Entertainment – Page 66 – The Western Howl

Nikita Williams | Freelancer

On Jan. 13, musicians Eric Rigler, Dirk Freymuth and Kira Ott held an exciting and high energy concert as part of Western’s Smith Fine Arts Series.

Rigler and Freymuth had just come back from their 2017 PBS TV special “Celtic Journeys: Songs and Soundtracks,” where they created a musical panorama of the Celtic spirit and energy that revealed parts of the Celtic culture.Together, the three musicians played wonderful music from Ireland and Scotland as well as music from the movies “Braveheart” and “Titanic.”

Rigler is a legendary bagpipes player and has played in movie soundtracks such as “Braveheart,” “Titanic,” “Men in Black 3” and “Cinderella Man.” He has performed on “The Tonight Show” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” as well as other TV shows.

In addition to being a professor at Western, Freymuth is also a gifted player in guitar, lute, baroque mandolin and viola da gamba.

Ott is one of the most in-demand musicians of the Celtic scene in Los Angeles, California. Ott teaches, performs and records traditional Irish fiddle.

During “Celtic Journeys: Songs and Soundtracks,” Rigler played Irish Uilleann pipes, Scottish small pipes and whistles; Freymuth played acoustic guitars; and Ott played the fiddle. During the concert, both Rigler and Freymuth noted how much they enjoyed using a looping pedal both while recording traditional Celtic music and while playing it live. It was amazing to see something so intricate being played on the Rice Auditorium stage.

The concert was high energy, fast-paced and interesting to watch. All three performers had an amazing on-stage connection with each other. Their movements while playing their instruments and their enthusiasm after the show had finished were evidence for how much each performer loved the music they played. It displayed their love of Celtic music and happiness in sharing it with the audience.

Rigler, Freymuth and Ott played with energy and enthusiasm — you could see their passion for this type of music. With a packed show and such wonderful music being played, it was truly a night to remember. The next show in the Smith Fine Arts series show is “Grégoire Maret: The Gospel According to Grégoire Maret,” on Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Rice Auditorium.

Contact the author at nwilliams15@wou.edu

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Low-key shows to stream

Michelle Bonilla | Freelancer

“The OA”

When a young woman returns home after having been missing for the past seven years it becomes a joyous event for the once small town who have all but assumed her dead. However, everyone is shocked once they discover that the once missing blind girl who lived down the street has regained her sight. Her parents and the FBI plead for her to tell them about her disappearance but she just won’t talk. This trippy sci-fi show will have you questioning faith and reality as your mind reals to discover who is telling the truth and why are they lying.

“Castlevania”

She showed him kindness and love and they burned her at the stake. Inspired by the classic video game series by the same name, take a journey into this animated series in a midlevel land called Wallachia. The legendary Count Dracula takes his vengeance upon the town that brutally murdered and falsely accused his beloved wife. He unleashes an army of monsters upon the land and the only ones who can stop him is a disgraced demon hunter a magician and his exiled son. This show has a perfect mixture of dark humor and drama that perfectly in captures this gritty tale of vengeance and bloodshed if you like movies like Nosferatu and Berserk then you will have very high regards for “Castlevania.”

“Frontier”

Jason Momoa from “Game of Thrones” shines in this gritty and intense historical drama series as he plays a part-Irish, part-Cree outlaw named Declan Harp. Harp goes head to head against the Hudson Bay Company and their monopolization of the fur trade within the Canadian borders. Declan Harp is a smart and dangerous fur trader with a dark and mysterious past who enlist the help of an Irish pauper who doubles as a spy for both Harp and the english soldier in the New world. If you enjoy TV shows like “Outlander,” “Viking” and “Penny Dreadful,” then you will love Frontier.

North and South

“North and South” is a British television series based upon the Elizabeth Gaskell’s Victorian novel by the same name. The show follows a young woman named Margaret Hale as her and her family leave the quaint countryside in the south of England after her father leaves the church and moves up into the industrial city in the north. The family struggles to adjust themselves socially especially after they meet a predominant family known as the Thornton’s who own a successful cotton mill within the city. Margret is faced with many issues facing gender, class and social expectations. However, her feelings for the town’s people seem to clash with her unknown attraction towards the cold young bachelor Mr. Thornton, the owner of the mill. If you have ever enjoyed films like “Jane Eyre,” “Pride and Prejudice” or “Anne of Green Gables” then you will enjoy this romantic series that proudly features a strong female lead who is not afraid to question society and all of it’s injustices.

Contact the author at mbonilla17@wou.edu

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Review: “The Financial Diet”

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

“The Financial Diet,” written by Chelsea Fagan and designed by Lauren Ver Hage, is a finance guide geared towards twenty-somethings that want to stay on top of their finances. The book, while both useful and interesting, missed the beat when it came to recognizing some of the inhibitors that millenials may face when trying to save money.

“The Financial Diet” is based off of the work done for the duo’s financial website. As an on-again, off-again follower of Fagan and Ver Hage’s work for the past few years, I picked up their book in hopes that it would offer new insights into the world of saving money.

The guide is easily palatable; it’s split into seven chapters, all of which focus on a different aspect of one’s finances. Each chapter is broken up by expert interviews and illustrated diagrams. My only qualm with this is the inclusion of a ‘food’ section.

The fourth chapter of the book focuses on money-saving in the kitchen. There is a bunch of great advice offered, but I think the chapter is lacking when it comes to advice on what to keep in your kitchen. There is a list of spices and oils that one should have on-hand, and then the chapter delves into recipes. I love a good recipe as much as the next person, but if I wanted recipes, I could look online or in a recipe-specific book. These pages could have been more useful if they instead included lists of multi-purpose food items you can buy or examples of cheaper food that packs a lot of nutrients.

The information offered in the rest of the book is useful. Fagan explains some of the lesser-known aspects of being a financially responsible adult; she discusses the importance of investing, home ownership and credit scores.

While all of this information is useful, I think the book would be more insightful if it went more in-depth about how to specifically set money aside for things like emergency funds and college loan payments. It’s easy to say that people should pair down their expenses in an effort to save money. However, there are some people in the target age range for this book, like college students, who may not be able to cut their spending that easily. A hefty portion of the advice offered in “The Financial Diet” is focused on those who are living above their means.

“The Financial Diet” is a good book for those looking for an aesthetically pleasing crash-course in financial responsibility. However, it shouldn’t be your only source of financial research.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

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Last year’s overlooked entertainment

Mitchell Martin | Freelancer

It’s 2018, and that means there are new movies, games, television shows and albums for us to bite into. And while I sit, awaiting the release of “Avengers: Infinity Wars,” Season 3 of “The Magicians” and for all of the Japanese RPG fans out there, “Dragon Quest XI,” I’m not ready to close to door on 2017 and you shouldn’t either.

Last year had some truly great films, but one film, released early on Jan. 23, did not get as much coverage as it should’ve. “Brigsby Bear,” directed by Dave McCary, follows a young man named James Pope, played by Kyle Mooney, a writer for the film, attempting to create the finale for his favorite TV show. The film has a sincere tone for such a dark premise — James was kidnapped at a young age and raised to believed the world is irradiated, his only connection to others being a TV show called Brigsby Bear, secretly made by his kidnappers. He is rescued and introduced to society but can’t seem to let go of the show. If you can get past the second-hand embarrassment you’ll find a truly charming experience. Mooney’s portrayal of James is particularly enjoyable as he nails the socially awkward boy who really just wants to live happily. All in all, give this movie a watch, it’s sure to warm your heart.

2017 also had a ton of good music, but I think the greatest musical crime committed was the lack of hype surrounding the album “Three Movements” from legendary video game composer Manami Matsumae. Matsumae has been in the video game industry for thirty years and is most famous for composing for the original “Megaman” soundtrack. As such, it’s no surprise that her debut album sounds like a classic NES title you never got to play.

The starting track “Choose your hero” is extremely catchy, emulating 8-bit era music perfectly. The songs act like levels in a video game, successfully using guitars and synthesizers to really invoke those memories of jumping from platform to platform and taking on the final boss. Two tracks, “Intermezzo, Part 1,” and “Intermezzo, Part 2,” stand out from the rest. They’re both completely composed using piano, and have a much softer tone which bring about a calmer feel than the other tracks on the album. Overall, Matsumae has a good shot as a solo composer, and I hope she continues to put out more of her own albums.
We had a lot of great big hits in gaming in 2017, one of which is “Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth” for the 3DS. The game is a hardcore old school dungeon crawler which sports map-making and as you venture up labyrinths of the giant tree Yggdrasil avoiding giant foes and slaying monsters. It has brilliant character creation, allowing you pick any hair and eye color you can imagine, 40 different voices, four races, ten classes, and ten portraits per class. The game lacks in story, but easily makes up for it in immersion by carefully playing small events around the map that help to build the world around you. Overall it’s a great addition to the series and a game that should be in any RPG fan’s library.

Contact the author at mmartin17@wou.edu

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New year, new music

Ashton Newton | Freelancer

2017 was a big year for music. Whether it was Taylor Swift reinventing her sound in “Reputation” or Kendrick Lamar dropping an instant classic with “DAMN.,” it’s hard to picture 2018 living up to one of the best years in the last decade for new music, but in fact, 2018 is looking to bring as much, or even more, great new music.

Right around the corner, Rhye is releasing a new album called “Blood” on Feb. 2. His first album is five years old this year, but he made a return in 2017 with a series of singles and lending vocals to Bonobo’s “Break Apart”.

The British indie group The Wombats are making a return with a new album releasing Feb. 9 titled “Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life.” They’ve already released two singles off of the album, “Lemon to a Knife Fight” and “Turn.”

At this point in the year, a lot of bands have only given conformation that they will release new music this year. Artists like The Arctic Monkeys, CHVRCHES, Childish Gambino, Frankie Cosmos, Drake and Father John Misty have all teased new music, so there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

One of the most exciting teased projects of 2018 is a collaborative album between Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Apart from a confirmation from Jay-Z himself, no additional information has come out about the collab.

Lady Gaga released a new single called “The Cure” and teased a 2018 album at last year’s Coachella. If the rest of the album matches the sound of “The Cure,” it looks like Lady Gaga is making a return to her earlier dance-pop sound.

At the end of 2017, Jack White released a pretty cacophonous single that turned out not to be a single at all. Instead, the release was simply bits and pieces taken from his upcoming 2018 album “Boarding House Reach.” It’s not a good sounding song, but it serves as an intriguing tease for what’s to come.

Some teases have gone more under the radar, like Death Cab for Cutie announcing their 2018 release in a tweet that simply says “LP9 // 2018” with no other information.

2018 is already shaping up to be one for the books. With what has already been announced, there’s plenty for fans of every genre to get excited about.

Contact the author at anewton15@wou.edu

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Seasonal movie recommendations from The Western Journal

If you’re looking for a comedy-filled classic to watch with your family this holiday season, look no further; “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is a movie that I can’t get enough of this time of year. Watch as Clark Griswold tries to maintain his sanity throughout the Christmas season while various members of his extended family vacation at his home. From the hilarious struggles of hanging up lights to the Christmas tree going up in flames, it’s fun to experience a family more dysfunctional than your own. So, grab a glass of ‘nog and mele kalikimaka.

– Sam Dunaway, News Editor

Animated or claymation holiday specials are timeless classics. However, of the many produced in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s, the most iconic and memorable is “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Providing sing-along tunes, a cute and heartwarming story about the origins of Kris Kringle and characters voiced by Hollywood elite — including Mickey Rooney and Fred Astaire — the movie will leave you feeling nostalgic and full of joy. It’s shown annually during the “25 Days of Christmas” on the FreeForm channel. So, as the song says, “put one foot in front of the other,” and soon you’ll be enjoying a holiday classic, as well.

– Caity Healy, Lifestyle Editor

Not in love with the idea of watching Christmas movies for the duration of December? Neither am I. Instead, try watching a movie that gives you winter vibes rather than holiday spirit, like “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” Being both an Edgar Wright-directed film and an adaptation of a series of graphic novels, expect nothing less than a visually beautiful, fast-paced comedy that you’ll want to watch over and over again. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” is an action movie mixed with romance: a revenge story mixed with comedy. There is something for everyone in this film, and the wintery Canadian backdrop will leave you begging for snow.

– Jade Rayner, Copy Editor

I love a good classic movie, and in my opinion, one of the best ones is also a great winter film. “An Affair to Remember” is a 1957 film starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. Grant’s character meets Kerr’s on a cruise ship and they hit it off. After the cruise, they part ways and inevitably keep seeing each other. Though it isn’t explicitly a holiday film, there’s a scene that takes place on Christmas Eve. This movie is perfect for people who want to sit on the couch while wrapped up in a blanket drinking something warm — it’s cozy, it’s cute and it has Cary Grant.

– Zoë Strickland, Managing Editor

To learn the true meaning of Christmas, slip on your pink bunny pajamas and grab some Chinese food: it’s time for “A Christmas Story.” The 1980’s classic follows Ralphie Parker through the Christmas season and the winter time shenanigans that he and his family face.

Ralphie gets really down on the holidays, which I can relate to, but he comes around in the end as everything… sort of works out. Overall, it’s funny and doesn’t over-romanticize the holidays, making it perfect for Christmas lovers and haters, alike.

-Stephanie Blair, Editor-in-Chief

Once-great M. Night Shyamalan has earned a pretty bad reputation over his slowly sinking career. This puts me in a weird position, because I’m about to recommend that you watch his found-footage horror-comedy “The Visit.”
“The Visit” isn’t a good movie per se, but it is one of the most bizarre films I’ve ever seen. It’s stuck somewhere in this weird limbo between the godawful “After Earth” and the surprisingly fun “Split.” What is Shyamalan doing? Why does a graph of his career make a parabola now? I don’t know, but this unusually entertaining film is well worth an hour and a half of your time.
-Darien Campo, Designer

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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Western welcomes Celtic music

Low-key shows to stream

Campus Voices

Review: “The Financial Diet”

Last year’s overlooked entertainment

New year, new music

Seasonal movie recommendations from The Western Journal

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