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Volume 60, Issue 3
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September 20th, 2011
HVCC Celebrates the Constitution
Political Science professor Robert Whitaker (left) and History professor Alan Joseph (right) discuss the importance of the U.S. Constitution during the Constitution Day event on campus. Romanda Mentor MARTIN ROBINSON Professor Whitaker and a few “and has evolved into the annual EDITOR-IN-CHIEF other students and faculty event it is today.” Students and faculty members stayed afterwards to In the past, Hudson FATIMA HUSSAIN gathered in a conference room discuss topics such as the role Valley had originally marked STAFF WRITER in the Campus Center last of religion in the American Constitution Day with student One of the lesser known facts Friday for Hudson Valley’s political system, along with the celebrations, presentations and about Hudson Valley Community annual Constitution Day event, issue over DOMA and states discussions about the significance College is that there exists a commemorating the 224th allowing same-sex marriages, of the document. A few years dedicated group of faculty, staff, anniversary of the adoption of and their relationship with the ago, Professor Whitaker and and students working to promote the U.S. Constitution. Constitution. Professor Joseph spoke with the environmental sustainability on The event, sponsored Those attending the event director of Student Life, Louis campus. by Student Senate, along were treated to breakfast and Coplin, about making the event a The Environmental with Student Activities, was were provided NYS voter formal discussion about the role Sustainability Committee is an organized as a forum for the registration forms to encourage of the Constitution in current The Electronics Recycling Event of 2010, partly organized by official college-wide committee audience to discuss the relevance those eligible to register to vote event. the Environmental Sustainability Committee of the Constitution today and for the upcoming November “Mr. Coplin thought it was that was established roughly Courtesy of the HVCC website how it applies to today’s issues. elections. a good idea, and he worked with three years ago to oversee Leading the discussion were According to Professor Student Senate and the Student various aspects of sustainability actively been organizing events Management subcommittee has Political Science professor Whitaker, Hudson Valley, along Activities to help make this and conservation on campus. Up until a few years and investigating environmental been quite active. According to Robert Whitaker and History with other colleges that are event successful,” said Professor ago, HVCC used to have an issues on campus for the past subcommittee chair Professor professor Alan Joseph. provided with federal funding, Whitaker. three years. Stiner, last year it “conducted “One of the major topics are required to commemorate in “It was a good discussion, Environmental Club. Although “We help organize the various trial plantings of native discussed were the exercise some form the anniversary of the and professor Joseph and this club was unable to comply campus Earth Day event, species on campus and replaced of military power under the Constitution’s adoption. Because I enjoyed doing this,” said with Student Senate size Electronics Recycling wood chips on the campus nature Constitution,” said Professor of this requirement, Hudson Professor Whitaker. “It’s requirements, its work has events, campus lectures about trail to control erosion.” Whitaker. “The American Valley has had a Constitution something that a lot of students been carried on by the campus sustainability topics, and many The Transportation participation in military Day event for years. are interested in and we’re Environmental Sustainability other specific activities,” says subcommittee has been working operations, like the ongoing one “Constitution Day has grateful for the opportunity to do Committee. “The Environmental Club Professor Stiner, committee on facilitating carpooling and in Libya and issues like the War become more than a federal something like this.” was always a small group,” member and the chair of the trying to make the CDTA more Powers Act of 1973 raises some requirement,” said Whitaker, explains Professor Susan Stiner, Land and Water Management user-friendly and affordable for Constitutional questions.” students. formerly the faculty advisor for subcommittee. Other topics discussed at the This year the Sustainability The Education and the club. “This college committee event included the importance Committee will be organizing Communication subcommittee seems to be much more effective of the Constitution in the lives annual Electronics also plays an important role. than our small club, and we can the of Americans and how its Recycling event on October 7th, It has been trying to “educate accomplish much more.” interpretation can affect the co-sponsoring a lecture by author about sustainability” by finding The Sustainability political climate of the United Michael Pollan on October 25th, ways to relate and incorporate Committee is chaired by Patricia States and the mood of the world. and assisting with the annual environmental concerns into the Watt, Director of Environmental “[Professor Joseph and I] Earth Day event in the spring curriculum of various programs. Health and Safety for HVCC, and were thrilled when the audience 2012 semester. Professor Stiner considers comprises several subcommittees asked about the impeachment Each subcommittee also the Environmental Sustainability which direct different aspects process,” said Professor works on very particular issues Committee to be a vitally of sustainability on campus. Whitaker. related to sustainability. important part of the college. They include Education “It went great,” said The Waste Management and “Colleges should really try to and Communication, Green Professor Whitaker. “We had a work with nature,” she stresses. Recycling subcommittee is to be Commerce, Transportation, full house, the college, Student In spite of the important role Land and Water Management, thanked for the presence of the Activities and Student Senate special waste bins and containers the committee has, however, it and Waste Management and did a good job publicizing this for recyclable waste all over has found it difficult to maintain Recycling, among many others. event.” campus. a substantial membership. A Student takes notes during Constitution Day event, The Environmental The event lasted from The Land and Water Romanda Mentor CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Sustainability Committee has 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. However,
The Green Group on Campus
Inside:
Vikings Lose First Home Game - P. 2 Libraries Losing Funding - P. 3
Decline of Western Civilization - P. 4
Warrior Is A Knockout, Delivering On Every Occasion - P. 5
Page 2
News
September 20th, 2011
Viking Football Team Loses First Home Game, 52-6 KYLE GARRETT STAFF WRITER HVCC’s football team lost 52-6 to the Lackawanna Falcons, at last Saturday’s home game, bringing the Viking’s scoreboard to 0-2. The Vikings have only enjoyed one victory over the Falcons in the team’s history, back in 2009, and this didn’t change in their first home game of the season. The game didn’t start well for the Vikings, as it began with a touchdown by Lackawanna in the opening minutes, followed by a well-kicked field goal, which gave them a lead, the Vikings never recovered from. The Viking’s defensive line was strong for the early part of the game, letting few plays by and repeatedly stopping the Falcons, but the Vikings were not able to take control of the offense, losing more ground than they gained and regularly being intercepted or fumbling the ball. This caused one fan in the audience to shout, “Catch the ball,” to the Vikings. An unexpected catch and touchdown in the second quarter briefly put some life into the offensive and the audience, but despite a few close calls the Vikings were never able to repeat that success throughout the game. The Falcons, coached by former professional players, had the advantage of having a larger team, and used it to make frequent substitutions. This is in contrasts to the Viking Football team, with a few HVCC players
were on the field for most of the game, steadily wearing down and letting more plays through. By the second half of the game, the Vikings had lost the momentum they had in the first half, despite a brief comeback attempt. The Viking’s defense held up a little while longer, however, Lackawanna was able to achieve a win over Hudson Valley. “Hudson’s just… a little step behind,” said Steven Finley Sr., a Lackawanna player’s father who was watching the game. “It’s a little smaller than Lackawanna is, and I think they’re getting worn out a little bit. Anything can happen, but the way I’m looking at it, I don’t think it will,” said Finley. “[The Vikings] came out a little fired up, but the intensity as the game went on, you could tell they was getting worn down a little bit.” It wasn’t just Lackawanna’s fans who felt the game was a
foregone conclusion. A number of spectators didn’t even bother to see the end, as the crowd began to leave in the middle of the fourth quarter, when the Falcons hit forty-five points. A late break away touchdown was the finishing blow, taking the Vikings’ heart and will out of the game. Viking fans and players alike left dejected, while Lackawanna’s players could be heard commenting on the ease of the game. “I feel like they need to play more players, more of their players, more rotation, ‘cause the ones that’s in isn’t doing a good job, first of all. And they need more discipline,” said Lackawanna freshman, Whether it would have helped or not, we can only hope for improved performance from our Vikings in future games. The football team’s next game is on Sept. 24, against Dean Junior College.
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The Green Group on Campus (cont.) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Every year I only have a handful of students,” says Professor Stiner, explaining that most students only sign up as volunteers and do not actually become active members. This lack of student involvement does not seem to be caused by indifference, however. “We did a few surveys on campus to figure out what was most important to faculty and students,” explains Professor
The Hudsonian
Stiner. One such survey explicitly asked students if they would pay an increased student activity fee to fund sustainability efforts on campus. More than half the surveyed students stated that they would be willing to do so. Students’ willingness to pay more for a greener campus is not quite enough, though. According to Professor Stiner, “Anybody with any concern for environmental sustainability
should come to our meeting and find out what we’re all about.” The first meeting of the committee is scheduled to be held on Monday, September 26th from 3-4pm in the Marvin Library Multipurpose room. The meeting is open to all interested students. “The Environmental Sustainability Committee is a great way for students to make a difference on campus, in terms of reducing pollution [and]
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Professor Susan Stiner speaking to a student at the Earth Day event of 2010, partly organized by the Environmental Sustainability Committee Courtesy of the HVCC website
EDITORIAL BOARD
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: MANAGING EDITOR: BUSINESS MANAGER: COPY EDITOR: PHOTO EDITOR: NEWS EDITOR: CREATIVE EDITOR: SPORTS EDITOR: WEB EDITOR: LAYOUT EDITOR:
MARTIN ROBINSON TEMBA “EVERY DAY” KNOWLES SPENCER KUHN JENESSA MATIS ROMONDA MENTOR ZACH HITT MONET THOMPSON DAMIETE MACHARRY DAVID ELLIS GABY ALLEN
ADVISERS
RACHEL BORNN
MAT CANTORE
DAILY GAZETTE ASSOCIATE JIM GRANDY
STAFF WRITERS
KYLE GARRETT, FATIMA HUSSAIN, NATE MCCLELLAN
PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF
FRANK APPIO, KYLE GARRETT
The Hudsonian is the exclusive student newspaper of Hudson Valley Community College. Any unauthorized use of the newspaper’s name and/or articles with-out permission is strictly prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and of Hudson Valley Community College’s penal system. Additional information regarding printed material can be obtained by contacting The Hudsonian office on the second floor of the Siek Campus Center. If you would like to join The Hudsonian, please attend our weekly meeting on Mondays at 2 p.m. in the meeting room next to our office. Or, you can fill out an application during office hours. The Hudsonian does not discriminate against race, gender, age or ethnicity. However, if you join The Hudsonian, please remember we are only students like you and not professionals.
waste and conserving resources,” explains professor Stiner. Aside from the contributions that can be made to the campus by working with the committee, membership also has many personal benefits. Expressing her willingness to help involved students make the most of the experience, Professor Stiner also said, “I would write a letter of recommendation for them, for internships or to transfer to Environment Science programs and other programs at other schools.” Joining the committee is also a good opportunity to work closely with faculty and staff, while gaining valuable resumebuilding experience working on sustainability projects locally. Students interested in joining the Environmental Sustainability Committee can contact the Committee Chair Patricia Watt or any of the committee members, or simply attend a committee meeting. Professor Stiner ’s description of the committee’s purpose relates deeply to every student’s life: to defend the natural resources we depend
on for survival and quality of life. “It serves an ecological and economic purpose. Go green!”
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Features Writer’s Bloc JIM LaBATE WRITING SPECIALIST IN THE LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER When my wife and I became engaged on New Year’s Day in 1984, I began to think about building a special wedding present for her. I figured I’d have plenty of time to get it ready before our July 28th wedding date. Unfortunately, the process took a lot longer than I thought, and I wasn’t able to deliver this special gift until Thanksgiving, almost four months late. The extra time was necessary, though, if I wanted to do a good job. And as I look back at that building process, I see that the six steps I went through to craft this special gift are very similar to the six basic steps in the writing process. First, I had to come up with a good idea. I knew I wanted to build a bookcase for her because when we met the previous summer, I was trying to sell World Book encyclopedias, and she was my boss. I didn’t want just a normal bookcase, though; I wanted something special and unique. So I pulled out a pencil and some drawing paper and began sketching ideas until I found one that I liked, a design that included a spot for a world globe in the center with the World Books surrounding it. As a writer, you should do something similar. Instead of sitting around merely thinking about ideas for papers, you should write to get a good idea. Brainstorming, free writing, and journaling are all excellent ways to get started. My second step as an amateur carpenter was to gather the lumber and tools I needed to complete the project. I asked an architect friend to go with me to the lumberyard to pick out the best oak available, and, then, I brought it to my father’s basement, so I could use all of
his tools. As a writer, you, too, need two things. You need to gather thoughts and information, typically from your own personal experience and your research. The classic advice for writers is to “write what you know,” and if you don’t know, you should visit the library for the information you need. My third step was to measure and cut the wood and put it together in the form I had designed. This step took much longer than I expected because I had never used a router before to make the cross cuts for the shelves, and, quite frankly, I didn’t do a very good job. And just as you need to write a rough draft to move forward, I needed this sad looking bookcase to make me realize that I needed to ask for help. I didn’t want to give my bride a piece that was less than perfect any more than you want to be graded on your “sloppy copy.” Fortunately, my dad has some woodworking experience, and he showed me what I had done wrong and how to correct my mistakes. Basically, I needed to take the bookcase apart and put it all back together again in a much better way. My dad showed me all my errors, and that’s exactly what readers can do for writers. After you’ve written an essay, you need to gather comments from readers to know the strengths and weaknesses of your work. Then, and only then, can you begin to improve on your work. Naturally, my next step was to make the changes my dad had suggested. I was much more precise the second time around. My second attempt was much more successful than my first,
and the result was a bookcase that actually looked good and was sturdy, too. And while you may have to write more than a second draft before you feel good about your paper, at some point, you must write a final draft, one that you will be proud to hand in to your instructor. The final step in my bookcase adventure involved sanding and staining. I used sandpaper to smooth out the rough spots, and I chose a clear oil to highlight the natural grain of the wood. As a writer, you must also go through a final step, a proofreading step to gather mistakes and eliminate them. Otherwise, your readers may be too distracted by all the minor errors to appreciate the overall paper. Is it possible to skip over or eliminate any steps in the essay building process? Of course it is. But if you do, you may wind up with a weak and wobbly essay. So rather than finish with a work that is less than your best, remember the following formula for writing success: *Write to get a good idea. *Gather thoughts and information. *Write a rough draft. *Gather comments from readers. *Write a final draft. *Gather mistakes and eliminate them. The Writing Center is located on the upper level of the Marvin Library, and you can go there for help at any stage of the writing process. *** Copyright 2011 © by Jim LaBate at Hudson Valley Community College.
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September 20th, 2011
Libraries in NYS Lose Funding. Their Relevancy Debated. ZACH HITT NEWS EDITOR Over the past four years, New York libraries have lost 40 percentof state government funding. Many say that this will affect the lives of people all over the region as more and more people turn to electronic media for all searchable sources. Out of a taken sample, most students could not remember the last time they saw anyone browsing through the now dusty shelves of what has turned from a research source database to a mausoleum. In addition to this fact, most could not even remember the last time they visited the physical pages. “I think the number of people that actually visit the book section has decreased in the last five years,” said Mark Mullens, an Individual Studies senior. Green political agendas also discourage mass printing. According to many involved with this idea system, printing should
be more and more limited. Not only are most things viewable through the internet, but printing endless amounts of paper is seen to contribute to global warming, and does other damage to the environment. One librarian from Albany had an optimistic view of the changes- “We haven’t lost any funding and our hours haven’t decreased. It depends how big the library is.” He also went onto say how he believes that the patronage in library was related to the general health therein. “If you have a big library, there are a lot of people coming. In some ways, patronage alone keeps the library open, and not government funding.” Others hold a more pessimistic view, citing statistics that say New York State is losing 40 percent of its funding, and the giant library is declining in the shadow of the internet. Contributing factors include a one giant database which
would overtake the library monopoly. It is the World Wide Web. To be more specific, Google and Amazon both push the popularization of online articles, newspapers, and other researchable amount of items. According to Liberal Arts student Troy Cole, “Books are outdated. Computers and [electronic media] are now giving us the information books used to.” In addition, book stores like Barnes and Noble are pushing e-readers such as the Nook. While their physical book business may die out, normal business practice would direct a company to adapt to their environment. So will there always be libraries? According to United States law, “every library established...shall be free to the... inhabits of the district...” It is clear that libraries are here to stay, but to keep up with different demands, is it time for them to make a change?
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What’s to Do Around the Capital Region? * Every Tuesday at 10:30 is Tanqueray Tuesdays and every Thursday Night is Hip Hop Open Mic at Bogies, 297 Ontario Street, Albany, NY September 20 Albany Poets Present: Nitty Gritty Slam Open Mic | Valentines 8PM | 17 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208 September 23 Jamie Lissow w/ Dave Cooperman | The Comedy Works 9PM | 200 Wolf Rd in the Best Western, Albany, NY 12205 Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of show September 24 Pearl Palooza 2 12PM to 9PM | Pearl Street, Downtown Albany Benefit Cabaret for Victims of Hurricane Irene 7PM to 10PM | Schenectady Light Opera Company Jamie Lissow w/ Dave Cooperman | The Comedy Works 7:30PM | 12 Ballston Ave in the Starting Gate Restaurant, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 9PM | 200 Wolf Rd in the Best Western, Albany, NY 12205 Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of show
September 30 Paul Bond w/ Erick James | The Comedy Works 7:30PM | 646 Albany Tpke - Jackson’s Old Chatham House, Old Chatham, NY 12136 Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of show Paul Bond & Mitchell Walters | The Comedy Works 9PM | 200 Wolf Rd in the Best Western, Albany, NY 12205 Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of show October 1 The Music Makers Foundation Presents: The Boston String Quartet and the Ethno-Urban Orchestra 7:30PM | Troy Savings Bank Music Hall More information available at http://www.troymusichall. org/ Paul Bond & Mitchell Walters | The Comedy Works 7:30PM | 12 Ballston Ave in the Starting Gate Restaurant, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of show Paul Bond w/ Erick James *DINNER SHOW* | The Comedy Works 7PM | 72 Lyon Street – at Crystal Ristorante, Amsterdam, NY 12010 Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of show (Show Only) Or $39.95 in advance, $49.95 day of show (Dinner Package) Paul Bond & Mitchell Walters | The Comedy Works 9PM | 200 Wolf Rd in the Best Western, Albany, NY 12205 Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of show
Page 4
September 20th, 2011
Commentary Look Out for More Adventures with Vinny the Viking, Exclusively on The Hudsonian!
THE DECLINE OF
Western Civilization
NATE McCLENNEN STAFF WRITER
We have all seen the commercials talking about “clean coal”. They’re an almost perfect example of the energy industry’s propaganda. For those of you who haven’t seen them, it goes something like this. Images of everyday Americans pass by with their empowering lines which sound faintly environmentalist, asserting “I believe in the future”, “ I believe in energy independence”, “I believe in technology”, “I believe meeting a challenge brings out the best in us”. The associations seem very
rational. After all, who wouldn’t want to believe in the future of mankind’s potential? The commercial pretty much ends without saying what it is that they believe in. But, in the last frame, fading away, the organization’s name stands out boldly: Clean Coal, America’s Power. Right now, there are two new technologies being touted as “clean coal”: Capture carbon and sequestration and coal gasification. The first idea is so absurd it has to rank on a list of worst ideas in human history. Simply put, it is a landfill inside the earth. The
landfill will be pumped with all the carbon dioxide of America’s coal plants. Problem solved. We’ll just fill our newly depleted oil wells with carbon dioxide. Of course, there are a few problems with such an approach. First off, it’s pretty conceptual. There are only a few countries actively researching such technology. America recently scrapped its plans to fund such plants. Environmentalists have rallied against allowing corporations to so easily pump environmental waste back into the earth. A host of problems include gas seepage, and carbonic acid, which eats away at
Do You Have Something to Say That You Want Everyone to Hear? E-mail us Your Letters to the Editor and we might publish it in our next edition. hudsonian@hvcc.edu surrounding rock when exposed to water. Both are extremely unnatural and unhealthy for the earth. The second method is called gasification. In this method, water is used to turn coal into a gas vapor. It is treated through various processes reducing the carbon dioxide count, thus creating some various chemical commodities able to be traded. The problem with this technology is firstly its costeffectiveness. Although the nugget does produce a higher grade gas, in the end, such energy is still about 20 percent more expensive than conventional
coal fuel. Also, it is still environmentally questionable because plant’s carbon dioxide levels aren’t drastically reduced, and because the very core of coal’s infrastructure and process is unsustainable and polluting. Coal production has historically been one of America’s dirtiest secrets. The industry requires hazardous working conditions, and offers extremely low wages with no paths of promotion. The coal plants can affect the local communities by contaminating water and air. The business is dirty, archaic, and exploitative. Who would want to grow up to
be a miner? Everybody needs to realize what the coal industry is really trying to promote, the status quo. There is no “clean coal”. The advertisements we see are nothing more than distractions on behalf of the coal industry so that they can continue to sell us dirty coal. There is so much misleading information floating around that it’s hard to examine the facts. So do your research, and realize this might be yet another sign of the Decline in Western Civilization.
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Reviews
September 20th, 2011
“Warrior” Is A Knockout, Delivers On Every Occasion KYLE GARRETT STAFF WRITER “Warrior”, written and directed by Gavin O’Connor (“Miracle”), is something mixed martial arts fans have been waiting a long time for: A serious film along the lines of “Raging Bull” or the original “Rocky”, unlike 2008’s laughable “Karate Kid” ripoff, “Never Back Down”. This film is more of a character piece than a fight fest, and the result is a film equally enjoyable to fans and to those who’ve never seen an octagon in their lives. “Warrior” does what all great sports films do: leave the sport as a secondary focus. MMA is just the stage the real story plays out on, one of disillusionment, redemption, forgiveness and gritty family drama. The first hour of the film is spent introducing us to our protagonists, the Conlon brothers. Tommy (Tom Hardy) is an embittered Iraq War veteran who one night washes up on the doorstep of his estranged, onceabusive father, Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte), who is counting down to his thousandth day sober. When he was younger, Tommy and his mother were terrorised by him to the point they fled just to get away, something that was eventually the death of Mrs. Conlon. Tommy’s hatred of his father, and of the world around him, is obvious even without extensive dialogue. Hardy speaks volumes with his movements, expressions and fists, effortlessly painting a picture of a man who has taken such beating from the world and
Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton square off in Warrior Courtesy of avclub.com all he really wants to do is hit back; the fact this British actor isn’t already a household name here feels somehow criminal. It would be easy to paint Tommy as a villain; a monster who just wants to destroy, but that isn’t done; Tommy is all too human in the end, a bitter, angry, misguided boy in the body of a hulking brute; and Paddy takes all his son’s ill-treatment with the quiet solemnity of a man who knows he deserves every bit of it. The one good thing Paddy ever did for Tommy was training him to be a state champion wrestler, and he’s who Tommy goes to when he decides to fight for a living.
This is in contrast to the older of the brothers, Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton), who stayed with his father and his school sweetheart and, consequently, never saw his brother or mother again. Outwardly, he appears to have had the better life, with a wife and two daughters and a secure teaching job in a Philadelphia high school. A former UFC fighter, Brendan’s secondary income comes from small-time MMA bouts in parking lots and strip clubs, something he hides from his wife Tess (Jennifer Morrison) by claiming he’s taken up a job as a bouncer.
Unfortunately, his activities come to light with his boss, Principal Joe Zito (Kevin Dunn) just as he’s facing foreclosure from the bank. Zito is a kind, reasonable man, but is left with little choice but to suspend Brendan, who chooses to go into training full-time, rather than allow his family to lose their home. These plot threads, woven closely with subplots including Paddy’s, Tess’s and that of Brendan’s coach (Frank Grillo), lead to the second part of the 139 minute film- a two night, grand prix-style MMA tournament called Sparta. With five million
dollars on the line, sixteen of the world’s best middleweights gather in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to determine just who is “the toughest guy on the planet”. The tournament itself is a little predictable in how it plays out, as the film never tries to hide the fact the Conlan brothers will meet in the octagon (even the trailer gives away what the final fight will be). O’Connor and his cast don’t let up on the strong characterization or keen choreography a character shows through even in the fighting styles, as Tommy barrels through his opponents like a bull gone mad, using brutal
boxing and wrestling moves to flatten anyone in his way, while Brendan is the slick underdog, taking beatings until he finds the perfect moment to apply one of his myriad submission holds. For fans of the sport, the fights are an entertaining display of “name that technique” and “spot the transition”, with enough tension and brutality to keep those not familiar paying attention. Real MMA personalities such as the Tapout crew and referee Josh Rosenthal appear as themselves, adding an air of authenticity to the proceedings, and while the dangers of mixed martial arts (which is often safer than boxing) are a little overstated, it fits the tone of the film well. Unfortunately, the tournament is where some of the film’s weaknesses show. However, while it becomes obvious who the eventual winner of the tournament will be, the film never loses its tension as the two main characters are relatable enough one feels genuine concern for them. The fights, while well-choreographed, rely a little too heavily on queasy-cam, making them tough to follow at points. While the fighters need to duck and weave around to survive, one wonders why the camera feels similarly obligated. Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi (“Babel”) captures the action very well otherwise, but it’s a slightly questionable decision. The climactic three bouts of the tournament also hinge in part on the one character who never really fits in: the Fedor CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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September 20th, 2011
“Warrior” Is A Knockout, Delivers On Every Occasion CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Emelianeko standin Koba (Kurt Angle). Koba is so obviously supposed to be the legendary Russian heavyweight that it’s slightly distracting, and the character seems to be more a force of nature than anything. While Angle is a legitimately powerful and skilled individual (having won Olympic gold for wrestling in 1996 alongside
his pro wrestling career), his heavyweight physique, smirking, glassy-eyed performance and impractical array of powerbombs and other WWE-esque moves make him seem weirdly out of place. His brute strength and unstoppable reputation do well for eliciting viewer concern when Brendan meets him in the semifinals, and the fight itself eventually becomes a fast-paced display of grappling skill, but
the character doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the film, and Tommy Conlan fills the role of the intimidating berserker much better. In many ways, Koba comes off as a Russian Tommy, and perhaps that would have been a more interesting matchupinstead of just rampaging through the tournament, Tommy could have symbolically fought himself. Although the film has its
flaws, it’s all too easy to make personal connections with these two estranged brothers, who have taken such different paths and in many ways hate each other, and at no point in the film is there ever a real “bad guy”. Both brothers have perfectly understandable reasons for fighting, and when the final battle comes it accomplishes something sports movies rarely, if ever, manage to do: you want
both of them to win, somehow. The conclusion, when it comes, isn’t much of a surprise, but it’s satisfying, if bittersweet. The final shots of the film, carried by Hardy and Edgerton, tell the last pages of the story without a word being needed. In short, “Warrior” is a knockout; not a film one leaves happy, but powerful nonetheless. What few things it does wrong are easily overshadowed by
everything else. It’s great to see alone, as a date movie, or just a guy’s night out picture, because all the pieces fit together perfectly. This is definitely not just one of the better films this year, but one of the greats in general, so go see it as soon as there’s a chance.
Were You Seen On Campus?
Students hang out in the Campus Center. Kyle Garrett
Students enjoy the weather outside Brahan Hall. Kyle Garrett
An HVCC film crew records the Constitution Day event. Romanda Mentor
Students sit outside in front of Brahan Hall before class. Romanda Mentor
Have any pictures of you and your friends at any campus events? E-mail them to: hudsonian@hvcc.edu We’ll put them up on our brand new website! www.thehudsonian.org Students take advantage of the computers availible in the Marvin Library. Kyle Garrett