The DSIR February 2020 Issue

Page 2 The Irishman Review Page 4 The Witcher Review Page 6 The February Iconics

DSIR

February Issue, 2020

February Issue | 2

Lorcan Conlon comments on the crime drama, ‘The Irishman’.

One can be forgiven for being somewhat taken aback as one watches the opening scene of the Irishman - a movie supposed to be about the life of a hitman in a violent gang of New York. In his unconventional opening scene, Martin Scorsese ditches high speed car chases, assassinations and gun battles in favour of a room of ageing, frail citizens, chattering quietly together, and a reflective, bittersweet narration by wheelchair bound Frank Sheeran, of the years gone by.

With a lengthy runtime of 209 minutes, The Irishman is not a breezy flick. Scorsese’s engaging, gritty nostalgia trip flashes backwards and forwards, following the life of Frank Sheeran, as he navigates the treacherous and volatile world of gangs and Pennsylvania crime families. The Irishman is a rare instance in which the story of American gangsterism is told from the perspective of a low-level hitman (or house painter, as you may prefer). Frank’s penchant for following orders and remaining loyal allows him to stay below the radar of his paranoid crime bosses, giving us a surprisingly clear and comprehensive view of the intricacies of the mobster realm. As characters are introduced one by one, defined and identified by the hour of their deaths, Scorsese adds to the curious fluidity that time takes on through this portrayal of the ins and outs of turbulent New York crime life.

If the momentum of the movie is slightly compromised by the drawn out runtime, it is made up for by superb character development and authentic reminiscence of a time that once was. The relationships and betrayals of each character are painted sparing no detail, as loyalties are tested and friendships are broken. Diverging from many of its contemporaries, The Irishman also delves into the effects Frank’s job has on his family; a quiet, but powerful influence on Frank’s life is his daughter, Peggy. Throughout the story, she creates much of his inner conflict as he obediently carries out the orders of his higher-ups.

On a more technical level, the youth-restoring facial effects seem to work for the most part, although there are some incongruencies caused by the cautious movement of the ageing actors in some of the action scenes (in one, we see young Frank delicately beating up a shopkeeper in the street).

The Irishman is a thrilling, ruminative and nostalgic ride through the backstreets of 1950s crime life; it’s unapologetically gritty, rough and candid, showing the good, the bad and the ugly, from a director in his autumn years, who’s looking back on his career more than forward.

And yet, as many would tell you, it’s one of Scorsese’s best ones yet.

Gurmehar Bedi explores the impactful novel, ‘Americanah’ ‘Americanah’, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s third novel is a tale of two lovers, Obinze and Ifemelu, who part with each other to escape military dictatorship in Nigeria. Years later, Ifemelu returns from the United States and Obinze is a wealthy property developer in Nigeria, and the two contemplate the thought of reviving their relationship despite their differing identities.

The United States is depicted as a symbol of social and economic prosperity. However, this reward of a life in America often comes at a great cost for Ifemelu and she soon discovers that the American Dream is a fabrication.

Consequently, she decides to return home to Nigeria.

Due to her stint in the US, she picks up an accent, begins to detest her native food and immerses herself in various facets of racism and identity. Therefore, she is titled ‘Americanah’ upon her return.

In Nigeria, the term is used to describe one who has been Americanized, someone who appears to be oblivious to his or her ethnic culture.

In my opinion, Adichie captures the essence of a life which is determined by the colour of one’s skin. The fact that her tale spans three continents allows her to convey the hardships faced

by African immigrants with the utmost ease. The theme of racism is woven into the story beautifully.

In fact, the idea is touched upon so effortlessly that the reader fails to pay any heed to it until a considerable amount of progression in the plot.

Adichie elaborates on the perception of racism in Nigeria, America and England through the migration of her characters, emphasising the impact the colour of one’s skin has on the course of one’s life.

However, the most striking aspect of the novel is Adichie’s keen observance of the realities of our time.

Realities that the world is aware of but is fearful to put on paper. Whether it is two strangers becoming friends while complaining about flaws in public services or Senegalese women talking about how p e o p l e consider Africa to be a country, Adichie never appears to be fake. This fascinating quality is what sets ‘Americanah’ apart from other novels and makes it a gripping read.

The tender love story is not just a captivating one but it truly alters one’s perception of the world.

It offers a different perspective on the adversities faced by people with a darker skin tone while going through their everyday life.

February Issue | 4

Abhay Jain reviews the megahit Netflix fantasy series, ‘The Witcher’.

In the last few decades, ever since J.R.R Tolkien’s

whatever he could, to put up a fight against the

Lord of the Rings was released, the countless

merciless and cruel life that loomed ahead of him.

iterations of his work became a genre in itself better known as high fantasy. This genre also

That brings me to a very important theme of the

referred to movies on the big screen or in the

story. The theme of exploitation. Ruthlessness

case of The Witcher, the small screen. After a

and manipulation are two values that have proven

December debut on Netflix, The Witcher captured

themselves in both the real and fantasy world. We

the minds of Fantasy enthusiasts and Witcher fans

see the showrunners take a jab at the state of the

alike. Within 10 days, The Witcher had surpassed

current world through ‘The Witcher’, by showing

household names such as ‘The Malandorian’ and

him get shoved around and manipulated by people

‘Stranger Things’.

more skilled and knowledgeable than himself.

Now, one might ask, what was the reason for the

Instead of ‘The Witcher’ having a single overarching

popularity of ‘The Witcher’? What was the one

plot or story, all the episodes are like mini quests

thing that propelled ‘The Witcher’ into Netflix

of their own, in which Geralt has to fight off one

stardom? I would say that it was ‘The Witcher’

single monster and end the quest. Along with

fanbase. An already popular franchise, with both

that, we have the stories of two more important

literary and video adaptations, ‘The Witcher’

characters - Ciri and Yennefer. Yennefer is one

already had an eager fan base ready to scrutinize,

character whom we have seen rise from being a

enjoy and binge watch an adaptation of their

bullied andW disabled young girl, to a powerful

favourite book or video game. With the Netflix

magician in her own right. We see them develop

debut, ‘The Witcher’ Franchise officially came full

along with ‘The Witcher’ and see them make some

circle. This fanbase gave The Witcher the push it

rather rash decisions in their youth. These mistakes

needed to get to the recommended feed.

are also very important parts of the final plot and they play a major role in the development of the

With the Netflix adaptation of ‘The Witcher’

story.

being loosely tied to the books, which were in no particular order, the showrunners of ‘The Witcher’

Anyway, one thing is for sure. ‘The Witcher’ has

found a unique way of stringing the series of events

allowed The Witcher franchise to come full circle,

together. The series of events that ensued in The

and has done so successfully. As Witcher fans and

Witcher had our main character, Geralt of Rivia

enthusiasts wait anxiously for the next season of

enduring many a tribulation. He was exploited,

‘The Witcher’, I wish you a happy watching.

bewitched and nearly killed. We saw Geralt do

Shreyan Mittal evaluates the harrowing movie, ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’.

It’s unlikely that you are going to see another movie as sympathetic towards a killer, especially someone as notorious as Ted Bundy, as Joe Berlinger’s, ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’. While the director is also famous for his documentary on Ted Bundy, with this particular film, he has gone down a rather controversial albeit successful path, choosing to show the infamous murderer in a new light; one that has caused quite the uproar for being so questionable.

What is interesting about the film is that it is told through the eyes of Ted Bundy’s long time girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer. In fact, the whole film is based around her book detailing her time with Bundy, titled ‘The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy’. The narration from the perspective of his sweetheart proved to be an excellent tool in showcasing the charm that the serial killer possessed, something which he was infamous for. In fact, one might even be convinced that the criminal might have been innocent the whole while, seeing all the events through the point of view of someone who was close to him. However, midway through, it does shift gears and instead of solely narrating from the perspective of his girlfriend it probes deeper into the doings of the killer, thereby losing focus in its narration.

Now, there has been a lot of critique of the movie, and one of the major problems is the portrayal of Ted Bundy. While the director does give glimpses of the horrendous crimes committed by the Campus Killer, for the major part, it does not delve into the darkness of his character.

It gives a very one-sided feel to the whole movie, especially with the many instances showing how Bundy might have been framed and was innocent the whole time. Many people have said how

this shows the notorious killer in a good spotlight and makes him seem good, whereas in reality it was the exact opposite.

Personally, I think that this was a smart decision on behalf of the producers. There already exist various documentaries and movies whose sole purpose is to highlight the evil of Bundy. In the case of ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’, the film is an accurate reflection of how a whole nation saw the serial killer. Rather than focusing on the already available facts of his gruesome murders, choosing not to depict them and instead showing the world from a new and fresh perspective was a bold move, and one that I think paid off.

Another fault in the movie’s plotline is the abrupt change in focus midway. Another aspect that intrigued me was the advent of humour in the film.

While showing Bundy on the run, it takes on a much more comedic tone that only changes during the end of the movie. As a viewer, I believe, this shift of tone might not be the worst thing in the world. The element of humour really diversifies the movie and adds to its uniqueness; the addition of this comic component is something that has been missing in similar movies and documentaries on the same topic.

The one thing that has been applauded by all is the acting, which is a major factor that helps the movie pack that much needed punch thanks to some brilliant acting by Zac Efron and Lily Collins. While many questioned the casting beforehand, the charismatic and charming Zac Efron fits the role like a glove. His performance is truly breathtaking, and more than once, makes the viewer feel as if they were watching him in real life.

Overall, ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’ is a refreshing break from the monotonous documentaries on the same. It brings to the table a new view and narrative, and with the help of fabulous acting, has exceeded expectations.

February Iconics

February Issue | 6

‘Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs’ which premiered on the 10th of February, 1965, was arguably the most ambitious project undertaken by Walt Studios. It brought the studio to the brink of financial collapse, and attracted widespread criticism. However, the movie’s premiere proved critics wrong, demonstrating that fully-colored cartoons were indeed a spectacle that would be enjoyed by audiences. Indisputably, the movie went on to become a classical hit. Indeed, Disney had succeeded in creating a film that captivated both audiences and revisionist critics. Walt Studios went on to pave the way for other full color animated movies around the world such as Pinnochio and Bambi.

The famous ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ aired its final episode on the 6th of February, 2014. The show aired more than four thousand episodes and has featured popular celebrities such as Kanye West, Katie Couric, Jamie Foxx, Simon Cowell and more.

Its host, beloved stand-up comedian and late-night television star Jay Leno, had first hosted the Tonight Show in 1992 and continued to do so right up till 2009. For nearly a year after, he hosted The Jay Leno Show, before returning to the Tonight Show to remain the host for another 4 years. Even today, he occasionally returns to the ‘Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’, who was named his successor.

Best known as the frontman and guitarist of the revolutionary rock band Nirvana, Kurt Donald Cobain remains one of the most iconic and influential rock musicians in the history of the genre. Born on February 20th 1967, in the city of Aberdeen, Cobain quickly attained fame and public affection through his career as a musician.

More importantly though, he presented the audience with a variety of iconic songs including ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘Lithium’.

Cobain committed suicide on April 5th 1994. Although he may not be with us today, his music and contribution to alternative rock will always be remembered.

On the 7th of February, 1964, the Beatles touched American soil for the first time and were greeted by 3000 hysterical fans (mostly women). They appeared on the Ed Sullivan show which was watched by 40% of the American population. The visit proved to be of great consequence for America’s culture. It did not just entertain people, it also aided the American youth to break free from the culturally rigid 1950s. The Beatles and their buoyant music were solely responsible for the change in American pop culture, a change which is evident even to this day.

Editor-in-Chief Nirvair Singh Chief-of-Production Vir Bhatia

Song of the Year: Billie Eilish, “Bad Guy” Album of the Year: Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Best Rap Album: Tyler, the Creator, Igor Best Music Video: Lil Nas X feat Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road” Best Spoken Word Album: Michelle Obama, “Becoming” Best Pop/Solo Performance: Lizzo, “Truth Hurts”

Editor Armaan Batta Head of design Krishnav Singhal Graphic Editors Aneesh Reddy Pratyush Tyagi Associate Editors Agam Bhatia Kabir Subbiah Lorcan Conlon Correspondents Gurmehar Bedi Shreyan Mttal Junior Correspondent Abhay Jain Faculty Advisor Malvika Kala