Category Archives: The Scope

Jan 20 2017
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The Scope

My Final Thoughts On President Trump

Matt McClain/The Washington Post

This is it. This is the last time I’m writing about the 2016 presidential elections. It’s the last time I’m thinking about it, it’s the last time I’m talking about it. After this, if the new administration makes a decision that I feel conflicts or contradicts with America’s ideals, I might write about that then. But I’m done talking about the elections themselves. They’ve far outlived the conversation.

First of all (and I think this is a fair question to ask), what the hell happened? When I wrote my last post about the elections last year, I predicted that Hillary would be the next president of the United States. She had everything working in her favor. A well-spoken demeanor and good articulation of her argument. A political career that spanned more than 20 years. The support of an entire political party, multiple celebrities, and more than half of the country’s millennial population.

And of course, Donald Trump was her opponent.

I didn’t want Hillary to win. I didn’t want either of them to win. Both of them had demonstrated qualities that did not represent the office or America’s best interests, from the email scandal to the “Grab em’ by the p*ssy” video. But seeing her career pitted up against a candidate who had offended women, minorities, immigrants (both legal and illegal), the LGBT community, and war heroes, I didn’t see any chance of Trump winning. Perhaps underestimating him was my mistake.

By the end of it all, Hillary won the popular vote, by a small margin. 65 million votes against Trump’s 62 million. That’s 48 percent against his 46 percent, nearly split even.

But, as we all know, popular vote doesn’t count: electoral vote does. And since Trump’s biggest wins came from swing states (Ohio, Florida, etc.), he won the projected electoral vote and the presidency.

SOURCE: 270 To Win

I’m not surprised that the American people voted the way they did. Since Clinton was announced as the democratic nominee in July, the elections have been split sideways in every which way and direction. Yes, the Democrats had all of the ammo at their disposal that Trump tweeted about, but the Republicans had an equal amount of dirt on Hillary due to the WikiLeaks hacks. Russian interference or not, that information revealed some very important things about the Clintons to the American public.

That Hillary wasn’t as much for climate change and gay rights as she claimed she was.

That she told her Wall Street donors in a paid speech that they need “both a public and a private position.”

That she was leaked questions in advance of the first televised debate.

That she hired Debbie Wasserman-Schultz on her campaign after she deliberately shut out Bernie Sanders from the democratic primaries.

That media directly collaborated with the Clinton campaign for coverage, including The New York Times, MSNBC, and The Hill, among many others.

What your opinion is of the information provided is up to you. The fact remains that this information was out there and it stirred up a paranoia of political distrust in the American people. That political distrust went head-to-head against Trump’s uncouthness, and eventually, political distrust won. Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States.

Honestly, what I’m most surprised about is not that Donald Trump won, but that the electors voted the way that the American public did. In 15 out of the 30 states that Trump won, the electors could have voted for anyone that they wanted to. They were not technically held by the votes of the public, although voting against them would technically be considered unconstitutional. They still had the ability to vote for Clinton against Trump if they wanted to. A few might have been hit with some legal fees or charges, but the vast majority was unhindered by these. Election or not, they had the real choice in their hands. They chose Trump.

What this tells me, then, is that the political paranoia is not just coming from the American people. It’s also coming from the governors, mayors, senators, and former politicians of this country. They could have voted to keep the political wheel spinning. They chose to stop it.

In a way, I’m glad that Trump won. It shows how broken the two-party system really is in our country, and his victory reflects the failures of both of those respective parties. Trump is everyone’s fault. Not just one party or the other’s. Everyone, mine included.

Trump is the Republican’s fault for allowing him to even run in the first place despite his inexperience. Trump is the Democrat’s fault for rigging their primaries and for trying to take advantage of Trump’s nomination. Trump is the Libertarians and the Green Parties fault for splitting the vote and the election. Trump is my fault for writing in a candidate instead of voting against him. But I wasn’t going to vote against my conscience, just as no other voter was going to do anything otherwise.

It doesn’t matter now. Trump won, and earlier today, he has finally been sworn into office. As I see these events unraveling, I keep thinking about what the next step should be for our country. It seems to be unanimous for everyone. “Unite”, is what I hear everyone saying. The Democrats want to “unite” against Trump. The Republicans want to “unite” under the new administration.

I’m offering a different definition. How about “Unite”, because it’s “The United States of America.”

I do not like Donald Trump. I fervently do not like Donald Trump. Anyone who follows my news feeds know this. But as much as I do not like Donald Trump, I like America even more. If it means a chance at sewing the divided seeds of our country, I am willing to put aside some of my contempt to call him “Mr. President” and to understand why half of our country voted for him. I know the thought of supporting President Trump is reviling to some liberals, but I don’t see it as supporting Trump. I see it as supporting our country. I feel we need that healing more than we need that harsh political discourse.

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This does NOT mean normalizing Trump, however, or the values his administration holds, or the hate crimes and xenophobia his platform has helped inspired. No, this means not avoiding the opposite side, but confronting it head-first to understand why events unfolded the way they did. Democrats can’t understand why Republicans would vote for a loudmouth and a Twitter bully. Republicans can’t understand why Democrats would vote for a criminal and a political mastermind. Since the presidential elections, I have renounced identifying with one party or the other in order to understand both sides. What I find is a recurring trend of everyone not understanding a perspective that the other has. The GOP does not see the hate crimes committed in Trump’s name, and the DNC does not see the political distrust brewing under Clinton’s. These may not be equal issues, but they are real issues nonetheless.

Because of this, I offer– no, I assert that we need to come together. Talk to people you disagree with. See why they think the way that they do. Debate on serious issues back-and-forth until you find one thing that you can both agree on. Demonstrate that you’re more American than you are liberal or conservative.

Do this, because if we don’t and we continue this nasty political discourse, we’re creating the social hemisphere that people like Trump can thrive in. I don’t want Donald Trump happening again. I want America happening again.

– David Dunn

 

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Jan 01 2017
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Lists, The Scope

Top 10 Films Of 2016

I think I speak for everyone when I say this has been an exhausting year for us all. The politics. The presidential elections. Not to mention all of the celebrity deaths. I thought last year was bad. 2016 felt like it was having a competition with 2015 on how much more miserable it could make everyone feel. If I were judging, it wouldn’t even be a contest for me. 2016: you win.

During these difficult times, I try to find some positive from the year that everyone can take away to make the next year more positively impactful. Most years, they are the movies, because they usually reflect our mindset, where we’re at socially, and where we need to go from here together as a society. This year, however, my point of positive is not the movies (although that is a close second).

No, this year, its the people.

No matter what we’ve faced this year, there were always people there to help others with the horrible things they were going through. There were Christians that helped the homosexual community after the Orlando nightclub shooting in June. Legal citizens helping their fleeing refugee neighbors from war-torn countries. The Americans that banded together for the ethnic minorities that were targets of many hate crimes during the presidential elections. On and on.

My point being, no matter who is triumphing over whom, there will always be a group of people there to hold everyone accountable for their actions. Cries for justice may go unanswered, crimes may go unpunished. But we as a people, for the most part, know the difference between right and wrong. And you can’t ever escape morality, no matter what office you hold or what seat you sit in. These same unnamed heroes are the same people who made the year’s most important stories on the big screen. Perhaps that is why 2016 is one of my least favorite years, but one of my favorite years in film.

Before we get into my top 10 list for the year, it’s important for you to understand that I have not seen every movie made this year. I tried. Films that I wanted to see but didn’t get the chance to view included A Monster Calls, La La Land, Silence, Patriots Day, and Fences. What can I say? 2016 is a year filled with movies, but since the other 11 months aren’t close enough to awards season, those filmmakers decide to push those releases to the very end in December next to all the other Holiday releases. Since they’re more concerned about trophies than they are in reaching their audience, they will not be included on this list, even if their films deserve to be.

Also, this is my top 10 list. My favorite films. My opinion. You will notice that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is not included on this list. That is because I saw 10 other films that I enjoyed more than I did Rogue One. That does not lessen or expand upon Rogue One’s success, or the success of many other films. It just means that I liked these movies more.

That being said, let’s hop into my favorites from this year:

10. Kubo and the Two Strings

A movie that is not only better than most of today’s animated films, but also better than most of its live-action ones as well. When Kubo (Art Parkinson) is being hunted by his evil grandfather the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), he enlists in the help of two new friends he’s met along his journey: Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey). Together, these three embark on an adventure to defeat the Moon King and free Kubo from his clutches forever. Filmed using stop-motion technology, Kubo and the Two Strings feels and breathes of Japanese mythology, its characters talking, fighting, flipping, and moving like the origami figures Kubo loves to craft. The action is also surprisingly exciting, with its fast-moving and acrobatic characters fighting in sequences that are more impressive than most of the year’s live-action films. There is one plot twist that doesn’t fit in with the overall plot, but beyond that, this is an excellent movie. Like Akira and Spirited Away, this is a movie that challenges animated movies and what they can accomplish. If Kubo is anything to go by, they can accomplish a lot. Three and a half stars.

9. Moana

A great deep sea adventure and memorable animated odyssey. When the powerful demi-God Maui (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) loses an ancient artifact known as the Heart of Te Fiti, he sends the world spiraling into a pit of darkness that is polluting all of the Earth’s crops and lands. But when the ocean picks Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as the one who will rescue Maui, find the heart of Te Fiti, and restore the planet, she embarks on an epic journey to find the stone, and along the way, herself. Disney outdoes themselves yet again with this one. The animation alone is visually colorful and dynamic, even the waves are so detailed and accurate in their movement that its hard to tell the difference between it and the real ocean. The voice talent is outstanding, with newcomer Auli’i Cravalho surprising us at every turn with her singing and projection. A great throwback to classic Disney adventures and a great tribute to female empowerment. Three and a half stars.

8. Miracles From Heaven

Part medical drama, part family drama, part spiritual drama, all human drama. Based on a true story, Miracles From Heaven follows a tight-knit Texas family when their middle daughter is diagnosed with intestinal pseudo-obstruction, a fatal disease that freezes the intestines and makes it nearly impossible to digest food. Now left wondering how something so terrible could happen to a girl so sweet, Christy Beam (Jennifer Garner) is determined to nurse her daughter back to health, no matter how many pills, tests, or doctor visits it takes. Jennifer Garner is a standout in this movie, expressing genuine joy and relief in some moments, while in others demonstrating genuine grief and depression, just like all of the ups and downs a mother would go through with her child. Despite this film being labeled a “Religious” film, it isn’t preaching to the choir, and is considerate and respectful to viewers of all faiths, especially those who don’t believe. Other movies should follow its template if they want to be as impactful and meaningful. Not just a good Christian film, but a great one. Three and a half stars.

7. Doctor Strange

A unique, compelling, visually spectacular entry into the superhero genre: one of the best. When Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets into a devastating car accident, he loses the nerves in his hands and his career as a neurosurgeon. When he is told that a monk called the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) can help him, he traverses to the deep mountains in Nepal to be cured, only to be introduced to a world full of magic and sorcery that he’s only beginning to understand. The visual effects are easily the standout element of this movie, with sorcerers kung-fu fighting each other on constantly shifting walls, windows, pillars, ledges, and anything else that can turn into a kaleidoscope of architecture. Not since Avatar or Inception have the visuals been so sensory that they felt more like an out-of-body experience rather than a cinematic one. Cumberbatch, just as well, plays his role with charisma and gravitas, making his character feel more tragically Shakespearean rather than larger-than-life. A great moviegoing experience that shows our titular character not as a superhero, but as a man, fatally egotistical, selfish, eccentric, ignorant, and most of all, flawed. Four stars.

6. Finding Dory

A surprisingly meaningful animated sequel that is every bit as good as its predecessor. Taking place years after the events of Finding Nemo, Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) suddenly remembers her parents and her life before meeting Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence). Now determined to reunite with her parents, Dory, Marlin, and Nemo embark on yet another journey across the ocean to find Dory’s family. With Finding Nemo writer-director Andrew Stanton returning to once again helm this oceanic odyssey, Finding Dory displays a fine understanding of everyone’s favorite forgetful fish. So fine, in fact, that this movie truly stands on its own, needing almost no support from its previous entry. From its animation to its screenplay, Finding Dory is a smart homage to its origins, but also a funny, unique, and emotional roller coaster of a film that stands very well on its own two feet (well, fins). Four stars.

5. Don’t Breathe

An intense, immersive experience that makes the best use out of its limited premise. When a team of professional thieves decide to rob the home of a retired blind veteran, they think its an easy job. But when one thing happens after another, they realize this veteran is not all that he seems, and soon they’re the ones fearing for their lives. This cat-and-mouse invasion thriller is excellently paced and tightly edited, with director Fede Alvarez making the best use of his environments and with how characters react to shocking revelations. He also makes great use of sound space, with the most tense moments often being the most silent. The cast is convincing in their roles, and Stephen Lang demonstrates the full capacity of his skills as this spine-chilling, creepy, yet sympathetic veteran desperate for the things that he’s lost. A creative, captivating thriller that is as unconventional as it is unpredictable. Four stars.

4. Deepwater Horizon

A unique and riveting action film that seeks to honor its real-life subjects by showing us exactly what they went through. Mark Wahlberg stars in this adaptation of the 2010 BP oil spill directed by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor), and he handles this subject with delicate treatment of the events and for the real-life figures involved in the tragedy. Berg connects us to the crew members’ humanity before ominously foreshadowing to their dreary fates beyond the spewing oil, the collapsing metal frames, the wild fires, and the empty sea gallows looming beneath them. This is a movie that completely understands what the real-life crew members were up against, and they bring you every detail of that disaster with nerve-wrecking alertness and urgency. The PG-13 rating is deceiving. Definitely do not bring your children. Four stars.

3. Arrival

A science-fiction drama that starts out as one thing, only to slowly transform into another. When aliens land on multiple places at once on Earth, the U.S. army enlists in the help of Louise Banks (Amy Adams), a linguist who is notable for her translation of thousands of languages on the planet. As she investigates deeper into the reasons why the aliens are there, she makes a discovery that will change the course of the human species forever. Smartly crafted from the mind of director Denis Villenueve (Prisoners, Sicario), Arrival is an intelligent observation of the extraterrestrial, how humans react to the unknown and how they build and learn foreign communication. Adams is a powerhouse as the lead, a hero who is intelligent, vulnerable, yet persistent in doing what she has to do. Smart, emotional, and leaving you with plenty to think about long after you’ve left the movie theater, Arrival is a science-fiction experience that you simply must see. The twist near the end will guarantee have your jaw dropping. Four stars.

2. Captain America: Civil War

The best MCU movie to be made to date. When the United Nations decides that the Avengers are too dangerous to be left unchecked, the team is split into two factions. Captain America (Chris Evans) believes that the team should be allowed to continue to operate freely without interference. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) thinks that the team needs to be held accountable in some way, shape or form. As tensions between the two sides rise, the team eventually collapses and comes to blows with each other, never to leave them the same again. A film as politically-charged as it is fast-paced, fun, and exciting, Captain America: Civil War is unique in the superhero genre in that there is no black-and-white sense of morality. No established sense of right and wrong in the picture, just characters whose ideals and values clash violently with each other. What’s left is an unconventional masterpiece, a moral dilemma packaged as a superhero blockbuster that excites us just as much as it challenges us. Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland shine in their breakout roles as Black Panther and Spider-Man. Four stars.

1. Hacksaw Ridge

A powerful, emboldening film, one that does not shortchange the horror of war, but equally does not shortchange the power of belief either. Hacksaw Ridge is based on the incredible true story of Desmond Doss, a WWII combat medic who saved over 75 soldiers during the battle of Okinawa. Most impressively, he did it armed without a single weapon. Directed by Mel Gibson, who is a master at epic filmmaking with Braveheart and Passion of the Christ, Hacksaw Ridge pulls emotion out of you to the point where you don’t feel like you’re watching a movie anymore, and are instead completely immersed in its harsh, uncompromised reality. Andrew Garfield equally commits to this uncompromising role, showing how his character is scared, frightened, yet earnest and determined all the same. I can’t praise this movie enough. Hacksaw Ridge does more than strengthen the soldier’s spirit. It strengthens the human spirit. Four stars.

And now for my special prize. For those of you that don’t know, every year I award a special prize to a limited release that not many people heard of, but nonetheless deserves to be sought out just like any blockbuster out there. This year’s selection was difficult, because for the longest time, I debated if this film should be placed as my number one in my list over Hacksaw Ridge. I eventually decided that its achievement places itself at a higher, more important caliber than a top ten list. So I decided to give it the appropriate award for its uniqueness.

And my special prize this year goes to…

Special Prize: Moonlight

An urgent, important, and timely film that presses the viewer not to understand its characters by their race or sexuality, but by their personal experiences that mold them into the men that they become. Broken up into three parts, Moonlight follows a young man growing up in an ugly urban neighborhood that doesn’t care much about the people who live in it. As he is hit with one childhood trauma after another, we watch as they shape him into the man that he grows up to become, with all of his flaws, scars, and burdens on his shoulders intact. A great movie that hits on many important issues, Moonlight absorbs great performances from Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, and even child actor Alex Hibbert, who surprisingly keeps up with the outstanding talent surrounding him. Barry Jenkins, who hasn’t made a film in eight years, comes back center stage with a film that is technically immaculate, creatively shot, and emotionally absorbing. It is a personal, astounding film that shows while a person may be scarred, hurt, maybe even broken, they are no less beautiful because of it.

I can’t make it any simpler than this. If you can only see one movie from this year, make it Moonlight.

And that’s my list, folks. Here’s to leaving 2016 behind, and looking forward to making 2017 better.

– David Dunn

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Dec 25 2016
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The Scope

Staring At My Ice Reflection

There’s a little spot outside of my grandparent’s house in Chicago, IL, a white little gazebo that rests quietly by the lake in the park. I walk to it every year when I visit, usually in December. As I traverse through my personal winter wonderland, where snow cakes over the fields like frosting and the snowflakes brush against my face, I always stop at that spot and look at the frozen layer of ice staring back at me below.

I always feel a temptation to jump over the ledge and onto the ice, but I never act on this impulse. I imagine, of course, that the ice would collapse under my weight and I would fall into the frozen lake below, the cold water stabbing the nerves in my body, paralyzing me, and sinking me into the deep abyss where I would surely meet my end. But there’s a part of me that wonders, maybe even hopes, that the ice would be strong enough to hold me. That I could skate and slide all over the ice as happily as could be, enjoying and exploring a little more of my own winter wonderland.

That feeling I get when I look over that lake is the same feeling I’ve been having for the past few weeks now, ever since my college graduation. I feel like there’s a large sheet of ice that I’m looming over right now, and I don’t know if it’ll be strong enough to hold me. I have no choice whether or not to jump, of course, but after I jump… what is next? Will I be able to stand on it confidently, or will I collapse, fall in the frozen lake, and drown to death?

I would be lying to you if I said that it hasn’t be a strange five years for me. At this same time in 2011, I went through my high school graduation and faced the worst panic attack of my life so far. I remember my eyes darting from left to right frantically, looking for danger that wasn’t there. Tears kept streaming down my face, even though I didn’t know where they were coming from. And my right hand wouldn’t stop shaking, even hours after the attack had ended. The nerves in my body were so shot that I don’t think they knew how to process the things that were going on with my body.

Whenever I go through a panic attack nowadays, I’m usually able to get control of it either through deep breathing or distracting myself with other priorities. But back then, I had no control over it. As a result, I faced the full onslaught of my emotions, not knowing how to respond, react to, or process any of it. I’ve went through a lot of traumatic memories in the past few years, from heartbreak to getting fired from my job. My high school graduation remains to be my worst memory by far, hands down.

From there, I went through my first few years of my undergraduate, which was a very difficult transition for me to say the least. I started off my college career majoring in film, and the art department quickly proved how useless they were in my academic development. For one thing, the film professors that I had built curriculum mostly around film theory, which wasn’t very helpful when it came to my personal training. I needed technical help, instruction on how to operate a camera, white balance, frame, focus a shot, operate a boom mic, construct a lighting kit, etc. The help they were offering was in explaining the rule of thirds, the 180 rule, linear editing, and many other techniques which would take too long to explain here.

Note that I am not criticizing film theory as a whole. I am criticizing their teaching of film theory. Theory has an important place in film education, and that is in forming a general basis where filmmakers can start from to build and form their own ideas. Film theory is vitally important to the film industry, but at the end of the day, film theory is just theory. Artists have twisted, adjusted, and even straight-up broken numerous rules of film as the industry further developed, and in most cases, those breaking of the rules worked because it was for the narrative of those particular films.

The problem that I, and many other students, were facing in that department was that my professors were focused too much on theory and not enough on application. When I finally left the department, I still didn’t know how to operate a camera, I didn’t know how to use most of the editing software, and I developed no technical skills beyond what I already learned in high school. It was a wasteful education for a wasteful degree, so I left the department looking for help in other areas that I could find.

I soon transferred over to the communication department to major in broadcast journalism, which soon proved to be an immeasurably better education choice for me. I became the film critic for my newspaper, The Shorthorn, and soon moved to manage my own staff as a section editor. I worked as a radio personality for UTA Radio and hosted my own radio show, “The Talkie Tuesdays with David Dunn.” And this past year, I worked as a reporter, producer, and anchor for our broadcast station, UTA News. That last job in particular was special to me because it combined two of my passions: filming and writing.

The most unusual choice I made while I was in college was to join a fraternity. I never thought much of Greek life: I always imagined that it was filled with a bunch of egotistical, facetious hooligans that were more interesting in drinking and hazing than they were in academics and career-building. But the young man that I met in my advertising class back in 2013 demonstrated otherwise. He showed me pictures of his brothers working with the Boys and Girls Club down the street, talking about how Kappa Sigma was the leading philanthropy-based fraternity in the nation, and that they were on their way to coming back onto campus. He encouraged that I speak with the chapter’s rush chair and president, which I begrudgingly agreed to.

That meeting proved to be fruitful in more ways than one. The young men that I spoke to seemed a lot like me: young, ambitious, always looking ahead, eager to make a connection and have an impact on their campus. When I started the meeting, I told the them that regardless of how the meeting went, I would have to go home and discuss it with my parents. Yet by the end of that meeting, I decided to pay the registration fee and sign up right there on the spot.

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That spur-of-the-moment decision proved to be the best one I made. Not only did I get the opportunity to work on my chapter’s executive board as secretary: I also got to travel to Virginia, work in headquarters as an intern, and even won a national award for my term in office during 2015. My college years were a very strange mix of good and bad things. Kappa Sigma was easily the best.

I’ve gained a lot, yet lost a lot in the short five years that I’ve had. I’ve had four amazing internships in my last year of college, yet I was fired from a job I really cared about at the end of 2015. I feel deeply in love with someone in 2014, only to have my heart broken by this same woman later in 2015. I’ve built friendships with people I thought I’d never connect with, only to have some of them eventually abandon me altogether. I neither judge nor feel harshly towards these people. I’ve come to learn that friends make life worth living, and yet, they come and go as frequently as the wind. I hope a few of them stick around, but I won’t be surprised if most of them don’t.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that this has been a trying time for me, but it has also been a worthwhile one as well. I’ve been asked this important question before: “If you died tonight in your sleep, did you feel like you lived a happy life?” Five years ago, my answer would have been no, because really I didn’t have much of a life to live. But after going through the highs and lows of employment, heartbreak, academics, friendship, and the pursuit of happiness, I can confidently say that my answer has changed. Yes. Yes I have lived a happy life, although I highly doubt that it ends here.

So to the people who have entered and left my life, I want to say thank you. Thank you to my dear friends Connor and Warren, who have impossibly been by my side since my traumatic high school experience. Thank you to Jayme, who has both healed and broken my heart. Thank you to Laurie, Andrew, and Julian, who has given me leadership and guidance in areas where others have ignored. Thank you to Nick, Magnus, Steven, Erick, Izzak, Davis, Dylan, Mitch, Sir, Micky, and many, many others that have given me a second family in Kappa Sigma. Thank you to my loyal readers who have kept up with this website since its creation in 2012. There really are no other words major enough or appropriate enough to say. Thank you.

 

I don’t know what’s next for me. Who would know? But as I plunge into the ice lake beneath me, I hope that it will be strong enough to support my next step. And if it isn’t, I’ll learn to swim to the next one. I’ve drowned once before. I’m not so afraid to be drowning again.

Merry Christmas.

– David Dunn

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Nov 20 2016
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The Scope

Appreciating The Boy Who Lived

I have now committed what I consider a major sin as a film critic for this year: I will not be reviewing Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. At least, not in a timely matter to where it will make a molecule of a difference in whether you will see it or not. I suspect that for the most part, Fantastic Beasts will perform very well at the box office this week. It’s written by J.K. Rowling herself, it’s directed by Potter loyalist David Yates, and it has a solid cast to boast proudly about, including the Oscar-winning Eddie Redmayne as the lead. I highly doubt that longtime Rowling fans will overlook this new venture into the Harry Potter universe, and I expect it to get a large turnout at the box office. Whether it deserves that turnout will be another matter decided once I have time to collect myself after Thanksgiving break.

I am a more recent fan when it comes to the Harry Potter franchise. My biggest appreciation of Harry Potter comes from the movies themselves, as I am one of the few that have not ventured far into the book series (I only read the first two. I lost interest after Chamber of Secrets).

Hardcore Potter fans criticize me frequently for watching the movies before reading the books, and maybe they’re slightly warranted in their frustration since they are more knowledgeable of the franchise than I am. After all, when Stephen Sommers changed the ending to Mark Twain’s endearing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I was livid. I can only imagine how Potter fans reacted when entire clops of characters were missing in multiple films altogether.

My defense is that by watching the movies before reading the books, it allows me to view those films through a different, vital scope that most don’t even think about: the eyes of a viewer as opposed to a reader. When watching adaptations, the job of a critic is to watch and judge the movie fairly on its own merit, not through the pages of the book that it was based upon. You can’t judge a movie through the same criteria as a book. That would be like judging a fish on its ability to fly.

Because of this, I rarely read the books before the movie comes out, and I actually make it a point to avoid reading them if I can. I’ve done this with numerous adaptations, from Lord of the Rings all the way to The Fault In Our Stars. I’ve always tried to watch the movie first, judge it on its own storytelling, then read the book and go back and see if my view has developed any further. It is not the movie’s job to adapt events, but rather emotions. If they invoke the same aesthetic and feel that the book did, I consider the film a successful adaptation.

I held Harry Potter to this same standard, ever since The Sorcerer’s Stone came out over 15 years ago. While my opinions of those films may differ slightly from fans of the books, we can all agree that Harry Potter is nonetheless astounding. Whether you’ve read the books or not, all of the elements are in there and retained. There is a boy who was orphaned after his parents died when he was just a baby. That same orphan was forced to live with a cruel aunt and uncle who spoiled their own son while neglecting their nephew. That boy gets swept up into a world full of wizards, witchcraft, and sorcery, and he learns about the true value of life, love, and appreciating the things that we’ve lost.

No matter what stance you have on the books, this much is intact in the film series: who Harry is, what are his desires, why he goes on this epic quest, and who he grows into as his journey comes to a close. This is why Harry Potter is one of the greatest film franchises of all time, as well as one of the greatest film adaptations. If both fans and non-fans can see, feel, and experience the same things in the movies, then the movie succeeded in adapting its source material. And Harry Potter definitely did that very well.

Another thing that impresses me with Harry Potter is the fact that this is a movie series, as opposed to a trilogy. Most movie studios do not have the gumption or the ambition to pursue book-to-film adaptations past three movies. Heck, Miramax films wanted to shrink The Lord of the Rings down from three movies to two, then to one. With Warner Bros. venturing to adapt all seven books as opposed to combining or omitting a few, Harry Potter went on to become the second highest grossing film franchise of all time, grossing over $7 billion at the box office.

(Although, I silently suspect Warner Bros. allowed the series expansion for more than just monetary reasons. With how large of a fan base Harry Potter had at the time, Warner Bros. might not have survived the backlash if they decided to mess with the official canon.)

Being a fan of film as opposed to a fan of Harry Potter has allowed me to appreciate its success without bias. It allowed me to go on Harry’s journey with him with fresh eyes, watching him grow from a boy to a man to a hero, facing all of his fears and overcoming them with the help of his friends. Fans of the books will voice that they went on it first, to which I fairly give them credit for doing so. But the point is I did go on that journey with him, and it is in no way less or more amazing because I haven’t read the books.

To which I now say that I am excited to see Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them for different reasons. This is an original narrative crafted from the mind of Rowling herself. There’s no concerns with being faithful to the book, or with taking narrative liberties, or with making changes fans won’t appreciate. The movie’s creativity doesn’t stop where the book does, mostly because there is no book to base it on. It excites me to see what new ideas and characters Rowling comes up with, and it excites me even further knowing that for once, myself and Harry Potter fans will be experiencing the exact same thing. This is new territory for all of us.

All of that excitement and anticipation will be paid off… soon. For now, I’m going to appreciate the boy who lived, knowing that I got to live right alongside him, as well as so many other muggles out there.

– David Dunn

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Sep 28 2016
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The Scope

A Squabbling Between Children

Is this it? Is this the moment where we say the elections have officially gone to hell? My worst fears have been realized from both parties: Donald Trump is the Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton is the Democratic. They had their first presidential debate Monday. Neither one is qualified for president and neither one represents America’s best interests. Now, my second worst fear has been realized: Clinton has proven to be the better option between herself and Trump. A good option? No, but we have very little to work with.

I’ve kept my lip shut about the elections for the most part up until now. Even during the primaries, I’ve tried to keep a filter on my opinions and who heard them. What good would my comments have done? Both sides were already saying the things that needed to be said about the candidates. The problem wasn’t that people weren’t speaking. The problem was that everyone else wasn’t listening.

As consequence, we are given an ultimatum: Trump or Clinton. Top socket or bottom socket. A bullet to the head or five to the chest and bleeding to death.

They are both poor candidates for different reasons. Trump is a loudmouthed bigot who has it his way or the highway. Clinton is a manipulative politician who also has it her way or the highway, but is more secretive about it. Both are self-serving singlets who are more concerned with their own success rather than America’s. I not only don’t like either of them as presidential candidates: I actively advocate that they are not fit, appropriate, or even remotely good substitutes for office. Them trying to look like presidential leaders is more laughable than an SNL comedy sketch.

Regardless of how I feel, there is one thing I cannot ignore: Clinton is more fit for office than Trump is, even if it is by a decimal point. Why do I say this? Just look at her performance from Monday night’s debate. Her and Trump both had their platform to speak on what they believed were the nation’s biggest issues. Their differences lie in what they were doing when the other was speaking.

While Trump was talking, Clinton stood there quietly. Did she react to Trump’s aneurisms? Yes, but she didn’t respond to them, not until it was her turn to speak. When it was her turn, Trump threw a temper tantrum, interrupting her, berating her, yelling over her, making sure his voice was the one heard even when he shouldn’t be speaking. He did this constantly throughout the night, like a child being ignored by his parents, screaming for attention. Without taking a stance on either candidate or their issues, his behavior was embarrassing, immature, and stupid. I stared at the screen, baffled at how this could have been the Republican nominee America had picked.

But of course, people will defend Trump for his behavior, saying things like “That’s just how he is”, or “He’s just being assertive.” He’s being assertive, alright, if you annunciate the first three letters of the word. Just because you have a big ego doesn’t give you the right to dominate over others. This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. If Trump can’t handle disagreements on a debate stage, what makes you think he can handle it in a congress chamber?

In turn, I know people will look at Hillary and think about what a manipulative crook she is. They aren’t wrong. Per the Espionage Act, Hillary shouldn’t even be in the running for president. She broke the law. She erased classified documents that should have been returned to the government. She writes the incident off as a “mistake”, which Trump rightfully corrects with “It wasn’t a mistake. It was on purpose.”

In a world where justice exists, Clinton would not even be up on that stage. Instead we get the blonde milf and her twin. And no matter how much I detest both of these figures, I can’t deny that Clinton kept her composure and Trump cracked under the pressure. Which is funny, because how does a guy get that angry while at the same time being the only one to say the most maddening things?

Another reason why Clinton proves to be the more reliable choice: she has political experience and he doesn’t. She’s been first lady of the United States (Monica Lewinski was the second). She’s been New York Senator. She’s been Secretary of State. Talk smack about how poorly she’s served in her positions all you want (please do, she deserves it): you can’t deny that she’s at least held an office.

Trump, on the other hand, has zero political experience. Zilch. Nada. None. His main platform is that he’s a creator of big business, which he is, that much you can’t deny. But it hasn’t been without its inconsistencies. Trump Steaks, Trump Mortgage, Trump “University” (The last of which is the most disastrous). He has failed business venture after business venture, and he has the bankruptcies to match it. And don’t even get me started on the fallout of employees he’s had as well.

You might argue that his outsider view of politics would help him in office. As opposed to Ben Carson? Where was that argument for him when he was in the race? At least he didn’t insult Heidi Cruz or Rosie O’Donnell.

Nope, we have Trump and Clinton. And if Clinton’s biggest crime is using the system to her advantage, Trump’s biggest blunder is bludgeoning the system with an elongated spear before blowing it up with a nuclear missile. Voting for Clinton would be participating in a crooked system. Voting for Trump is suicide.

I’m going to make an early prediction that Clinton is going to win the presidency. Why? Because the elections are about perception, not problem-solving. If it were about problem-solving, governor Gary Johnson would be allowed to debate on the stage alongside Trump and Clinton, given the fact that he has one of the highest third-party followings in election history. He was legitimately left out for one reason: to drive higher ratings from a conflict between an orangutan and a fraud.

The two debaters threw rhetoric and sprouted elevator speeches for over an hour instead of offering real incentives and solutions to problems our country is experiencing. They talked about what needed to change. They didn’t talk about how they were going to change it. And since these elections are about perception and not problem-solving, this statement from a cocky Clinton is what convinced me that the masses are going to go with her December:

“I think Donald just criticized me for preparing for this debate,” Clinton laughed. “And yes, I did. You know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president.”

Shoot. With that much boldness and confidence? The worst part is I believe her.

I don’t know who I’m voting for come December. I simply don’t know. At this point, the elections have come to voting against the worst candidate as opposed to voting for the best one, like it should be. I’ve even toyed with the idea of not voting this season altogether, although I don’t know what exactly ignorance would accomplish.

All I know is this: democracy is threatened when an illusion of choice is presented. Regardless of who you vote for, we have no choice in what happens next. The only choice we have is in how we choose to participate. Whoever wins, America has already lost.

– David Dunn

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Sep 26 2016
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The Scope

Rod Needs Some Help From A Woman

I had a few thoughts while reading Rod Liddle’s editorial in The Sun about Emma Watson delivering a speech to the UN this past Saturday. She was talking about feminine equality.

Rod: Hermoine Granger has been addressing the United Nations General Assembly. Nope, not kidding.

Me: Who else is more qualified to address the UN? Ron Weasley?

Rod: The actress Emma Watson is a UN “Goodwill Ambassador”. What’s that, when it’s at home? I haven’t a clue.

Me: If you haven’t a clue, then you probably shouldn’t be talking about it in the first place. Just a thought.

Rod: Anyway, instead of telling them all the rules of quidditch or how to turn someone into a frog, she bored them all rigid with whining, leftie, PC crap.

Me: I thought Emma Watson was talking to the UN, not Hillary Clinton?

Rod: Just like all actresses do if people are stupid enough to give them the chance.

Me: I think the same applies to newspaper reporters.

Rod: Why do we indulge these luvvie slebs, most of whom know nowt?

Me: I believe the correct spelling is “naught.”

Rod: I don’t object to them having views and expressing them. I just don’t understand why we take them seriously.

Me: See note above luvvie slebs.

Rod: I suppose they got Emma in because Angelina Jolie is a bit tied up with other stuff at the moment.

Me: At least her divorce went down better than yours did.

And then I closed the window. If you can’t spell “naught” right, your opinion isn’t worth reading in the first place. Rod should have a woman spellcheck his writing before he publishes his next article.

– David Dunn

SOURCE: The Sun
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Jul 28 2016
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The Scope

Blue/Black Lives Matter

The police are not the only ones that need protection.

That’s what I thought when Gov. Greg Abbott proposed a law called the Police Protection Act, which would consider assault on a police officer a hate crime. It is already considered a felony, which means if the law is passed, the punishment can escalate from a third degree felony to a second degree felony.

That can mean double the prison sentences and double the fines.

This bill is hot off the heels of the recent mass shootings against police officers in both Baton Rouge and our very own in Dallas. One of my friends lives on the street where the Dallas shooting took place. Even though I’m miles away, I still feel the hurt very close to home.

“At a time when law enforcement officers increasingly come under assault simply because of the job they hold, Texas must send a resolute message that the state will stand by the men and women who serve and protect our communities,” Abbott said. “Texas will no longer tolerate disrespect for those who serve, and it must be made clear to anyone targeting our law enforcement officials that their actions will be met with severe justice.”

Justice. I wish the word meant as much to others as it does to you, Mr. Abbott.

Since 2011, over 650 officers lost their lives in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. Some were responsible, courageous heroes who were honestly fulfilling their job, while others shifted the law to their own crooked, selfish benefits. Regardless of whichever they were, they died wearing the badge and navy blue on their chest. There were no doubt many tears shed at their loss.

While that is a staggering number to look at, it’s nothing compared to the 1,152 civilians killed by police officers in 2015, 102 of whom were unarmed black men. And that’s only for one year. The Centre for Research on Globalization estimates that you’re nine times more likely to get killed by a police officer than a terrorist.

I have no doubt that some, maybe even most, of those casualties were real threats that needed to be handled seriously, but Alton Sterling was killed while already pinned down on the ground. Philando Castille was shot for telling the officer he was carrying a licensed gun. Charles Kinsey was also shot, despite being unarmed, laying on his back, holding his hands in the air while trying to help an autistic patient. Those are three accounts that we know about. I know they are not the only ones.

Why do you think these attacks happened in Baton Rouge and Dallas? No civilian lives were lost in either location. These were clear, targeted attacks against our law enforcement. They weren’t specific to race or ethnicity. They were specific to the fear of the color navy blue.

I dare you to be better than fear.

Abbott initiated this act because of his fear for our police officers. I understand and appreciate that sentiment very much, but it has caused him to focus on the wrong side of the problem. Police killers are not the problem. Police perception is the problem, and all of these problems have stemmed from irresponsible officers who have unfortunately been put front and center to represent all of our police force.

These crooked officers, of course, do not represent our whole police force, but that isn’t the point. If Abbott truly cares about our officers, it would be more productive to file a new law focusing on holding officers accountable for brutality and misconduct. If these crooked officers aren’t held responsible for their misdeeds, how are we expected to trust them?

Of course blue lives matter. Of course black lives matter. But both movements right now are focused on dismissing the other. Until we come together to truly understand that all lives matter, then no lives matter.

– David Dunn

Originally published in The Shorthorn.
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Jul 06 2016
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The Scope

May The LGBT With You

I’m Christian, I’m straight and I want more gay characters put on film.

After the horrible shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, a petition was recently created to put more gay characters on film in honor of those whose lives were lost. More specifically, they’re petitioning that gay characters be introduced in the upcoming sequel to the 2016 science-fiction epic Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

This idea might seem too radical or progressive for most of conservative America, especially when you look at the overwhelming majority of heterosexual protagonists in today’s films. Yet, I think now is the right time to introduce gay characters into mainstream film culture, and Star Wars is the perfect franchise to do it in.

According to a 2015 Gallup survey, 63 percent of Americans think homosexuality is morally acceptable. 60 percent are also in favor of same-sex marriage. Both numbers are a massive increase from the respective 38 and 35 percent numbers in the 2002 survey.

In other words, not only is homosexuality growing in America: its support is growing just as fast.

This provides an opportunity for Hollywood, an opportunity that means much more than just cultural impact. Earlier this year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens grossed over two billion dollars, a rare achievement that it shares with Titanic and Avatar. That’s significant for more than just the number. Out of all of the films that grossed over a billion dollars, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is one of the few to have a female protagonist, and one of the even fewer to have a black protagonist. Finally, the Hollywood myth of the tall, muscular white protagonist selling more tickets is debunked through a female jedi and an African-American stormtrooper taking on the galaxy.

We’re moving in to a day and age where diversity is not only supported- it sells. For Hollywood to stop the train now while at the peak of its popularity is only selling itself short.

Why do I care about all this? I’m not an active supporter of gay rights, nor am I socially inclined towards the LGBTQA agenda. What stake do I have in the sexual orientation of our favorite movie characters?

Simply put, I want something different. For years, I’ve had to stomach the same images of a white, heterosexual actor running from explosions, driving cool sports cars, shooting firearms, kung-fu fighting bad guys and making out with hot supermodels. I’m sick of the pretentiousness. I’m sick of the same moldy, tired, regurgitated images, and I’m sick of seeing the same Tom Cruises, Mark Wahlbergs, Ben Afflecks, Bruce Willises, Matt Damons and Liam Neesons doing the same crap over and over again. 2015 was a diversity revelation not just with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but also with Mad Max: Fury Road, Straight Outta Compton, The Hunger Games and many others.

While I’m personally not a supporter of gay rights, I am a supporter of human rights. That means representing the human race in its entirety, with all of its diversity and uniqueness intact.

I love movies. I love Star Wars. But more important than either of these, I love period. So does the homosexual community. We love all of these things, regardless of our sexual orientation. Why can’t we share our love of these things together?

– David Dunn

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Jun 10 2016
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The Scope

A Note To Dan Turner

Dear Mr. Turner,

Your son got off easy.

You know what he did in January of last year. You know why he’s sitting inside of a courthouse instead of his dorm room. You know why you’re paying thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars on an attorney. You know why you are here.

I’m doing my best to see this situation from your perspective. I’m not a father, so I won’t pretend to understand what you are going through. I am a son, however, so let me try to understand this through Brock’s eyes instead of my own.

I’m imagining that it’s after midnight. I’m pinned to the ground, handcuffs around my wrists, confused, panicked, about to be taken in by the police. I’m afraid.

I’m behind a set of bars. I’m released to your face, maybe someone else’s. Regardless of whether you think I did it or not, I know you’re afraid too. As a man who’s cared for me and loved me all of my life, I’m ashamed of the pain I’ve brought to you. We both know the worst is yet to come.

I’m being charged with three counts of sexual assault. I’m in the courtroom, still confused, still scared, still uncertain of my future. You hired the best attorney and investigators you could to get me back to my normal life.

You don’t see yourself as trying to protect a criminal. You’re just trying to protect your son.

I understand your fear, love, and concern for your son. Truly, I do. My own father has gone to bat for me numerous times when I was clearly in the wrong. He does this time and time again because he loves me. I understand and empathize with that love very much. After all, it’s only a parent’s nature to want to defend their child.

Brock, however, isn’t your son in the courtroom. As of last Thursday, he’s a sex offender.

Many people believe Brock was given a light sentence. He potentially faced 14 years in federal prison. He ended up getting six months in county jail. People are mad because even though you and your family are suffering, everyone knows his victim’s family is suffering even worse. They are equally confused, afraid, concerned, and heartbroken for their child. Many say she didn’t get the justice that she deserved.

And yet, through all of this, you still think your son is the victim. In a letter you wrote to the judge, you said that incarceration was not “the appropriate punishment” for Brock. That this has affected his life, mood, eating habits, personality, and his well-being negatively. That by registering as a sex offender, it changes how he can work, live, and socialize. That he should not have to suffer more than 20 years for 20 minutes of “action.”

I wonder if you ever thought about if your were the father on the other side of the case? Would you still say that jail was not the appropriate punishment? That he didn’t deserve to have this affect his life? That he shouldn’t have to register as a sex offender? That he shouldn’t have to suffer for what he did?

I don’t have to tell you the answer. You already know the answer. You would defend your child, no matter what position they were in. Your son caused an entire family to hurt, but you can at least defend him knowing that he wasn’t the victim. How do you think you would handle it if it were the other way around?

Mr. Turner, the court system is not the problem. The ruling is not the problem. You are the problem. You think you’re just protecting your child, but all you’re doing is protecting a criminal. Ignorance is root of these issues, sir. Ignorance is what allows 97 out of 100 rapists to get out of punishment. Ignorance is what silences the voices of sexual assault victims. Ignorance is what good people use to forget about bad actions.

Remember that as you experience your son’s pain and reflect on what his victim’s family is going through.

Sincerely,

David A. Dunn.

Apr 02 2016
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The Scope

The Biggest Problem With ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’

It’s been a week after the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and I still can’t shut up about it. Can anybody? Whether you see it as good or bad, you no doubt can see the impact it’s having on the comic book and movie communities alike. Some fans like it. Most critics don’t. But regardless, Batman v Superman has caused a massive divide in the DC Comics fan base and on how to best proceed with the DC cinematic universe.

I myself didn’t care much for it. I gave the movie two stars out of four, citing Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill’s performances as the best things about the movie, but Jesse Eisenberg and the editing as the worst things. As a comic book movie, fans might see the movie as passable. But as a movie standing on its own two feet, I found it to be pitiful. At least be honest with yourselves, DC fans: if this movie had anyone as its leads besides Batman and Superman, you would not have enjoyed this movie as much.

My biggest gripe with the movie was one that I didn’t even mention in my review. I had a good reason for doing so too: it had to do with the movie’s ending. Even now, I still hesitate to mention it because of my extreme hatred for spoilers. Yeah I didn’t enjoy the movie, but that doesn’t mean that somebody else out there won’t, and the last thing I want to do is to ruin the experience for them.

All the same, if you’ve already seen the movie and are curious as to my biggest gripe with the film, check out my commentary video below to see my biggest problem with Batman v Superman and the upcoming DC cinematic universe.

And of course, obvious spoiler warning ahead.

– David Dunn

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