Halloween events â—„ MRT backstage tour,
ArtistBomb show, The Last Safe film festival
â–ş Starting on Page 6
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
October 28, 2014
River Hawks allow eight goals in loss against Michigan
In This Issue
UMass Lowell allows most goals since 2010-11 season before rebounding against Michigan State River Hawk pride Student view on breaking the hockey attendance record
â–ş Page 3
Indie video game
A review of “Gone Home�
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Celtics analysis
Preview of the Celtics upcoming season
► Page 8 Dexter Dancs scores Michigan’s seventh goal assisted by JT Compher and Andrew Copp, just 10 seconds after Dylan Zink’s goal for the River Hawks with 17:04 remaining in the third period.
Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
Overall Record
M. Soccer vs. Binghamton
W 2-1
7-8-1
M. Ice Hockey vs. Mich State
W 2-1
3-1-1
W. Soccer vs. UNH
L 0-2
5-11-1
Volleyball vs. UMBC
L 0-3
2-22
Field Hockey vs. Providence
L 3-6
5-12 Christopher Tran/Connector
Shane Foley Connector Editor
“We lacked a little urgency to come out, and certainly lost a lot of foot races, and our sticks weren’t strong enough,� said River Hawks Hockey Head Coach Norm Bazin. “A Lowell-style team needs to have more urgency.� He was speaking about the eight goals Michigan managed to score last Friday night. Michigan’s Zach Hyman scored a hat trick as the Wolverines enjoyed an 8-4 victory. The Michigan Wolverines did a remarkable job of keeping the puck in the River Hawks’ end. They dominated puck possession, dominated face-offs, and dominated shots on goal. Only after the second period, Michigan had shot the puck 32 times, where UMass Lowell only had 19. Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson mentioned how critical it was for his team to shoot at the goal. The team’s previous game was a loss to UNH, where Michigan shot the puck 70 times, but only met the net around 20 times. “We’ve got to get our shots on the net,� said Berenson. The high offensive play was a result of a very aggressive style that Michigan utilized against the River Hawks. Hyman, who scored three goals, mentioned how dumping the puck down the ice and moving propelled his team to victory. “Our fore-check is a five man fore-check,� said Hyman. Surprisingly, while the final score was so large, the first period was actually pretty close. Michigan scored two initial goals, but UMass Lowell was quick to retaliate with one of
Campus Police Log â–şSee Page 3
Sections
their own. Adam Chapie was able to put in his first goal of the game, resulting from a 3-2 breakaway, and a beautiful pass from John Edwardh. Tensions ran quite high in the first period. Several times whistles were followed by trash talking and shoving after live play had been stopped. At one point, during a face off in UMass Lowell’s end, the referee quickly whistled after the puck had dropped to stop play. Tony Calderone, taking the face off, exchanged some words with his River Hawk counterpart, and then tapped him on the shoulder in a taunting motion. This already raised the tempers that were flaring on both sides. Michigan broke away in the second period. They scored four goals including two from Hyman, compared to only two by UMass Lowell. Terence Wallin put one on the board for the River Hawks, and A.J. White took an assist from Evan Campbell, who wrapped around the goal and fed it to White for his first goal of the season. Hyman scored the third goal of his hat trick with 1:52 to go in the second period. At that point, Bazin pulled goalie Kevin Boyle and put in freshman Jeff Smith. Smith later gave up two goals in the third period. “I didn’t take Boyle out because he was poor,� said Bazin. “I took him out because I didn’t want to hang him out to dry.� ​ On a lighter note, the River Hawks played to a big crowd during homecoming weekend here on campus. While the singer of the national anthem did have a functioning microphone, the student section still joined in on the national anthem. They have proven loyal support in victory and defeat.
Bomb threat on South Campus Students received an alert on Monday Oct. 20 at approximately 2:30 p.m. involving a bomb threat at Coburn Hall. Police responded by evacuating the students from the building, with Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad performing an inspection. After police inspected Coburn Hall they had declared it safe and reopened the building at 4:45 p.m., over two hours since the threat. The university has not released any more information about the incident at this time.
Op/ed .......................... 2 Calendar....................... 6 Campus Life................. 3 Sports .......................... 7 A&E.............................. 4 Regina Alongi/Connector
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October 28, 2014
Robin Hood Academia Nina Petropoulos UML Student
A decade ago, the average student enrolled at a four year undergraduate college paid an annual bill of just under thirteen thousand dollars. Today, that average has risen to just over nineteen thousand. In the years to come, it’s expected that tuition costs will rise annually. Specifically, 4.5% for private universities, and 8.3% for public institutions. What may be more interesting than the comparatively doubled rising rates of public higher education, is the even more expensive business that has created itself a home at the heart of any college campus. The rising costs of textbooks are growing at a remarkably steep and steady rate. Today the average textbook is now 82% more expensive than it was a decade ago, and has become one of the most costly requirements of higher education. Some students receive book vouchers as part of their financial aid packages to help reduce the heavy fees, some scour through online retailers looking for the best deal, but it seems that even being a savvy shopper isn’t enough to help heal the average yearly damage of $1,100. Tangible texts however are not the only required purchase that students are obliged to make at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Many courses now require online access codes, valid for a period anywhere between half-a-year to two. The codes, a nonnegotiable cost that’s becoming ever so popular as publishers try to herd the academic masses, range anywhere from fifty to over a hundred dollars. So for the purchases where options lie, the question is posed: To buy, to rent, or to steal? Many students are beginning to realize that the last option, is a viable one. Torrent sites, cyber pirate bays hosted in an array of countries, public and private trackers ‌  the resource list for pirated texts holds more words than the number permitted for this article. Within a one minute search on google, or a specific forum scan on Reddit, anyone (college student or not) can easily stumble to the hyperlinks of the web that publishers pray you never find.
To pay the asking price for the latest edition of a text (which usually only differs in page numbers and cover art) can cost a student more than three weeks of tightly budgeted groceries. But that insane standard is something that universities across the country are enforcing and demanding. Not only do most professors require the purchases of a specific edition in order to receive full credit and a passing grade, but some even require the purchase of their own authored books. It’s outrageous, it’s infuriating, and it surely must be illegal, for it surely is unethical. Syllabus week has long been the week of feeling out classes and professors, deciding which hurdle will be the hardest and choosing the lesser of evils. It’s also the time where students question professors and themselves “What can I get away without, and what can I get away with?� When that question is applied to text books, the answer is almost always: There’s no need to buy them. The majority of the time, any required reading can be found without needing to purchase a book. Between resources on the internet like torrent sites, university access to logs like JSTOR, and even a trip to the campus library to reference the classroom books on hold at the front desk, an average student could spend no more than tuition costs for an education. So why can’t college structures just let it be that simple? In a world governed by copyrights, the modern pirates and robin hoods of fiber optic cables and wifi aim to bring resources to anyone who cares to take part in the original World Wide Web, a creation originally conceived to create an automated information sharing system between scientists, universities, and institutions around the world. A creation designed for innovators and the curious, a place where the metaphorical ground is equal. It, and it’s use, is perhaps the greatest resource to carry out the mission statement “Ready for life, work, and the world� and for those who wish to learn with purpose.
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD CHRISTOPHER TRAN Editor-In-Chief MADDIE KOUFOGAZOS Managing Editor
SARAH PACHT KACI MCLAUGHLIN Copy Editors MARIE PIERCE Advertising Manager MELISSA ALMONOR Web Manager JENNIFER VIVIER MICHAELA HYDE Social Media Managers LUCAS BROWN Distribution Manager JONATHAN SILVERMAN Advisor
SAM LINSTEAD-ATKINSON BENJAMIN ST. PIERRE HENRY ST. PIERRE BRENDAN JACQUES DEREK MCLEOD PATRICK RAISTRICK
AL GENTILE DAVE RUDDERHAM News Editors SHANE FOLEY NICHOLAS GIANNINO Sports Editors MARLON PITTER Campus Life Editor REGINA ALONGI JEN DESROSIERS Arts & Entertainment Editors KELLY FREITAS JENNA FREITAS Graphic Designers POSITION AVAILABLE Operations Manager KARLA GARCIA AMANDA DYSART JULIA BELLEFONTAINE TYLER COTE JOE MCDONOUGH GREG ALEXANDROPOULOS
Staff
Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing Club Hub Suite #241 220 Pawtucket St. Lowell, MA 01854
General: The UMass Lowell Connector is a non-profit student public forum serving the University of Massachusetts Lowell community. The paper is published weekly and distributed free to the university community every Tuesday. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be aware that members of the University community are entitled free newspapers. Please take one! All UMass Lowell students, regardless of major, are invited to join the Connector staff. Interested students should contact an editor or manager listed above, or visit the Connector Office in University Crossing 241. Advertising: The UMass Lowell Connector advertisements reach an estimated 16,000 UMass Lowell students--their friends and families. To tap this group of
future high-income earners, contact our Advertising Manager at 934-5009. DEADLINE for ALL advertising (TO INCLUDE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS and ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE UNIVERSITY) is Tuesday, 12 p.m. for the following Tuesday’s publication. No exceptions will be made. Late submissions WILL NOT be accepted. Classified advertisements are free for students. The UMass Lowell Connector does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any product or service advertised in this publication. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The UMass Lowell Connector disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper. The UMass Lowell Connector reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Editorial: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words in length and may be
submitted via campus mail, e-mail, or in person. All letters must bear the author’s name, relationship to the University and student body, and a phone number. The author may request to have any part of this information withheld, if published. Opinions expressed in individual columns, the Opinions Section, advertising, and/or features are those of the author, NOT of the Connector. The Opinions and Editorials section will not be edited in any way, to include spelling/grammar mistakes. Submission: The deadline for all submissions (to include Letters to the Editors and Opinions) is Friday at midnight for the following Tuesday’s publication. Submissions must be e-mailed to Christopher_Tran@student.uml.edu, attached as a Word document (any version). Accompanying visuals must
be submitted separately; do NOT include graphics in Word file. All press releases, articles, advertisements, and photographs submitted become the property of The UMass Lowell Connector and will not be returned. The Connector reserves the right to edit or refuse all submissions for copy, content, and length. The Connector will make every effort to prevent inaccuracy, but assumes no responsibility for errors in advertisements or opinion letters. The Connector will reprint without charge any advertisement which is incorrect. Credit for errors are made only for first insertion.
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
October 28, 2014
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CAMPUS LIFE
From a member of the record-setting student section While UMass Lowell has been Division I in hockey for years, we haven’t really ever attained that Many years from now, when people ask me what high profile on a game that wasn’t a Hockey East the highlight of my college career was, I may simChampionship game or NCAA Frozen Four game. ply reply, “the BC game.” However being at the Tsongas on Friday, watching Perhaps the biggest contributhe banner for last year’s Hocktor to the River Hawks victory ey Easy Championship, and bewas the formation of a UMaing amazed at the tenacity and ss Lowell seventh man. The passion of my fellow students in presence of the student section the stands, I truly felt as though at Friday’s game was so enorI was at a premier college. I felt mous, that it almost constituted like I was watching a Notre another player on the ice. ExDame game. I felt like Universiactly 2,365 students from UMaty of Massachusetts Lowell was ss Lowell watched as the River the only college that mattered. I Hawk hockey team opened the felt proud to be a River Hawk. season. Writers from ESPN, NESN, “I thought that the student the Boston Globe, and other section was not only noticepublications were there with able, [but] they carried the moWUML and Connector Staff to mentum,” said Coach Bazin. cover the game. The world has “When you’ve got a student placed a colossal magnifying section like that, the guys are glass on the university. skating six inches in the air.” As a student, I have never The River Hawk faithful exbeen prouder. There is a whole pressed a constant support for lot of hockey to be played their student athletes from the though. My only hope is that UMass Lowell River Hawks/Facebook beginning of the game to the the tsunami of support for the Singer Jilly Martin’s microphone malfunctioned before UMass Lowell dropped the puck against BC. end, and quite literally. The team was not only an opening game began with the customary singing of the naWhile this was certainly a memorable moment, game showing. I would implore my fellow students tional anthem, but the microphone had malfunc- I think many individuals may fail to realize the not to make last Friday the only hockey game you tioned, leading the singer’s voice to be inaudible for magnitude of Friday night to our campus. Very few attend. the fans in the stadium. As the singer searched for a colleges are considered “hard to play at.” The “12 Learn the fight song. Buy a jersey. Wear blue at course of action, the student section started singing man” at Texas Tech comes to mind, as well as the every opportunity. Make “River Hawk Pride” a the opening line of “The Star Spangled Banner.” crowds at Notre Dame football games or UConn mentality, not just a fight song. By the second verse, the entire structure was singing basketball games. Shane Foley
Connector Editor
in unison. The decibel level in the Tsongas Center didn’t drop until the final horn sounded. “But them singing the national anthem right off the hop, it really set the tone,” said Bazin. “It was one of the greatest things I have seen.”
Campus Police Log Friday 10/17/14 – 12:59am Location: University Ave. LPD requesting assistance with a loud party. They are also sending units. No one in area. Unfounded. Sunday 10/19/14 – 2:45am Location: ICC Reporting party stated that when she and a friend were on a smoke break, a male party had approached them and then began to touch himself. When they confronted the male, he took off towards Central St. Only description given was white male about 5’5” wearing a hooded sweathshirt. Police officer confirmed description with regular build, red hooded sweatshirt and age range to be in 20’s. Suspect has been identified. Monday 10/20/14 – 10:48pm Location: ICC CD called to inform UMLPD that she was informed by two residents living on the floor of a party living in that had bought a machete from a New York trip last weekend and keeping it in his room. She also advised he is on medication. Tuesday 10/21/14 – 2:28pm Location: North Campus bus stop UML Transportation driver hit the side mirror of shuttle bus T102 against a sign while pulling into the North Campus bus stop. There are students on board. No injury.
The Connector meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in University Crossing room 241 in the Club Hub. All are welcome to join! Any writers, photographers, and people with Wordpress experience are encouraged to join. We are currently looking for more copy editors and people for our ad team. Attendance to meetings is not mandatory. For more information contact Christopher_Tran@student.uml.edu Twitter: @UML_Connector Instagram: @UMLConnector Facebook.com/UMLConnector UMLConnector.com
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October 28, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
‘Gone Home’ Indie Spotlight Review Brendan Jacques Connector Staff
For the longest time, movies have been trying to capitalize on the popularity of video games by adapting them to the big screen. This has almost always failed, either because those involved didn’t really care about what made the material popular or just couldn’t find anything interesting to do with the material that the game hadn’t already done. In my opinion, the reason video games will probably never get a proper adaptation to movie form comes down to how different telling a story in a game is. Players are immersed into the stories of video games because they have a role within the story being told, which is something that movies can never achieve. It’s that interactivity that allows games to, under the right circumstances, surpass film as the ultimate storytelling medium. “Gone Home” is one of those games; it stands as a perfect example of a story that could only have been told by a video game. That’s not to say a movie couldn’t try and tell the same story, but I honestly can’t see the story leaving as much of an impact if I was simply watching it play out on the big screen. It’s a joyous and beautiful game that I consider to be one of “the best movies I have ever played.” “Gone Home” was developed by up-and-coming studio Fullbright Games. It focuses on Kaitlyn Greenbriar, a college student who has come home from a year abroad to find her family’s home completely abandoned. This is especially troubling when Kaitlyn discovers a note on the front door from her younger sister, Sam, asking her not to come looking for her. It falls to the player to explore around the Greenbriar estate, looking for clues as to where your family is and what has happened in the house over the past year. While this setup sounds like something coming straight out of a horror game and the atmosphere feels similar to what you would normally find in those games, “Gone Home” is as far from a horror game as you can get. As much as the game may want you to believe there is, there is no ghost lurking through the halls and there is no grand conspiracy within the house (not of the supernatural
kind, at least). Instead, there’s a consistent feeling of calm that permeates every inch of the game’s world. It’s just you exploring an old house, trying to find the grand secrets it can tell. And what a story the house tells. While Kaitlyn’s mother and father are both given their times to shine and have their own stories to tell, the main focus of the plot is on Sam, who’s fighting to fit in at school without her older sister to look out for her. The notes and audio diaries left by Sam are where the real story of “Gone Home” lies, and, while I won’t spoil the details, it’s surprisingly emotional and effective considering not a single actor appears on screen. While the story could have very easily fallen apart if the game lacked personality and immersion, “Gone Home” is successful on that front as well. The Greenbriar estate feels convincingly lived-in, with an incredible attention to detail that really brings the house to life. There are so many little touches, from charming memorabilia to notes and essays left discarded by their writers. This attention to detail gives the game an air of nostalgia, as if I’m the one coming home from time away and am left to see how my family has lived without me, which only further connects the player’s feelings with Kaitlyn. A quick mention also goes to the music, which further emphasizes Courtesy of Fullbright Games that nostalgia, from consistently calming background music to the occasional punk rock mix tape lying around on the floor. “Gone Home” is tough to properly review because the entire game is built around a plot that I wouldn’t dare spoil, but at the same time it’s a game that deserves to be reviewed. It’s an incredibly well thought-out and genuinely moving game that desperately needs any attention it can get. My only real problem with the game is that it’s only a 2-3 hour game which, at an asking price of $20, may be not be enough for some. With that in mind, if you can get it on sale, don’t hesitate: BUY THIS GAME. Final Grade: A
A look back in history: ‘Hybrid Theory’ Benjamin St. Pierre Connector Staff
On Oct. 24, 2001, one of the most influential and popular albums of all time was released. It has currently sold over 27 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling album of the 21st century. What album is this, you ask? None other than “Hybrid Theory” by Linkin Park. Think about this: the entire genre of nu-metal - Linkin Park, Korn and Limp Bizkit, to name a few - was founded on the principle of being an alternative to the glitzy, bubblegum-pop likes of Britney Spears, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, etc. These were the artists all the youth loved at the time and they garnered all the attention. Nu-metalers hated that. They scorned those teeny-bopper artists and the reverence they received from their youthful fans and parents alike. And when the nu-metal genre was born out of a concoction of angst, sweat, blood, tears and an overall desire to make themselves known for being different from the conventions of the time, “Hybrid Theory” became one of the best-selling albums of the century. If that isn’t the best example of irony you’ll ever see in real life, I don’t know what would be. To be blunt, nu-metal is dead. No musical young
man or woman nowadays aspires to combine mumbling and untechnical, oftentimes bland, rap with chugging power chords and electronic synths strewn about. It was a mess of a genre. I mean, if you were old enough to be coherent and cognizant of the fact you were listening to Linkin Park, if you
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
weren’t completely obsessed with pop, you HAD to like Linkin Park. I was in kindergarten and distinctly remember my 12-year-old older brother blaring
“Crawling” and “In the End” in our house; I just absorbed it, like sucking venom from a wound. It was nasty, for lack of a better term. What kind of young man didn’t like Linkin Park at some point? Nu-metal sucks, and sucked back then, but Linkin Park was fantastic in doing what it set out to do: make music different from the norm, and become popular and successful by making music that was not popular. Interesting, but it worked. Listening to “Hybrid Theory” now is a blast of nostalgia that, for me, can only be rivaled by listening to blink-182’s self-titled from 2003. Both albums were cornerstones and foundations for my taste in music, and made young me realize the greatness of “guitar music.” You can argue that these albums were not that great in terms of pure musical artistry, but “Hybrid Theory,” even now, gets me pumped up. It’s simple. It’s loud. It’s angst-ridden. It defined the outsiders of the generation of the ‘90s/’00s kids who didn’t want to be like the pop fans. It was the go-to. It’s one of the most important albums ever made, to put it simply. It will go down in history as a you’ve-gotta-hear-this-album-beforeyou-die album. And if you never heard it, you have to listen to it. It’s unlike anything made today, but representative of everything “abnormal” of when we grew up.
October 28, 2014
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
‘The Evil Within’ second opinion Brendan Jacques Connector Staff
“The Evil Within” is the type of game that the industry desperately needs right now. Every great horror video game franchise from the past ten years, from “Resident Evil” to “Silent Hill,” has lost sight of its roots with either too heavy a focus on action or a deluge of terrible games trying to capture the old classics. While indie titles have been able to hold up the survival horror genre for the past several years, gamers like myself have been clamoring for a real return to what made the genre great in the first place. In a lot of ways, ‘The Evil Within’ is the game I’ve been asking for; but, at the same time, it’s a game that feels oddly out of time, as if it tries too hard to emulate that old terror that it brings back a few of the old problems along with it. The story of the game focuses on Sebastian Castellanos, a detective for the Krimson City Police Force who’s called in to investigate a disturbance at the local Beacon Mental Hospital. He arrives to find the staff of the building dead and the guards being slaughtered by a mysterious hooded figure, who then promptly knocks you and your partners unconscious. From there, you are tasked with finding your partners and escaping the hospital before the hospital’s new warden can kill you. This is harder than it first seems, however, for escaping the hospital’s grasp isn’t as simple as walking out the front door. Sadly, my biggest problem with the game is with
how the story is present. The game likes to shroud a lot of the rules of its world and the motivations of its characters under a thick layer of mystery in order to drive the player to find the answers. While I did find this compelling and I understand why a horror game requires a shroud of mystery, the effect only works if there are answers to find, and “The Evil Within” doesn’t. I watched every cut scene, listened to every audio log and found every collectible the game had to offer, and I still have only the vaguest idea of what was actually happening for most of the game, who some of the characters were and why those characters acted the way they did. The story raised more questions in its narrative than it ever answered, and this culminated in the most blatant example of sequel baiting I have seen in a while, which is more than a little disappointing. On the other hand, you don’t really come to a horror game to be wowed by its story: you come to be scared out of your wits, and “The Evil Within” gets this perfect. Unlike most recent horror protagonists, Castellanos handles himself fairly well in a fight, with enough guns and gadgets to manage most contests in the game. His arsenal is even further bolstered by the Agony Crossbow, which can be equipped with a variety of bolts that range from rounds that freeze enemies solid to bait that lures enemies out of the shadows. However, even with all the equipment you’re presented with over the course of the game, you never feel overpowered. I only ever had enough ammunition to get through any given encounter and there were stretches of the game where I was forced to
sneak past groups of enemies out of fear of wasting the few rounds I had left on a pointless fight. It adds a level of desperation to the game that only makes the game’s tenser moments all the more terrifying. This persistent feeling of desperation only further bolsters the game’s excellent atmosphere and art direction. Everything in the world feels like it was pulled out of a low-budget grindhouse slasher film, with a level of metallic grit and gore covering practically everything in the game. No matter where you go, there’s always this feeling that the world itself is a living thing, hostile to your presence within it. This applies to the enemies as well, with each one seeming tortured and broken in one way or another, as if they themselves were in your position and were each broken by something much more powerful and sinister. This commitment to a particular style really helps pull the player in, even if the graphics themselves aren’t very impressive compared to other next-gen titles released in the past few months. In the end, “The Evil Within” isn’t really the revolutionary survival horror game I was expecting, but it never tries to be. It’s a game that knows exactly what its audience expects from it and spends its entire 15-hour run time delivering it. While I don’t think the game is anything close to a classic, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good horror game that isn’t just another “Slender” clone. Final Grade: B-
What ‘The Judge’ is really guilty of David Rudderham Connector Editor
“The Judge,” a film directed by David Dobkin and starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Robert Duvall, gets the courtroom drama genre right, but that is about it. The story involves high-powered and cynical Chicago attorney Hank Palmer who is being forced to go back to his hometown to defend his father, a small town judge, whom is being accused of vehicular manslaughter. The basic premise is fine and actually aroused my interest initially. However, the problem is that the story gets told in a formula that moviegoers have found sickening: it becomes predictable to the point of monotony while leaving much to be answered. And even still this isn’t the film’s greatest sin. The movie boasts an all-star cast of well-known heavyweights, but a lot of them are playing characters that are barely on the screen. For example, take the character of Samantha Powell, played wonderfully by Vera Farminga, who is the love interest of Robert Downey, Jr’s character, the fast-talking Hank Palmer. You would think a script that follows a strict Hollywood formula would know how to develop that relationship, but you’d be wrong. Their love story, a clichéd one involving growing up together in a small town in Indiana, has so much backstory to it that you’re left putting pieces of their past together to try and create a more cogent love plot. It only makes it worse that Samantha Powell isn’t really on-screen that much. The audience is left asking a lot of questions as a result of the writers trying to over-dramatize smaller aspects that aren’t part of the main story and therefore can’t possibly get enough screen time for proper development. I saw the same problem involving the story of Hank’s two brothers, which I actually thought was a beautiful story and far less cliché than the other small
stories that fight for time on screen; once again, though, you’re left piecing together the puzzle yourself. How did the brothers react to Hank crashing his car when he was 18? Have they forgiven him for leaving them in Indiana when he went off to Chicago to become a high-powered lawyer? There are so many possibilities for powerful scenes within the backplot that never come to fruition on the screen. To be fair, the scenes that do appear are very powerful and Robert Duvall’s performance as the judge and Hank’s father was so amazing that I don’t blame the producers for making that story the centerpiece. So, while the film has underdeveloped secondary characters, it’s redeeming charm is in the acting performances and cinematography. Unfortunately, the clichés do, at some points, become unbearable. I now know that I never again want to see Robert Downey, Jr. close his eyes and ride a bike with his arms extended. I understand it was supposed to be a turning point scene where he falls in love with his hometown again, but did he have to close his eyes while sappy music plays in the background? Did he really have to put his arms out like he was standing on the front of the Titanic with Leo behind him? The best way for me to sum up this film is that it serves up a formula too structured to be radical, avant-garde or considered for deep Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures artistic merit and yet the execution of the formula is so haphazard that it could never be on the same realm as a typical Hollywood popcorn flick catered to teens. I actually do recommend seeing this film in the sense that, despite it’s flaws, is still a better movie than most of what is out there right now. But if being the least bad film in a theater is an accomplishment, then I guess so is owning the most fuel efficient Hummer. So go see it. I promise you won’t be disappointed, but extremely apathetic towards the state of the film industry - that’s a sensitive topic I really don’t want to go into right now.
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ng happeni What’s us on camp th?! this mon SUNDAY
CAMPUS CALENDAR
OCT./NOV. MONDAY
TUESDAY
28
27
26
OAP Trip Info Session 5:00p.m. CRC Meeting Room MEISA Speaker Series 7:30p.m. Durgin Hall 309
2
3
Sunday Holy Mass 7:00p.m. Moloney Hall, UC
Veteran’s Week Movie Showing “Restrepo” and Student Veteran Panel 7:00p.m. Moloney Hall, UC
10
9
October 28, 2014
Sunday Holy Mass 7:00p.m. Moloney Hall, UC
4 W. Soccer vs. Dartmouth 6:00p.m. Cushing Field
11
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
30
29 CAPA movie showing: Guardians of the Galaxy 9:00p.m. Moloney Hall, UC
GRE Prep Workshops with Centers for Learning 4:30p.m. Olney Hall 218
FRIDAY
31
1
Happy Halloween!
M. Soccer vs. UNH 2:00p.m.
FH vs. Fairfield 3:00pm
6
Res. Life Staff Appreciation Day LSAT Prep Workshops with Centers for Learning 6:00p.m.-10:00p.m. Dugan Hall 208
12 Guest Speaker: Dr. Navid Mahooti “Ultrasound Guided Injections” 6:30p.m. Weed Lecture
FH vs. St. Louis 2:00p.m. Hockey vs. UNH 7:00p.m. Tsongas Center
MEISA Open Mic 8:00p.m. Durgin Lobby
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SATURDAY
7
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Laughs, fun and free popcorn! with Pride Alliance and CAPA 7:00p.m. Fox Hall Commons
Volleyball vs. UNH 7:00p.m. Costello Gym
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Guest Speaker: Gina Gallagher Author of “Shutup About Your Perfect Kid” 3:30p.m. O’Leary Library 222
Hockey vs. Northeastern 7:15p.m. Tsongas Center
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Volleyball vs. Stony Brook 7:00p.m. Costello Gym
Volleyball vs. Hartford 4:00p.m. Costello Gym
Hockey vs. Penn State 7:15p.m. Tsongas Center
Hockey vs. Penn State 7:00p.m. Tsongas Center
Calendar listings are FREE when space is available. To better ensure your listings placement, get your information in two weeks in advance by e-mailing Christopher_Tran@student.uml.edu
What’s happenin’ around town - Halloween edition Wicked Halloween: Above & Beyond - October 30, 7:00 p.m. Hosted by NV Concepts, Wicked Halloween at the Tsongas Arena features the EDM trio Above & Beyond. They have been ranked as high as #4 on the World DJ charts and have performed at music festivals around the world including the Ultra Music Festival this past year. Joining Above & Beyond will be Benny Benassi and Audien, along with other artists. Tickets: GA Bowl - $30, GA Floor - $40 (Limited Availability). Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell - 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way University Orchestra Halloween Concert - October 30, 7:30 p.m. Mark Latham will be conducting the University Orchestra as they perform a variety of Halloween favorites, including Saint Saens’ “Danse Macabre,” Marchner’s “Der Vampyr Overture” and Berlioz’s “March to the Scaffold” and “Witches’ Sabbath” from “Symphonie Fantastique.” Durgin Hall Concert Hall 35 Wilder Street
MRT Backstage Fright Tour October 30, 10:00 p.m. This late-night backstage tour of the Merrimack Repertory Theatre starts off like any other tour and quickly turns into a creepy, spooky and nightmarish evening. Performances begin every 5-10 minutes as each group proceeds to the next room and the performance lasts approximately 30 minutes. Tickets are $20. Visit www.mrt. org/fright to buy tickets. Merrimack Repertory Theatre 50 E. Merrimack Street Feelin’ Good at Mill No. 5 November 2, 10:00 a.m. The first Sunday of November kicks off the new Farm Market at Mill No. 5. Check out a variety of vendors selling vintage and handmade goods alongside local food producers and local farmers. The Luna Theater will be screening “Open Sesame - The Story of Seeds” at 2:35 p.m. Tickets are $5 and are available in advance at http:// bit.ly/opensesameluna. Mill No. 5 - 250 Jackson Street
Zombie Party Massacre Night at The Luna Theater October 31, 7:35 p.m. Head over to Mill No. 5 on Halloween night for a zombie double feature. “Life After Death” and “Night of the Living Dead” will be shown along with a live performance from the band Half Sour. Zombie costumes are encouraged. Tickets are $10. The Luna Theater at Mill No. 5 250 Jackson Street, 4th floor ArtistBomb Halloweenitarium Show October 31, 8:00 p.m. ArtistBomb is hosting a horror-themed costume party, so wear anything inspired by horror films, or just dress devilish, dead or demonic. Awards will be given out to most frightening male, female and most creative overall, whom will present awards to performing bands. Performers include: Western Education, Omniverse, Potsy and That Racket. 21+ event, $10. Gemstones/Blue Shamrock - 105 Market Street
The Last Safe Halloween Extravaganza October 31, 8:00 p.m. On Halloween night, The 100 Second Halloween Film Festival will be hosted at The Last Safe & Deposit Company. Film makers and amateurs alike will be submitting Halloween themed home made movies that are 100 seconds long or less. The movies will be screened and then a winner will be selected by a jury. Other events include performance by Arlen, and Aquanutz. A prize will be given out for best costume! 21+ event, tickets are $5. The Last Safe & Deposit Company -160 Merrimack Street Halloween Party and Art at Zeitgeist Gallery October 31, 7:00 p.m. Visit the Zeitgeist Art Gallery on Halloween night for a Halloween party and art show from 7-9 p.m. Costumes are welcome! Zeitgeist Gallery - 167 Market Street
October 28, 2014
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
Page 7
SPORTS River Hawk hockey edges Michigan State, 2-1 UMass Lowell Athletics
Zink (Madison, Wis.) stole the puck in the offensive zone and slid it under Hildebrand. The goal was the second of Zink’s career after he scored his first career goal last night. Smith, in his first career start, made a couple of key saves including one on Travis Walsh during a Michigan State power play in the fourth minute of the second period. The Spartans’ Mackenzie MacEachern hit the
LOWELL, Mass. – Behind freshman Jeff Smith’s (Maple Ridge, B.C.) 26 saves and Michael Kapla’s (Eau Claire, Wisc.) third period shorthanded goal, the No. 7 UMass Lowell hockey team defeated the Michigan State Spartans, 2-1, on Saturday evening at the Tsongas Center in front of 5,335 fans on Homecoming Weekend. With the game tied 1-1 early in the third period the River Hawks took the 2-1 lead on Kapla’s third goal of the season just 57 seconds into the frame. Adam Chapie (Oxford, Mich.) stick handled through the right circle and fed Kapla with a cross-ice pass. After a little hesitation move, Kapla let go a wrist shot top shelf stick-side past Jake Hildebrand. The goal was UMass Lowell’s first shorthanded goal of the season and Kapla’s third on the year. Early on the Spartans’ had a chance to take control going Freshman Jeff Smith had 26 saves in his first start. on a 5-on-3 advantage within the first seven minutes post with just over 11 minutes left in the second peof the game, but the River Hawks’ power play kill riod, but Smith was quick to react and tie up the stood up to the challenge and kept the game score- loose puck. The visitors finally got on the board at 14:24 of less. the second period, Ron Boyd struck with a high UMass Lowell took the 1-0 lead on a power play of its own with 9:02 remaining in the period. Dylan backhand in front of Smith.
Smith then responded a couple of minutes later on a nice breakaway save on Matt DeBlouw. With the clock winding down in the game and a 4-on-4 situation, the young goalie stood tall and made one of his biggest saves of the night with a sliding glove save on Thomas Ebbing to keep the lead intact. Michigan State then had two point-blank opportunities with 37 seconds left and one again Smith shut the door. The Spartans outshot the River Hawks 27-22, and Hildebrand made 20 saves. A.J. White (Dearborn, Mich.) had a game-high five shots, and Boyd had four for the visitors along with Matt Berry. UMass Lowell had the only power play goal, going 1-for-4, and held Michigan State scoreless on six attempts. The River Hawks are off until Halloween when they face Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics off with the New Hampshire Wildcats at Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H. at 7 p.m.
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
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October 28, 2014
SPORTS
Field hockey faces 6-0 setback against UNH UMass Lowell Athletics
LOWELL, Mass. - The UMass Lowell field hockey team (5-11, 0-4) faced a 6-0 setback against fellow America East Conference member, the University of New Hampshire (6-10, 3-1) on Friday evening at Wicked Blue Field in Lowell. “We started off the game really strong in the first 15 minutes, but then the wheels came off the wagon and the scoreboard reflected that,” said Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. “I didn’t feel we suffered from falling behind so early, and think that even at 3-0, we could have still been in it had we popped one in. It’s more or less the inconsistency of our play overall from game to game. We are capable of playing really good field hockey, we just haven’t been able to show it over an extended period of time.” Although the Wildcats registered the first two shots of the night, UMass Lowell controlled the pace of play in the early part of the game. Sophomore Georgia Cowderoy (Ashmore, Queensland, Australia) fired two backhanded shots that sailed high in the sixth minute and junior Kelly Freitas (Manchester, N.H.) followed with a tip that rolled just wide to keep the game scoreless. UNH logged an early goal to take the upper hand, as Meg Flatley sent a hard shot high into the net to make the score 1-0 with 27 minutes remaining in the first half. The visitors were then able to extend
their margin less than four minutes later on a shot by Gianna Bensaia that was deflected up into the cage, making the score 2-0. UMass Lowell answered with a strong corner opportunity that saw Freitas insert the ball to junior Marzana Fiedtkou (Georgetown, Guyana), who launched a shot that was knocked out of play by the opposing keeper. After back-to-back shots by Cowderoy and junior Sophie Watt (Sawtell, Australia), the Wildcats pulled ahead, 3-0, with 15 minutes to play in the period when Flatley broke away from the pack and sent a pass ahead to Lynne Lehman, who was alone in the circle for the one-timer past freshman goalkeeper Kelsey Federico (Windham, N.H.). In the last two minutes of the half, New Hampshire converted on another penalty corner to take a 4-0 edge into the break. Coming out of halftime, senior Carrie Dresser (Plaistow, N.H.) made a defensive save on the goal line, but the Wildcats scored on their next possession thanks to a backhanded shot by Kellie Joyce. Senior Bianca Jones (Watertown, Mass.) had an opportunity on a breakaway, going 1-on-1 with the UNH keeper, but her close-range shot was buried in the opposition’s pads. Sophomore Katie Luchino (Freehold, N.J.) followed with a turn-around shot that resulted in a corner, however the squad was unable to capitalize.
U P C OM I N G
River Hawk Games Tuesday, Oct. 28
7 pm
W. Soccer at Yale
Friday, Oct. 31
3 pm
Field Hockey vs. Fairfield
Friday, Oct. 31
7 pm
VBall at Binghamton
Friday, Oct. 31
7:30 pm
Saturday, Nov. 1
2 pm Field Hockey vs. St. Louis
Saturday, Nov. 1
7 pm
Hockey at UNH
Hockey vs. UNH
For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com
The remainder of the game was primarily contained in the middle of the field with the River Hawks getting off just one more shot. As
the final seconds ticked away, Taylor Scafidi took control of a loose ball and sent a shot on target to secure a 6-0 decision for the Wildcats.
Friday’s contest marked just the second meeting ever between UMass Lowell and New Hampshire in the sport of field hockey. UNH now owns a 2-0 edge in the all-time series. The River Hawks will return to action on Sunday, October 26 when the team visits Providence of the Big East Conference for its last road game of the year beginning at 1 p.m.
Celtics Season Preview Henry St. Pierre Connector Staff
Brad Stevens’ first year as the Celtics’ head coach went as essentially everybody had expected out of a rookie coach. The Celtics finished with an abysmal 25-57 record last year, a season when nobody expected them to contend anyway. The record landed Boston one high draft pick, something the Green aren’t especially used to in recent years. With the two total picks in the draft, the Celtics plucked highly-praised point guard Marcus Smart from Oklahoma State University, and one-anddone shooting guard/forward James Young from Kentucky. Stevens should be more comfortable this season, and his advanced coaching style should be more comfortable and it should pay better dividends than another 25-57 record. To further dive into what fans can expect from this season, there are three main storylines to follow. 1. A team full of youth. There are a few veterans on the Celtics roster, mainly Gerald Wallace and the All-Star, polarizing point guard Rajon Rondo, but other than that, Boston is a team with its eyes set on the future. This is why the C’s scooped up Smart, and also selected Young from an always-talented Kentucky system. They already have Jared Sullinger, a rebound-machine that can also score if he needs to, as evidenced by a 31-point game he had this past season. Kelly Olynyk is another power forward/center, but many think he can’t be a starter at either position because of his lack of true physicality and incapable defense. He should still be effective when he comes off the bench. It is fair to assume Rondo could be moved this
season because of Smart. If Rondo isn’t ready for the season opener, and Smart steps in and shines, it is more of a reason to trade him. The Celtics set their eyes on the future when they dismantled the Big Three, and they got their first-round picks, and we’ll get to see the youth this season. 2. Offensive and rebounding inefficiency The Celtics don’t have a number one scorer anymore. It used to be Paul Pierce, back when he would average 20 points a game. They thought they had another scorer come to town when they traded (and then signed) Jeff Green, but his performance thus far in Boston has been underwhelming. That’s why the Celtics went for scorers this offseason. They signed Evan Turner, who has shown he can be a scorer and playmaker with an ability to play three positions (both guards and small forward.) Marcus Thornton is a veteran shooting guard who can come in in place of Avery Bradley off the bench and score in bunches. Young is definitely going to be a points-machine, but he is still young and his talent is too raw to be able to expect a significant impact on the team this season. Another issue with the Celtics is their lack of rebounders, with the exception of Sullinger. The only other players on the roster who can rebound decently and get a hand on the boards are Tyler Zeller and Brandon Bass. Other than that, the Celtics are a small team. 3. Possible playoff team The Eastern Conference is child’s play in comparison to the Western Conference. It’s very possible to get into the playoffs in the East with a sub-.500 record, which is why the Celtics could realistically sneak in as a lower seed. The combination of electric young talent with poised veterans could mean
more wins than people imagine for this team. The top of the East is most likely going to be Cleveland, Chicago, Washington, Miami, Charlotte, Toronto, but after that, the list gets hazy. There’s no reason why the Celtics can’t sneak in if the players can thrive under Stevens, who should be much more confident having his rookie campaign under his belt. Brian Babineau/Getty Images
Marcus Smart may fill in for Rondo if he gets traded