FILM "Dìdi," a coming-of-age indie film, combines nostalgia with depth, says Grace Ko (CAS '27). B2
MUSIC "Short n' Sweet" is an album to savor this summer, says Jasmine Criqui (CAS ’26). B4
FILM Caroline Woodward (CAS ’27) says standalone sequel "Twisters" is a whirlwind of fun. B7
SEPTEMBER 6, 2024
But the newest Marvel movie relies too much on pandering rather than perfecting its plot. B3
Tanvi Gorripati Deputy Guide Editor
Grace Ko
Hoya Staff Writer
Growing up is a painful, joyful mess. From a simple snapshot of a single summer, director and writer Sean Wang details the experience of those inevitable growing pains in “Dìdi”, a vibrant, warm and all too familiar portrait of what it is to be a teenager.
“Dìdi” focuses on Taiwanese-American 13-year-old Chris Wang (Izaac Wang) as he spends his last summer before high school spending time with his childhood friends, Fahad (Raul Dial) and Soup (Aaron Chang), attempting to have even a single conversation with his crush Madi (Mahaela Park) and navigating his home life with his mother Chungsing (Joan Chen), sister Vivian (Shirley Chen) and grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhang Li Hua), which begins to feel more fragile than it once seemed.
The movie’s simplistic narrative allows for the writing to create a distinct identity
for “Dìdi” with an effective blend of comedy and drama. While the beginning sets a light-hearted tone through its detailing of Chris’ various shenanigans, such as his meticulous MySpace stalking of his crush and his urine-related revenge against his sister after a fight, the latter half adds a layer of loneliness and desperation that gives significant depth to the production.
While Chris continues to commit one arguably reckless act after another, there are small details that shift these moments into a different, more sober light. For example, Chris’ regular comedic brand of teenage insanity appears when he swallows a blunt in an effort to fit in with an older crowd at a party. This ridiculous, hilarious act quickly turns devastating with the addition of a small detail: as the crowd chants “Asian Chris”, he falsely claims he’s half-Asian. These details serve to characterize Chris as more than just a stereotypical rebellious teen — he’s a reckless kid who attributes his loneliness and failures to his identity.
Additionally, the small quirks present through the editing and camera work fur-
ther add to the movie’s storytelling. The fast-paced cuts and close-ups during Chris’ hangouts with his friends, particularly in a scene where they discover a dead squirrel and end up blowing it up in a mailbox, bring a chaotic energy that naturally appears with a group of adolescent teen boys. Personal camera footage showing Chris’ videos is interspersed throughout the movie, evoking nostalgia as the audience is put in the position of a viewer of a late aughts YouTube video.
However, amongst the chaos, there are clear contrasting moments of calm. These scenes contain more patient stills and cuts that focus on Chris’ home life with his mom, grandmother and sister. The effectiveness of this contrast is seen most in Chris’ and Vivian’s relationship. The two are constantly at odds, which usually culminates in shouting matches, but there are also moments of silent comfort, such as when Vivian helps Chris deal with the aftermath of his stunt at the party. They sit together in one frame as she patiently stays with him, covering for his sickness and comforting him.
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“Dìdi,” a coming-of-age indie film, combines nostalgia with deeper themes, says Grace Ko (CAS ’27).
The performances further add to the charm of “Dìdi”. Izaac Wang’s performance as Chris is full of both the infectious energy and the tumultuous emotions that Chris holds. He effectively portrays the growing insecurity that Chris begins to notice as his childhood friends seem to start clicking with others more naturally in comparison to his awkwardness and the desperate push to try to fit in no matter what. Joan Chen’s performance is another standout, highlighting Chungsing’s own loneliness as she struggles to connect with her increasingly volatile son, manage life with a mother-in-law who criticizes her every move and come to terms with the multiple failures she faces as she pursues her dream of becoming an artist. Furthermore, the chemistry between Joan Chen and Izaac Wang gives life to the complex mother-and-son relationship between Chungsing and Chris. Wang’s energy brings to life Chris’ consistent rebellion against his mother and Chen’s quiet strength portrays a Chungsing who will hold on to her son, no matter what he says or does. The movie’s last scene displays this particular love in a late dinner after the first day of high school where the two sit in a comfortable silence around the kitchen table in a silent house, watching one another with a clear deep-rooted patience and care.
Above all, “Dìdi” clearly understands the complications of teenagehood. It’s a time when you will fall and mess up, where you will become increasingly self-aware of aspects of yourself you don’t want to be selfaware about. “Dìdi” manages to craft these emotions into a story that will resonate no matter what era you were raised in, creating an ode to an age of constant chaos that everybody encounters on their way to adulthood.
Tanvi Gorripati Deputy Guide Editor
“Deadpool & Wolverine” enthusiastically embraces its identity as an action comedy, never falling into the trap of trying to seem more touching than a movie based on a comic book can be. It dedicates itself to mocking the many issues within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and tries, and only occasionally fails, to avoid making the same mistakes it hounds the MCU for.
Ryan Reynolds reprises his role as Deadpool for the third time, joined by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Deadpool, or Wade Wilson, is given the opportunity to achieve his dream of being part of the MCU by Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) from the Time Variance Authority, as long as he allows his home world and all his loved ones to perish. Rather than take the deal, Wilson pairs up with a reluctant Wolverine from a different universe, turning the film into a humorous buddy comedy. Impeded by Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), telepathic supervillain à la
X-Men, the pair set out to save the world on a journey where both are eager to rip the other to shreds at the slightest offense.
The comedic chemistry between Ryan Reynolds’ irreverent Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s gruff Wolverine is a gleefully chaotic spectacle. The film highlights their contrasting personalities, with Deadpool’s razor-sharp sarcasm constantly clashing with Wolverine’s no-nonsense brusqueness. Their interactions are a series of quips and exasperated grunts, turning every minor disagreement into a comedic showdown. Reynolds and Jackman play off each other’s quirks with apparent ease, creating a dynamic that’s hilarious, yet strangely endearing. Their banter is the high point of the film, showcasing a unique blend of humor and camaraderie that keeps the audience laughing. As Deadpool pushes Wolverine’s buttons and Wolverine rolls his eyes at Deadpool’s antics, their playful rapport shines through, making their bickering as entertaining as the action sequences.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is riddled with
shock-inducing moments. Every few minutes there is a new homage made, cameo featured or joke referenced. While this technique likely achieved its goal, drawing gasps and exclamations of surprise from viewers, it came across as fan service rather than a well-written story. The problem with shoving every reference and character under the sun into one movie is that it leaves little time to dive into the plot, causing it to ultimately fall flat.
Indeed, while there is an overarching “saving the world” storyline, the film consistently ignores its plot in favor of pandering to comic book fans with shock appearances, fourth-wall breaks and crass jokes. Cassandra Nova, who in theory should have been chilling, feels like a caricature and is utterly underutilized. Additionally, the film’s stakes feel far too low; even the central characters do not seem to take the threat to their world seriously. Deadpool and Wolverine both routinely ignore an increasingly short deadline by getting distracted or arguing with each other. The lack
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Red, yellow, red, yellow, green. Don’t miss Tanvi Gorripati’s (CAS ’27) discussion of the hilarious but ultimately lacking summer blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
of a compelling plot means the film’s sole payoff is the shock value of its Easter eggs.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” met its goal of providing both humor and action — but it lacks the drama element that makes the original MCU movies so appealing to a large audience. Perhaps with a bit more focus on the actual plot, the film could have succeeded in attaining that rewatchable quality rather than becoming only a one-time laugh.
The film follows in the footsteps of the first two “Deadpool” movies by featuring an iconic soundtrack. The music mirrors the movie’s theme with a selection of memorable hits from the past, including Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” and NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye.” These nostalgic tracks effortlessly complement the appearance of various familiar faces throughout the film, reflecting the eras of their original Hollywood debuts.
The film’s charm lies in its playful humor, nostalgic soundtrack and electric chemistry between Reynolds and Jackman. However, its heavy reliance on fan pandering and frequent homages to past characters and moments often overshadow its plot, leaving it feeling more like a series of clever references than a cohesive story. If you can overlook the absence of a compelling plot and have the background knowledge to understand the multitude of references to MCU films past, “Deadpool & Wolverine” promises plenty of laughs and action, making it a worthwhile watch for action enthusiasts, long-time comic book aficionados and fans of the genre.
Jasmine Criqui
Executive Editor
Midcentury sex symbol Brigitte Bardot’s persona has been recently resurrected in mainstream pop, with songs like Olivia Rodrigo’s “lacy” and Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova” name-dropping her directly. But perhaps the genre’s most overt invocation of Bardot’s coquette aesthetic and fluffy blond blowout belongs to Sabrina Carpenter, the five-foot-nothing former Disney Channel star turned pop charts powerhouse with the Aug. 23 release of her new album, “Short n’ Sweet.”
Since dropping the studio album “Emails I Can’t Send” in 2022, Carpenter has refined her musical persona into something slyer, sharper and more unrepentant. Compared to “Emails I Can’t Send,” the tracks on “Short n’ Sweet” are less personal, more self-assured and significantly catchier, delighting pop enthusiasts everywhere.
Nowhere is that more true than on “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” two singles re-
leased ahead of the album that both rocketed their way to the top of the Billboard Global 200 chart. I’ll spare you any analysis of “Espresso,” the airy vocals of which are almost certain to have already wormed their way into your ears and lodged themselves deep in your brain, in favor of “Please Please Please,” my personal favorite of the two.
“Please Please Please” carves out its own niche among the crowded genre of love songs: neither an ode to nor an indictment of the singer’s lover, it instead functions as a very public warning not to screw up. For those who missed lines like “I know that you’re an actor, so act like a stand-up guy,” Carpenter banishes any ambiguity by enlisting her real-life boyfriend, “Saltburn” star Barry Keoghan, for the music video. The sweetly pointed lyrics are paired with a gorgeous key change that makes the song an album highlight.
Speaking of star-studded music videos, the one for the album’s opening track, “Taste,” re-
cruits scream queen Jenna Ortega for slapstick, gory fun. In it, Carpenter addresses an ex’s new girlfriend, or rather a reignited old flame, to boast about the impression she had left on him. Though the song may give off the impression that Carpenter is nostalgic, the music video nimbly subverts that expectation, with Carpenter and Ortega gleefully trying to murder each other in increasingly creative ways but reconciling at the end after realizing their shared partner wasn’t worth all that.
Other tracks are more vindictive, with “Sharpest Tool,” “Coincidence” and “Slim Pickins,” in particular brimming with sarcastic indictments of the modern dating landscape for heterosexual women. The men Carpenter describes are all varying degrees of unfaithful, asinine or uncommunicative, but she resigns herself to settling for them “Since the good ones call their exes wasted / And since the Lord forgot my gay awakening.” Though it’s used to skewer a pretentious ex-lover, the title of the eighth track, “Dumb and
@SABRINACARPENTER/ INSTAGRAM
“Please Please Please” read this dissection of “Short n’ Sweet” by Jasmine Criqui (CAS ’26). Spoiler alert: this review won’t get in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Good Graces.”
Poetic,” might as well be the album title. That isn’t a dig — Carpenter’s ex may wrap his stupidity in intellectualism, but her lyricism does the opposite. Lines like “I know I Mountain Dew it for you” on “Espresso,” the oxymoronic “I’m stupid but I’m clever” on “Lie to Girls” and the faux-Shakespearean “Where art thou? Why not uponeth me?” on “Bed Chem” establish Carpenter as a connoisseur of playful word salad, not unlike her famous “Nonsense” outros.
The album is also unabashedly sex-positive, resulting in such on-the-nose lines as “I’m so fuckin’ horny” and “I might let you make me Juno,” in reference to the 2007 teen pregnancy comedy. But for all its risqué humor, “Short n’ Sweet” doesn’t take many actual risks.
It’s by no means necessary for all pop music to push the boundaries of the genre, but there is something that feels distinctly safe about the musical and lyrical stylings of “Short n’ Sweet.” (Personally, I lack confidence in producer Jack Antonoff, who also had a heavy hand in the muddled slog that was Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”)
Regardless of the relative lack of risk-taking, Carpenter deserves credit for what she’s managed to accomplish here: a bright, mischievous crowd-pleaser of an album that solidifies her artistic voice and leaves little doubt that she’s a force to be reckoned with in the genre.
In “Bad for Business,” the second to last song on “Emails I Can’t Send,” Carpenter wonders “If I’m just writing happy songs / Will anybody sing along?” Looking at the chart-topping success of “Short n’ Sweet,” the answer appears to be a wholehearted yes.
Clayton Kincade Contributing Editor
This declaration usually comes into my life like clockwork at the tail end of July’s wet and sticky tongue — and all for different reasons. Once, it was the end of high school and the beginning of college; then, it was growing into the outlines of my adulthood; now, it is treading the tumultuous waters of heartbreak.
“Melodrama,” Lorde’s sophomore album, came out more than seven years ago. To this day, the album continues to be a sonic prism illuminating my deepest truths and contractions.
Take the album’s opener, “Green Light.” The song’s central refrain — “I wish I could get my things and just let go / I’m waiting for it, that green light, I want it” — is a simple yet powerful plea to the nervous system to move on, already, from the mourning. It’s a euphoric pop banger with layered synths and a spritely keyboard backing, but the upbeat tempo betrays the song’s message. This contradiction is why the song remains exquisite.
The green light, however, is also replaceable with the desire for forward motion and freedom. My “green light” is a chameleon for my needs in moments of placation, and I have hijacked the song to serve liberating or melancholic intentions when need be.
Likewise, the album thrives on subverting easily definable narratives. Its core trio of party songs — “Sober,” “Homemade Dynamite” and “Perfect Places” — encapsulates the dreamy kitschiness
of being young and naive and rebellious in the uncertainty of the 21st century.
For instance, “I hate the headlines and the weather / I’m 19 and I’m on fire” in “Perfect Places” is almost immediately bookended by “Let’s blow our brains out to the radio” and “All of our heroes fading / Now I can’t stand to be alone.” Parties mask the sadness of being alive, the desire to be known and seen in the world among a chorus of nameless bodies thirsting for the same vindication from normal life.
“Homemade Dynamite” packs another gut punch, but stop listening for a few seconds and you’ll miss it: “We’ll end up painted on the road, red and chrome / all the broken glass sparkling / I guess we’re partying.” Death from underage drinking and driving becomes a glitzy painting.
These songs found me in the early stages of college as I was still drawing in my outermost features. It was nice to be surrounded by other newly minted adults post-COVID-19, ignoring my impending aimlessness about who I wanted to be and how I would go about those means. It was all fun and games, of course, until someone spilled their guts beneath the outdoor lights — or viewed the wreckage from the safety of morning sobriety, as effortlessly penned in “Sober” and “Sober II (Melodrama).”
Amidst this noise comes “Liability,” perhaps the best expression of the crushing weight of true authenticity. I still lose my breath when I hear “I am a toy that people enjoy / ’til all of the tricks don’t work anymore / and then they are bored of me.” It is exhausting to toe the line between expression and
Are you in dire need of some new Hoya merch? Fear not, the Georgetown Weeks of Welcome (GWOW) team has you covered! This Sunday, Sept. 8, defeat the Sunday scaries by attending this year’s event, which promises free T-shirts for first-years and ice cream for all. Make sure to stop by from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., but be warned, the shirts will be first come, first served, so get there early if you can.
performance, to watch people pull back from your life at the expense of who you are. I have left this sadness in the past, but each time I hear the song, I remember how hard it was for me to decide who I was comfortable being.
I have since decided that “writer” is an acceptable definition for me, but even that comes with its own problems. Lorde says it best in “Writer in the Dark”: “Bet you rue the day you kissed a writer in the dark / now she’s gonna play and sing and lock you in her heart.” I sometimes wish I lacked the capacity to write about others out of fear that it makes intimacy with me inherently terrifying, for I cannot help myself from keeping score. Similarly, I’m often embarrassed by my tendency for sentimentality, but it’s an unchangeable feature in how I view the world. So be it.
“Melodrama,” however, is still a joyous album if you allow it to be. “Supercut” relishes in the “what-if” stages of the end of a relationship, but it is a freeing anthem to dance to at night in your bedroom. Moreover, the one expressly happy song on the record, “The Louvre,” was the soundtrack to my summer. My love for the world and others was so great that, yes, it would be in the Louvre for all to see.
Life always has tricks up its sleeve, and the precious moments do not last as long as we want. It is a bittersweet feeling when music speaks back your feelings to you in clear, taut, economical language, especially in times of intense heartbreak. Someone has charted a celestial constellation for you to follow on the darkest nights, but it does not negate the pain that got you to the same place.
Really, an album is only as great as its emotional
By Elizabethe Bogrette
Need to get your sports fix in before Washington, D.C. gears up for fall? Come down to Copley Lawn for games, sports, bounce houses and more this Saturday, Sept. 7. Win prizes! Challenge your friends! Experience the childhood majesty of being in a bounce house again! The festivities will start at 6 p.m. and run to 8 p.m. Field Day is open to all undergraduate students.
resonance with the listener. “Melodrama” moved me enough at 16 to start writing poetry, and it still moves me to hear new sounds and see new colors despite the relentless winds of change.
In this stage of my little life, I’m stuck on “Hard Feelings / Loveless,” the turning point of the album and the definitive audio cure to a breakup. Every line is perfect, but I have found unmatched beauty in how Lorde ends the song after a drumfilled interlude that sounds like an inner world exploding: “I’ll start letting go of little things / ’til I’m so far away from you.”
I could lie and say I don’t feel a sharp pang in my chest when I see D.I.Y. bracelets and evil eyes and public pools and the orange and blue polo work shirt in my closet, but I will fake numbness until it becomes my reality. I still have strange nightmares where I’m running after one of the formerly best parts of my life on a one-way street, but these terrors will soon leave me too.
I’m writing poems. I’m painting my walls. I’m trying on new clothes. I’m going to bad house parties, buying long-sought after records for my collection, sending secret messages and prayers into the universe, watering the garden, taking brave risks and forcing myself into the work of change. Time remains as mysterious as ever, a precocious and purposely coy animal with a nasty bite. I had love, a great love, and now I must let it fly free. For now, you’ll find me cutting flowers and lighting candles in all my rooms, tending for the day I care for myself the way I used to care about you.
The Washington, D.C., State Fair is a free annual showcase of all things made in the District. This Saturday, join the community in celebration of D.C.’s shared talents and expertise from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m in Franklin park. With contests (from pie eating to flower arranging to chili), live performances and educational workshops, this event has something for everyone.
This Friday, Sept. 6, settle into Copley Lawn clad with blankets and lawn chairs because it’s time for a movie night! ESCAPE and Georgetown University Grilling Society will be providing s’mores while you enjoy the feature film: “Fall Guy.” The movie starts at 7 p.m. and is expected to run to 11 p.m. Also, if it rains, don’t worry; the film will still be shown in the HFSC Great Room.
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“Alien: Romulus” gives sci-fi fans an interesting expansion of the original universe, but its plot is unconvincing in comparison to other films in the genre.
Ethan Hill
Deputy Guide Editor
The newest sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1979 monster flick masterpiece “Alien” follows the basic formula of the original film. A crew of space travelers ends up trapped on a ship with a nearly unkillable alien, known as a xenomorph, as it slowly hunts down the crew, killing them one by one. Despite the same basic concept being identical to the original, it still managed to keep me on my toes and constantly guessing what turn the movie would take.
“Alien: Romulus” takes place roughly 20 years after the original “Alien” and contains a completely new cast of characters, all fresh to the franchise. David Jonsson has the standout performance as Andy, a damaged android. Jonsson has a subtle yet physical performance — portraying all of the thoughts of his character through his facial expressions rather than words. Cail-
ee Spaeny also turns in a solid performance as the orphaned miner Rain, continuing to build on an impressive resume that includes her starring role in A24’s “Civil War” earlier this year.
You don’t need to have seen any of the other “Alien” movies to understand this one (although if you haven’t seen “Alien” or its sequel “Aliens,” then really, what are you doing? Go watch them!). This movie is to “Alien” what “Creed” is to “Rocky”: a continuation of the original story that further expands the universe’s lore. It simultaneously caters to fans of the original and provides a self-contained story so as to not alienate (ha, get it?) new viewers.
While the film does follow the same general structure as most of the other “Alien” films, it does so in a unique style that makes it feel distinct from the rest of the franchise. This approach works well for the film, though I do have an issue with the setup of the plot, par-
ticularly how the crew ends up on the ship.
The circumstances surrounding this situation are somewhat difficult to believe and feel a bit contrived. While the film manages to get away with it to some extent by keeping the details vague, the setup still comes across as awkward and unconvincing. This lack of clarity in the plot’s foundation makes it harder to fully immerse oneself in the story, as the initial premise already feels a bit shaky.
One of my biggest gripes with this film, which has unfortunately become a trend in Hollywood, is how poor the CGI can be at times. It feels as if CGI technology peaked in 2019 and has consistently been getting worse since the pandemic. It was extremely noticeable when the movie opted to use a computer render, and it often interfered with my engagement with the film.
This is especially disappointing considering how well-executed the other technical aspects of the film are. The set design of
the ship is fantastic, making you feel totally immersed in the world. The practical effects look extremely convincing too, as well as the makeup and costumes. This makes the poor CGI work even more noticeable and jarring when it arises.
But with the exception of the initial premise, the plot is very solid. The film is able to adequately set up a lot of moving parts in a way that is not confusing to the viewer and is consistently able to play off of those setups. It is able to take the original concept of the first “Alien” film and make the circumstances unique enough to be interesting yet still remain familiar.
Character-wise, everyone’s motivations, strengths and weaknesses were well-defined, which helped build suspense and understanding of the characters.
While not perfect, “Alien: Romulus” is a fun and worthwhile watch. If you like horror, monster or science fiction films, this movie is for you.
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Spent the summer ogling Glen Powell? Don’t worry, so did The Hoya’s staffers. Caroline Woodward (CAS ’27) says “Twisters” has evocative disaster scenes worth watching, too.
Caroline Woodward Deputy Guide Editor
Despite its name, “Twisters” is anything but a natural disaster — in fact, it has all the elements to make it the most exciting summer blockbuster of the year. Star power, action, drama, romance and even some humor (as much humor as you can get from a movie about horrific natural disasters) all twist together to create a genuinely fun and engaging experience that kept me hooked for the entire runtime.
I will admit, the quality of “Twisters” surprised me at first. From the trailers, I was expecting a generic action movie with no real substance and little to no plot. The advertisement I had seen seemed vague and confusing, focusing more on the sex appeal of leading man Glen Powell than any sort of explanation or setup for a story.
What I found instead was a movie with a shocking start, a relatively strong story structure and some truly gripping action sequences. The movie opens with Kate Car-
ter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), an amateur scientist working with her friends in Oklahoma on a project that would hypothetically stop tornadoes, saving thousands of lives a year.
However, after disaster strikes on the field during a particularly bad storm, the movie jumps to Kate five years later, now living in New York with her work as a storm chaser behind her. That is until her old friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) begs her to come back to Oklahoma, claiming he needs her almost uncanny abilities to predict storms to complete his research for “Storm Par,” technology that would allow for full 3-D mapping of tornadoes and insights into their formation, power and destruction.
I went into this movie relatively blind with my expectations low, vaguely aware this was supposed to be a standalone sequel of the 1996 film “Twister”, which I had never seen before. Thankfully, the film stands on its own.
The best way I can describe this film is “complete” — the plot points, runtime and character choices all coalesce to create a
truly cohesive narrative. This complete experience is something I find is all too often missing with modern blockbusters as our current cinematic landscape seems to exclusively consist of sequels, live-action remakes and rehashed action narratives.
While “Twisters” technically is a sequel, it is refreshing to see the original story not just reiterated but reborn and improved upon. The quality of this movie makes it feel completely justified. There was clear direction, vision and passion behind the product, and the character dynamics were fresh and exciting.
Once back in Oklahoma, Kate runs into Tyler Owens (Powell), a “storm wrangler” popular on YouTube. He and his ragtag band of fellow storm enthusiasts with a penchant for entertainment repeatedly butt heads with Kate, Javi and their crew. While Kate and Javi’s team is there strictly for research, Tyler’s team will risk everything out on the field in pursuit of the thrill of storms.
I would highly recommend seeing this mov-
ie while it’s still in theaters in order to fully enjoy the power of the masterfully executed natural disaster scenes. The big screen allows the audience to feel the terror of these storms and truly understand the fear of the characters that we grow so fond of throughout.
For all its merits, “Twisters” is fairly simplistic, somewhat generic and the audience must suspend their sense of disbelief to fully engage with the premise. For example, how in the world does Kate seem to have magical tornado-predicting superpowers? Furthermore, how does her makeup stay on so perfectly through a rainstorm? Plus, if I were a meteorologist, I’m sure I would be highly annoyed with the misinformation or exaggeration of weather phenomena that undoubtedly permeates this movie.
Still, despite “Twisters” having limited appeal to critics or plot purists, it is undoubtedly a movie for the people. It is a movie for the summer: fun, exciting, chock full of thrills and even some twists, literally and figuratively.
Amber Cherry Senior Guide Editor
Sure, “Love is Blind: UK” has its fair share of drama, but ultimately it is nowhere near its American counterpart. All I could think as I watched the Brits come to their own conclusions about the blindness of love was, “Wow, this is surprisingly tame.” Most couples seemed completely content except for a couple of expected bumps in the road: a disapproving mom, an ex-connection wanting to talk or some other minor inconvenience that just comes with the territory of getting engaged to someone you’ve never met face-to-face.
However, some universal storylines always seem to develop throughout the seasons of “Love Is Blind.” Namely, there’s always a man worried more about his connection’s weight than some of her more, ahem, important characteristics. This season, that man was Sam. Although his vague
niceties in the pods failed to sway the audience and potential future fiancees, Nicole, his connection, had to be told outright his intentions were anything but pure. Sam didn’t necessarily say or do anything wrong — barring an overreaction to one of Nicole’s jokes about her weight, he seemed the most disingenuous of the bunch.
On the other hand, if Sam showed up to “Love Is Blind” in the States, he would be the least of the pod squad’s problems. Typically, the men are surprisingly uninhibited when revealing where their attractions lie.
At times, they even say it to their fiancee’s face: Take Shake, from season two, who mentioned on multiple occasions behind his partner’s back how he wasn’t physically attracted to her. To be fair, Freddie did make comments about Sharlotte, which came after his fiancee’s comments about Sam.
The American version also has its fair share of suspiciously unfaithful activity — take season six’s Jeramey going out all
By Amber Cherry
night with an old connection or Jackie from season four who looked to be carrying on two relationships simultaneously. Perhaps it’s this spell of dubious behavior that leads American contestants to hold an epidemic of insecurities about a partner’s commitment, with contestants constantly asking their partners for reassurance. But in the U.K., while many contestants had past experiences with infidelity, they seemed to manage their baggage much better.
In fact, the British contestants seem surprisingly self-confident — maybe that’s to be expected from a show that asks its cast to marry people they’ve never met, but the British contestants seem to love meditation, gratitude and personal growth. While they may seem like buzzwords just to signal virtue to others, I do think these practices have some merit. The result? A relatively tame season of “Love Is Blind.”
Despite many couples you’d expect to say “I do” ending up alone, “Love Is Blind:
UK” is surprisingly successful, with three couples saying yes at the altar and two remaining together during the reunion a year after filming. I believe its success must be attributed to the self-reflection and actualization its contestants are committed to.
The series’ emphasis on self-improvement practices has been a welcome change as mental health is a largely stigmatized topic in the U.K., perhaps stemming from the nation’s reserved nature. “Love is Blind: UK” devotes itself this season to making public its contestants’ focus on mental health, helping to destigmatize seeking help while also promoting personal development. “Love Is Blind: UK” promotes selfgrowth as a prerequisite for love, but the show is forced to confront the reality that it is not necessarily a recipe for success. The pendulum has swung to us now — and odd though it may be to follow the example of “Love is Blind” contestants, now it is our turn to do our own work.
1. What started last Wednesday
6. How you feel when you get off the waitlist
7. If someone named Abigail was prompt to class, your professor might say, “___ is __ time”
8. A type of link between two atoms with a net electric charge, think NaCl
9. An OSHA certification that labs must get to conduct their testing
1. Famous Fleetwood Mac song, “The _____”
2. Federal holiday that landed on Sept. 2 this year
3. What you might grab after a long day in Dublin
4. What a bad grade might do to your day, synonym for ruin
5. ____-up, a way to connect multiple devices to the same platform
1. A nightmare to be in on Ticketmaster
6. Unexcused absence, abbr.
7. Insubstantial recipe quantity, maybe
9. A worse nightmare to be in on Ticketmaster, especially when it won’t load
10. Master’s in Geographic Information Science
1. After the “All Things Go” ticket showdown, I have a _____ with Ticketmaster
2. Buttons you might look for frantically
3. _____ SCOTUS Justice _____
4. Shorthand for you
5. Fandom slang for exported characters
10. _____ -Wan Kenobi