14 minute read
Baseball showcase
Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending Tenet brings movies back to theaters with a bang
Drew Loughnane ’21
Advertisement
Tenet, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, marks a milestone in the chaotic year of 2020. After the COVID-19 pandemic put a majority of the country’s entertainment on hold, Tenet marked the first major film release to hit the big screen since mid-March. To re-open, theaters must now follow a plethora of safety precautions. Masks are mandatory, physical distancing is required, and theaters have substantially increased the amount of sanitization. Despite the unorthodox experience, viewers flocked to see Tenet; it brought in $207 million worldwide. The film depicts a protagonist, never mentioned by name, as he travels through a world filled with espionage. With no aid but a single word—“tenet”—he attempts to prevent the world from a potential collapse. A friendly warning: this is no ordinary savethe-world thriller. In typical Nolan fashion, Tenet alters audiences’ views on reality, as the mission evolves to occur beyond real time. The film’s complexity begs the comparison to one of Nolan’s most famous works, Inception. Both require the audience to “buyin,” as details throughout the film are vital to each respective pay-off. Following IncepAustin Zhuang ’22
Virtually, students will meet for fifteenminute, one-on-one sessions with Director Mr. Philip Giangiordano.
“In August, I talked with Mr. Hengst about how we would work this,” Mr. Giangiordano said. “And I settled on working with each person in the band on Zoom or something else.” For about three hours every week, Mr. Giangiordano will have back-to-back meetings and comment on each individual’s performance. “Once everybody has their parts down intion’s 2010 release, many viewers fell in love with the film. What initially took a second or even third viewing eventually morphed into one of the most well-known sci-fi movies in history. Yet, with every positive opinion on Nolan’s Inception, there was also a negative one. Complaints that the film is “too mindblowing” will forever muddy Inception’s claim at the very top—cinema’s Rushmore of movies, if you will. In a similar sense, Nolan’s Tenet shares a duality of opinion across its viewers. Sixth Former Tyler Zimmer said, “I loved the movie because it was so challenging to comprehend. My friend and I enjoyed the arguments about what was happening and picking up on small details.” On the other hand, Sixth Form film-enthusiast Michael Tallarida felt Nolan might have gone overboard: “At some times, the plot was confusing to understand. Tenet is an innovative and groundbreaking movie for modern cinema, but Nolan’s constant need for mystery throughout took away from its potential.” Don’t get me wrong. Nolan’s most recent film is a masterpiece. The cinematic elements are more Christopher Nolan than ever, most notably featuring the destruction of a fullTenet at the Narberth Theater, October 2, 2020
dividually, we can have the trumpet section do a Zoom session together,” Mr. Giangiordano said. “And we can work it [the song] out with more than one person at a time.” The effectiveness of these rehearsals is promising. More individual attention leads to a stronger performance overall, both for the ensemble and the player. “In some ways, one-on-one sessions might be better,” Mr. Giangiordano said. “In the past, we’ve done [section practices], but now, if it’s me and you, I can listen to you play the whole thing and just comment.” Those in the ensemble agree that time alone with Mr. Giangiordano is beneficial. Fifth Former Patrick Corcoran discussed
size Boeing 747 during filming. The acting is world-class, with John David Washington continuing his success following his Golden Globe-nominated performance in BlacKkKlansman (2018). That said, Tenet is not for the casual viewer. and how to mitigate risks for students,” says Mr. Goodrich, who worked in medicinal chemistry and has degrees in physical chemistry and music. “One method is wearing IE gloves with the fingers cut out and extra clothing. These gloves have multiple uses as they prevent the spread of germs from touching equipment and instruments and keeping everyone’s hands warm during the colder weather.” Given that weather won’t allow for inperson rehearsals at a certain point, the orchestra holds Zoom meetings every week to review the repertoire and to stay on track. The social aspect of a group environment is extremely important for the orchestra. “The other most important thing,” said some of the positives. “I think it’ll be pretty helpful,” Corcoran said. “[Mr. Giangiordano] can walk us through parts, tell us how something should feel, or how fast it should be, or how loud or soft.” Others, however, are wary that a lack of practicing together as a group will hinder progress. “That [one-on-one sessions] is going to affect a lot,” Sixth Former Will Schaefer said. “I play based on the band, and a lot of my stuff is working with the others in the rhythm section.” Jazz Band members are eager to get back to practicing and improving as musicians. “Personally, I’d just like to get better at playing saxophone,” Sixth Former Decker Patterson said. “In general, I like to improve my skills as a musician, and it’s the biggest thing that can come out of [virtual practice].” After preparing for a few months, students will come in to record their parts, and MR. THOMAS STAMBAUGH I urge anyone intellectually curious to go out and see Tenet with an open mind and
Orchestra practicing outdoors Ethan Chan ’23 musicians see many potential benefits from A t notable occasions during the school year, friends, family, and faculty witness the different harmonies and melodies created by the school’s musicians in Centennial Hall. With the change in momentum and “tempo” from the closing of the school in March, the music groups have faced an obstacle— in-person rehearsals. One of the groups that has been able to formulate a plan to coincide with the new school regulations is the orchestra. “Right now we’re starting a program that features outdoor rehearsal (weather permitting) three days a week,” Orchestra Director Mr. Goodrich said. “We’re organizing around sports, schedules, etc., and we’re rehearsing in the courtyard right outside the music building.” A different approach to the pre-recorded videos sent in by orchestra members last school year, Mr. Goodrich and students these outdoor rehearsals. “So far, we’ve been able to get really wonderful participation and enthusiasm from the orchestra. I think that there’s a tradition in classical music of having performances outside especially during the summer with Pop Orchestras, and fortunately, we have a fairly good acoustic here in the courtyard, where there are enough buildings close by to reflect our sound. I think that we are all more satisfied with the sound we’re getting considering the circumstances,” says Mr. Goodrich. Fourth Former Luka Sekulic, who plays first violin, has similar feelings. “Everyone is enjoying it. We like practicing together, and this method of rehearsing is definitely a good method for us to keep our skills sharp,” Sekulic said. To comply with the safety precautions, the orchestra has devised innovative solutions to make sure everyone is safe. “I have a unique window into virology maybe some money for a second ticket. Mr. Goodrich, “is that these experiences of community and group presence are so hard to come by during this time, and it really reminds us of the importance of music, and the importance of spending time in a group, working on a common task, which has been incredibly difficult considering this situation. I see this as a really important social exercise and a really fulfilling emotional exercise for a lot of the participants.” “We enjoy the challenge of the new pieces and playing together has made our experience much more enjoyable,” Sekulic said. “This will definitely help keep the Orchestra together in the long run.”
Orchestra members rehearse outside Centennial Hall’s stage
Jazz Band planning virtual, one-on-one rehearsals
Like its string and singing counterparts, Jazz Band resumed practicing starting October 5.
AGUSTIN ALIAGA ‘21 the tracks will be edited into one cohesive recording for the school to listen to. While incomparable to a live performance, many feel the video will bring more popularity to the Jazz Band. “There are a lot of benefits to the virtual performance,” Corcoran said. “The school could use it to market better, and, while it will be weird and new, it is much easier to watch, and more people will be able to listen.” The pandemic has made the lives of musicians difficult since March, but the ensemble has adapted and found ways to continue playing and working together. “I feel like the biggest part missing is being together,” Patterson said, “but I think we have a lot to look forward to the end product. With a lot of hard work, we can make it the best performance possible.”
Page 24
sports
Fords shine at Inter-Ac baseball showcase
Jake LaRocca ‘22
On September 23, 2020, Maplezone Sports Institute (MSI) hosted the first ever Inter-Academic baseball showcase. With the absence of the spring season, this scout day provided all 62 players with an opportunity to get on collegiate coaches’ radars. Prep Baseball Report (PBR) hosted the event. PBR is essential for aspiring collegiate baseball players, as most coaches use the stats Kethan Kalra ‘24
The coronavirus put the world on hold, closed thousands of local businesses, and canceled the beloved March Madness college basketball tournament for the first time in history. For months, we all locked ourselves in our homes, not daring to risk exposure from the outside world. Professional sports leagues took various precautions, shutting down games in the middle of the season, putting a hold on the NBA playoffs and the beginning of the MLB season. But it seems that one major sports league has been handling the situation well: the NFL. While many think the NFL is a coronavirus hotspot, they are mistaken. According to Sportingnews.com, a total of 58,000 tests have been issued to around 8,000 players and personnel. Of this mass testing, just ten tests came back positive, a rate of less than 0.0002%. Behind the scenes of the multi-billion dollar industry, engineers have been working on player safety for years, but this year, a new type of safety has taken center stage. Rather than focusing on helmets and pads, the NFL has shifted its focus towards the coronavirus. One particular German company, Kinexon, designed a “Safe Zone Tag.” Players and staff must wear the light device on their body at all times in order to track players’ interacfrom this website. Several baseball players made an appearance, including Will Ferris, Colby McNeely, Cole Donnely, Jac Campbell, James Falk, Jonny Flieder, Mark Quatrani, Mike Tallarida, and Grayson Walker, highlighting their pitching, fielding, hitting, and running abilities. Sixth Former Jonny Flieder stood out. Flieder tied for first place in the 60-yard dash, recording a speedy 6.59. Alongside
Fourth Former Michael Dean practicing baseball after school AUGIE ALIAGA '21 NFL’s tries to safely open season
his blazing 60 time, Flieder peaked with an tions. In the event that players or staff are within six feet of each other for more than five seconds, audible warnings will alert the respective personnel to relocate themselves. In these uncertain times, the NFL has to ensure the safety of not only their players but also of the tens of thousands of people who attend games each week; 69,596 seats at Lincoln Financial field are empty. Due to Philadelphia’s mandate prohibiting no gatherings larger than fifty people outside, it is likely that these seats will remain empty for a large portion of the season. The home-field advantage is one of the biggest factors of a winning team, especially for the New Orleans Saints. Their stadium, The Superdome, records about 130 decibels, equivalent to a military aircraft taking off. This sound causes confusion for the opposing team and can often influence the game script. This year, the only sound televisions emit are auto-generated by the NFL, imitating the fans within the stadium. The National Football League has done an excellent job of making sure that fans, players, and personnel are not undergoing any unnecessary risks to the coronavirus. Despite the precautions put in place, many teams plan to open up their stadiums for fans, which may spread the coronavirus even further. As stadiums begin to reopen to the masses, will the NFL or the coronavirus pre-
85 m.p.h. Infield Velocity, first among all infielders. Flieder was excited about his per formance. - “The event was well “Especially after missing last year’s sea- run and did an excelson, it felt great to get back out on the field lent job at helping with Inter-Ac guys and show what I can do,” Fledier said. “I worked really hard over the long break and was really excited to see it pay players in their college recruiting prooff. The event was really cool because it gave cess.” the guys on our team an opportunity to not only represent ourselves but also Haverford MIKE TALLARIDA ’21 baseball in a good light.” Sixth Former Mike Tallarida shone as PBR loads up their social media for scouts well. He recorded a 97 m.p.h. Exit Veloc- to see. These platforms include numerous ity, with an average distance of 318 feet per tweets on Twitter, Instagram posts and stoswing. Hoping to play at the collegiate level, ries, and in this case, a livestream. At the Tallarida continues working hard. culmination of the event, PBR uploaded “Personally, I would love to play college statistics for each player onto their website: baseball if it’s the right fit for me. I’m look- “The staff at PBR does an excellent job of ing to play at a high academic school, so it promoting their players specifically through narrows my options down. Especially with social media,” Tallarida added. “With the COVID protocols and the NCAA dead pe- top tier technology they have, PBR provides riod, it was tough to interact with Division-I accurate numbers for different baseball meacoaches throughout the summer,” Tallarida surables. The event was well-run and did an said. excellent job at helping players in their col The players show up and compete, and lege recruiting process.” PBR takes care of the rest. During events, Eagles' early season struggles
Philip Keidel ‘24
When the clock hit zero in overtime, still tied at 23-23, the Philadelphia Eagles, Superbowl champions just three years ago tied a football game at home with the worst team in the NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals went a measly 2-14 in But above all, Howie Roseman is the man to blame for the Eagles struggles, not Carson Wentz, Doug Pederson, or the injuries. Howie Roseman’s inability to surround Carson Wentz throughout his career is something that's undeniable. Eagles on the field before a 23-26 loss to the Titans in Nashville 2019 and picked up unanimous #1 pick Joe Burrow, a QB from LSU. But when the Bengals rolled into town, many Eagles fans believed this would surely be a decisive victory over a sub-par team to give them some confidence heading into the tough schedule of the 49ers, Steelers, and Ravens. But that was not the case. The offense stalled and couldn’t find a way to score, Wentz went 29/47 on pass attempts and threw two interceptions.
Miles Sanders continued to be a bright spot for the offense though; with 95 yards on 18 rushing attempts. Linebacker Nathan Gerry was attacked all day long by the Bengals, which will be a problem going into Week 4 against the offensive mastermind that is Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers head coach. MATTHEW SCHWARTZ ‘21
Going into Week 4, the Eagles have an undrafted QB turned WR in Greg Ward, who was undrafted last year, and rookie WR John Hightower as WR1 and WR2 going into a Sunday Night Football in San Francisco. DeSean Jackson, while loved by the fans of this franchise, is 33 years old and not getting any younger. Jalen Reagor is out for 4-6 weeks but has shown some great signs as a really great deep threat, but Wentz has really struggled, missing all of those throws. Howie Roseman showed a lack of trust in his franchise QB when he picked a QB in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft. There were so many weak spots in the LB core, the WR position, and the OL, yet Roseman made a pick out of left field that had no backing behind it. The only case to make is to make sure you have a backup for the injury-prone Wentz, but this was a horrible pick. It has had severe consequences on the Eagles franchise as a whole.
