The Advocate - Issue 12 - January 10, 2020 by The Advocate

Volume 54, Issue 12 January 10, 2020 advocate-online.net

FOR THE STUDENTS BY THE STUDENTS

Cuts at MHCC still in question PAGE 2

Paper or plastic: either will cost PAGE 3

How to achieve goals in 2020 PAGE 4

TOP SCORER OPTIMISTIC FOR GOOD SEASON

PAGE 5

The best of cinema in 2019 PAGE 7

2019 FIRST PLACE

General Excellence

Pacific Northwest Assoc. of Journalism Educators

NEWS

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

PENDING CUTS LOOMING

NEWS BRIEFS with Chris Barney

Omar Saradi and Chloe Collins The Advocate

WHAT THEY SAID

The Winter Break was a long and glorious thing. However, unlike most of us, the matter of whether to cut seven academic programs from MHCC did not rest. On Wednesday, Dec. 18, the MHCC District Board of directors met for a regular session that included public input. The board met yet again this Wednesday, Jan. 8 to allow Vice President of Instruction Alfred McQuarters and Chief Operations Officer Jennifer DeMent to respond to specific questions raised by board members, several in response to the December input. Before addressing the details of what happened at these board meetings, here is a timeline to refresh how events have unfolded: Nov. 8, 2019: Each of Mt. Hood’s 61 academic departments was called into a meeting where they would be formally informed on which programs were placed in the phase-out (elimination) category. Nov. 20: The board held its first session after the announcements were made, and allowed for public input. The meeting lasted 5 hours, from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Dec. 4: The board held a work session in which public input was not allowed. Dr. Lisa Skari and Alfred McQuarters attended this meeting to present the full plan behind the proposed cuts to the board. Dec. 18: Another regular board meeting took place that allowed for public input; more faculty and community members spoke out against the cuts. Jan. 8, 2020: Another board work session took place. DeMent and McQuarters responded to public input and board member questions raised previously. After more public input at the Dec. 18 meeting, the District board publicly moved to delay a final decision regarding the modification and/or phasing out of the programs. The decision is expected at the next board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

“We are creative people. We have so many ideas to cut costs.” Carol Redwine, Cosmetology instructor

“Given the amount of information you don’t have... this is not the way to do this as a board. It’s okay to admit mistakes have been made (in the revitalization program review). It’s okay to admit you don’t know things.” JD Kiggins, Broadcasting instructor

“This place was once the jewel of East Multnomah County. If you cut programs... they’re not coming back. What happened to ‘Be your dream’?”

Mike McAfee, Mathematics instructor

“It’s only fair that these seven programs get a chance to make changes, like the other programs that will be modified. Program cuts should be seen only as a last resort. You’re scaring students. Don’t let this be your legacy. You can do better than this.” Holly DeGrow, Literature/Composition instructor

for the students by the students Editor-in-Chief Chloe Collins

Sports Editor [Position Open]

Associate Editor Omar Saradi

Opinion Editors Omar Saradi

News Editor Chris Barney

Graphic Design Editor Eli Rankin

Arts & Entertainment Editors Kurt Larson Eli Rankin

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Broadcast Editor Naethaniel Lile

Broadcast Team Gage Linhares Robert Frank Thomas Silk Graphic Design Team Leydi Perez Carrasco Photo Editor Maysee Thao Photo Team Bethy Fallgren Landon Spady Fletcher Wold

MLK-RELATED EVENTS/TRIBUTES Monday, Jan. 13 The MHCC Library will host a Civil Rights Movement Leaders Display from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, Jan. 13-17. Come learn about the principle figures in America’s civil rights movement. The Multicultural & Diversity Resource Center (MDRC), inside the Student Union, will hold an information session regarding a new Social Justice Advocates Program established on campus, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Refreshments are provided. The MDRC also will host the reading and discussion of the written works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Come enjoy an exploration into the mind of Dr. King. Tuesday, Jan. 14 Mt. Hood’s Student Union will host the traveling “Black History 101 Mobile Museums: Parallels in Time” exhibit from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event includes a lecture by museum curator Khalid elHakim from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come learn about black history and the principle figures and events that have shaped it. Refreshments are provided. Friday, Jan. 17 MHCC will provide a Service Engagement Day opportunity. Volunteers will deliver donated items to Alder Elementary, in the Reynolds School District, and will join reading and project activities with the school pupils 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (with a break from 12:40 to 1:20 p.m.). There will be 15 passenger vans available for rides from Mt. Hood to the school; sign up in advance online (contact the Student Life department) for either the early (pre-break) or post-break time slot. Items suggested for donation include backpacks, pencils, colored pencils, glue sticks, notebooks, pens, tissues, board games, puzzles, sensory tools, clothing for children, and zip-lock bags (sandwich, quart, gallon sizes). The last day to bring donations to MHCC (Student Life) is Jan. 16.

@mhccadvocate

Ad Manager Parrish Chang

Outreach Manager Melanie Roberts

Staff Writers Brad Le Daniella Young Kel Buell Laura J Clement Omar Carrillo Carson Koch Zarah Escutia

Social Media Manager [Position Open] Distribution Specialist Julia MacDonald Advisers Dan Ernst Howard Buck

OTHER EVENTS Monday, Jan. 13 Intervarsity will host its weekly Monday Night Breathe event, 6–8 p.m. in the Town & Gown Room. Come enjoy a night of worship and relaxation with MHCC colleagues. Wednesday, Jan. 15 The Multicultural & Diversity Resource Center will host an open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come learn about the services offered here and enjoy the space. The Career Planning and Counseling Center will give a presentation about job interview tips from noon to 1 p.m. Come shore up your interview skills. The Mt. Hood Saints basketball teams will face off against their archrival Clackamas Community College Cougars. The women’s game will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the men’s game will start at 7:30 p.m., both in the Yoshida Events Center. Admission is free to MHCC students with ID, $5 for adults, $4 for students, and $3 for seniors and children 12 and under. WEATHER ALERTS With the threat of snow now officially in the short-term forecast for Portland-Vancouver (plus: it’s January!), it’s a good time for MHCC students and staff to make sure they’re ready for travel warnings and campus closure/delay notices. One way is checking the RAVE link, found in the “Resources” section on the left-hand side of the MyMHCC portal, once you’ve logged in. Click on “Go to your RAVE settings” to set/ update personal contact information, in order to receive text messages. Delay/closure notifications also may be found on MHCC’s webpage, Twitter page, or by calling the main phone line at 503-491-6422.

@theadvocateonline

@mhccadvocate

NEWS | OPINION

JANUARY 10, 2020

PAPER OR PLASTIC IS NO LONGER THE QUESTION Zarah Escutia The Advocate

Plastic shopping bags: Oregon has become the latest state to enforce a statewide legislation ban addressing this chronic source of plastic pollution. The Sustainable Shopping Initiative (House Bill 2509), was passed by legislators on June 20, 2019, and signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown. Effective on Jan. 1, the new law prohibits retail stores, restaurants, and farmers markets from providing single-use checkout bags to customers and puts restrictions on other checkout bags that they may provide. A retail store or restaurant may now provide only reusable or recycled paper (bags made from recycled paper products) checkout

bags to customers. In certain cases, businesses must charge a fee to customers for providing the bag. For consumers who do not bring reusable bags, HB 2509 requires a minimum charge of 5 cents for the checkout bags. This includes both paper bags and thicker, reusable plastic bags.  It also allows local governments (cities or counties) to enforce higher fees locally. Businesses will keep the fees. The reason for the fees is to counterbalance the cost of paper and reusable plastic bags, which are more expensive than typical plastic carryout bags. The goal is not to

increase the

use of Parrish Chang | The Advocate paper bags, but to encourage consumers to bring their own reusable bags. A critical exception: Some

stores and restaurants may provide recycled paper checkout bags or reusable plastic checkout bags for free to customers using a WIC voucher or electronic benefits transfer card, previously known as food stamps. This can vary depending on the store or restaurant, and location. HB 2509 repeals the ORS 459A.695 law that had required the retail stores that provide plastic checkout bags to also offer paper bags as an alternative. Businesses who violate this new bag law will be subject to a maximum fine of $250. The comprehensive ban does not apply to bags designed to hold bulk items such as fruit, vegetables, small hardware items or such, for sanitary or privacy purposes; certain specialty bags,

such as garment bags; or bags sold in a package for uses such as food storage, garbage or pet waste. The law is intended to encourage consumers to switch to reusable or recycled paper bags, so that Oregon can reduce the amounts of single-use bags (either plastic or paper) that are used and thrown out. When plastic bags end up in recycling bins, they contaminate the recycling stream and endanger the safety of workers who must untangle them from recycling equipment. This is also a positive step to address the large amount of plastic debris in the oceans that threatens marine wildlife in Oregon and worldwide. This will definitely be a change for Oregonians, but also a major step forward in reducing plastic waste.

BE MORE REALISTIC WITH YOUR 2020 GOALS

Parrish Chang The Advocate

2020 is a brand new year and brings a new decade for us to be able to grow as individuals, and one way many people try to improve themselves is a tradition many

practice around this time: New Year’s resolutions. While it’s a great idea to set goals for yourself to accomplish, most resolutions are often more harmful than you might expect from such things as empty promises to yourself. Common resolutions you’ll hear are among the lines of “I’m going to eat better,” “I’m gonna start going to the gym,” or even, “I’m gonna go on a diet to lose weight.” Most of these are not specific in meaning or are just too vague to do anything; most people might do these for a week or a month, at best, before dropping the matter entirely. This often leads to depression or lack of self-worth when they look back and see they haven’t accomplished

the goals they set. This is harmful to a person’s mental health overall, but there is a way to avoid this negative part of setting goals for yourself. One of the biggest things you can do to prevent this is to set more achievable goals. Your resolutions don’t have to be some great big change; you can set small goals, such as reading a new book or trying a new food you’ve never tried before. Some popular mundane resolutions include keeping your living space more tidy, or to learn how to cook something new and tasty. However, if you were wanting to do something as big as losing weight, then you need to change how you write your resolutions a

little bit. I mentioned that the losing weight/physical activity resolutions were too vague, so to fix it you need to be extra specific. Instead of saying “I’m gonna work out more,” you should be saying something along the lines of “I’m gonna start jogging every morning at 7 a.m.,” or even “I’m gonna go to the gym four days a week before work.” These give specifics to what you’re trying to achieve overall, instead of saying something without knowing what it truly means. These changes are called life changes because they’re supposed to be sustainable for life instead of trying for just a month, then giving it up. It’s also good to know that to

GET TO KNOW THE ADVOCATE

Cover by: Eli Rankin On the cover: A graphic of MHCC’s Leonard Dixon as he takes a shot.

Contact us! E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Mt. Hood Community College Room 1369 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham OR 97030

lose weight you have to change your diet, besides just exercising more. If you want make resolutions about your diet, then set an amount of times that you are allowed to eat fast food or eating junk, in general. With these resolutions you must not be hard on yourself if you miss a day here or there, for example, if you miss a day at the gym or go over your preset number of times you can eat out because you wanted to go out with your friends. You’re not going to be perfect for a whole year, so it’s okay to mess up. Stick with goals you set and make sure to be specific about what you want to do this year. Try to have fun while doing it, too. Don’t treat it like a job!

The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

Melanie Roberts Writer Melanie Roberts is the community outreach manager for The Advocate. She loves coffee, music, writing, pictures, traveling, people, and animals. She owns a black lab, Peanut, and a tuxedo cat, Jackson. She loves doing YouTube and editing video in her spare time because she enjoys creating something new. In her third year at MHCC, she works part-time as a Starbucks barista and loves meeting new people, making their drinks, and bringing a smile to their day. She is happy and content with the path she is headed on in life. PA G E 3

NEWS | OPINION

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

THE SCIENCE BEHIND DISASTER: UNDERSTANDING CHERNOBYL Carson Koch The Advocate

In April 1986, reactor No. 4 of the Vladimir I. Lenin nuclear power plant had a bit of a hiccup. A few things went wrong, a few people made a few mistakes. All in all, a minor hiccup. At least that is how the Soviet Union would want you to remember what we now call the Chernobyl disaster. The reality of the situation is that it was a money, political human and scientific problem. So what happened? Not as far as politics and humans are concerned, but regarding the science? The first thing that went wrong was the way the reactor was built. Its design was called the RBMK-1000. It was a water-cooled, graphitemoderated reactor. That means, it was cooled by water, so think of the water as brakes. But also, moderated by graphite, although “moderate” does not have the same meaning when discussing reactors. Moderator means gas pedal in reactor-speak. This gave the reactor something called positive void

coefficient, or positive feedback loop. So as the reaction gets more and more violent, the reaction speeds up. This can cause things to get ugly very quickly if something were to go wrong. But there was a second brake: the control rods. They were made of boron, which can slow down or slam the brakes on a reaction. But they were tipped with graphite, which hits the gas pedal. This is often used as a way to rail on the Soviets, saying, “Why would you make part of your brakes your accelerator!?” BEST INTENTIONS On the surface, it seems insane, but those tips actually were part of how the reactor works. It made the reaction more controllable because if it they weren’t there and the boron rods were pulled out of the reactor, there would just be water. Which can act like a gas pedal, but a very bad one. The reaction would stop if the control rods were pulled out, which also is a bit like hitting the gas. This is okay; it is not as safe as most reactors, but it works and it is powerful – but most important, it is cheap.

The one thing you can never, ever do is pull all of the control rods out and then put them back in, all at once. But that is silly! That would never happen. Right? Wrong. The second thing that went wrong began with, ironically, a safety test. The reactor had to be powered down for the day. Not a problem until you understand a little bit about nuclear chemistry. In a nuclear fission reaction such as this, uranium-235 is hit with neutrons, which causes it to split. The output can become a few different things, but the most important of them in this case was xenon. Xenon, like boron, absorbs neutrons and slows a reaction. The only way to get rid of it is to burn it off. But when it builds up too much, the reactor is poisoned. If that happens, then you need to run the reactor at low power for a few days and wait for it to burn off. Well, needless to say, the power plant officials didn’t. Which brings us to problem No. 3, the night of the Chernobyl disaster. The engineers would continue with the safety test needed to power the reactor down even more. Since there was xenon

present, the reactor started to power down too much, until it was almost in cold shutdown. The reactor technicians, reasonably, were scared by this, because while they wanted to operate at low power, the reactor was uncontrollably plummeting each second. So they began pulling control rods, the reactor continued to drop in power, they pulled more and more, until only a tiny fraction of the rods were even in the reactor. Only at this point was the reactor beginning to increase in power. The workers thought the crisis was averted, when in reality they had simply burned off the xenon. Now, all of the control rods were out, and once the xenon burned off, power began to increase again, uncontrollably. DEADLY SURGE The positive void coefficient began to kick in and steam started to form in the reactor, forcing the release of radioactive steam. As the operators realized how dangerous the situation had become, they hit the emergency scram button, which throws all rods into the reactor at

once. They thought it would be safe, but as the graphite entered the core, Chernobyl’s output, designed for 3,200 megawatts of power, soared past 33,000. The worst environmental disaster in modern history was about to unfold. The first explosion came as steam blew the top off the reactor. Chernobyl was now a nuclear bomb. The second came as oxygen in the air reacted with radioactive uranium, and blew the top off the building. What followed (aside from many deaths) was a cleanup that lasts to this day. Chernobyl and the surrounding areas are not safe to live in and will not be for centuries. But, there’s a lesson to be learned. Chernobyl was built cheaply, with few resources, and was dangerous from the start. Reactors built here in the United States are miles safer. We build reactors with a negative void coefficient, containment buildings and we go the whole nine yards in building safe nuclear facilities. Chernobyl was a lesson in reactor safety, and Chernobyl taught us what not to do to keep the power of the atom at bay.

HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS IN 2020

Melanie Roberts The Advocate

Happy New Year, 2020! Don’t you want your goals to be achieved this year? I have some tips on how to help you make that happen. Why are New Year’s goals so hard to achieve? Is it because that on Dec. 31 we all want to say, “Happy New Year!” and then there are those typical goals of “I want to go to the gym” or “I want to eat better,” and a month later we give up so easily? Why is that? I believe a way to make your PA G E 6

goals in 2020 easier and more successful is using this example from my goals. Melanie Roberts’ 2020 goals: WORKING OUT - I will go to the gym two days a week, and work my way up to four days a week. EAT HEALTHY - Every day, I will pack at least one healthy snack before leaving the house. PROCRASTINATE LESS - I really want to make sure that I will actually get house projects accomplished right when I think about it, that day, instead of procrastinating and waiting for weeks to finish. SAVING $$$ - Unfortunately, I spend money. Instead, I need to practice saving my money because I want to travel more in 2020, and have my own place to live. How will I do this? I will need to work more hours at my job. GROWING ON YOUTUBE I upload YouTube videos just for fun and I want to grow, learn, and improve my channel and editing. This is a hobby of mine that I truly

love doing in my spare time. My goal in 2020 is to get a vlog camera and any other technology I will need. Again, that’s more saving I will need to do in 2020… sigh. Instead of just saying what you want to achieve, explain what you want to achieve. Be specific as to why you want to work out, eat healthier, etc. Anyway, these are my top five goals that I truly hope to achieve in 2020. I hope this helps you with your goals. Try to think outside the box. It’s January, and this is a whole new year; don’t give up now! This month is the time to create and start achieving your goals. Even if this takes days, weeks, months, and maybe until next December – that is okay. Keep it up on chasing your goals, because you got this! And, even if you don’t achieve your New Year’s goals this year, it is not the end of the world, as there is always next year, and are many more years down the road.

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SPORTS | ADVERTISEMENT

JANUARY 10, 2020

SETBACKS, THE COME UP, AND CHICKEN TACOS Daniella Young The Advocate

This is forward Leonard Dixon’s third year on Mt. Hood’s men’s basketball team, and second year actually playing. The 20-year-old is a sophomore majoring in General Studies and isn’t sure where he’ll be attending college next year. But, wearing No. 11, he’s a leading force for the Saints this winter, making the most of his opportunity. Dixon currently leads the Saints in scoring, with 18.3 points per game (16th overall in the Northwest Athletic Conference), and averages five rebounds. He led Mt. Hood with 20 points and six rebounds in a heartbreak, 87-84 loss at Clark College on Wednesday. The Saints (7-7 overall, 1-1 and tied for fourth in the NWAC South Division) fought back from a 16-point deficit with less than 6 minutes left, only to miss a game-tying shot at the buzzer. Dixon originally hails from Riverside, California, and began his basketball career in the seventh grade, where he also played in Las Vegas in the Coast to Coast League. In eighth grade, he continued to play the game in Southern California, then transferred to Sam Barlow High School when his family moved to the Damascus

area. He played on the Bruins freshman boys team his freshman year, junior varsity his sophomore year, and then for the varsity during his junior and senior years at Barlow, graduating in 2017. Dixon said he really enjoys taking road trips with the Saints and recalled a unique experience that took place during his freshman year, two years ago (he took a break last year, but was still on the team). he Saints were in Estacada for the team’s preseason “boot camp,” and a mouse came out in the room where the players were staying as they were laying in the bunk beds, which really surprised them. It helps to underscore how Dixon’s basketball career has been quite an adventure, overall. “It’s been a blessing and a curse. It’s been fun learning a lot,” he said. “I’ve learned the game more and learned to love it. (Saints head) Coach Bowie also helped and influenced me to get better. Dixon also has enjoyed his teammates. “It’s fun to be around them,” he said. Photo by Jeff Hinds Basketball has also positively impacted Sophomore forward, Leonard Dixon, him in many other ways. “It helped me shoots aginst Shoreline at a game on get somewhere in life, in education. It’s Nov. 15. motivated me to get a degree.”

In five to ten years, he sees himself continuing his basketball career professionally; he hopes to play overseas in countries such as Germany or Spain and explore warmer states, he said. If that doesn’t work out, he’d like to become an electrician or a PE teacher/ coach. Besides hoops, Dixon enjoys skateboarding, listening to music – especially Hip-hop, R&B, and pop – and all types of food. He especially enjoys his mom’s chicken tacos. He said he decided to become a Saint for many different reasons. “I chose MHCC cause of Nate and it pushed me to the next level. He made it feel like home,” Dixon said. It also was an easy commute to school for him. Dixon is optimistic about the upcoming games and the rest of the season. “I feel like we have a big push coming up,” he said. The team had some injuries and setbacks earlier in the season, but recently has come back together and everyone is playing hard again. “It’s been fun playing with everyone,” he said.

Priority Registration for Veterans is Feb. 6. Veterans always receive priority registration at MHCC and we’re here to assist transitioning from life in the military to life as a college student.

› VA Educational Benefit › › › ›

Counseling. Academic Advising. Certification of Enrollment. Financial Aid. And much more!

Contact MHCC Veteran Services to Get Started: 503-491-7346 or Veteran.Services@mhcc.edu PA G E 5

OPINION | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

SLAYING & SUBSTANCE: DEATH IN HIP-HOP

Omar Carrillo The Advocate

In the closing days of 2019, fans of hip-hop, trap music, and contemporary emo rap alike were dealt an emotional blow both tragic and unexpected: The sudden passing of rapper Juice WRLD, real name Jared Higgins, in the very early hours of Dec. 8, at age 21. After rising to stardom by releasing hits on Soundcloud (an open music-streaming service known for its cultivation of young talent), WRLD quickly became mainstream and began influencing his fellow artists just as fast, helping build an entire genre seemingly overnight and out of nowhere. “Emo rap” is characterized by its moody production and vocals in addition to traditional hiphop lyrical forte, things WRLD carried in spades, and his legacy in this regard is one already revered

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and highly respected. His work sealed this newborn style into the encompassing musical landscape, and it’s his incredible achievements that made his untimely death that much more of a tragedy for so many people. WRLD’s death was officially reported to have come as a result of a seizure having taken place upon landing in Chicago’s Midway airport, and further details regarding the event are yet to be officially disclosed. Upon the news breaking, however, reactions were telling of another phenomenon entirely. Initial speculation regarding the cause of his medical emergency was overwhelmingly similar, with a drug overdose considered the potential culprit. While it is true that Juice WRLD has often spoken on his own issues with substance abuse and his dissatisfaction regarding it, that isn’t all that is going on here. Countless hip-hop artists, most notably Mac Miller and Lil Peep as of late, have met their end losing a lifelong battle with this very affliction. Even in the broader scope of rap history, looking much further into the past, this does not change. D.J. Screw, A$AP Yams, Pimp C.: just a few of so many musicians with massive vision and

creative strength, with their lives cut short by their addictions. While it is rumored that Juice WRLD may have taken drugs before his sudden death, this assumption is currently unconfirmed. It wasn’t just substance abuse that many fans and detractors alike jumped to, however. It is no secret that violence has never been a stranger to rap culture, either. TRAGIC TREND Fellow Soundcloud alumni XXXTENTACION was found murdered in his vehicle the year before, following a robbery gone wrong, and veteran rapper Nipsey Hussle was killed earlier in 2019 in front of his clothing store. Arguably the two most infamous hip-hop deaths, those of rap-rivals Tupac and The

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Notorious B.I.G. (more commonly referred to as Biggie Smalls) came as murder victims, as well. Unfortunate circumstance for demise is something that is far more widespread than among just one genre of music, or even one medium of art, but its concentration in hip-hop is has by no means gone unnoticed. In a study conducted by news outlet The Conversation, more than half of all (premature) hip-hop artist deaths were determined to be the result of murder alone. Hip-hop and rap music has changed unimaginably since its inception, splitting off into numerous sub-genres along the way. The one constant throughout its life, however, has always been its ability to grant the unheard a voice – the neglected teenager on the street, the denied and struggling parent, etc. This enduring musical style has given the gift of poetic expression to anybody who feels its passion. It does not reserve its composition for the wealthy or similarly privileged. Hip-hop has opened its arms to all, especially those who have felt the systematic rejection of other art forms so many times. Unfortunately, success that guarantees safety is a hard gamble. Ultimately, those who have been blessed with an articulate voice are

so often born from downtrodden communities that are overlooked by most establishment entities. Help from the outside is something rare. And even if one achieves some level of safety from direct violence, one often cannot fully escape this reality from a psychological standpoint. You might be wealthy, but what of your loved ones? Your best friends? Those that looked out for you when you had nothing? In these contemplations, one may just turn to one of few physical things in that has never failed to bring happiness: substances. If we are to help any future masters of the art form, we must confront these things head-on, and cease ignoring the problems that plague those unable to fight them alone. These issues are far more wide-reaching than a single genre of music, and it is cowardly to think of them in this way. We are living in a relentless opioid crisis, after all, and the suffering and bloodshed it has entailed and will entail as it continues is sure to rear its merciless head further in every aspect of the world around us. Action to address the insatiable beast of poverty and affliction is not an option; it is the only option – lest the next Tupac or Biggie has their potential taken from them by one last bottle of pills, or one more piercing gunshot.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

JANUARY 10, 2020

MOVIES OF THE YEAR

FROM WWI HORROR TO HOLLYWOOD Kurt Larson The Advocate The year 2019 has officially ended, but as we emerge in a new decade of cinema we must first look back to the incredible films that have defined what it means to be a critical success in the final year of the 2010s. While few of the films listed here are likely to be Best Picture winners, the movies in our Top Five lineup are simply too big or too impactful to be ignored by the general movie-going audience. 5. “ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD” Quentin Tare nt i no returned to the screen last year with his latest blockbuster film and while some were divided on the movie’s ending, it was a resounding critical success, on the whole. Thanks to the surprising chemistry of their odd-couple relationship, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt effortlessly captivate the audience for the full three-hour runtime as they cruise around a gloriously recreated ’60s Hollywood. With this film more than any other in recent years, Tarentino has shown some amount of maturity in his storytelling, choosing to focus more on character development and meditative themes – though you would be remiss if you thought he had given up all his bad habits, as he still manages to pull an explosive twist in this piece of historical fiction. If you like Tarentino or if you just like a film that knows how to push the boundaries of cinema, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood is a must-see. 4. “JOKER” Somehow the man who managed to squeeze three films out of the “Hangover” franchise was not only handed one of the most beloved characters in DC Comics – against all better judgment – but more surprisingly, actually made a good movie despite his past cinema sins.

As directed by Todd Phillips, Joker isn’t anything deep or dangerous to society, or whatever other nonsense has been said about it, but it is a fun and compelling new take on the character we all love. Joaquin Phoenix plays an unrecognizably thin and meek version of himself as he inhabits fully the character of Arthur Fleck, a deranged man pushed to the edge of sanity by society’s rejection. The film is full of incredible cinematography and popcornmunching moodiness. If you were craving a live action version of Joker that didn’t literally have a mouth full of gold teeth and face tattoos that say things like “Damaged,” this movie should definitely be on your watch list. 3. “MARRIAGE STORY” If all you’ve ever seen of Adam Driver is his “acting” in the new “Star Wars” trilogy, you are seriously doing yourself a disservice because the man is much more than Wide Kylo or the fodder for Reylo fan fiction. Likewise, Scarlett Johansson shows far more range and compelling depth in her performance here than in any Marvel movie she’s been in. Needless to say, both Driver and Johansson put on excellent performances as they play out the story of a married couple attempting to go through an amicable divorce. But as some will attest, a divorce can never be truly amicable, especially when there are lawyers involved. Director Noah Baumbach manages to put together so many great moments of truly real and impactful character interactions throughout the film while still maintaining a sense of comedy about the story, making this an instant classic. Marriage Story is a must-watch if you enjoy a compelling relationship drama. 2. “AVENGERS: END GAME” T h e culmination of over 20 movies and a decade of work finally resulted in the conclusion to the first generation of Marvel universe films. Disney, with the help of the Russo brothers in the director’s chair, pulled out all the stops with

this final movie and proved that despite the unprecedented success of “Infinity War,” they had still more to give. Avengers: End Game managed to bring a satisfying ending to so many characters and so many storylines in a way that has never been seen in cinematic history and for that alone it deserves a seat at the table, but what really pushes it over the edge is the film’s seamless execution and passionate performances. End Game managed to make audiences all over the world cry, laugh, and shout in joy. If that isn’t the mark of a good movie, then I don’t know what is. While the last Avengers film may not be cinema by Martin Scorcese standards, its relevance and success as a piece of pop art has captured the world in a way that is undeniable. 1. “1917” For no particular reason, it seems World War I has come back around into

WAR MOVIES AREN’T FOR EVERYONE, BUT IF YOU ENJOY A GOOD, DEPRESSING DRAMA, THEN YOU’LL ABSOLUTELY WANT TO PICK UP A TICKET. cultural relevance and while you might assume at first glance that 1917 is just some Oscar-bait war movie trying to cash in on the first world war as a simple gimmick, it’s actually quite the opposite. Except, perhaps, for the Oscar-bait part. This film is undoubtedly a contender for Best Picture this year, but for more reasons than the fact it’s a period piece drama set around a series of tragic and impactful events in history. Director Sam Mendes

has created a truly captivating piece of cinema that oozes mood and drama in the vein of predecessors such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Dunkirk.” Moreover, the film has a point beyond blandly stating that “war is bad” and instead opts to explore deeper moments of true horror and heroism that the first mechanized war brought with it. The two leads, Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay, provide stellar performances, carrying the full two hours with the professionalism of big screen greats. The cinematography is also a point of pride and utter fascination for the film, as Mendes decided to shoot the entire movie in a faux one-take fashion. The technique produces some truly gorgeous shots ,which rival the epic wides of “Lawrence of Arabia” and put you directly in the world of the trenches. War movies aren’t for everyone, but if you enjoy a good, depressing drama, then you’ll absolutely want to pick up a ticket while it’s still in theaters.

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