Gatsby’s Great MCCC students to perform “Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play.”
Page 5
Getting the band back together
College Community Band resumes full ensemble performances Claire Bacarella
Agora Assistant Editor
With coronavirus restrictions easing across the state, the College Community Band is once again able to hold full ensemble rehearsals and performances. Previously, the band was limited to only student members as a safety precaution. Mark Felder, band director, said this kept students from gaining the experience of playing alongside professional musicians. The first rehearsal back with the full ensemble took place on March 7. “There was a lot of excitement,” Felder said. “Without over exaggerating, the first night back was magical.” The band is preparing for their first concert in 26 months. It is set to take place on May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the La-Z-Boy Center’s Meyer Theater. For student band member Joshua Perrine, it will be his first concert. Perrine said it was overwhelming to be able to practice with the full ensemble because he now has the opportunity to learn from the community members in the band. That includes community members like Daniel Duvenzack, who is the longest-running member of the band, with 45 years as a member. Duvenzack said that other band members could learn from playing alongside him. “It’s fantastic to be back,” Duvenzack said. “We should never have been shut down.” Even after coming back from the shutdown, there are still concerns
Photo by Claire Bacarella
Mark Felder, College Community band director, conducts the band at practice March 21 as they prepare for their May 2 concert.
that the band will be forced to press pause once again.
Serving Monroe County since 1968
“The fact that there’s a new variant isn’t lost on me,” Felder said.
April 4, 2022
“The concern of another shutdown is always at the back of my mind.”
For now, the band is excited to be back for their first concert in May.
Vol. 69 Issue 2
2 • Campus News
April 4, 2022
Agora/mcccag-
Ukraine supply drive surpasses donation goal Lexi Greenwood Agora Staff
On a rainy Saturday afternoon, the Monroe community came together to collect humanitarian aid supplies to send to refugees in Ukraine. Jeremy McGarry, MCCC alumni and community member, organized the collection event, which took place on March 19. “I always say it just takes one person, and I figured all I can do is try to make a difference,” said McGarry. Donations, which were dropped off at the La-Z-Boy Center, included items such as diapers, baby wipes, blankets, pillows, feminine products, a military grade helmet, and a Kevlar vest. Though the event was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., McGarry said people started lining up to drop off supplies at 10 a.m. In four hours, the semitruck was full. Donations continued to roll in. “We had to get a 26-foot U-Haul and we almost ran out of room,” McGarry said. “We had to fill the cab of the truck to fit everything.” McGarry’s father, Patrick McGarry, said the recommended list of products did not even contain feminine products. As a father to two daughters, Patrick McGarry said a need was being dismissed. So, he stocked up on boxes of feminine products to donate.
Photo by Lexi Greenwood
MCCC President Kojo Quartey (left) and Jeremy McGarry (right) load donations into a semitruck March 19.
“This is just about people helping people,” Patrick McGarry said. Not only did McGarry’s supply donation goal get surpassed, he said they raised just under $7,000. The money will be used to transport the supplies, which will be
driven to Hamtramck, MI. There, the donations will be transferred into a Standard Trucking vehicle. Standard Trucking will then take the supplies to be loaded into a shipping container.
Volunteers from the community, including MCCC President Kojo Quartey and Monroe County Middle College students, helped load the trucks and pack up donations.
The Agora
Adviser
Staff
Matthew Bird-Meyer Lexi Greenwood Emma Marion Michael Moser Marie Underwood
Cynthia Roof, a Monroe citizen, showed up to make a donation. She saw the line getting backed up, so she asked Jeremy McGarry if he would like an extra volunteer to stick around and pack the truck up. “Everyone has been wonderful. The people of Monroe have all come together,” said Roof. “It takes a special kind of person to organize something like this, so I am really proud of Jeremy even though I do not know him.” Local businesses also joined the effort by making food donations to the volunteers. Tim Hortons donated two dozen donuts, and Giuseppe’s Pizza and Tiffany’s Pizza donated pizza. Benore Logistic Systems Inc. donated the semitruck, a driver and the fuel to transport the supplies. McGarry said his passion for this project came in part from his interest in global politics and from his time at MCCC being in the International Studies Club. McGarry said he got to visit a refugee center program in Phoenix with the International Studies Club, where he grew a stronger knowledge and appreciation for what refugees go through. The cost to send all the supplies across seas will be almost half a million dollars, said McGarry. McGarry said anyone who was unable to make it out and would still like to donate can go to razomforukraine.org to join the effort.
Editors
Lauren Werlinger Claire Bacarella
Editorial Policy The Agora is published by the students of Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe, MI, 48161. The editorial office is located in Room 101 of the Life Sciences Building, (734) 384-4186, agora@monroeccc.edu. Submissions: The Agora encourages submissions by anyone in the college community, including freelance articles, opinion columns, or letters to the editor. All submissions must include a name, address and phone number for verification purposes. The Agora reserves the right to edit for clarity, accuracy, length and libel. The Agora is a student-managed newspaper that supports a free student press. It is a member of the Michigan Community College Press Association, the Michigan Press Association, College Media Association, Associated Collegiate Press and the Student Press Law Center. Story suggestions are welcome. Let us know what you would like to see in The Agora - it’s your newspaper. Email submissions to agora@monroeccc.edu.
Photo by Lexi Greenwood
Patrick McGarry (left) and Jeremy McGarry (right) pose in the La-Z-Boy Center where they collected donations March 19.
Photo by Lexi Greenwood
The event had steady donations through the day.
Agora/mcccagora.com
Campus News • 3
April 4, 2022
Professor discusses policing and civil unrest Lily Hatkow and Kristina Rodriguez For the Agora
The purpose of law enforcement is to “minimize conflict, keep the peace and follow the law.” This was the theme of assistant criminal justice professor Dan Wood’s presentation about the role of police during civil unrest March 15. His message connected the events of One Book, One Community’s annual book, “The Women of the Copper Country,” to the neutral position police must hold during protests. Wood said police legally could not interfere with the copper mine union strike detailed in the book about the Copper Country Strike of 1913 in Calumet, Michigan. He said the police cannot interfere with anyone’s First Amendment rights unless they are breaching the peace. “What law enforcement is tasked with doing is keeping the peace,” Wood said. “Once a crime has been committed, that must be addressed.” “The Women of the Copper Country” depicts the true events of copper miners’ labor struggles in Calumet, resulting in a union strike that lasted from July 1913 to April 1914. Wood said when the Michigan National Guard was called on the miners’ demonstration, no breach of the peace was found, and they were left uninterrupted. He said the miners’ strongest tool against the oppressive mining company were strikes, so the company paid “strike busters” to stop the demonstration and reduce financial losses. Wood said the strike busters did not have laws stopping them from interfering, unlike the police or National Guard. He said the strike busters were the ones who instigated conflicts at the union protest. “It was the thugs working for the company, not official law enforcement,” Wood said. “Law enforcement is there to keep the peace.” Wood said problems often arise when conflicting groups meet, such as the conflict between the Calumet protesters and the strike busters. He
“The Women of the Copper Country” is the book that was selected for this year’s One Book, One Community event.
File Photo
Dan Wood, assistant professor of criminal justice led the discussion on policing.
said people like the strike busters would be loyal to whomever paid them. “Yet it all comes down to loyalty,” Wood said. “Who’s paying your check, who signs the check, that’s who you abide by.” Wood said laws cannot favor one group’s freedom of speech over the other. He said laws can only regulate the time, place and manner of speech. Journalism professor Matthew Bird-Meyer asked about the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. White nationalists and counter protesters clashed from Aug. 11 to 12, 2017, over the removal of
a Confederate statue, where they led a torch march through the University of Virginia campus. At one point, a vehicle drove into a crowd killing one. Bird-Meyer asked if the white nationalists were protected in their speech. “Protected speech, exactly,” Wood said. MCCC President Kojo Quartey then asked if hate-mongering was legal. “They have a right to speak how they will,” Wood said. “The constitution protects your speech, and we can only regulate time, place and manner. Hate-mongering is not a type of speech.”
Michele Toll, OBOC co-chair and MCCC assistant English professor, who attended the presentation through Zoom, drew parallels from the Calumet protests to current times. “Law and justice are viewed very differently by the protestors and the mine owners in the book,” Toll said. Toll compared the protesting miners to Black Lives Matter groups in the modern day. By Zoom, William Parker, president of the local NAACP, asked if using tactical forces such as fire hoses and releasing dogs on people in the 1960s was legal. Wood said the police were out en-
forcing the law by whatever means they thought were necessary. “Fortunately, those laws were deemed unconstitutional,” he said. “The fact those laws were in existence is the unfortunate part.” Wood said that in criminology, it is important to learn from history or else it will be repeated. “History dictates criminology,” he said. Former MCCC professor Bob Leski, who was sitting in the audience, said different perspectives should be added to history classes to give context into the way people lived. “One of the things missing from world history class is the quality of life,” Leski said. “If you have all the history, it should give you different perspective on how well off we have it, but you don’t have quality of life. You mainly have leaders and wars.” Wood reiterated that police cannot interfere with any kind of speech. Wood chose to talk about the possibility of conflict between police and the public. “Can this happen today? I mean, this was an interesting breach of the peace,” Wood said, pointing to the screen behind him, showing a picture of people storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
4 • Campus News
April 4, 2022
Agora/mcccagora.com
Campus food pantry provides meals to students Lauren Werlinger Agora Editor
The food pantry on campus has served over 700 students and their families since its opening in November 2021, said Josh Myers, executive director of The Foundation at MCCC. Any student, including Middle College students, can use the pantry, Myers said. They do not check for household income. The only thing a student needs to provide is their student ID number, which is confidentially recorded. The food pantry is stocked with items like non-perishables, cleaning products and baby care products. “We serve any student,” Myers said. “There’s no litmus test.” Most of those students used the pantry during the Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives. Though the pantry is open
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday every week, regular usage remains low, Myers said. “We are having a difficult time attracting students to the pantry,” Myers said. Between November and March, about six students have used the pantry regularly, with a few other students using it irregularly. The lack of usage is due to a few factors, Myers said. A lot of students are still remotely taking classes, so coming to campus for food is not a convenient option. Additionally, a lot of students simply don’t know about the service. “It’s not something I want to hammer students with every week,” Myers said. “We’re just doing whatever we can do to make students aware of it.” Currently, The Foundation posts
messages to social media, sends out emails and Brightspace notifications to students, and notifications in MCCC’s monthly newsletter. “The issues we’re having getting going are not atypical to an institution of our size,” Myers said. According to last year’s student wellness survey, one third of MCCC’s student population struggles with food security. “That tells me the need is out there,” Myers said. The food pantry is staffed by volunteers. “The students with whom I have interacted during my volunteer time have been happy to receive the items they have gotten,” said Carrie Nartker, food pantry volunteer and English professor. Nartker said she and the other volunteers are doing whatever they can to make the food pantry easy to
use. “Josh is doing a great job,” Nartker said. “He believes in this service and is always thinking of ways to make it better and more accessible for students.” For example, if a student does not want to walk through the halls with grocery bags, they can arrange for volunteers to bring groceries to the loading dock instead. Additionally, Myers and Nartker said they are willing to go to the store to buy specialty items that students request. “If students have suggestions, please share them with us,” Myers said. “Things they want, things they need. Right now we have random things like kid’s socks and kitty litter. Whatever comes up.” The food pantry is still in need of volunteers. People interested in volunteering can sign up at the
MCCC food pantry sign up website. The food pantry will be holding another holiday food drive the week of April 11, the week before Easter. Students can take premade bags with supplies to make an Easter meal, or they can fill up their own bags. “We will have turkeys this year, and if a student wants to swap that with a different meat we have chicken thighs, chicken legs and pork butt,” Myers said. Students who are interested should come during regular food pantry hours, or they can go to The Foundation office to access the pantry on off hours. “We’re helping a population that’s doing everything they can to improve their station in life,” Myers said. “That’s a very honorable cause. I want to do everything I can to help these students.”
Photo by Lauren Werlinger
Photo by Lauren Werlinger
The food pantry has shelves stocked with items like non-perishables, cleaning products and baby care products.
Chelsea Korican and Brooke Montri, food pantry volunteers and MCCC students, do their homework as they wait for students to use the service March 29 in the A Building.
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April 4, 2022
Campus News • 5
Gatsby to take the stage at MCCC Claire Bacarella
Agora Assistant Editor
MCCC students will perform “Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play,” April 22-23 at 7 p.m. and April 24 at 2 p.m. in the dining room located in the A Building. The play is being put on by The Humanities/Social Sciences Division and is directed by adjunct instructor Angie Lai. Lai said moving forward, they are planning on performing one play a year. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Seats can be reserved by sending name, number of attendees, and requested date to littletheater@monroeccc.edu. Seats are going fast, Lai said. “Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play,” tells the classic story of unrequited love from the perspective of a 1940’s radio cast. Portraying the star-crossed lovers are Sam Spaulding as Gatsby and Riley McDaniel as Daisy. While each of them were familiar with the story, they have never read the book. They said the gravity of playing such iconic roles is not lost on them. “It’s certainly a little pressure because the title is ‘The Great Gatsby,’” Spaulding said. “That’s certainly a unique experience to try and be such a charismatic and engaging character.” The cast has been preparing for the performance with rehearsals. McDaniel said she’s found a sense of community in that setting. “I’m excited to be performing,” she said. “I almost don’t want it to end, but I’m proud of what we’ve done and I’m excited to share that.” Alas, all good things must come to an end, and the show will conclude April 24 as the cast takes their final bows.
Photo by Marie Underwood
Playing as Tom Buchanan, Ralph Jordan (left) confronts Samuel Spaulding and Riley McDaniel, Gatsby and Daisy, during The Great Gatsby rehearsals in the Building A cafeteria.
Student Government to host end of year blacklight party Marie Underwood Agora Staff
With finals quickly approaching and coronavirus restrictions being lifted on campus, Student Government has just the event for celebrating. Light Up the Night, a blacklight party, will take place in the Cellar located in the A Building from 7-11 p.m. on April 8. Attendees can pay $5 or donate two canned food items for entry. Canned donations will go to the Oaks of Righteousness ministry in Monroe or the MCOP Food Pantry, said Tom Ryder, Student Government Advisor. “They have picked a great DJ,” Ryder said. “There will be a photo booth, food and of course lots of fun.” Guests will also receive party favors. “Everyone who comes though will be getting a favor bag at the door filled with some things they can use during the dance and other stuff they can take home and keep using,” said Colette Tibai, chair of the event. The bash was originally the sweetheart ball, but changes were made due to time, Tibai said. Tibai had a personal tie to the sweetheart ball, so she wanted
to chair the event. “The sweetheart ball was the first event I attended before joining student government,” Tibai said. “I’m graduating, so I just wanted to chair it before I move on to a new school.”
Since there hasn’t been a bash like this since the pandemic, Tibai is excited to see everyone there. Working with a time crunch, planning the bash was a little hard at first for Tibai. She commends Co-Chair Alivia Funchion, other committee members and Ryder for putting the event together with little time. “We didn’t know we could do an event like this until only a few weeks ago,” Tibai said. “It was just hard in the beginning, but it actually went pretty smoothly with getting a photo booth, DJ and all that.” Since there hasn’t been a bash like this since the pandemic, Tibai is excited to see everyone there. “With the mask mandate being lifted, I believe the Student Government has planned a great event to help our students get back to ‘normal life,’” Ryder said.
Agora searches for next editor
The Agora, MCCC’s student newspaper, is taking applications for editor for the 2022-2023 school year. Students interested in the position should contact Agora adviser Matthew Bird-Meyer for the application. While previous experience on the Agora staff or completion of courses like Intro to Journalism are helpful, they are not required, Bird-Meyer said. The Agora editor is paid at the Student Assistant rate for 8-10 hours of work a week during the semester. Any MCCC student can join the Agora staff by registering for JOURN 162, Bird-Meyer said. Intro to Journalism, JOURN 161, is a prerequisite that can be taken at the same time. He said the prerequisite often is waived for students who can show they have a background in writing. Students also can freelance for the Agora without joining the staff. Applications for the editor position are due to Bird-Meyer by April 11.
6 • Opinion
April 4, 2022
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Agora staff chats: New York City Four members of the Agora staff went to New York City to attend the College Media Association Convention March 9 – 13. There, we attended workshops and listened to keynote speakers with the aim of developing our journalistic skills. In our free time, we explored the city.
Lauren Werlinger
This was my second time attending the College Media Association Convention, but my first time attending it in person. Attending in person is way better. Not only was it easier to meet other student journalists, but I could also engage with the speakers and workshop leaders in a way that wasn’t possible over Zoom. And, as a bonus, we got to stay in Manhattan, just a few blocks from Times Square. Going to the convention reminded me of the passion I have for this medium. The workshops reminded me to find a unique approach to my stories- something I had lost in the drudgery of day-to-day life. In the space between convention activities, I found so much to do in New York. I watched two Broadway shows, shopped at the M&M store, and spent way too much money personalizing M&Ms for my boyfriend at aforementioned store. I embarked on a quest for a bagel, got caught in the rain, and lost (and then found!) my water bottle at a Walgreens. I wandered the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of the Arts, bought a handmade necklace at the Chelsea market, and got lost on the subway. I walked so much I got blisters on my feet. It’s so hard for me to choose a favorite part of this trip because everything I experienced contributed to my first impression of New York City. It’s a place alive with culture, bustling with commerce, and houses the bakery where I ate the best breakfast sandwich of my life.
Photo by Matt Bird-Meyer
Our staff and advisor took a selfie in Times Square. (From left) Lauren Werlinger, Marie Underwood, Claire Bacarella, Matt Bird-Meyer, and Emma Marion.
Marie Underwood
Having never been to New York City, going there for the College Media Association Convention was an amazing experience. I loved trying all the food, catching my first Broadway show, and learning more about journalism there. My favorite part of the trip is tied between touring the Associated Press Headquarters and visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because I look up to many AP photographers, seeing all the AP photos hanging on the walls was a beautiful sight I’ll never forget. And as someone who loves art and history, going to the Met and admiring paintings I have only ever seen in textbooks was incredible. With my phone now flooded with pictures from the city, I’m already planning my next trip back.
Claire Bacarella
I had an amazing time in New York City for the College Media Association Convention. Not only did we get to learn from some incredible people in the industry, but this trip bonded our staff more than ever before. Being in a car with people for
nine hours tends to do that. My favorite part of the trip was when I, along with fellow staff member Emma Marion, got to be in the audience for a filming of “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” I was star-struck being so close to Meyers and Chris Redd, his guest that day, two people I’ve seen on the television screen for as long as I can remember. I also found myself fascinated with the crew. I studied their meticulous movements as I often find myself as part of the behind-thescenes crew on the set of our student interview show, “The Forum.” I’ve already caught myself daydreaming about my next trip to the city that never sleeps.
Photo by Lauren Werlinger
(From left) Agora staff members Marie Underwood, Emma Marion and Claire Bacarella take photos of the view from the Associated Press Headquarters.
Emma Marion During the Agora’s trip to New York for the College Media Association Convention, so many unforgettable memories were made. We got to explore the city, hear from professional journalists, and just got to know fellow classmates and our advisor. The part from the convention that influenced me the most had to be from Roy Wood Jr., who was one
Emma Marion and Claire Bacarella pose while standing line to be in the live audience of “Late Night with Seth Meyers” at 30 Rock.
of the keynote speakers at the convention. He spoke to the audience about the struggles that everyone faces and the importance of supportive people to stay on the path to success. Throughout the trip, I spent most
of my time with Claire and we scavenged the streets of New York together. We did get lost on the subway, and rode in the car for nine hours in horrible weather conditions, but made incredible memories along the way.
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Entertainment • 7
April 4, 2022
‘Bridgerton’ Season 2: the slow burn season Marie Underwood Agora Staff
This story contains spoilers from Nexflix’s “Bridgerton.” The vast success of Netflix’s first season of “Bridgerton” sent fans racing to read the series, corsets to trend online, and even inspired the Grammy-nominated album “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.” Set in regency era England, the show follows the Bridgerton family, a widow and her eight children, as they navigate relationships, drama and romance. The first season followed the oldest daughter Daphne’s diamond-de-
but in the social season. Ending with Collin’s departure, Simon and Daphne’s reconciliation, and the shocking unveiling of Lady Whistledown, season two’s release has been anticipated since the show’s Christmas debut in 2020. On March 25, “Bridgerton” came back with the swoon-worthy story of the eldest Bridgerton son, Anthony. Boy, it did not disappoint. Going into the social season, Anthony vowed to find the perfect viscountess for his household, choosing to marry someone who fit the role and not to marry for love.
In came the Sharma family, a mother with two daughters who quickly caught Anthony’s eye. The Sharma’s youngest, Edwina, fit the viscountess role perfectly, and after being crowned the season’s diamond by the queen, Anthony was first in line to pursue her. Although, he had to get through to her older sister Kate first, and the two happened to have but heads in a chance encounter prior to the Sharma’s social debut. After overhearing Anthony’s true intent to marry, Kate tried everything she could to prevent a marriage, knowing Edwina wanted a true love match. But as Edwina fell for Anthony, so did Kate. While I expected Kate and Anthony to end up together, I didn’t think it’d take as long as it did. Unlike last season, the show didn’t rely on racy scenes, but instead toyed with the audience by keeping a slow pace and heavily focusing on stolen glances. The wait felt like forever, but it was definitely worth it. Like last season, the stories of the other eldest Bridgerton siblings, neighbors and acquaintances continued. Eloise Bridgerton was my favorite. She continued her search for the gossip writer Lady Whistledown and met a man on the way, who I hope to see more of. It was so sweet to watch them work together to track the writer while Eloise’s tough demeanor slowly broke down. Yet, it was so rudely cut off by the queen’s hunt for Whistledown. To me, the most shocking part of the season was when Eloise discovered her best friend Penelope Featherington was the scandalous writer all along.
Kate confronts Anthony after overhearing him obnoxiously explain what he looks for in a wife.
Penelope Featherington and Eloise Bridgerton are shown gossiping in the season’s promotional poster.
I didn’t think the moment would happen so soon in the series, and I truly didn’t think Penelope would react so harshly when Eloise found out. Kate and Anthony may have got
their happily ever after, but seeing Eloise and Penelope fall apart broke my heart this season. Season three can’t come soon enough.
The wait felt like forever, but it was definitely worth it.
8 • Entertainment
April 4, 2022
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‘Turning Red’ brings fresh take on classic tropes
Mei’s mother discovers Mei’s diary and is shocked to learn of Mei’s crush on a convenience store clerk.
Lauren Werlinger Agora Editor
“Turning Red,” a Pixar animated film released to Disney Plus on March 11, received a lot of criticism after people saw the trailers and other marketing materials. I went into my viewing experience sharing the same hesitations as other viewers: a girl turning into a red panda? Really? Is that the whole thing? Where is the Pixar creativity and emotional resonance we’ve all come to love? Still, I tried to keep an open mind, and I was pleasantly surprised. “Turning Red” follows 13 year old Mei Lee as she navigates middle school, deals with an overbearing mother, and gains the magical ability to turn into a red panda. The red panda power is passed down
through the women in her family. It tends to come out at unexpected times, like when Mei is feeling a strong emotion. Her mother encourages her to keep the panda inside and continue being the well-behaved, straight-A student that Mei always has been. However, her mother’s strict rules have made Mei feel isolated from her friends and peers. Instead of being able to go sing karaoke with her best friends, she has to come home immediately after school to help her mother run the family temple. On the surface, this movie appears to be a poor metaphor for puberty and growing up. The marketing certainly didn’t help that image. However, the core of the film is the relationship between Mei and her mother. Mei has to be a completely different person around her mother: quiet and reserved,
instead of the boy-crazy, silly kid that she is. As a person who grew up with strict parents and high expectations, I related to Mei a lot more than I thought I would. This movie portrays the feelings of isolation and frustration that being a 13 year old can bring. The scene that hit me the hardest was toward the end, when Mei opened up to her mom. Mei tearfully admitted that she was scared that as she figured out who she was, it would damage her relationship with her mother. And that is what the red panda represents: the parts of ourselves that we fear are unlovable, strange or just too much. This movie argues that the opposite is the case. When we show the world who we truly are, we will find people who love us for it. “Turning Red” shows tweendom in all its cringe-y, messy glory.
Mei turns into a giant red panda any time she gets too excited, which, for her, is almost always.
While different from its classic Pixar predecessors, “Turning Red” is a movie that many people of many different ages could relate to.
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April 4, 2022
Entertainment • 9
‘Halo Infinite’ delivers challenging, rewarding gameplay Michael Moser Agora Staff
Profanities echo through your headphones as you die, one kill short of receiving the killing spree medal. Feelings of failure lead to running an ethernet cord to reduce lag that is often noticed with wireless Wi-Fi. You purchase a new controller to ensure all buttons are crisp and registering correctly. “I’m ready this time,” you tell yourself. You jump back into the matchmaking lobby to exploit your next victims, but once the new match starts you notice a teammate has quit, leaving your squad shorthanded. Outnumbered, you fire your weapon with extreme accuracy in fear of being defeated again. Heads hang low and smiles become frowns from the devastating ranked match loss. The screen flashes back to the lobby while you reflect on your methods. Your gold rank downgrading to silver is like a thorn in your side. This is no ordinary game. This is “Halo Infinite” multiplayer online. “Halo Infinite” was released on Nov. 15, 2021, and is a Microsoft exclusive. The online multiplayer mode also allows for cross-play between Xbox and PC players. Most video games award experience points for playing online, but “Halo’s” ranked matches will also demote you if you lose, making it a very competitive game. With an enormous amount of customization options to your players armor and weapons, “Halo” will have you addicted to leveling up in order to unlock these features. Completing daily and weekly challenges rewards you extra experience points to level up at a faster pace. “Halo Infinite” is a very fast paced shooter game that can lead to frustration, but is very rewarding once you find your rhythm at wreaking havoc. The game is pieced together very methodically. Timing is crucial when reloading and switching weapons, so the player must move carefully and make every bullet count while trying to survive. The game’s ranked arena has
Courtesy of IGDB.com
(Above) Master Chief from “Halo Infinite” stares down the camera. (Below) “Halo Infinite” is a first person shooter video game.
competitive settings with no radar and battle rifles as you face off against other Spartans to progress your rank. Another game type option is big team battles with assorted games on larger maps. Teams of 12 versus 12 will create a more challenging environment filled with carnage and chaos. Gamers that prefer to work alone do have the option to play free-forall slayer where it’s you against everyone else. You will be a lone wolf trying to slay your way to victory. Players will have many options to choose how they would like to play the game since “Halo Infinite” has many different objective game types and a variety of arena maps. “Halo” veterans will be filled with excitement as soon as they hear the opening Gregorian chant and new players to the series can see why this game is so different from others.
10 • Entertainment
April 4, 2022
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‘Metroid Dread’: Great fear or apprehension Michael Moser Agora Staff
Technical advancements allow “Metroid” producer Yoshio Sakamoto’s vision to become a reality after nearly 20 years of development. “Metroid Dread” was released for Nintendo Switch on Oct. 8, 2021, and fulfills all its awaited desires. “Dread” is a 2-D side scrolling game that is a sequel to “Metroid Fusion” from 2002. In previous “Metroid” games, Samus Aran is a bounty hunter, but this time she is hunted by the fast and powerful Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifier robots trying to capture her DNA. “Dread” was originally created for Nintendo DS, but Sakamoto had to pump the brakes on the project due to technical limitations which couldn’t create his idea of an EMMI robot at that time. With today’s technical advancements, his EMMI’s were able to be created with newer software. When entering an EMMI zone, the lighting and sound changes giving you an eerie feeling. In this moment, Samus becomes the hunted and must evade the EMMI at all costs. If an EMMI spots Samus, the zone doors will shut, trapping you in the area and you must escape from it for the doors to unlock. “Dread” will have you searching through its labyrinths for power-ups to Samus’s suit and weapons in order to gain the power to defeat the seven EMMIs. Anytime Samus gains the power to destroy an EMMI, do it immediately so you can explore the EMMI zone for new doors without being chased by the EMMI. The game will push you forward many times with an incomplete feeling from the previous area. Just follow the flow of the game and focus on finding as many power-ups as possible to make Samus stronger. Players will have to return to multiple areas after gaining new abilities that will allow them to unlock areas that they couldn’t access pre-
Courtesy of IGDB.com
(Above) An EMMI prepares to attack Samus (Below) Metroid Dread game poster
viously. As you venture through the twisted caverns of planet ZDR, you will also find many boss battles. These battles will test a gamer’s hand eye coordination. Exact timing to counter attacks must be achieved in order to beat some of the game’s strongest bosses. Players that have played other “Metroid” games will greatly enjoy the story line and the return of the 2-D style. However, newcomers to this series can jump right into it and enjoy the game as well. “Metroid Dread” has received great reviews while also selling nearly 3 million copies. It won the NME award for best game of the year and Time magazine awarded it game of the year. It also won an award for best action/adventure game. Some may be surprised by how challenging this game is.