Inside this Issue
The League of Women Voters in Idaho | Page 3
What Will the Fall Semester Look Like? | Page 5
The Bengal
isubengal.com 25 March 2021
New Favorite Disney Movie? | Page 8
Volume 46 Issue 25
The Independent Voice at Idaho State University Since 1910
2021 ASISU Elections Wrap Up Logan Ramsey News Editor After weeks of campaigning, the 2021 Associated Students of Idaho State University (ASISU) election came to a close. Voting ended on March 19 and the new student officer’s terms will begin at the end of the spring semester. On the executive ticket, Zane Webb and Ailie Maclean of the Amplify Party won, and will take office as President and Vice President of ASISU. According to their platform, they’re committed to ACT, which stands for activism, “taking real action in a manner that will not only benefit students, but also protect our community and planet’s health,” community, “making our campus an engaging, accepting, and sociable one where all students feel welcome and involved,” and transparency, “making ASISU more accessible and open to the student body and to build a stronger relationship between ASISU and its con-
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stituents.” Four members of the Amplify Party ran for Senate seats, and all of them won their races. “We were very involved on campus and social media to spread our ideas on how we believe that we can better campus life,” said Josie Elam, Senator-elect for the College of Pharmacy and member of the Amplify Party. “We developed a party of honest and motivated individuals, which allowed us to succeed in the election.” Many of the Amplify candidates voiced discontent with the lack of student activities during the 2020-2021 school year, which were scaled back due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Continued on Page 2
Cover Photo by Brandon Oram | Photo Editor
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The Bengal at Idaho State University
25 March 2021 • Page 2
NEWS
Logan Ramsey | News Editor Contact: bgnews@isu.edu
Bengal Theater Now Offering Streaming Services
Photo Courtesy of Idaho State University Jack Sherlock Reporter The Bengal Theater at Idaho State University is to many an appealing and inclusive resource for students, staff and the surrounding Pocatello community. It offers movies year round for timeless entertainment, with tickets at a maximum price of $3 for adult guests, $2 for children 12 and under or for faculty and staff, down to free admission for students with a Bengal ID. The theater also provides a full concessions bar with a variety of snacks, as well as a thorough selection of the newest
and hottest movies to come out of present day Hollywood, while also taking the time to honor the classics by occasionally bringing them back to the big screen. COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on the ability to interact with our friends and family through shared entertainment, and despite the struggles brought on by the pandemic and it’s limited allowance for social interaction, the Bengal Theater aims to continue providing for customers. School, work, church and even partying with friends has gone virtual since last March, and now the Bengal Theater is following this pattern of online platform development by offering a brand new
streaming service. The Bengal Theater is able to provide this online streaming service through a program called Swank Motion Pictures (SMP). SMP is a movie and TV show licensing company that specializes in film distribution and licensing as a third party entity looking to more easily provide entertainment access for all. Films and shows are purchased through SMP, and then access to these forms of digital entertainment are broadcasted and advertised through SMP through a login or association with an organization. Accessing the streaming service provided by the Bengal Theater,
specifically, is limited to ISU students or associates with an ISU username and password that has been provided by the university. Anyone with an ISU login is seconds away from streaming hours of entertainment that would otherwise be unavailable due to the allowance of inperson attendance to the Bengal Theater. Simply visit the ISU Bengal Theater website at https://www.isu.edu/ bengaltheater/, click “Watch Now” on any available movie that you’re interested in, and use your ISU login credentials to get full access to movie streaming.
2021 ASISU Elections, Continued from Page 1
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“I decided to run for ASISU because I saw that the campus has basically flatlined for the last year. Club activities have been repressed, campus-wide events have been few and far between and student organizations across campus have struggled to remain active and find new members,” said Alex Diviney, Amplify Party member and Senator-elect for the College of Science & Engineering. Jeremiah Schillz, Amplify Party member and Senator-elect for the College of Business, said, “I have noticed a lack of student involvement on campus. Even being as active as I am, it’s still difficult to get access to information about events or clubs until what feels like the last minute!” While Chance Hense and Derek Odgers, executive ticket candidates for the Bengals United Party didn’t win their election, three candidates won their Senate races. Those candidates are Elizabeth Givens, Senator-elect for the College of Nursing, Carmen Napoles, Senator-elect for the College of Arts & Letters and Mikayla Macaluso, Senator-elect for the College of Science & Engineering. A number of other candidates won who were unaffiliated with a political party. Xavier Jenkins became Senator-elect for Graduate Studies as a write-in candidate and thanked his fellow graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences for his win. “I hope to do everything I can to boost undergraduate involvement in ISU’s many research labs, and in particular those of underrepresented groups!” Jenkins said. Zachary Clare, Senator-elect for the College of Rehabilitation & Communication Sciences, also won as a write-in candidate. “Now that I have been elected I hope to
help my peers in the School of Rehab and Communication Sciences by being their voice and representing them while making ISU a better place,” Clare said. Emma Watts, Senator-elect for the College of Arts & Letters, was involved in student government in high school and knew she wanted to continue that involvement at ISU. In the next year, she plans to assist the transition to in-person classes by prioritizing mental health resources, promoting diversity on campus and integrating sustainability into campus life. “I believe that institutional change is greatly needed to reduce unnecessary energy consumption and waste production,” Watts said. In addition to this, Watts also hopes to, “strengthen student-teacher or student-student relationships through a new mentorship program within each department.” Elam also voiced a goal to implement a program like this where incoming students are guided by an upperclassman. Many of the different candidates voiced goals to make ISU a more sustainable campus. Elam said she wants to see a campus garden established for students to use. Watts wants to establish more points around campus with recycling bins. Diviney stated that he wants to stop the e-wasting of decommissioned ISU computers and donate some of them to the community. The new student officers will take office at the start of the summer and serve until their term expires at the end of the Spring 2022 semester. Election results can be viewed at isu.edu/elections/election-results/.
Page 3 • 25 March 2021
The Bengal at Idaho State University
Logan Ramsey | News Editor Contact: bgnews@isu.edu
The League of Women Voters in Idaho Andrea Diaz Reporter Working towards equality and a better community can be a large undertaking, however, the League of Women Voters is striving to do just that. This local, nonpartisan organization’s mission, according to its website, states, “We encourage informed and active participation in government in order to build better communities statewide and helps influence public policy through education and advocacy. Our mission is Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.” This organization came to be back in the 1920s when women were fighting for the right to vote a year and a half before the 19th amendment was ratified. According to its website, “In her address to the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s (NAWSA) 50th convention in St. Louis, Missouri, President Carrie Chapman Catt proposed the creation of a league of women voters to finish the fight and aid in the reconstruction of the nation.” Since then, the organization has worked to better their communities, build participation in the democratic process, and help educate the public on public policies and resolve differences with education and advocacy. Currently, the organization is fighting to pass the “For the People Act” that, according to their website states, “This sweeping piece of legislation is the most expansive democracy reform agenda we have seen since the Voting Rights Act.” The act would expand voting rights, limit gerrymandering, and create new ethics rules for federal officeholders. The organization is encouraging people to call their senators and request that they pass the act. The League of Women Voters is currently hosting a few events over Zoom, one of
which is the League of Women Voters in Moscow. They bring in various speakers and talk about topics such as housing insecurity, The New Idaho Women’s Business Center, The Intersection of Tribal, State, and Federal Laws and the Plight of Indigenous Women, A Regional Update on COVID-19 Vaccinations, and a 2021 Legislative review. Idaho State University students can join the League of Women’s Voters by going to its website and filling out the membership form. There is a $55 fee that comes with signing up. According to the form the fees are there, “Because we lobby on public policy issues, membership dues and contributions are not tax-deductible unless they are earmarked for the League of Women Voters of Idaho Education Fund.” However, students do not have to pay the fee to become a member. Another way to get involved is to donate through its website. The organization encourages anyone to join and promotes diversity among its members. According to the organization’s website, “There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, … physical appearance, political perspective or affiliation and/or any other characteristic that can be identified as recognizing or illustrating diversity.” The League of Women Voters has a presence on the ISU campus and hopes to continue recruiting and growing its organization. “It is my intention to resume and expand on our campus presence, not just for ISU but statewide. Students currently do not pay dues to become a member. We absolutely need to foster these outstanding young individuals,” said upcoming president of The League of Women Voters of Idaho, Jamar Brown.
NEWS
Photo Courtesy of Jamar Brown
Photo Courtesy of Jamar Brown
The Bengal at Idaho State University
25 March 2021 • Page 4
LIFE
Kaitlyn Hart | Life Editor Contact: bglife@isu.edu
The 2021 Grammys Recapped
Lesley Brey Reporter Who doesn’t love award season? It’s the one time of year we’ve all agreed to indulge in celebrity gossip and drama en masse, and boy did this year not disappoint. Maybe it’s a symptom of being stuck inside for 365+ days, but at the 63rd Grammy Awards, celebs were chomping at the bit to get a piece of that sweet, sweet media attention. Today we will be reviewing the biggest snubs and ‘wtfs’ of the 2021 Grammys, on a scale from legit to overrated. The Weeknd Gets Snubbed: Legit Popular recording artist, The Weeknd,
likened his absence from the nominee roster as “a punch in the gut” during an interview with Billboard. Although the nominees were announced back in November of last year, as award day grew closer more people turned their attention to the Recording Academy’s long history of failing to acknowledge black musicians. While The Weekend topped charts last year with his new album “After Hours”, and singles such as “Blinding Lights”, which broke records when it sat on the top 10 for over 43 weeks, he wasn’t nominated for a single award. The Superbowl half-time artist took to social media to share his outrage over the snub. “If you were like, ‘Do you think the Grammys are racist?’ I think the only real
Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons
answer is that in the last 61 years of the Grammys, only 10 Black artists have won album of the year,” said The Weeknd. “I don’t want to make this about me. That’s just a fact.” “WAP” Takes the Stage: Overrated Cardi B is no stranger to scrutiny, having thrived under the public eye since her debut in 2017. During the pandemic, she teamed up with popular rap artist Megan The Stallion to produce what can only be described as a sexual anthem, turning tired tropes on their head. I’ll say it here folks, it’s a good song, but that didn’t stop the usual cultural pundits from clutching their pearls. You may have thought that the drama was over by now, but when “WAP” was performed on stage, the hamster wheel of social media began to spin once again. John Cooper, the lead singer of popular Christian metal band Skillet, compared the performance to fascism during his podcast, aptly titled Cooper Stuff Podcast. “If you go back and you read some of Hitler’s speeches, he’s like, ‘I’m gonna set people free – free from the bondage of the Ten Commandments, In his mind, he’s a liberator. It’s always like that, you guys. All you do is you just redefine evil and you redefine good. That’s what’s happening right now on the Grammys,” Cooper said. The backlash was quick and decisive, many taking offense to Cooper’s potentially offensive conflation. This piece of drama is thusly overrated since it was largely resolved months ago and is only being rehashed for media attention. Taylor Swift Wins Again: Overrated Taylor Swift is a juggernaut of an artist, having successfully switched genres more than three times. At the Grammys, she made history once again by taking home her third ‘Album of the Year’ award for her newest album “Folklore”. What is partic-
ularly surprising about this win is that it followed “Folklore”s defeat at the hands of Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia” for the best pop album. This is the first time, this century, that a record lost in its own category while winning Album of the Year. Swift, for her part, celebrated her success. “We just wanna thank the fans. You guys met us in this imaginary world that we created and we can’t tell you how honored we are forever by this,” Swift said in her acceptance speech. The drama stems from the negative reaction some viewers took to Swift’s win, many feeling that she is overrated. While people are entitled to their opinions, this piece of drama ends up in the overrated pile as there are plenty of better things to criticize Swift over rather than her saturation in the music market. COVID-19: Legit Why is it always the rich and famous who get to skirt the rules? Although the Recording Academy rebranded the Grammys as a “COVID-19 safe” event, that doesn’t change the fact that it had to be rescheduled due to COVID-19 concerns, moving from its original date in January to March 14th. Millions of dollars were spent trying to reformat the show in a way that would minimize contact, including holding some segments outside, as well as using multiple, separate stages. “Short of the Super Bowl, the Grammys are as big and intricate as it gets as a production. Ben Winston and this team really figured this out. Some of the artists asked for more protections and we want them to feel safe. For example, we’ve created venue areas for talent with only one-way access which helps make sure that nobody crosses paths with people who aren’t in the same pod,” said CBS’s Vice President of live events and specials, Jack Sussman.
Photo Courtesy of CBS
Page 5 •25 March 2021
The Bengal at Idaho State University
LIFE
Kaitlyn Hart | Life Editor Contact: bglife@isu.edu
How Will the Fall Semester Look for Students on Campus? Chloe Reid Reporter With the increase in vaccine distribution nationwide and a seemingly lower amount of cases in the past few weeks in most states, the start of going back to better times seems right around the corner. With this news, along with several other colleges nationally, Idaho State University has announced that the college will be planning to return back to in-person instruction for the Fall 2021 semester. In an announcement sent out by president Kevin Satterlee, by the start of the upcoming semester, students should be able to look forward to in-person classes once again, compared to the most recent method of virtual classes through software such as Zoom. “I welcome and applaud the news about vaccine distribution. This development will allow us to safely transition back to inperson learning, to provide the full college experience students want and expect, and to celebrate the campus traditions and activities that bring us closer as a Bengal community,” Satterlee said in a statement. However, this changed semester will still involve facial coverings, social distancing, screenings and avoidance of large social gatherings, according to the ISU website. With such precautions having been taken for the past year, many of the students of Idaho State have been anxiously awaiting the day of campus reopening. So in the eyes of a student, what would an optimal Fall 2021 semester look like? Is the simply stated re-opening of inperson instruction enough to qualify as an improvement? Or do students feel the desire for more to maximize the past standard normalcy of everyday campus life with the new distribution of vaccines? “I think that we can be hopeful that everything will be in person, maskless, and we will be able to have events and gatherings. With several different vaccines rolling out
and the hope that every adult will be eligible to be vaccinated soon, it brings a sense of hopefulness that we haven’t felt in a while,” said ISU sophomore and health professions major, Brandon Gomez. “I’d like to see social distancing staying around until we’re sure that the virus isn’t as big of a threat anymore, but personally, I feel “normal” is achieved with what I previously described.” Currently, vaccines are planned to be ready for distribution to everyone in May of 2021. In a statement by President Satterlee according to the ISU website, statewide updates from the State of Idaho indicate that there will be enough vaccines to be able to reach the entire campus community in a couple of months, giving access to allow for a more personal 2021 experience. On a website hosted by the State of Idaho, the general population is now eligible to pre-register to acquire a vaccine. While incorporating in-person classes again is a step to going back to the traditional route, it could be a long time before students actually experience the pre-2020 college life. In a virtual meeting, members of the Bengal community such as ASISU president-elect, Zane Webb, discussed hopefulness in returning back to the onceloved clubs and traditions at Idaho State as soon as possible. However, even with such hopefulness, it’s hard to determine the exact time semesters will start looking to be fully open in operation for students. While some scientists nod to experiencing at least two more years of the pandemic due to current vaccine and infection statistics, the true time of the pandemic’s end is still an unknown variable to the general population. In the midst of all this, questions still persist in regards to reopening campus for in-person instruction. If in-person instruction is resumed, but all other safety precautions such as social distancing and limited gatherings, how will the student population correctly fit into
Photo Courtesy of Idaho State University
classrooms that are at limited capacity? The president has not yet reached out in response. So in terms of what we can be certain of, Fall 2021 for incoming and returning students will provide a bit of a relief in terms of human interaction. With classes reopening, students will have access to the original methods of communication and learning that have been put on pause for the past 12 months. In-person learning is one step on the path towards reaching the
once completely open campus, and in giving the incoming future classes a better start at their college experience. That being said, every other part of the college experience will remain to stay on pause until further notice. Whether that be a time period of two years or six months, college students should prepare to face another period of uncertainty in regards to participating in past traditions. However, as a Bengal community, we are together no matter the circumstances, even from a distance of 6 feet apart.
Photo Courtesy of Idaho State University
The Bengal at Idaho State University
25 March 2021 • Page 6
SPORTS
Trevor Delaney | Sports Editor Contact: bgsports@isu.edu
ISU Football Team Takes Another Loss at Holt, Heading To UC Davis Trevor Delaney Sports Editor
Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
The Idaho State University football team took on Eastern Washington University for its second home game of the season at Holt Arena in Pocatello on Saturday, Mar. 13, with ISU taking a loss with a final score of 42-46. Previously the Bengals lost their first game of the season, also a home game, against the Weber State Wildcats on Saturday, February 27 under the familiar lights of the Holt Arena. In the second game of the season, ISU beat the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds when they played in Cedar City on Saturday, Mar. 6, with a final winning score of 26-24. In conjunction with Mountain America Credit Union’s sponsorship of this weekend’s ISU football game against UC Davis, Idaho State Athletics and Mountain America Credit Union are giving away a team-autographed Idaho State football
helmet. To enter to win the helmet signed by ISU’s football players, fill out the game week giveaway form on the ISU Athletics website at isubengals.com/giveaway. With their next game coming up at UC Davis at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 27 in Davis, the Bengals head out to California with the season still anyone’s for the taking. As things sit now, Idaho State has a 1-2 score for the season in both overall and Big Sky play. The Bengals have three games left this season to make up for their previous two losses, with a chance to add to the single season victory so far. The last chance for ISU football fans to catch a home game at the Holt Arena this season will be on Saturday, April 3 at 4 p.m., with the Bengals playing their northern rivals, the University of Idaho Vandals. The Bengals will finish out the Big Sky season against Weber State, taking on the Wildcats for the second time this season.
ISU Soccer Team Loses Back to Back Games Against Northern Colorado Trevor Delaney Sports Editor The Idaho State University women’s soccer team lost its first two matches of the Big Sky Season when they took on Northern Colorado in back to back games on Friday and Sunday at the Idaho Central Credit Union Practice Field in Pocatello. In their opening match of the season on Friday, March 19, the Bengals lost to Northern Colorado with a final score for the match of 0-2. Remarking on Friday’s match, Coach Debs Brereton said, “Overall I think the
result doesn’t reflect the performance our team gave. I felt as the game progressed we turned ourselves around and from taking an early loss we recovered very well.” Coach Brereton continued saying, “I think this is a huge learning curve, we’ve got a really young team and they have never experienced the Big Sky game before. I think if anything they now understand that the game is never completely out of our reach and if we can start on Sunday the way we ended today I think it could be a very different result.” Then on Sunday, Mar. 21, the Idaho
State Bengals came back out to play the Northern Colorado Bears, with another loss by ISU and a final score of 0-1. After Sunday’s game was over with, Brereton commented, “I thought the players executed the game plan brilliantly. We asked them to try and match the intensity and focus they had in the second half of the last game and they did just that. To put together a complete performance like that is something we’ve been working on and hoping for, for quite some time. We created more chances today I thought we look way more dangerous going forward, but it’s just not quite there for us in the
box.” “Overall I am so proud of the players for applying themselves maximally and for the seniors as well. Every senior on the pitch was playing her heart out and I appreciate it so much,” said Brereton. The Bengals will play again at 1 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 26, when they go up against Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, with another back to back game at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Mar. 28 against Northern Arizona. These first two losses put Idaho State at 0-2 for Big Sky play and 0-3 in overall season play.
Featured: Michaela Didericksen Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
Page 7 • 25 March 2021
The Bengal at Idaho State University
SPORTS
Trevor Delaney | Sports Editor Contact: bgsports@isu.edu
ISU Men’s Tennis Team Wins 5-2 Against Montana State Trevor Delaney Sports Editor After facing a tough season so far, the Idaho State University men’s tennis team won its match against Montana State University. They played in Reed Gym in Pocatello on Saturday, March 20, with a final match score of 5-2. Following Saturday’s win, Idaho State Coach Alexander Free said, “I am really proud of the way the team competed today. This was the signature win that we needed as a team. We played these guys in February and they got the best of us, but we always preached wanting to be the best team in April and at the end of the season.” After guaranteeing the doubles point for Idaho State after winning their #1 Doubles and #3 Doubles games, the Bengals went on to win #1 Singles, #2 Singles, #4 Singles, and their #6 Singles. Montana
State managed to pick up two singles points, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Bengals in their home gym. “I think this is a big step in the right direction in the process,” said Free. “We’re going to celebrate this one for a day, and then look ahead to a week-long trip in Arizona where we play three really solid teams and our first conference opponent.” This win puts Idaho State at 3-8 for their overall season, with the Big Sky season play beginning on Friday, Mar. 26. The Bengals will play next in Phoenix, Arizona against Grand Canyon University on Tuesday, March 23, followed by Arizona State University on Wednesday, Mar. 24 in Tempe, Arizona.
Featured: Patrick Trhac Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
ISU Takes Single Win in Grand Canyon Softball Tournament, Four Losses Trevor Delaney Sports Editor The Idaho State Softball team took a win in its first game this past weekend playing in the Grand Canyon Softball Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona, which started on Friday, March 19 and went through Sunday, Mar. 21. The Bengals won their first game of the tournament against New Mexico State on Friday, finishing out the game with a close score of 1312. The Bengals then took on the Grand Canyon University team in their second tournament game on Friday afternoon taking a loss with a final score of 5-13. The next afternoon on Saturday, Mar. 20, Idaho State once again faced off against New Mexico State, this time with ISU losing to New Mexico 2-15. Then at
6 p.m. on Saturday, the Bengals played Grand Canyon University in their fourth tournament game and took a loss with a final score of 4-5 for the Saturday evening game. Finally on Sunday, Idaho State played New Mexico State once more in their fifth and final game of the tournament, with ISU losing with a score of 1-9. This put ISU at a 1-4 record for the Grand Canyon Tournament. With the win in the first game of the tournament, this puts ISU up to an overall season score of 6-10. With the Big Sky Softball season officially gearing up this weekend, the Bengals will take on the Weber State Wildcats on Weber State’s home turf in Ogden, Utah on Friday, Mar. 26 and Saturday, Mar. 27.
Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
Featured: Frankie Tago Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
The Bengal at Idaho State University
25 March 2021 • Page 8
OPINION
Jacob Gutridge | Editor-in-Chief Contact: bgchief@isu.edu
My New Favorite Disney Movie? Joanna Orban Copy Editor I grew up on Disney movies like I’m sure many people of our generation did. I’m sure I’ve seen everyone known to man at least once and while there are some that are worse than others, Disney’s newest movie, “Raya and the Last Dragon” is perhaps the best Disney movie I’ve seen in a long time. I would go so far as to say it’s probably my new favorite. Spoilers ahead. The Story “Raya and the Last Dragon” starts with a story of evil spirits, the Druun, who can quickly turn people into stone and are nearly unstoppable forces. Although dragons are ultimately able to save humanity they all turn to stone and the human kingdoms of Kumandra fracture, although Raya’s home kingdom of Heart, holds on to the last concentration of dragon magic, a light-filled orb. Centuries later, Raya’s father invites the other kingdoms, Fang, Spine, Tail and Talon to Heart hoping to bridge the gap between the kingdoms. His plan backfires miserably as Fang betrays the other kingdoms, ultimately breaking the orb into pieces and reawakening the Druun. The spirits then turn Raya’s father into stone. As is common in Disney’s movie there was a significant time jump and we see grown Raya living a nomadic lifestyle as she searches for Sisu, the last dragon and the one who created the orb. She hopes that Sisu will be able to heal her father. The story sounds like it would be one that is hard to follow but the real selling point of this movie, at least for me, was how easily the story flowed. Everything fit so well together, and unlike in “Frozen II” I didn’t finish the movie wondering about what had just happened. I’ve always been a big fan of quest narratives, and this one in particular, because we saw Raya journey through all of the different lands of Kumandra, where she met different people who would help her and Sisu on their journey This part of the story was my favorite because It was so fun to see all of the differences in the lands and to see all of the Southeast Asian influences Disney utilized. However, I am not a member of the community, so I cannot say whether the show was totally accurate or not. The Characters I know I said, the plot was my favorite part, but the characters were also just as good. Raya in particular really shined. At the beginning of the movie, she was such
a guarded and mistrustful character that you could almost feel her bitterness. Her growth throughout the movie is based on her ability to open up and trust again, and in my opinion, was entirely authentic. Sisu, the last dragon, is hilarious. I really should have expected that, as she’s voiced by Awkwafina but I cannot even tell you just how much I laughed whenever she was on screen. The interaction between Raya and Sisu is so critical to the overall story because of just how different they are. Sisu believes in trust and always thinks the best of everyone while Raya has closed herself off from new people and new experiences. There’s a wide variety of secondary characters, such as Raya’s potential love interest and the rival princess Namaari. Although their love story isn’t explicit, Raya’s voice actress has claimed that she was playing romance. If Disney confirms this relationship, it would be a first for the company. Perhaps, it would be better not to hold our breath in this regard.
I can’t think of any negatives about the movie, and I’m not just saying that. I can’t wait to watch it again and I can definitely
say it’s my new favorite Disney movie. Do yourself a favor and watch it. You won’t regret it.
The Animation Another selling point of this movie was the beautiful animation. Let’s be honest, Disney is always a step ahead animation-wise and this movie was no different. Water is a huge theme in this story and throughout the movie, it’s beautifully animated. All of the characters are also very expressive. Honestly, one of my favorite things about watching animated movies is the animation style. Raya reminded me a lot of Moana, in the sense that all of the colors were very vibrant. Another tidbit of the animation that made the movie just a bit more was how they animated Sisu and the other dragons. They had more of an ethereal feel than the other characters and it separated them. It was a great way to show the difference between the dragons and the humans. Why I Liked it So Much I’m embarrassed to say this, but I cried at least three times, maybe four if I’m being honest. I am not a crier, especially not in movies, but this movie was so wholesome. The story was just familiar enough not to be boring but had just enough twists and turns to really suck you in. Another reason I liked this movie so much was because of the main character. Raya was really fun and I loved her animal sidekick Tuk Tuk. My favorite thing about this movie was how much it reminded me of “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. The different tribes were evocative of the different kingdoms. Even if you’re just slightly interested in ATLA, I would recommend Raya. Each of the stories has a wholesome vibe.
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The Bengal Staff Editor-in-Chief Jacob Gutridge
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