The Hoya: The Guide: September 10, 2021

MUSIC Drake’s new album lacks innovation, rehashes decade-old conventions B4

NEW RELEASES From Halsey to Kim Petras, discover this week’s hottest new tracks B5

FILM Camila Cabello’s turn as Cinderella is not your classic fairytale B6

September 10, 2021

Welcome to My Crib Seniors reflect on the evolution of their dorm aesthetic during their years on campus Isa Romero and Mason Stempel Hoya Staff Writers

ILLUSTRATION BY DOMINIC PHAM/THE HOYA

Georgetown, Beyond and Back Again: First-Year to Senior Dorm Style Evolution

The members of the Class of 2022 have decorated their college rooms, on campus and at home, four times: These are the lessons they learned Isa Romero and Mason Stempel Hoya Staff Writers

Georgetown University is famous for its first-year dorm horror stories: outdated facilities, cramped living spaces and, of course, roommate drama à la Lifetime original movies. Even if students’ first year in campus housing does not take a turn for the worst, trying to make a small dorm with cinderblock walls feel like home is still daunting.

By their senior year, Georgetown students have faced everything from leaks to assorted roommates, and their resulting personal growth comes through in their dorm decor.

This shift is evident beyond campus; Rachel

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Rosenthal, an interior designer and organization expert, has observed the difference in how members of the Class of 2022 decorate their rooms.

“College kids are putting a lot more time and effort into organizing and decorating their dorm rooms,” Rosenthal said in an email interview with The Hoya.

Some say college is where you go to find yourself, and for four students in the Class of 2022, college is where they’ve experimented with decorations and forged their own decor styles, transforming over three years to find a space that is truly theirs. Although they may no longer be sleeping on the top bunk, these seniors have managed

COURTESY KATHLEEN NEIL

Kathleen Neil’s (COL ’22) firstyear dorm room in Village C West featured a wall of photos of her family and childhood friends and a preppy aesthetic that made her comfortable in her new home away from home on the Hilltop.

to elevate their dorm styles to new heights.

Dorm Sweet First-Year Dorm

The move-in routine of a Georgetown firstyear is textbook: packing up memorabilia, unlocking your new room, finding a dead rat on the floor, removing the rat and, at last, unpacking. Upon coming to Georgetown, new students must adjust to living in on-campus dorms, forcing first-years to find creative ways to organize their new rooms and make them feel like a home away from home.

“Freshmen are usually living in smaller dorms and living quarters, so they have to be a lot more creative with how they organize their spaces. The spaces are generally multi-use,” Rosenthal said.

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Kathleen Neil (COL ’22) grew up near room, something she would not have done Georgetown, so she felt no urgency to make as a first-year. her dorm feel like the home she grew up in “I feel like I’ve become more comfortable for her first year. Instead, she emphasized with expressing those parts of myself betranquility and individuality in decorating cause I was forced to go back home and sort her first dorm room in Village C West, which of be more of a child again. It reminded me had a pink and blue theme. Neil’s personal of happier times, and I think I held onto that style, which is put-together with a preppy even as I came back,” Miller said. undertone, has come across in every iteraLike Miller’s lesson in nostalgic decorattion of her living space. ing, Yazici and Sajjad Alvee (SFS ’22) both “I think I’ve liked my rooms because they’ve have learned lessons during their years in all really felt like me,” Neil said in an interview student housing that they feel are worth with The Hoya. “My freshman year was a lot of sharing with incoming students. When pictures of my friends and family.” asked what advice she would give decor-oriBeyza Yazici (SFS ’22), on the other hand, ented first-years, Yazici emphasized the imwas able to incorporate specific items that portance of items that spark joy. Her current made her comfortable in her new living space room maintains a vintage vibe, with shelves when she transferred in of old bottles and an during her sophomore eclectic gallery wall over spring, immediately “When you walk into azure wallpaper. making her atmosphere “I love a good carpet; feel comfortable. Color your room you should those are worth it. It influenced Yazici’s firstmakes it feel so much feel happy and safe, year room, as she used more homey,” Yazici warm hues to mask the because that’s your said in a Zoom intercoldness of a new, bare view with The Hoya. “For one space where you everything else, pick living space.

“My first semester what makes you happy, can unwind.” of college in general, it what ‘sparks joy,’ if you was yellow and flowwill. When you walk Beyza Yazici (SFS ’22) ery, and a lot of plants.

Senior Transfer Student into your room you Just stuff to make me should feel happy and feel cheery and happy, safe, because that’s your because I was worried one space where you that I would feel sad in a little dorm that I’d can unwind.” have to share with another person,” Yazici Alvee considers his senior dorm to be a said in a Zoom interview with The Hoya. place of refuge. Looking back, he feels firstMeredith Miller’s (SFS ’22) dorm is full of years should spend time cultivating a space nostalgia — like Yazici, she finds plants to that feels safe away from the hustle and busbe a lively reminder of home. As it was in tle of campus life. He has no regrets about her first-year dorm, the room’s centerpiece prioritizing comfort when building his ideal is a potted fern, a plant that has made its room on campus. home in every bedroom she has had since “Your bedroom is definitely your sancchildhood. (Full disclosure: Miller previously tuary, so don’t be afraid to invest in it. I served as a writer for The Hoya.) definitely wanted to be very comfortable, “When I was leaving for college, my dad and that’s a theme that’s been carried out took the original plant, and he separated it through my next few places I lived in after into three so that he could keep one part, I freshman year,” Alvee said in an interview could keep one and my sister could have one,” with The Hoya.

Miller said in an interview with The Hoya.

Growth and Living in Lockdown

After ambitious decor choices were taken down and packed back up when students returned home during the COVID-19 pandemic, some students’ time away from their six-by-six-foot dorm spaces gave them the room to rethink their design choices when they returned to campus this year.

Miller’s Village C East dorm room, where she lives as a resident assistant, is peppered with decor that showcases her personality: plants in colorful pots, LEGO figures and family photos.

Looking back, she wishes she had done more to make the space feel like hers in her first year at Georgetown and had not rushed away from home in the decorative sense.

“Freshman year, I wasn’t super concerned about making my dorm feel as homey as I could have, because I sort of wrongly believed that since I was moving away from home, I didn’t need that as much,” Miller said.

When she moved away from Georgetown during the pandemic, Miller reconnected with childhood interests as a way to boost her mental health while isolated. She now displays her LEGO Pokémon figures from her childhood on a wooden shelf in her dorm

COURTESY BEYZA YAZICI

Members of the Class of 2022 have shifted the focus of their decor styles because of personal evolution during the pandemic. Now, as seniors, they put those lessons to use on and off campus.

Senior Year Spaces

From string lights to tapestries, posters to bedding, a dorm room for a senior is more than a room — it’s a gallery of Georgetown memories and lessons. Over the past four years, members of the Class of 2022 have had the opportunity to learn what most matters to them in making a home.

Rosenthal notes a marked difference between how seniors in college exist in their living spaces as opposed to first-years. Where first-years are trying to fit the feeling of home in a tiny space, seniors are working with a bigger canvas.

“Seniors are normally in larger spaces and a lot of them live in apartments or group homes, so they have more space to utilize. A lot of seniors also have to work with organizing for multiple different people and personalities at once if living in shared spaces,” Rosenthal said.

Neil is grateful for the lessons in organization she has learned over the past four years, and she feels better prepared to decorate small spaces because of her time at Georgetown. In contrast to Rosenthal’s observations, she is still confined to a small amount of square footage as a senior in her townhouse.

The difference is in the decor she chooses.

“Honestly, I don’t have that much more

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | THEHOYA.COM

room my senior year than I did in other ones, but I choose nicer pieces now. I’ve got a bright pink desk and a blue dresser. I think part of being forced to have that space management when I was younger opened up space for more design stuff,” Neil said.

As a senior, Alvee’s room is a shrine to his time at Georgetown, a collection of the pieces he’s accumulated over the past four years. He is thankful that what started out

as a totally clean slate has evolved into something more. Similar to his growth at college, the evolution of his dorm decor reflects all of the experiences he has had on the Hilltop.

“I’ve had a lot of space to really fill with all these different things I’ve collected over my time here at Georgetown,” Alvee said.

“It’s just allowed me a blank canvas to really make my own.”

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FADER, FACEBOOK

Drake’s new album “Certified Lover Boy” lacks innovation, resembling the same tracks he has been releasing for over a decade. His failure to take artistic risks results in an album of abundant tracks but meager impact.

MUSIC

Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ Disappoints, Rehashes Decade-Old Conventions ‘Certified Lover Boy’ ­— Drake

 Allan Navarro Hoya Staff Writer

Teased for longer than two years, the 21 tracks in “Certified Lover Boy” represent Drake in typical form: an immature man-child who is not interested in evolving in the slightest, choosing instead to pump out the same hit tracks he’s been releasing for over a decade.

“Certified Lover Boy” is the sixth studio album by Canadian superstar rapper Drake.

In less than 15 years, Drake has successfully transitioned himself from a corny teenage sitcom actor to one of the biggest rappers in the world. His album releases have become massive events, routinely peppered with some of the biggest hits of the year and a crooning and rapping split that only Drake can successfully pull off.

However, “Certified Lover Boy” comes with a different kind of fanfare than a typical Drake album, largely because of Drake’s slowly sizzling beef with Kanye West. West released his highly anticipated tenth studio album, “Donda,” just five days before “Certified Lover Boy,” pitting the two albums

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against each other both in terms of commercial popularity and critical quality.

While “Certified Lover Boy” will almost certainly outsell “Donda,” the differences in creative ambition between the two artists are clear. Where Drake is comfortable putting out an 86-minute long album that rehashes ideas he’s been rapping about since 2009, West is willing to take more risks with his music.

Notably for Drake, “Certified Lover Boy” was released without any preceding singles.

Murmurings about the feud with West and the meme-able cover art, featuring 12 pregnant emoji women designed by famed British artist Damien Hirst, was enough to excite any Drake fan or critic.

The two songs most viable as singles, however, are clear from the start. “Girls Want Girls,” with Lil Baby, is a captivating listen featuring sultry tones from Drake over an atmospheric beat paired with high-pitched vocals from Lil Baby. However, when Drake raps, “...say that you a lesbian, girl, me too,” any goodwill the song may have created instanly vanishes.

“Way 2 Sexy” with Future and Young Thug follows the same pattern as “Girls Want Girls.”

Future’s hook is sonically captivating and grounds the track between each rapper’s verse, even if it grates with multiple listens. Drake and Future provide energized verses, while Young Thug’s vocals fade into the background. However, this track is most notable for sampling the 1992 dance-pop track “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred, a sample that is humorous at best and ridiculously cringeworthy to hear repeated.

Drake shines the most on this album on the occasional solo track with impassioned rapping. “No Friends In The Industry” is a coldblooded track where Drake reflects on how small his inner-circle is and how his privileged position as one of the world’s biggest rappers means he isn’t actually competing with anyone. This song sounds similar to many on Drake’s 2015 mixtape “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late,” even if he has moved away from that sound in the six years since.

“Certified Lover Boy” is, excitingly, littered with features from A-List rappers like 21 Savage, who passionately goes back and forth with Drake on “Knife Talk,” even if 21’s second verse is cringe-inducing. Rick Ross and Lil Wayne combine with Drake on “You Only Live Twice”

to deliver a song that sounds straight out of 2013, when each rapper was at their highest point. Ross’s bars, which reflect on his upbringing in Miami, are especially memorable.

Most of the features on the album ultimately underwhelm. Jay-Z on “Love All” makes next to no impression and Travis Scott ruins one of the more hit-worthy tracks with a surprisingly dull verse on “Fair Trade.” Lil Durk and Giveon try to recreate the magic of their 2020 singles with Drake, “Laugh Now Cry Later” and “Chicago Freestyle,” respectively, but their joint track “In The Bible” represents a missed opportunity for each to grow even more.

In the 21 tracks on “Certified Lover Boy,” Drake manages to prove and say nothing. He remains a 34-year-old rapper at the top of the music charts who refuses to innovate. The rare chance he does take is either poorly calculated or clearly designed for virality. The few bright spots in the tracklist, notably when Drake actually chooses to rap, are ultimately bogged down by an album populated with filler tracks. His hit-making ability remains intact, but Drake’s schtick can start to wear thin on even the most loyal of listeners with every new album.

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

‘SURVIVOR’ SURVIVAL GUIDE

Fans Prepare To Brave Wilderness Again in ‘Survivor 41’ Ali Unal

Columnist

It’s a tale that, at this point, feels old as time: a quarantine-weary television viewer settles in with a bowl of ice cream to avoid the mundanity that has pervaded daily life since the beginning of the pandemic, and finds escape in reality TV shows.

One show in particular, “Survivor,” is set to have an especially thrilling return this fall. Hosted by Emmy-award winning Jeff Probst, “Survivor” has been on air since 2000 and is about to embark on its 41st season, with plans to revamp the series.

The show takes a group of 16 to 20 strangers from various backgrounds, stranding them in a remote area or island for 39 days. While secluded on this remote location, these strangers are divided into teams known as tribes, and they compete for rewards and immunity from being voted off the island. While this is all going on, a strategic game is also being played to crown a winner of a $1 million prize.

The show has taken place in various locations across the world including

Australia, Brazil, China, Gabon, Samoa and Vanuatu with the last several seasons taking place in Fiji. These stunning filming locations provide visually stimulating backdrops for the show that included crystal blue oceans, lush forests and sometimes even dramatic mountain ranges in the distance. The settings of each season almost take on a personality of their own, as the physical challenges and hidden advantages revolve around the natural landscapes.

“Survivor” best achieves a sense of adventure through its detailed depictions of camp life, such as building a shelter out of bamboo and palm fronds, starting a fire or hunting and gathering food. When watching the contestants persevere through these trials I always feel a thrill and wonder to myself — could I ever do this?

This show has not only been a form of escapism for many viewers and fans, but it also highlights the culture and history of the filming country and includes meaningful conversations dealing with familial, social and political issues. The show even touches on more serious topics, like in “Survivor: Island of the Idols” in which issues of sexual assault arose. This depth attracts audiences from various ages and backgrounds through its balance of the frivolous, adventurous and serious issues that are discussed.

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TWITTER/@MAISIELYRICS

Moreover, I have always been fascinated with the interactions between the diverse contestants from various backgrounds.

Some entertaining highlights include a nurse and yoga teacher working together on Season 12, a physics teacher and pinup model on Season 17, a bartender and sex therapist on Season 25 and a gardener and social media marketer on Season 32.

“Survivor” provides a great blend of adventure, entertainment and interpersonal moments that dissect real life topics and issues. While all of these moments are happening, the strategic game also melds with interpersonal relationships to provide its audience a consistently engaging and exciting viewing experience.

While backdropped by social sabotage and strategy, there have been many instances on the show’s 20-year run where it has delved into important topics due to the intentionally diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of the cast.

The show has covered such serious issues on air, ranging from mental health to harassment. In the beginning, many contestants may be wary about opening up on camera; however, by the time they have “survived,” they are able to reflect on their personal lives with more ease.

One example of this is David Wright from “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X,” an initially anxious and borderline paranoid

contestant who eventually won fans over.

For new viewers, “Survivor 41,” taking place in Fiji, would be a great first season to watch. In July, Probst tweeted that this season would be a rebrand, noting that the game would be more dangerous and for the first time in the show’s history, the season would have no subtitle, simply being called “Survivor 41.” This is also the first season of “Survivor” to feature a cast that is made up of at least 50% of contestants who identify as BIPOC, in accordance with a new CBS initiative for reality TV shows.

Season 41 will feature 18 contestants including college students, a neurosurgeon, rancher, pastor, grocery store clerk and ex-NFL player, with ages ranging from 20 to 52. The contestants will be divided into three tribes of six called Luvu, Yase and Ua— Fijian words meaning flood, lightning and wave, respectively. Two members of the “Survivor 41” cast, Shantel Smith and Liana Wallace (MSB ’23), currently reside in the District. Wallace is also a current student at Georgetown.

The combination of increased diversity, a massive rebrand and higher stakes should vault this upcoming season of “Survivor” to the top of all to-watch lists for fans of reality television. “Survivor 41” premieres on Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. EST with a two-hour premiere on CBS and Paramount+.

By Haley Resnick

MAISIE PETERS

‘ELVIS SONG’

HALSEY ‘I AM NOT A WOMAN, I’M A GOD’

Coming off 21-year-old Maisie Peters’ debut album “You Signed Up for This,” “Elvis Song” reminds listeners of what it is like to be young and in love. Its upbeat tune and charming lyrics create a sense of nostalgia that make the song slightly addicting — in a way where you will never want to stop listening.

Much like the title of their new album, “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power,” Halsey’s song “I am not a woman, I’m a god” evokes feelings of power and femininity. Halsey’s soft vocals coupled with the loud instruments, however, create confusion for the listener, making one unsure what type of music they are listening to.

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TWITTER/@POPCRAVE

CHVRCHES



KIM PETRAS

‘CALIFORNIA’

‘FUTURE STARTS NOW’

“California” off of CHVRCHES’ newest album, “Screen Violence” places the listeners right inside a festival or the end of a comingof-age film. Yet the song lacks differentiation from many of the group’s other songs may leave the listener yearning for more.

In typical Kim Petras style, “Future Starts Now” is lively and immediately makes the audience want to break out the dance moves you were practicing during quarantine. If this song is any indicator, Petras’ new album will surely be an instant hit.

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 TWITTER/@CHVRCHES

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | THEHOYA.COM

TWITTER/@KIMPETRAS

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FILM

Cinderella Remake Fails To Modernize The Classic Disney Fairytale Directed by: Kay Cannon

BILLBOARD

Starring: Camila Cabello, Billy Porter, Nicholas Galitzine

An attempt at modernizing a classic, Amazon Studios’ “Cinderella,” starring Camila Cabello as an ambitious fashion designer, proves that certain films and fairytales are better left untouched.

 Sofia Wills

Hoya Staff Writer

Amazon Studios’ “Cinderella,” starring pop star Camila Cabello, attempts to provide a 21stcentury take on the 1950s Disney classic. However, “Cinderella” fails to modernize the source material, making the film feel like a lackluster remake instead of the nuanced feminist film its directors were aiming to create.

The first act of the film remains somewhat true to the 1950 original, where Cinderella abruptly loses her father and Cinderella’s stepmother Vivian (Idina Menzel) delegates her to the basement of their home. However, unlike in the original 1950 film, Cabello’s Cinderella aspires to become a business owner and dress designer. Although the career change is creative, it ultimately adds little to the original plot of the story.

On the night of the ball, Cinderella’s stepmother ruins her newly designed dress by splattering it with dark ink. Cinderella’s genderless fairy godperson, Fab G (Billy Porter), steps in and transforms mice into footmen, pumpkins into carriages and flowers into a pink ball gown for Cinderella.

At the ball, Cinderella receives an offer to become a designer for a noblewoman. Eager to

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start her business, Cinderella tries to make a hasty exit from the ball until the prince stops her. The two dance and take a stroll together, falling in love almost immediately.

Deviating once more from the original, Cinderella’s stepmother finds the remaining glass slipper the following morning and encourages Cinderella to marry the prince as a means to provide for their family. Rather than being motivated by pure “feminine” jealousy, the stepmother’s motives are slightly more nuanced, emphasizing the film’s attempts to modernize its characters.

Cinderella later reunites with the prince and the pair strike a compromise: the prince steps down from his role, offering the throne to his sister, Princess Gwen (Tallulah Greive); meanwhile, Cinderella partners with the noblewoman from the ball to start her design business.

“Cinderella” also attempts to put a musical spin on the classic fairytale. The film does have some memorable numbers, including the songs “Somebody to Love” by Queen and “Material Girl” by Madonna. Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Charming adds additional fervor and passionate vocals to his performance.

Further, in “Material Girl,” Idina Menzel stuns with her powerful vocals.

However, “Cinderella” generally fails to create engaging musical numbers. The modern film’s

theme song “Million to One” does not match up to “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from the original. Throughout her performance of “Million to One,” Cabello’s voice sounds stifled; her melodies remain in her chest, never fully breaking free into dramatic belts. Compared to Ilene Wood’s whimsical performance of “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” in the original rendition, Cabello’s performance lacks emotion.

Further, songs like “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran, used in the romantic ballroom scene, or “Let’s Get Loud,” made famous by Jennifer Lopez, feel out of place within their scenes. “Perfect” lacks the romantic memorialization of “So This is Love” from the original. “Let’s Get Loud” adds nothing contextually to the end of the film.

These musical flops are especially surprising considering Cabello’s extensive experience with singing and dancing.

Similar to the hit-or-miss musical score, the modern film’s costuming has some standout moments, but remains relatively unmemorable throughout. Incorporating both Victorian dress bustles and 1960s florals, “Cinderella” cannot be pinned down to one era of fashion. Thanks to its ambiguous time period, the film plays with the costuming of Cinderella’s stepfamily by spotlighting vivid colors and floral prints, effectively communicating the trio’s characteristic gaudiness.

As a whole, the costuming of the modern “Cinderella” remains similar to that of the original. During the majority of the movie, Cinderella wears her classic blue-and-white peasant dress. In contrast to the silver from the 1950 film, however, Cinderella’s ball gown is pink with a sleeveless sweetheart neckline.

The film’s experimentation with Cinderella’s famous ball gown ultimately does not pay off, as the redesigned dress lacks the splendor and grandiosity of the original.

The directors of “Cinderella” may have had the intention of being progressive by attempting to turn Cinderella into a “girlboss,” but ultimately upheld the misogynistic storyline they were attempting to avoid. While Cinderella passionately chases her dream of becoming a fashion designer, she still falls into the trope of “falling in love at first sight” with an uninteresting prince she barely knows.

The remake attempts to give the original a feminist twist, but it constantly falls into avoidable tropes, and thus fails to fully commit to modernization. Although Cabello’s musical background could have spelled a successful reboot, the film’s lackluster musical numbers and disappointing plot meant that “Cinderella” failed to live up to its previous iteration.

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

VARIETY

Despite an intriguing storyline, “The Protégé,” directed by Martin Campbell, becomes bogged down by its reliance on common tropes and plot inconsistencies, resulting in a lackluster film.

FILM

‘The Protégé’ Features Martial Arts, Obscures Plot Inconsistencies With Nonstop Action Directed by: Martin Campbell Starring: Maggie Q, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton

 Maeve Silk

Hoya Staff Writer

Through its complex plot and stunning martial arts sequences, “The Protégé” is full of twists and turns — literally and figuratively. Lionsgate’s newest action release delivers nearly two hours of entertaining and unpredictable drama and keeps its audience engaged despite weaknesses in the storyline slipping through the action scenes.

The movie, directed by Martin Campbell and coming up on a digital release following its premiere Aug. 20, features an assassin named Anna (Maggie Q). She works with her mentor and fellow killer, Moody

(Samuel L. Jackson), to run a lucrative murder-for-hire enterprise targeting corrupt individuals. After discovering Moody has been murdered, Anna masquerades as a rare bookstore owner in order to carry out an epic revenge mission. On this journey, she unravels an unexpected scheme and is forced to reckon with her past.

Although Anna is a classic, cold-blooded assassin who unflinchingly murders anyone standing in her way, she is humanized through her close relationship with Moody, passion for literature and Robin Hood-esque commitment to only assassinate morally deficient individuals. Maggie Q’s portrayal shines — the actress puts emotion into the

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | THEHOYA.COM

complex character’s personality throughout the film while simultaneously carrying out impressive stunts with her martial arts background.

Anna’s intriguing backstory is successfully woven into the film’s storyline. The historical significance of her upbringing in socially unstable Vietnam brings the issue of colonialism into the moral undertones of the plot, given the French colonized Vietnam and the villains in the film are French.

Campbell acknowledges the unbreakable connection between Anna’s past and present by featuring parallel imagery spanning various points in her life, including hits on her enemies, which directly mirror her own

traumatic experiences.

Other notable scenes from Anna’s past, including a childhood memory in which Moody rescues her at a Vietnamese checkpoint, underscore her personal history while also emphasizing her emotional connection to Moody. These memories establish the basis for Anna’s unflinching dedication to avenging her mentor.

The film’s set design and special effects support, rather than distract, from its compelling storyline. Campbell projects hauntingly beautiful imagery in certain scenes, such as the fragmented, floating remains of novels during a shooting in Anna’s bookstore.

As with many other action movies, “The Protégé” relies on a few common tropes of the genre. Some of the cliches present in the film include the portrayal of stereotypical Eastern European mobsters in the film’s opening scenes, Anna’s visit to the hospital and the opulent lairs of the film’s criminals.

Furthermore, the archetypal characterization of the story’s white male villains is lackluster, given the unique protagonists that are Anna and Moody. “The Protégé” is bogged down by these basic characteristics.

Fans of action films will not be disappointed by the combat scenes in “The Protégé,” which are well-directed and employ many clever escapes and maneuvers. Willing suspension of disbelief is required to appreciate some of the superhuman stunts performed by the main characters, however.

The intricate plot of “The Protégé” does ultimately fail to address a few lingering questions and inconsistencies. Given the great detail in which the film works to establish the closeness of the relationship between Anna and Moody, the film’s final twist and revelation that he has put her at risk in order to carry out an assasination is bizarre.

Another point where the film misses the mark is the relationship between Anna and her enemy spy Rembrandt (Michael Keaton). Rather than following a logical progression and forming a romantic, enemiesto-lovers affair between the two opposing assassins, their entanglements strangely oscillate between passionate feelings for each other and ambivalent focus on their respective careers, with no clear organization or arc for their relationship.

Ultimately, “The Protégé” leaves its audience to grapple with many questions, including Moody’s redemption and Anna’s culpability for her wrongdoings. After the film’s final twist is revealed, viewers are left wondering whether Anna and Moody’s criminal actions are justified by the fact that their outcomes support the common good.

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POP DECODED

Exploring Norway’s Stellar Pop Microcosm: Dagny

WHAT TO DO IN DC

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CAPITAL LAUGHS/FACEBOOK

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CAPITAL LAUGHS SATURDAY SHOWCASE Tonic at Quigleys

Looking for some laughs on a Saturday night this fall? Head to Capital Laughs’ Saturday Showcase series at Tonic at Quigleys, a standup show featuring top D.C. comedians. Tickets can be purchased in advance at a donatewhat-you-want price. Drinks are available for members of the audience 21 and older, but the event is open to guests 18 and older.

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“Coast to Coast” also exists as a double meaning, as the immediate interpretation of the track is about the husband lost at sea, while to me the other reading is about a partner that suddenly ends a relationship and then vanishes from life.

This unexpected turn of events leaves people feeling emotionally paralyzed and unable to fully process or move past the breakup. It is a haunting tale of lost love that depicts Dagny’s artistry in a whole new light.

Dagny’s vocal performance on “Coast to Coast” is incredible, proving she does not need any gaudy vocal production to enhance her voice. The track is the perfect swan song for her debut album, revealing that Dagny has a bright future.

Looking ahead, Dagny is poised to become more mainstream in the pop music industry. Her unique and catchy beats paired with the relatable and striking lyricism present throughout her discography promise great potential for new music and growth in the future.

Highlights: “Used to You,” “Bye Bye Baby,” “Come Over,” “Coast to Coast,” “More, More, More,” “Fool’s Gold,” “Backbeat,” “Somebody,” “Coulda Woulda Shoulda”

By Maeve Silk

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‘HUNG LIU: PORTRAITS OF PROMISED LANDS’ National Portrait Gallery

COMEDY SHOW The Artemis

Come hear some of Washington, D.C.’s funniest comedians at The Artemis’ outdoor patio on Sunday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. The Artemis is located in Columbia Heights, and the event will be great for any stressed student to have a laugh and get some serotonin flowing.

Visit the National Portrait Gallery’s newest exhibit, “Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands,” for a raw, salient look into the experiences of marginalized groups. The powerful, multifaceted works of Chineseborn American artist Hung Liu, who recently passed away, span a spectrum of narratives but are united in their emotional portrayals and stunning stylistic elements.

“Hung Lui: Portraits of Promised Lands” will be open through May 30, 2022, and admission to the National Gallery is free to the public.

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YOGA

The Wharf

If the end of summer has you feeling stressed, head to the Wharf, where District Flow Yoga is offering relaxing outdoor classes alongside beautiful views of the water through Sept. 19.

Classes run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings. Tickets are available for $10.

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Aside from its astonishing views of the northern lights, Norway’s small town of Tromso has a secret — pop songstress Dagny.

Best-known for being the melodic and lyrical inspiration behind Katy Perry’s 2019 pop song “Never Really Over,” Dagny is one of pop music’s most upand-coming vocalists. Hailing from a Scandinavian gold mine of eclectic pop artists like Tove Lo and ABBA, it will not come as a surprise that Dagny perfectly encapsulates the best aspects of the pop genre with her lyricism and diverse melodies.

Dagny’s ability to borrow elements from past eras of pop music, while still adding a modern flair is what separates her from many other mainstream pop acts. She is a pop chameleon in the sense that she has explored everything from ’70s disco to ’80s synth-pop to 2010s eurodance in

of insecure introspection.

At its core, Dagny’s discography explores the inner workings of young, chaotic love.

She takes vulnerable experiences and makes them into relatable tracks for all of her listeners through the use of simple yet impactful lyricism that often revolves around figurative language.

On her 2016 track “Fool’s Gold,” she compares what she thought was going to be a long-lasting relationship to fool’s gold after it abruptly ended in disaster.

This clever and effective way of lyrically explaining how the pair of star-crossed lovers felt before their toxic demise allows the track’s production and Dagny’s vocal performance to take the form of an epic emotional release.

My personal favorite Dagny song is “Coast to Coast,” a stripped down ballad from her near-pop perfection debut album “Strangers / Lovers.” The song tells the gut-wrenching tale of a woman’s denial of her husband’s sudden disappearance at sea. The subject of the song tells her lover: “I’ll come and find you / Coast to Coast / Oh, I’ll keep searching for you my love / From coast to coast.” Again, Dagny’s lyricism showcases the power of simple yet emotionally impactful lines in a song.

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Columnist

her small but impactful discography of 22 solo tracks released since 2011.

Dagny often utilizes a calculated pop music technique known as one-note melodies to construct catchy songs.

Created by having one note surrounded by various harmonies, Dagny crafts beautiful and wavering vocal backdrops for her songs. These one-note melodies, coupled with her easily recountable but emotionally impactful lyrics and pulsating pop production, are the key components of any Dagny track, as well as, more broadly, any perfect pop song.

For example, her song “Used to You,” highlights how the excitement levels in a relationship stagnate after passing the initial honeymoon phase. Sonically, the song feels like a cathartic release of frustration, confusion and regret as the lyrics and explosive pop production of the one-note melodies hook the listener before they even finish their first listen.

Dagny questions whether her and her partner’s newfound lack of emotional and physical connection is really caused by true feelings for each other. The track feels like a page ripped out of Dagny’s diary, with each new thought scribbling out the last, an almost chaotic assortment

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John Lizano

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021