Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023

OSU celebrates MLK’s day A look into the celebrations

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

Oklahoma State celebrates Martin Luther King Jr Day, one of the most important civil rights leaders of the 20th century.

On the third Monday of every January, Jan. 16 for this year, a federal holiday is held to appreciate one of the strongest Black voices in history. OSU holds several events all across campus to help keep his memory and accomplishments alive.

Even before Monday, this week holds a few opportunities to get involved and contribute to the upcoming events. Submissions are due for the Powerful Love Art Contest on Wednesday, Jan. 11, and the Martin Luther King Essay Contest entries are due Friday. Winners of the contest will have their submissions posted online by the OSU Libraries and receive up to $1,500.

The Stillwater Community Center will be bringing back its annual commemoration event on Sunday at 7 p.m. This commemoration’s theme is

“Forgetting Not Our Past in Hopes of Our Future.” Speakers from Stillwater’s formerly segregated Washington School will discuss the past and future of Stillwater and their country as a whole. Refreshments will be provided alongside choir performances.

On Monday, the Family Resource Center & Habitat for Humanity will have community service projects from 8:30 to 10:30 am. Afterward, the annual Unity March will happen at 1 p.m., leaving from Southern Woods Park and ending at the Spears School of Business.

From there, the MLK Jr. Day March will commence at 2 p.m., with Brittanie Cannon singing before the march. Cannon is a junior majoring in psychology and minoring in pre-counseling.

Once the march ends, Tre Smith, who is an OSU graduate with a degree in agricultural communications and minors in marketing and Africana studies, will address OSU students on the steps of the McKnight Center.

Finally, on January 19th at 6 p.m., Los Angeles actor, Jay Ellis, will share how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr impacted his acting career. Ellis is best known

Alan Bowman, former Texas Tech and Michigan quarterback, transfers to OSU

Gabriel Trevino Sports Editor

Thirteen days after OSU football’s season ended, the Cowboys brought in a quarterback from the transfer portal.

On Monday, former Michigan quarterback Alan Bowman announced he will be transferring to OSU for his grad-senior season.

The three-star quarterback in the 2018 committed to Texas Tech

and coach Kliff Kingsbury, and won the starting job in week two. The next week, he set the Big 12 record for most passing yards in a game by a freshman against Houston, with 605 yards while completing 73% of his passes. He finished that season with 2,638 yards, 17 touchdowns, seven interceptions and completing 69.4% of his passes in just eight games played.

Injuries derailed his last two seasons with the Red Raiders, playing in 11 games and throwing for 2,616 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions across two seasons.

In 2021, Bowman transferred to Michigan, where he’s been for the past two seasons, but only attempted 11 total passes on the College Football Playoff reaching

Wolverine teams as a backup.

Total in his career, Bowman has 5,329 yards, 34 touchdowns, 18 interceptions, has completed 67% of his passes on 724 total attempts.

Freshman OSU quarterback Garret Rangel started three games for the Cowboys, including the final two, completing 51% of his passes for 711 yards, four touchdowns and five picks.

Entering his sixth year of college football, Bowman will come to Stillwater in 2023 with experience and a chance at the starting job, but for only one year. Bowman, Rangel — a former four-star — 2023 three-star Zane Flores and walk-on Gunnar Gundy will make up the quarterback room next season.

Studentaffairs.okstate.edu

Cowboys gearing up for Columbia, regaining confidence

Rowdy Baribeau Staff Reporter

Oklahoma State was not at its best against the Beavers, but that could change leading into the Columbia dual.

Oklahoma State will travel this weekend to Columbia, New York and wrestle in The Big Apple. OSU should be motivated following a close win over the Beavers last weekend. The Cowboys have a great opportunity to wrestle a lower-ranked opponent and presuming the Cowboys are able to notch a win in the dual, it would have them on the right trajectory entering the toughest part of their

dual slate.

Here are some storylines to follow going into the Columbia dual and beyond.

Can Mastrogiovanni keep up the consistency?

Anyone who’s watched OSU wrestling this year noticed that No. 16 Trevor Mastrogiovanni has had a rough start to the year. However, after a firstplace finish in Reno and a fourth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle, Mastrogiovanni defeated (then No. 12) Brandon Kaylor. Mastrogiovanni’s most glaring issue when he wrestles is his inability to get out from the bottom. He displayed good defense and quick escapability against Kaylor.

Courtesy of Alan Bowman via Twitter

Oklahoma State landed an experienced quarterback via the transfer portal in Alan Bowman. He played at Texas Tech and Michigan.

Courtesy of OSU Athletics

Trevor Mastrogiovanni, Oklahoma State’s 125-pounder, defeated Brandon Kaylor, 3-2, in the Cowboys’ 20-12 win at Oregon State.

for his work as Lawrence in HBO’s “Insecure” and his role as Payback in the 2022 film “Top Gun: Maverick.” A Q&A will be hosted by Inside OSU’s Meghan Robinson.

Martin Luther King Jr Day is an important and memorable look back at

one of history’s most important civil rights leaders. One who is still impacting students and alumni alike to this very day. For more information access

Via State Library and Archives of Florida

The Stillwater community to come together on Monday to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

OSU needs more out of the starting 125-pounder, especially considering the slate he personally has lined up. Mastrogiovanni is slated to wrestle Nick Babin against Columbia, but he will have to wrestle five top 15 wrestlers going forward, and more outside of the top 15. It’s not an easy slate for Mastrogiovanni, but it’s not his first rodeo in an orange singlet.

Reason for worry at heavier weight classes?

Not exactly. OSU had a bad stretch of matches against the Beavers, but it isn’t one to be concerned about. Wyatt Sheets, Dustin Plott, Travis Wittlake and Luke Surber all dropped their matches against the Beavers and OSU’s chances at a victory in the dual looked grim. However, heavyweight Konner Doucet ended the streak at Oregon State and set the Cowboys on a winning trajectory.

Plott’s loss against No. 29 Aaron Almos is not one to get up in arms about, but it was an eyebrow-raising defeat. There has been some inconsistency at 197 pounds and 165 pounds that needs to be figured out before the stretch of Iowa duals. OSU has Northern Iowa and Iowa State on back-toback days in late January. OSU has who they need at the weights, it’s just a matter of wrestling with consistency, which the Cowboys have struggled to do from time to time.

Carter Young still trying to get back into form

There’s no doubt that Mastrogiovanni’s bottom struggles have been a talking point this offseason, but nobody has had a rougher season than Carter Young. The second-year 141-pounder has a 6-6 record on the year and has struggled in tournament play in addition to dual meets. Coach John Smith stated in December that he believes some struggles are boiling down to “having common sense” during matches.

For Young, he doesn’t believe talent is an issue, but just wrestling smarter, instead of harder. Young is one of OSU’s most talented young wrestlers and everyone in the room knows it. It’s just a matter of regaining confidence and getting back to the wrestler Young knows he can be.

Molly Jolliff

Trevor Mastrogiovanni, OSU’s 125-pounder, enters Sunday’s Columbia dual at 13-4. He was one of six Cowboys to win last Sunday at Oregon State.

The online battleground in the war for college football

Braden Bush Assistant Sport Editor

Lauren Dunn jumped into the chaos, rushing to defend so-far unsubstantiated speculation surrounding her father, OSU offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn, and the rest of the Cowboy football program.

Twitter fingers were working overtime on Wednesday. The night before, John Paul Richardson, a sophomore wide receiver and team captain in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, entered the transfer portal.

Then, two more receivers, Bryson Green and Stephon Johnson Jr, along with defensive tackle Samuela Tuihalamaka, departed that next morning. Things in Payne County went into fullblown panic mode.

As Lauren, also a student at OSU, stepped into the crossfire, the mobs

piled on and turned their unflattering remarks onto her.

Welcome to college football’s transfer portal, via Twitter, where the forum feeds news and reaction, and oh yes, frenzy.

Twitter has become where the portal discourse all takes place. Where players announce their transfer intentions and new destinations, some through well-articulated announcements, others through combinations of emojis or pictures of a football field sporting a different logo. Where fans respond with gloom and despair – and some rage. Where journalists and wanna-be journalists (everyone has a “source,” right?) tease news that never comes.

Amongst the OSU fan base, old rumors gained steam and new ones began popping up on feeds and Twitter spaces, causing more alarm and confusion. Firings. Coaching changes. Disgruntled players. Mismanagement. But

no official comments were given.

Former quarterback Spencer Sanders, who entered the transfer portal a month ago, tweeted a smiling emoji with a hand covering its mouth, just hours after Wednesday’s blow-up. Cryptic tweets such as that didn’t help calm nerves or subside gossip.

Despite Sanders’ public pot stirring on Twitter, repeated attempts to contact him and his family have been met with silence. Explanations are wanted but not offered.

Kanion Williams, a former safety who entered the portal on Dec. 5, put a post about Green entering the portal on his Instagram story with the caption, “Deeper than what y’all think.”

It’s deeper than what, playing time? NIL money? Fans crave insight on what’s happening inside the program. What are the issues? Why are players transferring? What are their thoughts about it all?

But there hasn’t been much talk publicly. The only bits of reaction and perspective fans gain are through Twitter crumbs.

When defensive end Trace Ford was condemned for transferring to rival OU, former teammate Brock Martin called out fans in a tweet and then spoke his mind about the Twitter madness in a Tulsa World article.

“Rumors are rumors; you can’t really put any weight on it,” Martin told the Tulsa World.

They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Is it true?

Could be. But much of the smoke has come from online, not from mouths behind a press conference lectern. There’s been few substantiated reports to rely on. There has been no access to players remaining in the program. The lack of transparency and confirmation has muddied the situation.

When receiver Braylin Presley announced his transfer decision, he told the Tulsa World, “I just feel like our backs weren’t being used correctly, if I’m being completely honest. I just didn’t feel like they were being coached right — to be the best running backs

they could be.”

Starting running back Dominic Richardson also jumped in the portal, ditching town for Baylor.

After Ford transferred to his former Bedlam rival, he told The Oklahoman, “I think they’ve (OSU) kinda flipped the corner. They’re ready to go on. G-Rich (defensive line coach Greg Richmond) and (coach Mike) Gundy, I don’t think they could care less.”

“I know I can be developed more at OU than I am at OSU. It’s just business in my eyes.”

That didn’t sit well. Fans tried to connect dots. Were the coaches not best-utilizing players? Was there a disconnect between players and staff? Was the “Cowboy culture” in disarray?

Some Cowboys, such as linebacker Xavier Benson, took to social media to help clear up some worries about the state of the program.

“Speaking on behalf of (Cowboy football) and the recent events that have brought concern and conflict to the fan base, and players included,” Benson said in a tweet. “Know this, not everyone sees EYE TO EYE and that is OKAY it’s called being a man and making your own decisions to benefit your ideals.”

Benson followed up the original tweet with another, saying: “But in saying this (Coach Gundy) and my coaching staff has a plan of action, and the players that choose to stay will continue to fight for this program and keep moving forward and stay L&T (loyal and true).”

Other remaining players liked and retweeted their teammate’s sentiments. But the big question remained on the message boards and comment sections. What caused 16 scholarship players to leave the program?

Presley, who transferred from OSU to Tulsa in December, gave The O’Colly his thoughts on OSU having three of its top five receivers transfer out, though he said he hasn’t talked to any of those players. Presley added that it was nothing personal about Gundy or Dunn.

Mackenzie Janish

Spencer Sanders, OSU’s starting quarterback, entered the transfer portal in early December.

“I was surprised, but at the same time I wasn’t, just because at the end of the day it’s just business and Oklahoma State maybe just wasn’t the right fit for some people, or maybe they just felt that playing at a different school could be better for them,” Presley said.

“...It was just, at the time, people felt that maybe there were better schools out there that could help them reach their dreams.”

Other former receivers chimed in. On Friday, walk-on wide receiver CJ Tate, who exhausted his eligibility, retweeted an April article from The Oklahoman about Tate making a “statement” with his spring game performance. But then, spring games often produce surprise breakouts, who are seldom heard from again.

Tate, as it turns out, recorded no offensive statistics in the 2022 season.

One comment read, “Can someone tell (me) why this dude wasn’t seeing the field more??” That comment was retweeted by Sanders, which further fueled circulating rumors of discontent.

Then there’s the players’ reactions.

Redshirt freshman safety Kendal Daniels tweeted two emojis with sad faces when cornerback Jabbar Muhammad jumped in the portal. “My heart,” with a crying emoji, Benson tweeted during Wednesday’s exodus. “Pain fr (for real),” running back Ollie Gordon added. Receiver Talyn Shettron captioned a quote tweet of Johnson Jr’s transfer post with a pair of crying emojis.

The uncertainty and silence from players and coaches turns Twitter users into detectives, following other social media leads, searching through players’ social media bios and likes, trying to decipher clues. Rumors bubbled up over who was entering the portal next, or who was staying.

Gordon seemingly reassured his fans of his commitment to the program with a post of a game photo with a caption consisting of a location pin and an emoji with a cowboy hat. What a time.

Current players are using Twitter to recruit and heal some portal wounds. Running back Deondre Jackson tweeted about four players in the transfer portal last week and even tagged OSU football

in the posts. One Twitter user acknowledged Jackson’s tactics, to which he responded with laughing emojis and said, “I just wanna win.”

Back in November, Gundy had fans concerned with a statement he made in a press conference about the transfer portal.

“We’re not big portal people and I’m never going to be a big portal guy,” Gundy said. “I’m going to believe in the guys on our team. I’m not saying I’m against it, I just don’t believe in it.”

But the Cowboys have been big portal people. Maybe it’s been out of necessity or maybe Gundy wasn’t showing his cards. Possibly both. Either way, OSU sits eighth in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings, with nine players committed – many at key spots.

In the thinned-out wide receiver room, the Cowboys added De’Zhaun Stribling from Washington State, a 6-foot-3, four-star pass catcher who combined for more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in two seasons.

He brings height and does most of his damage inside the red zone, where he scored eight of his 10 touchdowns.

The defense was ravaged with the graduation or NFL Draft declarations of five defensive lineman and safety Jason Taylor II, and the transfer of two linebackers, two safeties, two corners and two defensive linemen. In response, OSU picked up three-star transfers at linebacker and corner – Justin Wright from Tulsa and Kenneth Harris of Arkansas State – and four-star edge rusher Anthony Goodlow of Tulsa.

OSU has three transfer portal offers still on the board, but none at the most talked about position – quarterback. With Sanders’ portal entry, only freshmen Garret Rangel, Gunnar Gundy and Gavynn Parker remain. The Cowboys (“reportedly”) targeted a veteran QB in Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong, but he chose North Carolina State, instead.

That leaves the offense in need of a veteran quarterback, but the transfer options have dwindled, and OSU has no other known transfer QB offers. Cowboy fans could see a Rangel-led attack if all holds. Did the murkiness at the quarterback spot cause all the receiver departures?

“No, that’s not the reason,” Presley told The O’Colly. “It just comes to a point where at the end of the day we’re all grown men, and when it comes to our future, then wanting to play pro ball is something we’ve all dreamed of. I mean, football’s a business. Everyone knows that. So, you’ve just got to make

choices and decisions that you feel can better your future.”

Still, Gundy’s portal comments, combined with Ford suggesting Gundy had no interest in him once he hit the portal, drew criticism that the exits weren’t coincidence. That maybe it was the coaches’ fault.

“I really had absolutely no issue with any of the coaches,” Dominic Richardson told The O’Colly. “I love coach Gundy, he’s a great coach, a hell of a coach, great guy, he’s so laid back and easy to talk to.”

Martin, who spent six seasons at OSU, told the Tulsa World that there wasn’t a culture problem, like some have speculated, but added some insight.

“There needs to be some changes,” Martin said. “I don’t know where they need to start. I don’t know if it’s new scenery, new faces, new facilities.

I have no idea. In this business, you’ve got to keep progressing, keep moving forward and adapting and if you can’t adapt, you’re going to get left behind.”

Time will tell on that front. Nothing is concrete. On the Twitter speculations? Transfer portal news is chaotic on its own. With Twitter and its rumors, dissection and emotion, it’s amplified.

Refresh that feed with caution.

“Definitely don’t put all your chips in on what people are saying on Twitter,” Martin told the Tulsa World. “Everyone on Twitter thinks they know everything, but they really know nothing.”

The O’Colly reporters Daniel Allen, Ben Hutchens, Sam Hutchens, Gabriel Trevino and Adam Engel contributed to this report.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Chase Davis

Welcome to Twitter, where news, reaction and emojis feed into the drama of the transfer portal.

Cowboys clutch up in Corvallis, win vs Beavers

Rowdy Baribeau Staff Reporter

The Beavers led after four-straight wins, but the Cowboys returned with their own streak of victories.

Oklahoma State stormed back from a 12-7 deficit to defeat Oregon State 20-12, but it was by no means a pretty victory for the Cowboys. The Cowboys started hot with two straight victories at 149 and 157, but the Beavers turned around and gained all the momentum in the dual with their four-bout winning stretch. The Cowboys’ will to win kicked in and it ultimately swayed the final four bouts into OSU’s favor. Here are three takeaways from an exciting dual in Corvallis.

Dustin Plott was taken by surprise

Before the season began, No. 29 Aaron Olmos’ father died. Entering with a 5-6 record, he was not at his best. As soon as the whistle was blown, Olmos had a takedown within the first ten seconds and set the tone for the match against the No. 4 ranked wrestler at 174 pounds.

Dustin Plott was unable to match the tone Olmos set and proceeded to drop his match 9-4. Olmos, from start to finish, seemed like he wanted the match “more.” When the final whistle blew, Olmos ran around the mat in celebratory fashion and pointed to the sky, for obvious reasons. For Plott, it was a shocking upset loss. For Olmos, it was more than a win for just himself.

Stamina played a factor in some matches

On one side, No. 26 heavyweight wrestler Konner Doucet won his match with his endurance. On the other, it seemed to factor in losses at 165 pounds, 174 pounds and most notably, 197 pounds. Oklahoma State did not wrestle

at its best at the heavier weight classes as all of its losses came from 165, 174, 184 and 197 pounds. For the most part, the losses were close ones as all were decisions including one sudden victory loss by No. 20 Wyatt Sheets to No. 23 Matthew Olguin. No. 21 Luke Surber struggled mightily in the latter part of his match as he led 5-3 going into the sec-

ond period, but ended up losing his bout 14-9 to No. 18 Tanner Harvey. Harvey’s speed style of play had Surber worn down by the third period and that’s when he turned up the heat.

Trevor Mastrogiovanni did well in the bottom position

A month ago, head coach John Smith described being ridden in the bottom position as

“drowning” and No. 17 Trevor Mastrogiovanni had been drowning a lot this season. However, after strong tournaments in Reno and Chattanooga, he continued the consistency against No. 12 Brandon Kaylor.

Mastrogiovanni found himself on the bottom to begin the second period and quickly escaped, which is what he’s

struggled to do this season, typically leading to an easy riding point for his opponent. Mastrogiovanni played good defense in addition by not letting Kaylor get any decent shots for a takedown.

Molly Jolliff

OSU’s Dustin Plott, ranked No. 4 at 174 pounds, lost to Oregon State’s Aaron Olmos on Sunday. It was Plott’s first loss of the season.

California storm death toll reaches 16 as more rain, winds hit state

Hannah Fry and Summer Lin Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — The latest in a series of intense winter storms will continue to lash Northern California on Tuesday, bringing periods of thunderstorms, heavy rain, wind and hail to the already waterlogged region as the death toll from the extreme weather climbs.

As of early Tuesday, the back-toback storms across the state had killed at least 16 people.

Two motorists died Tuesday morning in a crash on Highway 99 in Tulare County that was caused by a tree that fell into the road after being struck by lightning, according to Steve Beal, a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol.

“These floods are deadly and have now turned to be more deadly than even the wildfires here in the state of California,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a news conference over the weekend.

Sheriff’s officials in Merced County went door-to-door evacuating residents around Bear Creek after pouring rains caused the waterway to flood early Tuesday. The creek’s flood stage is 23 feet, but it had reached 26 feet, sending water onto streets.

About 189,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. customers remain without power Tuesday. Efforts to restore power overnight were stymied by wind gusts exceeding 70 mph in some areas and more than 100 lightning strikes, according to the utility.

The Felton area of Santa Cruz County, portions of which were flooded Monday from the rising San Lorenzo River, sustained major damage overnight from powerful winds gusting up to 70 mph that toppled trees. Highway 17 was closed after power lines went down and were sparking on the roadway, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters are keeping close watch on the Salinas and Big Sur riv-

ers in Monterey County, which are in flood stage but are expected to recede through the day.

While forecasters say the brunt of the storm, which began late Sunday, has passed through the northern half of the state, wet weather and periods of intense showers will occur across the region, with some thunderstorms.

“If a strong thunderstorm does develop over an area, people need to realize that it could produce really gusty winds as well as dump heavy rainfall,” said Brooke Bingaman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the San Francisco Bay Area. “So what that means is, while that thunderstorm is there, more trees could go down and there could be quick waterrises if you’re near a creek or stream.”

In the Sacramento area, forecasters observed rotation on radar indicating favorable conditions for tornado formation and issued a tornado warning, though no twisters actually materialized, said Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

The strong winds wreaked havoc in the area, knocking over a semi truck and leaving it dangling on an overpass and toppling trees across El Dorado, Amador and Sacramento counties.

Nearly all of California has seen rainfall totals ranging from 400% to 600% of above average over the past several weeks.

“This has resulted in nearly saturated soils and increasingly high river levels,” the weather service said Tuesday, adding that heavy rain through the day will “further exacerbate ongoing flooding while prolonging the risk of flash flooding and mudslides especially across recent burn scar regions.”

More rain is on the horizon with another atmospheric river — the sixth to hit the state since late December — forecast to move into Northern California on Wednesday and precipitation continuing through the weekend.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Monday - Wednesday: 10:00am - 10:00pm

Thursday - Saturday: 10:00am - 11:00pm

128 N Main St.

Stillwater, OK 74075

Courtesy of Tribune News Service

Rescue crews assist stranded residents in a flooded neighborhood in Merced, Calif. on Jan. 10, 2023.

Lifestyle

“Utterly profound”: ‘Babylon’ Review

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

It seems every few years, a great movie comes along that is a critic or commercial flop. Over time, fans uncover it and realize its true value. Beloved movies such as “The Shawshank Redemption,” “The Thing” and even “Citizen Kane” did not find success until years after their release.

After a contemplative walk home from seeing “Babylon,” I can safely say that despite the bad reviews, this movie will someday be revered alongside those aforementioned movies.

“Babylon” is director Damien Chazelle’s latest and most ambitious work. You may recognize that name from recent classics such as “La La Land” and “Whiplash.” Clocking in at

nearly 190 minutes, “Babylon” is a beast of a film that has a lot to say.

Its simple premise is a raunchy look at the good, bad, and ugly of Hollywood, and I do mean raunchy. Be wary of watching this one with your family. While this film may suffer from being a bit too stuffed, “Babylon” is a heartbreaking, tense and utterly profound ride through the highs and lows of stardom.

With a stacked cast including Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire and more, there isn’t a weak performance across the board. Robbie in particular gives her best performance to date as a newfound Hollywood star. Pitt plays an actor who has just left his heyday and is struggling to stay relevant. I won’t spoil Maguire’s role, he comes out of nowhere, but it is a far cry from Peter Parker. Even if you’re going just to see

your favorite actors perform, you won’t leave disappointed.

The technical aspects of this movie are great. The editing is concise, the chaotic directing fits Chazelle’s style perfectly, and the jazzy soundtrack is reminiscent of “Whiplash.” In some ways, this film feels like an answer to many of the questions the themes of “Whiplash” provided.

The biggest bone I have to pick with this film is its lengthy runtime, and more importantly, its third act. “Babylon” stumbles in momentum and takes a surreal direction, but once it gains its footing, the film sticks the landing with a truly beautiful ending montage.

Reminiscent of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Chazelle evaluates all the hard questions he’s asked across his career in film and brings it all together with an emotional, open-to-interpreta-

tion conclusion. Does the pain that goes into art justify the means of creation?

“Babylon” doubles down on this pain, but answers that question with a resounding “Yes!” because movies are forever, and affect us all in ways no other medium ever could.

At the end of the day, “Babylon” is a critique and a love letter to movies as a medium. A scathing hatred of the conditions our actors are put through, yet a celebration of what our favorite films mean to us. While it may feel bloated and tonally inconsistent, I have no doubt “Babylon” will be beloved amongst film buffs someday.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune

From left, Lukas Haas, Brad Pitt and Spike Jonze in “Babylon.” (Paramount Pictures/TNS)

Lifestyle

‘Ginny and Georgia’: Season two review

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

“Ginny and Georgia” surprisingly captivated audiences with its stellar cast and chemistry when the show first debuted in 2021.

Georgia’s eccentric personality is hard to not love automatically grip as a viewer. Brianne Howey has brought to life one of the most recognizable and unique characters to life as Georgia Miller and the chemistry between her and Antonia Gentry is what carries the show. Even though many fans would argue it’s the chemistry between Georgia and Joe that’s the highest but more on that later.

In season two, the show takes things a lot more seriously and even though it’s still the cheesy and soapy show that captivated many viewers . The tone from the start is cemented. A majority of the first episode is filmed directly inside Ginny’s very cool but not always present father’s bachelor house.

Ginny is having a hard time dealing with several things in her life and mainly the true nature of her mother’s actions from the past. With the drama that goes on in Ginny’s life, it feels like the show has hit a different direction altogether and the high school drama has almost been abandoned.

It’s not. They’ll get to that. If I have one criticism, it’s the length that they drag out the high school petty drama that every viewer knows will be resolved.

The other big change season two brings is the suspense of Georgia’s love life. The will they won’t they of the first season consisted of three characters even though it seems like much much more is seemingly effectively dead.

Zion is now the cool dad

who’s there for emotional support and one-liners. Joe is still the lovable lighthearted man that runs the only seemingly visible business in their town, and Paul is of course Georgia’s fiance. This isn’t to say that Zion, Joe and Paul don’t all have their moments with Georgia, which will definitely drive shippers and loyal fans crazy.

However, it’s clear that Paul is her partner and that’s something the writers commit to. A big choice to make but possibly a smart one because Georgia’s character shouldn’t be sidelined to a rom-com with a dash of adventure. It’s said multiple times in the show, “Georgia Miller is a force” and that’s something we see explored in depth.

There’s less time this time around for some of the surrounding cast of “Ginny and Georgia” to shine. To be specific, Ginny’s classmates and friend group are sidelined for the first four episodes to almost zero to little screen time and if they have some the story doesn’t really progress.

Still, toward the home stretch, we get to see the wonderful dynamics that makeup one of the most realistic school clicks on television right now.

We also see enough characters that don’t matter much to the story now to know that the world that was built in season one is still there. We have just progressed forward.

“Ginny and Georgia” is bigger and bolder in season two. The high school elements are somewhat stripped away and give a much more mature feel for Ginny but there’s still the fun and adventure that made season one so popular in particular places.

Overall, season two delivered a 10-episode story that will reside and one most will like.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Tribune

Breanne Howey (center), Antonia Gentry (right) and Diesel La Torraca (left) star in Netflix’s “Ginny & Georgia.” (NETFLIX/TNS)

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy!

Located on 121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater

Business Squares Business Squares

Salem Lutheran Church Corner of Duck & Elm Sunday Evening 5 p.m. Informal, 30-minute, acoustic music, candlelit prayer

Guaranteed Parking! $50, corner of Duck & Elm. 405-372-3074

Company Coming?

Check out “Cowboy Cabin” 550 steps east of Boone Pickens Stadium

Airbnb.com/h/cowboy-cabin

ACROSS

Bit of pond growth

Snatches

Map out

Earsplitting

Anti-harassment movement

Perfect gradually

Soft feathers on a croquet implement?

Billions of years

Stick on

Bow (out)

Judi Dench and Helen Mirren, for two

Emeril catchword

“No thanks”

Proverb 30 Negotiations over the ingredients of a milkshake?

CBS forensic franchise

Animated film about a bird from Brazil

Some unauthorized creations

All the __

Font flourish

Rascal Flatts, e.g.

Casting director?

“The Original Hideaway, located on the corner of Knoblock and University. Serving quality pizza and more since 1957.”

Murphy’s Department Store

815 S Main, Downtown Open 10-6 Monday thru Saturday

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscope

Today’s Birthday (01/11/23). Your garden, home and family blossom this year. Generate abundance with diligent, consistent action. Discover love in another direction this winter, energizing springtime household improvements and upgrades. Summer brings a new team roster, leading to an autumn professional growth phase. Beautify your cozy nest.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Stick to your healthy practices and routines. Don’t push physical limitations. Minimize risk or wasted efforts. Exercise energizes you. Eat and rest well.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Unexpected romance could knock at your door. It may not look as imagined. Connect over shared passions. Give in to some spontaneous fun.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Stick to practical domestic priorities. Don’t spend on impulse. Use caution around tools and sharp implements. Get creative with home renovations. Start by cleaning.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Practice diplomacy and tact. Avoid misunderstandings by refraining from spontaneous outbursts. Consider communications carefully. Simplify and clarify. Don’t push. Wait for developments to respond.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Pursue potential profits. Interesting ideas abound. Don’t overextend. Plan carefully and revise around obstacles or changes. Patiently put the pieces together, one by one.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Personal passion may be high. Tempers can spark. Stay cool to advance. Slow the action to navigate obstacles. Observe conditions. Grab a lucky break.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 6 — Consider upcoming options. Avoid noise or chaos. Find a peaceful spot for thinking. Revise plans for new conditions. Let intuition guide. Choose for lasting benefit.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — A group project could seem blocked or stuck. Look for unorthodox yet practical solutions. Discuss ideas and have fun together. Discover a workaround.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — An unusual suggestion could lead to interesting professional resources and projects. If one door closes, look for hidden alternatives to discover practical potential. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — Study the options. Expect disruption like traffic or differing opinions. Postpone a launch or push. Cinch down whatever you’ve gained. Gather more data. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Collaborate to navigate delays or shortages with shared finances. Words get farther than action. Resolve a kink in the flow. Discover opportunities in unexpected places. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Tempers could run hot. Avoid provoking anyone. Stay sensitive to what your partner is dealing with. Abandon expectations. Take cooldown time as needed.

“Shea Butter Baby” singersongwriter Lennox

Day-__ paint

Place to park one’s spiteful feelings?

Bracket shape

Drop out of the conversation?

Stately tree

Herb piece

SoFi Stadium NFL player

Psyched 63 Landing spot for a cannonball

Karl’s years with the Utah Jazz?

Unflappable 67 Honeycrisp, for one

Video snippet

Private employer?

Sauce for gnocchi

Sandogasa, beanie, etc.

DOWN

__ mater

Be a couch potato

View from Florida’s west coast

Embrace spontaneity, in a way

Clock-setting std.

Give the decor a face-lift

Resting on 8 Neckwear worn by Matt Smith on “Doctor Who”

Male offspring

Ring-necked state bird of South Dakota

Has tremendous influence

Baby photographer Geddes

Loch in tabloid photos

Final, e.g.

Spreadsheet contents

Color akin to brick

Common email attachment

“Buzz off!”

Yoga position

Leeway in a negotiation, say

Falsehood

Text at a bat mitzvah

Whale food

Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

Escape in a hurry

Stick in a book

Animal rescue org.

Not great

Give off

Counts at a gym

Diagram at a visitor center

Opposite of paleo-

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

The best selection of beer, wine and liquor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis