CHARGED-UP RESULTS

Ava Bestulbi Nov. 14 2024 New horror movies come out every year, each more unsettling than the last. However, the scariest movies are the ones that were not meant to scare!  Hundreds of movies are marketed to kids every year, but the movies we loved as kids are some of the most unsettling movies I have seen. Now as an adult rewatching these ‘innocent’ movies that were directed towards a young audience, is terrifying. Let’s look at some examples:   “Coraline” directed by Henrik Selick Hear me out with this one. I love this movie, and it is a Halloween staple. However, I should not have watched it at the ripe age of four years old.  Coraline’s mother has got to be one of the creepiest villains of all time. She wanted to replace her “daughter's” eyes with buttons, and she threw her into a room until she was more loving. I was scared of my mom after this but I made sure I told her I loved her.  The idea of “Coraline” was scary enough to be considered horror, but how about that scenery? It was so descriptive and visual, that it almost felt real. Yes, I called a cartoon real. It sounds crazy but it emphasizes the fear factor when it’s visually stimulating to the eye “Matilda” directed by Danny DeVito   Matilda suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her family and that was targeted to children in her age range!  She was also shown attending  a violent school. I’d imagine as a kindergartener watching this movie they would think that is what school looked like. That is traumatizing!  “The chokey” was an unrealistic but, visually stimulating addition to the movie. It looked so real, and Mara Wilson, acting as Matilda, played into it so well. The idea of the chokey is inhumane- and not to mention beyond illegal. If you remember correctly; tThe chokey was a closet with walls filled with rusty needles and screws and, it was filthy and dark inside.. Not to mention it has the word ‘choke’ in it. It was a torture device with All things that could easily hurt someone, or become life threatening. And yet it was portrayed as completely normal! The Willy Wonka Series by Roald Dahl  I had to save the most controversial for last. Willy Wonka was traumatizing, especially the one with Johnny Depp, who was creepy in his own right.  First off, what happened to all the kids, did they die? The chocolate tube scene always throws me off, I was scared to eat chocolate for at least a month. I still think about the tunnel of terror scene 15 years after watching that movie. There is no way it should be targeted for kids.  Reflecting on the movies listed above, most of the ‘horror’ is stemmed from negative parental figures. Why is that such a common theme in children's movies? As a child it is not as scary compared to looking back at these figures as an adult.  It is not normal to have such a negative view on parenting at such a young age, and that is something we did not notice until we were older. Now, it gives us an unsettling feeling as we re-watch these movies. Parental figures are blessings, in my opinion, that’s what should be shown to a child audience. A childs’ mind is still developing Which means that movies they watch on repeat should be  a positive influence.  As we got older, we grew up to watch real horror movies for  our age group, such as “Halloween”, “Scream”, “Friday the 13th”, etc. However, I fully believe all these children’s  movies were equally as scary, if not scarier. The kids' movies are the unsettling ones,and we should rethink our target audiences and genres.  These movies should be counted as horror!

Natalia Lizack Nov. 21 2024 Many forms of media we consume daily alludes to themes having to do with the world of politics. Whenever something is created and brought to life fictionally, creators tend to always have a meaning hinted throughout their story that ties into the real world.  The themes not only aid to the plot of stories within these media forms, but additionally bring viewers in to further analyze their works in which the story portrayed is more than what meets the eye.   One of the first, and newer forms of media is the video game, “Mouthwashing”. The video game released in September of this year, has taken over consumer’s minds recently. “Mouthwashing” follows the story of five crew members working for the company Pony Express on a freighter spaceship that one day mysteriously crashes. Leaving them stranded in space, the crew is left with a severe lack of supplies and a captain that was left mutilated after the crash.  Majority of the time you play as Jimmy, one of the crew members of the ship. After the ship crashes, they decide to open up their cargo holder to  utilize whatever they had on the ship. Shocked, the crew was not met with what they expected, as every single box they were carrying on this ship only contained bottles of mouthwash.   Without spoiling the rest of the plot and the insane events and twists this game’s story has to offer, the game itself covers topics having to do with capitalism.   Let’s speak on the idea of the company, Pony Express. The company puts the crew members to live on a ship in horrible conditions. The ship is run down and they have low quality food, and it continues to neglect their employees.  Specifically when speaking on the mouthwash, the company seems to care more about what products they carry and whether they are getting delivered safely, versus their employees safety on the ship.. We see this lack of safety with the lack of locks present aside from the cockpit and medical bay.  It’s jarring to hear how the company is an unreliable and cheap shipping service, yet all employees have to deal with these circumstances that eventually lead to unfortunate events due to the company’s lack of safety and precaution. When it comes to themes of capitalism with specific characters, Jimmy is the definition of self-interest, a key characteristic in capitalism. He acts in the pursuit of his own good: getting the job done and not caring about what others feel. He thinks that if he gets to the same level as Curly, the captain, he won’t be held as responsible for his actions from climbing that corporate ladder and gaining that higher title.  “Rules made from the top leave them exempt,” is something that Jimmy follows, thinking that when he climbs the ladder to get to that top what he did would go away and he would never deal with the repercussions of his actions. Jimmy’s thoughts on Curly show throughout the story. For example when Curly gets news of the Tulpar crew being laid off and how the company is going under, Jimmy states how Curly will be “headed for bigger and better,” because of how well off he is from his high position as captain.   Anya is a character that deals with the effects of men under capitalism. A common phrase in political theory  used to describe the situation between the characters in this game is “man to man is wolf”. Capitalism is what forms the situation that lets these wolves be able to thrive and feast, the main wolf in this story being Jimmy and one of the main victims being Anya. This was all caused by the conditions that Pony Express put them under. The company let this wolf on the ship and lack of safety from that wolf leads to no protection against him.   “No longer to each other are they human, but only their job.” Each character becomes stripped from being a human to becoming only their titles. Curly becomes known as “the captain”, Anya becomes “the nurse”, Daisuke is known as “the intern” under control of his “boss” Swansea. They are all valued in their abilities to perform their jobs and not their personalities.

Monica Dobson Mar. 28 2024 I sit bolt upright in bed at five fifty-five in the morning.  Did I put the clothes in the dryer ? Snooze button, twice. Days melt into one another, and I find myself in a familiar, sometimes tedious routine. Grabbing a t-shirt from the drawer that had been hastily put away after being in said dryer too long. It doesn’t matter; I don the shirt without a second thought.   The morning drive is when I get the day lined up in my head. This accounts for a lot of thinking overall: 29,000 miles on the odometer in the last 12 months to accommodate all of my commitments.  As I sit in a morning meeting with a crumpled mess of a t-shirt hidden under my jacket, I remind myself how close I’m getting to my goal of a career change. I recall alluring job postings, and in my mind, was the ideal candidate -until the roadblock inevitably revealed itself: Submit portfolio of writing samples.  I was not an employable writer by any stretch; I had an unremarkable, short-lived stint writing for a forgotten publication, reviewing independent short films for the Tribeca Film Festival circa early 2000s. My announcement one day that I had to curtail my assignment to care for my young child met with incredulous disbelief that I would put my child over such an opportunity.  The words were, “You have a what?”  Yes, I missed a deadline, but this endeavor was akin to that infamous participation dance, the Hokey Pokey. I had one foot in and one foot out of this job. The timing was all wrong.  Fast forward to the spring of 2020. My livelihood as a professional makeup artist was gone overnight.  Did I mention I was a newly minted single mom at this juncture?     Consequently, survival mode kicked in. I had to reinvent myself. No small task, but I thought of this as a second chance. I was going to finish my degree so that I could get the type of job that I wanted but never applied for because I simply was not qualified. I hit submit and sent my application to the University of New Haven and never looked back.     I now juggle a schedule that consists of, but is not limited to: two teens, a full-time job and a full-time course load, and I must not forget the three sets of eyes that quietly stalk me each morning when I rise. If you asked my kids about my absence due to work and school, it presents as a sacrifice for sure. Like other nontraditional students, life outside school does not stop, and sometimes it gets overly complicated because of school.  According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “ Nontraditional status  is based on the presence of one or more of seven possible nontraditional characteristics. These characteristics include older than typical age, part-time attendance, being independent of parents, working full time while enrolled, having dependents, being a single parent, and being a recipient of a GED or high school completion certificate.” I mirror six of these seven criteria.     Notably, nontraditional students make up 21%of the student body at University of New Haven. Josh Bird, a junior, is here through the Yellow Ribbon Program , which is available to veterans who want a higher education. The program covers any tuition fees not paid by the post-9/11 GI Bill. Bird and his wife, who has a full-time job, manage a household while caring for their young daughter, who is a toddler now.  “The [course]work itself is not the biggest challenge- it’s the time,” said Bird, an English major with a concentration in writing. He wants a career in creative writing.   Indeed, finding quality time is of essence, as Bird explained from an empty lounge on campus that I will be seeking out as soon as possible. My knowledge of this lounge was previously nonexistent. As a commuter, I limit myself to exploring the campus beyond what is necessary to my schedule, regularly leaving after classes.This experience differs greatly from student residents who engage in the college experience in a more traditional manner. Additionally, reasons vary for those who, seek higher education well into their thirties, forties and even fifties. Can shifting economic commitments such as expecting a child, getting married, or even losing a spouse contribute to the desire? Furthermore, people seeking to upskill , reskill , or simply find a more satisfying career are among the students who seek higher education, which can result in higher income and more preferable work settings. Traditional students also fall into some of these categories, and we all have unique sets of circumstances. The challenges of attending college at a traditional age may seem no less daunting at times than that of a nontraditional student.      How can someone incorporate undergraduate or graduate-level courses to an already busy life? Learning to prioritize is the chief component of managing a complex and demanding schedule, think of it as being in a constant state of improvisation.      Managing commitments requires a stockpile of tactics that can help neutralize a chaotic docket: chase goals by completing small tasks (all the time); define your boundaries; learn to say “no” to anything that is not linked to your success; find someone, even if it is just one person,that believes in you,; know in advance, you will miss momentous events with friends or loved ones at some point.   When things go sideways, being flexible is a must. Feeling  flexible is even better. Inner dialogue can manifest a much-needed mental boost, aiding in resilience and motivation. Rest when you are tired to avoid burnout and decision fatigue. The best way to beat down blues quickly and economically is an Epsom salt bath.      Ultimately, whether traditional or non-traditional, the goals we share make us more alike than different. If one day you find yourself in a set of circumstances that point to returning to college, and are fortunate enough to return to pick up where you left off or start anew, embrace it.  For now, take a moment to consider the present and your desired future. Imagination is the author of your reality.

Ashley Ramirez Mar. 28 2024 She misses her cats. That is the first thing she thinks about in the morning, her abuela’s breakfast, her mom’s hugs. To be an exchange student is to wake up not knowing where you are sometimes, missing your bed, looking at a different ceiling, not remembering where your classes are, or whether you finished your homework. Did she call her mom? Something is missing. She has a language of her own, she can not go to the people around her and say Pura vida instead of greeting them with a good morning.  To be an exchange student is to get on a roller coaster for the first time, not knowing what is ahead of you. One day, you are at the top of the world and the next you are in an ocean of tears. You have a stranger in the mirror, not knowing that's you.  She had a language of her own, she would meet people, and realize how different she is from them, how they realize she has an accent, but she's proud of it because it lets her talk about her country.  She misses her friends from Costa Rica.  You meet people, strange, wild and free, young souls, happy, sad and cold.  She had a language of her own. August late summer, she just moved to a new country with no friends, no family, just hope and dreams, fixing her hair blowing in the wind hoping someone says hi.  To be a foreign student is to watch your leaves fall in autumn and bloom in spring. To never experience watching those leaves change in your country. But it is different, it is brave.  She is brave for waking up in the morning, knowing she is not saying Buenos días  to her little sister, getting up in the morning with a heavy soul and teary eyes, missing what once was.  She had a language of her own, where she showed love differently and cared deeply, like her Abuelo once taught her.  She has a language of her own, talking to her older self as if she's a child missing her mom: "Please leave the lights on in case I lose you.” She says she thinks she lost herself, once again but now in a different country, being quiet where memories reside.  She speaks a language of her own, she sings her favorite song “Then I got on a plane and flew far away from you though unwillingly I left and it was so, so hard to do. The streets here at home have rapidly filled up with the whitest of snow and they don't make no excuse for themselves and there's no need, I know now I miss you more..” (“To A Poet” by First Aid kit).  It is true, she doesn't make excuses for herself, there is no reason to be sad, the weight of what once was, it's bittersweet, but she's brave.  She had a language of her own, like leaves in autumn, a chapter concludes, and a die is cast. No more crying about what once was, the echoes of yesterday slowly falling by, but not my culture, she always stuck with me, she reminds me that i am me, that the girl in the mirror is not a stranger, she’s beautiful, she has past, a present and a bright future, she can do this, she is strong, she's my language, shes me. Costa Rica, the country of peace they say, her true language, her own.

Gabriella Pinto Mar. 28 2024 A woman imprisoned for the murder of her mother was praised upon her December release on parole from the Chillicothe, Mo. prison that held her for eight years. Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, has been chosen as society’s next person to become a fierce fan of, but how long will it last and what consequences can occur because of this? Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, according to Medline Plus , is a disease that impacts the caregiver of the child where parents look for some form of pity by making up illnesses for one of their relatives. Munchausen Syndrome rarely occurs, as showcased by a report  from the American Academy of Pediatrics. In Blanchard’s case, her mother was the caregiver experiencing Munchausen’s. This, which Al Jazeera  claims was the disease Clauddine Blanchard suffered from. Clauddine Blanchard claimed  her daughter had “muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, leukemia and vision impairment.”  She also lied about her daughter’s age.  The deception resulted in Blanchard convincing her boyfriend to murder her mother for her. This case drew a lot of attention, and was eventually turned into the limited series “The Act” on Hulu. Blanchard was charged with second-degree murder and was released after finishing “85 percent of her original sentence,” Al Jazeera  said.  Her reentry into society did not go unnoticed, as people online turned this 32-year-old woman into an influencer. To understand how this could happen, there was a discussion with Taylor Pigott, a school counselor who specializes in mental health at Ryerson Elementary School in Madison, Connecticut as well as an interview with Shantae Fyffe-Simpson, another school counselor. Fyffe-Simpson did not know much about Blachard’s case but said the situation mirrored other, similar cases. Pigott said she studied Blanchard’s case in college, mainly from a mental health perspective. Both counselors agreed that shows tend to glamorize or romanticize the story. Pigott said casting actors such as Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” on Netflix, can lead viewers to make excuses for certain behaviors.  "When you come back to it, people's lives are really affected by the things that they did,” said Fyffe-Simpson. Both women agreed that people latch onto individuals like Blanchard  because they feel sorry for them. Fyffe-Simpson said when people learn what Blanchard went through, they may feel she was justified in persuading her boyfriend to kill her mother.  “People held captive tend to hit a developmental age and don’t go past it,” Piggot said. “She looks really innocent and sounds really young.”  Blanchard still talks with a baby voice, and that could make people believe that she couldn’t possibly be devious enough to orchestrate a violent crime.  Media exposure, said Piggot, can muddy the waters. She said the people who cover such crimes are rarely experts in mental health, and they report only Blanchard’s side of the story.  “The media can bring light to things that are not right,” said Fyffe-Simpson. She said that media exposure can help audiences be more aware, but coverage can also glamorize a topic and obscure the fact that Blanchard broke the law. While critiquing the way that the media made this victim into a meme or viral moment, people can still hold empathy for her, though too much empathy for someone you do not personally know can be unhealthy. Piggot said that people should not become fangirls or fanboys of crime victims with mental health issues. There needs to be boundaries.  “We shouldn’t be making this person a role model for kids,” Piggot said. Fyffe-Simpson said she questions if the media response to Blanchard is born of empathy. She said people make outlandish posts to jump on the bandwagon and make the situation about themselves instead of caring about the victim.  “True empathy can’t cross a line,” she said. People might like Blanchard for a while, but then that support can change. Overexposure can be damaging, the counselors said. Fyffe-Simpson said that Gypsy Blanchard might act like a child because of her stunt in cognitive growth from her upbringing. She said she believed that the woman had an “insecure attachment” created from the trauma with her mother. People switching their views on her could have a profound effect on her.  “She could go into a crisis,” Fyffe-Simpson said. Pigott predicted there would be backlash.  “I always felt like instead of prison, she should have gone to a mental health facility,” she said.  Right now, Gypsy Blanchard is getting a lot of attention that she is not used to and was never allowed to have. In one interview, said Piggot, Gypsy Blanchard spoke about receiving letters from “hundreds” of men while in prison. The counselor said there could be a regression if the public changes their minds about her, which is common in internet culture. Gypsy Rose Blanchard is not a trend. She is a person who suffered years of abuse, which was then publicized by the media.  She is a victim who also committed a crime. Viewers of true crime shows should do the diligence of remembering these people and their stories are real. Although empathy may never cross a line, the same cannot be said for media exposure.

Elisa Broche Mar. 28 2024 A long time ago, a solitary whale lived in the immense sea. This one was pink and smaller than the others. Because she was different, the other whales didn't like being with her. Her grandmother always told her that being different made her unique and that, in the future, would make her shine in the immense sea. But the little pink whale wanted to know what was beyond. She dreamed of telling the stories she learned of the people she talked to, the stories that her grandmother's friends told her, the ones that she heard in the streams. When she got older, she told her mother and grandmother she would swim further away to another sea. They doubted the pink whale; they didn't want her to go. She was still very small, but they decided to let her discover her true self. The whale swam and swam without looking back because she knew she would want to return. However, she had a bigger goal: to tell stories. Not much time passed, and the whale felt alone and sad; she had no one, and the sea was infinite! There was no end. All the other animals in the sea were large and different; she was utterly invisible. She missed her grandmother but knew she had to be strong and shine like her grandmother had always told her. For a long time, the whale roamed the sea alone. She tried to talk to the other sea creatures, but they ignored her. However, the pink whale would not give up so easily. She kept talking to them until the people slowly began to answer, and they started to smile at her. But although the pink whale adapted to this side of the sea, she still was not fulfilling her dream! She asked and asked until someone guided her to a cave. They told her that in this cave, people gathered to tell stories. The whale approached nervously; what if they didn't like her stories? What would happen if they didn't want her because she was pink? With a lot of nerves, she entered the cave and found whales of many colors. They were all different, with patterns of all colors, big and small. They shone with their own light, as Grandma had always said. The Pink Whale was no longer alone; she knew she would shine brighter with many more people around.

Elisa Broche Mar. 7 2024 In January 2024, I watched a film that left me questioning my emotions. The movie depicted a tragic plane crash that claimed numerous lives, and the survivors had to face unimaginable difficulties. However, I found comfort in their journey, and I was not the only one since the movie became a massive success.  J.A. Bayona's film, "Society of the Snow," tells the story of the 1972 Andes flight disaster. It follows the survivors as they face physical, moral and emotional challenges. Bayona skillfully balances respect and realism in his approach to the story. The film features impressive performances by a mainly Uruguayan and Argentine cast, many of whom are  new to acting. The cinematography captures the isolation and beauty of the Andes, and Bayona's direction immerses the audience in the unforgiving environment.   The film doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable truth that the survivors had to resort to cannibalism to survive. It presents this as a dire necessity rather than sensationalizing the situation. This approach adds depth to the ethical difficulties faced by the characters. The film is thought-provoking and prompts viewers to reflect on the lengths they might go to survive in such extreme circumstances. The cinematography is breathtaking, effectively capturing the isolation and harsh beauty of the Andes. Bayona's directorial prowess shines through, intensifying the emotional impact of the survivors' journey. One of the film's standout features is the exceptional performances delivered by the cast. Their authenticity and raw emotion bring the characters to life, making the audience feel the weight of their decisions and the desperation of their circumstances. The ensemble cast's chemistry is palpable, capturing the camaraderie and internal conflicts that arise as they physically and morally navigate the treacherous terrain.   But then I realized—there is no mountain too high or too cold to climb, and no challenge too difficult to overcome. All of us need a constant reminder that we are capable of overcoming any obstacle, no matter how insurmountable it may seem. The story of Fernando Parrado is a perfect example of this. After the crash, Parrado was left unconscious for three days, and everyone assumed he was dead. However, he survived and was one of the two survivors who walked for ten days to save the rest. They saved him so he could save them all.   So, no matter where you are in life or what challenges you face, always remember that you can climb that mountain. Remember, no matter how tough the journey may seem, you can get through it.

Jessie Hymowitz Mar. 7 2024 Hello, and welcome to the third column of Reading Odd Films where I look at odd film adaptations of books. Today we’re looking at “The Legend of Earthsea” (2004), adapted from the first two books of Ursula Le Guin’s beloved “Earthsea” series (“A Wizard of Earthsea” and “The Tombs of Atuan”) which was split into a two-night “mini-series” on the Sci-Fi channel, but is essentially three-hour long movie.   The first red flag that told me this movie was not going to work was the odd decision to combine the first two books of the series, which are both open-and-shut stories  (although I have not read “The Tombs of Atuan”).  This forces the film to divide itself into an “A-plot” and a “B-plot” which are tied together with a vague connection and, as with the last season of “Game of Thrones, ”  these plots are jammed together like a square peg in a round hole. The only reason I could think of why the producers wanted to do this is so they could cast Isabella Rossellini, and couldn’t find a role for her from the first book.   The second and biggest red flag is the whitewashing. In the original series, our main character, Ged (played by Shawn Ashmore) is repeatedly described to be brown-skinned and his form of magic is tied to Taoist philosophies. But Shawn Ashmore is a white man. In fact, almost everyone in this movie, adapted from a book where most important characters who are canonically not white are played by white people. The only two exceptions are Danny Glover, who plays the roles of Ged’s mentor Ogion, and Kristen Kreuk (whose mother is Chinese and father is Dutch) who plays the female lead of the second book, Tenar.  Speaking of Taoist influence on the “Earthsea” series, there is an odd Christian undertone of having “faith” with Tenar’s plotline. This is quite contradictory to what I’ve heard of the original book considering that “The Tombs of Ataun” is against blind obedience, which is rewarded in this movie.  Additionally, there is a CW-esque attempt to sexualize the characters. This is creepy for two reasons: this book series is meant for 12-year-olds and both of the protagonists start as minors in the original and are ambiguously aged up by 20-something actors.  On the topic of weird sexualization, there’s a poorly developed romance between the two protagonists, an element of the original series. However, there’s a whole book to develop their chemistry. In the movie, there are ten minutes of screen time and “visions” they have of each other. Tenar’s character is one-dimensional and passive which is the opposite of her character in the original, who is praised for being a strong leader with an interesting character arc.  The movie’s obsession with fate is a blatant misunderstanding of the series’ themes. At many points, the characters around Ged, especially his friend Vetch (played by Chris Gauthier) talk to him about how they were fated to meet and how nothing is ever a coincidence. Ascending Ged to “chosen one” status, which, in my opinion, makes Ged’s arc less interesting.  Ged never has to face any real consequences for his actions, though, in the original book, Ged, trying to prove how much better he is than his rival Jasper, summons a spirit, which costs one of his professor’s lives. In the original, this is meant to make Ged realize that magic is not something to play with, but in the movie, the professor lives because now the spirit is possessing him and Ged must get rid of it, making Ged learn nothing.  This film was likely made to cash in on the success of the “Harry Potter” franchise, which was ironically accused of ripping off Le Guin’s series. I think this is true because the movie essentially turns the wizard school of Roke into Hogwarts. Ged’s friend Vetch, who is the subject of many fatphobic jokes, is essentially Ron. There’s a shoe-horned-in female character, who does nothing, who is Hermione, and Jasper, whose rivalry with Ged is much more equal in the books, becomes Draco. He even betrays the wizard school for the invented-for-this-movie evil king.  “Legend of Earthsea” is another in a long line of book-to-screen adaptations that take anything interesting or unique from the original and chuck it into the wind. This movie’s plot is not even worth recounting, it’s every “chosen one defeats the evil king” fantasy movie you’ve ever seen. This is a shame because the source material has incredible world-building and a wonderful take on the hero’s journey. I hope one day, there is a faithful adaptation of the original source because it would be great to see on the screen.

Jessie Hymowitz Feb. 22 2024 Hello, and welcome back to Reading Odd Films, where I look at odd film adaptations of books. Today we’re looking at “Red Riding Hood” (1989), an adaptation of the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, This movie musical was directed by Adam Brooks (who went on to write and direct Definitely, Maybe ) and starred Isabella Rosellini and Craig T. Nelson. “Red Riding Hood” was the last project in a series of films called Cannon Movie Tales by the straight-to-video company Cannon Films. This series of films adapted well-known fairy tales into cheap movie musicals. This beloved stranger-danger morality tale was an odd choice for a full-length feature film because of the original tale’s brevity. The filmmakers got around this by expanding the lore of the movie and developing the character of Little Red, now called Linet. This is the most interesting aspect of the film. The movie has only a vague connection to the original tale. The fairytale is more of a template for the film. Our heroine, Linet, is the daughter of Lady Jeanne and Lord Percival, played by Rosellini and Nelson. When Linet goes missing and is presumed dead, her father’s evil twin, Lord Godfrey, also played by Nelson, rules her land with an iron fist. Godfrey keeps trying to propose marriage to Jeanne, but she refuses.  Linet’s parental grandmother is a healer witch who helps the town. She gives the famous red hood significance by enchanting it to protect Linet. Which becomes the reason she survives being eaten. It’s implied that Linet’s grandmother and her sons (Linet’s father and uncle) have some form of magical powers and/or dabble in magic. But this is another part of the movie’s lore that is never elaborated upon.  The most interesting diversion from the original tale is the inclusion of “the big bad wolf” (who is never called that, but he fills the same role). In this movie, he’s a shapeshifter named Dagger who is implied to be a demon that has Lord Godfrey’s soul. The movie never uses that exact wording, but they do say that Godfrey gave up his “heart” (a.k.a. his ability to feel empathy) because he thought that his “heart” made him a weak ruler.   This fantastically strange lore isn’t explored or elaborated on as much as it could be. But it’s still a really interesting idea. The movie seems to want to give Dagger an arc about wanting to be good, but that’s torpedoed by the end of the film. Dagger is a pathetic little guy, no one in the town respects him, he’s constantly made fun of because his “wolf” form looks more like a cute German Shepherd than a scary wolf. He has a song about how he likes being evil right after having a homo-erotic discussion with Lord Godfrey, debating whether someone can love without a “heart.” In reality, I think he just wants to be liked and to have friends. This is suggested when he’s genuinely pleasantly shocked when Linet wants to have a friendly conversation without any ulterior motives. The end of the movie where he tries to eat Linet is nothing more than character assassination.  Linet’s father is not dead. He returns to Linet’s grandma after “the war”, and she updates him on what’s been going on since he left to fight. So he and some of the villagers make a plan to overthrow Lord Godfrey. For reasons that will not make sense, they hold off on telling Lady Jeanne and Linet until Lord Godfrey is defeated. But father and daughter are reunited when he cuts Linet out of Dagger’s stomach, essentially making him fulfill the role of the huntsman.  Lord Godfrey is defeated when Lord Percival goes up to his castle and tells him to knock it off. Lord Godfrey walked away with his tail between his legs after Percival killed the Dagger, he lost some of his powers, but it’s just another part of the magic system that’s only implied.  “Red Riding Hood” (1989) is a pretty charming fairy tale movie musical. Is it good on a technical level? No, but it’s really fun and has some interesting ideas, even if they were not always explored. Making Linet and “The Wolf” become acquainted before he eats her shifts the message from “stranger danger” to “don’t trust blindly”, which is more applicable to real life.

James Asher Feb. 8 2024 While evil as a sociological concept is abstract and hard to define, administrative evil is not. Administrative evil—as defined by Danny Balfour and Guy Adams in their book “Unmasking Administrative Evil”—is “masked in many different ways, but the common characteristic is that people can engage in acts of evil unaware that they are in fact doing anything at all wrong.” Understandably, this definition can lead some to confusion. How can evil, a poorly defined yet innately understood concept, be performed without an agent’s knowledge?  Picture this: You are a soldier operating in Iraq under Operation Desert Storm, and your commanding officer has ordered you to neutralize a high-profile target. Simple enough, however, the target is inside a building with an unknown floor plan. You and the commanding officer know that if troops were to be sent in, there would likely be casualties due to the lack of vital intel. Luckily for you and any potential ground troops, you have access to a drone, which can not only destroy the building but also take down any and all targets inside, including the high-profile individual. With a push of a button, the building is destroyed, and the target is confirmed as KIA. On the surface, this is an open-and-shut case of an enemy, perhaps even an evil one, being killed. However, your commanding officer did not tell you that the building was a primary school, and the high-profile target was there to drop off his son. In taking down the building, you not only killed your target but also killed dozens of children and faculty, none of whom committed any wrongdoing. That scenario, which American forces have experienced countless times, is a clear case of administrative evil. A large group of unarmed non-combatants were killed in order to take out a single individual. The soldier ordering the firing of the drone was not aware of the building’s purpose, who was inside, or any lasting fallout from his actions. However, in firing the drone, he engaged in an act of evil while remaining completely unaware of any wrongdoing. While that scenario is on the more extreme side of administrative evil, it is just one of the thousands of ways a state can instruct its people to commit violence. Now, with an understanding of administrative evil, an analysis of the most comprehensive act of administrative evil in history can be performed. The Holocaust was an event from 1941-1945 in which Nazi Germany and its allies carried out the systemic and mass killing of over six million Jews across Europe in addition to various other groups. The Holocaust was the single largest mass murder of innocent non-combatants and one of the most effective genocides in history. The significant death count raises the question, is the Holocaust an example of administrative evil? The answer: undoubtedly so. It is arguably the best possible fit for the definition of administrative evil. Nazi Germany was able to commit the Holocaust on such a mass scale through the principle of moral inversion. Moral inversion, as understood by Mark Hoffman in his paper “ The Ten Masks of Administrative Evil ”, is “a situation in which evil is convincingly redefined as good.” Nazi Germany created two categories in which its citizenry could identify: The pure Aryan and the impure Other (Jew). In doing so, the Nazis were no longer massacring innocents; they were protecting their people while ridding the world of the evil and corrupt enemy—an enemy who threatened their way of life and the very sanctity of worldly existence. Thus, in constructing and using the gas chambers, in deporting and separating families, in sending innocents to ghettos, the Nazis were not committing evil; they were committing good. The expert use of moral inversion by Nazi Germany was one of the most vital factors in their ability to carry out their genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Jews in Europe. Through an effective propaganda campaign, in addition to the generally poor attitude of post-war Germany, the Nazis and their collaborators were able to commit the most comprehensive example of administrative evil the world has ever seen.

Monica Dobson Feb. 8 2024 Somewhere between arriving home and going to bed, I stand with the refrigerator door open, unable to decide what to cook for dinner. Closing the door, I opt to place a delivery order, going against my set budget and general dislike of takeout. I have hit the wall mentally, and even the smallest of decisions of what to eat exceeds my mental capacity.    My day has not been unusually busy. It consisted of mothering, commuting, studying, and working. But it was one of those days where the mental fatigue I was experiencing led me to short-cut my solution, by ordering takeout. Mental overload can cause the brain to make short-cut solutions , and trigger procrastination. Have you ever felt depleted at the end of a day? Do you experience exhaustion after driving a long distance? How about when Friday rolls around, and it has been a long week of planning, reading, and studying, and you just want to nap?   If you answered yes  to any of these questions, then you too may have experienced decision fatigue.     What is Decision Fatigue?   Decision fatigue  occurs when we are asked to make so many decisions that we feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. The decisions may be benign, like what to wear, what to eat, or even daily tasks that employ executive functions,  like brushing one’s teeth. All day we make choices, both on the conscious and subconscious levels, and those choices add up quickly.  On average, an adult in the US can make a staggering 35,000 decisions per day .   According to the American Medical Association , “A person with decision fatigue may feel tired, have brain fog, or experience other signs and symptoms of physical or mental fatigue." This happens when we keep piling on prolonged or difficult tasks, not realizing that we are overwhelming our brains.  There is a cumulative aspect to decision fatigue: the more decisions you make, the worse you feel as the day goes on.    Ironically, automation such as self-checkout and other kinds of technological advancements are directly linked to decision fatigue. Those aids allow us to accomplish more tasks in a 24-hour cycle, exponentially increasing the numerous decisions we are forced to make in a day. Online banking, shopping, and virtual workplaces make it possible for us to do so much without ever having to leave our homes, which makes our to-do lists even longer.     Consequences of Decision Fatigue You may simply have trouble making decisions when reading a menu, ordering a coffee drink, or picking something to watch on TV, but decision fatigue can also have more serious consequences.  Decision fatigue can affect willpower, self-regulation and lead to poor decision-making, and result in  burn out.   Decision fatigue is also associated with negative physiological and neurological function. Adverse levels of mental strain can disrupt neurotransmitters responsible for mood regulation, memory and sleep quality. For example, the feeling of being mentally and physically sapped due to decision fatigue comes from glutamate disruption. This is especially concerning because abnormal glutamate levels in the brain are associated with anxiety disorders, Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia and a host of other conditions.   In addition to harming ourselves, fatigued decision-making has devastating effects on the people around us. In a New York Times article ,  John Tierney reports that only 10% of inmates whose hearings are later in the day are awarded parole, versus 70% of inmates whose hearings are first thing in the morning. This data suggests parole board members become overloaded mentally throughout a day's hearings, resulting in an inability to perform their job.     Reducing Decision Fatigue   It can be difficult to identify whether decision fatigue is affecting us because it shares common symptoms with many psychological and psychiatric disorders. Avoidance, procrastination, indecision and impulsive behavior are hallmarks of these disorders, but they are also the chief signs of decision fatigue.   In any case, we can take steps to minimize our exposure to excess decision-making.   Heidi Zak , a contributing writer for Inc. ,   suggests that we zero in on the timing and priority of decisions we must make. Planning ahead, making lists, identifying and scaling down less important activities are all examples of streamlining our actions, leaving us less drained. We can also shoot for that steady bedtime, or if we are students, mothers, or travelers, a power nap. The number-one remedy for decision fatigue is regulated sleep, which helps preserve energy and clear thinking.   Even streamlining the smallest decisions can help. Mark Zuckerberg is known for his famously pared-down wardrobe—a Brunello Cuccinelli gray T-shirt and jeans—which, according to Zuckerberg, helps him streamline his daily decisions and preserve stamina for larger and more complex problems. For the rest of us non-billionaires, a capsule wardrobe might be a pragmatic choice, but we can still take conscious steps to reduce the onslaught of decisions we must make.   The self-check-out at the grocery store may seem like a timesaver—however, it is a decision-fatigue trap. I have learned to steer clear of these "conveniences" whenever possible. It could just be what puts me over the edge after a long day.

Jessie Hymowitz Feb.8 2024 Hello, and welcome to the first column of Reading Odd Films, where I look at odd film adaptations of books. Today we’re looking at Golden Film’s animated “Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Victor Hugo’s controversial novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame ” is admittedly a bizarre source material for a children’s animated film, but Disney did it, so it must be fine.  I’d be remiss not to mention, Golden Film’s and many other “The Hunchback of Notre Dame ” adaptations’ (animated or live-action) inappropriate use of the G-slur and lack of involvement or casting of any Roma people. The use of the G-slur is controversial within the Roma community, but, since I am not Roma, I will not write it here. The film, however, puts that word in almost every sentence, despite white-washing one of the central characters, Esmerelda (who is renamed Melody). Anti-Roma racism is a sticky subject in the original novel and adaptations, and should be addressed and subverted.   The second biggest issue with adaptation is its use of what I like to call “key-dangling characters.” These are characters that do nothing but fill time and make loud, annoying noises. Key-dangling characters come in the form of talking bats and musical instruments. It’s never really explained how or why they can talk; however, it’s implied that “Melody” has magic, but that’s never confirmed, and I guess bats just talk in this universe. However, this lack of elaboration is unjustified, since these interchangeable characters contributed nothing to the ill-convinced plot.  The biggest issue with this adaptation is the title character himself, the hunchback Quasimodo. What is this issue, you might ask? Well, he’s not even a “hunchback” in this version. Oh, the other characters call him a “hunchback” all right. But this is “fixed” by him just standing up straight at the movie's end. Quasimodo is also conventionally attractive, with boy band hair and a strong, round face. This is because he and Melody actually get together by the end of the movie. After one conversation and Quasimodo giving her a necklace, they get married.  The infamous villain Frollo, instead of a man who uses his power and influence to abuse an ethnic minority, is now just Gaston with a mustache. In this version, instead of being Quasimodo’s adoptive father, they’re brothers, and their father was the one who put Quasimodo in a tower. The drama of this is much less interesting than it should be. Additionally, Frollo’s predatory pursuit comes off as more cartoonishly comedic than realistically terrifying. The only upside to his character is that he reminds us that “doing anything against the law is illegal” (a real quote from the movie).  The conversation around systemic racism and corruption is lackluster, even for a mediocre ‘90s bargain-bin rip-off. The only nod to these themes is a quick conversation between white-washed Melody and her mother about how it’s a bummer to be actively persecuted. Talking musical instruments cut this conversation short. Of course, as with all tellings of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Melody (a.k.a. White-washed Esmeralda) is falsely accused of witchcraft and is sentenced to death. How is she saved? By Quasimodo deciding not to ring the church bells. Why does Frollo need Quasimodo to ring the bells in order to execute Melody? Beats me. He just does.  After Melody is saved, Quasimodo decides to stand up straight, push back his hair and therefore be declared handsome by Melody. He then tells his brother to stop being evil and that works. No accountability for the father that put his son in a church tower because he was “too ugly.” Now racism is no more, and the two bland leads can get married after knowing each other for about two hours.   The “kidification” of stories such as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame ” is a fascinating phenomenon to watch. Golden Film’s “Hunchback” is the animated equivalent of dangling keys in front of a baby’s face, but the material to make the keys were melted down knives. This movie changes and neuters the original source material to the point where there’s no point in using it other than to cash-in on the Disney one. Relevant and timeless themes and four-dimensional characters are tossed away for the sake of a G-rating.