A&E

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

The MarqueTTe Tribune Arts & eNtertAiNmeNt

Page 8

Marquette reacts to euphoric return of “Euphoria”

Sunday nights are dedicated to this HBO Max series

By Izzy Fonfara Drewel

isabella.fonfaradrewel@marquette.edu

This story contains spoilers for season two of “Euphoria.”

Packed full of violence, addiction and chaotic high school relationships, “Euphoria” captivates its audience every Sunday. They surround their screens to see if Rue (Zendaya) will finally overcome her drug addiction, if the truth about Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Nate’s (Jacob Elordi) relationship will come out and what other plot twists the producers have in store.

HBO adapted Euphoria from an Israeli show with the same name and enlisted Canadian rapper Drake as an executive producer. After airing the first season in 2019, “Euphoria” gained a loyal following. Now, “Euphoria” has returned for a second season with its talented cast, and the show has managed to grab new viewers. The new episodes are released at 9 p.m. EST on Sunday nights.

“I started watching it because everyone said season two was coming out and I hadn’t even seen season one,” Mari Crowley, a first-year student in the College of Communication, said. “Basically, I started watching it because my friends were watching it.”

Whether they’ve been a dedicated fan from the beginning or have only been watching for a few weeks, the audience is excited to see where the crew takes this season. Plotlines, such as Cassie and Nate’s secret relationship, grabbed everyone’s interests, putting them on the edge of their seats. The new season has viewers like Lizanne Donnelly, a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences, invested in every second and wondering just what could come next.

“I think it’s a lot more drama now that the storylines and characters were laid out in season one,” Donnelly said. “[The characters] are developing and changing and it’s a lot more interesting because we already have that precursory knowledge, so it’s learning what they’re doing with that.”

Each episode is packed with new twists and turns, which only intrigues the viewers more. The unexpected plot points are part of the show’s character, and they hold onto the attention of their audience. However, there are a few things that students would like to change.

“I would have Rue go to the hospital, be admitted and go through the whole rehab process again,” Lorelai VanGuilder, a first-year student in the College of Communication, said. “Maddy and Cassie should not be friends be Cal because he’s had growth as a character,” Donnelly said. “That’s something you see a lot in TV where a character presents change within themselves, but then they never get to fully live with that change.”

The suspense of the show is part of why viewers keep coming back. “Euphoria” is known for being unpredictable and the audience continues to watch so they aren’t caught off guard.

For some fans, watching the newest episode is a bonding experience. They gather and host watch parties with their friends, and their reactions are only amplified when they are together.

“Normally, I go to my friend’s room, and we’ll all sit and watch all together, like a family,” VanGuilder said.

The show has brought people together and generated memories for them. “Euphoria” has been a wild ride for some viewers, but some can’t wait to see where it goes next.

anymore; I don’t know why they were even friends in the first place.”

Despite the desired changes, some of the audience can’t wait to see what happens next. Some people have their own predictions for the rest of the season, but only time will tell.

“I think someone is going to get close to death, for sure,” Crowley said. “I hope Cal Jacobs figures out who he is and goes on to lead a life that’s not full of abuse and hatred.”

With the height of the season coming closer, some viewers are worried about the characters and their potential fates.

“My favorite character is Fez because I feel like I can relate to him out of most of them since he doesn’t really cause a lot of drama and he takes care of people,” Vanguilder said. “I think Fez could die but I don’t want to put that into the universe.”

“All I hear is that someone is going to die and I think that might

CURRAN: predictions for movie’s biggest night

Oscar nominations are here, tune in Mar. 27 to see who wins

By Patrick Curran

patrick.curran@marquette.edu

Every year I look forward to the day when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) gives me a heart attack for snubbing the best movies and in turn nominates the awful ones.

Year after year, as I wake up early (this year it was at 7:18 a.m.) at the most specific time, I sit in my bed and gasp as a C-list celebrity announcer reveals the nominations.

As I watch the nominations, I wonder what absurdity the Oscars will pull this year, such as when “La La Land” originally was the winner of Best Picture in 2017 until “Moonlight” was then awarded after a mishap.

I then hear them list the nominated actors and actresses and I sit and wonder if my favorites will be snubbed (which they always are).

It is something that I am now used to from my five years of closely following the Oscars. Now I shrug it off.

Despite the Academy producing upsets year after year, here are my attempts at predicting the 94th Academy Award winners.

Best Picture is supposed to be the list of the ten best movies of the year. Yet, many of these movies should not even be in consideration. (I am looking at you “Don’t Look Up”).

Best Picture: “Belfast,” “CODA,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The Power of the Dog” and “West Side Story”

Will Win: “The Power of the Dog”

There is almost no way that “The Power of The Dog” does not walk away with the trophy. It garnered twelve nominations, which indicates support for the movie, actors, filmmakers and crafts. “The Power of the Dog” is not the best movie on the list, but it seems like the movie that the Academy will go for in the end despite not being a crowdpleaser.

Should Win: “CODA”

“CODA” is a coming-of-age story that has strong representation and a stellar cast. The heartwarming film follows Emila Jones, who stars as Ruby, the eponymous CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), the only hearing member of her deaf family. It was one of my favorite movies that I have seen in the last year, and it has a strong story behind it with a theme of family that everyone can relate to. The Academy rightfully should award this film in some way.

Snubbed: “tick, tick….BOOM!”

“tick, tick…BOOM!” is the biographical musical about Jonathan Larson and it deserved a nomination. It stars Andrew Garfield, who did receive a nomination for his performance, yet I believe the movie itself deserved a nomination for its terrific ensemble, songs and screenplay.

Best Actor: Javier Bardem in “Being the Ricardos,” Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Power of the Dog,” Andrew Garfield in “tick, tick… BOOM!” Will Smith in “King Richard,” and Denzel Washington in “The Tragedy of Macbeth”

Best Actor consists of all returning nominees, and many are still fighting to win. It depends on how each star campaigns their movie over the next six weeks until the final round of voting begins.

Will Win: Will Smith in “King Richard”

In “King Richard,” Smith plays Richard Williams, the father and coach of widely successful athletes Venus and Serena Williams. Smith has a narrative building as one huge actor who has yet to win an Oscar, which is why I think this is an easy win for him.

Should Win: Andrew Garfield in “tick, tick…BOOM!”

Garfield’s performance is a career-best where he stars in a musical with upbeat songs balanced with complex lyrics. He should win, but I’ll be surprised if he ends up winning considering “tick, tick… BOOM!” did not get the expected support from the Academy as it missed out on critical nominations, unlike Smith.

Snubbed: To be honest, this is one of the only categories where I think the Oscars got it pretty right. Best Actress: Jessica Chastain in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Olivia Colman in “The Lost Daughter,” Penélope Cruz in “Parallel Mothers,” Nicole Kidman in “Being the Ricardos,” and Kristen Stewart in “Spencer” Unlike the Best Actor category, which has contenders with Best Picture nominations, Best Actress has zero, which leaves this as a pretty open race. Will Win/Should Win: Nicole Kidman in “Being The Ricardos” This year, Nicole Kidman is back in the race for her dramatic transformation of playing television icon Lucille Ball in “Being the Ricardos.” At first, Kidman received tons of backlash from people who did not believe she could do the iconic role justice. Despite people writing her off, she received lots of buzz, and I believe Oscar voters will connect with her performance. Kidman, after all, is one of the most famous actresses on the planet playing a television icon, so people that believed she wouldn’t be in awards conversations were truly fooling themselves.

Snubbed: Lady Gaga in “House of Gucci”

Even though I was not a fan of the movie, Gaga was highly anticipated to be on the list and even had a chance of walking away with the trophy. However, AMPAS did not receive “House of Gucci” well. It only got one nomination for makeup and hairstyling.

Supporting Actor has two people in the race to win: Troy Kostur and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Smit-McPhee is looking like the favorite to win, although Deaf actor Troy Kostur deserves it for his performance in “CODA.”

Supporting Actress is probably the most locked win of the night: Ariana DeBose in “West Side Story.” It would truly be a disgrace if anyone else won. When (not if) she wins, she will become the first openly queer woman of color to win an Oscar.

Even though I am not an Academy voter, I will for sure be screaming at the television and perfecting my ballot in time for Hollywood’s biggest night Mar. 27th.

Graphic by Lily Werner elizabeth.werner@marquette.edu

REVIEW: Remi Wolf knows how to put on a show

26-year-old artist performed in Chicago on Feb. 4 at the Metro

By Anna Houston

anna.houston@marquette.edu

Remi Wolf reminds me of warm breezes and sitting in the passenger seat of my friend’s car in the spring of 2020 when everyone’s lives had just fallen apart. I remember scrolling through her six-song EP, the only music she had released at the time, and thinking, “When this is over, I’m going to see Remi live,” and that’s exactly what I did.

For the newly 26-year-old singer, filling a stage solo was easy. The pop star dominated her sold out show at the Metro in Chicago this past Friday, Feb. 4. She opened with her recent single “Liquor Store” which brought the crowd to their feet. Every single song sounded better than the next as she completed a full set while jumping around the stage with ease despite having shin splints, she told the crowd. Even as a solo act, she made great use of her stage space, spending equal time with each section.

In the middle of the performance, she took a minute to calm down the crowd. Once the venue was brought down to a whisper, she did what seemed to be a mental health check-in, asking how the audience was feeling. Upon hearing a few disheartening murmurs, she lead the whole audience in two thoughtful and cleansing breaths. As a regular concert-goer, this was a first for me. I had never experienced a performer do something so intimate. It’s like she could read my mind and see the struggles of the week before.

For the entire show, Wolf was completely herself. She has this stage presence that shows how fun loving and emotional she is. Her fun and funky sound not only allows her to dance around, encouraging the audience to do the same. The call and response elements only heightened the energy in the venue.

The cherry on top of the performance was the ad-libs that proved just how talented of an artist she truly is. She took her music to the next level with belting notes and runs that absolutely blew me away and showed how much she deserved the spot on the stage. It reminded me of seeing a jazz performance: no two shows are the same. I am sure that Wolf went on to do different renditions of the songs each night, creating excitement not just for her, but the audience as well.

Wolf wrapped up her set by singing her iconic hit, “Disco Man,” the song which turned all of my friends into Wolf fans. It was the perfect way to wrap up the show, fans screaming the well known melody at the top of

Photo by Anna Houston anna.houston@marquette.edu Remi Wolf rose to fame after her song “Disco Man” was released.

their lungs and jumping around like the ground was on fire.

The 90-minute performance was a prime example of why live music exists. It is supposed to be exciting, powerful and a completely new listening experience. It takes your favorite songs and makes them better than you ever thought possible, and Wolf did just that.