Category: Columns

By Caleb Tiedemann

Armageddon is a movie that I randomly remember renting from the library because I was looking for something to watch that night, little did I know I was just briefly glancing at what would be my favorite movie of all time. It’s very weird, explaining that your favorite movie of all time is a movie that very few people have seen or even remember seeing. Directed by Michael Bay, it’s a movie that many might glance over. Michael Bay is not necessarily known for anything great, other than the Transformers movies and a love of seamless explosions and action. You can guess how quickly interest is lost when someone hears that Bay is the director. Now, is this movie a masterpiece? No, it very clearly is not. However, in my humble opinion, it is.

Michael Bay’s 1998 film: Armageddon, centers around an asteroid the size of Texas hurtling towards Earth that will surely wipe out the entire planet. Eager to destroy the asteroid before it hits, the world governments want to send a team into space to deposit a nuke on the asteroid and blow it up. The only problem: the nuke has to be planted within the asteroid for it to properly explode, which would shatter it into enough pieces that if any chunks did hit the Earth it would not be detrimental. With that in mind, NASA and head Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) request the help of Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) and his team of misfits (Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Michael Clarke Duncan, Steve Buscemi, etc.) all who work for Stamper Oil, a drilling company. These men are humanity’s final hope of survival. 

The first and possibly best thing about this movie is the characters. Within its 150 minute runtime, you are introduced to a multitude of characters, all of which have differing and quirky personalities setting each aside from another. Another amazing thing was that they were all absolutely hilarious, each character had at least one memorable line or scene that made me laugh aloud. It is through these personalities and brief lines that you can really glimpse each character for what they really are, which I absolutely adore. However, this makes the movie more nerve-wracking to watch as not all of these characters are going to make it back alive. With this knowledge, I was incredibly saddened, but also incredibly surprised with how quickly I fell in love with these characters. 

This is also one of the few movies that makes me cry and not just a couple of tears either, literal bawling like a baby, the using up tissues, and sobbing kind of cry. A testament to my love of this movie and firm belief that it is amazing. There’s just such a good combination of intensity and emotion, all of which is way too much for me to handle. The main characters have to watch their friends and family die, brotherly love, romantic love, parental love, all forms are on display in these amazing characters. There’s fear in not knowing if Harry will return to see his daughter, fear in not knowing if AJ will return to be married to his fiance. It’s the combination of all these things that put intense emotional stress upon the viewer. Somehow Michael Bay makes it all work.

Along with those primary elements, the CGI is quite amazing, especially for a low-budget 90’s movie, with the explosions and space CG being surprisingly realistic. Secondly, the score and soundtrack work very well. It helps to build the intensity of each situation as your group of characters are put through trial after trial. The single song, I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith is an immaculate song that was instantly added to my favorite playlist. In conclusion, I personally think that Armageddon is the best movie, as of now, that I have ever seen. A unique plot and cast of characters further prove my point. The combination of score, cinematography and acting combine into a beautiful creation and an experience that I will never forget and want to share with as many people as humanly possible. I urge you to see this movie, I doubt many people will have the same reactions as I did but I still think the movie is worth your time to enjoy. ★

By Anna Zimmerman

The Center for Sustainability hosted a chocolate sampling event in the campus center on Valentine’s Day. There were eight different types of chocolates to sample from six different sustainable and fair trade companies. Around 50 students stopped by to grab some chocolate, of which Unreal’s Dark Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Gems seemed to be one of the big hits. Erika Nash (‘22) grabbed an extra piece of her favorite, Theo’s Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, which was “some of the best chocolate” she has had. The other brands consisted of Alter Eco, Beyond Good, Tony’s, Dr. Bronner’s, and Candid. 

All of the chocolate was bought from Hive, an online store that focuses on ethical sourcing of products, recycled/compostable packaging, and carbon offsets to work towards a “more sustainable and equitable world.” All of the chocolate brands have practices that support both more environmentally conscientious, as well as ethical practices for the people who are involved in the industry. Unfortunately, much of the chocolate industry is entwined with high rates of deforestation, unsustainable use of resources, underpaying farmers, and child labor. Clayton Hardiman (‘22) reflected on this by saying, “knowing that there is ethical and responsible chocolate out there is comforting. It really makes you think about the decisions you make when buying something as simple as chocolate.” ★

by Rachel Huchthausen

Dr. Sharon Johnson, Prof. Roy Smith, and Mrs. Julie Smith shared a magnificent program of film music arranged for flute, trumpet, and piano last Tuesday (January 18), featuring the music of John Williams (Star Wars, Catch Me if You Can, Far and Away, and Harry Potter), Thomas Newman (Little Women, 1994), and Michael Giacchino (Ratatouille and Up!).  The making of these particular arrangements were yet another creative outlet during the last year of the Pandemic.  Noting the lack of duets for flute and trumpet, the Smiths found themselves given enough time to finally amend this lack through the quarantine period of this past year.  

Arranging for these two instruments is particularly challenging because of the imbalance of sound between the Smith’s respective instruments—it is easy for the trumpet to overpower the flute.  However, the Smith’s arrangements of these scores were up to the challenge.  

The concert last Tuesday featured many virtuosic passages for flute and the warm iconic sound of the trumpet so essential for scores such as Ratatouille, Catch Me if You Can, and “Married Life” from Up!. Particularly notable were the balance and tight collaboration especially in “Joy Ride” from John Williams’ Escapades Suite, the haunting Irish melodies and accompaniment from Far and Away, and the moment at the end of “Married Life” when both flautist and trumpeter lowered their instruments to watch Dr. Johnson call from the keys the final heartbreaking statement of the theme.  

Their recital left the audience members wanting to hear more live performances of film music, flautists, trumpeters, and pianists hoping to try their hands at collaboration together, and musicians with the euphoric feeling of having listened to great music.  Thank you, Dr. Johnson, Prof., and Mrs. Smith, for a marvelous Night at the Movies.★