The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: reviews

  • Arcane Review: Alternative Canon Done Right

    Arcane Review: Alternative Canon Done Right

    Two months ago, ‘Arcane’ dropped and took the world by force. The animated steampunk series is a League of Legends adaptation that debuts a few show-exclusive characters, most notably the villainous kingpin Silco.

    For people who don’t play League, ‘Arcane’ sets itself apart as an alternative canon to its video game predecessor – and it does it right, something that isn’t always the case for TV and film adaptations.

    ‘Arcane’ catches the viewer’s undivided attention within the first few minutes of the pilot episode and consistently maintains it throughout the course of the tumultuous, action-packed storyline. Beloved League legends roam the streets of the undercity and maneuver testy politics in the edifices of Piltover as the two worlds collide with explosive consequences.

    Viktor, a chronically ill Hextech inventor with a progressive disability, straddles both as undercity stock working far above the poisoned squalor of his original home. He and his research partner Jayce face various moral dilemmas as they make the push for progress, at great cost to themselves, particularly Viktor. An aged-up Ekko, a far cry from the young boy introduced at the start of the series, takes the helm of the Firelights, an undercity rebel group, with unabashed swagger and style.

    Caitlyn, the posh rifle-wielding daughter of a prominent council member in Piltover, finds her bearings in the undercity as Vi, tattooed and grisled from her formative years in the undercity and subsequently in prison, shows her the ropes. While the two women initially find each other at odds, they soon form a strong sapphic bond that defies the strictures of their respective differences in social status and upbringing. Korra and Asami from ‘Legend of Korra’ and Adora and Catra (and many more) from ‘She-Ra’ walked so Caitlyn and Vi could run.

    The unique art style, bombastic musical score, and thorough character development flourish the compact plot, which largely centers around the estrangement of Vi and her younger sister Powder, aka Jinx. The tragedy of Jinx lies in her inability to reconcile her younger self, Powder, with her present self. The inclusion of Silco is necessary to piece together Jinx’s elusive backstory while still maintaining congruence with the original canon of League, a feat that Arcane managed to pull off seamlessly.

    Jinx’s mental health issues are spurred on by Silco, who took on the role of her adoptive father at the end of the third episode and psychologically groomed her to become an explosive human weapon as a means to meet his nefarious ends. In the backdrop of this central conflict, mounting tensions between the elites of Piltover and the vagabonds of the undercity rise to a dramatic crescendo and abruptly halt with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger that leaves the viewer teetering on the razor thin edge of Jinx’s deteriorating mental health.

    When done right, TV and film adaptations embellish the canon of the original source material, not detract from it or contradict it. In the span of only nine episodes, Arcane succeeded and kept its viewers braced for the second season.

  • HSU students discover their own spark with “Soul”

    HSU students discover their own spark with “Soul”

    Pixar’s newest animation “Soul” teaches us multiple lessons that can be applied to our lives daily .

    The movie was released on December 25, 2020 and already has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It tells the story of a man named Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) who lands his dream gig at the best jazz club in town. On the way, however, he falls into a dark hole that leads him to the “before life.”

    Throughout the movie, themes of compassion, empathy, and self discovery are discussed. Joe is faced with many challenges that help him rediscover his “spark” or purpose in life. The movie is family friendly that people of all ages will enjoy.

    Rachael Kee, is a junior at HSU majoring in psychology and communications who watched “Soul” with her boyfriend Rowan.

    “I loved the movie,” Kee said. “It had so many subtle but relatable themes throughout the film, which really made me think about my own life and my purpose,” she said. “This movie is honestly pretty emotionally intimate for couples to watch together.”

    “Soul” dives deep into the so-called “meaning of life” by teaching us multiple lessons throughout each character’s experiences. When 22 is put on Earth inside of Joe’s body, they become grateful for the little things in life, as small as just the appreciation of living and the ability to breathe fresh air.

    Rowan Feltges is a sophomore, fisheries major and Kee’s boyfriend who also enjoyed the movie.

    “The animation looked almost lifelike and the story was extremely introspective,” Feltges said.

    He not only enjoyed the visual aspects of the movie but also learned multiple lessons that he can use in his daily life.

    “Your passion does not define you as a person,” Feltges said. “What defines you is the pursuit to make oneself feel happy with life.”

    He emphasized that it’s important to not let your passions turn into addictions.

    “As people change and the world changes, so do our passions. It is how you adapt and overcome these changes to find true happiness and self gratitude,” he said.

    Paola Morgado is a senior majoring in chemistry. She enjoyed how “Soul” showed her that the main purpose of life is to simply live it.

    “My main takeaway from the film was, if you’re good to others, good things will come your way such as, second chances and ‘rediscovering’ your purpose,” Morgado said.

    “Soul” was released on Christmas Day, 10 months into a global pandemic. Though intended to be seen in theaters, Disney+ provides us with a thought provoking, heartfelt, and overall positive film we can watch without leaving our house.

    The movie has gained a significant amount of attention on social media in a short amount of time. It first intrigued Kee with its diversity, music, and psychological aspects.

    “Society tells us to grow up, get a job, and pay taxes, and never really allows us to connect to our souls in our individualistic way,” Kee said. “I feel a lesson that we can all learn from ‘Soul’ is that no matter how ‘lost’ or ‘unworthy of life’ one may feel, all it takes is the exposure of a new friendship or interest to pull you out of the darkness. Thus, don’t stop this crazy journey of life and keep going.”

  • Here’s What The Lumberjack is Watching, Reading, Playing and Doing

    Here’s What The Lumberjack is Watching, Reading, Playing and Doing

    Some unedited recommendations and brief reviews from some of our staff

    Life and Arts Editor Grace Caswell

    What I’m watching:

    Just finished “Tiger King.” It’s the most ridiculous and unbelievable show I’ve seen yet with a surprising amount of depth.

    What I’m reading:

    “Noam Chomsky” by John Lyons.

    What I’m playing:

    None :/

    What I’m listening to:

    Lots of new music is being released but right now Toro y Moi and Jhene Aiko.

    What else I’m doing:

    Yoga and meditation has been a go to as well as cooking healthy foods. Anything to keep my mind at ease and health immunity high.

    Managing Editor Chelsea Wood

    What I’m watching:

    I’ve been watching the final season of “Schitt’s Creek” which has been a bittersweet reflection of the last five seasons.

    What I’m reading:

    I’ve been reading more of a book I started last summer. It’s called “The Spaceship Next Door” and it about a teenager who grew up in a small town where a spacecraft crashed years ago but never left.

    What I’m playing:

    Minecraft. I trash talked this game as a teen, but it’s amazing and I love creating things on it. It’s extremely entertaining and relaxing.

    What I’m listening to:

    I’m listening to lots of downbeat songs—music that soothes the soul with catchy beats. Just stuff to satisfy this melancholy phase I’m swimming through.

    What else I’m doing:

    I picked up an old hobby, basket weaving. It’s a relaxing and simple task that yields a useful item. And no that’s not a BS excuse, basket weaving is the shit.

    Editor-in-Chief James Wilde

    What I’m watching:

    I just finished season three of “Ozark.” It’s a crime drama with superb characters and writing that had an unexpected depiction of mental illness that probably hit a little too close to home and (full disclosure) made me tear up.

    What I’m reading:

    I just finished “Why Time Flies,” by Alan Burdick, a fun little foray into the way we think about time. Next up: “The Glass Hotel,” by Emily St. John Mandel.

    What I’m playing:

    Call of Duty: Warzone with my brother and some friends. I hate the premise of Call of Duty and, you know, shooting people, but as long as I ignore that it’s lots of fun.

    What I’m listening to:

    Kind of all over the place, which isn’t out of the ordinary. Indie stuff to hip hop to alt rock to electronic stuff to jazz to whatever else. Oh, and random Tiny Desk Concerts.

    What else I’m doing:

    Walking or going on runs to get out of the house. Drowning in schoolwork. Lying on the floor.

    Opinion Editor Alexis Parra

    What I’m watching:

    “Gentrified”- A show that hits home for people of color. “Tiger King”- A cult war in the world of big cats.

    What I’m reading:

    “Z: The Beginning of Everything”- the untold story of Zelda Fitzgerald and beautifying her life.

    What I’m playing:

    None.

    What I’m listening to:

    My playlist on LJ- All of my favorites songs and energy that I carry into one playlist. “La Platica”- A bilingual podcast where the host is funny and talks about dumb shit and real shit.

    What else I’m doing:

    Painting. Make-up. Face masks. Talking to my family. Getting creative while also taking care of my skin and keeping in touch with my loved ones.

    Sports Editor Thomas Lal

    What I’m watching:

    “Drive To Survive,” a super fun look into the 2019 F1 season with the dramatic thrills and spills to match!

    What I’m reading:

    “Permanent Record” by Edward Snowden. An intriguing and somewhat terrifying read.

    What I’m playing:

    The Witcher 3. This game has consumed my life. Loving the story and exploring the world.

    What I’m listening to:

    So much music, mostly ska, punk and jazz along with the “Every Little Thing” podcast.

    What else I’m doing:

    Being sad without any sports to watch.

    Web Editor Seth Finnegan

    What I’m watching:

    “Community.” The always funny comedy about students at a community college.

    What I’m reading:

    None.

    What I’m playing:

    Dead Rising and MLB The Show 19. Filling the sports void with hitting baseballs and zombies with baseball bats.

    What I’m listening to:

    The “Adventure Zone” podcast. Three brothers and their dad play D&D together.

    What else I’m doing:

    Learning to play darts. It’s very frustrating but very fun!

    Video Editor Benjamin Zawilski

    What I’m watching:

    The filmography of David Fincher and Hayao Miyazaki, and “The Good Place” on Netflix.

    What I’m reading:

    Rereading “Peter and the Starcatchers” by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, which was one of my favorite book series as a child

    What I’m playing:

    Overhearing my sister play Animal Crossing.

    What I’m listening to:

    The film scores of Mark Mancina, Alexandre Desplat, and James Newton Howard.

    What else I’m doing:

    Hiking at least five miles a day, sometimes up to seven, and have done a considerable amount of housecleaning.

    Reporter Deion Alston

    What I’m watching:

    “Coffee & Kareem.” Cop dates kid’s mother and him and kid (Kareem) uncover a conspiracy of dirty cops.

    What I’m reading:

    Haven’t been reading books tbh, but a lot of news article pertinent to sports, COVID-19, crimes etc.

    What I’m playing:

    Fortnite and NBA 2K 20. Fortnite is a shooting game and 2K is professional basketball at your finger tips.

    What I’m listening to:

    For podcasts, I listen to “Up in Smoke” hosted by two former NBA players, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. It’s very interesting—great interviews and guests as well. For music I’m listening to a lot of Lil Uzi, G Herbo, Tory Lanez. So basically rap, hip-hop and R&B.

    What else I’m doing:

    I’m cooking a lot more—takes time up in the day. Do my 250 push-ups everyday and step-ups for some cardio. And occasionally throw the football in the drive way.

    Reporter Dakota Cox

    What I’m watching:

    “Seinfeld” & “Empire.” “Seinfeld” is a wonderful waste of time. “Empire” is a must-binge, cutthroat musical.

    What I’m reading:

    “Hurricanes” by Rick Ross is a fairly generic success story in terms of rapper autobiographies. “The Alchemist” is an extraordinary journey of the body, mind and soul.

    What I’m playing:

    Animal Crossing; don’t ask questions, go pick up the game!

    What I’m listening to:

    Going back and forth between oldies and hip-hop, gotta keep the serotonin up. Michael Jackson, Bob Marley and The Beatles are timeless, go listen! Gambino got the best album of 2020, @ me!

    What else I’m doing:

    Slipping out of sanity; would not recommend. Get a mask-on walk in when the sun shows it’s face; I like to play a little game called guess the gang members.

    Reporter Sarah Blunt

    What I’m watching:

    I just finished “I am not okay with this.” It was a really good show with short episodes that have a lot going on in them. 10/10. I also just recently watched “Freedom Writers.” That one was really good and empowering, also took place in Long Beach (where I’m from) so that was relatable (kind of).

    What I’m reading:

    “Looking for Alaska.” I’ve already seen the show on Hulu but I realized I had the book. So far it’s really good and John Green (the author) writes really descriptively so I never feel bored when I’m reading it.

    What I’m playing:

    None.

    What I’m listening to:

    Tons of music. Nothing in particular just going through my music apps and looking for things I haven’t heard before, or even music from shows i’ve watched that I liked the soundtrack. That’s most of what I spend my free time doing.

    What else I’m doing:

    Lately I’ve been taking bike rides alone just to get fresh air and not be stuck in the same surroundings. I never ride bikes but lately it’s just been a really nice way to get out the house but also keep my social distance from others. 10/10

    Reporter Ivan Ramirez

    What I’m watching:

    “Castlevania,” the show. “Mewtwo Strikes Back: EVOLUTION,” the movie.

    What I’m reading:

    Marcy Burstiner’s Investigative Reporting Book.

    What I’m playing:

    None.

    What I’m listening to:

    Psytrance, Electronic Dance Music, Drum & Bass, Electronic Rock.

    What else I’m doing:

    Meditating, talking to people on Discord, Instagram.

    Reporter Alberto Muro

    What I’m watching:

    I have started watching the Amazon Prime series “The Boys.” It has an interesting take on superheroes proving that not all of them are super. It’s a world where super heroes exist, now imagine their lack of empathy for saving people.

    What I’m reading:

    Currently reading through my textbooks so that I don’t fall behind on homework.

    What I’m playing:

    I am currently playing the remake of Resident Evil 3 which has updated graphics and character development.

    What I’m listening to:

    I am listening to the “Tinfoil Hat” podcasts since conspiracies take my mind on a wild ride

    What else I’m doing:

    I have transitioned from a student using critical thinking to an essential asset during a global pandemic thus turning me into a critical drinker.

  • 14 Books to Read While Self-Isolating

    14 Books to Read While Self-Isolating

    There’s never been a better time to start reading books

    You’re stuck inside. You’ve already watched all the best shows on Netflix. You’ve already done your homework. Instead of wasting away the hours on social media, do something good for yourself and your mental state. Read a book.

    Maybe you’ve never read a book for fun, but don’t let that discourage you. Reading is for everyone. You don’t have to be an intellectual to enjoy books.

    Listed below are a few my favorite books—hopefully you can find something to check out.

    If: you want to read a dystopian satire set in a world eerily similar to our current pandemic-stricken one,

    Then read: Severance, by Ling Ma

    If: you want a thrilling, can’t-put-it-down time travel science fiction novel paced like an action movie,

    Then read: Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch

    If: you want to read a smartly plotted story of the very real lives of modern, urban Native Americans in Oakland,

    Then read: There There, by Tommy Orange

    If: you want a masterwork of combining science fiction and fantasy and also race relations in the first of a trilogy,

    Then read: The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin

    If: you want the best damn story of friendship chronicling two women in Italy from the 1950s onward,

    Then read: My Brilliant Friend (and the next three books in the series), by Elena Ferrante

    If: you just want some relaxing, in-touch poems about nature,

    Then read: New and Selected Poems, Volume One, by Mary Oliver

    If: you want to experience Nobel Prize-winning literature mixed with a little science fiction fun,

    Then read: Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro

    If: you like history and want to reframe your perspective of society without feeling like you’re read a history book,

    Then read: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari

    If: you want to discover what it’s like to grow up without ever going to school and somehow ending up at Cambridge,

    Then read: Educated, by Tara Westover

    If: you want to read a saga about a Korean family living through multiple generations, spanning topics of love, family and history,

    Then read: Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee

    If: you want to get lost in the long, engrossing story of one kid’s slip into darker and darker rungs of society,

    Then read: The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt

    If: you want some truly strange and original dystopian fiction with a giant floating bear,

    Then read: Borne, by Jeff VanderMeer

    If: you just want to read the words of a fearless, always-interesting filmmaker,

    Then read: Werner Herzog – A Guide for the Perplexed: Conversations with Paul Cronin

    If: you want to get existential and ponder how you experience life,

    Then read: Why Time Flies, by Alan Burdick

    Where should you buy a book if you want to pick one up?

    I always recommend supporting your local, independent bookstores, especially right now. Each book above is linked to Powell’s bookstore—probably the most famous independent bookstore, located in Portland, Oregon.

    If you’re in Arcata, you can order books online from Northtown Books and pick it up on the curb as of March 25. You can also order a book from Tin Can Mailman, which is shipping orders of $10 or more for free to anywhere in Humboldt, and orders of $40 or more for free outside Humboldt.

    Eureka Books and Booklegger in Eureka can also ship books to you.

    If you’re outside Humboldt, look up your local bookstore and see how to grab a book. More than ever, they could use your support.

    If you’d rather not have anyone handle your books, your alternative is to try the e-book versions. Happy reading!