The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Reviews

  • Do You Believe in My New Band Believe?

    Do You Believe in My New Band Believe?

    By Will Bishop

    The foundations of My New Band Believe and their titular debut album came to Cameron Picton in a fever dream while under the throes of food poisoning, far away from home in a Chinese hotel room while on tour with his previous band, black midi. The name, and a handful of other phrases, became stuck in his mind, eventually coalescing into the project some years later. The music and songwriting very much reflect this, rife with surrealist imagery and lavish sonic cacophony, filled with euphoric highs and long dark tunnels.

    Love Story, the first track released off the album, initially reads as a gentle musing on domestic life refracted through little moments. “You sing along to your favourite songs. But you don’t know the words. So you make up your own.” Then a harsh aura builds in the string section, giving way to frightful and nightmarish imagery. “A mеtal spike from the sky. Precisе and poisoned. Somehow avoided me.”


    Hopeful and optimistic phrases are spoken like a mantra, beguiling you into peering deeper beyond the shimmering surface. The ostinato — a musical pattern that is consistently  repeated at the same pitch throughout a composition — of Target Practice telling you over and over again “Don’t cry, you deserve this,” has a soothing, almost therapeutic quality — until you start to wonder what exactly it’s telling you that you deserve. The verses reveal a world of pain. The narrator tells you that you deserve what you have given, promising you desecration beyond death.

    The towering Heart of Darkness pushes the album’s shapeshifting approach to its furthest extreme. Playful flamenco guitars fill your ears with bright color as the unease of its lyricism mounts. “Open up, I have come too far to run. My, my, my, what have you done?” Picton breathes, pulling back dark clouds with a moment of musical bliss only to reveal night has fallen beyond the veil as you circle a black drain in the sky that spits you back out, eventually lowering you down on the feather of an angel’s wilting wing.

    For all its musical virtuosity, My New Band Believe is often reserved, as if hiding in the thorny bramble of its instrumentation. If you follow the vine of a blackberry bush down its ever winding path, counting every overlap, every splintering, every leaf, then it is a complex thing indeed. But, it is internally inaccessible, only offering its outward appearance and the fruits held on its distant edges. It does not offer its innermost complexities, rather, it leverages them into an impenetrable fortress. A yaegaki, fences within fences. But, the album is at its best when it’s letting you in. At times, it can look so impossible. Thorn bushes made of nylon string. Like a non-euclidean horse with legs melting long and tangling together. Then, suddenly, its aestivating worm appendages unswirl, its sinewy muscles tighten back to life, exploding into a triumphant gallop. In those moments, you will believe Cameron Picton can fly. “Speak of the dragon and the dragon shall appear at last.”

    Will Bishop is a Cal Poly Humboldt journalism major. He is prone to writing essays about things that bother him, and fictional works about things that also bother him but in different ways. A highly bothered individual, and a lover of cinema, music, and large trees/rocks. He can often be found in the woods, dancing to bring down the sky.

  • Resident Evil Reviewquiem

    Resident Evil Reviewquiem

    By Will Bishop

    It’s been 30 years since the T-virus outbreak in Raccoon City. During the events of Resident Evil Requiem (RER), survivor, Leon S. Kennedy, must return to the crucible in which he was made in hopes of finding answers about The Umbrella Corporation’s curse. Forged in a trial by fire which rapidly mutated him from a remarkably brave rookie cop — who’s really, really hot — into a ludicrously badass superhero who can roundhouse kick someone’s jaw off of their face — who’s still really, really hot. But, Leon’s is not the only story being told here.

    Enter Grace Ashcroft, a new addition to the Resident Evil (RE) roster. The series has long made its name by functioning as an inversion of the usual horror formula. In most horror media, ordinary individuals are placed in extraordinary circumstances and forced to then become extraordinary or face the penalty of death. In RE, you are playing as elite counterterror operatives, the president’s bodyguard — individuals uniquely and highly suited to deal with the extraordinary circumstances they find themselves in, yet still become entrenched in fear. In keeping with the last couple installments, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village — both helmed by stubborn and perpetually bewildered everyman Ethan Winters — our new hero in RER is a regular person. Albeit an FBI agent, but a sedentary one surrounded by towers of files threatening to fall off her desk. Unlike Ethan, Grace is smart enough to be afraid.

    The game is split between these two vastly different perspectives, both embodying unique design philosophies which permeate all aspects of their gameplay and the scenarios they face. Leon can stylishly obliterate an entire room full of zombies, and is highly incentivized to do so. Grace, on the other hand, must be careful, methodical, patient, seizing every advantage she can and avoiding conflict whenever possible. 

    In the game’s first half, the back and forth provided by a dual protagonist setup is absolutely ingenious. It essentially condenses the progression of an RE title to level sized loops of fear and catharsis. The series has always operated according to this paradigm, in the early game resources are scarce, your combat capabilities are limited, and even a small number of assailants can be an enormous threat. By the third act, you become a wrecking ball, armed to the teeth and massacring every grotesque abomination that comes your way. You are rewarded for your suffering and your fear. This often leads to the downfall of many RE games; as by the final act, all tension is out the window and you are simply cruising to the finish line, waiting to count the amount of eyeballs possessed by whatever G-virus flesh ball you’re squaring up with in the big showdown.

    RER subverts this by shifting its power dynamic on a constant basis. Spend an hour making panicked runs back to the item box with Grace, chipping away at a level one hastily obtained item at a time in the vein of Resident Evil 2, then spend ten minutes with Leon, running through the same environment decapitating everything in sight with a hatchet in Resident Evil 4 fashion.

    Rather than working against itself, this implementation of the fear and catharsis paradigm works brilliantly. Highlighting the strengths of its level design, resource economy and enemy placements while it’s in survival horror mode, then allowing itself to flex its best in class combat and myriad execution animations in action mode. 

    If there is one area where the game falters, it is in its failure to fully commit to this tag team approach for the entirety of the game. It never fully abandons it, but it never does it quite as well or with as much consistency in its second half. It continues to be a great game, but it stops feeling so clever. In a surprising turn, the main strength of the game over its back half is actually the narrative itself, which successfully weaves Grace and Leon’s stories together while telling a poignant story of regret, hope and motorcycle duels.

    Will Bishop is a Cal Poly Humboldt journalism major. He is prone to writing essays about things that bother him, and fictional works about things that also bother him but in different ways. A highly bothered individual, and a lover of cinema, music, and large trees/rocks. He can often be found in the woods, dancing to bring down the sky.

  • After four years, BTS creates a new album 

    After four years, BTS creates a new album 

    By Alba Galvan 

    The internationally renowned K-pop band Bangtan Sonyeondon (BTS), known for top song’s Dynamite and Butter, released Arirang, their first album in four years.

    The seven members of BTS have been on a hiatus while they finished their mandatory South Korean military service, which they completed in June 2025. During their time serving, the band members were also working on their own solo projects.  

    Arirang released on March 20 — BTS’ comeback was widely celebrated by millions of fans, resulting in the song Swim becoming their seventh number one song on the Billboard Hot 100.

    The album has a total of 14 tracks — and let me just say, each song hits. 

    Body to Body starts with lyrics telling ‘Army’ — the fandom name — to live in the present and enjoy life.‘Put your phone down, let’s get all the fun.’  

    At the end of the song, you feel the blend of hip-hop and Korean folk music in a way that draws the listener in, wanting to hear more of the song. 

    Hooligan is the song you go with if you miss their earlier work. This was peak trap-pop, and I think the clashing of knives was interesting and added character to the song. 

    Aliens is really interesting, ‘The nerve on you, shameless. Show some respect, we aliens.’ I interpret that as their way of saying they paved the way for other Korean artists in western media. 

    2.0 was also neat, you can just feel their well-deserved egos in this song with lyrics like, ‘came back for what’s mine.’ Fun fact: Mike WiLL Made-it produced both songs. 

    FYA is a song I hope to listen to in a club. This is a new style for them, it’s definitely unlike anything I have listened to by BTS and it’s very catchy. 

    No.29 is not a song, but the sound of the sacred bell of the great King Seongdeok, which is an important part of Korean history.

    SWIM — UGHHHHHH, this shit was so good. As someone who was previously a big supporter of the group, this reminds me so much of their older albums when I first fell into the whole fangirl era of my life. 

    Merry Go Round was very emotional, with English translated lyrics that brought tears to my eyes, “Feel like I’m grown up now, but my worries are just the same. Every day the same routine, merry-go-round.” 

    Normal is beautifully written — it highlights the struggles of how normal looks different for others and how fame has become a challenge when it comes to wanting a normal life. 

    Like Animals feels more R&B and is fully in English. This song, once again, is beautifully written, and I have had it on repeat. I won’t be surprised if it’s on my top five Wrapped Spotify songs. 

    They Don’t Know ‘Bout Us feels like a message towards critics — they do this in a cool, dark trap and hip-hop style. 

    One More Night has an interesting house style music mix with synths, and Into the Sun has a more robotic-rock feel to it. Both songs are experimental for the group and I think they were a good addition to the album. 

    Please has an R&B style with intimate lyrics and an easy-going beat, and I know younger me would be squealing like such a fangirl because it’s a love song. 

    I truly believe this is a very well-written and beautiful album. It almost makes me wish I had succeeded in getting their concert tickets, as I would call this the comeback of the year. 

    Alba, she/her, Lumberjack reporter. Journalism major who loves to read and write. She’s very passionate about sharing and listening to different opinions and loves self-expression. Contact email: agg83@humboldt.edu 

  • What to make of All That’s Left of You

    What to make of All That’s Left of You

    By Kaylon Coleman

    What are we left with when all else is left within the control of others? When it all feels hopeless, when it feels like there’s nothing you can do? Over spring break, I was granted the opportunity to view the first showing in a series of films hosted by Shine a Light on Palestine and Watermelon Pictures, titled All That’s Left of You. Believe it or not, this was also my first time attending a film at the Minor Theater, which will present the series of films from now until May. If you’re interested in what the movie has to offer, the second and last showing of the film will happen tonight, March 25, at the Minor, with the next film in the series happening April 22 and the last film happening May 27.

    All That’s Left of You is a fictional narrative that showcases the lived experience of a single Palestinian family over the course of seven decades. The film takes us from the Nakba in 1948 up until “present day” in 2022. 

    This movie is powerful, it’s complex and it cuts deep. The non-linear structure reminds me a bit of City of God, where they must recount the backstory before the full story can be understood. The movie deals with loss, resilience, heart and hope. But, above all else, I think its central theme is about humanity — the human condition and experience.

    In a world where the voices of the Palestinian people are constantly subjected to the will of their suppressors, especially in the modern media landscape, All That’s Left of You is a standout film that amplifies the voices of Palestinian experiences, voices and art — by a Palestinian, for Palestinians. 

    The director, Cherien Dabis, who also plays the main female lead, did incredibly well within her role. While I want to give flowers to everyone for their performance, especially Sanad Alkabareti for his role as young Noor, I must single out Dabis for her artistry both on and off-camera. Her vision encapsulated Yafa and the West Bank through the progression of time and conflict incredibly. Dabis did a great job of placing the audience right there with the main characters, translating their emotions by showing, not telling.

    I also love the way the moral dilemmas show up throughout the film. Without trying to give anything away, the film encounters several scenarios where the main cast is stuck trying to make the best of impossible situations, with no true right answer. The film gives you a glimpse into the humanity of those who are often monstrified, and leaves you with a sense of contemplation and fervor.

    So, again, I ask: what are we left with when all else is left within the control of others? When it all feels hopeless, when it feels like there’s nothing you can do? We’re left with what we can control, what no one can take from you: our thoughts, our emotions, our values, our actions, our beliefs. We’re left with our humanity and all that encompasses. When everything is stripped away, that’s All That’s Left of You.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

  • Woman Down is romanticized toxicity 

    Woman Down is romanticized toxicity 

    By Alba Galvan

    Book Review: Woman Down

    W.T.F. — that’s what I think about the book Woman Down. I have read 22 out of 23 of Colleen Hoover books, and although she’s considered problematic for her novels often romanticizing toxic and abusive relationships. Hoover is an instant buy for me every time. She has a way with words that tends to draw readers into her books.

    Hoover is a top-selling author, having sold over 50 million books worldwide and being titled a bestselling author by the New York Times. I even have a tattoo inspired by one of her books, so when I say I know her writing and that I know when one of her books is bad or good — you best believe I’m telling the truth. 

    Woman Down brought so many emotions out of me that I haven’t felt in a while, discomfort, enjoyment, sadness and the passion to want to read again. It was so unrealistic that it took me a whole day to fully process my emotions once I finished reading the book.

    This book is one of my least favorite books by Hoover after Maybe Someday and not because the writing was bad; it was good and simple. This book definitely got me out of a reading slump, but I dislike this book because of how selfish and stupid the female main character was from start to finish.  

    Woman Down is about an author named Petra Rose who’s been struggling with writer’s block after a movie adaptation of her latest book receives backlash. So, as a getaway, she decides to go on her yearly retreat to a secluded cabin on a lake.

    While on this trip, she expresses on a video call with her best friend that she feels her books are too unrealistic and that’s why she’s been in a slump. When asked if she would welcome the idea of the unrealistic becoming realistic, she agrees, and is then dragged into her fantasies when she meets and begins to lust over a married cop who is willing to help her find inspiration for her book. 

    Petra is now in a cycle of being unable to separate reality from fiction, and falls for this married cop, Saint, who is willingly cheating on his wife to help her find inspiration for her book. 

    Hoover starts the book by clarifying that its storyline isn’t based on her own life, and asks readers not to compare the two just because both her and her main character are writers. Although the first half of the book was filled with so much whining and complaining about her last movie adaptation that it sounded like Hoover was venting through Petra. It’s hard not to compare both real life author Hoover and book author Petra, given the backlash and the drama that happened. 

    The rest of the book is filled with plot twists after plot twists – this is where the spoilers come, Saint  helps Petra experience things she hadn’t gone through to bring her inspiration. One night, he decides to break into her cabin to give her the experience of fear so she can authentically write what her characters will go through in her book. Petra believes this is a life-or-death situation, and when she finally realizes it’s Saint, instead of going home AND CALLING THE COPS, SHE FORGIVES HIM! She forgives the same man who made her believe she almost died and reduces what happened to her as a misunderstanding. 

    What I didn’t like about this book is how much the phrases, “you wanted this,” and “you asked for this,” appear. The amount of guilt-tripping that Saint puts on Petra throughout the story is disgusting and disturbing. Only then is it revealed that she is married with children, and this story takes a bigger turn with darker tones as stalking, possessiveness and cheating become common throughout the book.

    This book ended in the most bothersome way, and all I can say is this was a two-and-a-half-star rating out of five for me. I went into this book blind, and it brought out so many conflicting emotions. It’s sitting heavily on me as I STILL try to process what I read, because I truly disliked this book and the characters. 

    Do I recommend this book? No, but if you can separate reality from fiction and realize how everything in this book is not a reflection of how love should be perceived, and you don’t romanticize the stalking and victim-blaming that goes throughout the book, then yes. Read it and form your own opinion. 

    Alba she/her, LumberJack reporter. Journalism major who loves to read and write. She’s very passionate about sharing and listening to different opinions and loves self-expression. Contact email: agg83@humboldt.edu 

  • The Romantic Album Review

    The Romantic Album Review

    By Kaylon Coleman     

    Ladies, gentlemen and non-conformers, the time we’ve long awaited has ultimately dawned upon us. After essentially A DECADE since his last independent album, Peter Gene Hernandez, more popularly known as the one and only Bruno Mars, has finally made his way out of Vegas and into the booth with his new album The Romantic.

    If you happen to be unfamiliar with Bruno Mars, let me start by asking you how much the rent is for that rock you’re living under. But nevertheless, I can’t blame you if you need a refresher. Like I said, the man’s been gone for nearly a decade — well kind of. While this is his first solo album in a minute, we can’t blow by the spectacle that was An Evening With Silk Sonic, a collaborative piece of work between Bruno and artist Anderson. Paak that dropped back in 2021. Besides a couple singles such as APT with ROSÉ or Die With a Smile with Lady Gaga — and even that one with Sexxy Red that everyone forgot about — Mars has, for the most part, been absent from the musicscape… until now.

    Now, there’s two types of Bruno’s: The Bruno that’s smitten, and the Bruno that’s heartbroken. Bruno Mars is so goated in his craft that they had to nerf him by soul linking his music to his romantic escapades. As a fan, you’re caught between rooting for the human condition that is finding a partner and feeling all the feelings and being happy for Bruno. But, dammit if that boy’s heartbreak doesn’t fuel something primordial within his soul and music.

    Lastly, there’s three facets I’ve come to recognize from every Bruno Mars album. You have the karaoke, killer and K-Mart song. The karaoke is the one on the album you’d sing your heart to, perhaps at Richards Goat on a Sunday Night with friends. You have the Killer — at least one song fits within this threshold, but the door is definitely open for more. To put it bluntly, this is the song that kills, 10/10 everytime. Finally, you have the K-mart song:  the catchy, poppy song you’d see in like an Old Navy or Target commercial, K-mart just flows with the other K’s.

    The album kicks off with Risk It All. A classic Bruno formula: claiming to commit bodily harm for the love, affection and attention of a honey. “I would run through a fire, just to be by your side.” Very reminiscent of Grenade in that respect. This is a very solid intro to the album. 

    Next is Cha Cha Cha, and the title ain’t lying — it’ll have you cha-cha-cha-ing your heart out alright. This is one of those feel good Bruno Mars songs that’ll have you smiling on your first playthrough. Definitely adding this one to the skating playlist.

    I Just Might. The song that kicked the whole romantic era off. A singular, seemingly random drop at the start of 2026 after Bruno informed the public his album was done. This song is one of them ones. I don’t consider it the killer on the album, but it’s obviously the golden child so far. This is the Bruno Mars that the people have been longing for. A fun, feel good song with Bruno just doing him. Peep the music video if you haven’t yet.

    God Was Showing Off. Oh, yeah. Now we’re really getting to the meat and potatoes. Again, not the killer for me personally but this is definitely top three on the album. The beautiful production and slower pace allows Bruno to do what he does best; sing his motherf-ing heart out. “You know, whoever said God don’t have favorites. Never seen you before.” Definitely stealing that one.

    Why You Wanna Fight. If the previous songs were smitten Bruno, this is just a glimpse of what heartbroken Bruno has to offer. It gives me Silk Sonic vibes for sure but I think it’s one of the only songs that also channels that Doo-Wops & Hooligans vibe as well. I tried to warn y’all earlier, this is yet again not the killer of the album, but once again, it cracks my top three. This man don’t miss. This one also pairs as my karaoke song, y’all will catch me belting this have no doubt.

    On My Soul and Something Serious. I don’t have too many notes about these songs. On My Soul definitely gives me Skate vibes but it mostly just features Bruno flexing his vocal capabilities.

    Something Serious is probably the weakest song on the album. This one would be the song you’d see in that Old Navy commercial. 

    Nothing Left. This one’s a complete 180 from the last couple songs. Heartbroken Bruno has made his appearance. This one gives me the slightest Gorilla vibes — the guitar is also nuts.

    Dance With Me. Now this one — this is the one. This is the killer. It’s by far the most wholesome song on the album. I feel like this song is where Mars truly explores the raw side of love. We’re getting a glimpse into his most vulnerable state; Mars laments his relationship, hoping he can just embrace and dance with his partner one last time. Big When I Was Your Man parallels here. The production; beautiful. Vocals; beautiful. Absolutely no notes. Not only my favorite off the album, but definitely the most slept on.

    If you’ve made it to the end of this review, whether you have or haven’t streamed The Romantic yet, go venture out to the marsh or the forest and just play it through. And if Bruno Mars sees this, I’ll be at the Inglewood show Oct. 3, ready for that interview.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

  • Death and Transformation in the Key of Life 

    Death and Transformation in the Key of Life 

    By Will Bishop

    My Ghosts Go Ghost by By Storm album review

    For as much as we idealize it; for as much as we will it on ourselves, on others, on the world. For as much as we want it, need it, long for it, die for it, there’s nothing more scary than change; the intransmutable transformation. To watch the unyieldingly cruel beauty of the world around you give way in landslides and avalanches. To feel meteors falling down from the sky crashing and destroying with an indiscriminate lust like the libido of a dying and powerful thing. To watch the people around you melt and explode to watch their faces change and mangle and become more beautiful and become more terrible and become something you no longer recognize.

    My Ghosts Go Ghost is an album born out of forced metamorphosis. After the untimely death of Stepa J. Groggs, the trio known as Injury Reserve was forced to change in order to survive. The two remaining members couldn’t continue as they were, Injury Reserve was a project largely defined by the interplay of Groggs and Ritchie with a T. After the release of By the Time I Get to Phoenix, an album which marked a stark contrast from the rest of their discography and was largely completed by the time Groggs passed away, the remaining duo needed to move on. They took on the name of the final track for their final album as Injury Reserve, and together they started over as By Storm.

    Coincidentally, By the Time I Get to Phoenix was an album about death. Ritchie’s stepfather had suddenly passed away, and the resulting project was an outpouring of pain shrouded in the eerily and supernaturally cruel timing of Groggs following shortly after. There’s an innate assumption that both projects are largely about him, when in reality, the theme of death on their previous project was pure happenstance. My Ghosts Go Ghost is a sprawling project covering a multitude of topics disconnected from Groggs — at least it seems that way. But, that’s not how it works; the surreal pain of loss is universal. Like a hallucinogenic third eye awakening, once a new depth is revealed you see it everywhere in everything.

    On the opening track, Can I Have You For Myself?, Ritchie talks about a relationship on the brink of enormous change. A child is on the way, and the protagonist of the song struggles to accept the death of his status quo. “You giving all of you, I want you all for me.” A life killing a way of life. The innate greed of love, the hunger you feel for another person. The desire for your relationship with them, your exact relationship, to endure forever. Frozen under a hundred miles of ice so the sun can never break its spell. Loving someone away from life, deep below and so protected even the imperceptible rotation of the earth can’t touch you. In the most protective parts of our hearts, we all feel this way about anybody, about anything that we love. Real love is love you feel for something as it is. Not how it was, or how it could be, but for what it is in the present. Whether romantic or otherwise, change is that great killer of love. A burning orca whale bullet breaking through the ice.

    But death is not forever, death is not death. The stopping of a heart, the eternal stealing of breath. Death is simply change. And even when love is killed, love can live on.

    “I woke up in a sweat with yesterday still stuck to me like glue,” Ritchie wails, with Parker Corey’s production making it sound like he’s crying out from some awful and trapped place. “It ain’t dead weight, it ain’t dead weight.”

    A frantic mantra in the dark, bouncing off the walls like echolocation, searching for love and meaning within the pitch black cave of death. Knowing that it’s still there, you just can’t see it with your eyes anymore. So, reach out with those quivering limbs and dance. “There’s nothing to run from, it’s all brand new.” You will never escape, you will never make it back to a place that no longer exists. And you will be in love forever.

    It’s a bruising, melancholy listen, even in comparison to By the Time I Get to Phoenix. There’s a profound sense of absence, absence of hooks, absence of easy catharsis. Many tracks feel like decapitated and delimbed versions of songs that might’ve been hits in some other alternate timeline. Moments of propulsion degenerate and degrade into shambolic instrumental anxiety attacks. Drum patterns start and stop and fall away in the mix, swallowed up by growing sonic voids. Jazz, industrial, hip-hop, it’s an unquantifiable blend of sonic ephemera — a difficult listen meant to communicate difficult feelings.

    Will Bishop is a Cal Poly Humboldt journalism major. He is prone to writing essays about things that bother him, and fictional works about things that also bother him but in different ways. A highly bothered individual, and a lover of cinema, music, and large trees/rocks. He can often be found in the woods, dancing to bring down the sky.

  • Wuthering Heights

    Wuthering Heights

    By Alba Galvan

    I had to use the bathroom for two straight hours, but I refused to go as the movie Wuthering Heights had me glued to my seat. 

    The cinematography in this movie was perfect; if there were things in this movie that the director Emerald Fennell did right, it was the visuals, costumes, hair, makeup, lighting, and music that captured the dark gothic vibes spectacularly.

    I have not read the book by Emily Brontë, published in 1947, but from what I gathered from TikTok, X and other social media apps, the general consensus of those who read it was disappointment in the movie adaptation. Critics claimed it was nothing like the book, but rather a self-insert of director Fennell’s personal fantasy, starring white-boy-of-the-month: Jacob Elordi.

    The male protagonist, Heathcliff, played by Elordi, received backlash that the character got whitewashed, and in Hollywood, this is common with roles meant to be played by non-white actors. There were previous adaptations in which Heathcliff was played by white actors, but in the book, Heathcliff is described as dark-skinned. Elordi, on the other hand, is again, a white man — from Australia. Many of the book’s crucial scenes were cut, like the ghost scene, and there were also a lot of sex scenes that were not necessary, as they were not in the book, leading to disappointment from the readers because they felt the movie had sexualized the original plot of the book. 

    As someone who didn’t read the book, I enjoyed Wuthering Heights for what it was: a tragedy. This movie had me in a trance, I fell in love with Heathcliff. Between you and me, I would make the same choices Isabella Linton did, but only because of how handsome Heathcliff was. Keep in mind that this movie is not to be romanticized. This movie is about two toxic people being horrible towards each other. The choices they made affected those around them in the most cruel ways possible. 

    I wouldn’t call this the all-time best movie I’ve ever seen. Trailers for the film made me believe this would be a love story, especially because it was released on Valentine’s Day. Since I didn’t read the book, I only knew what was shown in trailers. 

    If you plan to watch this movie with family, be warned, it has many, and I mean MANY, intimate scenes. I learned that the hard way by inviting my younger sister and mother to watch the movie with me. It was awkward. 

    I left this movie crying. I entered with a full face of makeup and left the theater with a bare face. What I did like about this movie — other than the aesthetics and how handsome Jacob Elordi was — is the message at the end of the movie. Spoiler incoming, I liked how it showed how two people can love each other so much it hurts, and still don’t end up together. They manage to hurt each other because of pride and miscommunication — that is what made me cry; that is what has been weighing on me for days after I’ve seen the movie. 

    This movie will be interpreted differently by everyone. I know my mom and I disagreed about what the message behind the movie was. If you have read the book, you may or may not like it and interpret it differently. In my personal opinion. I give this movie a 3/5 star review. 

    Alba she/her, LumberJack reporter. Journalism major who loves to read and write. She’s very passionate about sharing and listening to different opinions and loves self-expression. Contact email: agg83@humboldt.edu 

  • Iron Lung movie review

    Iron Lung movie review

    by Bodhi Haugen

    Iron Lung is based on an unsettling indie horror game released in 2022. Mark Fischbach, also known as popular YouTuber Markiplier, served as the film’s writer, director, producer, editor, and lead actor. The movie was also entirely self-financed by Fischbach, which made the project even more ambitious. 

    I purchased my tickets a week prior and was excited to see Fischbach bring his passion project to life in theaters. I was stunned by what I saw when I walked into Broadway Cinemas late on a Friday night — I hadn’t seen a theater so packed since the release of The Force Awakens over 10 years ago.

    Going in, I wasn’t sure where to place my expectations for a YouTuber movie. I had concerns that the acting might fall short or that the thriller genre could be tainted by my preconceived knowledge of Markiplier as the protagonist. Still, I had hope. 

    Nearly the entire film takes place inside a cramped submarine, with the window and exit welded shut. In this universe, all known planets have mysteriously disappeared, leaving only a single planet with an ocean of blood behind, along with space stations where what remains of humanity survives. Simon, played by Fischbach, is assigned to explore the ocean floor as punishment for his crimes, tasked with researching the phenomenon known as The Quiet Rapture.

    The film excels at making the viewer feel claustrophobic. The submarine is dimly lit and tightly confined, and I rarely saw more than Simon himself could. This limited perspective heightened the tension in various scenes.

    Throughout most of the movie, the only characters we hear are Simon and various voices over the intercom built into the submarine. This places Fischbach’s performance under the spotlight, as the audience spends nearly the entire runtime alone with him. Although the acting wasn’t the best I have seen, Fischbach sold a convincing performance in many of the film’s tense scenarios. 

    A setting like this thrives on silence, and that’s where the movie occasionally stumbles. I felt that Iron Lung relied too heavily on unnecessary monologues from both Simon and the intercom, which pulled me out of the immersion in certain scenes rather than letting the tension speak for itself.

    Visually, the film does not fall. Fischbach was creative with his shot composition, which amplified the anxiety of being on an underwater vessel. The use of unconventional camera angles helped me feel like I was in the submarine with Simon, rather than just observing it.

    Despite watching gameplay videos beforehand and being familiar with Markiplier’s content, I left the theater with more questions than I had going in. The film expands on the game’s eerie lore, but not enough information is provided for all the pieces to easily fall into place by the time the credits roll. While this may have been intentional, a bit more clarity would have helped the average viewer feel a little less lost.

    This movie isn’t for everyone — if you’re a fan of the game or of Markiplier, you’ll probably love it, despite some flaws. As a passion project and self-funded film, Iron Lung is visually compelling and holds its own alongside big Hollywood budgets. Even if you don’t have any prior connection to the game or Fischbach himself, the movie is still worth watching, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be experienced in theaters.

    I give it a 78% on ripe potatoes.

  • Marty Supreme is a headache in cinematic format

    Marty Supreme is a headache in cinematic format

    Reel Talk with Julia

    I had the unfortunate displeasure of watching Marty Supreme, directed and written by Josh Safdie, over the winter break. This film is set in 1950s New York and follows Marty Mauser, a shoe salesman, hustler and above-average table tennis player, played by Timothée Chalamet. Mauser’s tale centers around the many trials and tribulations of how he made his mark as a world-class table tennis champion.

    What can I say positively about Marty Supreme? Let me think…well, Chalamet was amazing in this. Mauser is an extremely unlikable protagonist, which is the point. Mauser will stop at nothing to boost his ego just to serve his self-centered elitism. 

    Mauser wants the title of ‘best table tennis player in the world,’ but it’s one he most definitely doesn’t deserve. Notably I felt there was an extreme lack of ping-pong action for a character that seemingly only cares about the sport and nothing else — but whatever, I guess.

    To unpack the possible meaning behind making Mauser so unlikable, Mauser represents a human embodiment of achieving the ‘American Dream.’ The idea that anyone can achieve their dream often means you must cut down anything or anyone that gets in your way. Mauser does this time and time again through the film’s agonizing two-and-half hour runtime. All thanks to his selfishness and charisma, he makes headway towards his goal. I suppose Chalamet was a shoo-in for that kind of character.

    The rest of the cast honestly didn’t stand out to me. Which makes sense since this film is set in Mauser’s POV — of course, everyone in his life would be one-note nobodies that only act as obstacles or help him achieve something he wants. 

    This movie never lets you get oriented for a moment. You’re immediately thrust into a world of screaming chaos. If that kind of environment is your cup of tea, good for you, I guess? However, if you’re anything like my family, whom I regrettably dragged along, then you’re going to leave with a headache and a hankering for a stiff drink.

    I can recognize that I’m looking at this film through whatever the opposite of rose colored glasses is, I know what this film is trying to achieve. It’s chaotic and painful to watch by nature, but that doesn’t mean I have to give it its flowers either. 

     Marty Supreme doesn’t really have anything interesting to say that hasn’t already been said more eloquently by someone else. If you enjoyed this film, I urge you to ask yourself ‘why.’ Right now, I feel like the positive audience reviews about Marty Supreme remind me of how people say the Mona Lisa is a great piece of art. Do you actually think the Mona Lisa is an amazing work of art, or are you just saying that because everyone else is? Art is meant to be critiqued and analyzed, and if you claim to be a cinaphile but don’t even have the decency to form your own opinion, then maybe get off Letterboxd or something. 

    Although if you genuinely loved it, with opinions you didn’t steal from an Instagram post, I implore you to try to change my mind. Three outta 10 Julia’s.

    If you’re still interested in seeing Marty Supreme for yourself, then showings of the film should be available at the local Minor Theatre in Arcata. 

    Julia is a journalism major and the co-EIC of the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you’d like her to review, please email her at jk328@humboldt.edu.

  • Five Nights at Freddys 2 caught a vibe

    Five Nights at Freddys 2 caught a vibe

    by Barley Lewis-Mccabe

    I have to come clean. I did not see this movie in a theater. I bought front row seats to what may be the year’s best film, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (FNAF). However, it turns out that showing was at the same time as the Rock Auction, so I couldn’t go. Instead, I watched it on my TV via an HDMI cable and a totally legal website. I got to see the movie the way I’m sure Emma Tammi herself intended it: deep fried visuals, crunchy audio, theater sounds, laughs during parts where a laugh isn’t needed, coughs, sneezes, the ever present ‘Cinemacity.rip’ watermark and, of course, Spanish subtitles that couldn’t be turned off. So, let’s talk Freddy. 

    I didn’t go into this expecting a good movie. I only wanted a few things: cool robots, some callbacks to the games, to be a bit scared at times and to get out of my head. I wanted to watch a silly movie as an adult, based on something I liked as a kid. Despite everything I can happily say that I got everything I wanted.

    Much like the first movie, the filmmakers took a lot of liberties with the story of FNAF 2, and that’s what makes it so good — or, at the very least watchable. FNAF lore is confusing, stupid and made up along the way. If the movie had stayed faithful to the games, it would’ve been a boring, nonsensical mess. The movie knew what to do with such a dense cannon to work with, using the material for inspiration to tell a fun story with similar core beats. But it’s not all pepperoni pizzas — it has a threequel bait ending, the characters have no real purpose and at some points act at random, it has nearly the exact same story as the first and half the actors learned how to act from Gal Gadot. But that’s ok, it’s a movie with a lot of heart; a sequel that does its job, continues the story and isn’t just a soulless cash grab.

    Listen, not every movie has to win an Oscar, not everything has to be so serious, or important. Sometimes a movie’s artistic value isn’t in the content but in the experience. This is one such movie, a theme park ride of a film. I’m the intended audience for this movie: a college aged stoner who liked FNAF as a kid. I like it just because it is. It’s a fan service movie in the best way possible, because it’s actually fun to watch. While there’s no shortage of, “oh shit it’s that guy,” or, “what the fuck, its the thing from the game,” they have some really good scares, and it consistently keeps you on your toes. At the end of the day it’s a movie that looks cool — if you aren’t watching it filmed off of someone elses phone. Which, of course, I didn’t. Watch this movie with your buddies, kick back, don’t think so hard and enjoy something that doesn’t matter. Trust me, you’ll have fun.

    Barley is the opinionated opinion editor, photographer and an untraditional reporter who focuses on social change and stories with a real human impact. If you’d like to reach the grooviest dude in the newsroom email bl258@humboldt.edu.

  • Keeping it cozy at Froth Cafe

    Keeping it cozy at Froth Cafe

    by Dylan Jewett

    All I could think about was finding a fun place to relax this past cold, foggy Friday, ready to kick off my weekend. I decided on Froth, a local cafe just a half-mile from campus. After deciding to share the adventure with my two roommates, we packed into my car and made the brief drive to the cafe. The sky was dark and it started to sprinkle as we arrived.

    As we walked in, the warm lighting contrasted with the gloomy evening. The menu featured quite a few different coffee options, like matcha, teas, hot chocolate and a bar with beer and wine. I decided on an iced vanilla oat milk matcha latte and avocado toast and my roommates decided to split an egg sandwich.

     We settled into a cozy seating area near the bar and found my favorite part of our visit: the card and board game collection. The atmosphere of the cafe was warm, with quiet music playing and patrons on their laptops talking amongst themselves. After grabbing some playing cards and starting a game, the food and drinks arrived. 

    My toast was nice and crunchy, my avocado creamy, and the salt and pepper was a nice touch on top. The matcha was delicious, albeit a bit milk heavy. The egg sandwich was full of bacon, cheese and ham, and the sauce that it came with was also quite good, a bit sweet and spicy. The hot chocolate was also served with a massive dollop of whipped cream — a solid 8/10, perfect for a cold fall evening.

    As we snacked on our food and continued to play, more people poured in through the doors. Chatter filled the cafe and it became lively; I can only imagine what it’s like there for the events that they hold weekly. 

    Froth is a wonderful place for friends to gather, people to meet and a great place to eat and drink. On top of that, the decor is just incredible, I found myself in awe of the mural they had painted on the back wall depicting a mermaid pouring a coffee, with coral surrounding her body. Overall, Froth really is a gem here in Arcata, and whether you go alone while you wait for your laundry next door or you go with friends, you are sure to have a good time.

    Dylan Jewett is a fourth-year Journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. You can catch them wandering the forest, exploring the coast with their camera, enjoying live music and crocheting little things in their free time. Contact them at daj59@humboldt.edu.

  • Reel Talk with Julia

    Reel Talk with Julia

    Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, should I sit down in a theater for 5 hours?

    by Julia Kelm

    Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and 2 are Quentin Tarantino cinema classics, returning to the silver screen this Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Eureka Broadway theater. 

    Those unfamiliar with these films, the plot follows the mysterious ex-assassin simply known as ‘The Bride’ — played by Uma Thurman. The Bride wakes from a coma and almost immediately seeks revenge against Bill and the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, all of whom betrayed her and led to the killing of her unborn son. 

    These films, in typical Tarantino fashion, are intensely violent and chock-full of classic cinema references that would have Tarantino fanboys doing metaphorical backflips. I, on the other hand, find the first film great, but the second one is just okay.

    Much like how the second act of Wicked was — from what I’ve heard — unsatisfying, and disappointing, Kill Bill Vol. 2 doesn’t even come close to meeting your expectations after a much more riveting start. In my opinion, the first film is almost perfect and my favorite Tarantino movie. It’s a basic idea for a revenge story; however, it’s so extreme and jaw-dropping, with innovative editing and cinematography, that it deserves its praise. Tarantino borrows from many other filmmakers, including black-and-white scenes and animation, leading to an interesting, almost mixed-media artwork in film format.

    To summarize, Kill Bill Vol. 1 is an excellently presented action film that goes beyond meaningless violence and into what I would call contemporary art. With part two, you might expect everything good about the first film but better, or at least comparable in quality, right?

    Kill Bill Vol. 2, while not bad, is much slower, dialogue-heavy, and is generally less satisfying as a viewer going from the action-packed, hyper-violent style of the first film. 

    So would I recommend seeing Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair coming to theaters? I’ll say yes if you prefer seeing films in the theatre, haven’t seen the films or are a huge Kill Bill fan. However, if you’ve seen them and don’t care — why are you reading this review? — then I would pass on the opportunity.

    You can watch both Kill Bill films for free by checking them out at the Cal Poly Humboldt library. You can also watch Vol. 1 by accessing the mysterious online school resource “Panopto.” If you can figure out how to access that, you can search for films there as well. Vol. 1 = 10/10 Julias Vol. 2 = 7/10 Julias.

    Julia is a journalism major and the life and arts editor for the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you want her to review, email her at jk328@humboldt.edu.

  • Reel Talk with Julia

    Reel Talk with Julia

    I love Guillermo del Toro’s monsters – Frankenstein

    by Julia Kelm

    Frankenstein (2025) made a limited theatrical release on Oct. 17 this year, and then began streaming on Netflix on Nov. 7. The film is an adaptation of the 1818 gothic classic Frankenstein also known as The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.

    If you are unfamiliar with the story, and I don’t know why you wouldn’t, it follows Dr. Victor Frankenstein — Oscar Isaac — a brilliant, yet egomaniacal scientist, who brings a creature made of the parts of the dead to life. The creature — Jacob Elordi — turns against his creator, hunting him to the edge of civilization, which is where the story begins and ends.

    I feel partially like a phony talking about Frankenstein since I have never actually read the source material. However, I think I make up for this with a sister who is obsessed with the story and has told me basically everything to know about the classic. I am also a major fan of Del Toro, who is my third favorite director — something to keep in mind if you like to keep track of the ‘Reel Talk’ lore.

    Anywho, although Del Toro’s film is one of the very few adaptations of the novel that stays somewhat true to the story, he does add his own creative flair and changes to the retelling of this tale. Without getting into the specifics of the story content, this is most notable with Del Toro’s classic art design elements. 

     I can not stress enough how perfect Elordi is to play the monster. In the novel, the monster is described as being 8-feet-tall, and although made of decaying flesh, he was strangely beautiful. The combination of classic Del Toro art design for the creature — gothic and fairy-tale like — and Elordi’s tall beauty, there’s absolutely nobody else I would cast. Elordi also plays the monster in such a kind and pure-hearted way, you can’t help but audibly aww. I hope he gets some award recognition for this role, as it stands out to me among this year’s potential Oscar nominees.

    Isaac was also excellent and really shines as an actor here. He plays Dr. Frankenstein as a cruel father to the creature, his own ego getting in the way of truly seeing the potential in his creation. Frankenstein is wicked in so many ways, but you can’t help but find him endearing and charismatic in the early minutes of the film. 

    However, to me, these were the only standout performances in the film. Elizabeth — Mia Goth — felt like one note to me. Although I understand her lack of depth, since the story doesn’t rely on her existence much.

    Unfortunately, I watched the film in the comfort of my own apartment on Netflix, since I didn’t have time to procure myself a drive to Eureka this week. Minor Theatre, it’s time to retire  One Battle After Another and show some other shit.

    However, I suppose I am grateful that I could watch it at all — and it makes it easier for you, too. It’s much more manageable to open up Netflix between what feels like exam after exam this year, than trying to get into that confusing ass parking lot at Broadway theater.

    So, please, try not to look down on me for not getting to the theater this week, my dear reader. I’d rate Frankenstein a solid 9 outta 10 Julias.

    Julia is a journalism major and the life and arts editor for the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you want her to review, email her at jk328@humboldt.edu.

  • Daniel Caesar’s Son of Spergy Review

    Daniel Caesar’s Son of Spergy Review

    by Devin Bowen

    As the fall leaves turn different shades of yellowish-gold and each day slowly gets colder, Daniel Caesar’s new album arrives just in time for the agony and pain of the yearning fall season. Son Of Spergy, released earlier this fall on Oct. 24, is Daniel Caesar’s most recent project — and trust me, it will have you locked in. From his last album, Never Enough, Son Of Spergy brings that beautiful soft Daniel Caesar lust with insanely well thought-out lyrics that tell a real story.

    My initial reaction to seeing the album finally released was “Oh, God,” yet it was in excitement and fear. If you’re an avid Daniel Caesar listener, you know how easy it is to resonate with his music. So, of course, I grabbed my headphones, screamed to myself a couple of times, and started the heavenly listening experience. The album starts with the song Rain Down (feat. Sampha) and right off the bat, I got hooked. Caesar has a tendency to incorporate religion into his lyrics and does it in the best way possible. As someone who isn’t religious but more on the spiritual side, I still appreciate that connection he makes through his songs. In a bittersweet sense, it reminds me of some of Marvin Gaye’s religious songs like God Is Love. I may not have any connection to the song, but my finger is moving and my foot is tapping.

    The album is a decent 53-minute listening time and halfway through is where I really got into some of my favorite songs. Who Knows is the sixth track on the album and seems to be the most popular one so far and I understand why. It’s a very raw, human thought process of being with someone, especially being so young. The world rushes your brain to think you should know, but again, who knows, no pun intended. No More Loving (On Women I Don’t Love) [feat. 646yf4t] the second to last song on the album has to be my top favorite. It just has such a great beat drop, the soft vocals of Ceasar and the lyrics! Mhm.

    I would have to rate this album an 8.6/10. Caesar brings the spiritual connection to sex, struggle and life. This album is definitely for those who find themselves lost in a rush that could mean or not mean anything to them. Going back and forth with confirmation of yourself, finding comfort in a higher being, and repeating the actions. It is truly worth a listen, so go get yourself a hot drink or a cigarette and prepare for this album to make you an evil avoidant beast or a yearning spiritual puppy.

    ​

    Devin Bowen is a journalism major and also the social media manager for the student run radio station, KRFH. She admires collecting vinyl records and exploring new artists. They hope to spread new experiences and influence a different perspective with music and culture through The Lumberjack. Contact them at dlb155@humboldt.edu.

  • PinkPantheress provides perfect performance

    PinkPantheress provides perfect performance

    by Kaylon Coleman

    If you know me or have read my concert review for Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia tour, you know that nothing revitalizes my spirit more during a semester than a road trip or a concert, let alone both. Well, I treated myself to just that last week with PinkPantheress’ fall 2025 North American tour, and it was more than I could’ve hoped for.

    To give a little background, it was around summertime when I was back in SoCal, bored, scrolling through potential concerts to go to when I saw it: a PinkPanthress concert in the bay on my 21st birthday for a whopping 80 dollars. Thanks to installment payments and the lovely folks at Klarna, my ticket was secured and my excitement was unmatched. Fast forward to Nov. 12 and I’m on the way to San Francisco, giddy with anticipation.

    Along the way, I had to make a couple of mandatory pitstops — the first of which was the Motel 6 I was gonna spend the night at in Ukiah. Because I was doing a one day turnaround, and because I hate driving through the trees at night getting back up here, I decided to just bite the bullet and get a room. I’m extremely glad I did, because on the way back to Ukiah from San Francisco, it was quite literally raining cats and dogs. I had my hands at ten-and-two the whole way back and was laser-focused on not hydroplaning.

    After getting my key and taking a quick bathroom break, I made my way to the second mandatory pitstop along the way — Chick-fil-A. If you’re a Humboldt local, you know how much of a commodity the chicken restaurant is, having to travel a minimum of three hours to partake in the delicacy. So now, with my room secured and hunger satiated, the road was all that stood between me and Ms. Pantheress. 

    Upon my arrival, I barely made it in with the first wave of people they let go through the security waiting for the doors to open. After directing us up some stairs and through the main lobby the crowd split, with some choosing to purchase their merch ASAP, some grabbing a drink and others, myself included, choosing to rush the floor to secure their spot next to the stage. As someone who isn’t particularly gifted in the height department, it’s imperative to me that I try and grab the best vantage point I can get whenever I attend a concert. 

    After bonding with another concert goer about clash royale, it wasn’t long before the opening set started up. Headed by Nick Cheo, this had to be one of the best DJ sets I’ve ever seen in my life. I was already familiar with Cheo through his work on Instagram, so when I heard he was the opener I was ecstatic feeling like I got treated to a double feature. He absolutely killed it, overlaying tracks like Latch and I THINK to I KNOW coupled with the most heavenly jazz that I don’t know the name of. He absolutely did what an opener was supposed to do and now my hype levels were through the ceiling.

    After about 30 minutes of waiting it was finally time for the main event, the UK queen herself. As soon as the lights dimmed, the atmosphere was electric. The show opened with a narrator reminiscent of the one off Love Island welcoming everyone to the show, into a snippet of Illegal and finally commenced with Stateside. 

    Immediately, I was encapsulated by the performance I bore witness to. I’ve been to a many concerts in my time and let me say I’ve never seen one quite like this. This really helped demonstrate to me the difference between a show and a performance. Pink had outfit changes, background dancers, an interactive DJ and drummer to boot, it was purely sensational. Without question one of my top three concert experiences of all time; highly highly recommended to any concert goers. And if you happen to be reading this Pink, ilyyy <3.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the opinion editor for LJ. He is also the vice president of the Black Student Union at CPH, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu

  • Reel Talk with Julia

    Reel Talk with Julia

    Bugonia reminds us why corporations are our enemies

    by Julia Kelm

    Bugonia, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, follows two conspiracy-obsessed men — Jesse Plemons and Aiden Delbis — who kidnap a powerful and influential pharmaceutical CEO — Emma Stone. They kidnap her, as they are convinced that she is an alien who intends to destroy Earth.

    I saw this the day after it premiered on Halloween at the Minor Theater in Arcata. I’m not sure if the projectionist was hungover or not, but I was lucky enough to see the first 10 seconds of One Battle After Another again before it was quickly cut off and switched to the correct film. However, after this minor snafu, we were back on track with the correct movie.     

    Bugonia is based on Save the Green Planet!, a 2003 South Korean sci-fi comedy film. However, Bugonia reshapes the narrative to fit into a more contemporary American capitalist culture. 

    Plemons plays Teddy, one of the conspirator abductors. He’s a young man who is clearly troubled, yet you can’t help but pity him. He represents what happens to people who’ve been pushed to their brink by a system that doesn’t care about their well-being. 

    Plemons plays this role excellently, which isn’t too much of a surprise since playing a crazy kidnapper isn’t too far from his usual roles. Especially in the context of his previous Lanthimos film, Kinds of Kindness.

    Stone is also excellent, showing a calm determination and subtle fear as she tries to escape the clutches of these weirdos. 

    There isn’t a lot I can say about this film without giving too much away, so forgive me if what I’m about to say seems vague. 

    Lanthimos is known for his unhinged, anxiety-inducing psychological thrillers. Bugonia is no exception to this; however, this film feels a lot more grounded —  ironic, since aliens play a key role.  

    The message of this film can be interpreted as how broken people are affected by the system and the depths they can fall into. This is then exacerbated by the abuse, trauma and mental illnesses that push these people over the edge. However, it doesn’t glorify the actions made by these people either; to me, it shows how there’s nuance to finding the middle ground between two largely differing points of view. 

    I would not recommend Bugonia to everybody, as the content can be a tad triggering and mildly disturbing. It’s also just bleak and depressing at times, so don’t go in expecting sunshine and rainbows — that’s a general rule for any Lanthimos film, though.

    Although, if you’re a fan of Lanthimos’ previous works, like Poor Things or Kinds of Kindness, then this will definitely be up your alley; 8.5 out of 10 Julia’s.

    Julia is a journalism major, and is the life and arts editor for the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest, and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you want her to review, email her at jk328@humboldt.edu.

  • Reel Talk with Julia: I wasn’t ready for Flow — I cried way too many times

    Reel Talk with Julia: I wasn’t ready for Flow — I cried way too many times

    By Julia Kelm

    Flow was directed by Latvian filmmaker, Gints Zilbalodis, and was first released theatrically in France on Oct. 30 of 2024.

    The film follows a nameless black cat as it is displaced by a great flood destroying their home. The cat finds refuge on a boat with various other animals and together they must navigate the challenges of their rapidly changing world.

    It was great to have the opportunity to watch this film from the comfort of Arcata’s Minor Theater. It’s been a small dream of mine to sip a beer at the movies, and the pale ale I had did not disappoint.

    Moving on from the theater itself, I want to mention how beautifully animated this film was. I thought maybe some sort of motion capture was used for the animals due to their very believable movement. However, Zilbalodis is paraphrased in Slant Magazine talking about how the film was animated. “It’s all animated by hand; we didn’t record any motion capture. Because it’s so specific, we needed to build everything frame by frame.”

    The natural environment of the film was also stunning and very pleasing to look at. I could definitely imagine myself taking cat naps in some of those beautiful locations.

    The art style and vibe of the film, to me, was very cartoony and full of life. I would say it’s reminiscent of the adventure video game Little Kitty, Big City, also released in 2024. 

    Having the viewer’s perspective of the world seen through the eyes of a cat, brings you down to earth. Reconnecting with the things we all need to live. Food, shelter, companionship—something that we can all relate to even.  

    When it comes to the plot of this film, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s amazing how attached I became to the animals without  a single word being  spoken throughout the entirety of the movie. 

    The cat has this especially sad meow it does whenever it’s in danger or afraid, and it really got to me, because I have a cat that looks just like the one here. I teared up on more than one separate occasion during the duration of the film—to say I was stressing any time this cat was in danger is putting it lightly.

    I think the lack of dialogue in this film was an excellent choice — that’s a huge achievement for a film in its own right. I think there is a slight stigma associated with silent films, with some assuming that a movie without speaking characters would be boring. Flow completely tilts that perspective by creating a film that anyone from anywhere can understand. 

    This film also presents a majorly important message to the audience about the dangers of increasing climate change in our world. With the themes of the fragility of nature, and how we need to work together to get through uncertain and scary times.

    If we place ourselves in the paws of these animals, maybe we can learn from them in terms of stewardship of our planet.

    Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite movie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

  • A tale of two films, horrors and thrills: Heretic and Nosferatu bid a chilling farewell to 2024

    A tale of two films, horrors and thrills: Heretic and Nosferatu bid a chilling farewell to 2024

    By Nick Escalada

    This past year felt like a prolonged clash of highs and lows for the film industry, with blockbuster hits like Dune: Part 2 and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga being offset by the likes of Coppola’s disappointing Megalopolis and the universally ridiculed Madame Web.

    One 2024 genre that rarely let me down, though, was the horror/thriller movie, whose consistency was punctuated in the closing months by two standout releases: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ Heretic and Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu. As someone who’s only started to grow comfortable with the conventions of the horror genre, I’m delighted to have been kept on my toes by back-to-back films that shake up the formula in their own ways.

    Heretic is a movie that almost demands a second watch. It is meticulously written in a way that asks you to pay attention, but also to take the time to reflect on what is being said. Plotwise, it turns the “find the killer’s weakness” trope on its head by making the villain a pedestrian-looking chatterbox, and instead draws your terror from not knowing what he plans to do and why. Two door-to-door missionaries are at first thrilled to be welcomed in by a man eager to discuss their faith, but they soon get the feeling that they won’t be leaving unless they play their cards right in the conversation.

    As you might expect from a movie with this title, there is a hefty deal of religious commentary, much of which is unashamedly explicit. What I realized to some relief by the end, though, is that Heretic pushes no agenda of its own, and like any good work of art, it offers ideas only to facilitate discussion amongst its audience. This movie might spur you to evaluate your own faith and how different people and norms have shaped it, and if not, hopefully you’ll heed the warning it issues about judging intelligence and morality based on first impressions. Heretic is available now on Google Play, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango, and I highly recommend it.

    Nosferatu is a different beast entirely. Getting my gripes out of the way, its biggest pitfall is being marketed as a horror movie. Being an almost shot-for-shot remake of a 1922 silent film that somehow induced fear back then, Robert Eggers understandably sought to make this iteration hair-raising for a modern audience while retaining full reverence for its source material.

    Unfortunately, I feel that the result is two hours of noise and embellishment surrounding a pretty underwhelming central terror whose mystique has been spoiled for over a century. The movie even seems to acknowledge this weakness, as it relies on cheap, nonsensical jumpscares in a few instances to artificially maintain its tension.

    This is not at all to say that I didn’t enjoy my time with Nosferatu. The film excels narratively as an exploration of unconditional love and sacrifice. Count Orlock acts less as a villain and more as a calamitous force of nature that tests each of the main players’ devotions to one another, which manifest in varied and progressively tragic ways over the course of the story. Jokesters online are already poking fun at Lily Rose Depp’s frenetic performance as Ellen Hutter, but I think that the vampire-induced delirium coupled with Ellen’s unyielding affection for her husband Thomas makes her character all the more sympathetic and heart-wrenching. The star-studded cast is warranted with each actor deserving their own praise, and I’ll give a special endorsement to fans of dark gothic and Victorian atmospheres. Nosferatu is still in theaters and I advise that you don’t miss it!

  • Reel Talk with Julia: Overloaded with mediocre biopics, A Complete Unknown fails to stand out

    Reel Talk with Julia: Overloaded with mediocre biopics, A Complete Unknown fails to stand out

    By Julia Kelm

    A Complete Unknown was released in theaters on December 25, 2024. The film was directed by James Mangold and follows Bob Dylan, aka Robert Allen Zimmerman, played by Timothée Chalamet. The plot is about Dylan’s early career in the 1960s and pursuing his very controversial and revolutionary decision that changed the course of folk and rock music in America forever.

    I have been excited about this film ever since I heard about its production in February of 2023. I was even more excited when I saw the trailer, and realized Chalamet looked pretty convincing as Dylan. 

    I’ve been a fan of Dylan ever since my dad played his records for me as a kid, so I had relatively high expectations for the film. However, after seeing it on Friday, Jan. 7, I left the theater feeling mildly disappointed, but not surprised.

    There were a few things I loved about this film. One aspect is that the film opens with Dylan going to find Woody Guthrie, played by Scoot McNairy, who he finds at a hospital in New York. 

    Just as some Bob Dylan lore, and to give some context for why this scene is so important, Guthrie is — in my opinion — the most influential American folk singer of all time. There is a clear chain of events for how his influence changed music forever. 

    Guthrie was Dylan’s inspiration and idol. Without him, Dylan would not have made the music he did. If Dylan hadn’t made his music, he presumably wouldn’t have given the Beatles marijuana — a moment that helped spark their evolution into creating more experimental and iconic albums, like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

    Are you following my insane string of logic here? 

    To put it more simply, Guthrie’s impact on music history is tremendous and underrated.

    Seeing the moment Dylan met his idol and then singing “Song for Woody” did put quite a smile on my face. I was hoping this would be portrayed in the film beforehand and was not let down in that respect. 

    In addition, Chalamet’s depiction of Dylan was fantastic. He sang comparably well to Dylan, and really portrayed how much of a dick Dylan is, which was great to see.

    I would not be mad in the slightest if Chalamet was nominated for an Oscar this year.

    Now I can’t say I outright hated this film, because I think hate is honestly too strong of an emotion. 

    Ever since the success of Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), we have seen an overload of mediocre biopics almost every single year since.

    I wanted so badly for A Complete Unknown to do something different. It needed to stand out in some way so it didn’t follow the overplayed rise to fame story we’ve heard over and over again. Alas, this film drags just like the rest.

    The film focuses way too much on Dylan’s scandalous relationship with Joan Baez, played by Monica Barbaro. Instead, the time could have been spent on what an artist does at the expense of everything and everyone else to create their art. Making for a more venomous twist on the traditional, and overdone musical biopic. 

    Dylan is one of the most notorious assholes in the music industry. To this day, you don’t know if you’re gonna get a good show or not. It just depends on whatever his mood is like. 

    Instead, he gets whittled down to his “voice of a generation” status without regard for the labyrinth of contradictions that snake through Bob Dylan as a person and his discography. 

    To conclude, I’m not against more biopics being made. I think they can be fun and memorable like Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman (2019) or Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (2022).

    It looks like we’re at least heading in a more creative direction with the release of Michael Gracey’s A Better Man (2024) which also just hit theaters on Dec. 25th. I won’t lie, the CGI monkey has me intrigued. 

    Whatever the future of biopics holds in Hollywood, I’ll continue to stay tuned in.

    Fingers crossed they don’t fuck up the Bruce Springsteen movie starring Jeremy Allen White. 

    Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite movie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

  • Reel Talk with Julia

    Reel Talk with Julia

    Hollywood’s soul-crushing toll on artistic integrity 

    By Julia Kern

    Babylon, released in 2022 and directed by Damien Chazelle, follows the outrageous and shocking tale of the rise and fall of multiple characters in 1920s Hollywood. The film stars Diego Calva as Manny Torres, a starry-eyed young man with a passion for filmmaking who is eager to do anything to make his dream a reality. This 189-minute fast-paced, extremely shock-value-filled epic does not drag for one second. If you’re easily squeamish, particularly bothered by an extensive amount of piss and shit, or freaked out by a creepy Toby Maguire, you may want to avoid this film. However, if you’re obsessed with Hollywood lore and filmmaking in general — as I am — I encourage you to power through some of the more intense scenes.

    To give a broader overview of the film, it follows three major characters. Jack Conrad, played by Brad Pitt, and Nellie LaRoy, played by Margot Robbie, and the aforementioned Torres as they live in the ever-changing landscape of Hollywood. 

    Conrad is a successful silent film actor who, at the beginning of the film, is at the height of his career and ends with his life and career slowly sizzling out, as new actors come onto the scene leaving him in the dust. Something that stands out to me about Conrad’s character, and what he represents, is the immortality of fame. There’s a poignant quote near the end of the film where Conrad angrily confronts a journalist, Elinor St. John, who wrote a story about his fall from grace as an actor. However, in reply to his outrage, she reminds him of his legacy.

    “In a hundred years, when you and I are both long gone, any time someone threads a frame of yours through a sprocket, you will be alive again. You see what that means? One day, every person on every film shot this year will be dead. And one day, all those films will be pulled from the vaults, and all their ghosts will dine together, and adventure together, go to the jungle, to war together. A child born in 50 years will stumble across your image flickering on a screen and feel he knows you, like… like a friend, though you breathed your last before he breathed his first. You’ve been given a gift. Be grateful. Your time today is through, but you’ll spend eternity with angels and ghosts,” said St. John (Chazelle, 2022).

    I know that’s a long quote, but I can’t bring myself to cut it down. It just perfectly encapsulates the feeling and message of this film. It’s something I think about every time I watch, read, or listen to some form of art. I think about the faces, voices, and stories that would’ve been totally forgotten if it weren’t for this recording representing a flicker of that life.

    Laroy is also an interesting character and shares similar themes to Conrad’s and Torres’ characters. Laroy starts the film as a wannabe actress, trying to get herself noticed at big-shot Hollywood parties. Later, she becomes quite successful as a silent movie actress, but then in the latter half struggles with the transition to talking films. However, her struggles aren’t only with her acting; she battles addiction, along with finding it hard to fit in with the classier side of Hollywood, due to her party-girl persona getting in the way of anyone liking her. 

    Laroy is consistently mocked in the film. Whether that be in the beginning when nobody believed she could become a star, or how she acted in high-brow events, or when she couldn’t adapt to talking in film. Laroy represents wanting something so bad, getting it, and then losing it because of a mixture of self-sabotage and not being able to fit into Hollywood’s environment. All Laroy wanted was to be a star — and she got that. Although in contrast to Conrad’s slowly sizzling out career, Layroy’s burns hot and fast.

    Torres embodies an important theme and a core message of the film: no matter how hard you try or how perfectly you follow the rules, sometimes it’s just not enough. This theme is driven home by the film’s ending, which I won’t spoil in detail, but due to circumstances beyond his control, Torres is forced to leave his Hollywood career behind and settle into a normal life. Years later, he returns to Los Angeles. He watches a screening of Singin’ in the Rain, a film about the transition from silent movies to talkies. Ironically, the film mocks the very reality that Torres experienced. As the audience laughs, Torres weeps, devastated to see his former hopes and dreams reduced to a joke by the industry he fought so hard to be a part of.

    Maybe I sound too much like a jaded old man. Maybe it’s because I listen to too much Bob Dylan and identify a little too much with Tony Soprano. The truth of the matter is, I do have a pessimistic look at what it means to become a successful artist. It’s all because of the corrupt industry in which art must be produced to become successful. Hollywood is far from the rose-colored point of view most of us have, Babylon illustrates that. However, that doesn’t stop me from daydreaming about living my life as a successful artist. I think that will forever be my dream, even though it will only just be that — a dream. 

    Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite movie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

  • Reel Talk with Julia: Dogma: Censorship, Controversy, now Lost Media

    Reel Talk with Julia: Dogma: Censorship, Controversy, now Lost Media

    By Julia Kelm

    Dogma, released in 1999 and directed by Kevin Smith, tells the tale of an abortion clinic worker, Bethany, played by Linda Fiorentino. The Metatron — the archangel who serves as the speaker for God — calls upon Bethany to save the world and entire human existence from being destroyed by two renegade angels, Loki and Bartleby, who are trying to exploit a loophole so they can return to heaven. Bethany goes on a quest to New Jersey, forming a group of unlikely characters to stop these angels.

    This religious satire is an entertaining, unique, clever, and hilarious film that pokes fun at Catholicism in a way that hadn’t been done before. Cast names include Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Chris Rock, and even Alanis Morissette makes an unexpected appearance in this film. My only gripe with the movie is that it’s a tad outdated, with a few unsavory jokes that I could do without.

    However, even with everything the film had going for itself, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the film even before its release. The Catholic League, an American Catholic organization, found out about Smith’s screenplay for Dogma after it was leaked online. The Catholic League thought Smith’s script was unattractive, to say the least, and voices from the organization went to work on bad-mouthing a film they hadn’t even seen.

    Because of this, the film was almost canceled. Originally, the film was supposed to be produced by Disney, but CEO Michael Eisner was afraid of offending The Catholic League and planned to shut Dogma down. However, an infamous Hollywood producer swept in to save Dogma. 

    Even with the bad press, Smith was determined to get his film to theaters. He even poked fun at the protesters, showing up at one of the meetups to bash the film alongside them. Despite Catholic boycotting, the film received fairly positive reviews and made $44 million dollars at the box office. 

    Unfortunately, Dogma is not on streaming sites or available to purchase anywhere, and it probably will not be for a very long time. Your best bet in finding a way to watch Dogma is by pirating it off a website or buying a bootleg DVD.

    There are a few sites where you can look for this film, although I would recommend looking for a version of the film off of YouTube. Pirating movies online can potentially lead to getting viruses on your computer, so be careful and maybe look into a vpn before watching. 

    Now, how did this happen? Why can’t we watch Dogma normally? An interview done by The Wrap with Director Smith shined a light on this dilemma. 

    “In order to tell the story, unfortunately, I’m gonna have to say the name that nobody wants to hear anymore,” Smith said. “But of course, Harvey Weinstein figures into the story.”

    The gist of the situation is that Smith worked with Miramax, a television production and distribution company that was notoriously owned and founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein. Because Harvey Weinstein came in to save Dogma when he did, he personally owns distribution rights to the film and is not allowing the film to be bought, rented, or streamed digitally, for whatever reason. Smith has tried to make offers to sell the rights back to him, but Weinstein always declined or asked way above a fair price. 

    So now, Dogma sits on the metaphorical shelf of films that will collect dust and ultimately be forgotten. It makes me upset when I think about all the lost media out there. All the faces, voices, and stories that will fade away because nobody will remember them. I think of the times I searched for a movie on Amazon and it said something like, “This title is not available right now,” and I just stared at the screen in dismay wondering what had happened. This is why I’m a big advocate of buying physical media whenever possible. Owning physical media is the only way to ensure it stays and doesn’t get forgotten. Plus, buying DVDs, CDs, vinyl, 8-track tapes, or whatever, often pays your favorite artists more than streaming does. 

    So next time you’re at a thrift store, take a minute to look at the stack of dusty DVDs and see if you can find a copy of Dogma. Or, better yet, some other movie you almost forgot about. Don’t let media be forgotten; keep it alive and let those stories be replayed forever.

    Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite movie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

  • Jennifer’s Body: The Underrated Feminist Cult Classic We Didn’t Appreciate Enough

    Jennifer’s Body: The Underrated Feminist Cult Classic We Didn’t Appreciate Enough

    Jennifer’s Body, released in 2009, is directed by Karyn Kusama. I would describe it as a comedy chick-flick meets horror film. It follows two childhood best friends, Jennifer played by Megan Fox, and Needy played by Amanda Seyfried. The plot follows Jennifer, a popular cheerleader, who is kidnapped by a Satanic emo pop-punk band as a virgin sacrifice so they can become famous. However, because Jennifer is not a virgin, she is brought back and possessed by a demon and goes on a murder streak. Needy, uncovering this knowledge, makes it her duty to stop Jennifer.

    On a surface-level inspection, one might conclude that Jennifer’s Body is simply a silly slasher film for people who are attracted to Megan Fox. I wouldn’t blame you if this is your perspective on the film. Upon initial release, Jennifer’s Body was marketed as a trashy sexy movie for straight men, when in reality, it’s actually a movie about female friendship and womanhood.

    Yes, Jennifer’s Body is a horror comedy, but it is also much more than that. I am dead serious when I tell you it’s a thoughtful perspective and scary examination of what it means to be a teenage girl or young woman. This is especially evident in Jennifer’s sacrifice scene, which is incredibly emotionally charged and brings me to tears every time I watch it. When Jennifer is transformed into a monster, I can’t help but feel conflicted. I almost feel like she’s justified because of the atrocities that were done to her. If only she was using her demon powers to only go after the band that did this to her.

    Needy and Jennifer’s relationship is compelling for a few reasons. Again upon first glance, these two characters fall under the stereotype of slut — Jennifer — and nerd — Needy. However, these two characters go beyond this stereotype. Instead, they represent to anyone who’s been a teenager before, the intense emotions, and the consistent theme of jealousy.

    Needy is jealous of Jennifer and Jennifer is jealous of Needy. There are many differing opinions on the nature of Jennifer and Needy’s relationship. The common conclusion is that Jennifer is jealous of Needy because she has a stable relationship with her boyfriend, Chip. While Needy is jealous of Jennifer’s social status, she doesn’t become outwardly jealous until Jennifer tries to steal and kill Chip. I am an advocate for the opinion that Jennifer is in love with Needy, and is more or less jealous of Chip — or any other person who shows interest in Needy specifically. This is considerably evident when Jennifer immediately chooses Colin, a boy who shows obvious interest in Needy, as her next victim. Other scenes represent Jennifer’s obvious queerness, as well. Such as Jennifer and Needy share a kiss, and then Jennifer suggests “playing boyfriend and girlfriend like they used to.” 

    Regardless of the deeper undertones of the film, it’s an overall spooky and hilarious time. Jennifer’s Body is the perfect film for Halloween, which is conveniently coming up in the next couple of weeks! If you’re interested in watching Jennifer’s Body, it’s available to watch on streaming for Disney+, and Hulu.

    Julia is a journalism major at Cal Poly Humboldt. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. To quote Robin Williams in her all-time favorite mou-ie, Dead Poets Society, “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”