Nov. 13, 2015
Entertainment
Page 5
Pick of the Week
Bob’s Buskers
Sam Farley
WSAJ Contributor
Faculty pose in front of Harbison Chapel for the classic boy band style shot.
GROVE CITY COLLEGE
Faculty Follies Professors evoke laughs for comedy sketches
Abby Palaski
Contributing Writer From the ‘Grand Procession’ to the ‘Test of Knowledge’ Faculty Follies had students rolling in their seats by the end of the night. The show contained a hodgepodge of professors from across campus led by “Mr. Indispensable,” Dr. Andrew Mitchell, and “Cat Choreographer,” Dr. Michael Coulter. The spectacle started off with the ‘Evolution of Dance’ with a featured Kung Fu dance by Dr. Warren Throckmorton. Students were not disappointed by Dr. Andrew Har-
vey’s not so serious ‘Very Serious Poetry Analysis’ of Macklemore’s “Downton.” The students from his Civ Lit classes say he has even reprised the skit for in class in case anyone missed it. Dr. Mitchell stole the show with his giant poster board face as a parody of the YouTube hit “Shia LaBeouf Live.” Shia LaBeouf parodies seemed to rule the night especially because a “Just Do It” video immediately followed. The video was fantastic with Dr. F. Stanley Keehlwetter as a definite stand out. Students were also thrilled with Dr. Paul Schaefer’s attempt to be Dr. James Bibza, sweater vest and all. Dr. Schaefer also appeared
in the favorite act of the students as part of the campus premier of Un-Direction. This was a parody of the band One Direction featuring Dr. Schaefer on vocals, Dr. Throckmorton and Dr. Ulrich on guitar, and Dr. Sweet on drums. Junior Maria Dunsworth said that her favorite part of Un-Direction was their rewrite of the hit song “What Makes You Beautiful”. She found the lyrics clever and relatable since they referenced things nearly everyone on campus understood. Senior Abigail Marsan said that she always looks forward to the Coulter Report skit and was not disappointed this year.
Freshmen Caroline Coulter was excited to be a part of the production. She said that the faculty was really open to ideas and most of the ideas thrown around were put into the show. Her favorite thing about being a part of the show was teaching the professors how to dance. Faculty Follies 2015 was brilliantly done thanks to the faculty and students alike that were involved. They brought many smiles to the faces of their students. Junior Jonathan Fisher summed it by saying that the “fact that the faculty takes the time to make fools of themselves is what made the event most enjoyable.”
New take on classic comic characters
Jake Sziraky
Entertainment Editor There are all sorts of holiday traditions surrounding the last three months of our year. In October we dress up and distribute candy to visiting children. In November, we gorge ourselves on a bounty of homemade food and remark about how thankful we are for everything we have. And, finally, in December we honor the birth of our Lord and savior and have a beautiful time exchanging gifts with our family and friends. However, there is one holiday tradition that is often left un-said but never forgotten: watching “the Peanuts” holiday special. We all grew up hearing Linus preach about the merits of the Great Pumpkin and the simplistic
yet touching rendition of the first Christmas. We laughed as Snoopy and Charlie Brown made popcorn and toast for their Thanksgiving dinner, and we all choked back a tear as Charlie Brown chose the ugliest tree in the lot because he believed all it needed was “a little love.” For many of us, it would not feel like the holidays unless we had at least one visit with our favorite “blockheads.” Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang has been around for decades. Our parents were watching these beloved cartoons long before we were born. There has not really been a new, iconic Peanuts special in years. This holiday season, however, that all changed with the release of “The Peanuts Movie”
The Peanuts movie was a fantastic and surprising treat. Going into the theater, one would expect this to just be another rehashing of a beloved piece of our collective childhoods being torn to shreds in order to make a fast buck. Nothing could be farther from the truth. One could easily tell within the first few minutes of the film that a lot of time and care went into the crafting of this movie. As you watched the film, one would almost feel as if they were watching a moving comic strip. It was not rehashed or slapped together like “It’s Christmas again, Charlie Brown.” It had a clear narrative. At the same time, it was compartmentalized enough that it felt like it was just a multiple day story line that
one would find in any comic page. Even though they made the film feel fresh, they were able to include many iconic lines and jokes. What is truly amazing about this is that they were able to do this without seeming heavy handed. They were worked in subtly. Snoopy made his rounds as the Red Baron, Schroder played his Beethoven, and Sally called out for her Sweet Baboo in a perfect blend of nostalgia and entertainment. Overall it was a delightful film and it is sure to become a part of our holiday traditions from now on.
Stormtroopers at famous battles such as Hoth or Endor. The game series: “Star Wars Battlefront” encapsulated all of these features and more. The first Star Wars Battlefront game was released in 2004 for the Sony PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. It mirrored many features of the present day Call of Duty or Battlefield series where you can customize your class and play different game modes such as capture the flag or team deathmatch. The game was wildly popular, so Pandemic Studios and LucasArts developed a second game simply titled “Star Wars Battlefront 2.” This game was released in 2005
and was just as popular as the first game. Many can fondly remember game nights with friends on Friday nights as they would stay up until three in the morning playing both Battlefront games, competing on every possible map with every possible faction of soldier. That would not stop, as many still play these games regularly to this day. The game certainly has had a lasting impact on our generation. However, feuds between the publisher and the game developer essentially halted any possibility of a future game. Servers for the original games were eventually shut down, and the series
was left for dead. Today, this game series has been revitalized as the new Star Wars Battlefront game comes out on November 17, 2015. Now under the direction of EA and Dice, this Star Wars game holds true to the original three films and the original games. Players will be able to play on the planets of Hoth, Endor, Tatooine, Sullust, and Jakku from the upcoming film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” It is certainly an exciting time to be a nostalgic Star Wars fan with new movies, TV shows, and games coming out in the near future.
peanuts.com
Awaken your inner Jedi
Kyle Martin
Contributing Writer Since May of 1977 George Lucas’s “Star Wars” has brilliantly captured the imaginations of children and adults alike. There have been a total of six Star Wars films produced since 1977 with numerous spinoff shows. One of the biggest impacts that Star Wars has had on consumers is through the video game industry. Whether it was at the arcade or the home, the consumer could role-play in the Star Wars universe, fly an Xwing or a Tie fighter or fight the likes of Darth Vader or
The television show, “Bob’s Burgers,” has become something much more than just a television show. It has gained a loyal following for many reasons past its unique characters and odd dynamic. It has a draw that goes deeper than just lighthearted humor. It is that same draw that has brought artists like St. Vincent, the National, and Sleater-Kinney to cover the short tracks throughout the series. The show itself has its own short songs that these artists have chosen to cover and are collectively organized into a group titled, Bob’s Buskers, which can be found on YouTube with depicting animations throughout the songs. In this list of artists, the exception is SleaterKinney. Instead of covering a short track from the show, Sleater-Kinney made their own song prior to releasing it with an animation of Bob’s Burgers that accurately captures all the character’s roles and personalities. St. Vincent covers the song, Bad Girls, which is about the inner struggle within any adolescent of trying to fit in while still remaining true to herself. In this case, however, she highlights Tina, a confused teenager going through the struggles of being a teen. Another cover is done by Stephin Merrit and Kenney Mellman. They covered a song titled Electric Love, which, in context, is written by Louise, the child of the family that stirs up all sorts of trouble. The short song is about Thomas Edison and his inhumane treatment of animals in his experiments with electricity. Just like the show, it is easy to pass these songs off as humorous and meaningless projects that these large bands decided to take on as a break from their usual, intricate sounds. When it comes to the two songs that The National has covered, it is hard to draw any moral or social implications. Although, it is hard to resist the sultry voice of Matt Berninger singing a Thanksgiving anthem of the voyage of a gluttonous turkey and gravy dinner titled Sailors in Your Mouth. The songs covered from Bob’s Burgers are tempting for they are not only comedic, but they are also well done and relevant within society. A large amount of the quiet influences throughout the show are easily overlooked and can still be enjoyed at face value. By adding a legitimate meaning to the covers and striking chords that are applicable to issues today, it provides an odd attraction that is practically irresistible.