10 OPINION ISSUE 4
FEBRUARY 20
All Hail the King
To advise or Does Black Panther live up to the hype? not to advise (A spoiler-free review)
David Thompson \\ staff writer “Black Panther” is Marvel Studios’ 18th film released over the past 10 years. Their cinematic universe has quite the action-packed track record featuring, “The Avengers,” “Thor,” “Captain America,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” etc. “Black Panther” is a fresh take on a new character’s story that will leave you wanting more. Chadw ick Boseman reprises his role as T’challa, also known as Black Panther, in this star-studded blockbuster. T’challa has just been appointed as King of his fictional f utur istic countr y, Wakanda. One of the great joys in this movie is the exploration of Wakanda the viewer experiences as the movie progresses. The mysterious country, located in the central part of Africa, is seen briefly in previous movies but, in this film, we take a deeper dive into all it has to offer. Learning more about the people, traditions, and culture of the Wakandan people was one of the most interesting aspects of the film. For every great hero, there is an equally great villain. Here is where the true strength of “Black Panther” is revealed. Michael B. Jordan assumes the role of Erik Killmonger, the movie’s main antagonist. As a huge comic book movie nerd, I don’t think I could ask
Micah Oltmann \\ S ta f f W r i t e r for much more out of a villain. In a lot of superhero movies, the villain is mainly there just to bring the hero some conf lict but rarely are they fleshed out as well as Killmonger in this film. Michael B. Jordan owned the screen during every scene. His character was explored so well throughout the film, twists and turns galore. I even found myself almost rooting for him during parts of the movie. It is rare in a Marvel movie to grow so attached to a villain like you do in “Black Panther” with Killmonger. Going into this movie, I was in the mindset that I was going to see a lot of expertly-choreographed fight scenes, breathtaking digital effects, and a story that would be overlooked because of those first two things. I was dead wrong. While “Black Panther” is chalk-full of fight scenes and beautiful, digitally made scenery, the plot of the story is truly what makes this tale of the new Wakandan king a great one. Writer and director, Ryan Coogler, did a marvelous (no pun intended) job having a lot of simple stories between different characters build into a masterful overarching plot that is really well encapsulated in the third act of the movie. Also, this wouldn’t be a
proper review of “Black Panther” if I didn’t mention the amazing acting and character development of the supporting cast. Once again, seeing all of the Wakandan tribes and their interactions with one another was truly a delight. I feel like no character was placed in the movie without purpose. Even those with minor roles had a reason for being there and furthered the plot. Special shoutout to Danai Gurira, who played a Wakandan warrior named Okoye. I would go out on a limb and say that she had the best fight scene in all of the movie. Her fighting style is the best choreographed and takes the most risks instead, which strays from the typical punching and kicking that we see so often in superhero movies. To tie a bow on this barrage of “Black Panther” bullet points, if you haven’t already, do yourself the favor and go check out this movie. Even if you aren’t a huge superhero fan, I think that this movie is much more than just bringing a comic book to life. “Black Panther” is a fast-paced film driven by a well-developed plot, great performances, and awe-inspiring cinematography. Oh, and you might want to stick around after the credits roll.
Photo by https://www.clovertheater.com
Advisors are the first line of defense in feeling secure in your college career; however, most students think of an advisor as someone to just “f lip your flag” to enroll in classes. Star ting in your f irst semester, you are partnered with your first-year advisor. They prepare your classes, help you navigate your new school and advise the best course of action. After your first year, you are then paired with a faculty advisor who can help you navigate choosing classes, graduate on-time and help make academic choices like selecting a minor. The National Survey of Student Engagement who annually survey both college freshman and seniors, report that 11 percent of freshman and 15 percent of seniors never discussed their academics with an advisor and 56 percent of freshman and 60 percent of seniors relied on sources outside of the advisor resources. Even with students being resistant to getting help, the school continues to provide resources, and for good reason.
Sometimes an advisor is the push for students need to be the best they can be. “My advisor is Dr. Crawford and I see her a couple times a semester,” Daniel Campos, said, a junior studying software engineering. “I find that when I go to see her, it ends up answering most questions I didn’t even know I had.” Other students have not been as keen to the advising process, but are still happy to have an advisor. “My advisor is pretty cool, but I don’t think advisors really do anything [for the students],” Zachary Bartlett, a senior studying software engineering, said. “I only meet with my advisor before I register for classes to flip my flag.” Whichever side of the fence you fall on, the resource is available to all students. If you don’t know who your faculty advisor is, you can find it by visiting PAWS and viewing your student records. Additional information is available by contacting your advisor or visiting the First Year Experience Office.