Don’t blink! Dr. Who celebrates 50th anniversary

Witnessing a somewhat mysterious alien that travels through space and time in a blue police box as a television pitch for Doctor Who back in 1963 would be a sight to see. Flash-forward 50 years later, Doctor Who is a series that has produced nearly eight hundred episodes and gone through eleven different alternations. Spawning several spin-offs throughout its long history, and building a gigantic … Continue reading Don’t blink! Dr. Who celebrates 50th anniversary

Gustavus ensembles prepare for a music filled weekend

Sunday, Nov. 24 will be a busy day for the music department as three musical groups will perform their fall concerts in Bjorling Recital Hall. Dr. Steve Wright will be leading the Adolphus Jazz Ensemble and Gustavus Jazz Lab Band in a concert at 1:30 p.m. The two ensembles will be playing a combination of arrangements of standard tunes and classical jazz pieces that famous … Continue reading Gustavus ensembles prepare for a music filled weekend

Thor 2: a small ripple in Marvel’s pond

The Norse god of thunder has returned to wage war and save the world—all nine realms, in fact—in Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World. With almost all of the major characters from the first movie returning,minus those from S.H.I.E.L.D., and a few new additions, this continuation of the battles of the great prince of Asgard is definitely worth taking a look at. Remember Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal … Continue reading Thor 2: a small ripple in Marvel’s pond

Student choreographers dig deep for Pure Movement Plus

Senior Dance Major Johnny Bates was thrilled to learn last spring that he had been selected to choreograph a dance piece for this fall’s Choreographers’ Gallery, showing Thursday, Nov. 21 through Sunday,  Nov. 24. At auditions, Bates searched for the two dancers who could most effectively convey the mood of his piece. Bates’s duet is one of eight dances choreographed by junior and senior dance … Continue reading Student choreographers dig deep for Pure Movement Plus

The Spectacular Now: low budget, high reviews

There were plenty of blockbusters drawing in large audiences to the theatres in the summer of 2013.  Because of this, there were even more underrated films, some of which I haven’t even heard of until now. One of these films was The Spectacular Now, which had the writers from the critically acclaimed 500 Days of Summer. Is The Spectacular Now a hidden gem? The plot … Continue reading The Spectacular Now: low budget, high reviews

Tales fromAbroad (11/9/2013)

Fifteen of us sat with our legs crossed and huddled in the corner of a classroom, intently listening to the translation of a children’s meeting that was taking place.. “What are your human rights?” the facilitator asked a group of 25 middle-school aged students. One student after another rattled off basic human rights—the right to live, the right to education, the right to freedom—the list … Continue reading Tales fromAbroad (11/9/2013)

Gotta catch em’ all in Pokémon X and Y

With the release of a new set of games, Pokémon revives a generation of players and fans. Soon to follow with a new era of anime, cards, and accessories, what was old becomes new again. For something to remain popular for 15 years and counting, it’s important that the Pokémon series carries many of the traditions that have made it great, while adding new features … Continue reading Gotta catch em’ all in Pokémon X and Y

Elysium misses the mark in apocalyptic film cannon

Why are there so many apocalyptic themed movies in 2013?  The Mayans screwed up!  Needless to say, we’ve seen a wide variety of these movies this year. There have been generic films like Oblivion and After Earth, funny spoofs on an apocalypse like Warm Bodies and This Is the End, and movies like The Smurfs 2 where we simply question our humanity.  Coming off of … Continue reading Elysium misses the mark in apocalyptic film cannon

Trojan Barbie kicks off year with social justice theater

First-year Sylvia Michels wasn’t exactly sure how her parents would react to her first  role in a college  theater production in Christine Evan’s Trojan Barbie. Her character, Polly X, is a rebellious, art-loving, punk princess who is doomed to be sacrificially murdered—but not before some of the soldiers can get their hands on her. “My theater director in high school was a pastor, so everything … Continue reading Trojan Barbie kicks off year with social justice theater