25October 30, 2020 A&E

Art in the Quarantine Grace LeeEditor

Art can spring from the most unexpected places. Considering the new excess of time due to the stay-at-home order, students have had more time to pursue hobbies or talents. Some learned a new instrument. Some became gamers. And some found inspiration in these quiet times for their art. One of the reasons why many people have found art appealing in these times has been due to its many unique forms, ranging from casual to advanced or paper and pen to electronic tablet, allowing anyone to develop his or her art style.

Note that creating art during the pandemic has some benefits (compared to sleeping a majority of the time). According to an article by NPR, Cristiane Shang, a professor of neuroscience, described the benefits of creativity as being important “for remaining healthy, remaining connected to yourself and connected to the world.” Learning that creativity can act as a solution to keep yourself healthy can be a welcome sound to people who are concerned about how constantly staying in doors can affect both their physical and mental health. Considering how chaotic our current world is, art may serve as a great solution to have some kind of emotional anchor where pent-up emotions can be released and where interactions with the world can happen, just not face-to-face.

For Claire Oshima (9), to relieve her boredom and do something productive like trying new activities and improving her art skills, she turned to the more casual and applicable art of nail art and room decor. Her favorite part of doing art during the quarantine would be the way she

“could spend long periods doing something productive and fun” while putting “on some music” and just working “for a few hours.” Similarly, Blake Del Mundo (9) “decided to take art a bit more seriously” thanks to the “growing boredom” during the pandemic. And thanks to online learning, he can work on his pencil and marker drawings more and even “explore more ways to improve [his] art,” which is one benefit of the pandemic.

Although art can be used as a form of relaxation, some students use art as a way to express an issue which they care about, such as the well-known homelessness problem in Seattle. Even though Megan Yi (11) has enjoyed drawing since her youth, when she got “a role as a graphic designer for a non-profit organization called @hope.for.home on Instagram,” it opened up a new door of opportunities. An Instagram page which brings to light the homeless situation in Seattle, it allowed for Megan to do “something fun like art for a good purpose” while learning “a new skill set which [was] graphic design.”

Knowing that the pandemic can inspire some up-coming artists at Newport certainly sheds some light on our dark situation.

A Flyer about Homelessness. Image Courtesy of Megan Yi

26 October 30, 2020A&E

The Two PopesLuke LeeReporter

The Two Popes was released on Netflix on November 29, 2019. The picture was directed by Brazilian film director Fernando Meirelles, and stars Anthony Hopkins and Johnathan Pryce in their depiction of the two living popes in our current time, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. The film’s script was written by Anthony McCarten, a New Zealand Novelist, and was adapted from his playwright/novel The Pope. McCarten had spent much of his life studying and analyzing the two men throughout their lives and presented his speculations on how the conservative Pope Benedict XVI resigned, knowing that Cardinal Bergoglio Francis, a progressive, would likely be elected Pope.

The film begins with the death of Pope John Paul II, bringing together the Cardinals of the Catholic Church that are eligible to vote for the next Pope. The conclave is seemingly divided between those who seek reform and those who look to keep the conservative values of the church intact. Cardinal Ratzinger is elected by the conclave and serves as the predecessor to Pope John Paul II. The first act of the film begins as Cardinal Bergoglio looks to retire from his position and seeks for his resignation letters to be signed by Pope Benedict. As both men meet in the Palace of Pastel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict refuses to accept his resignation as he believes Cardinal Bergoglio’s departure would appear as a protest from the left side of the church. During this time, the investigations of the Vatican Leaks scandal, that exposed the alleged corruption and abuse of power of the ministry of Pope Benedict, were occurring and the sexual abuse crisis of the clergy was attacking the church from all sides. Cardinal Bergoglio and Pope Benedict engaged in debates on the direction of the clergy and whether the Divine changes when he reaches towards us in the different periods we are living in.

Establishing a balance, The Two Popes is a film that grips our focus on the tensions of the story while instilling bits of humor. The film creates a fine balance in the tone of each scene, instilling sadness while giving us hope and joy throughout the characters’ journey. Connor Yoon (12) believed the picture was very interesting in how the storytelling made the two Popes of our time “relatable figures we could all connect to.” As both men were at the center of the global Catholic Church, their interactions, while entertaining, were also very powerful. How the story unites both

men on different sides of the spectrum speaks to the creativity of the story. Eric Chen (12) enjoyed the “tale of friendship of the film,” regarding its “execution and uniqueness a memorable watch.”

The Two Popes has been recognized for the masterful performances of Johnathan Price and Anthony Hopkins, both men receiving Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. Critics such as Robert Levin of Newsday praise the actors as having “two of the finest performances of the year.” However, critics such as Mark Feeney of The Boston Globe believe that the performances of the actors do not make up for the “the woodenness of the dialogue and implausibility of the [film’s] set-up.” Although the performances of the film do lift the quality of the picture, the film’s creativity in the presentation of the story and its immersive script serve as the groundwork with which the actors are able to give their masterful performances.

Overall, the Two Popes serves as a message in an heightened divide of our time. The message being that although we hold different ideologies and beliefs that we operate on, we can establish connections with each other in that we are all united in the essence that we are human beings that need each other to find solace in our lives.

Among Us: Breaking Friendships and NecksBryan KimReporter

Giving birth to ridiculous videos titles such as “INSANE 4100 IQ imposter stealth duo plays” by the well-known streamer Disguised Toast, and attracting government officials like House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who streamed on Oct. 20, 2020 and attracted 400 thousand viewers, Among Us, despite being a relatively old game, has been booming in popularity as of late. Statistics from Steam show that Among Us gained over a hundred thousand new players in September and TwitchTracker records show that Among Us streams clocked in hundreds of millions of hours of view time in the past two months.

In Among Us, the crewmates – innocent players – have to walk around the map and complete a list of tasks. In the process, there are imposters – the murderers – who have to kill the crewmates by any means necessary. At any point in time, any player has the opportunity to hit an “emergency button” and call all players to a table where they discuss any suspicions and pin blame. As an innocent player, deciding who to trust and who to turn against is tense. Isaac Hwang (10) finds it “funny when [his] friends turn against each other.” Your friend could pop out of a vent and snap your neck at any time, making it risky to blindly trust anyone. As the murderer, avoiding suspicion and deceiving the innocents makes for a thrilling experience. Ryan Jin (11) sees it as “an interesting game of manipulation and deception and allows for opportunities to run social experiments and other game modes.” The lack of trust between players and the unshakable feeling of impending death is what makes Among Us especially enjoyable to play.

While Among Us was intended to be played like a mafia game, that is not the only way to play it. Creative minds on the Internet brought forth many new ways of playing Among Us. The Hide-and-Seek version is one of the most played. The imposters and crewmates are given a minimum and maximum range of vision respectively. The kill cooldown is set to the shortest time to let the imposters kill as soon as they find a crewmate. The goal is to win by completing all the tasks. Crewmates are not allowed to report any bodies, and the imposters must reveal themselves at the beginning of the game.

Image Courtesy of Google Images

Image Courtesy of Google Images

27October 30, 2020 A&E - Music

Tickets to My Downfall: Machine Gun Kelly

Released earlier this year, Tickets to My Downfall is rapper Machine Gun Kelly’s seventh studio album and the artist’s first foray into the rock genre. The fifteen song, thirty-five minute album sees Kelly picking up a guitar and abandoning his usual style of rap for more melodic, sung vocals. In addition, the album features the fast-paced, aggressive drumming of Travis Barker, of blink-182 fame and a veteran of the pop-punk

genre. Years before the release of Tickets to My Downfall, Kelly and Barker collaborated on the hit single “I Think I’m OKAY” which also featured YUNGBLUD. It was Kelly’s first attempt at a rock song, which clearly proved successful as the single is now his second most popular song on Spotify, just behind “Home”.

Kelly is a talented vocalist. The low, growly nature of his voice that many found appealing in his rap records transitions well into a punk sound, and this is especially apparent on tracks like “bloody valentine”. His guitar technique, although simplistic and primal, feels passionate, and the lack of technical prowess is easily compensated for by Travis Barker’s fast-paced, blink-182-esque drumming. “I like that the album is introspective, the rock sound definitely fits MGK better than his older rap stuff.” said Aditya Sriram (12). The difference in complexity between Barker’s drumming and Kelly’s guitar playing creates an interesting dichotomy, but the sound isn’t especially unique. Cuts off the album such as “concert for aliens” might as well be a blink-182 song thanks to Barker’s distinct drumming style and are differentiated only through Kelly’s voice. But even though Kelly’s growling vocal style is a far cry from the whiny, high-pitched style that was popular with rock bands in the 2000s, he attempts to imitate the vocal inflections of that style of singing by deliberately mispronouncing words. This

is most prominent on “bloody valentine”, where Kelly pronounces the word “head” as “yead”, a trait that for decades has been famously attributed to blink-182’s former singer and guitarist, Tom DeLonge.

The lyricism on Tickets to My Downfall is one of the album’s high points. Kelly is undoubtedly introspective, tackling themes such as addiction, depression, and love. While not especially unique in modern pop music and even less so when it comes to rock, Kelly is an expert at writing earworm lyrics that, while explicit and vulnerable, are also extremely listenable. Some of the best songs on the album range from the energetic and bombastic “WWIII” to the thumpy, rhythmic “kiss kiss” and even to “play this when i’m gone”, a slow acoustic song that also serves as the ending to the album. “‘kiss kiss’ is my favorite song off the album.” said Kira Brod (11).

Tickets to My Downfall is an enjoyable, upbeat record with some serious emotional overtones. While it lacks polish, it is a promising start for the artist into the rock genre. Featuring heartfelt, introspective lyrics from Machine Gun Kelly backed by the talented drumming of Travis Barker, it’s a solid addition to the rather sparse selection of mainstream rock albums.

Keven GohEditor

Image Courtesy of Google Images

The History of Protest Music Zack HensonReporter

To accompany recent protests, musicians have released various protest songs to combat police brutality. On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was murdered after police officer Derek Chauvin pressed down on his neck. This outrage sparked protests across the country, from Minneaplois, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, and even our own Bellevue. Millions of people marched and chanted for justice. However, this isn’t the first instance of music being developed for Civil Rights.

In the 19th century it was common for slaves to sing while working in the fields and during private worship meetings. However, they would often hide the true meaning of their songs to avoid the wrath of the slave owners. Coded gospel music is believed to have been used to communicate to fellow slaves to coordinate and inspire revolts. By the 1960’s, the Civil Rights movement was in full swing and music continued to play a part in inspiring others to join the cause. Some of the more notable songs include “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan, “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, and “Say it Loud (I’m Black and Proud)” by James Brown. The 1980’s saw a rise in protests against police brutality. Like the

60’s, folk, blues, and soul songs like Tracy Chapman’s “Across the

Lines” were released. In addition, a new genre emerged and rap music became prominent with songs like NWA’s “F*** the Police,” and Toddy Tee’s “Batterman.”

What’s happening now isn’t much different than what happened in the 80’s, or even the 60’s. Americans, especially young ones, are speaking out against injustice. Despite all of the progress we’ve seemingly made, African Americans are still heavily discriminated against. Like in the past,

music has played a big role. One of the more poignant protest songs of 2020 is Beyonce’s “Black Parade,” which was released on Juneteenth. NPR describes the song as “an outright celebration” and a “salve for a wounded nation.” The song is powerful and evokes a sense of a connection to Africa as it alludes to the Yoruba people. Another notable song is Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture,” which Forbes reports as an “unapologetic and compelling” song that “puts listeners in” the rappers shoes “as he processes the injustice he faces as a Black man in America.” The song garnered “more than 65.4 million audio and video streams” within its first two weeks according to Forbes, making it the most

listened to song “in a wave of new protest music”. Both of these songs are more rap and hip-hop, echoing the late 80’s more than the 60’s. Where the soul and R&B of the 60’s was focused on broad themes and movements, current rap and hip-hop talks about specific people and events, making it much more personal. However, even though the passage of time has altered the way in which the message is transmitted, the core of the message remains the same - “A Change is Gonna Come.”

Image Courtesy of Google Images

October 30, 202028 A&E - Movies

In 2020, Christopher Nolan returned to the large screen in his bold espionage thriller, Tenet. A time-heist film, Nolan looks to embellish his fascination with time by crafting a narrative that is focused deeply on using time as a weapon.

The focus of the film centers around “The Protagonist” (John David Washington), a CIA agent, who comes across a situation on a mission that changes his mind set on the world and its threats. When “The Protagonist” learns after the mission that his past identity is no longer valid and belongs to the secret organization Tenet, he must take on a different mindset of the world to fulfill his new mission to prevent the past from being destroyed. In order to better understand the threat, The Protagonist’s main objective becomes to enlist the help of Kat (Elizabeth Debicki), whose husband is the Russian Oligarch Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh). Sator’s grasp on the technology to manipulate timelines allows him to invert objects and travel through periods of time that have not occurred. The Protagonist must grow closer to Sator in order to understand and stop the sinister intentions he has for our world.

The thrilling and intricate plot of the film is supported by its groundbreaking cinematography and visuals. Nolan’s fervent passion to use limited visual effects and computer-generated imagery seeps through the impressive spectacle of the film. When audiences see the plane crash, they are witnessing a real plane crashing into the airport. As most of the picture was filmed by IMAX cameras, Nolan immerses the audience into the action sequences and settings through the clarity of each scene. Brian Tallerico, President of the Chicago film Critics Association,

believes “it’s an impressive film to experience” through the “gorgeous widescreen cinematography”

of the film. While the film’s visuals are praised, the

execution of its complex storyline have left most audiences and critics baffled. EJ Moreno, Executive Producer of the UK’s film blog Flickering Myth, considers Tenet to be “a complex, puzzling adventure” but “a puzzle with only 150 pieces." As many believed the plot itself was very difficult to follow, most audiences were frustrated with how the film’s presentation of the plot added another layer of confusion. The swift pace of the film did not make the story easier to follow and neither did the musical score. Grant Vu (11) struggled “to tell what was happening” as “the Music was blaring [too] loud over the scenes." With a storyline too complex and a musical score that did not always fit, the character often felt distant from the audience. Garth Franklin, editor and movie critic of Dark Horizons, considered the actors to be “solid talents” but “struggle to breathe life into a film already overstuffed and whittled down” for no “time for any natural humanity to flow though it."

Although the film lacks in its story execution for first time viewing audiences, most of Nolan’s films are not designed for one viewing. Nolan’s past film’s such as Inception, Interstellar, and even The Dark Knight are films that require multiple viewings for an audience to truly grasp and appreciate. The production of Tenet was not to provide a one-time view picture that audiences can simply enjoy, but a film with different intentions. Nolan looks to provide an experience that will leave a greater depth into the minds of the audience. He wants us to claw at the film’s mysteries and dig deeper into what connects the stories of each character. He wants us to puzzle the pieces together and see the beauty within the complexities.

Luke LeeReporterTENET

Image Courtesy of Google Images

Hubie Halloween Zack HensonReporter

This movie is fine. I didn’t like it, nor did I pro-foundly hate it. However, this does not stop Hubie Halloween from being bland and forgettable. The first few minutes of the film were much worse than the rest of the film, which isn’t saying much. I was introduced to Hubie Dubois, Sandler’s take on a slow, yet charming guy. The New York Times de-scribes Hubie as a “proudly regressive role for [San-dler].” Like many of his other characters, Sandler uses a weird voice, which doesn’t add anything of value to the film. After I was introduced to Sandler’s character, I quickly learned that the town despises him. Kids ride on bikes and throw various objects at him and his coworkers pull pranks that scare him half to death. The movie harkens back to the 80’s and 90’s with its plethora of slapstick. However, while that humor might’ve worked for the time, it

comes off as obtuse and unnecessary today. Though the first few minutes gave me a bad

initial impression, the rest of the movie was more bearable, but still pretty mediocre. Nivetha Jaganathan (9) recounted the movie as “pretty boring” and “not one of Sandler’s best films.” The majority of the movie takes place on Halloween night, where a mysterious figure is kidnapping various townsfolk. Hubie is on the case, and must figure out the killer’s identity before anyone gets hurt. It’s a simple and overused premise, but if used right it can lead to some memorable moments. This movie did not use it right. Even though the meat of the story kicked off during Halloween night, it ended up being pretty forgettable.

This movie postures itself as a comedy, although I never laughed out loud. The most the movie got out of me was a sincere chuckle. Connor Martin (11) says that “the film was enjoyable in the fact that it was very unfunny,” and that overall “it was just hard to watch.” Throughout the movie there are a few running gags. One of them is the various contraptions that Hubie can fit inside his thermos. He uses the thermos as a grappling hook, flashlight, blender, pepper spray, and many more. Another running gag is the thrift shop shirts that Hubie’s mom (played by June Squibb) wears. They often contain some crude joke, and are one of the only things to make me chuckle. Also scattered throughout the movie are numerous cameos. The ones I caught were Ben Stiller, Tim Meadows, Steve

Puscemi, Julie Bowen, Maya Rudolph, Michael Chiklis, Kenan Thompson, and Shaquille O’Neal. I’m sure there were some I missed, but the point is that none of these cameos added anything to the movie. They didn’t make it funnier, they didn’t make it better. If anything, they detracted from the movie. I was less focused on the plot, and more focused on my “Where’s Waldo” search to find the next big actor. These cameos diluted what could’ve been a more entertaining story if the movie gave bigger rolls to new actors.

Like I said before, I didn’t hate the movie. The basic story was bland, and the outdated comedy fell short. The overwhelming number of cameos led to the movie feeling more alienated, instead of being more intimate with a cast of new actors. However, among all that mediocrity, there was still something I enjoyed about this movie. IndieWire describes that “as confused as this movie can be in regard to its underlying message,” the movie had “its heart in the right place.” I agree with that statement. The movie, while cheesy, was charming sometimes. In fact, that perfectly sums up Hubie’s character arc. Cheesy, yet charming. It definitely isn’t enough to save the whole film, but it made me not despise it. Sandler may be known as the actor who plays the dumb and quirky characters, but he’s really nailed down the human and emotional element to all of them.

Image Courtesy of Google Images-