Final installment of Hunger Games brings satisfying closure to trilogy

The finale to The Hunger Games movie series—adapted from Suzanne Collins’ young adult novels—ended with a bang as the final film, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, was an incredibly moving, emotional and satisfying motion picture. The film was a wonderful adaptation to the novel, bringing the film series full circle both cinematically and emotionally. The film follows Katniss Everdeen—played by Jennifer Lawrence—as she and her fellow rebels attempt to end the violent revolution within their home of Panem. Along the way, Katniss suffers loss, terror and life-changing moments as she is determined to kill President Snow—played by Donald Sutherland—who has been the villainous dictator of Panem since the beginning of the series. Sutherland brilliantly depicts Snow as the pernicious, haughty dictator with his bone-chilling delivery.

The chemistry between Katniss and Peeta—played by Josh Hutcherson—was stronger than in previous films. Hutcherson played the sometimes-neurotic Peeta Mellark, as he was suffering the after-effects of Capitol torture. The character’s dimensionality was impressively shown through the use of Hutcherson’s display of emotions.

Supporting male characters like Gale Hawthorne—played by Liam Hemsworth—and Finnick Odair—played by Sam Claflin—acted as strong male comrades to Katniss’ war on the Capitol.

After the death of Plutarch Heavensbee—played by Philip Seymour Hoffman—it was interesting going into the film wondering how they would deal with the absence of such a major character. Naturally, the adaptations of the novel in these aspects were different, but the storyline was well maintained.

This film was chockfull of dramatic death scenes. Whether the deceased characters were old-time favorites or Capitol citizens, the filmmakers made the scenes almost too moving, as each death was utterly heartbreaking to watch. It felt as if you were a part of Katniss’ journey and emotional rollercoaster for the entire film—whether she was in the depths of the Capitol sewers or right in front of Snow’s gates.

Contrary to the first installment of the Mockingjay film, the second part had a continuous plot that kept you on the edge of your seat. But perhaps that was one of its biggest—and only—flaws: There were many unlikely events, such as the deadly black sludge stopping right where they needed it to or the peacekeepers just missing Katniss as she attempts to sneak into the Capitol. Although it may have been too easy, it did not hinder the overall experience of the movie.

The film in and of itself was seemingly the best of all four installments simply because the actors played with so much raw emotion and talent. It was the perfect wrap to Katniss’ journey since she first joined The Hunger Games.

Grimes’ new album innovative, bold

It’s been awhile since Canadian-born indie-pop singer Claire Boucher—professionally known as Grimes—has released an album: three years, to be exact. Her previous album Visions spawned critically-acclaimed singles “Genesis” and “Oblivion,” which helped propel her into the spotlight and achieve recognition. Grimes is known for her conceptual, intricate music in which she fuses musical genres that run the gamut alongside her eccentric do-it-yourself compositions. In fact, Visions was entirely recorded and composed through the free music-recording software GarageBand.

And now, with her highly anticipated fourth album Art Angels, Grimes has reignited the buzz around not only her music, but her narrative as an artist.

The first track off of Art Angels titled “Laughing and Not Being Normal” immediately gives insight into Grimes’ own style. The nearly two-minute intro begins with riffs, glockenspiel-like sounds and a composition of strings. Halfway through the song, Grimes belts her well known high-pitched vocals. It ends abruptly to lead into the lively next track, “California.”

“Scream” is one of the most eccentric songs of the album. On this track, Grimes collaborates with Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes, who sings the entire song in Mandarin. It is a poetic track, but is sexually explicit. While you may not understand what Aristophanes is saying, the noises she makes lets you know what she’s rapping about.

The fourth track “Flesh Without Blood” is the lead single of the album and is a Europop-sounding dance track. Lyrically, the song follows the theme of the public’s perception of Grimes and her rebuttal, singing, “And now I don’t, and now I don’t/And now I don’t care anymore.” She also takes jabs at people who claim she is “selling out” or “betraying” the roots of where she came from in order to become more marketable.

Another standout track, “Kill V. Maim,” is more conceptual and is sung through the scope of an altered, gender fluid version of Al Pacino. It’s backed by an infectious beat, hard synths and Grimes’ chirpy, chipmunk-esque vocals. In the pre-chorus, Grimes spells out “B-E-H-A-V-E” like a high school cheerleading team would with child-like enthusiasm. It is one of the liveliest and memorable songs of the album.

With Art Angels, Grimes travels to destinations Visions did not—there is a common theme of being free within the album. The song “Pin” encapsulates this with the chorus lyrics, “Falling off the edge with you, ahh-ooh-ooh-ooh/It was too good to be true.” Grimes has no regard but to be wild and have a great time, despite negative ramifications or knowing the moment won’t last. While the song is cynical, it takes a different approach to handling human attachment and detachment.

Another odd but refreshing song is “World Princess, Pt. II,” which encompasses a lively, booming beat. Something noteworthy about this album is that Grimes criticizes how male-dominated the music industry is and how she feels that she is viewed as incapable simply because of her sex. Many would believe that a man or a group of people shaped Grimes into the star she is, but Grimes rebuts this by saying, “It’s mine” over and over in the chorus. Grimes is quick to emphasize that she made herself on her own.

In “Venus Fly,” Grimes collaborates with American artist Janelle Monáe—known for her various Grammy nominations and appearance on Fun.’s hit “We Are Young.” “Venus Fly” is a thrusting, bluntly feminist track touching upon the objectification of women. Grimes and Monáe assert that women in the music industry should not have to be judged on their appearance.

All in all, Art Angels is a packed, 14-track album with a lot to say. It showcases Grimes’ musical progression as an artist, but more importantly, it demonstrates what she has to say and what she stands for: feminism, liberation, environmentalism and happiness. With this album, Grimes is no longer running to escape: she’s confronting her reality and she does a darn good job with it.

Breakfast Club spurs high school nostalgia

College students look back on high school with a plethora of emotions. Whether high school was a period to be reminisced with fondness or resentment, there is some solace in the fact that it is—and most definitely can stay—in the past. But for Geneseo students, these adolescent memories were revived on Friday Sept. 18 during Kino’s showing of The Breakfast Club. Kino provides popular movie showings for free to Geneseo students and The Breakfast Club did not disappoint. This cult classic—directed by John Hughes—has been met throughout the years with great acclaim. Entertainment Weekly ranked The Breakfast Club first on its list of “The 50 Best High School Movies” in 2006—despite the fact that the movie premiered in 1985. This is only one of many accolades for the film. The Breakfast Club was a colossal success for Hughes; the movie was and still is enjoyable today because it’s relatable to students everywhere—even 30 years after its release.

Kino specifically showed The Breakfast Club on Friday Sept. 18 as a nod to Molly Ringwald, who played ‘princess’ Claire Standish in the film. Ringwald was in Geneseo to perform cover songs from her debut jazz album Except Sometimes on Saturday Sept. 19—but the day before, it was her acting that students came together to appreciate.

Claire was one of five main characters stuck in a library for Saturday detention, each character representing their own respective high school stereotypes. In addition to Claire, Geneseo students can relate to basket case Allison Reynolds, nerd Brian Johnson, jock Andrew ‘Andy’ Clarke and criminal John Bender.

“The one I could relate to the most is some sort of combination of Andy and Brian,” Kino coordinator sophomore Francesco Bruno said.

Junior Elise Johnson echoed the same sentiment after viewing the movie. “I’d want to say Bender—because he’s Bender—but it’d be Andy and Brian,” she said. “I’m more of a blend of a few of them.”

The irony of the situation was alive in the room—college students watched the five high school characters interacting in a high school library while the college students were watching the movie in a college classroom. The spell was broken only when an audience member would laugh—students would have to remember it was Newton Hall they were in and not their past high schools.

“I think the movie deals a lot with having to deal with being put into a box when people start thinking of you under a specific title,” Bruno said. “Like for a few years, I was a jock and I started doing other things and it was a weird breaking point, [like in the movie].”

Kino will be showing another engaging high school coming-of-age-story. The Perks of Being a Wallflower on Oct. 3 at 8:30 p.m.

Shyamalan’s horror flick fragmented, dissatisfying

Despite all the hype around M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie, The Visit proved to be more of a failure than a victory. Like all Shyamalan movies, The Visit contained a classic, unexpected twist. The twist, however, could not make up for the poorly developed plot that dominated the film. The Visit tells the story of aspiring filmmaker Becca and her younger brother Tyler, played by Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould respectively. The story begins with the siblings setting off to meet their estranged grandparents in rural Pennsylvania. Becca brings her video camera to try and seal the rift that happened years ago between her mother—played by Kathryn Hahn—and her grandparents—played by Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie.

During their stay, Becca and Tyler come to the realization that their grandparents are not whom they first appeared to be. In order to figure out the truth, Becca and Tyler decide to document their “visit.”

Despite the promising synopsis and director, The Visit is only pleasing from the surface. This movie is full of flaws, bringing about its downfall. A significant problem is that the film tries to stretch across multiple genres. Horror, documentary and comedy combined do not create a good setup for a Shyamalan film. There are times where it is not clear whether the audience should laugh or cringe. Even the horror aspects of the film were not terrifying—just disturbing.

Furthermore, the characters were underdeveloped. Becca—who is barely 15 years old—is using vocabulary so far past her age it seemed awkward and out of place. Tyler is a cocky 12-year-old who believes his rap skills surpass any YouTube sensation. Both children are too precocious, simply becoming aggravations to the film rather than compelling protagonists.

Another issue with the film was that too many themes were brought in and then abandoned halfway through. The children have inner demons that they struggle with after their parents’ nasty divorce. Yet, this very problematic detail is rarely brought up as the children go through traumatic nights with their insane grandparents; even though the resurfacing of these issues would have helped the characters develop.

By the end of the film—despite the unforeseeable twist—there was a sense of incompleteness. An anticlimactic feeling rose within audience members because of all the loose ends the movie did not tie up.

One positive aspect of the movie, however, is that there were no dull moments—even if the movie did prove to be a letdown. In some way—whether it is puzzling over Becca’s word choice, reeling from the grandparents’ creepy behaviors or listening to Tyler attempt to rap—it was undoubtedly entertaining to watch.

Album Review: Marina and the Diamonds shift toward alt-pop in third album

Welsh-Greek singer-songwriter Marina Diamandis—professionally known as Marina and the Diamonds—pushed herself into pop star cult status with her 2012 sophomore release Electra Heart—a synth-pop concept album based on American archetypes. Her third record, FROOT, has a much different style.

This is not the first time Diamandis has shifted her sound and style. Her 2010 debut album The Family Jewels incorporated indie-pop, new wave and experimental sounds as opposed to the poppy, Katy Perry-esque grandeur of Electra Heart.

FROOT has 12-tracks and is an alternative-pop album. Compared to Diamandis’ previous releases, this album evokes a sense of progression, maturity and acceptance to the listener.

The album begins with the solemn, introspective “Happy,” which is backed by a soft piano melody that highlights Diamandis’ vocals. The track is about being optimistic and finding happiness in life. The song’s message vastly differs from “Are You Satisfied?”—the opening track of her debut album. “Are You Satisfied?” speaks of being unhappy and unsettled in life whereas “Happy” conveys a newfound sense optimism, as her internal struggles have been resolved.

Highlights of the album such as “FROOT,” “I’m A Ruin” and “Forget” touch upon different subjects that are frequently exhausted—concepts like being a lover, being loved and letting go of the past. All of these songs, however, are uniquely executed in a radical and thought-provoking way.

The album does not fall flat—each track has a new story to tell. There are no contrived, repetitive lyrics or overused production techniques. The album is dually unique—it’s melodically quirky and packed with unconventional, unabashed lyrics.

Tracks like “Can’t Pin Me Down,” “Gold” and “Better Than That” address topics such as feminism, gender roles, self-reliance and personal vendettas. Listeners can also find caveats of light, bubbly pop in songs like “Blue” and “Weeds.”

Things get darker in the latter half of the album. The closing songs “Savages” and “Immortal” add an existential twist. Opening up with the lyrics, “Murder lives forever/And so does war,” “Savages” explores human behavior and free will, touching upon events such as the Boston Marathon bombing.

“Immortal” is the last track of the album and continues to express the motifs of existentialism and behaviorism that “Savages” touches upon. The track is complimented with a dreamy, nostalgic sound and is one of the longest songs on the album. The song’s message is specifically about human purpose and mortality. Diamandis singing, “Everybody dies, dies/If I could buy forever at a price/I would buy it twice” cleverly exemplifies the irony of the track’s title. It delicately ends with a melodic repetition of the lyrics, “So keep me alive.”

All in all, FROOT is profound compared to most contemporary pop albums. It proves to be refreshing for those seeking insightful, meaningful music with a sweet—and at times grim—pop sound. The album’s analytical themes and reflective scope attributes to its coherence and consistency. The result is triumphant.

Summer 2015 in review

Every summer, there are songs, albums and films that catch the attention of the entire country. The summer of 2015 was no different. It was filled with strong artists and cultivating filmmakers. As the summer comes to an end, it is important to look back on what made this summer so great from an entertainment standpoint. Here’s a glimpse at some of the highlights:

Songs

Taylor Swift lit up the summer with her remixed single “Bad Blood” featuring Kendrick Lamar. The suspenseful music video—which featured celebrity cameos from Selena Gomez, Lena Dunham and Jessica Alba—helped land the single at the top of the music charts. The song is intense, upbeat and delivers a powerful message to stand up against adversity. It’s no wonder why Swift received the 2015 Video Music Award for Video of the Year at the end of the summer.

Another song from a driven female artist was Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song.” Like Swift, Platten delivered a strong message through her heartfelt and empowered song. It was the summer’s biggest song; an impressive feat for a female artist who was working independently without any billed collaborators. Not only did Platten’s hit reach radios all over the country, but it was also featured in a Ford commercial.

Male artists had many outbreaks this summer as well. Andy Grammer’s “Honey I’m Good” and Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance” became instant hits on the radio fairly early in the summer. The upbeat vibe allowed these tracks to gain widespread popularity throughout the country. These songs were—and still are—the perfect songs to blast in your car on the way to the beach or the mall.

Movies 

Hit movies this summer ranged across genres from action to comedy to documentary. Probably one of the most lucrative films of the summer, Jurassic World, revived the famous Jurassic Park films and reawakened our love for the dinosaur theme park. Action and suspense were driving forces in this film and lead actor Chris Pratt delivered a stunning performance that left viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the film.

Another summer favorite was Inside Out, Pixar’s first movie since Monster’s University. What really drove this film was the creative and extensive world created by the moviemakers. It was interesting to see how an animated film dealt with the visualization of concepts such as personality, abstract thought and dreams. Amy Poehler voiced Joy, the energetic and happy-go-lucky emotion that tries to right every wrong that her polar opposite, Sadness—voiced by Phyllis Smith of “The Office”—creates. Like one of Pixar’s previous films, The Incredibles, Inside Out dealt with complex themes while still being family-friendly.

Trainwreck—written by and starring Amy Schumer—on the other hand, put a quirky take on a rom-com. Portraying an awkward and comedic female protagonist, Schumer allowed the hilarity of the film’s premise to shine through. Bill Hader—portraying Schumer’s boyfriend—helped add to the light and humorous comedy.

Among the action and comedy, moviegoers were also treated to an inside look at the life of Amy Winehouse in the documentary Amy. It celebrated her career, but also showed the hardships she faced. The film featured many of her songs, which meant that viewers could appreciate her hits while learning about her career.

Albums

This summer allowed many new artists and well-known veteran singers to shine. X-Factor 2012 contestant Bea Miller came out with her first album Not an Apology in late July. Her distinct, strong and raspy vocals stand out in songs such as “Fire N Gold” and “Dracula” and are the driving force that makes her unique amongst the throng of modern pop artists.

In a different genre, Pitbull came out with his ninth studio album on July 17. Dale features Spanish singers such as Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and Fuego. The rhythmic album is a primarily Spanish-language work, Pitbull’s second such album.

Art from Abroad: London presents innovative theater experiences

People say that traveling abroad is life changing. I had the opportunity to discover this firsthand when I studied Humanities II at Oxford University this past summer. Seeing incredible landmarks and attending plays made the experience even more worthwhile. During our first weekend, our group traveled to Stratford-Upon-Avon and took a tour around Shakespeare’s hometown. We saw his wife—Anne Hathaway’s—original cottage surrounded by a scenic garden. That evening, we saw Shakespeare’s “Othello,” a play I hadn’t read since high school, but enjoyed nonetheless. The seemingly modern comedy incorporated into the play made it laugh-out-loud funny.

After spending time in Stratford-Upon-Avon, we made our way to London. One noteworthy experience from London was visiting Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey is filled floor-to-ceiling with luxurious art and hundreds of years’ worth of history. I didn’t realize how many people were buried there—it felt like the abbey was packed with tombstones of important historical figures. Kings and queens were buried alongside famous writers like Jane Austen, Lewis Carroll and Charles Darwin.

While in London, we also went to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater and saw another Shakespeare play, “King Richard II.” This play also had a contemporary feel, similar to “Othello.”

I think that the actors in these plays portrayed their comedic parts in modern ways in order for the play to be more relatable for audience members. The actor playing King Richard definitely stole the show—he had the perfect balance of a pompous yet wimpy attitude that had the crowd cracking up whenever he took the stage. Due to the spectacular performances from those actors, I preferred “King Richard II” to “Othello.”

After my program ended, I was lucky enough to stay right in the heart of Piccadilly Circus, which is comparable to Broadway in New York City. Everywhere you looked, there was a different theater showing a play. The final show I saw was thankfully not a third Shakespeare play, but rather Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone’s “The Book of Mormon.”

I essentially went in blind to this show and decided that the mystery of the synopsis made it more thrilling. I’ve seen many shows and this is—by far—one of my favorites. The spunk of the characters, the spot-on mockery and the inappropriate, outlandish behavior all merge to form a hilarious play.

At home, I would never decide to go see a Shakespeare play, but this trip gave me the opportunity to enjoy something that is slightly out of my usual interests. I would recommend to everyone, particularly college students, to travel while you can and see as much as possible. You learn more about yourself than you’d think and it is an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life.

Cheerful comedy of “Kimmy Schmidt” recalls glory days of NBC

Some of us are still mourning the end of NBC’s Thursday night comedy block. We watched as each beloved show faded away, one by one—first “30 Rock,” then “The Office.” We endured the drama of the “Community”’s cancellation of “Community” and its Yahoo reboot, and we recently experienced a satisfying “Parks and Recreation” finale.

Although the new Netflix original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”—created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock—doesn’t quite hit the mark, it nonetheless evokes that same appreciation and enjoyment I once felt for my favorite comedy shows.

The allure of “UKS” comes from its familiar faces and lighthearted comedy. Ellie Kemper of “The Office” plays the titlular character Kimmy Schmidt, an optimistic, childish 29-year-old whose naivety comes from her being forced to live in an underground bunker—essentially owned by a cult—for 15 years.

Some of the funniest lines come from Schmidt, as her knowledge of the world ends somewhere in the mid-1990s and her positivity is at a Leslie Knope-level of unattainability. Her character development over the season reveals a determined, passionate woman who is capable of bouncing back from tragedy and failure with a smile and a series of outdated pop culture references.

The gem in the show’s crown is Schmidt’s roommate Titus Andromedon, portrayed by Tituss Burgess. Andromedon combines the exaggerated dramatics of a struggling actor with the harrowing responsibilities of a youngish adult—in one episode he can’t use an ATM because he only has two dollars in his bank account.

One of Andromedon’s best moments is also one of the best social commentaries offered by the show. When Andromedon walks around New York City fully dressed as a werewolf for a job at a theme restaurant, he realizes he is treated better as a werewolf than as a black man. The plot respectfully touches on race relations while still maintaining comedic value, crucially alluding to the real-life New York Police Department that is currently under scrutiny for its handling of racism.

Unfortunately, the accurate race representation ends there, as a red flag emerges with another main character—Schmidt’s boss, Jacqueline Voorhees, portrayed by “30 Rock” alumna Jane Krakowski. An episode about Voorhees’s backstory reveals that she is Native American and wears blue contact lenses and dyes her hair blonde to pass as a white woman.

This plotline and Voorhees’s dramatic, materialistic character are reminiscent of Fey-ist comedy. Voorhees is almost indistinguishable from “30 Rock”’s Jenna Maroney, not only because they are portrayed by the same actress but because of their outrageous one-liners. While Fey likes to push the boundaries of political correctness, the portrayal of a Native American woman by a white actress goes too far, as it essentially undermines the goal of achieving accurate representation of minorities on television.

It is difficult not to compare “UKS” to Fey’s previous work. The same quirky humor that made “30 Rock” a success is part of what makes this new offering so likable. Fortunately, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is still capable of standing on its own. Its original story gives it character, and its characters give it humility. It seems to fit right in with my NBC favorites and I can’t wait to binge-watch the next season.

Rating: 3.5 stars