Gracewinds Music in downtown Corvallis on Saturday, Dec. 5.
Luke Yokoyama working behind the counter at Gracewinds on Saturday, Dec. 5.
The Gracewinds Music website reads "For over 30 years Gracewinds Music has served musicians and music teachers in Corvallis, Albany, Salem and Eugene, Oregon, the Northwest, and around the world."
Gracewinds offers a variety of musical instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, bass, drums, pianos, and anything else you can think of.
Jonster Hollis shreds on guitar in Gracewinds Music on Saturday, Dec. 5.
Arthur Fellig was born in Austria in 1899. He emigrated to the United States in 1910. He started out as an assistant to a commercial photographer and a dark room technician. In 1935 he began work as freelance photographer.
His claim to fame was stark back and white street photography, specifically of murders, collisions, and thefts throughout New York City.
Fellig earned the nickname Weegee because he was almost always the first person at the scene of crimes. He often even showed up before the police, and he was, in his own words, "Spellbound by the mystery of murder."
The real reason that Weegee was able to get to the scenes of crimes so quickly was because of the radio. He would listen to the radio to hear about crimes as they were happening, and then he would race to the scene.
The signature camera he was know for using is called a Speed Graphic. Many photographers at the time used these cameras, but they are no longer made.
One of the most unique aspects of Weegee's work was that he took photos with policemen digesting evidence and looking over crime scenes. Weegee worked with the police to get his photos, and based on how much they allowed him to photograph them, they clearly liked him.
My Favorite Photo:
This is my favorite photo because of how much information is provides about the scene of the crime. There's a man on the ground who appears to be injured or more likely dead. There's blood and a gun on the sidewalk and a policeman. It's just a really compelling image.
LBCC Men's Basketball team at practice in the gym in the Activity Center on Thursday, Nov. 19. Devin Bauer playing strong defense against Kendrick Abraham.
Devin Bauer showing off his defensive skills again, this time against Trevor Herrod, at the LBCC Men's Basketball team practice Thursday night in the gym.
The LBCC Men's Basketball team takes to the court for real on Nov. 27-29 in the Pierce Thanksgiving Tournament.
Oregon State University and University of Oregon students participated in an eight man crew battle for The Melee Games at Fight or Flight 5: Civil War! on Saturday, Oct. 24. It was a close set, but UO ultimately emerged victorious.
OSU student Devin Daeschel and UO student Chris Sketch McGinn participating in The Melee Games at the LLC Performance Hall on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Players and spectators watching The Melee Games OSU vs. UO crew battle at Fight or Flight 5: Civil War! at the LLC Performance Hall on Saturday, Oct. 24.
If you're interested in competitive "Super Smash Bros. Melee," come to Midnight Melee happening at 9 p.m. at the West Dinning Hall at OSU on Friday, Nov. 13.
Topic 1: Portrait Subjects
1. Richenda Hawkins and William Fleming are the two possible subjects for my environmental portrait and mug.
2. Hawkins is a librarian at LBCC and Fleming is a writing instructor.
3. For Hawkins, the best place to photograph her is in the library or in her office. For Fleming, the best place to take photos of him would be while he teaches a class.
4. For Hawkins, a nice prop might be a book or computer. For Fleming, a good prop would probably be a white board.
5. I plan to email both Hawkins and Fleming.
Topic 2: Self-Critique
1.
I like this photo because it has nice depth of field and it has context even though there's not a lot going on. It's the best close up I've taken so far.
2.
I don't like this photo as much as the other ones I've taken so far this term. It's kind of bland and there are no people in it.
3. I think the skill I need to improve to make my photos better is to get different angled photos. I haven't taken to many high or low angle shots. I think taking more high and low angle shots will make my photos more dynamic.
Students and faculty members in the Learning Center at the LBCC Albany campus on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Diagnostic imaging student Ezra Bunnell (left) working with sustainable science major Lance Merrill in the Learning Center at the LBCC Albany campus on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Diagnostic imaging student Ezra Bunnell hard at work in the Learning Center at the LBCC Albany campus on Thursday, Oct. 15
Dari Lawrie reading her poem, "The Story Never Ends," at the candlelight vigil for Umpqua Community College at the Benton Center in Corvallis on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Attendees of the candlelight vigil for Umpqua Community College at the Benton Center in Corvallis on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Pete Bober, former director of the small business center and the community education and workforce at Umpqua Community College, speaking at the candlelight vigil at the Benton Center in Corvallis on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Anyone who is a member of the competitive fighting game community knows that the Evolution Championship Series, or Evo for short, is the Super Bowl for gamers. It brings together people from all over the world to compete in their favorite games for a chance at money and glory.
I've been competing in Super Smash Bros. Melee tournaments for the past two years. After participating in tournaments in the North West and hearing the different stories about Evo, I decided to attend Evo 2015. The tournament was one of the best weekends of my life and the overall experience was one that I'll be telling my grandchildren about.
The thing about Evo is that it's in Las Vegas, and I live in Oregon. So my friends and I had to decide how we were going to get there. Most people chose to fly, which in hindsight was probably the better decision. Me and six of my friends decided to make the 15 hour drive down to Vegas in my van. the trip was all right, except for when we got a flat tire at 3 a.m. That wasn't very fun. Driving was a great experience, but I think I'll fly next year.
The actual tournament was Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19. The tournament was held at the Bally's Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, and our room was also at the Bally's. We got there a day before the tournament and had fun playing Melee with friends and exploring the Vegas Strip.
A tournament the size of Evo is double elimination. The first day is pools up to top 32, the second day is top 32 up to top eight, and the third and final day of the tournament is when top eight is played out and a winner is crowned.
My goal was to make it out of my pool, which was going to be difficult because there were some very good players in it. I got a bye round one, meaning that the person I was supposed to play didn't show up and I advanced automatically.
I won my next match, and after that I lost to this guy named Darrell. He is an extremely good player, having been ranked in the top 100 in the world two years in a row. He demolished me, but i wasn't out of the tournament yet.
I went into loser bracket and lost immediately. I was out of the tournament going 2-2, or 1-2 if you don't count the bye. I was upset because I felt that I could perform better than I did, but there's always next year.
I spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with friends and watching the rest of the tournament.
Having been a sports fan my entire life, I can say without a doubt that watching top 32 and top eight of Evo was one of the most intense and exhilarating experiences of my life. And I was just watching. I can't imagine what it must have been like for the players actually competing.
On the last night before we drove back, my fiends and I went to a party in the pent house of the hotel that the Arizona players were hosting. It was amazing. Everyone was there, including Evo 2015 champ Adam "Armada" Lindgren. Getting to meet some of my favorite players at that party was the icing on the cake.
Evo 2015 was amazing. There was great people, great competition, and great games. I may not have told the whole story here, but that's because what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
"Fantastic Four" is officially the worst reviewed superhero movie of all time on rotten tomatoes, with a score of eight percent. Even the atrocity that is the Halle Berry "Catwoman" film has a higher score. Poor reviews harmed the film's release, as it flopped in its opening weekend at the box office. The reboot of the Fantastic Four certainly isn't a good movie, but it isn't quite deserving of the title of worst superhero movie of all time.
The film was directed by Josh Trank and stars Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, and Toby Kebbell. Based on the Marvel comics characters, the film follows a group of young scientists who gain super powers after a terrible accident. Basically, it's the same origin story told again for the trillionth time.
An interesting fact about "Fantastic Four" that most movie goers are unaware of is the influence the "Ultimate Fantastic Four" comic series had on the reboot. "Ultimate Fantastic Four" focuses on younger versions of the main characters and they get their powers from a malfunctioning teleporter. The new movie contains similar story elements.
"Fantastic Four" trailer
Trank is a newer director in Hollywood, with "Fantastic Four" only his second directorial outing. His first movie, "Chronicle," was an excellent found footage film that presented a fresh take on the superhero genre. Many people were excited to see what Trank could do with the Fantastic Four after the success of "Chronicle." After seeing the final product, however, it's clear that "Fantastic Four" pales in comparison to Trank's first film.
The cast is by far the strongest aspect of "Fantastic Four." People took issue with how young the cast is because the characters are typically older in the comic books. Age aside, Teller, Jordan, Mara, Bell, and Kebbell give good performances when juxtaposed with the cast from the 2005 film. The new cast demonstrates a better understanding of the characters and give much less over the top and silly performances than previous actors did.
The science fiction approach that the filmmakers took with the story was one of the more enjoyably qualities of the movie. The first half of the film follows the characters as they attempt to build a machine that will take them to another dimension. One of the most memorable scenes is when young Reed Richards and Ben Grimm build a prototype in Reed's garage.
Despite a good cast and some interesting science fiction elements, "Fantastic Four" has more going wrong for itself than it does right.
The most notable flaw of the movie is the way Doctor Doom is presented. Early on in the film, Doom isn't such a bad character. Both the script and Kebbell's performance illustrate the brilliance of Victor von Doom and the potential he has. But the final act of the movie ruins Doom. He looks terrible. Bad special effects make him stick out like a sore thumb. The worst part is that his powers make no sense. It's not even clear what his powers are. Watching this movie, it seems like Doctor Doom can do whatever he wants. It's such a shame to see one of the great pop culture villains squandered for the second time on the silver screen.
Doctor Doom in "Fantastic Four"
The final act of the movie is a noticeable blemish in "Fantastic Four." Considering the end is supposed to be the climax of the film, the ending to "Fantastic Four" is strangely anticlimactic. The final battle takes place in a bland, colorless wasteland that's boring to look at. There's very little action. The last fight only lasts a couple of minutes, which isn't long compared to other superhero movies. Ultimately, the ending is bland and uneventful.
The special effects in "Fantastic Four" were much to be desired. Mr. Fantastic's stretching ability looks particularly cringe worthy. And as stated earlier, Doctor Doom looks ridiculous. Better special effects would have improved the final act of the movie immensely.
"Fantastic Four" is not a good superhero movie, but it's also not the worst one ever made. What sets "Fantastic Four" apart from other bad superhero movies, like "Catwoman" or "Electra," is that it is watchable. It's a mediocre film at best, but the good cast and interesting science fiction elements make it watchable. However, the climax and the way Doctor Doom is presented brings "Fantastic Four" down considerably.
Hugo “Hugs” Gonzalez and Jeffrey “Axe” Williamson competing in Super Smash Bros. Melee at Evo 2015 with avid fans looking on.
The Evolution Championship Series is an annual fighting game tournament held in Las Vegas, Nev. Evo, as it is commonly called, started in 2002 and has grown significantly each year. It brings together players from all over the world and has become the crown jewel of fighting game tournaments.
Evo 2015 was held on July 17 through July 19 at the Bally’s / Paris Las Vegas Casino. The lineup of games consisted of “Ultra Street Fighter IV,” “Super Smash Bros. for Wii U,” Super Smash Bros. Melee,” “Mortal Kombat X,” “Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-,” “Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3,” “Tekken 7,” “Persona 4 Arena Ultimax,” and “Killer Instinct.” Thousands of players competed for a shot at money, glory, and most importantly, bragging rights until next years Evo.
The number of entrants at this years Evo were the biggest the series had ever seen. “Ultra Street Fighter IV” had the most entrants with 2,227. That many entrants is a huge accomplishment for the fighting game community. However, Street Fighter wasn’t the only game to have a strong showing.
Making a large splash at Evo once again was the Super Smash Bros series. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U had a staggering 1,926 entrants. Perhaps more impressive was the fan favorite Super Smash Bros. Melee tallying 1,869 entrants, making Evo 2015 the largest Melee tournament of all time. Not bad for a fifteen year old game.
Smash Bros. has been the source of much controversy over the years. Many of the traditional fighting game players didn’t view Smash Bros. as a game deserving of a spot at Evo. However, impressive numbers of entrants, insane live stream viewing numbers, and fast, exciting play has changed several minds of players.
One of Evo’s founders, Joey “Mr. Wizard” Cuellar, spoke about the future of Super Smash Bros. at Evo in an interview with The Daily Dot.
“I think Smash is here to stay,” said Mr. Wizzard.
Much of the controversy surrounding Smash Bros. at Evo 2015 happened on the main stage. Florida player Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma was booed for his campy, or what many players call lame, style of play. He lost the crowd, but Hungrybox went on to take second place in Melee, which is a huge accomplishment.
The winner of Super Smash Bros. Melee and $11,214 at Evo 2015 was Adam “Armada” Lindgren from Sweden. Armada’s grand finals set with Hungrybox was viewed live by 205,000 people on twitch.tv.
The game lineup for Evo 2016 won’t be revealed until early next year. If history has proven anything, Evo 2016 will be the biggest tournament yet.
Five years ago, no one would have thought that a live action film about Ant-Man would have worked. But after the success of other Marvel movies, especially 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” an Ant-Man movie didn’t seem so farfetched after all.
“Ant-Man” was released on July 17, and is the twelfth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was directed by Peyton Reed and stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne, and Corey Stoll as Darren Cross / Yellowjacket. The success of the film stems from it’s strong script and talented cast, despite a few hiccups along the way.
One of the most interesting aspects of “Ant-Man” is the way it embodies both the successes and failures of the MCU all in one movie.
For example, every MCU film up until now have all had strong scripts, and “Ant-Man” is no exception. The story credits for “Ant-Man” go to Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, and they did a spectacular job. The dialogue oozes with emotion and humor, and manages to find a healthy balance of both. It doesn’t get too bogged down in exposition, which is a good thing.
"Ant-Man" trailer
Like other movies in the MCU, “Ant-Man” has a stellar cast. Rudd seemed like an odd choice for a superhero movie back when he was announced as the titular Ant-Man, but after watching the film it’s clear he’s perfect for the role. Douglas and Lilly also deliver strong performances. They give believability to the fractured relationship between their two characters. Also worth noting is Michael Pena as Luis. Every word out of his mouth is comedic dynamite.
But just as “Ant-Man” shares many positive traits with the other MCU films, it also shares some flaws. The main issue with the movie is the villain. Stoll is okay in the roll, but the character just isn’t very memorable. Not having a strong villain has been prevalent in other MCU films, such as “Thor: The Dark World” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Perhaps one of the more subtle flaws with “Ant-Man” and the MCU as whole is the tendency to shy away from mature subjects and themes.
Pym is a complex character in the comics. He often struggles with feelings of insecurity and at times has been known to physically harm his wife and friends. These themes are absent from “Ant-Man,” and maybe for the best. But hopefully as these characters progress, they will be able to develop and become as complex and fully realized as they are in the source material.
“Ant-Man” marks the end of Marvel's phase two of films, and it does so with a bang. It’s well written, exciting, emotional, and funny. The actors are great, especially Rudd and Douglas. Even though the villain wasn’t great and the film failed to present some of the more mature themes from the comics, those are flaws that will hopefully be fixed with future films. Overall, “Ant-Man” packs a small yet powerful punch.
Senate Bill 81 is here to take some of the pressure off of paying tuition. What a relief for Oregon community college students.
Tuition is typically one of the primary concerns for college students.
“The price of attending a public four-year college has risen 27 percent beyond inflation over the past five years,” wrote Bryce Covert of thinkprogress.com. “The costs have also gone up 24 percent at community colleges and 13 percent at private universities.”
Senate Bill 81, the “Oregon Promise,” is a last-minute bill passed by legislators on Thursday, July 9 that will provide free tuition to eligible community college students in the state of Oregon. The bill makes Oregon the second state after Tennessee to offer free community college.
The key phrase regarding the bill is “eligible community college students.” In order to qualify for the free tuition, students will need to meet specific criteria. Recipients must have lived in Oregon for at least 12 months prior to enrolling in community college, received a high school diploma or GED certificate, and earned a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or equivalent.
It’s also not completely free. Each student must pay at least $50 per term.
The bill was proposed by Sen. Mark Hass. According to Hass, the two main goals of the 2015 Legislative Session were to make the tax system in Oregon more stable and to provide debt-free community college to Oregon high school graduates at no cost.
“We are closer to improving the lives and opportunities of our students,” said Hass.
It’s still early on. Oregon could begin the program as early 2016, and it’s estimated that 10,000 to 12,000 students will see the benefits of free community college.
Regardless of how soon the bill is enacted, it is a huge accomplishment for Oregon to pass a bill granting free community college for students. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Senate Bill 81.
“A lifetime of food stamps is much more expensive than the annual community college tuition of $3,ooo,” Hass told lawmakers on May 28.
When Arnold Schwarzenegger first uttered the line, “I’ll be back” in the original Terminator film in 1984, it became a staple of pop culture. “The Terminator” would forever be etched in the pantheon of sci-fi lore, along with Schwarzenegger and that iconic line. After 30 years, however, it might be better if the Terminator franchise goes away and never comes back.
“Terminator Genisys” is the latest movie in the Terminator franchise, and the fifth film in the series overall. It stars Schwarzenegger as the iconic T-800, Jason Clarke as John Connor, Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor, and Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese. Schwarzenegger still kills it as the Terminator and the movie is surprisingly funny at times, but “Terminator Genisys” fails due to a convoluted plot and trailers that revealed too much, too soon.
Schwarzenegger reprises his role as the T-800 in “Terminator Genisys,” and he feels right at home. Schwarzenegger proves that he’s old, but not obsolete, and provides some much appreciated humor. Any soul that this film has stems from Schwarzenegger’s performance. Unfortunately, there's not much else to love about “Terminator Genisys.”
The rest of the cast doesn’t work. Jason Clarke might have been an amazing John Connor if he had been given a better script to work with. Emilia Clarke was miscast as Sarah Connor. And Jai Courtney shouldn't be allowed to act. Seriously, I don’t know who thought he would make a good Kyle Reese. Any emotion he tries to convey comes across as bland and forced. As bad as Courtney is, he’s the least of the problems with this film.
Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor in "Terminator Genisys"
“Terminator Genisys” is an action movie, so there should be some memorable action sequences. However, the action in this new movie was either a rehash of what had been accomplished in the first two films, or it was completely unimaginative.
The plot of the movie is where film falls the hardest.
The premise is interesting enough. Kyle Reese is sent back in time to save Sarah Connor only to find that the timeline is altered. The helpless waitress Reese expected to meet is replaced by a hardened warrior. But the altered timeline and too much time travel make the plot confusing. Most of the story aspects of this movie just don’t make any sense.
There's a few plot twists throughout the film, but most of them were spoiled in the trailers. For anyone who doesn’t want to have most of the key aspects of the plot ruined before they even see the movie, avoid the trailers.
This movie gets more wrong than it does right. Schwarzenegger proves that he can still play a T-800, but other than that, there’s not a lot here in terms of quality entertainment. “Terminator Genisys” is as confusing and nonsensical as a mind numbing summer blockbuster could hope to be. Everyone should run from this terminator as fast as possible.
The post-apocalyptic genre is quite popular in Hollywood. Movies like “The Book of Eli” and “Oblivion” have done well at the box office in recent years, but they weren’t able to stimulate the audience's imagination the same way classic films in the genre have done before. That’s why it’s a good time to put the pedal to the metal and return to the wasteland.
“Mad Max: Fury Road” is the fourth film in the Mad Max franchise. It’s been 30 years since the last film in the series, “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” was released. No one would’ve been surprised if the new Mad Max movie turned out to be a boring sequel with an unoriginal premise. Luckily, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is action packed, startlingly beautiful, and completely off it’s rocker.
This is the first movie in the series to not feature Mel Gibson as the titular Max Rockatansky. Replacing him is Tom Hardy, and he does a magnificent job. But the real star is Charlize Theron as Furiosa. Max is widely regarded as one of the toughest dudes in all of cinema, but Furiosa makes him look like a toddler playing with Tonka trucks in a sand box.
The plot of the movie is pretty simple. Max helps Furiosa and her friends cross the post-apocalyptic desert wasteland as they are pursued by some bad guys.
While the plot is basic, it’s also perfect for this particular kind of movie. Most of the film is essentially one long chase scene, which means a lot of action. And the action in this movie is superb.
Mad Max: Fury Road trailer
With “Mad Max: Fury Road,” George Miller has proven he knows how to film action better than any director working today. Miller started making the Mad Max movies in the late '70s. As a result, he comes from a background of using practical effects in his films.
"This is a movie that's real vehicles and real people and real desert. It had to be old school," he said. "It's not a green screen movie, so we had to shoot it for real. I think that makes the movie feel very, very authentic."
While there is some CGI to be found in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” most of the stunts are achieved with practical effects. When a car flips over ten times and explodes it’s a real car exploding.
Some of the stunts were so authentic looking that viewers may be left wondering if any actors were injured in the making of the film. Only when people think actors were in fear for their lives during filming is it clear that the action was handled properly.
Critical reception for "Mad Max: Fury Road" has been overwhelmingly positive. Jeff Baker of the Portland Oregonian said, "'Mad Max: Fury Road' sets new standards in old-school stunt work and car chases and does it in service of an idea-driven story with a beating heart and an action star for our troubled times in Charlize Theron." Ian Nathan of Empire magazine said "Max’s re-enfranchisement is a triumph of barking-mad imagination, jaw-dropping action, crackpot humour, and acting in the face of a hurricane."
The truly surprising thing about this movie is just how beautiful it gets at times. Strange, but beautiful nonetheless. A particularly memorable scene in regards to the visuals is when Furiosa drives into a sand storm in an attempt to evade her pursuers. It’s jaw-dropping.
There’s really nothing wrong with this movie. It has strong characters and performances. The plot is simple, but it compliments the rest of the film perfectly. The action is masterfully executed. The visuals are strange and eerily beautiful. This movie just works on every level. “Mad Max: Fury Road” is a mad masterpiece.
At a glance:
STARRING: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
DIRECTOR: George Miller
PRODUCTION: Kennedy Miller Productions, Village Roadshow Pictures
GENRE: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
RATED: R
OVERALL RATING: 5 Stars
Students have a plethora of resources at their disposal if they need information or help with their classes. Richenda Hawkins works hard to make those resources easy to access, and she’s available to help students with whatever problems or questions they might have.
While assisting students is Hawkins’ primary job, her duties go beyond the book shelves of the library and involve improving the LBCC community as a whole.
Hawkins has been the chair for four years at LBCC. Her responsibilities as the department chair mean overseeing the budget, the supervision of the classified staff, the facilities, and everything that has to do with promoting the library. Despite her responsibilities as department chair, Hawkins makes time for each student that stops by the help desk.
Hawkins’ career as a librarian stems from an early love of public libraries and books.
“I’d just hop on the bus and go to the public library and check out books. I thought it was such a big adventure,” she said. “I’ve always been a big reader. I remember in about fourth or fifth grade really liking “The Chronicles of Narnia .” It sort of sparked a love of the fantasy genre, so I’m still a fan of anything that takes me outside of our reality.”
While her youthful journeys to the library and fantasy worlds lit a fire under Hawkins’ feet, the path that led where she is now was a long one.
“It was a process. I started becoming interested in becoming a librarian when I had my first job in a library,” she said. “I was a senior in college, so I basically got a work studies type job working at the UC Davis main library. My job there was to help the department that was called gifts and exchanges, so my job was to sort through all the books that were given to us and make some decisions on them a little bit and put them in the catalog.”
She eventually got her master’s degree in library science.
Fellow librarian Bryan Miyagishima works with Hawkins on a daily basis.
“She’s an excellent colleague. She’s always upbeat, always energetic, so she’s very delightful to work with,” he said.
Current LBCC students might not know this, but there used to be signs all over the library that said, “Please be quiet.”
“Richenda eliminated all of those,” Miyagishima said. “We kind of count on students to police themselves. Students don’t need to be treated like little kids.”
Ultimately, Hawkins wants to help people become the best they can be.
“My job is to share things with people,” she said. “What I get to give you is something that has the potential to make you a better human being. To increase your understanding. To increase your knowledge. To maybe improve your job prospects. I get to help you find it, I get to help you understand it, and I get to give it to you for free. I think that’s a really awesome thing to be able to do every day in your life.”
At a glance:
If you have any questions for Hawkins, email her at hawkinr@linnbenton.edu.
Fighting games are a prominent genre with competitive gamers all over the world. One game that has become popular over the years is “Super Smash Bros. Melee.”
“Super Smash Bros. Melee” was released in 2001 for the Nintendo GameCube. The game was such a success with critics and fans alike that it became the highest selling GameCube game of all-time.
A niche community of devoted players developed a competitive tournament scene around the game. Nearly 15 years since “Super Smash Bros. Melee” was first released, the competitive scene is still going strong.
The basic premise of the game is simple. Up to four players battle it out on any number of different stages with 26 playable characters. The objective is for opposing players to knock their opponents beyond the boundaries of the stage. It becomes more complicated for tournaments, because there are advanced techniques and rules that casual players might not be aware of. At its core though, Super Smash Bros. is about having a good time with your friends.
What makes Smash stand out from other fighting games is that it wasn't supposed to be competitive.
The creator of the game, Masahiro Sakurai, has stated on multiple occasions that he intended for the Super Smash Bros. series to be a casual gaming experience and not a competitive one.
“What I’m more going for is something like a party game, something you can play on a whim and have fun as all sorts of things take place on screen,” he said in an interview with mashable.com.
Nonetheless, players still developed a competitive scene around the game.
Another element that makes “Super Smash Bros. Melee” stand apart from other games is the speed and technicality required to be successful in tournaments. Wynton “Prog” Smith, a Smash commentator, talked briefly about the speed of “Super Smash Bros. Melee” in a documentary called "The Smash Brothers."
“Players learned how to use wavedashing and other advanced techniques to speed up the game to the point where it basically got ridiculous. Most people figure that we put in about six or seven inputs per second,” Smith said. “It kind of broke the boundaries of what people expected to see in Smash.”
The Smash scene started off very small. Tournaments were held at people’s houses with 20 or so players in attendance. However, the Smash community eventually grew out of its underground fight club roots and emerged as a major title at major events.
Major League Gaming (MLG), a competitive video gaming organization, ran “Super Smash Bros. Melee” at their tournaments from 2004 to 2006 with cash prizes. Christopher “PC Chris” Szygiel won $10,000 for winning the MLG championship in Las Vegas in 2006.
After the MLG championship in Las Vegas, the Smash scene returned to the underground. For a while it looked like that was where it was going to stay—until 2013.
The Evolution Championship Series, or Evo, is the largest fighting game series in the world. In 2013, Evo staff held a donation drive for breast cancer research. The gaming community that donated the most money would get the last spot in the Evo 2013 lineup. The Smash community won by donating nearly $95,000.
Joseph "Mango" Marquez after winning Evo 2013
Evo 2013 became one of the largest “Super Smash Bros. Melee” tournaments of all-time with 709 entrants. A year later, Evo 2014 broke that record with 970 entrants. Evo 2015 will take place July 17-19 and is already the biggest tournament of all-time with over 1,000 entrants registered to compete.
In the same Smash Bros. documentary, a tournament organizer, who goes by the gamertag Jv3x3, was interviewed.
“I think ‘Melee’ is one of the deepest and most intricate games you can ever play competitively,” he said. “Which is crazy for a game made by Nintendo that wasn’t supposed to be competitive with cartoon characters, but it just kind of was like a beautiful accident.”
“What We Do in the Shadows” is here to save the average movie-goer from sitting through another film adaptation of a young adult novel. It feels like every new movie that comes out of Hollywood now is a sequel or prequel to another film or based on a book. People seem to view this as a sign that film studios are beginning to run out of ideas. “What We Do in the Shadows” is a recently released comedy horror film from New Zealand. The film follows the shenanigans of a group of vampires who live together and attempt to navigate the modern world. Witty dark humor and a mockumentary approach to the filming are what make “What We Do in the Shadows” one of the funniest movies of the year.
Trailer for "What We Do in the Shadows"
Viewers may recognize one of the writers, directors, and stars of the film as Jemaine Clement from the HBO comedy series “Flight of the Conchords.” Fans of that show will find the comedic timing and style of “What We Do in the Shadows” to be a bit familiar, but in the best possible way. The jokes in this film feel instantly recognizable without being boring or predictable. Regardless of whether someone has seen “Flight of the Conchords,” most people will be laughing 30 seconds into “What We Do in the Shadows” and probably won’t stop laughing until the very end of the movie. Clement explained in an interview why the film is about vampires. "Just kind of the sex appeal and everything about them," he said. "It's very sexy, very classic." The film pokes fun at the growing popularity of vampires that has occurred within pop culture in the last decade or so. Most people expect sexy vampires from film and TV now, like the ones in “Twilight” and “True Blood,” but the characters in “What We Do in the Shadows” are much closer to Dracula than Edward Cullen. One character, Petyr (played by Ben Fransham), strongly resembles Count Orlok from “Nosferatu.” The filmmakers treat the audience with respect and realize that people will understand a reference to another movie, TV show, or book. Another successful aspect of the film is that it manages to be morbid and hilarious at the same time. There are moments when you simply don’t know if you should be scared or laughing or both. The characters stand out in their own ways. Viago (played by Taika Waititi) is the responsible member of the group, always making sure that other vampires put towels and newspapers down on the floor and furniture before sucking the blood of a victim. Deacon (played by Jonathan Brough) is 183 years old, and is regarded as the young and wild vampire. These are just a few examples of some memorable characters that the writers were able to create.
The film garnered critical acclaim upon release. Chris Tilly of ign.com said, "'What We Do in the Shadows' is wonderfully good-natured in spite of the fact that its protagonists are cold-blooded killers. And with the performances note-perfect, the characters rich, and the gag-to-laugh ratio high, it may well be the funniest movie of the year."
The only place the film seems to falter is in the final act. The main problem with it is that it doesn’t really end. A few plot lines are resolved, but it doesn’t feel like closure. The ending felt so sudden that it was kind of jarring when the credits began to roll. The movie as a whole is well executed and very, very funny. There isn’t a single joke that falls flat, and the mockumentary approach is utilized to the fullest extent. Viewers who keep up with pop culture will find this movie to be especially fresh and entertaining. What these guys do in the shadows will have every person in the theater laughing out loud.
At a glance: STARRING: Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, Jonathan Brugh
DIRECTOR: Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement
WRITER: Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement
PRODUCTION: Unison Films, Defender Films, Funny or Die, New Zealand Film Commission
GENRE: Mockumentary, Comedy, Horror
RATED: NR
OVERALL RATING: 4 stars "What We Do in the Shadows" is currently playing at Darkside Cinema in Corvallis.
A skill that college students should have, regardless of major or career goals, is the ability to successfully communicate with others. It's the reason students are required to take at least one communication class.
However, the importance of excellent communication goes beyond this requirement. Communication skills have become a major attribute that employers look at when hiring new employees.
Communication Department Chair Mark Urista knows how important it is to develop these skills.
"Preparing students for success after college is a top priority for our department," he said.
In light of how increasingly relevant good communication skills have become in the job market, the Communication Department has created a new award for students to earn.
The Communication Focus Award is a new honor being given to students by the Communication Department. The award acknowledges the hard work of students who have earned grades of B or better in Comm 111(Public Speaking), Comm 112 (Intro. to Persuasion), and Comm 218 (Interpersonal Communication). The award will serve to help students advance their goals for the future.
The point of the award is to motivate students to invest in their own futures.
"This award encourages students to take a series of classes that will help them develop the soft skills employers are looking for in the people they hire," said Urista. "The award also provides recipients with tangible proof that they have developed these highly sought after skills."
Many skeptics might see this award as nothing more than something nice and shinny to put on a resume. They wouldn't be wrong.
"I thought it would look good on a resume," said Connilyn Hursh, an LBCC student and recipient of the Communication Focus Award.
Hursh also recognizes the greater value the award carries than just looking good on a resume.
"Having the experience under my belt has given me a lot of confidence in my future career paths," she said. "Communication is key."
Another student, Grant Guernsey, has included the award on resumes and applications.
"I'm applying for pro school for the marketing program at Oregon State. It was really cool to put down an awesome award on my resume," he said.
Guernsey also sees the potential this award holds for him beyond career goals.
"Going into my freshman year of college I didn't get to do to much public speaking," he said. "Once I took Comm 111 and 112 I was way more comfortable and basically diminished the whole fear of speaking in front of people."
The benefits of this award are already being realized by many students who have received it, and the greater impact may yet to be seen.
While this award definitely looks good on a resume, the skills and tenacity it instills in the students who work to earn it will be longer lasting than a piece of paper listing prior job experience.
At a glance
Mark Urista is an LBCC Communication professor. For more information about the Communication Focus Award, email him at uristam@linnbenton.edu.
Go to linnbenton.edu to register for Comm 111, Comm 112, and Comm 218 to complete the requirements for the award.
