Cru Knights p.4
Speech p.6
Health and Food p.2
Volume 166, Issue 1
Friday, January 31, 2020
Alumni Center helps students look back at 175 years of Crusader memories and traditions
Basketball defeats long-time rival By Sterling Dube Editor in Chief and Jaykwon Thompson Contributing Writer On January 18, Hardin Simmons University came to The University of Mary Hardin Baylor to play basketball. However, no matter how close the game was, the only thing the Cowboys would find in this contest was defeat. The first quarter would actually define the entire game. As UMHB started off strong, the Crusaders’ defense was smothering, while the offense was effective and consistent, driving down the court to rack up a total 7 points.
However, things slowed down for the Cru as the Cowboys finally started to pick up momentum. They stopped the Cru from scoring on every drive down the court, while racking up a few points themselves. This allowed HardinSimmons to gradually catch up to their rivals, the score becoming 1211. Not to be outdone, the Crusaders responded with to this low lead by gathering up more energy and scoring nearly 13 points. The team was making up for that brief period of sluggishness and made (Continued on Page 5)
Top Left: Luther Hall in the year 1928, currently known as Luther Memorial following a devestating fire that left the once great building in ruins. Top Right: Mrs. Elli Moore Towsend in her graduation dress in 1879. She now has both a scholarship and a library named in her honor. Bottom: The graduating class of 1891 All pictures are courtesy of the UMHB Alumni Center. See more photos displaying UMHB’s 175 years history on p. 3
Crusader cheer team participates in national cheer tournament in Orlando
Photo by Melody Clampet
Top row: Lauren Berry, Addison Ray, Sydney Enos, Kaitlyn Carter, Taelyn McCurdy. Middle row: Auja Williams, Payton Taylor, Autumn Fowers, Karli Whitaker, Kirsten Jeitz, Caroline Cademartori, Taylinn Kramer, Olivia Whitfill, Laney Grant, Treasure Hines. Bottom row: Lizzy Russell, Molly Rader, Alexis Everette, Kylan Chaney, Kennedy Wester, Ansley Howard.
By Mindy Moore Bells Staff
Photo by Abby Cook/The Bells
Sophomore Guard Casey Armour goes for a rebound in the victory over Hardin-Simmons on Jan. 16.
The Crusader Cheerleaders returned to UMHB this month with some good memories and lessons learned. The cheer team went to Disney World in beautiful Orlando, Florida to compete in the National Cheer Competition on January 17. They competed against 24 other teams and eventually
ranked seventeenth in the competition. The cheer teams were judged on spirit, technique, difficulty, and a game day routine. The UMHB Cheerleaders performed the fight song, a chant, and a timeout routine. Freshman nursing major Ansley Howard had a good time competing at Nationals and thought highly of her cheer team members. “Our performance went well for our
team,” Howard said. “We all felt like that was the best we had ever done, but the judges thought otherwise.” Howard went on to say that what the team took away from the competition was that “everything happens for a reason.” Freshman Lauren Berry remembers a positive experience at Disney. “When things aren’t perfect you can still have fun,” Berry said. She went on to say
that the best part of the trip was “competing at ESPN Wide World of Sports, and that “... we got to compete in front of the castle.” Berry also said that she was looking forward to “continuing to grow the [cheer] team and learn more about the competition. Even though the cheer team did not win the National Cheer Competition, they did come back to UMHB with good memories and lessons learned.
Page design by Sterling Dube
2 Friday, January 31, 2020
The Bells
Features Two
Vegan options becoming more plentiful
By Mikala Stevens Contributing Writer
For those recurring students of UMHB who are accustomed to frequent Walmart runs, it is clear that there are some changes in the Belton-area store. There are the additional self-checkout registers, the in-store grocery pickup, a rearrangement of items, and - drumroll, please - the many vegan options in the frozen food aisle! Has anyone else, besides this vegan reporter, noticed? Well, when asked this question, student Kalen Chatman said, “No, I try to stay away from the [vegan] section, honestly. I want to start eating healthier, but I haven’t been lately.” The location of these new products may be why, as location can make all the difference in getting people’s attention. Since they share the freezer with neighboring fruits and vegetables, it may deter those not actively seeking out healthy options from discovering them.
In an article called “Transitions on the shopping floor,” which discusses the introduction of vegan foods in Canadian supermarkets. Evan Gravely suggests a better placing of products in the store, in the November 2018 issue of “Appetite.” “We propose several tactics that could facilitate greater uptake of these products, including placing plant-based meat and dairy substitutes on the same shelves as other meat and dairy products,” Gravely said. She also said that “the devotion of more resources to product promotions, and the innovation of new varieties,” would help. In a contrasting perspective, Cynthia Tryon perked up instantly at the mention of vegan foods, since she has been eating predominantly plant-based for almost eight weeks. Has she tried any of the alternative products? “Absolutely! Meats, ice creams, all of it!” Tryon said. She went further on to say that she prefers the
meatless ground beef from Walmart, claiming that the mock-beef crumble is priced upward of ten dollars in another store, whereas at Walmart she has found one that is in the $4 range. She also feels that the availability of vegan foods encourages her to shop for more of these products since it is closer to home. An aisle full of newly incorporated vegan food brands could be because of the demands in the market for more of them -- and not just in this small Texas town. On a global span, consumers have been opting out of some animal-based food and swapping them for various plant protein sources. In the UK, reporter Amelia Tait confirms this. “Once considered faddish, plant-based eating is now a multi-billion pound movement...and consumed by capitalism,” Emilia Tait said in the March 2019 New Statesman. According to Tait, the number of people who claim to be vegan has not grown much, but others
involvement, so good health considerations can get left behind. There can be resulting physical changes. Most people have heard about “The Freshman 15,” but to be clear, this is about adding 15 pounds in the first year of college. This is thought to be due to a major lifestyle change, busy schedules that do not seem to lend an opportunity for physical ex-
ercise, and learning how to balance food intake with the new sources of food available. Avoiding “The Freshman 15” does not have to be as daunting as one might possibly think. There are ways to combat this phenomenon with three simple lifestyle changes, and they are all much easier than some would think. In fact, these three changes
Photo Courtesy of TNS House-made hummus lightened with zucchini and served with seasonal vegetables is a specialty at Root Cafe, an organic vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Lakewood.
are still making intentional efforts to minimize their intake of animal products. Similarly, in America this proves true based on the findings of Niall Firth, who said in the MIT Technology Review in 2019 that the number of people in the US
who say they are vegan has barely changed...and that it remains at around just 3%. “Regardless, Americans are eating less meat, even if they’re not cutting it out altogether,” Firth concluded. Whether for the convenience, or the promise to
save money, or because of the wave of people veering away from animal products, some people are picking up these new additions to the store. Others, perhaps because of products’ placement in the store, are not.
Reframing “The Freshman 15” to “The Freshman 3” By Rebekah Delks Contributing Writer
There are many aspects in a freshman’s life that get put on the bottom of the list of importance, a healthy lifestyle being one of them. Everything that is new in that first year of college can be so overwhelming when balancing studies, finances and housing as well as college and community
Photo by Sterling Dube/The Bells
Senior Christian Studies major Corey Woodard is putting the finishing touches on his home cooked meal at his apartment after a long day of classes and work.
could be collectively help reframe the situation to: “The Freshman 3.” The first part of the diet plan is sleep. There is much to be said about a good night of sleep. If the human body does not get enough sleep, it goes into a type of survival mode, with a craving for whatever “quick energy” food is around, leading to the high caloric junk food that most individuals keep on hand for a fast snack. Additionally, if the body does not get an average of six hours of sleep per night, hormones that affect the appetite, cravings and metabolism become off balance. Staying up late to cram in those extra hours of studying, or trying to squeeze in some extra videogame time or Netflix is not conducive to the body’s basic need for rest. The second important aspect of “The Freshman 3” is to stay hydrated. Most people will reach for more flavorful options for drinks, such as sports drinks, juice and soda, but it is important to get water into the body. A lack of proper hydration can lead to spiked blood sugar levels, increasing
one’s hunger (Health, 2012.) Not only is proper hydration beneficial for keeping that pesky hunger at bay, but according to in a 2018 article in Nutrition Magazine, it is also helpful in promoting healthy skin, producing more energy and maintaining overall body health. The third concept of “The Freshman 3” is about being physically active. Making sure you are active is another great way to live a healthy lifestyle in the beginning years of college, and then onward. One reason given for falling behind in activity is not having enough time around class, homework and social obligations. However, this does not have to be a massive time commitment. Taking the longer way to class rather than cutting across campus is a great place to start. Stepping a foot into a gym can be a very intimidating move, but getting those extra steps in and elevating the heart rate can be enough to keep your metabolism working through a lecture class
or meeting. Not only is moving and being active good for the body, it is also good for mental clarity and emotional release, as it allows your brain to put off endorphins, or your “happy hormone.” It should be noted that a freshman should not compare their lifestyle of change and newness to that of a senior. That is because a senior is someone who has lived the college lifestyle for four years and understands how to live a healthy lifestyle while juggling all aspects of college. While everyone is going to have a different interpretation of ways to live a healthy lifestyle, there are many freshmen who are putting the whole issue aside in that first year of college. This is a reminder that it is important to keep health in the forefront of any list of imperatives, even when making other lifestyle changes. Making a change back to health by putting it as a priority can seem ominous, but it is important to note that a step in the right direction is still a step in the right direction.
Get active and involved with intramural sports By Kaysie Sparks Contributing Writer On college campuses across the nation, intramural and recreational league sports have become a huge part of campus life as they incorporate community, teamwork, and wellness into students’ lives. Even on small campuses such as the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, intramurals can play a big role in student life. UMHB currently offers six intramural and recreational sports including basketball, soccer, sand and indoor volleyball, football, and the univer-
sity is open to suggestions from the student body. “Intramural sports at UMHB give me the chance to participate in sports without the big commitment of playing on a varsity team,” junior business major Coby Kidd said. “I love that I can just come together with my friends on a Sunday night and goof around,” she said. Many students just like Kidd have the same feelings towards intramural sports. These programs are the perfect option for students who enjoy exercising and being active,
but are not involved in varsity sports. Exercise is not the only positive attribution that intramural sports bring to college campuses, they can also be a way to avoid the party scene. According to a 2018 study by Torstveit, Johansen, Haugland and Stea in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, young adults who participated in organized sports had a lower likelihood of engaging in unhealthy lifestyle choices such as unhealthy dietary habits, low physical activity levels, high screen time, and sleep duration.
This study is one example of the positive qualities that intramural sports promote. By students replacing partying with intramural sports on the weekend, college drinking levels can decrease while overall student wellness is improved. A 2007 study in Journal of American College Health by Ward and Gryczynski found that students who feel pressured by the partying culture, which is cultivated by American pop culture, can use intramural and recreational sports as a positive activity outside of school. Participating in intra-
mural sports can also form a sense of community and friendship with people that would not normally meet. Students create friendships and memories with people outside of their majors, classifications, and social circles. “In high school I was on the volleyball team and made the majority of my friends that way,” Rachel Lucas, sophomore communications major at Colorado Christian University said. “So when I got to college, I didn’t know if I would find ‘my people’ again. “Joining an intramural volleyball team helped me
to form relationships outside of my major and track team. I love my intramural pals,” Lucas said. Intramurals are an easy way to be involved on campus in a casual way. They create a sense of community and fun on campus while promoting healthy lifestyle habits. Unlike other organizations, the only meeting held is when you play. This is a way to fit in a workout, hang out with friends, and be involved on campus, all in one. If you are interested in joining an intramural, visit Campus Rec to help get you plugged in.
Page design by Abby Cook, Matthew Cozart
The Bells
UMHB
Friday, January 31, 2020 3
Features Two
Alumni Center gives a look back at 175 years
Top: The remains of the main building on Academy Hill in Independence, Texas. Middle Right: A UMHB student asleep in her dorm room. Middle Left: Telephones were not available in individual rooms, but each dorm had a lobby or hall phone. Here, students from 1956 are crowded around a phone for a fun call. Bottom Right: In 1921, MHB was the first school of journalism organized in a college for women in America. Here early journalism students are working on the school paper, The Bells. Bottom Left: Home Economics was a popular field of study from 1940 through the 1960s. Here, students are working on seam finishing of garments. The Bells University of Mary Hardin-Baylor - Publisher Dr. Randy O’Rear - President Dr. Rebecca McEntee - Adviser
The Bells newspaper is a biweekly publication, owned and published by UMHB. Editorials express the opinion of the author; opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the adviser, staff and/or the university. Feedback from various points of view is encouraged.
Leadership Team
Letters to the editor must include the author’s name, email address and phone number. The Bells reserves the right to edit grammar, punctuation, length and relevance.
Sterling Dube: Editor in Chief Cole Garner: Assistant Editor Production staff: Editors/Writers/Designers/Photographers/Artists: Matthew Cozart Abby Cook Mindy Moore Destinee Reinauer Contributors: Mikala Stevens Rebekah Delks Kaysie Sparks Garrett Wilson
The Bells mission is to represent the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor community through print and electronic media. The Bells strives to serve the campus and community through reporting fair, accurate and relevant news. The Bells adheres to the standards, policies and procedures established by UMHB. Email: thebells.umhb@gmail.com
Campus Phone: 4598 Page design by Cole Garner
4
Friday, January 31, 2020
The Bells
Features Two
CRU Knights participants practice the nights away
By Abby Cook Bells Staff Cru Knights is an event where a group of male students get together and put on a show for the student body of UMHB. The purpose of this event originally began as a fundraiser to raise money for the Senior class in 1993. Today students enjoy going to watch a group of young men compete in ridicules and hilarious antics for the title of Crusader Knight. The anticipation of this year’s competition is growing as it comes closer to the time that these young men show off their talents and abilities. This year’s freshmen class cannot wait to witness yet another highly anticipated campus tradition for the first time. However, this year’s graduating class of seniors will see it as a student for the final time. Students and alumni have enjoyed this event immensely for years just as they have enjoyed its sister competition, Miss Mary Hardin-Baylor.
In fact, many have referred to Cru Knights as a mocking of the famed Miss MHB competition. The evening of Cru Knights is filled with fun, laughter and excitement as young men from around campus compete in various competitions
for the envied title. They are judged for their individual pageant walks and interview questions as well for their abilities in a group dance and video skit. The guy with the most votes from the audience in all categories wins the ultimate title of Crusader Knight. Competitors are anxious to show off their skills and talents in the upcoming production.
“I want to get to know my fellow contestants and put on a good show for our student body,” senior marketing major Kalen Chatman said. His goals for Cru Knights are to “bring awareness to music careers, Illuminate organization and to show people that they can have fun in wholesome ways.” Another contestant, sophomore marketing major Kyle Mullen has another reason to compete. “I decided to participate in Cru Knights because it looked like fun and allowed me the opportunity to meet people I otherwise wouldn’t have met,” Mullen said. His goals for the competition are to “…bring light to one of the best organizations on campus, Enactus…” Another contestant in this year’s competition is junior graphic design major Blake Dupre. “I have a few goals in mind:….to grow friendships…. show the campus who I am…..and to have fun,” Dupre said.
Upcoming Events
2- 4-20 C3: Conversations in Christianity and Culture 2-6-20 Women’s Basketball vs Sul Ross 2-6-20 UMHB Birthday Party 2-7-20 Softball Reserve Doubleheader vs McLennan Community College 2-7-20 Men’s Tennis vs Southwestern University 2-8-20 Women’s Tennis vs Southwestern University 2-8-20 Women’s Basketball vs Howard Payne University 2-8-20 Men’s Basketball vs. Howard Payne 2-11-20 Wind Ensemble Concert 2-14-20 Baseball vs Schreiner University 2-14-20 Valentine’s Day
Get involved on UMHB’s campus By Cole Garner Assistant Editor The University of Mary-Hardin Baylor has a plethora of student organizations that all students can enjoy. From organizations that have a focus on spiritual life to the organization titled “Crusaders and Dragons,” students can find something that can pique their interest. For educational interests, there is the UMHB Health Sciences Club, the Sigma Pi Chemistry Club, Psychological Science Club, PreHealth Professionals, the Nursing Student Association, and Delta Psi Theta (UMHB’s math club.) Each one of these
organizations focuses on the progression of student’s knowledge in their specific areas. Other organizations offer real practice in their fields of study and can give a student more experience to put on their resume. Some organizations are just meant for fun on campus. For instance, CRU Films,Crusaders and Dragons, CRU Ballroom, League CRU, and UMHB Table Tennis all represent some fun organizations that students can get involved in. From dancing to gaming to ping pong, student life can become fun and energetic through these organizations. UMHB loves leaders. Regarding
building a leadership quality in its students, the university makes it easy to join student organizations focused on leadership. The Student Government Association (SGA) is one of the most prominent on campus. This student-run organization helps to make campus life easier by being the middle ground between the President’s Council and the desires of the students. Joining the SGA can give a student leadership experience that will stay with them beyond college. S t u d e n t Organizations can be essential to the college experience. Joining one can be fun, and it can enrich your education and experience for life.
Top: Cru Knights participants dabbed their way through a dance number. Left: Richard Rodgers winning Cru Knights 2019. Bottom Right: Cru Knights did another dance number.
Photos by The Bells Staff
Nurses earn their coats By Destinee Reinauer Bells Staff On Jan 28, the University of Mary HardinBaylor school of nursing students underwent their White Coat Ceremony. Students, along witih their families and friends celebrated the future nurses on making it through this leg on their educational journey. The ceremony began with a welcome and address from the Executive Dean of the Mayborn College of Health Sciences, Dr. Colin Wilborn. Then Dean Dr. Michelle Hackney of the Scott and White School of Nursing followed, highlighting the significance of the ceremony to the audience and giving a brief history of the White Coat Ceremony. She rootedthe ceremony in the idea of celebrating how far a student has come, and how far they are to go to continue their journey. The senior nursing students throughout the night heard from many other students. They spoke from different points in their nursing journies. Sean Brack, an
AB2 student, gave advice for the students as they continued onward, and Savannah Lawrence, a senior N1 student, read the Scripture before students donned their white coats from the N1 faculty. The ceremony concluded with
the Ceremonial Oath, taken by each nursing student. It states that as nurses, they will dedicate their hearts to keeping healthcare human, as they provide the best care posible for their future patients.
Top: Students cheer for fellow nursing students. Middle: Senior nursing student Sam Dean shows off his new nursing coat. Bottom: Sean Brack gives his speech to the nursing students in McLane Great Hall.
Photos by Destinee Reinauer/ TheBells Page Design by Mindy Moore
5 Friday, January 31, 2020
The Bells
Sports
Crusader Basketball takes on Hardin-Simmons
Photo by Abby Cook/The Bells
Photo by Abby Cook/The Bells
Photos by Abby Cook/The Bells
Photo by Abby Cook/The Bells
Photo by Abby Cook/The Bells
Photo Courtesy of AMZImages.com
Continued from Page 1 the score 25-15. Yet, that momentum could not be kept up for long as the Cowboys would score fifteen unanswered points (26-30). This was due to Steven Quinn’s basketball prowess. He carried the Cowboys on his back, stealing the momentum from the Crusaders, putting them in a bind. Yet there was still hope, the team came together and rallied behind the leadership of their coaches and scored 14 points throughout the rest of the quarter ,com-
pared to the Cowboy’s nine. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 40-39. The rest of the game would be a back and forth between both teams, with the lead changing several times per quarter. However, UMHB stood victorious due to its impeccable defensive rebounding and second chance scores. The apparent reason for this 84-78 victory was UMHB’s more balanced roster of leadership and talent, which allowed for everyone to pull their weight towards victory and avoid fatigue, as opposed to HSU’s sole re-
liance on Steven Quinn and their lack of discipline on the rest of their team’s part. This shows that it is the little things such as discipline, teamwork and practice that decide who stands victorious on the court. Onthat day, UMHB was the better team. The final home game stretch of the regular season will be Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. against Sul Ross State University and Feb. 8 at 3:00 p.m. when the Cru take on Howard Payne University. After this, they will finish out their regular season on the road.
Photo Courtesy of AMZImages.com _________________________________________________________________________ Top Left: Guard Casey Anthony goes up for a lay up with Guard Sam Moore getting ready for a rebound. Top Right: Forward Pat Everett shoots a jump shot against two defenders. Middle Left: Guard Logan Hicks brings the ball up the court with Guard Sam Moore running beside. Middle Right: Guard Sam Moore shoots a jump shot high in the air. Bottom Left: Guard Logan Hicks sprints past the three-point line with the ball. Bottom Right: Guard Casey Anthony shoots near the goal. ____________________________________________________________________
Page Design by Cole Garner
Friday, January 31, 2020 6
The Bells
Life & Arts
UMHB Speech team shines again as A&M in February of 2019. This year, she plans on taking home multiple awards to add on to her previous achievements. While the preparations for Spring TIFA can be overwhelming enough, the National Speech Championship will be even tougher. Starting on March 21st, the National Speech Championship will feature the nation’s top speakers all across the country. Although freshman biology pre-vet major Matthew Jackson is nervous, he is very thrilled for this year’s tournament. “We, as a team, know that there will be advanced speakers on the floor in this competition,” Jackson said.
“But I know we have rehearsed and practiced at a very elite level to prepare for this great opportunity.” The Speech Cru here at UMHB has also been improving progressively when the program first started in 2004. Kathy Owens describes the large number of awards this team has won over the years. “From 2004 to now, we used to win maybe ten awards a year, now we win around 150 awards a year,” Owens said. “The improvements since the beginning of the program have been massive.”
Photo Courtesy of Kathy Owens From Left to Right, Senior political science and communication major Megan Baumhardt, freshman speech communication and political science major Elise Hill, junior history major Brianna Rodriguez, freshman biology pre-vet major Matthew Jackson, junior speech communication major Hannah Bryant, and senior communications and public relations major Laela Collier.
By Garret Wilson Contributing Writer The UMHB Speech team has been successful in past tournaments this year, placing third in the Fall TIFA tournament back in November. TIFA stands for Texas Intercollegiate Forensic Association and this semester it is held in San Marcos at Texas State University. Now, the team is as ready as ever as they prepare for the Spring TIFA event that is happening February 7-9. Director of Forensics and Professor here at UMHB, Kathy Owens, explains how TIFA is organized this semester.
“At the Spring TIFA tournament, they name the All-State squad,” Owens said. “One other thing that is special about this tournament is that they give a top novice award.” “Even if you don’t win the whole tournament, you might win as the top novice in the tournament.” Many students describe the top novice award as being the highest honor an individual can win at this tournament. Owens also speaks about an award that requires persuasive speaking, which is an accessory to another prestigious tournament. “At this tournament, there is a qualifier for what is called the Interstate
Oratorical Association (IOA) National Tournament,” Owens explained. The IOA is the oldest speech competition in the United States and originally founded in 1874. Since that time, the competition has been expanding at a rapid pace, publishing each winning speech across the country. Many contestants that have participated in this skillful competition have gone on to establish themselves in a variety of professions, such as law, education, television, and education. Senior political science and communication major Megan Baumhardt mentions what she is ex-
cited about prior to Spring TIFA. “I look forward to having a platform to highlight the skills I’ve trained with,” Baumhardt said. “I also look forward to using my voice to help enact changes for others in society. Of course the competition is a very exciting aspect.” In early February of 2019, Baumhardt brought home fifth place in an extemporaneous speech competition that was held at West Texas A&M University. To add on to the Speech Cru winnings, Junior speech communication major Hannah Bryant won 6th in the Prose competition held at West Tex-
Photo Courtesy of Matthew Jackson Senior communication and public relations major Laela Collier prepares for the Christmas Classic held in Lawton, Oklahoma this past December.
“The Turning:” Movie Review By Cole Garner Assistant Editor When one is to craft a film that is based off one of the greatest horror novellas ever written, that has stood the test of time for over 100 years, you would think that a filmmaker would exceed expectations. Honestly, “The Turning” is bad. I want to get that out of the way right now. “The Turning’s” source material, Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw” is a perfect novella. It’s a dense, deeply metaphorical book about abuse, the ghosts of one’s past, and the ghosts of the present (Literal ghosts? Maybe, maybe not.) That’s the thing with the classic, no one truly understands everything the novella wants to say, but they do get that it’s an important and progressive product of its time. The title “The Turn of the Screw” implies that the story is about the gov-
erness’ descent into madness, but if the ghosts of the novella are real, is she really mad? James wrote “The Turn of the Screw” with full trust in his audiences’ reasoning skills. He trusted every reader to decide which route they want to take; he almost treats the audiencelike they are a jury in a murder trial. “The Turning,” decides that the audience isn’t smart enough to make its own decision with anything. The film doesn’t trust the audience with its scares, instead choosing to crank music at the audience to force them to jump and making scarier moments release tension by blatantly pushing the ghosts at the audience as if the audience can’t get scared by themselves. Maybe the moments wouldn’t have been “scary” without the insanely loud score, but that’s just a sign of bad filmmaking. The actors try their best to save the film, but it be-
comes impossible when we reach the final 20 minutes of the film. To put it lightly, the ending is a jumbled, unthought out, convoluted garbage pile that shouldn’t be watched by anyone. At that point of the film, I don’t know why anyone would still be watching anyway, but the end is an atrocity of cinema itself. Typically, I would want to know why the filmmaker would try to go the route they did, but I just wish I could forget it now. The good news is, Mike Flanagan, the creator of Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House,” and director of modern horror masterworks such as “Hush” and “Doctor Sleep,” is adapting “The Turn of the Screw” for “The Haunting” season two for Netflix, calling it “The Haunting of Bly Manor.” Mike Flanagan may save us all from this marvel of bad cinema. Rating: F
Photo Courtesy of Amblin
Photo Courtesy of Sony Entertainment
Best Picture Nominee Spotlight: “Little Women” By Cole Garner Assistant Editor I have fallen in love with Greta Gerwig’s directorial work. In another universe, Gerwig would be working on the canceled “How I Met Your Mother” spinoff series, that she was originally cast as the lead character for. Instead, the show was delayed and Gerwig went off to work on her film, “Lady Bird.” I think we can all be thankful for that happening because “Lady Bird” is a true masterpiece of the comingof-age genre. Its one of the best films of the last decade, and Gerwig should be proud of her follow-up film. Quick warning, there’s some mild spoilers in this essay, but the novel Little Women released in 1869, so it would barely be a spoiler. Little Women may actually be even better than “Lady Bird.”
Both of Gerwig’s films have been nominated for Oscars (Gerwig was even nominated best director for “Lady Bird,” becoming the fifth woman ever to be nominated.) The story of Little Women is essentially perfect. The book? Perfect. The 1933 version? Perfect. The 1949 and 1994 versions? Great. The story of “Little Women,” even after all this time, is timeless. It will survive, and the Little Women we got in 2019 proves this fact once again. The best way to describe “Little Women” is to say that it’s a modern film in the past. The characters, like the novel, are full of life and are remarkably relatable in the best ways. The film isn’t afraid to criticize its text as well. Mary Louise Alcott, the author of Little Women, wrote the book to be close to an autobiography. In
the 2019 version, Gerwig wrote a much more modern take. Alcott was forced to make Jo become married in the text in order to get published, but never married herself. Gerwig is smart to leave the possibility of marriage open to Jo. The text is respected, but is also updated for the modern audience who may not feel that Jo must be married. She is an independent woman when the cultural norm didn’t want to let her be single, and I find that a much more interesting idea than Jo giving into marriage only for the sake of cultural norms. 2019’s “Little Woman” should be watched and appreciated by audiences of all ages. It’s a beautifully shot and masterfully acted modern take on a classic story that updates what is needed but keeps the heart of the story. Isn’t that all that matters? Rating: A+ Page Design by Cole Garner