Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers

After three years, Stranger Things is back with a new, gruesome season. Split into two parts, Volume 1 is set six months after season three, with a new villain called Vecna murdering teenagers in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana. It’s everything you’d expect from a Stranger Things season — mystery, horror, ‘80s outfits, and a fair deal of Dungeons & Dragons.

The episodes in Volume 1 are an average of 78 minutes long — a half hour longer than in previous seasons. But despite longer runtimes, it wasn’t until the third episode that things really took off. I didn’t feel that the stakes rose until the third episode, and I kept getting distracted by the ages of the actors, who now play characters several years younger (compared to previous seasons, when they were the same age as the characters). I feel like Stranger Things has lost some of its ‘80s charm, as it’s turned into a full sci-fi-horror hitting the ground running. But as the plot tightened and the character dynamics strengthened, the season proved that the Duffer brothers are still going strong.

The show has gotten into the habit of splitting the large cast into smaller groups, each with their own separate adventures. This has worked extremely well because it allows for efficient pacing and fresh character dynamics. Steve and Dustin, for example, were paired together on a whim in season two, and now their friendship is one of the best things about the show. But season four’s groupings are not all created equal, and the weakness of this season is that some of the storylines have less intrigue than others. What was Mike even up to this season? I’ve already forgotten.

One of the more unique storylines — but much slowerpaced — is Eleven’s, the child experimentslash-superhero who deserves a break, guys, come on. She’s trying to get her powers back after losing them at the end of the last season, and she spends much of this season diving into repressed memories. We learn about the circumstances leading up to her escape back in season one, filling in details about the experiments and the other children in the lab. A good directive choice was to have Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, acting in most of the scenes from her memory — despite Eleven being a much younger child when the scenes took place. Even beyond this exploration of El’s traumatic childhood, this season is drowning in trauma. You can expect nothing less from characters who have witnessed horrifying monsters and untimely deaths as preteens. Max is reeling from her step-brother’s death. Hopper (who, spoiler alert, is alive and not well) is in a Russian prison with his demons. Then there’s my own trauma from watching the show. Vecna might not be as frightening as previous villains, but the murders themselves have moved straight into the horror genre. I’m not a horror person, okay? I’m going to be thinking about those demonpossessed murders for weeks.

One thing that I miss in this season is the childhood friendship that was much more prevalent in season one and later seasons. Part of this is because the focus has gravitated toward more intense and gruesome stories, and part of it is because the characters have gotten older. New themes of romance and maturity have found their way into the show out of necessity — with the characters now 15, it’s bound to become coming-of-age. But this evolution tosses aside the simple friendship between four nerdy boys and the nostalgia of the ‘80s. The show — for better and worse — has become much more.

Due to the unequal storylines, this season might have been underwhelming if not for the last episode of Volume 1, which brought some amazing plot twists and left me in anticipation for the last two episodes.

The final two episodes, which will be released on July 1, are titled “Papa” and “The Piggyback.” While it was a wise decision to split the season in two — keeping Stranger Things trending as its viewers wait for Volume 2 — it would have worked better to have one episode released each week. But for such a binge-worthy show, I’m not sure anyone could wait an entire week for a new episode to air.

Attention all millennials: Chip ‘n Dale is back on the big screen. I repeat: the beloved Rescue Rangers are back, but this time with a modern and satirical twist. Released to Disney+ on May 20, the famous chipmunk duo takes the screen for what can only be described as an ultimate animation mashup in the new and improved Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

The film features the famous pair after their acting contracts have expired and they are no longer A-list celebrities in Hollywood. Viewers follow them in the “real world” as we begin to understand the parameters around why their successful T.V. series came to a close. It shows what I would imagine is a pretty accurate depiction of washed-up celebrities. Much of the film does just this: it mimics the Hollywood world but puts an animated spin on it. Viewers are reminded that the celebrities we see on-screen or on red carpets are sometimes horrible people behind closed doors and many of them should not be idolized as role models.

The main plot of the film follows Chip and Dale working together to solve police work as famous cartoons are being “bootlegged” on the black market. The concept is actually quite hilarious, as viewers get to see a variety of bootlegged film concepts such as Ariel’s fish buddy, Flounder, being cast in “The Small Fish Lady.” It is entertaining and somewhat mocking of the knock-off spoof films we see today.

What’s really special, though, is the broad range of characters that the film includes. Besides Flounder, the film features many classic Disney cartoon characters like the Coca-Cola bear, Clarabelle Cow, Roger Rabbit, Phineas and Ferb’s mom, and Pumbaa from The Lion King. Even “Ugly Sonic” makes an appearance and shares critics' commentary of how undesirable — and for lack of a better word, ugly — he is. His character includes everything from the bizarre little nose to the freakish human-like teeth. My personal favourite, though, is the film's antagonist, Peter Pan, who has grown up, smokes cigarettes, and rocks a plump beer gut.

The wide array of characters was not only interesting because all the classics were set in one movie, but because each of them expressed how being the “best” version of themselves often meant that they needed to look the best. For example, Peter Pan loathed growing up because it made him less “appealing” to the public. His appearance no longer was deemed socially acceptable or beautiful and he contributed this to his self-worth. Many of the characters also underwent what was known as “CGI surgery,” which transformed one’s appearance from one animation style to another. This all stems from what they believed would make them socially accepted.

Visually, this film is incredibly entertaining because it blends both live-action and animation on the screen. It has every style of animation Disney has ever developed, from the black and white Mickey Mouse era to the obscurely realistic The Polar Express fiasco, but it is set in real-world L.A. I’ll admit, at first it is a bit strange to watch, but it is this strangeness that kept me fully engaged and entertained from start to finish. Each character who represents a different animation style often mimics the commentary of critics and acknowledges how “terrible” their animation is compared to the latest rendition. It alludes to the idea that there is always a version of yourself that could be better but we are unable to recognize it in the moment.

While the film makes a joke about it, there is no doubt that it mimics the current trends of plastic surgery and the expectations that social media set out in our own world. It reminds viewers that no matter what procedures someone does to change their appearance, or how large of a following someone has online, it speaks nothing to the person they are inside. And yes, this is an incredibly cheesy take-away, and I’ll admit that there are not very many moral lessons in the film, but it brings forward a refreshing take on popular crazes.

Although this movie is certainly kidfriendly, given the simplicity of the plot and creative visuals, many of the insinuations and jokes that the script makes definitely appeal to an older audience. Many youngsters likely wouldn’t catch all of the cartoon cameos or ironies in the scenes, but I think that is what makes this film so great. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of me watching early morning cartoons. I was carefree and certainly not under the same amount of stress or pressure that I am at 25. Rescue Rangers brought me back to those moments of simplicity in my life by reminding me of all of the characters that I loved so much as a child. Honestly, it just brought a smile to my face and reminded me to slow down and relax, and what more could you ask from a classic like Chip ‘n Dale?

Some of these events require tickets, and most are online. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details, including those about social distancing measures for in-person events.

Open Court @ Abbotsford North Gym, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Drop-in Basketball @ Abbotsford North Gym, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m

Sakay Na! (Hop On a Jeepney) @ Global Lounge, B223, 11:00 a.m - 2:00 p.m. Bays & Chardoneighs @ Singletree Winery, 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Backyard Flix @ UFV Green, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Wheels & Heels Photoshoot @ Bench Forest Service Road, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Valley to Shore Farm Tour @ Local Harvest Market, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Fraser Valley Bandits versus Scarborough Shooting Stars @ Langley Events Centre, 5:00 p.m. Main Street: Tayos and Ten02 @ Main Street Night Club, 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Old Car Sunday in the Park @ Fraser River Heritage Park, 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Drop-in Badminton @ Abbotsford North Gym, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Self-Care Yoga @ Abbotsford E150, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. Open Court @ Abbotsford North Gym, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Paint Nite: The Original Paint and Sip Party @ Wings Abbotsford, 7:00 p.m.

U-Pass Distribution at CEP @ Chilliwack, A1422, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Open Court @ Abbotsford North Gym, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Drop-in Basketball @ Abbotsford North Gym, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Dungeons and Dragons drop in Adventures! @ Boardwalk Cafe and Games, 6:30 p.m.

Drop-in Badminton @ Abbotsford North Gym, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Self-Care Yoga @ Abbotsford E150, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. Drop-in Pickleball @ Abbotsford North Gym, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. AYO Year-End Concert @ South Abbotsford Church, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Open Court @ Abbotsford North Gym, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Drop-in Basketball @ Abbotsford North Gym, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Fraser Valley Bandits versus Montreal Alliance @ Langley Events Centre, 7:00 p.m.

Red Gate, Vancouver, 8:00 p.m.