Mount Hood

Review: “Endgame” is a fan service film

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Even as someone who got into “The Avengers” franchise relatively late and has yet to watch all of the movies, I was super impressed by “Infinity War.” Naturally, then, I was very excited as the “Endgame” release date got closer and closer. I researched theories online, and even created a few of my own in anticipation of the film. By the end of premier night, though, I found that I had lost all my previous enthusiasm. In fact, I was fairly disappointed.

It seemed as though all the wonderful suspense built up in “Infinity War” crashed and burned within the first half-hour of the newest film. From the beginning, every “plot twist” seemed like the most convenient one to explain why the story progressed the way it did. All of a sudden, Thanos had morals. Scott Lang shoots out of a van and has the answer to the biggest plotline Marvel has been building up to in the past 10-or-so years. And Thor is fat now.

It’s not that the movie itself lacks intricacies, it doesn’t. The intricacies are just predictable. Time travel has been a theme repeated in multiple movies less successful than the Marvel cinematic universe. Although “Endgame” tackled time travel in a comprehensive way, and it was something that a fair amount of people anticipated, the way this movie arrived as time travel as a solution seemed a little rushed and I was left wondering why no one had thought of it earlier. This feeling intensified after Tony found the “secret” of time travel within 20 seconds of trying even though it was mentioned earlier in the film to be nearly impossible.

Another disappointment was how the most powerful avenger factored into the storyline. The “Captain Marvel” movie was released so soon before “Endgame” that I was sure that she would have a prominent role in this film as well. Captain Marvel got very little screen-time, and was only used as a last-ditch, “oh yeah, there she is” plot device.

Overall, “Endgame” wasn’t a completely terrible movie. The fight scenes were done well and creative, per usual. Also, I love the Hulk so I wasn’t too sad about the amount of screentime he received. But for a three hour movie, it felt fairly empty plot-wise and most of the big events were predictable, especially in the last big fight scene.

 

Overall Rating: “Endgame” is an enjoyable movie, but I found it was more enjoyable if you don’t go in with any kind of expectations.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of marvel.com

John Vanderslice visits the Space Concert Club on tour for new album “The Cedars”

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

John Vanderslice could be described many ways, but the label “influential” is one that everyone can objectively agree on. According to johnvanderslice.com, Vanderslice has produced and collaborated with bands such as Death Cab for Cutie, St. Vincent, The Mountain Goats, Grandaddy, Teen Daze, Sleater-Kinney and many others.

Vanderslice came to Salem on a tour promoting his new album, “The Cedars.” Released April 4, this album has broken the musician’s five-year-long solo career hiatus. In November 2013, while on tour in Ohio for his album “Dagger Beach,” Vanderslice was in a high-speed car accident.

“After that happened, maybe a second later, I was like, I’m done. I don’t want to die in a van. It wasn’t sad, it wasn’t celebratory. It was just like, eh, I had a good run,” Vanderslice was quoted in a New Yorker article written by Jason Fagone. Afterwards, Vanderslice’s hiatus commenced.

“The Cedars” album was inspired by a piece of land in West Sonoma, California. The Cedars is an 11 by 11 square mile canyon near a piece of land owned by Vanderslice.

“It’s only 6 miles away but it takes up a mythic space in my mind, like the perfect sound, the perfect lyric. It is unreachable. A lot of this record was written on this land, under the heavy influence of this place,” Vanderslice wrote in the album notes on his website.

Vanderslice has been writing music since he was a young teen. Flash forward to 1989, and Vanderslice moved to San Francisco and made three records with the band MK Ultra. In 1997, the musician opened Tiny Telephone Recording, providing a recording space to the indie rock community of the Bay Area. Since the beginning of his career, Vanderslice has released 11 albums, a handful of singles and is credited on 186 albums on allmusic.com.

“The songwriting process of this record was so radically different … we kind of entered into this irrational machine world,” said Vanderslice in a mini-documentary directed by Cooper Kenward about the making of “The Cedars.” Vanderslice favors analog, which is strongly apparent, especially in this new album. This is a style Vanderslice labels “sloppy hi-fi” in the same New Yorker interview.

On April 24, in the basement of the Space Concert Club, Vanderslice played a show with opening band Meerna, who also hail from Southern California. The 51-year-old musician’s eccentric purple hair matched the cool-hued show lights. After a handful of solo-songs by Vanderslice, he was joined by Meerna and they played a selection of songs, most from “The Cedars,” including “Will Call” and “I’ll Wait for You.”

Vanderslice has a passionate and captivating stage presence, and although his dancing skills aren’t the best, they definitely enhanced the performance. The venue was full of dedicated fans, and the kitchen even named a pie after the headlining musician. The love for Vanderslice in Salem was easily observable and made the performance that much more enjoyable.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo by Chrys Weedon

Graphic Novel Review: “The Nameless City” Trilogy

Cora McClain | Copy Editor

“All called the City their home. And who could say that any of them were wrong?” This text ends the introductory panels of “The Stone Heart,” the second of the “Nameless City” graphic novel trilogy. Those two panels illustrate the core theme author Faith Erin Hicks explores — identity.

The story follows Kaidu, a young boy from the warrior nation occupying the Nameless City. Along the way he makes an unlikely friend in a girl named Rat who was born in the city and orphaned by the occupying forces as a young child. With the city as their backdrop, our two protagonists explore what it means to identify with a people while stumbling onto a nefarious plot to overthrow and destroy the city.

While the plot and villains introduced in the second and third books might fall a bit flat for me, the cultural tension which sparks the plot is far more interesting. It’s a bit uncanny to see a city filled with all sorts of different people from many different nations look at an individual and judge them solely on the nation they belong to. Kaidu’s nation even has a word for people who are not of the nation, literally meaning they are not a person. Let’s just say Hicks is pretty heavy-handed with getting her message across.

Regardless of the thick metaphors, exploring identity on the basis of nationality and where a person is born allows for a juxtaposition with the world outside of the pages of the books. Meant for young teens, the trilogy does its job of trying to show the reader inconsistencies in that sort of judgement. However, I think the first book “The Nameless City” does that better alone, whereas the two others just complicate the message with the introduction of “dangerous knowledge plot device” and villains whose motives are not clearly set from the beginning. The one saving grace would be the satisfactory ending that leaves no loose ends.

Besides my obvious contempt for the overarching plot, the artstyle and fluid action scenes are glorious. Invoking an artstyle similar to “Avatar the Last Airbender,” with thick expressive lines and facial expressions, there was never a moment when I wasn’t absorbed in the colorful world of “The Nameless City.”

Altogether, I don’t hate the trilogy, but I appreciate “The Nameless City” as a standalone novel far more than the addition of the other two books and their shaky plotline. It just kind of feels like there’s a disconnect from the first novel and the other two, and I enjoyed the complexities, characters and plot of the former over the latter.

 

Overall Rating: I would recommend “The Nameless City” for anyone, especially as an introduction to graphic novels or comics. I would suggest only reading the rest of the trilogy if you want to learn more about the City Builders.

 

Contact the author at howlcopyeditor@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of us.macmillan.com

Campus Voices

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

“‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.’ It’s a certain kind of f—-d up but it’s really funny. It’s about a bunch of idiots who are just kind of funny.” -Sarah Getzendaner, first-year exercise science major

[fruitful_sep]

“‘The Spring Baking Championship.’ I bake a lot so it’s a fun springtime thing and you get some new ideas.” -Kelly Dowell, first-year middle/high education major

[fruitful_sep]

“‘The Act.’ I like documentary type shows and especially that type of thing … true crime and stuff.” – Lisa Purington, first-year ASL studies major

[fruitful_sep]

“‘The Flash.’ He defied all odds and he’s not your average guy… he doesn’t believe in killing… it’s all about justice. I think every man should look up to him.” -Anthony Pablo, junior exercise science major

 

Photos by Chrys Weedon

Visiting scholar Yuanyu Liao gives insight into Chinese culture through traditional poetry and calligraphy

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

In the U.S., the works of Shakespeare and Keats from hundreds of years ago are viewed as timeless classics that strongly affected the world of English poetry. According to chinasage.info, Chinese culture looks back even further — over one thousand years further — to their poetic Golden Age during the Tang dynasty. Visiting scholar Yuanyu Liao has brought traditional culture to Western’s campus with her painting and calligraphy in an exhibit on the third floor of Hamersly Library.

“My research is about Chinese art history. My focus is on traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy,” Dr. Yuanyu Liao explained. “I want to communicate with everyone about Chinese culture.” Poetry from the Tang dynasty and the dynasties beyond are extremely valued in Chinese culture today. Dr. Liao commented that from the time children start school in China, they start memorizing ancient poems.

Dr. Liao was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi Province of China. Liao received her Master’s degree from Jiangxi Normal University in 2002, and continued on to study the painting history of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, graduating in 2012 with a PhD of art.

Liao has published multiple academic papers in journals such as Art Magazine and the Journal of the National Museum of China. Dr. Liao also published a book in 2017 titled “Relationship between Chen Hongshou Art, Identity and the Change of Dynasty.”

Currently, Dr. Liao is a master tutor and associate professor for the College of Fine Arts at her alma mater; she is also a member of the Jiangxi Female Painters Association.

In her exhibition titled “Image External,” Dr. Liao’s art reflects the core aspects of traditional Chinese poems and paintings.

“I think lines (are) very beautiful … when I (practice) calligraphy, I like the brush, ink and paper together,” commented Dr. Liao. “I think it’s very strong. I hope when people look (at) my work, they can understand (that strength).”

Dr. Liao has studied Chinese painting and calligraphy for 20 years.

“I like nature…” Dr. Liao explained, “the fresh asparagus smells of soil and rain, a blooming lotus is so beautiful; a sweet litchi is so delicious. The sun shines on the bamboo leaves, and the shadows on the walls sway in the wind … these touching feelings can be found in ancient Chinese poetry. I use the beautiful words and rhymes of these ancient poems to express my love for life.”

The “Image External” exhibit includes traditional poems from the Song, Ming, Tang and Qing dynasties, along with paintings of things from nature, such as pomegranates, shrimp, asparagus and different flowers.

While some paintings stand alone, some are coupled with ancient Chinese poems.

“Instead of a true imitation of nature, (ancient Chinese artists) use abstract, rhythmic lines to express an ethereal mood,” detailed Dr. Liao. The strong lines of the Chinese characters in the poems coupled with the delicate, minimalist paintings create a beautiful contrast.

“I hope if people come (to my exhibition), they can know ‘oh, Chinese culture (is) beautiful,’” Dr. Liao concluded.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo by Ashlynn Norton

Internationally acclaimed pianist Alon Goldstein plays Scarlatti, Bernstein, Beethoven and Schumann

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

According to Alon Goldstein’s website, alongoldstein.com, he is “one of the most original and sensitive pianists of his generation, admired for his musical intelligence, dynamic personality, artistic vision and innovative programming.”

On Friday night, April 19 at 7:30 p.m., Goldstein was introduced for his concert in Smith Music hall as an acclaimed and “busy” pianist. At the age of 18, Goldstein made his orchestral debut with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then, Goldstein has travelled across the world to play the piano with various symphonies, to places like Paris, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria and across the United States.

Goldstein travelled to Western’s campus to play the works of composers with backgrounds as diverse as his travels: Domenico Scarlatti, Leonard Bernstein, Ludwig Van Beethoven and Robert Schumann.

Opening the concert were four of Scarlatti’s 555 sonatas written for the piano. Born in Italy, Scarlatti’s compositions were influenced by the vitality of Spain and Portugal and by his home country. Goldstein described his chosen sonatas as “exercises in precision.” These selections were very technically intricate, and Goldstein played them with a meticulous yet graceful hand.

Next was the selection symphony no. 2 titled “The Age of Anxiety” by Bernstein, followed by “Sonata no. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27 No. 1” by Beethoven. Both pieces were skillfully navigated by Goldstein, who morphed between different emotions with ease.

The second half of the performance started with compositions by Schumann, a German composer that, according to Goldstein, sought to tell stories through his music. Titled “Kinderszenen Op. 15,” and containing many sub-movements, this composition explored “what is real and what is unreal,” described by Goldstein, “painted with notes.” Finally, the concert was concluded with another sonata by Beethoven.

Goldstein played with a conservative, light nature, never over-explaining a song’s background or meaning unless it was significant. Goldstein’s performance was only interrupted twice — once before the Scarlatti pieces and once before the Schumann pieces — but overall the pianist seemed to descend into a hyper-focused flow state throughout his performance.

Very technically proficient and with a light touch, Goldstein maintained the emotional integrity of each meticulously selected work. Goldstein, as made apparent by his April 19 performance, has cultivated and honed his talent into a practice that is accessible to an audience.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of alongoldstein.com

Pulitzer Prize winner Ayad Akhtar visits campus

Sean Martinez | Staff Writer

Ayad Akhtar has found success in many different creative spheres, including playwriting, book writing and film and television. On Tuesday, April 9, Akhtar visited Western Oregon University to talk about some of his most famous works. During a sit-down interview, Akhtar discussed his passion for literature as well as his thought processes as he wrote his plays.

Around the age of 15, Akhtar began to write, inspired by a high school teacher. Attending college to pursue his dream in theater, he knew he was destined to write a play, but he did not know where to start.

“I often say a good idea for a story is the meeting point between two or three ideas,” Akhtar said. He waited for his gathered ideas to converge before he began writing his most successful play to date.

“Disgraced,” which was released in 2012, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2013. The play highlights the conflicts that arise when identity interferes with religion.

“One of the reasons “Disgraced” ended up being (so popular) is because it foresaw what was happening politically in America before it happened,” Akhtar stated.

Akhtar’s goal when writing is to keep the audience engaged and thinking, which is why he rewrote the ending for “Disgraced” thirteen times to ensure it would. After audiences witnessed the complexity of the play, talkbacks were enforced so viewers could engage with Akhtar.

“I was constantly tweaking and shaping the play based on my experiences of seeing it with audiences,” Akhtar stated.

Later that night, Western’s Jensen Lecture Series hosted “An Evening with Ayad Akhtar,” as he continued to shed more light on “Disgraced,” as well as “A War Within,” released in 2005, and “The Invisible Hand,” released in 2015. He was interviewed live on stage by theater professor Kent Neely, who then took questions from the audience. Akhtar appreciated the uncertainty of the questions he was asked.

“I don’t need to see (the questions). I think the more spontaneous the dialogue is, the better,” Akhtar admitted. He proceeded to answer questions concerning his life experiences.

Despite all of Akhtar’s success, it never came easy. Even with encouraging parents, it took twenty-three years for Akhtar to finally feel comfortable as a writer. It was during Akhtar’s 20s when the real struggles started: his grandparents berated his parents for Akhtar not pursuing a career that was economically rewarding, and for not knowing what to write about. In his 30s, Akhtar realized writing was a way to express his beliefs.

“Getting perspective on your own experience and understanding what’s valuable in it for other people to know is a huge lesson,” Akhtar concluded.

 

Contact the author at smartinez17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ayad Akhtar

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