuts. There’s often a golden retriever manically performing tricks. People are wearing beads and waving flags. It’s all very Ringling Bros Circus, minus the elephants. (It’s still early in the season, though, so the retriever might be just the opening act.)

I am at my assigned booth early, always. I clean countertops that have been holding the marinara shed from last week’s massacre. I make mediocre coffee. I make hot chocolate using a whisk the size of a small toddler. I make a cup of water for myself that I will forget about until I leave 7 hours later. Marcy and Mike are also there early. Marcy has kids who have kids. She cuts pizzas and jokes she’s elderly. ‘I have a son who’s 54!’ she told me last night. Mike works the oven and is proud of his custommade pocket knife. He’s monitored how much cheese I sprinkle on the crusts, but it’s probably made me better at my job.

Mike and Marcy have the potential to be

the Harold and Maude of our time.

Pearl works up front. Concessions at Reser is the debut of her food service career.

She usually seems simultaneously unhappy to be there and hungry for more shifts. She pours beers for patrons and gets antsy when it gets busy. It has never not been busy. Pearl has mastered the messy bun.

Sheila’s up front, as well, and is likely the reason we all function okay. She’s as positive at the first transaction as she is at the last. No amount of damage control will

faze her. It’s the kind of patience that should be studied and tested, then sent off to labs. I heard her say last night that she doesn’t eat gluten, so maybe there’s a lesson there. Shelia is the straight-man to our comedy of errors, and she deserves Christmas cards from every one of us this year.

Diane is the seasoned veteran of sports concessions. She can overhear every transaction from any corner of the booth and will swoop in confidently if she feels even a light breeze of something being amiss.

Diane loves rooting for the football team.

Diane loves her kids. Diane really, really loves working sports concessions.

Me and Pearl, Sheila, Diane, Marcy and Mike. We eat cheese bread together and coexist in order to provide thousands of people with Red Vines and Blue Moons. We exist for you. Every quarter, of every home game. We are all yours. Stay tuned.

(Important: All names have been changed to protect the juicy private lives of the inhabitants of Misfit Island.)

Mushroom Hunts ‘Afoot LBCC Student Shares Her Love of Mushroom Hunting with a Guide to Your Everyday Mushroom Hunt

STORY BY western hemlock. Luckily for us, those are a few of the most common trees in our forests.

AVERY LEON-CASTILLO Other species these trees grow are hedgehog ‘Tis the season for colder weather, rainy days, and lots of wind. Trees are changing colors from bright green to warmer shades of red, brown, and orange. Leaves are falling, and the forests have an abundance of decay.

Decay sounds bad, but I promise you, it’s not.

The rotting leaves support fertilization for new plants and rotting wood gives home to many species of fungi. Mushrooms and other fungi are parasites. They feel and adapt. They are also very yummy. Well, some anyway, others are toxic and can be deadly. But those are very fun to photograph!

The humid climate we have in western Oregon is perfect for growing several mushrooms. Plenty of Oregonians go mushroom hunting, and they provide so much information! I’ve done a bit of research to help novice hunters figure out the best areas, the best time during the year, and how to distinguish different species of fungi.

According to That Oregon Life, a sure-fire way of finding mushrooms is to know your trees! Certain trees support certain fungi! Two of the more common families of mushrooms are boletes and chanterelles, they both have distinct flavors and appearances, which make them hard to miss. Both of them do grow mostly on fir trees, pine trees, oak trees, and

mushrooms, matsutake, ‘Slippery Jack’ mushrooms, Suillus, blewits, black trumpets, honey mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms.

Trees like Aspen, Spruce, Willow, and Birch trees also primarily home these.

With the knowledge of what trees to gravitate towards when mushroom hunting, you also need a few primal identification skills in order to avoid potentially toxic mushrooms. Several mushroom families have twins or doubles. One is delicious, the other… not so much. There are ultimately two basic ways of identifying. One is very basic, meant for someone who wouldn’t mind missing out on a few yummy ‘shrooms.

The second is quite basic as well, it’s meant to help distinguish between families.

The first method I mentioned, is to ID any possibly toxic mushrooms. Super general.

When inspecting a possible addition to a meal, check these things off in order to determine if they could be toxic: Are there white gills? Is there any red or bright, neon yellow spots on the cap or stem? Is there a skirt or ring around the stem? Does it smell unpleasantly like chemicals? Is there a sort of sack that the stem is protruding out of (also called a volva)? If yes to any of these, the ‘shroom could be toxic!

However, if one wanted to get in on a little bit of fun, you must know the basic appearances of the different fungal families and I found a perfect guide in the NY Times! Edible agaric mushrooms have pink to brown spots on their cap, a pure white background on their cap, usually black gills, and a stout stem with a skirt.

If you press the cap a bit to create a bruise, the color will change to pale yellow, pink, or pale red. Toxic agarics bruise a bright, chrome yellow and will have an extremely unpleasant chemical scent.

The bolete, sillius, and Leccinum families have short, stout stems and instead of gills, they have sponge-like pores. Any toxic doubles in these families will have red spots on the cap, stem, and pores. Another way you can test for a bolete’s toxicity is by carefully slicing it

vertically. If a rapid color change happens, likely blue, it’s toxic!

The Russulaceae family is mostly all toxic!

Unless you have an expert in the field to help identify it, stay away from them. They are most commonly known as milkcap mushrooms because they leak a milk-like lactate substance from their gills.

Another mostly toxic family of mushrooms is the Amanita genus. Every subspecies of this family have white gills or spores. They also all grow from a volva. Check for one before picking it!

One of my favorite families, and the last, is commonly known as the Russula. Particularly, the brittlegill mushroom. When you come across it, and you are sure it’s this type, try it!

Obviously, don’t take a huge bite out of it, but put a tiny piece of the cap onto your tongue. If you taste chili or a different chemical taste, spit it out because it’s toxic! Most toxic brittlegills won’t cause death, but if fully consumed, you’ll

definitely be sick.

If you live near or are able to travel towards the more western forests, do! They are particularly perfect growing places. McDonald forest, Chip Ross, Alsea Falls, and the Suislaw National forest are top-notch places to start. I will say however because these areas are well-known hunting spots, try finding an area less-known. Mushrooms love being near creeks or growing on hills!

If you can, find a more seasoned hunting partner, if not, be sure to use as many guides as you can. If you have a written guide, the best way to identify mushrooms is to ask yourself some questions: What time of year is it? What does the mushroom smell like? Does it have any red spots? What color does it bruise? What’s the physical description?

Enjoy the mushrooms you hunted with friends, and maybe convince them to go with you next time!

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OCTOBER 6, 2021

LOCAL NEWS

5

Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire Renaissance Faire of Kings Valley Celebrates 25 Years with the Plague Edition blythe, and to teach history through live re-

STORY AND PHOTOS BY enactment.

For a small fee - $14 for adults, $7 BRENDA AUTRY

Every September, in the small town of Kings Valley, Oregon, something out of the ordinary happens. An otherwise typical hayfield is thrust 500 years in the past to become the site of the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire.

Under the reign, and watchful eye, of Queen Elizabeth I, artisans, bards, and craft mongers come from all over the realm to share their enchanted world with the public. Their goal? To spread merry and

CJ Rohman of Portland and the "Great Axe of the Eclipse" named from a character in Dungeons and Dragons.

for ages 6-12 - spectators can be catapulted from their mundane modern lives straight into the center of a 16th century Elizabethan marketplace. Here you can dine on turkey legs and mead, shop for magic crystals and shape-shifting corsets, or try your hand at archery.

This year was the faire’s 25th anniversary celebration and was aptly dubbed, “The Plague Edition.”

The faire was started in 1996 by Leslie and Ken Engle of Philomath. Leslie spent her early life traveling the world and after settling in the United States in her teens, she dedicated her life to education.

She and Ken created this living-history faire to teach people about what she believed was one of the most important times in Western history - the Renaissance, which means, the rebirth of thought.

Since Leslie’s death in 2009, her son Adrian Hughes and his wife Jackie Hughes have taken over the operation and oversight of the faire. Jackie is the production director but concedes that, “it takes a village to make a faire.”

There are nine guilds that belong to Shresbury, each of which are responsible for a different task. From the Mad-Stampers Guild, who sell tickets at the entrance, to the Guild of Drake, which houses the nobility of Shrewsbury, each guild plays an important role in the overall success of the faire.

“Everyone here is family,” Jackie said. “Each guild is a small family unit and then faire is like the big family reunion where we all come together.”

Entertainers, spectators and

Stephen Howard and his dragon Traddlaq entertain the crowds.

vendors travel from all over Oregon, Washington and even as far away as Texas to attend the faire each year. Donning ornate costumes, participants and attendees alike blend seamlessly into the Elizabethanesk backdrop.

Sherian Dollinger, a member of the Guild of Drake, presides over the faire as Queen Elizabeth I. Her intricately beaded gown, which weighs approximately 100 pounds, is one of the most elaborate costumes on display at the faire.

“It took me 3 months to make it,” Dollinger said. “The beadwork alone took me 572 hours.”

Queen Elizabeth I can most commonly be seen, parading around the market, or sitting with the rest of the royal court in the shade near the Tourney Stage waiting for the most popular attraction - the joust.

The Knights of Mayhem, led by

Charlie “Sir Charles” Mason Andrews, are a group of knights who, clad in suits of armor (which weigh about 130lbs), engage in the very real extreme pro sport of professional jousting. Andrews is the 12 time reigning World Champion in Heavy Armor Full Contact Jousting. The Knights of Mayhem rose to stardom in 2011 when they starred in their own series of the same name on the National Geographic Channel.

The jousts occur twice each day of the faire and draw huge crowds. From the witty - and hilarious - banter of the MC and the knights, to the excitement of the competition, this event is extremely entertaining.

If jousting isn’t your thing, or you’re looking for something to do between tournaments, the faire offers several other forms of entertainment. Several stages around Shrewsbury showcase musicians, dancers, magicians, and even comedians

Queen Elizabeth I presides over the jousts Plague masks add a special ambiance to the decor this year.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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LOCAL NEWS

OCTOBER 6, 2021

LBCOMMUTER.COM 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 throughout the day.

Activities like archery and throwing axes at knights are also on offer for attendees of all ages!

Stephen Howard and his knights, Sir Jamie (Jamie Wate) and Sir Duncan (Hunter Lee) were attending Shrewsbury for the first time this year. “We came because the faires we normally attend in Washington were cancelled due to Covid,” Howard said.

Howard and the knights run “The Axeman's Outpost,” a booth where participants throw axes at the knights to try and win prizes.

Howard and his dragon, Traddlaq, also put on a show together several times a day.

The faire is also a place for artisans to sell their wares. Morgan Harris works at her dad, Shane Harris’, booth, Redwolf Ltd, which showcases Harris’ hand crafted historically inspired jewelry. “Our pieces are made from forged copper,, bronze, nickel and caste pewter,” Harris said.

“Covid hurt us last year,” she continued. “We sell our jewelry online and through etsy, but a large percent of our income comes from the faires we attend in Oregon and Washington.”

“Plus, I really missed this last year.

I like attending faires because the type of people who come here are my favorite.

There is a lot of history and art which you don’t see in the mundane world. And you’re supporting local arts and buying handmade goods!”

History and art are two huge parts of Shrewsbury. Bill Hunt founded “Pictland” at Shrewsbury 17 years ago, because he wanted to share his history and culture with people.

The Picts were a group of people who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland during the middle ages.

“My mother was from Scotland and I was raised there,” Hunt said. “My father was from the US and I ended up

PHOTOS: BRENDA AUTRY

Opal the Fairy blows bubbles with magic surprises inside.

moving to Springfield, Oregon later on.

As a young man I grew up wandering the countryside of Scotland hearing stories that fascinated me. People told me the history of the Pict tribes - my history - and I wanted to share it. The feeling to share it intensified as I got older. The Picts are a forgotten people - a very important forgotten people.”

Pictland lies at the far corner of Friar Tucks Forest in Shrewsbury. One of the more inclusive displays at the faire, Pictland includes demonstrations of ancient arts like basket weaving, a reconstruction of Pictish stones, and informative and entertaining retellings of Pict histories.

Auggie Cowles, 4, with mom and dad Sammie and Steve Cowles enjoy the faire together.

Full of good food, entertainment, and colorful histories, the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire is a delightful way to spend the day.

In keeping with their mission of teaching history through play, Shrewsbury offers live classroom presentations, community outreach, online resources for students and teachers, and a scholarship program. More information about these services can be found at shrewfaire.com under the “Hands on History” tab.

Information about volunteering or joining a guild can also be found at shrewfaire.com.

Craig Kiney has been a part of Pictland for 12 years.

Charlie Andrews from the Knights of Mayhem preforms duties as MC of the jousts.

Charlie Andrews poses with horse Bain.

Friends Gwen Amsburg, Jill Massinger, Morgan Harris, Nicholas Conley and Rose Campbell from the Portland area attend the faire and help in Harris' father's shop Redwold Ltd. Jai Milner of Bend is dressed as a Goblin named Nym

 COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU

OCTOBER 6, 2021

sports roundup: COMPILED BY KOLBY FRANCE AND LOGAN HANNIGAN-DOWNS

Volleyball Team Keeps Rolling, Defeats Rogue 3-0 ALBANY — Linn-Benton remained undefeated in the NWAC South Region after defeating Rogue 3-0 in volleyball action Oct. 2.

Set scores were 25-21, 25-22 and 2519.

The win improved the Roadrunners' overall record to 17-2 and 7-0 in the NWAC South for sole possession of first place.

Linn-Benton next travels to Clackamas on Wednesday.

Roadrunners Stop SWOCC 3-0 ALBANY — Linn-Benton defeated Southwestern Oregon 3-0 in NWAC South Region volleyball action on Oct. 1.

Set scores were 25-11, 25-20 and 25-15.

The Roadrunners, recently ranked #1 among all NWAC regions in the first coaches poll, remain unbeaten in NWAC South play at 6-0 and 16-2 overall.

LBCC Tops First Volleyball Poll of the Season VANCOUVER, Wash. — Linn-Benton sits on top of the first volleyball coaches poll of the season. At the time of the poll, the Roadrunners were 15-2 overall and 5-0 in the NWAC South Region.

Linn-Benton received the most first place votes (4) and had 58 points overall in the rankings process.

The South Region's Rogue (4th) and Lane (8th) were also ranked, giving the South three of the top eight teams.

Also receiving votes: Lower Columbia 8, Tacoma 6, Walla Walla 3, Highline 2, North Idaho 2, Columbia Basin 1.

TicketSmarter NWAC Volleyball Coaches Poll #1 RANK

SCHOOL

POINTS

1

Linn-Benton

58 (4)

2

Whatcom

49

3

Pierce

41 (2)

4

Rogue

28

5

Skagit Valley

21

T6

Bellevue

19 (1)

T6

Spokane

19

8

Lane

15

Beaks Defeat College of the Redwoods ALBANY — The Roadrunners Volleyball Team handily defeated the College of the Redwoods on Sept, 27.winning in three straight sets in just under an hour.

Set scores were 25-12, 25-12, 25-7.

Freshman Shalyn Gray led the Roadrunners with 10 kills on 19 attempts and five assists. Sophomore Sydnie Johnson had led the team

in assists, with 15 of them, she also had two service aces and five digs.

Freshman Kennedy Kantola ended with eight kills and three digs. At the net, Alicia Vandervoot-Walters had one block, and three kills, Grace Parker also had one block and added one kill, and one dig.

Wyss Named South Region Player of the Week ALBANY, Ore. — Isabelle Wyss has been named the NWAC South Region Player of the Week Four (September 13-17).

In two Roadrunner victories over Umpqua (3-0) and Chemeketa (3-0),

Wyss collected 16 kills on 26 attempts (.615). She also added 16 digs for the week and contributed five assists.

Sydnie Johnson and Zaley Bennett previously shared Setter of the Week honors for Week Two.

7

⚾ BASEBALL Roadrunners VS OSU STORY AND PHOTOS: LOGAN HANNIGAN-DOWNS

🏐 VOLLEYBALL

SPORTS

Linn-Benton's baseball team took on Oregon State in a doubleheader scrimmage at Goss Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon on Friday, Oct, 1. The Beaks look to continue their success this spring after going 30-9 during the 2021 season and falling to Umpqua in the South Region Semifinals.

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SPORTS

OCTOBER 6, 2021

LBCOMMUTER.COM 

Roadrunners vs. Redwoods Roadrunners defeat the College of Redwoods

STORY AND PHOTOS BY LOGAN HANNIGAN-DOWNS The Roadrunners Volleyball Team handily defeated the College of the Redwoods on Sept. 27, winning in three straight sets in just under an hour. The set scores were 25-12, 25-12, 25-7.

Freshman Shalyn Gray led the Roadrunners with 10 kills on 19 attempts and five assists. Sophomore Sydnie Johnson had led the team in assists, with 15 of them, she also had two service aces and five digs. Freshman Kennedy Kantola ended with eight kills and three digs. At the net, Alicia Vandervoot-Walters had one block, and three kills, Grace Parker also had one block and added one kill, and one dig. No information was available on the Redwoods stats.

Current NWAC South Region Standings as of Sept 28.

For more Information Click Here.

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A&E

OCTOBER 6, 2021

5-Word Book

Reviews

BY LEAH BIESACK

The Writing Life, Annie Dillard: Nuggets upon nuggets of perfection.

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, Jose Antonio Vargas: The U.S. is a migraine.

Dance of the Happy Shades, Alice Munro: Reads beige. Not terrible, though.

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for Crossword

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit.

Click Here

For Sudoku

9

10

A&E

OCTOBER 6, 2021

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‘Card Counter’ Deals a Hot Hand

REVIEW BY LEAH BIESACK

As the days dim darker and the arsenal of grey rolls in, Indie film Card Counter has hit the screens, mirroring the deep dark tone of a season without sunlight. Director Paul Schrader’s latest production, centered around a former army interrogator turned under-theradar blackjack ace, pulls the audience on a slow, suspenseful ride-along, one that juts off-road and around unforeseen corners, despite any pleas to turn back. The imagery is cringeworthy against crisp and polished, the story is uncomfortable while still impressively fresh, and the lasting effect is what I imagine one experiences after really hard drugs or seeing Jesus on a piece of toast.

William Tell, played by the incomparable Oscar Isaac, served in the army as an interrogator at Abu Ghraib, and in turn served a prison sentence of his own. We see him in his current life chapter, as a polished, polite card counter who spends all waking moments in seedy casinos or on the road to seedier motels. In a moment between tracking every king on the table, Tell encounters a 20-something kid, Cirk, (played by Ty Sheridan) who has a connection to Tell’s layered and lead-heavy past. Willem Defoe (he’s still working, can you believe it?!) does what he does best — plays a twisted creep with pure aplomb, while Tiffany Haddish takes on the role of gambling

CARD COUNTER

DIRECTOR: Paul Schrader STARRING: Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, Willem Dafoe RATED: R

agent, and subsequent love interest of Isaac. As we watch Cirk tag along with Tell on his poker tour, we learn about their respective motives and goals, and in turn, feel the discomfort when they don’t quite align.

Just as time suspends and turns endless in high-stakes poker games, Card Counter’s pace follows suit — it is that of the cigarette lit and left to burn in the tray. Long hallway shots accompanied by a score of deep and intimidating bass notes will conjure Stanley Kubrick to the very forefront of your experience. And while there are no sets of twins, ala The Shining, expect to wrestle with a similar terror and discomfort throughout the film.

Card Counter is not without flaws. The romantic relationship is a little hard to buy into, and often feels like

filler in a movie that didn’t need any to begin with. Although she does captivate in her opening scene, Haddish turns in a middle-tier performance overall. She appears to have been holding back, or maybe she, too, questioned why some of these scenarios and lines were included in the first place. A few moments of over-the-top odes to rom-com cheese/ cringe may leave you somewhere on the spectrum from eye-rolling to enraged. It’s possible these choices were an attempt at continuing the theme of juxtaposition, or it could be a ‘clever’ nod to cliche romance scenes we see forever replicated in mainstream media. Whether the former or the latter, though, it simply doesn’t work, let alone work well. Even when it’s art, bad is bad.

Despite the ill-fitting and poorly constructed romance, Card

Counter is absolutely worth the viewing. Oscar Isaac carries the entire film on his incredibly defined shoulders.

His transformation into William Tell is reminiscent to that of Javier Bardem turned Anton Chigwurth in No Country For Old Men. Every aspect of his performance is captivating in a way that must be both simultaneously learned and also impossible to have been studied — more likely it was harnessed from the depths of 1,000 souls, or siphoned from the tree of life, maybe mixed in with the blood of the moon or something. Card Counter is a slow-churn, continuous burn of a thriller, riding on an odd storyline and sealed with mostly top-shelf performances. Go see this film, then cancel all commitments the following day in order to allow ample time to think and feel the inevitable, expertly crafted discomfort.

Pro Tip: You can catch a screening of Card Counter at art house theater, Darkside Cinema, in downtown Corvallis. They’re taking all the safety precautions in order to give you a movie-watching experience that doesn’t require you to balance a laptop on a pillow. Flash that proof of vaccination at the door for entry, and hold up that student ID for a nice lil’ discount. Their popcorn is the real deal, and they sell Lemon Heads for anyone still happily living in the candy dark ages.

A Mixed Palette of a Remaster SONIC COLORS ULTIMATE

REVIEW BY

STEVEN PRYOR

PUBLISHER: Sega DEVELOPER: Sonic Team/Blind Squirrel Games PLATFORM:Nintendo Switch (Also Available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One) ESRB RATING: E

@STEVENPRR2PRYOR

(Note: This editorial is based on the most recent version of the game available as of this writing.

Some features may be dif ferent depending on which version you’re playing.)

“Sonic Colors Ultimate” is a remaster of the 2010 title “Sonic Colors,” which released on the Nintendo Wii alongside a handheld companion on the Nintendo DS. Though the base game still remains one of the more enjoyable 3D “Sonic the Hedgehog” titles just over a decade after its initial release, the remaster for modern systems has debuted with issues that need addressing in order to truly make its colors shine brightly.

The game sees Sonic and his best friend Miles “Tails” Prower seeking to stop Dr. Ivo Eggman from turning Planet Wisp and its neighboring planets into an amusement park known as “Eggmanland.” With the aid of alien creatures known as “Wisps,” Sonic

must traverse a variety of stages in order to stop Eggman’s nefarious scheme.

In terms of gameplay, the title builds on the speed and platforming that have been key elements of the series since it began; with a mix of 2D and 3D sections inf luenced by the well-received daytime stages of 2008’s “Sonic Unleashed.” Rather than the infamously action-heavy “were-hog” sections in that game’s nighttime stages, this game features a more straightforward powerup system with the Wisps, which can do everything from give Sonic a speed boost to turning the player into a drill or rocket ship. One new powerup unique to this version is the “Jade Wisp,” which can turn the player into a ghost that can phase through

parts of the level. The original release on the Wii was one of the more visually-impressive games on an otherwise underpowered system, and has held up remarkably well even before the remaster was released.

That said, there are issues with this version that keep it from being fully recommended at this time. Though each of the platforms which this remaster is on is more powerful than the Wii, they also each have problems that weren’t present in the original release. While the Nintendo Switch version has seen the most noticeable graphical issues (including a glitch that impacts players with epilepsy), the versions on PC, Playstation 4 and Xbox One haven’t received all the upgrades promised at launch (an analysis video

from Digital Foundry confirms this).

The developers have also taken criticism for miscrediting the Godot engine that was used to remaster the game. Thankfully, Blind Squirrel Games are willing to address the complaints, and plan to fix the more troubling problems in future patches (a day-one patch launched alongside the game upon its release on September 7, 2021).

While the original Wii release of “Sonic Colors” is one of the better 3D “Sonic the Hedgehog” games, for the time being, “Sonic Colors Ultimate” is a mixed palette of a remaster. A full review of the game will follow after the first major patches are released.

 COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU

OCTOBER 6, 2021

A&E

11

Zelda Reaches Skyward REVIEW BY

STEVEN PRYOR

@STEVENPRR2PRYOR

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the long-running “The Legend of Zelda” series, and the tenth anniversary of “The Legend of Zelda: Sky ward Sword,” which originally launched on the Nintendo Wii in 2011. Now, a decade later in 2021, the game has been given an HD remaster on the Nintendo Switch.

The game takes place as the first chronological story in the “Zelda” timeline, seeing Link set off on his first major quest; diving down from the f loating island of Skyloft to find three distinct lands to explore and restore peace to the kingdom.

In many respects, the game’s worldbuilding works for a different reason than it did in “Breath of the Wild.” While “Breath of the Wild” gives you a large world to explore right at the outset (after an early quest), this game sees the player opening up more and more of the world as the plot progresses. This parallels the progression of the original title on the Nintendo Entertainment System in many respects.

This version also contains a variety of changes from the original release on the Wii. The pacing of the early sections of the story has been

altered considerably, with Link now being able to reach the first dungeons in a fraction of the time it took in the initial release. Link ’s companion Fi also has had the frequency of hints (outside of one’s key to the story) significantly reduced, with the player now being able to call upon Fi at will as needed. The graphics have been upgraded to 1080p resolution with 60 frames per second, a feat which was not previously possible on the original release. On top of the motion controls being far more advanced than what was shown before in the 2011 version, the game now features an alternate control scheme using physical buttons, which offers an entirely new option for players using a standard controller or when playing the game in handheld mode. The sound of the game is unique, as it is the first entry in the series to have a full orchestra rather than having parts of its music synthesized.

Overall, “The Legend of Zelda: Sky ward Sword HD” is a great way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the title and the 35th anniversary of “The Legend of Zelda” series as a whole. It’s the ideal recommendation for newcomers to try it for the first time and the perfect way for fans of the original release on Wii to reexperience the game.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD PUBLISHER: Nintendo DEVELOPER: Nintendo EPD/Grezzo PLATFORM: Nintendo Switch ESRB RATING: E10+ MY RATING: ★★★★★

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