Niner Times: November 28, 2017 by Niner Times

NOV. 28, 2017 NINERTIMES.COM

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Hunter Heilman editor@ninertimes.com EDITORIAL

Alex Sands NEWS EDITOR Kathleen Cook SPORTS EDITOR Jeffrey Kopp A&E EDITOR Hailey Turpin LIFESTYLE EDITOR Salina Dickie COPY EDITOR Mia Shelton OPINION EDITOR Leysha Caraballo PHOTO COORDINATOR Pooja Pasupula PHOTO COORDINATOR Chris McKinnis VIDEO PRODUCER Carmen Westra COMMUNITY EDITOR Kathryn Whitesides LAYOUT EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITORS

Stephanie Trefzger, Angie Baquedano, Emily Hickey, Joshua Worley, Emma West, Natasha Morehouse CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Megan Bird, Zoe Radojicic, Madison Dobrzenski

SPORTS

A&E

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WORK TO BE DONE FOR 49ERS FOOTBALL

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BUZZER BEATER THWARTS 49ERSʼ EFFORTS

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49ERS FALL TO FAU ON SENIOR DAY

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PIECES OF A PUZZLE

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MOVIE REVIEW: ʻTHREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURIʼ IS A SOUTHERN-FRIED MASTERWORK JAY Z KILLS SPECTRUM TV REVIEW: ʻTHE WALKING DEADʼ – ʻTHE KING, THE WIDOW, AND RICKʼ

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VIDEO •

Kayla Christian, Brandon Cox, Brandon Freer, Ryan Scott, Teely Yang, Yishni Yun

THE DOUBLE TAKE: CHARLOTTE 49ERS VS. FLORIDA ATLANTIC

LOCATED IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE STUDENT UNION

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POLICE BLOTTER NOV. 17 - NOV. 19

ARREST NOV. 19 •

Levine Hall, officers arrested a subject for DWI.

NOV. 18 •

South Village Dining, officers arrested a subject for an outstanding warrant.

DRUG AND LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS NOV. 19 •

Witherspoon Hall, officers issued five state citations. Four citations were in reference to underage consumption of alcohol and one was for possession of marijuana.

NOV. 18 •

Wallis Hall, officer issued a campus appearance ticket in reference to marijuana residue found in a residence hall during a housing inspection.

INFORMATION ONLY NOV. 17 •

Hunt Hall, officers took a report of a missing iPad.

LARCENY NOV. 17 •

East Deck Two, unknown person(s) entered victim’s vehicle through a nonoperational window. Victim stated that nothing appeared to be missing and there were no signs of damage to the vehicle.

FREAKY FRIDAYS

NEWS

Increase in Friday classes leads to student uproar By Alexandria Sands

There are a few phrases college students aren’t fond of. population have contributed to heavy, on-campus traffic Among them are “cumulative exam,” “textbook required” during peak hours. and “8 a.m.” Dubois is hoping by spreading out classes, the campus But one of the most common is “Friday congestion will be relieved. classes.” The change is also a way to ensure Chancellor Philip Dubois sent out students are utilizing campus all five a mass email Tuesday announcing days of the week. In Fall 2016, the that there would be change in class university recorded that classroom scheduling come the Fall 2018 semester. utilization was 50 percent lower on For the past ten years, UNC Fridays. Charlotte’s Monday and Wednesday “We also hope that offering a full classes have been one hour and 15 schedule of classes on Friday will minutes. In the fall, any class between enhance the campus experience, 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. will now be 50 engaging you for the entire week and minutes with an additional class on into the weekend with programming,” Friday. Dubois wrote in his email. The current structure was A petition against the plan has implemented by the university after received over 7,500 signatures on considering the commutes of faculty and Change.org. students. In his email, Dubois said this “Many students like to construct concern has been reduced due to the their schedules so they are free on establishment of Niner Transit. Fridays to do homework and free up For Junior Samuel Adams, this their weekends or just to have a threeJUNIOR concern is still prevelant. day weekend,” wrote Andrew Sarber, the “Considering the nature of UNCC with its petition’s creator. SAMUEL ADAMS higher-than-average amount of commuters, Professor Richard Buttimer, former the ability to attend classes on Monday and associate dean of the Belk College of Wednesday- for a longer period of time – to Business, was assigned to lead the campus free up Fridays, is essential. This saves gas as well as congestion task force in 2016. The task force made a time and definitely makes the school schedule easier to series of recommendations. Some recommendations have deal with when combining that with work and family,” been completed such as an extension to the right turn Adams said. lane on Broadrick Boulevard and adding more bicycle The change is a proposed solution to congestion on parking. Others are planned for the future such as closing campus. In the past few years, construction projects Craver Road during daytime hours on weekdays and designed to accommodate the university’s growing creating a drop-off zone by Fretwell.

“THE ABILITY TO ATTEND CLASSES ON MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY- FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME – TO FREE UP FRIDAYS, IS ESSENTIAL.”

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

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NOV. 28, 2017

PLANTING SEEDS TO STOP THE GROWING PROBLEM Pantry volunteers find new ways to aid financially disadvantaged students

Story and photo by Alexandria Sands

With the cost of college tuition on the rise, an increasing number of students are finding it more difficult to provide themselves the nutrients they need in order to have an active, healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity affects an estimated one-fourth of UNC Charlotte’s population, according Professor Kim Buch. Universities all throughout the United States are trying to find ways to tackle the growing problem. One of these methods is the Jamil Niner Student Pantry, a space close to campus where more than 800 financially disadvantaged students come to receive free food and clothes. But student volunteers want to place more nutritious options on the pantry shelves for their classmates. Garrett Lyon was one of these students. He described himself as “irked” when he saw the school was having sod put down behind the pantry. Why? “In my eyes, that was money that could’ve been used to buy food, if nothing else, like fresh produce,” Lyon said. Lyon, now graduated, was working toward his bachelor in Operations and Supply Chain Management at the time. “The supply chain aspect of it, my background, [taught me] how pivotal food is to our everyday lives,” Lyon said. He thought instead of laying sod, they could plant crops on the land and grow produce to be distributed at the pantry. When the pantry first opened, there were plans to start a garden, but no one had lead the initiative, until Lyon. He began reaching out to professors with his concerns Soon enough, the pantry received funding from TIAA to turn Lyon’s vision into a reality. The Office of Volunteer Outreach submitted a proposal to the Charlotte Green Initiative (CGI), the student

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committee who allocates funding for projects that promote campus environmental sustainability. In the past, CGI has funded a graduation gown repurposing project, water bottle refilling stations and skateboard racks. For this project, $4,000 was requested for the construction of raised beds and the purchasing of what was needed. As a student pantry leader, Lyon said he found a lot of the UNC Charlotte students who were struggling with food insecurity were international graduate students who couldn’t find work. “Be aware of the students around you and the circumstances, how difficult it is to go to college in the first place,” Lyon said. “If you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, it makes it a lot harder to study and learn on an empty stomach.” The garden is just one of the ways the pantry has expanded services in its three years of exsistence. The opening of the Jamil Niner Student Pantry followed a nationwide boom of food pantries popping up on college campuses. In the beginning, Professor Dr. Fary Cachelin offered space in her Colvard office for the donated items. Shelves were lined with rows of nonperishable food items- applesauce, oatmeal, tuna and canned vegetables. After just one month, the pantry was feeding more than 200 students. But the space was small and privacy became a concern. The increasing client base called for a move. Last year, the pantry opened it’s doors at a new location, a small brick house on John Kirk Drive. Here, they started a clothes closet. They now have enough space to teach cooking and nutrition classes. The garden has been the most recent addition to the pantry, with seeds first sown in April 2016. Volunteers see a variety of ways the garden could expand. Lyon said he thinks the initiative should go campus wide. Since there isn’t enough room for fruit trees in the backyard, he said he’d like to see those types of crops spread throughout campus. The pantry has enough volunteers for this to be a real possibility, he said. “There are a lot of landscape areas [on campus] that aren’t really being utilized,” Lyon said. Only UNC Charlotte students who live off campus and do not have a meal plan may receive service from the pantry. Each client must prove they’re a student with their 49er ID card and sign a food insecurity pledge, stating they do not have access to regular meals. The pantry is located at 1224 John Kirk Drive and open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2-5 p.m.

AN HOUR IN THE LIFE Poverty simulation familiarizes students with what it means to live in poverty

By Megan Bird

On Nov. 17, a sort of chaos took over the Student Union as students took part in a poverty simulation hosted by the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC). Eviction officers turned over the chairs that had represented students’ homes, students scrambled to gather money to pay their rent and participants frantically ran in and out of a makeshift jail. The poverty simulation is designed to familiarize students with what it is like to live in poverty. Participants are assigned to different family structures and must make it through the month (in this case, an hour-long period) by keeping their home secure, buying the required amount of food each week, keeping their utilities on, making loan payments, paying for clothing and other expenses and keeping their children in school. Easier said than done. Afterwards, participants described the experience as “overwhelming, stressful and a vicious cycle.” The Isaacson family seemed to experience one misfortune after the other: they were forced to pawn kitchen appliances in order to pay their utilities, they temporarily lost their daughter to child services, and they were even sent to jail when a cop suspected them of using drugs. Aunilie Linehan, who played the role of the 19-year-old single mother in the family, found it poignant her character was the same age as her. When describing the simulation, she pointed out the irony that, “You have to get a job to keep your benefits, but there is no job.” Linehan’s situation was not an isolated one; One-third of all single moms in Mecklenburg County are in poverty. The simulation was brought to UNC Charlotte over 10 years ago by Dr. Lyndon Abrams of the College of

Education. Abrams wrote a grant in conjunction with the MRC through the Chancellor’s Diversity Fund. His goal is to increase people’s awareness of others’ living conditions. “When we understand poverty, we can do something about it and when the folks with the least amount of wealth’s situation improves, everyone’s situation improves,” Abrams said. For many students and residents of Charlotte, the poverty simulation hits close to home. Mary Munn, a student who played the father-figure in the Isaacson family, was interested in the simulation because she “experienced some of this growing up.” 21.3 percent of children in Charlotte live below the poverty line and there is a mere four percent chance Charlotte residents born into poverty will escape it. During the wrap-up, the volunteer running the Quick Cash stand admitted to purposefully favoring students of color. He was more likely to give these students their checks or keep the stand open for them, he said, “to relay the message that there are layers of oppression.” People of color are disproportionately affected by poverty. In Charlotte, more than onefourth of Hispanic families and onefifth of black families are in poverty, compared to less than 5 percent of white families. Despite the frustration and solemnity of the day, Abrams ended it on an inspiring note. “[People affected by poverty] don’t need our pity, but they need our support,” Abrams said. Those who are interested in continuing the conversation on poverty may attend part two of the simulation on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

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NOV. 28, 2017

OPINION

SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING Six women crush the barriers of society by becoming the first black female police chiefs in North Carolina

Photo by Zoe Radojicic Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Currently in the state of North Carolina there are 6 black female police chiefs and this is the first time in the state’s history that something like this has happened. Among these women are Cassandra Deck-Brown (chief of Raleigh), CJ Davis (chief of Durham), Patrice Andrews (chief Morrisville), Gina Hawkins (chief of Fayetteville), Catrina A. Thompson (chief of Winston-Salem) and Bernette Morris (chief of Morehead City). The status these women have achieved is important because they represent two minority groups; women and African Americans. The fact that these women had to work twice as hard as a white male in order to

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become major-city police chiefs is just a small scale representation of the gender and race inequality battle going on in society to this day. The battle to close this gender and race gap is slowly on its way to making progress and these 6 women are a perfect example of the ways in which our society is slowly moving along to a more equal work environment. However, there is still a lot more awareness and encouragement that needs to happen before this issue of inequality can be completely fixed. Cassandra Deck-Brown, the police chief of Raleigh, mentioned in an interview there were only 4 women in her class at the Raleigh Police Department and this was considered to be a record high number at the time. In response to the history being made and her contribution to it, Deck-Brown stated “We’ve broken a glass ceiling. So, becoming chief, the honor is knowing that somebody else has the opportunity to get there.” The accomplishments of these 6 women is essential in showing the world even though you might have to work twice as hard, it is important to go after what you want. These current six police chiefs have set an example for young African-American girls who might have previously felt as though being a police officer was not a suitable job for them. From a young age girls are given dolls with baking sets and makeup and it is boys who get the police cars and toys guns. Girls are bred from a very young age to believe in order to be feminine they cannot be tough; but it is women like Deck-Brown, Davis, Andrews, Hawkins, Thompson and Morris that prove how being tough is a large part of being a female. Every single one of these police

chiefs has confirmed that they came to the position they did, not in spite of being a female, but because they were females. They confessed it was their consideration, understanding and skill for communication that landed them their statuses. “The strongest tool that I have on my uniform,” Deck-Brown states, “is my ability to communicate with someone.” Gina Hawkins further explains how being a woman has helped her not be affected by people she has to confront/ arrest in the way that a man might be affected. She explains how criminals may try to push her “ego-button” and she is able to not take that as personally as a man would. She states a man might think, “You’re pushing my ego button if you’re not going to move on my command. I’m in this uniform … I’ve got these muscles why aren’t you moving?” The fact that she is a woman has allowed her to step aside from this and focus on the issue at hand. These women also represent the struggle of an African-American having to compete in a white man’s world for equal opportunities in the work force. Being women and especially being black, they were looked down on in the work force and having to prove their worth much more than anybody else. Andrews stated, “It was because I was a woman and I think (everyone just wanted) to see, ‘What is she really made of?’” Davis also commented on this, saying “Even far into our careers, it was always a proving game.” These six women are a huge contribution to mending the many divides in today’s society. Their contribution is just one of many happening all over the country. “Know that it’s not just happening here,” Andrews states. “It’s happening in Dallas, in Portland – it’s all over. It’s happening all over, and I just tell you, I love the black girl magic.”

DACA dismemberment destroying dreams Trump’s move to disban DACA sends people into a frenzy

By Madison Dobrzenski On Sept. 5, 2017, many Americans’ whole worlds were altered. Their idea of “home” was questioned and their idea of the “American dream” was threatened. President Trump decided to end DACA, The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This immigration policy was established by Obama in 2012. A lot of people have formed their opinions on DACA based on their ignorance to what it is. DACA is an immigration policy that allowed for people that came here illegally at a certain age to remain here, considering this is where they grew up. It gave them the opportunity to work and start a life. In order to request DACA, one had to have resided in the United States from June 15, 2007 until present time, currently be in school or have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, or an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States and not have been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors. The idea is that these young people, within the age range of 16 and 30, who pose no threat to society, will be allowed in this country because they came here illegally by their parents’ means, not their own. The automatic response for most people, as well as my own opinion, is to pity these people and their distress upon hearing the rescinding of DACA. However, I can understand the other side in some ways. When Obama initially established DACA, he did state it was a “temporary fix.” Since he said that, that is what a lot of people are defending President Trump by saying. Now. The fact that President Trump is the one to push the end of this nonthreatening, compassionate policy is no surprise and just adds fuel to the growing fire of “we hate you, Trump.” I’ll admit, I look for any excuse to bash him and I don’t have to look far. Why DACA? This policy wasn’t hurting anyone. This policy protected roughly 700,000 people from deportation, who are contributing members

to society. Imagine being told your home, where you grew up, is no longer your home. You can’t live here anymore, due to no fault of your own. I am privileged enough to not have experienced

that, and I know most of us are, so I ask that you consider what it’s like to be a DREAMER in this political climate. Of all the immigration “policies” Donald Trump discussed in his campaign, building the wall, banning Muslims, the first immigration policy he goes for is DACA. Why? Not that I agree with the other “policies” he discussed, but why did he go for DACA first? The United States has a population of 323.1 million, so why rescind this policy that affects, in retrospect, such a small

percentage of Americans? These are all questions I would love to pose to Trump himself, frankly, I’m sure he wouldn’t have a solid answer, because it’s just another example of his racism, anti-Obama agenda, and lack of compassion. While the ending of this policy was announced in September, the most recent issue with the ending of DACA is people did have the opportunity to renew their DACA by Oct. 5. People rushed to get this done, only to have missed the deadline because of slow mail. Luckily, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Elaine Duke, ordered U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services to accept late renewal applications, provided the applcants provide proof they sent them on time and they were only late because of the postal service. I suppose that makes everything better. It doesn’t completely. Ultimately, the issue behind DACA, DREAMERS and immigration as a whole is the immigration process itself. The timeline is different depending on how you immigrate and why you come to the U.S. But the range for immigrating and becoming a citizen, according to the American Immigration Center, is less than a year to several years. Until the immigration process is fixed, we will have conflicts in America about how to “solve” these problems. The problem is President Trump doesn’t know what he’s trying to fix. I am convinced he just wants his followers to like him, approve of what he’s doing and the way to do that is reverse anything Obama did while in office. That’s fine for President Trump, but I’d like if he kept his need to be liked out of the White House and out of immigration policies. I don’t think he understands how much he is messing with people’s lives and I’m unsure if he will ever look past his privilege to try to and that goes for the ending of this program and anything he does in the future.

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NOV. 28, 2017

SPORTS

STRAIGHT OUT OF SERBIA

From overseas to on the court, the story of Milos Supica and Lukas Vasic Story by Zoe Radojicic Photos by Chris Crews

Few people have heard of a small country named Serbia, but this season, Charlotte men’s basketball welcomed two freshmen from there: Luka Vasic and Milos Supica. Vasic is from a town in Serbia named Pirot and he plays the small forward position on the team. Supica comes from Serbia’s capital, Belgrade and he is a power forward. Prior to coming to school these boys didn’t know of each other and only met about a week before coming to Charlotte. They both agreed, however, that the basketball in the United States is radically unalike to which they experienced back home. “It’s a lot different,” Supica said. “It’s a lot more physical and faster. That’s the biggest adjustment I had to make, to get used to the faster kind of basketball.” Both players expressed how they have had to work hard on and off the court in order to get themselves in shape for the demands of D1 college basketball. “European and American style is kind of different,” said Vasic. “[In the United States] players play with a lot of pace, with a lot of energy, with a lot of physicality and I can say that the adjustment on the basketball

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court was harder than the academics.” Amongst Serbian culture, the emphasis on education and academics is very strong and this is prominent in Supica’s lifestyle now that he is at Charlotte. For him, it is just as important to succeed in school as it is in sports; and considering he one day hopes to go to the NBA, this says a lot. Vasic also talked about how the importance he placed on academics helped make his adjustment into college easy. “I can say (the adjustment) was easy because my grades are pretty good. I try to be on top of both basketball and academics. And that’s basically how I want it to be,” Vasic said. It is evident that this cultural importance placed on education has followed them from home, and they allow it to revolve their lives here at Charlotte. Both of the boys got to have a taste of living in America, though, before coming to Charlotte. Supica lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina for two years before coming to Charlotte and he considers his host family there to be a very close element of his life. They were also a part of the reason why he chose to come to Charlotte. “I tried to stay as close as I can to my host family, because they’re part of my real family now,” Supica said. Vasic had also spent a year in the United States, but prior to coming to North Carolina he went to school in Connecticut, attending the University of Hartford. His choice to transfer to Charlotte was heavily influenced by assistant coach Ivo Simovic, who is also Serbian and who was previously Vasic’s assistant coach at Hartford as well. The 2017-18 season marks Simovic’s first year here at Charlotte, too. “When Coach Ivo moved here, I basically moved with him and I ended up here,” Vasic said. Because the Serbian community is so small, they tend to band together when they can. After

all, they all have very similar mentalities. The coaches, especially head coach Mark Price, were also a big factor in why Supica chose Charlotte. “When I came to visit Charlotte, the thing that I really liked was the coaches, that’s like the biggest thing that made me come here,” Supica said. Both of the boys have their family back in Serbia, but the one thing they miss the most? The food. And if you’ve ever had a punjena pljeskavica, you would understand. When talking about his family, Vasic said, “I FaceTime them every day, we stay in contact. It’s easy right now.” It’s not easy to FaceTime food. Even though these two boys had to come to a new country and had to face the difficulty of United States college basketball, both of them overcame this adversity and continue to show their worth every single day. As Supica told me his motto was, “just go day by day.”

Story by Kathleen Cook Photo by Pooja Pasapula

While the running backs and receivers dazzle the crowds at football games gaining yards and scoring touchdowns, a group that is often overlooked on the offense is the set of players on the offensive line. For Benny LeMay or Aaron McAllister to breakout on runs or quarterback Hasaan Klugh to have enough time to find one of his receivers downfield, the offensive line has keep the opposing defenders at bay. “It’s really a three to five second wrestling fight. Our job is to come off as fast as we can and as hard as we can and move them. That’s their job too, so basically it’s a big collision every play. Then you get a 30 second break, then it’s back at it again,” Chris Brown said. Redshirt senior Eugene German is one of the leaders on the offensive line and he is one of few that have started all games this season on the line. Spending this time on the field, German has to follow a routine to ease the pain of his position. “I go through a lot of tape and ice. Before we go out there, I tape up my fingers, my hands, my wrists. Then I add extra tape on top of my gloves. Then after games, after practice, I put ice on my knees. It hurts, it hurts bad, I’m not going to lie to you,” German said. Junior Daren Drake moved into the center position for the 2017 season. He described the transition to his new spot as “tough.” Though the task isn’t easy, he appreciates his new spot. “I’m starting to learn the game from a whole other aspect now. I love to hit coming off the ball, drive somebody and get a pancake if I can. Playing center, the strategy aspect of it and seeing how the defense sets up their play against the offense and making calls, that’s starting to make me really appreciate the game,” Drake said. Playing on the line involves “constant

communication and finishing blocks,” German said. While there is no section on the stat sheet dedicated for the offensive line and their accomplishments during a game, the coaching staff makes sure the line knows what they achieved during a game. A board sits in the field house with each player’s name along with various stats, including knockdowns, from the game. One of the main advantages of playing on the offensive line? You get to hit people. A lot. “People go through a lot in their days and football is like an outlet to get that out. Like if you’re angry, you have time in practice to go hit people and not get in trouble for it,” Brown said. German began playing the game of football and on the offensive line at the age of 12. If it wasn’t for the constant contact of his position, German probably would have concluded his career at a young age. “Honestly, when I first started playing I was about to quit the first week of football. The only reason I kept playing was because I started hitting, and that was because of the offensive line. If I played receiver, tight end or anything else I probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to hit as much and that’s what I really love to do,” German said. With the time the group spends together on the field and in meetings, a friendship has formed. “We’re really a brotherhood, we have a bond. We hold each other accountable, we fight like everyone else, but at the end of the day we know it’s all love. We love to joke around, I would say we have the funniest position group on the team by far. Nobody can compete with us on that. I love them, they’re my brothers, it’s fun to play with them, to be around them every day. I look forward to coming in to meetings and practice with them,” Brown said.

German said, with this being his last season, this offensive line group is what he’s “definitely going to miss the most.” He also credits offensive line coach Greg Adkins for keeping the guys in line. “Coach Adkins does a good job allowing us to joke around and then focusing us up at the same time. He always keeps that balance in between,” German said. Adkis’ first season with the team brought change for the oline. Starting with spring practices, the players had to become adjusted to his new coaching style and techniques. “Everything he has implemented has helped us this year. I would say the biggest thing was just getting acclimated to the new things,” Brown said. “He teaches us so much on and off the field. Taking all that in every day, I really look forward to that and really appreciate that from him.” With the experience Adkins brings to the table (11 years in the SEC, as well as experience in the NFL and Big 12 Conference) he has packed a lot of knowledge into his players in their time together. “He really helps us out schematically, maturing us as an offensive line. It feels like we’ve all learned like two to three years just from this one season alone. He really shows us there’s a time to play and a time to be serious,” Drake said. While this season hasn’t panned out the way that players, coaches or fans would have hoped, the offseason looms, and with the off-season comes a new form of hope for the 49ers. “We’re going to naturally make the standards higher, that’s how it’s always been since the first class,” Drake said. “We have to hold each other accountable more and push our limits. If we can push our limits in the weight room or when we’re running on the field, it’s going to show during the season.”

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NOV. 28, 2017

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PARALLEL WORLDS COLLIDE ‘Wonderstruck’ is a uniquely challenging, quietly rewarding fantasy

A&E

by Hunter Heilman Kaleidoscope graphics by Piotr Siedlecki I didn’t like “Carol.” Sue me. Whenever I utter my distaste for “Carol,” I’m suddenly expected to explain the multitude of reasons I never found it compelling or interesting. Whenever a queer love story can’t draw me into its world, it’s a heartbreaking scenario for me and Todd Haynes initiated that with “Carol” in me. What was worse was it was my first experience with Todd Haynes as a filmmaker and since “Carol,” I have familiarized myself with his other work, even if my first and possibly most objectively revered, outing let me down. With that, even knowing his other work, I was hesitant coming into “Wonderstruck,” if only because I was afraid of the possibility of being let down by Haynes again. Though, “Wonderstruck” and “Carol” could not be more different films, I’ve been more surprised by much more drastic turnarounds before, so why couldn’t I give “Wonderstruck” a break? That’s a question I have still yet to answer, because “Wonderstruck” is a delight. A challenging delight to approach, but a delight nonetheless. Set across two timelines, “Wonderstruck” primarily focuses on a timeline set in 1977, when a recently orphaned boy, Ben (Oakes Fegley), also recently deafened by an accident involving lightning, runs away from Minnesota to New York City to find his estranged father after finding a clue to his whereabout in an old possession of his mother’s (Michelle Williams). In another timeline, set 50 years earlier in 1927, the film follows deaf girl Rose (Millicent Simmonds), who also runs away from her affluent home in Hoboken, New Jersey, to find her absent actress mother (Julianne Moore)

acting across the bay in New York City. As “Wonderstruck” goes on, Ben and Rose’s path begins to overlap more and more until a pivotal moment slams their two stories together in an unimaginable way. What makes “Wonderstruck” so great to watch is that it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. You might find it to be slow or boring or whatnot, but you can’t deny what Haynes has done here is a beautiful tale of one city–two times. There’s a fantasy element of “Wonderstruck” that I couldn’t shake, even though the film is firmly rooted in reality, there’s something so magical about the film that makes it feel like a fantasy film with magic creatures and otherworldliness abound. I think in the juxtaposition of the two entirely different ways Haynes crafts the two storylines, with Ben’s storyline resembling that of a 1970s drama, and Rose’s storyline resembling that of a silent film of the area, to mimic Rose’s deafness, it’s a wonderful homage to two time periods of film that gracefully intertwine with each other through Haynes’ steady vision of how the stories grow closer and closer. Fegley, who was quite the scenestealer in last year’s lovely “Pete’s Dragon” remake, does more wonderful work here. Ben is a character who has a lot to be angry about, but Fegley balances this sort of anger with a sort

of excited anxiety about his meaning for his trip to New York. He’s a complicated character with a lot of factors that play into his psyche and Fegley can really hone in a lot of different emotions in a single scene. For that to be had in such a young actor is special and shouldn’t be overlooked. Simmonds is also quite good as Rose, even if she’s really only given a fraction of the screen time and

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emotional material as Fegley. Actually hearing impaired, her preexisting deafness at the start of the film, as opposed to Ben’s makes her portrayal of deafness one of more familiarity and confidence, which makes her story an absolute breeze to get through as Simmonds is just such a joy to watch. Like Fegley, she handles emotion very well and is a real contender to look out for in the future of her career. Moore also delivers two very good performances one might not expect from the expectedly good actress. Williams, however, is wasted on a role that should’ve been given far more screen time than it was. She’s simply too good of an actress to waste in the way that she is here. If I had a main complaint with “Wonderstruck,” it would be the balancing of the two stories, however powerful they may be, makes Rose’s story feel a bit more jipped, more so in an artistic sense than a true narrative one, as we get to revisit her essence in Ben’s world, but for Haynes to take on such a daring endeavor to style Rose’s world after a silent film, I wish she could’ve had more of a time to shine for both Haynes’ and Simmonds’ sake. It’s a shame, even if it doesn’t ruin the movie in any real way. While the film is incredibly family friendly and is a low PG-rating, “Wonderstruck” is slow, and might be best suited for more mature adolescents than that of children.

This is a good bridge for tweens to access art-house film in a way that gets them to where they need to go in a much more slight, subtle way. It takes a while for “Wonderstruck” to get where it’s going, and while it’s a delight to watch Haynes simply do his thing with the stories on screen, it arguably could’ve been done in a much more concise manner. That being said, the payoff for “Wonderstruck” is quite satisfying in the end, making the journey feel far less arduous than one might believe it to be before the final act. But I think that’s what “Wonderstruck” really is: a journey. Even though the ending is satisfying thematically, it’s more so about experiencing these kids’ first taste of life firsthand and how their adversity can help and hinder them in the great beyond of things. It’s a surprisingly magical film that’s beautiful to look at and has a massive heart inside of it. The pacing is wonky at times and the film truly does waste Williams in a way no film ever should, especially with the limited number of films she stars in now. Still, Haynes completely redeemed himself of the slightly bitter taste left in my mouth after being blindsided by “Carol” so. It’s a limited release, so one might not be able to catch it on screen before it disappears, but it’ll be one of the more interesting things to check out on Amazon Prime Video when it drops.

ACROSS 1 The “m” in E = mc≤ 5 Put into force 10 Wood-shaping tool 14 Severely damaged sea 15 Morning show featuring Al Roker 16 Drubbed or whipped 17 Calf-length skirt 18 Lady’s canine love 19 Omar of “The Mod Squad” 20 Seaside shade provider 23 Bone: Pref. 24 Second person 25 Grammy category 28 “Don’t play” music symbols 32 “I’ll do that!” 34 Opposite of pos. 37 Philatelist’s volumes 40 Soothing succulent 42 Inclined

Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios

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43 Sitter’s nemesis 44 Practice that develops a variety of employee skills 47 Letters after ems 48 “Not __!”: “Quiet!” 49 Macho guy 51 Not agin 52 Musician’s gift 55 Curriculum __: résumé 59 Kid’s imaginary companions, and what’s literally found in this puzzle’s circles 64 Remove a rind from 66 “Ask me if __” 67 Pigeon banter 68 Drops the ball 69 Country south of Egypt 70 French I verb 71 Path behind a ship 72 Poet’s muse 73 Taken in, as a movie

DOWN 1 Cuban dance 2 Spring zodiac sign 3 ‘70s-’80s Egyptian president Anwar 4 Deli machine 5 Caesar’s ides-of-March words 6 Good name for an average guy 7 Not much (of) 8 Top-selling Toyota 9 Blood bank spec 10 Second son 11 Act of leaving 12 Microwave 13 Sci-fi beings 21 Long-handled garden tools 22 Break in the action 26 Capital of Jordan 27 Annoying types 29 “Now!” in the OR 30 Brit’s sign-off 31 Northampton women’s college 33 Flow back 34 City south of Baghdad 35 Wed on the wing 36 Lose it big-time 38 Ballet dip 39 Tiny physics bit 41 Poetic palindrome 45 Oil gp. that includes Iraq 46 “Avatar” race 50 Nephews’ sisters 53 Come to light 54 Happen multiple times 56 Govt. security 57 Love dearly 58 German steel city 60 Beyond that 61 “Look what I did!” 62 Group with pledges 63 Nevada gambling city 64 Church bench 65 Notable time

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LIFESTYLE

How To: Get Into The Holiday Spirit By Hailey Turpin Photos by Pixabay

For the past few years, Christmas has had a different feeling. I remember as a kid waking up to presents from Santa and freshly baked cinnamon rolls. But ever since college, the holiday season has been filled with final exams and sleeping until the next semester starts. If you’re wanting to turn your blue christmas around, here are some tips to make your holiday season festive. 1. Dollar store decorations. If your dorm room or apartment is looking a little drab after Thanksgiving, head over to your nearest dollar store to pick out some festive decor for any holiday. A tiny menorah, a miniature Christmas tree or a Kwanzaa Kinara will help you to feel more in the spirit of the holiday you celebrate! 2. Make your favorite holiday foods. When I go home during break, my mom always makes sure to make chicken stew, which is something I associate with the winter season and being with my family. So take the time to call your family to get the recipe to your favorite holiday food and make it with your friends. Just be careful not to burn down the house! 3. Celebrate with your friends. If you celebrate a holiday in December and maybe your friends don’t, take the time to teach

them about your culture and the holiday you celebrate. Maybe make them some Christmas Cookies, teach your friends how to play dreidel, etc. It’s a great way to spread holiday cheer and to get closer to the people you care about. 4. Don’t forget to treat yourself. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, we spend all of our time trying to buy gifts for our family and friends. It’s always a good thing to show others how much you care for them, but don’t forget to get a little something for yourself and make sure you make yourself happy this season. 5. Celebrate how you want to celebrate. It may seem cliche, but the season is about celebration, growth, renewal and love. Just being yourself is one of the greatest things you can give yourself. No matter how you celebrate, make sure that you are comfortable, safe and happy. 6. Plan ahead. If you are planning on getting gifts for your family, pace your shopping. It helps keep your finances on track and makes sure you have rent at the end of the month. 7. Step away from stress. Take the time to have a holiday treat or just

spend some time by yourself. It helps to be well rested so you can take in the holiday spirit. 8. Don’t be a scrooge. The holiday season only comes around once a year. If you have a reason for not liking the holidays, figure out why you resent the time and find a solution. Then you can celebrate the year and not get coal in your stocking. 9. Listen to holiday music on repeat. I have songs like Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” and Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” on constant loop during December. Create your own playlist or check out the many on Spotify or Pandora. 10. Make as many memories as you can. The reason we don’t get that Christmas spirit anymore is we worry about things that we didn’t have to worry about as kids. Simply replay memories over the next few weeks so you can always remember them for years. You could even tell your own children in 15 years about the memories you have of christmases past. No matter how you celebrate the season, remember to stay warm, stay humble and say full of cheer. Don’t let the stress of gift buying or finals take away your happiness and love.

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By Hailey Turpin

“I love to meet many of the students and love seeing them interact and learn with the things I teach. I chose English because I love books and I specifically chose children’s literature as a focus because I read at such a high level in elementary school that I didn’t get to experience those books until I got to college.”

- Valerie Bright

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