The Hoya: The Guide: January 25, 2019

F RI DAY, JA NUA RY 2 5, 2019

Under Her Influence

ILLUSTRATION BY: EMILY SHAMBAUGH/THE HOYA

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Instagram Influencer Embarks on Tumultuous Tour ALEXANDRA BRUNJES Hoya Staff Writer

As a blizzard swept through Washington, D.C., on Jan. 13, magic was brewing inside a bright, plant-filled event space in Georgetown: Instagram influencer Caroline Calloway was leading her creativity workshop, the second in an inaugural tour she had planned to host this spring.

With Instagram’s growth as platform, the people using the social networking app are no longer just close friends sharing filtered photos with each other. The Instagram influencer, or content creator, has turned that digital space into a blog, sharing photos and stories of their lives on public accounts to attract followings.

While some become influencers from tangible professions like being a makeup artist, using the platform lucratively through sponsorships and other venues, some, like Calloway, earned their following from transparently sharing their lives.

SOCIAL STARDOM Caroline Calloway first rose to prominence while studying history of art at the University of Cambridge. Originally hailing from Falls Church, Va., she spent her time across the pond documenting her life in England on Instagram. In her three years at Cambridge, she amassed a following that grew exponentially and attracted a lot of attention.

She has continued to grow her Instagram brand by focusing on one of the newest sectors of the application: the “stories” feature. Each day she posts dozens of photos with lengthy captions detailing both the positive and negatives of everyday life.

These stories have had widespread appeal, and her followers, like Michelle Hodge, a 20-year-old student from Baltimore who commuted to the D.C. workshop, tend to empathize with her posts.

“I relate to [Caroline’s] content because, unlike most creators, she is radically vulnerable and shares moments of happiness alongside moments of confusion and anxiety,” Hodge wrote in a statement to The Hoya. “I came to the Creativity Workshop to translate her online storytelling into tangible advice which I can use on a daily basis. The workshop exceeded my expectations.”

Ashley Kammerdiener, a 23-year-old from Annapolis, Md., has been following Calloway for over five years and felt the opportunity to meet her was unmissable. “[Calloway] is open, honest, and raw; I find that to be so strengthening and inspiring. The workshop itself was such an awesome way to spend the day and I’d do it again if I could,” Kammerdiener shared in a message to The Hoya.

The now-27-year-old Calloway hoped her Instagram account could serve as a stepping stone to ultimately become a memoirist. In 2015, during her final year at Cambridge, Calloway’s account scored her a lucrative book deal, seemingly proving her Instagram captions had catapulted

ALEXANDRA BRUNJES/THE HOYA

Calloway, right, started her career as an influencer during her time at the University of Cambridge so she could document her life in the United Kingdom. Her career path speaks to a growing trend of lifestyle bloggers, otherwise known as influencers or content creators. her into mainstream success.

Then, things fell apart.

In July 2017, Calloway pulled out of her book deal and suddenly found herself unsure, broken and debt-ridden — but certain she had made the right creative choice.

She felt the book, which was supposed to be a memoir, at this stage in her life would be too boy-focused, somewhat sexist and not appropriately acknowledging of privilege. In response, her publishers decided to withdraw from her contract, putting Calloway in debt, according to an interview with Man Repeller.

After the dissolution of her book deal and the ensuing period of self-doubt that Calloway experienced, the tour felt like a way for her to acknowledge and reclaim her life.

“The lessons I’ve learned over the past few years of my life – which have been a very difficult chapter – mean a lot to me,” Calloway said in an interview with The Hoya.

“But I knew that those lessons would mean even more if I could share them with other people.”

After closing that chapter and the mental health repercussions that came with it, Calloway turned a new leaf and resumed her role as a relatable, refreshingly vulnerable presence on Instagram, where she has almost a million followers. She bills herself in her bio on the app as a “Writer, Art Historian, Teacher,” and, until Jan. 14, she was on the brink of beginning a world tour to share those lessons.

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Though only the second stop her tour, Washington, D.C., was almost the end of the intimate workshop on creativity and hardship led by Calloway.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

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LEFT: ALEXANDRA BRUNJES/THE HOYA, RIGHT: @CAROLINECALLOWAY/INSTAGRAM

After garnering a following of over 800,000, Calloway decided she wanted to share life lessons from moments like the collapse of her book deal with her fans. So strong is her influence that her fans were willing to pay $165 for her spur-of-the-moment workshop world tour. Yet Calloway’s tour seems to have turned into another messy situation.

WORKSHOP IN PROGRESS

Seemingly on a whim in December 2018, Calloway had the idea for a creative workshop. After positive response from her fans, the idea ballooned into a whole tour, with tickets being sold almost immediately before she had even booked any venues, according to Insider.

Calloway was scheduled to host workshops offering advice and anecdotes about creating art, mental and physical health, and heartbreak, spending her first several months in U.S. cities before beginning an international leg.

Each of Calloway’s tour dates started off with an hour of coffee and mingling for tour attendees to get to know one another before Calloway arrived, according to the online syllabus. When she finally entered the room in D.C., she introduced herself to every single person in the room, doling out hugs with abandon. Before diving into the workshop material, she handed out custom-designed robin’s-egg-blue journals, in which she had penned the name of each recipient and an affirmation, as well as envelopes of stickers for journal decoration.

The firsT section of the lecture was interactive and centered on creativity. Through her activities, like creating Venn diagrams, she made the audience engage with questions about consumption and creation. In her lecture, she continuously emphasized the importance of self-compassion and mental stability to create good art, often looking like she was on the verge of tears.

Calloway’s second subject was making art. The two key ingredients, according to Calloway, are time and space. Calloway advised her audience to engage in a practice called “morning pages” and hand-write three pages in a journal every morning, which author Julia Cameron outlines in

her self-help book, “The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity,” After “making art,” the group broke for lunch. When the workshop regrouped, she shifted gears to mental and physical health, noting the importance of exercise and healthy eating, acknowledging the pressure placed on women to achieve certain beauty standards, and then emotionally diving into the mental health concerns intertwined with her past Adderall addiction. She emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with people that inspire you.

“I hope there is a quality of our friendship that lifts you up,” Calloway said at her workshop.

The final section of the workshop focused on heartbreak. Calloway discussed her breakup with a recent boyfriend before turning to the abstract. She then explained the sadness that accompanied being rejected from the University of Cambridge twice before finally receiving an acceptance letter, as well as the difficulty of quitting Adderall after several years of dependence.

“Time being sad and making mistakes isn’t time wasted,” Calloway said during the workshop. “It’s time you grow from.

Figure out how to be the architect of your own life and integrate the things that used to bring you shame.”

Throughout the workshop, Calloway felt more like a friend than a teacher. She gave advice and confided in attendees more than she lectured and she was quick to make light-hearted jokes at her own expense — like when she realized the “stool” she was sitting on was, in fact, a garbage can.

Yet her penchant for tangents and lackadaisical storytelling significantly reduced

the amount of time spent teaching; for example, one of the advertised subjects of her lectures was “building an Instagram brand,” a subject she didn’t mention in the workshop. Some fans were frustrated by the event’s lack of organization and Calloway’s changing promises for the event, according to Insider.

At the end of the lecture, care packages were distributed and a photo area was set up where Calloway individually met and took photos with each attendee. The conversations she had with each person were quiet and vulnerable; more than one person left with tears in their eyes.

THE AFTERMATH

The District was the tour’s second stop, and already Calloway admitted to having learned a lot: After the first date in New York, she hired a three-person staff, amended the syllabus and re-evaluated and reallocated her budget. She began the tour intending to do it completely alone, but she soon realized that endeavor was unrealistic — and not just because her studio apartment was full of boxes of over 1,000 mason jars.

However, Calloway’s unfiltered tendencies when sharing stories and her genuine love her fans seemed to have been her tour’s downfall. During the D.C. workshop, she mentioned learning of a Twitter thread criticizing her workshops as a “scam,” but said she was determined to block out the negative energy.

Yet the criticism seems to have gotten to her: The following morning she posted a note to her Instagram followers in which she apologized for the constant changes that occurred because of her impulsivity and inexperience with event planning.

Calloway also vowed to refund everyone, even the people who had attended the New York and D.C. events, for their tickets at $165.

“I take full responsibility for letting my total inexperience with event planning and GREED create a situation where the details of the tour were ever-changing, preparation was inadequate, and the event did not match the description by the time it went on,” Calloway wrote in her stories.

She quickly refunded fans — but also sent out an email with a link for voluntary donations — and had remained quiet on her social media since Jan. 14, other than to share a BuzzFeed News article that offers her side of the story.

“If I ever do a live event again someday, the lessons I’ve learned from this experience will be at the core of its planning and organization,” Calloway said.

“Someday” appears to be very soon: Calloway announced through Instagram stories Jan. 16 that she was restarting the tour to try to rise above the effects of online negativity, an attitude she had first echoed at her workshop.

Last Saturday, Calloway hosted another workshop in New York according to New York Magazine, the first since restarting her tour. Instead of an Eventbrite page, she is having her fans email her with their name, Instagram handle and why creativity and resiliency are important to them at this point in their lives.

“I’ve spent the past two years being very quiet and healing,” Calloway said in an interview with The Hoya. “I often thought during that time that that quiet chapter meant that I would not become someone who lived a great life, but chapters of quiet healing are how people who live great lives get made.”

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MOVIE REVIEW

‘Fyre’ Documents, Downplays Viral Festival Failure

Directed by: Chris Smith Starring: Billy McFarland, Ja Rule, Marc Weinstein SARAH CAMMAROTA Hoya Staff Writer

Netflix’s new documentary “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” documents the mishap of Fyre Festival, a fraudulent music festival that advertised luxury on a private island in the Bahamas but eventually left festivalgoers stranded on the little Bahamian district of Exuma in 2017.

The documentary was released four days after “Fyre Fraud,” rival streaming service Hulu’s documentary on the festival. While Netflix’s “Fyre” is aesthetically pleasing and well-made, it struggles to tackle the absurdity of its subject matter: the naivete of both social media influencers and their followers.

“Fyre” explores the behind-the-scenes planning — or lack thereof — of Fyre Festival as orchestrated by charismatic snake-oilsalesman and bro-culture exemplar Billy McFarland. The festival was originally conceived as a way to build brand exposure for rapper Ja Rule’s app Fyre, a medium for users to book musicians for private events.

It gained social media buzz as models like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner promoted the festival on their Instagram pages and appeared in bombastic promotional videos.

“Fyre” was directed by Chris Smith, who also directed the well-received Netflix original documentary “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond.” Building off his previous experience producing popular documentaries, Smith hones in on the age of the social media influencer to portray the depth to which investors and the general public were defrauded.

Fyre Festival itself garnered middling attention in mainstream media outlets but became a phenomenon on social media, where it went viral after the disparity between the festival and its original marketing campaign was revealed.

Smith deftly portrayed this virality by using the promotional footage of super models on jet skis and yachts in clear blue water as well as screen grabs of the social media stars that would fool hundreds of young people with disposable incomes and high hopes of Instagram clout.

The documentary juxtaposes this glamorous social media campaign of the festival with the unavoidable fact that no one on the Fyre team had the logistical knowledge or funds to support the endeavor.

Smith uses footage from the preproduction shenanigans of Ja Rule and McFarland to show how disturbingly ill-prepared the stakeholders were to provide the experi-

ence that they had contrived through false advertising. The venture appears to be an opulent ego trip for McFarland, who in one scene is shown passed out on a beach while his employees work to create promotional material.

The documentary falters in its portrayal of the festival itself. The first half of the documentary builds a sense of impending dread for the doomed festival. The portion dedicated to showing the fiasco of the festival and the effect on defrauded customers, however, is underwhelming.

Smith uses smartphone footage from young, good-looking and undoubtedly wealthy social media influencers as they experienced the festival. While the goal of the video is to show how chaotic the experience is for the festivalgoers, it is hard to feel sympathy for them as they complain about being on a plane which is “as bad as economy class.”

Although McFarland is portrayed as a manipulative mastermind of the failed festival, the film’s main takeaway was the gullibility of the young elites who had been so easily hoodwinked by the promise of supermodels and white sand beaches. While watching the smartphone videos taken by vapid influencers in their Coachella-esque garb on their way to the

 festival, one cannot help but find it absurd that they would soon be eating cheese sandwiches in repurposed disaster relief tents. Smith makes sure to comment on this absurdity by showing the media backlash in which festivalgoers were ridiculed for paying thousands of dollars “to go see a Blink-182 concert.”

Smith consciously avoids building sympathy for the festivalgoers, but he takes care to show the true victims of the endeavor: the employees and workers who were led to believe the festival would be a success. He comments on the Bahamian day workers who were left without wages and includes a somber interview with a restaurant owner on the island who used her own savings to pay the workers who helped her provide food for the event.

Overall, “Fyre” handles its subject matter well. Smith knows his audience of social media-conscious Netflix users, but he does not sensationalize or overplay his viral source material. While it may be absurd, “Fyre” ultimately shows the effects of luxury gone wrong and how much people are willing to pay for nothing more than the guise of excess. Though the film may be far from social commentary, the topic is still worth examining in our Instagram age.

JERRY MEDIA

“Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” documents the perils of advertising through social media influencers with the failure of the Fyre Festival. When guests landed on the Bahamian district of Exuma, they were met with surprise, as the island was filled with disaster relief tents and inadequate food and water supplies.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

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MOVIE REVIEW

‘On the Basis of Sex’ Artfully Traces RBG’s Ascent to the Court Directed by: Mimi Leder Starring: Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux CATRIONA KENDALL Hoya Staff Writer

As Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg celebrates her 25th year on the nation’s highest court, “On the Basis of Sex” focuses on the court case that launched her battle to dismantle legal barriers for women, presenting the origin story of the Supreme Court justice we now know as the Notorious R.B.G. “On the Basis of Sex” opens with a sea of young men in drab suits ascending the steps for their first day at Harvard Law School, Ruth — played by the elegant Felicity Jones — the only speck of color among them in her vibrant blue dress. This jarring visualization of gender inequality aptly prepares the audience for Ruth’s struggle to succeed in a maledominated world.

Thus the biopic begins with Ruth’s time at Harvard, complete with not-so-subtle jabs about how the nine women in a class of 500 have usurped spots rightfully belonging to men. The story then follows Ruth’s early years as a professor of gender law at Rutgers University after no law firm will hire her because she is a woman. The only person who believes she can succeed as a lawyer is her unfailingly supportive husband, a tax lawyer named Marty, played by the incomparably genial Armie Hammer.

Marty gives Ruth her first opportunity to challenge the law she teaches about when he brings her a case involving a tax code provision that disadvantages men. Hoping a male petitioner will make her case more persuasive to the male judges, Ruth takes

the case to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to convince them that any law that discriminates on the basis of gender violates the U.S. Constitution.

Jones’ performance is not flawless — the Oscar-nominated British actress never quite nails the Brooklyn accent — but she nonetheless makes Ruth the emotional backbone of the film. The potency of her facial expressions propels Jones to shine as Ruth, as does the subtle body language that reveals the nuances of her character.

When Ruth listens to the Harvard Law dean talk about what it means to be a “Harvard man,” she lifts her chin ever-so-slightly; without her expression even changing, the audience can feel her rise to the challenge.

When she realizes she is about to be turned down for yet another job, this time because the other lawyers’ wives would be jealous of a woman in the office, viewers can see the dimming of her hope through the infinitesimal shift in her smile. Jones’ careful character study exposes the onslaught of microaggressions Ruth endures as a woman in the mid-20th century and compels the audience to feel the weight of them too.

The chemistry between Hammer and Jones is similarly powerful as they establish an impressively equal relationship between Marty and Ruth, atypical of the gender norms of the time. Marty’s willingness to share household tasks like cooking and child care, combined with his unwavering belief in his wife, makes him an ideal husband. Even better, his characterization is a faithful replication of the real Marty, not a

Hollywood fictionalization.

Throughout the film, Marty’s belief in Ruth does not rest at mere platitudes to her face; the film weaves in multiple scenes in which he defends her to the many who doubt her, adding to the moving and inspiring tenor of the film. Whether it be the Harvard Law dean, Marty’s boss or Ruth’s own friend at the American Civil Liberties Union, almost every other character questions her ability to be a real lawyer, making Marty’s support ever more significant.

While Marty and Ruth’s touching love story provides the heart of the film, it does not overshadow the evolution of Ruth’s personal character and legal career. As Marty, Hammer plays the rare role of a husband whose characterization revolves around his wife, and he is all the more likable for it. While the film lacks Marty’s own storyline or development, this absence is forgivable in light of this refreshing dynamic.

One of the film’s greatest triumphs is its marrying of Ruth’s personal and professional lives. The filmmakers effectively weave scenes of the prosecution grumbling in dimly lit rooms about working women destroying the American family with scenes of Ruth and her family.

As the prosecution declares that women who work neglect their children, for example, Ruth shares several emotionally charged scenes with her daughter, Jane, played by Cailee Spaeny. Through their shared moments on screen, we see how Ruth’s love for her daughter fuels her desire to undo the blockades she has faced her entire career so

 Jane will not encounter the same ones. The film masterfully undermines the claim that women cannot balance their family and a job and highlights the generational impact of Ruth’s work.

Just as family is central to the plot of the film, it also drove the creation of the film.

“On the Basis of Sex” was written by Ruth’s nephew, Daniel Stiepleman, who was inspired by a eulogy given at her husband’s funeral in 2011, according to The New York Times.

Ruth’s oral arguments in court at the end present the culmination of her self-doubt and frustration after others have relentlessly asserted her inability to change the world.

These scenes inject tension and suspense into the film as Ruth tries to convince a federal court that the law must reflect the cultural shift of their country. As she urges them to stop protecting an America that no longer exists and set a new legal precedent, the film reveals the fiery Ruth who had previously only come through in flashes of defiance.

This biopic succeeds in delivering a small piece of history with a critical effect, but it excels in investing the audience in its characters — particularly Ruth, the focal point of the film. The window it provides into Ruth’s life casts a shade of vulnerability and adversity over a woman we now know to be tough and stoic.

“On the Basis of Sex” is a love letter to Ruth Bader Ginsburg that proves as enjoyable and momentous as the woman herself, complete with a cameo of the legend at the end.

FOCUS FEATURES

The heart of “On the Basis of Sex” comes from the biopic’s fusion of Ruth Bader Gisburg’s professional and personal lives. Despite the prominence of the relationship between Ruth, right, and her husband Marty, far left, in the film, the love story does not distract from but rather complements the powerful narrative tracing Ruth’s legal fight against gender discrimination.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

THE HOYA

DIRECTOR’S CUT

‘Green Book’ Proves Heartwarming but Unimpressive Olivia Simon I became aware of “Green Book” just before the holidays, when a few of my friends mentioned it was worth catching at the theater. While I was surprised to learn the film was directed by Peter Farrelly of the Farrelly Brothers — known for comedies such as “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something about Mary” — I was not surprised the film centered on one of the duo’s favorite conventions from their early work: the road trip.

“Green Book” charts the relationship of Tony Vallelonga, an Italian-American bouncer played by Viggo Mortensen, and Don Shirley, an African-American classical and jazz pianist played by Mahershala Ali. Despite the enthralling performances of the film’s leads, Farrelly’s vision is ultimately undone by a weak script.

The film recounts Tony’s time working

as Don’s driver during his two-monthlong concert tour through the Deep South.

From the get-go, Don’s impeccably polished persona contrasts sharply with Tony’s carefree, gritty nature.

Yet as Tony’s experiences with Don start to quell his racial biases, the two men are able to navigate their differences with an endearing simplicity that establishes chemistry and evolves into friendship.

While Don derives a greater appreciation for life’s small pleasures from Tony’s energy and joie de vivre, Tony’s motivation shifts from solely money-driven loyalty to heartfelt companionship, as he becomes a true pillar of support and protection for Don. Perhaps the film’s greatest triumph is the way Mortensen and Ali take ownership over the material, grounding the film not only in the evolution of their characters’ relationship but also in its playfulness.

Ali’s sheer command over every word and action paired with Mortensen’s exuberant lack of self-awareness makes for some excellent humor and tender moments, such as when Don takes it upon himself to help Tony write poetic love letters to his wife back home. The personal integrity both characters maintain allows them

to exchange stories, share wisdom when necessary, and actively observe and understand the points where their lives diverge and connect.

Unfortunately, a subpar script ultimately throws a wrench in the film’s side and, therefore, its ability to be taken seriously. While Mortensen and Ali develop genuine chemistry, their performances are impaired by the writing, which is weighed down by cliches.

Writers Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie and Farrelly spin nearly every scene into overdone teaching moments, hampering the authenticity of the characters’ bond and creating an atmosphere of predictability. Almost every scene incorporates some form of Don urging Tony to elevate himself or by Tony encouraging Don to loosen up and ends with the two men meeting each other halfway.

One moment noticeably breaks away from this pattern toward the end of the film. As Tony and Don are heading home in the snow, they are pulled over by a police officer. When I saw this scene in the theater, the audience was rife with tension, expecting a confrontation with an aggressive and hostile white cop.

Instead, the officer provides words of guidance for navigating the snowy roads, which prompted a physical sigh of relief from the audience. This scene represents one of the only moments in which there is no give and take between the two main characters — the scene provides no compromise, only a shared sense of reassurance and hope.

Beyond this scene, the writing is overly self-conscious, which does not allow for any new insights to blossom along the film’s course — as if a road map had been drawn up for the audience to peruse before accompanying Tony and Don on their way.

While “Green Book” offers a heartwarming cinematic experience, those in search of depth and innovation should take this film with a rather large grain of salt or simply look elsewhere. Modest by nature, “Green Book” understands its role in the film community: While it will by no means change the world, there is certainly room for an uplifting crowd-pleaser in today’s climate of bleak cynicism.

Olivia Simon is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. DIRECTOR’S CUT appears in print every other Friday.

NETFLIX AND NO CHILL

New Thriller ‘You’ Engrosses, Alarms Viewers Rohit Mahtani Initially, Netflix’s debut season of “You” appears to be a cliche boy-meets-girl romance set in New York City. It quickly evolves, however, into a wannabe thriller about a murderer who conflates romance with stalking. Despite the unfortunate twist, the show, based on a psychological thriller novel by Caroline Kepnes, kept me coming back for more.

“Gruesomely murdering everyone close to the girl you are crazy about and stalking her is not love!” I yelled at protagonist Joe Goldberg throughout his psychopathic exploits. Penn Badgley plays the role of our main character and highly intelligent bookstore manager. Joe’s dream girl in this tale is failed writer Guinevere Beck, who goes by Beck and is played by Elizabeth Lail.

Twisted characters like Joe are not unusual in media, but in this case, “You” offers the chance to peer into the mind of our stalker through his own narration.

Through 10 episodes, I earned a chance to listen to a troubled — yet methodical — man rationalize murdering everyone in his path, including the following: Beck’s ex-lover Benji, played by Lou Taylor Pucci; Beck’s best friend Peach, played by Shay Mitchell; and Joe’s neighbor’s alcoholic boyfriend, Ron, played by Daniel Cosgrove.

From the outset, Joe demonstrates his willingness to do whatever it takes to secure his picturesque future with Beck. The rational suggestion for Joe is to simply try to win her over using his suave good looks and endless knowledge about classic literature — no murder required. However, like a “true gentleman,” he persists in his calculated stalking of Beck.

As the series progresses, Joe cites his immoral principles as a byproduct of growing up without a father figure and the resulting attempts by bookstore owner Mr. Mooney, played by Mark Blum, to discipline Joe in his teen years while he served as an apprentice at the bookstore. By locking him in a glass cage and forcing him to read first editions of classic U.S. literature, Mooney believed he could teach Joe the value of books.

While being forced to read Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden Pond” could qualify as child abuse, this punishment does not

justify Joe’s adult behavior — he is not as guiltless as he claims to be.

The melodramatic thriller shows Joe stalking Beck more often than attempting to woo her. I often asked myself how Joe never gets caught. For starters, it helps that Joe kills anyone who reveals an inkling of suspicion of his antics.

Joe’s luck seems to never run out. When Joe warns Beck about a meaningless meeting Peach arranges for her with a bigtime editor, she does not initially heed his precaution. However, when the editor does indeed try to seduce Beck, she puts Peach in her place for setting her up and further validates Joe’s suspicions about Peach’s intentions for Beck. The meeting’s failure also, conveniently, helps Joe look like less of a paranoid person and more like a friend showing real concern.

Joe indeed walks the fine line between normal New Yorker and unstable, murderous sociopath alarmingly well.

But this show makes it clear that, above all else, Joe is a pathetic stalker: He stands literally two feet outside Beck’s house every night and desirously stares at her through 7-foot windows; he follows her to an empty subway station where he is forced to save her life after she falls onto the tracks, proving he followed her; and he admits he knows she

is a poet on the Uber ride to her house, postrescuing.

In short, “You” starts as another glamorized love story but derails off the expected track when one side of the romantic equation cannot comprehend the difference between devotion and obsession.

It’s been done before, enough that it merits an IMDB page dedicated to the genre, but seeing this dark side of Joe is as bingeable as it is horrifying.

Joe’s success as a stalker and murderer may not stay within the realm of believability, but “You” had me coming back for more at the end of each episode. With slow and deliberate plotting, it delivers an endless series of twists.

Even though many of the twists push the premise to a near-absurd conclusion, each addition to the plot generates even more suspense. “You” may be a trashy thriller that gives a little too much screen time to letting an obsessed stalker justify his crimes, but it is addictive enough to start episode one and, like Joe, feel unable to do anything else but watch the doomed relationship until the very end.

Rohit Mahtani is a junior in the McDonough School of Business. NETFLIX AND NO CHILL appears in print every other Friday.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

THE HOYA

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BOOK REVIEW

‘Less’ Inspires With Modern Themes, Poetic Writing  Written By: Andrew Sean Greer ANNAH OTIS

Hoya Staff Writer

Andrew Sean Greer’s 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Less” explores some of the most salient topics in modern society: sexual identity, aging, status and love.

The book follows protagonist Arthur Less around the world as he struggles to come to terms with a painful breakup and his looming 50th birthday. Though the plot screams midlife crisis, any reader can empathize with Arthur’s quest for identity in a society filled with stereotypes.

Readers can easily imagine this book appearing on a syllabus in their English or diversity studies classes several years from now; above all, “Less” is a piece of literature with a strikingly modern tone that deserves praise.

It is hard to define what sets apart highbrow fiction worthy of the Pulitzer Prize, yet “Less” seems to fit comfortably within

the label. The novel has lyrical prose, carefully crafted thought-provoking rhetoric and a diatribe on common human experiences. “Less” is a novel set on making a scene while simultaneously appearing modest enough to slip into the canon of revered Western texts.

“Less” stands out within that canon of fiction. The novel strays from traditional award-winning American literature by its protagonist’s identity. Arthur is a gay freelance writer thoroughly entrenched in gay culture. His global journey is sparked by a desire to put distance between himself and a longtime partner’s new marriage to another man.

As Arthur skips from a teaching position in London to an award ceremony in Italy to a trip through Morocco with a few stops in between, he struggles to redefine himself as an individual. Only by relinquishing — albeit unwillingly — the vibrant blue suit of his younger days can Arthur step into a new life with new ro-

mantic possibilities.

As Greer takes the reader from destination to destination, the text has a flowing, sing-song quality in spite of its occasionally sobering content. Greer’s prose reads like a highly detailed poem; dialogue and imagery are woven seamlessly through the chapters.

While an elegance lies in this poeticism, it also feels forced at times. Either the rigid rhetoric is meant to mimic Arthur’s uptight attitude, or the author has been caught trying too hard to write a piece of literature. Whatever the intention, Greer’s style is studied. This measured quality encourages the reader to think beyond the words, at which point the book becomes an exercise in dissection. If readers are looking for a thinker with heavy-handed poeticism, “Less” is just the right text; others not in the mood for such a task might consider looking elsewhere.

At first glance, Greer’s openly gay pro-

tagonist appears to be a mark of progress in American literature. A second look confirms just the opposite. Arthur is a white, wealthy, highly educated man whose livelihood consists of writing a few pages every so often in his well-appointed cottage.

Notably absent are women from the LGBTQ community and men of color. While these characteristics may be a case of the author claiming his own experience and refusing to appropriate the stories of others, it could also just as well be an example of appeasing the conservative crowd at the expense of diversity.

Beautifully written, “Less” is well worth a read for those interested in contemporary literature or diversity studies. While some may find it more thought-provoking than entertaining, this should not disqualify it from a spot on your shelf.

Greer’s novel is the perfect example of a well-written book that reflects — but does not fully embrace — progressive culture.

LEFT: ANDREW SEAN GREER, RIGHT: @ASGREER/INSTAGRAM

Andrew Sean Greer, left, explores issues of sexuality, coming of age and identity in his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Less.” His background as an openly gay, highly educated writer influences the novel’s take on modern-day topics and diversity. Though brilliantly written, “Less” falls short in considering women and people of color.

B8

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

THE HOYA

What to Do in DC

MUSIC

NEW RELEASES

1

TIMOTHY MCNULTY Hoya Staff Writer

‘EVERYTHING IN EXISTENCE’ AT ARTECHOUSE

Artechouse, located by the Jefferson Memorial, is showing yet another impressive exhibit, called “Everything in Existence.”

The venue uses interactive light, sound and virtual reality to create an art experience unlike any other. “Everything in Existence” by the artist studio fuse* explores the concept of infinity and eternity and will be showing until March 10. Tickets for students are $12 online and $15 onsite.

JLO AND BAD BUNNY

SUFJAN STEVENS

KEHLANI

HOZIER

KEHLANI FT. TY DOLLA $IGN ‘NIGHTS LIKE THIS’

HOZIER ‘ALMOST (SWEET MUSIC)’

With a mixtape and an album on the way, Kehlani sticks with what she knows and focuses on a broken relatio+nship for her new single, “Nights Like This.” The Oakland singer saves what could have been an overdone song with powerful vocals and pleading lyrics.

Hozier returns with “Almost (Sweet Music)” in preparation for his upcoming album, “Wasteland, Baby!” The song features cheerful, upbeat percussion that can only attempt to mask the anxiety Hozier feels in his new relationship where he still finds himself thinking of a past love.

2

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATRE ROADSHOW

Washington Improv Theatre will be at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street until Jan. 27. The hilarious shows will feature both WIT’s company and special guests in improv and short skits.

Every show will be a different experience. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

3

ARTECHOUSE

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATRE/FACEBOOK

GOAT YOGA AT FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH IN ARLINGTON

This Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., journey across the Potomac to experience goat yoga at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington, Va. Bring your own mat and work on your form in the company of community members and the cutest of farm animals for an unconventional good time. Tickets are $35 on Eventbrite.

BETH WOLFE

ARIANA GRANDE

ARIANA GRANDE ‘7 RINGS’ Despite an ongoing controversy over the similarity of the song to Princess Nokia’s “Mine,” Grande’s latest in a stream of new music “7 rings” has dominated the streaming services even more than her first two singles. Verses set to the tune of “My Favorite Things” transition to a trapinspired chorus, and her diehard fans are eating the combination up.

JAMES BLAKE

JAMES BLAKE FT. ANDRÉ 3000 ‘WHERE’S THE CATCH?’ Off his newly released album “Assume Form,” James Blake teams up with André 3000 on “Where’s the Catch?” The two artists look at love and happiness with suspicion and pessimism, all backed by the moody and haunting production that Blake is so well-known for.

4

WILLY WIEDMANN AT THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE

Even if the Smithsonian museums are closed because of the ongoing government shutdown, you can still go to one of the privately owned museums in the District. The Museum of the Bible is hosting an exhibit featuring the largest illustrated version of the Bible, created by the German artist Willy Wiedmann. The exhibit will be on view until April 28 with access included in regular ticket prices, which is $20 for adults.

THE WIEDMANN BIBLE/FACEBOOK

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

CONCERT REVIEW

THE HOYA

B9

ALBUM REVIEW

Pond Mesmerizes With Theatrical Dreamscape

DODIE/FACEBOOK

Anyone who doubts that YouTubers can be talented musicians needs to listen to dodie’s latest EP, “Human.” Over the course of seven tracks, the British musician weaves a captivating tale about the challenges of fame and creating content for public consumption. As her third EP, “Human” movingly demonstrates dodie’s growth as an artist.

YouTube Star Releases Hauntingly Beautiful EP ‘Human’

HUMAN

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dodie DENNESE MAE JAVIER Hoya Staff Writer

Guilt, loss, frustration, oh my! Rather than maintaining a facade of perfection, British singer-songwriter dodie, formally known as Dorothy Clark, embraces vulnerability in her third EP, “Human.” Though dodie’s previous EPs, “Intertwined” and “You,” have also addressed issues of fame, sexuality and mental health, “Human” reaches a level of depth and intensity previously unattained, creating her most comprehensive record to date.

The album’s opening track, “Arms Unfolding,” is executed solely through dodie’s vocals layered over a sustained single note. The atmospheric composition of the song evokes saccharine melodies similar to those of dodie’s previous EPs, yet the the record’s lyricism eases us into her shift in subject matter. The motif of lost love introduces the authenticity exhibited throughout the record.

Over the past eight years, dodie has amassed a YouTube following of over 1.7 million subscribers. Abstract discussions of fame evoke archetypal images of happiness derived from sources such as wealth or special treatment. “Not What I Meant,” featuring fellow British singersongwriter Lewis Watson, highlights the

personal struggles dodie has faced during her rise to internet fame.

Watson’s and dodie’s voices blend beautifully over the modern string accompaniment, creating an upbeat indie ballad despite the negativity of the lyrics.

The song’s narrative is inspired by Dom Fera’s short film “Content,” which discusses “the need for validation in the digital world.” Powerfully crafted lyrics like “How am I meant to stay on track / When each hand I shake will pull me back?” underscore the unhealthy competition among internet stars who overwork themselves and fabricate artificial friendships in hopes of raising their viewer count.

Rather than aiming for perfection, dodie explicitly sets her flaws on display.

In “Monster,” she vividly delineates the thoughts occupying her mind as she stares in the eyes of someone who hates her.

The upbeat and anthemic sound of the song initially seems to conflict with its content; however, the intricacy found within the fusion of classic percussion and modern electronic elements parallels that of the lyrics. “We’re both guilty of black and white thinking” diminishes the complexity of an individual, contrasting the EP’s title track, which conversely places an emphasis on knowing

someone even better than they know themselves.

Featuring Scottish alternative musician Tom Walker, “Human” seamlessly unifies the vocals with the gentle string arrangement composing an undeniably gorgeous, yet haunting, piece. The limited lyrics in this song coerce listeners into devoting more attention to each line. “I want to give you your grin” deceivingly disguises the track as a heartfelt admission; however, the first word in “paint me in trust” reveals a darker reality. Furthermore, despite its scarcity, the visual elements derived from lines like “unzip your skin and let me have a see” are incredibly powerful.

Following the leading tracks, dodie also includes remastered versions of old songs. “She,” dodie’s first song to hit a million views on YouTube, was first uploaded in 2014. “She” grapples with a society that is unwilling to accept any form of romantic love deviating from the heteronormative standard. In this album, dodie injects a vibrant cinematic orchestration to “She,” amplifying the power of the track’s stream-of-consciousness lyricism.

“If I’m Being Honest,” the record’s longest song, exquisitely exemplifies dodie’s maturation as an artist. Tracing the perim-

eter of flirtation, the track is overwhelmed with emotion quickly shifting from optimism and hope to doubt and realism. Before the chorus, as dodie questions, “How did I get here? It’s all so quick, and I feel sick,” the music mimics the tumultuous energy of the lyrics. The second to last chorus gradually builds to the song’s climax, found in the bridge, paralleling the magnitude of emotion dodie felt.

The artist’s emotional journey culminates in “Burned Out.” The baroque piano and string combination in 6/8 time evoke the image of a prima ballerina rehearsing a routine until she physically breaks. “Burned Out” is dodie’s most explicit message concerning mental health. The track expresses the feeling of doing too much and still not being enough. Rather than finding comfort in the repeated strings of “they love you,” dodie encounters guilt for dealing with mental illness despite being adored by many. “Burned Out” immaculately concludes the album with its eerie authenticity.

Beautifully crafted and laced with fragility, “Human” displays dodie’s talent of communicating her emotions so transparently. She possesses a prodigious ability to weave tapestries of sound with only seven tracks.

B10

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

THE HOYA

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Powerful Performances Shine in ‘Speech & Debate’ ALEXANDRA BRUNJES Hoya Staff Writer

On the surface, “Speech & Debate” seems dry and cliche-ridden: Three outcast teenagers in an oppressively conservative town come together to form a debate club.

Below the surface, Georgetown University’s Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society’s newest production is anything but predictable. A production co-sponsored with the theater and performance studies program, “Speech & Debate” by Stephen Karam uses humor and drama to cloak the darkness present in the lives of the show’s three protagonists: over-eager journalist Solomon, played by Nate Weiand (COL ’21); openly gay transfer student Howie, played by Ben Ulrich (SFS ’20); and friendless wannabediva Diwata, played by Cristin Crowley (MSB ’20).

“Speech & Debate” takes place in Salem, Ore., right after the discovery of transcripts from a gay chatroom between town’s antigay right-wing mayor and younger men.

Solomon, who is desperate for a substantive story, tries to convince his teacher to let him write about it for the North Salem High School newspaper. After being firmly shut down, he discovers a similar scandal at his own high school that he tries to pursue for a story that brings the three characters together through the newly formed speech and debate club.

Most scenes take place during the club meetings, where the three discuss their secret but also end up revealing hidden things about themselves, forging an un-

likely and often contentious friendship.

Their relationship is the core of the play’s power and intrigue — not the scandal or the club’s final performance, but rather the rocky emotions intrinsic to high school and the different ways that they manifest.

“The play itself is so interesting because it’s almost 15 years old but is written with such heart and care that it still feels relevant today,” Ulrich wrote in an email to The Hoya. “More than that, it balances really over-the-top humor with more subtle laughs and some gut-wrenchingly honest moments. It’s this beautiful look into the insecurities everyone grapples with and how they motivate and shape us.”

Crowley, whose Georgetown theater experience includes four other mainstage productions beside “Speech & Debate,” also feels the heart of the play is in its bigger themes rather than its plot.

“Part of the essence of this play is the younger generation finding their freedom and breaking away from the confines the older generation has placed upon them,” Crowley wrote in an email to The Hoya.

One of the strongest parts of Mask and Bauble’s rendition of “Speech & Debate” is the chemistry between the three leads, likely due in part to their shared theater experiences: All three performed in “Footloose” last spring.

Regardless of their chemistry, each of the show’s three leads shines individually.

Weiand conveyed Solomon’s high ambitions with the perfect balance of awkward and self-aware behavior. Crowley was bold

and hilarious as Diwata, expertly pulling off her over-the-top character. Similarly to Weiand, her performance was powerful both in speech and in physical demonstration: Every movement she made on stage echoed Diwata’s performative nature. Ulrich as Howie served as an effective contrast to Diwata with his more sarcastic and less outlandish persona. Ulrich movingly portrayed the tension between Howie’s proclivity for defensive humor in contrast to his vulnerability.

Director Mark Camilli (COL ’19) first read “Speech & Debate” in 2016 when choosing a piece to direct for Nomadic Theatre and was immediately drawn to its raw expression of emotions and the difficulty of coming into your own sexuality. When given the opportunity to direct again, Camilli returned to the play because of its timely material. “‘Speech & Debate’ was beyond its time politically,” Camilli wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Written in 2007, its discussion of truthful reporting in the media, sexual misconduct, and censorship feel even more relevant today.”

The production co-sponsored with the theater and performance studies program added another dimension to the production process by expanding their resources.

“As a co-production between Mask & Bauble and the Department, we experienced the benefits of having more resources and mentorship that the department offers, while still being an almost entirely student-led process,” Camilli wrote.

“Speech & Debate” is split into 12 distinct scenes with titles ranging from “extemporaneous commentary” to “original oratory,” which are speech and debate categories. The division and scene shifts make the show seem shorter than its run time and provide colorful transitions between different parts of the story, giving the audience time to recover from the intense emotions present in each scene. The incredibly impressive production value adds to the experience of the play from the comedy to the modern feel.

Earning the classification of “dramedy,” “Speech & Debate” plays with emotional weight and serves as a compelling window into the transition from youth to adulthood.

“Again and again, the play continued to morph and evolve — it became about the high school experience, online gay culture, the sometimes-stifling presence of adult power, and finding yourself within all these confined spaces,” Camilli wrote in the director’s note in the show’s program.

“Yet when I read Speech & Debate today, I cannot confine its meaning to these spaces alone. I believe it is a play about connection, how we find each other when we’re growing up — and it is a play about loneliness.”

Speech & Debate will run Jan. 24 to Feb. 2 at the Davis Performing Art Center in the Devine Studio Theatre. It has performances from Thursday, Jan. 24 to Saturday, Jan, 26 at 8 p.m., as well as Sunday, Jan, 27 at 2 p.m., and Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. to Saturday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m.

AMY LI/THE HOYA

Centered around the lives of three teenagers — Cristin Cowley (MSB ’20) as Diwata, left, Nate Weiand (COL ’21) as Solomon, center, and Ben Ulrich (SFS ’20) as Howie — “Speech & Debate” is an inventive and enthralling experience, from the performances to the production value. Directed by Mark Camilli, the play deals with timely issues affecting young people.

THE HOYA

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

B11

ALBUM REVIEW

FUTURE

While rap superstar Future stays true to the sound that launched him to notoriety, his most recent album comes across as more stale, failing to achieve the same level of quality as his previous work. However, because this album is the last on his record deal with Epic Records, hope remains for fans and dilettantes for his output in the future.

Future Dazzles but Disappoints in New Album ‘The WIZRD’ FUTURE HNDRXX PRESENTS: THE WIZRD

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FUTURE ALLAN NAVARRO Hoya Staff Writer

Future’s seventh studio album “Future Hndrxx Presents: The WIZRD” serves as a celebration of everything he has accomplished over the last decade. This reflective theme is appropriate, as the album fulfills Future’s record deal with Epic Records.

The rapper, who is nominated for two Grammys this February, uses a diverse array of sounds with 808 drums to form the album’s foundation. While it starts off lyrically strong, the album never quite delivers on its potential because of its repetitiveness.

The album serves as Future’s first album since his 2017 releases “Future” and “Hndrxx,” which dropped in consecutive weeks, making Future the first artist to top the Billboard 200 with two different albums in back-to-back weeks.

Since the release of those two albums, the usually prolific Future has maintained a relatively low profile, only releasing unconvincing collaborative mixtapes with Young Thug and Juice WRLD and the underperforming mixtape “Beast Mode 2.”

The Atlanta native, however, has matured more in the past two years than the typically raunchy content on his songs suggests. Future lamented the im-

pact on the youth, especially with his glorification of the recreational drug lean, in interviews with Rolling Stone and Genius in 2019. During these interviews, Future revealed he had stopped consuming lean but was too scared to tell anyone because his fans expected him to be doing drugs.

Future is following the trend of modern hip-hop zeitgeist where artists like Lil Pump, Smokepurpp and J. Cole have all advocated anti-drug stances in the past year. The latter most notably described the pitfalls of drugs in his 2018 track “KOD.” This maturation is evident throughout his album “The WIZRD,” which mentions drug abuse and drug dealing, though to a much lesser extent. Future instead opts to shift the focus to his successes in the music industry since his selection to the XXL Freshmen list in 2012.

The album’s weak point, atypical to its entire first half, is the opening track “Never Stop.” The nearly five-minutelong cut effectively introduces the victory lap nature of the entire project but soon overstays its welcome as Future maintains a monotone delivery that quickly becomes boring. However, the album establishes itself with the next six tracks, each running less than three minutes, and prepares the listener for a celebration of Future.

Tracks like “Jumpin on a Jet” and the lead single “Crushed Up” see Future rap about his successes with references to diamond-covered chains and 14-passenger jets over slick production, replete with psychedelic hi-hats and other eclectic sounds that cultivate the consuming nature of the LP. Future has always relied heavily on a small team of producers to formulate his trademark sounds. Yet Future takes advantage of newer producers on this album, notably Memphis’ Tay Keith and Atlanta’s Wheezy.

Frequent collaborator Metro Boomin, however, is notably absent from the album — an unfortunate consequence, as his production is some of the most cutting edge in hip-hop today. Nevertheless, the beats are seamless and carefully produced to fit the psychedelic yet triumphant mood of the entire project.

The latter half of the album is where the project begins to slow down. Tracks become less memorable, almost as if Future is trying to pad the track list to reach the one-hour mark. Few tracks in the latter half are anything more than standard Future songs, with boastful bars about wealth and influence over rattling and powerful production.

Future rarely utilizes features on his LPs, choosing instead to focus on his own style and versatility — or lack thereof —

and “The WIZRD” follows this formula, with only three features throughout the twenty tracks. “Unicorn Purp” sees Future and Young Thug show off the chemistry that pervaded their 2017 collaborative project “Super Slimey.” However, the Gunna feature on the back end of the track sounds like a retread of Young Thug and adds nothing of substance to the song.

The Travis Scott-assisted “First Off” is one of the lone bright spots on the latter half of the album. The track, which is dominated by the refrain in which Future brags about being on the Forbes list and making more than NBA legend Dwyane Wade, sees Scott continue his run of success dating back to 2018’s “Astroworld.” Scott’s staccato flow is punctuated by his ad-libs, which add some much-needed flavor to the track listing.

With Future, consistency is vital. The sound and atmosphere of “The WIZRD” are carefully cultivated and produce good results, even if the track list is repetitive and unfulfilled potential pervades the album.

Serving as a celebration of Future’s undoubted musical legacy, “The WIZRD” is an apt culmination of the most important phase of the rapper’s career thus far. Now that this chapter has closed, fans will await the rap superstar’s next musical moves.

ILLUSTRATION BY: ELOISE OWEN/THE HOYA