Tag: Houghton University

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Houghton Choir Review

By Alaska Dunstan

This past Friday marked the final concert in the Spring 2023 Houghton Choir tour. The theme of the tour was Christ, Our Home. The Houghton Choir performed in 5 states before returning home to the Houghton Chapel for the last concert in this series. 

There were several memorable moments including the reading of an original poem by Linette Taylor. Linette wrote the poem as a reflection of the choir tour and was encouraged by other members of the choir to read it aloud at the final performance.

There was a multitude of beautiful music performed including a composition by Ethan Carr, a graduate student, who also sings in the Houghton Choir. This piece, I Went To the Woods, was conducted by Rebakah Scharf, a fellow graduate student who also had a solo during another piece. The choir also performed pieces such as Christ the Appletree,  Here I Am, Lord, and Great is Thy Faithfulness. My personal favorite was Roll, Jordan, Roll, an exciting song that was performed extremely well by the Houghton Choir. The choir was conducted by Dr. Dibble for the remainder of the performance. 

Overall the concert was a huge success for the Houghton Choir and was a very strong finish to the Spring 2023 tour. ★

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Fish Fridays

by Ethan McCarthy

Do you know what Dean Jordan means when he talks about Lent? While the ancient practice may not be present in all denominations, there are some, namely Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Orthodox, along with some former members of these denominations and many other students who desire to follow this traditional Christian season of penance, abstinence, and fasting.

When I first came to Houghton, I expected that it would be easy to maintain this practice of my faith, namely the exclusion of all meat on Fridays throughout Lent, with the exception of fish and other seafoods, such as shrimp. However, the dining hall did not make this easy, with the poor selection of products that do not include meat being restricted to salads, cheese pizza, and the miniscule vegan section. Often this results in students not receiving enough protein. Think of the athlete that only has those options on game day. Does anyone really think that would go well? “It’s really hard as an athlete to not have any protein on what are typically game days when I’m in-season. Even if fish or seafood of some sort was offered at lunch and not necessarily dinner on Fridays, it would allow those who observe Lent to get some much-needed protein in their systems prior to competing in the afternoons…it is offered enough in the dining hall already that simply aligning those days with Fridays seems reasonable,” says Jackson Medeiros, a sophomore pitcher on the Houghton baseball team.

The realization of this fact was very disappointing to a number of students who observe Lent, including myself. I thought that a Christian university which claims to be open to students of a variety of different traditions, which claims on the What We Believe page that this diversity has led to “wonderful and sometimes heated discussions across campus, in classrooms, and in the coffee shop!” would not make it difficult for members of the Christian family to observe their traditions. But sadly, with the current meal setup, they have made it a challenge nonetheless.

Thinking about it, Houghton does serve fish, shrimp, and other hearty meal options that would be perfect for those observing Lent, but despite years of asking, Metz has refused to make a change to help these students in their faith journeys. Even McDonald’s, a secular company, created the Filet-O-Fish to provide food to those observing Lent. It does not sound all that radical to me: take the fish or shrimp that are served throughout the week and serve them on Fridays instead. Even something like pierogies and those mini pretzels would work (something I would certainly enjoy). Of course, there was shrimp served on a recent Friday for supper, but this has not been a common occurrence, since lunch that day did not have a Lenten meal as well, even though there was fish served on Monday and Thursday that could have been served on Friday instead. A Metz employee told me that there is a five-week schedule of meals, and considering Lent lasts for 6 weeks, it is certainly possible for this to be properly planned ahead of time.

When speaking with other students, there has been confusion towards the actions of Metz and the university and compassion shown towards those observing Lent. “It seems like a reasonable expectation that Metz would make the requested accommodation for students engaging in this spiritual practice,” says Gabe Huizenga, a Theology major.

Houghton certainly has a strong community (yes, I said the magic word) of students and staff that supports the different Christian traditions that are present at this university, so this is not a knock at them, but simply a request for Metz and the university to help students accommodate their religious traditions.

For years students have put up comments on the suggestion board and asked if Metz would provide accommodations for them over Lent. Though the Metz employee mentioned above has brought this up with Metz themself and claims that they seem open to the change, I also brought up the issue at the Student Council meeting on Monday, and they assured me that they will bring the situation up with Metz as well. However, I was also told not to expect a change from Metz. While I hope that is not the case, I would not be surprised if nothing were to change, though I am immensely thankful that the student council was willing to bring this up to support members of the student body. 

If there is fish served today, then that will be a welcome surprise, even though this is a day of exemption from the season for Catholics because of the Feast of Saint Patrick. If that is the case, then I am very happy to have seen it occur two weeks in a row, but I hope that this can be applied throughout all of Lent in the future so that students can more easily live out their faith traditions on campus. ★

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Houghton Buffalo Closes

Houghton Buffalo students and faculty gather for picture -- Courtesy of Jannatul Noshin
By Sarah Burton

On Jan. 23, 2023, President Lewis visited Houghton University Buffalo and announced that they would not be accepting any new students to the commuter campus. It was first opened in 2014, and this news has come as a shock to many. In a letter published on Jan. 24, he explains the reasons behind the situation.

The Buffalo Extension Site was not approved to become a Center when President Lewis first applied for it to become one in 2021. Part of the process for it to be approved was consulting existing colleges and universities within the city of Buffalo. 

Erie Community College, Buffalo State College, and Niagara County Community College objected to Houghton Buffalo, thinking that Houghton’s approval would be, as President Lewis paraphrased, “detrimental to existing institutions” in the area.

Due to this kind of backlash in Buffalo, approval was halted and made increasingly more difficult. According to President Lewis, “[Houghton Buffalo] was notified on Dec. 27, 2022 that it would not be approved as an Extension Center.” If Houghton were to continue the fight for approval, the master plan for the entire University would have to change.

He states at the conclusion of his letter that “while we will no longer admit new students in Buffalo… Houghton remains steadfastly committed to our current students… and we will serve them through completion of their Houghton degrees.”

Interim Dean of Houghton University Buffalo Steve Strand describes the loss that is felt by faculty, staff, and students alike, saying that “They [Faculty and Staff] are very committed to the work here… [they] feel a sense of loss because they are intensely motivated by a strong sense of mission to serve students.”

Student Financial Services Specialist Ginny Dadaian also remarks on this sense of loss, showing true passion in her responses. 

“I love Houghton University,” she exclaimed. “All across the US, private and public colleges and universities are struggling, unfortunately Houghton University is a victim of this wave.”

Dadaian, as well as several students, remarked on the impact of surrounding schools in the Buffalo area on the closing of Houghton Buffalo.

 “I was thinking about furthering my education after my two year degree, but now I don’t know what to do,” states David Elliot, a sophomore. 

Many of the students from Houghton Buffalo express deep concern for the branch’s closure. In particular, Desiree Radford has decided to take full course loads for both semesters of 2023, as well as a summer session to complete her degree by the winter. 

“Even though President Lewis promised that we would all be able to complete our degree plan,” Radford says, “I just don’t have faith in that promise anymore.”

Radford also expresses the worries of the student body of Houghton Buffalo, stating “I am left to wonder why minorities always get the short end of the stick. I am very happy being at Houghton Buffalo, but I don’t feel like I am a part of Houghton University. So, I am very sickened by this decision.”

Many students from Houghton Buffalo are deeply concerned about the future of their education and the lack of resources they have now, upon hearing of the closing of their school. Transportation is an issue for several and there is a distinct lack of trust many feel, with many saying the student body wasn’t aware or involved until the visit made by President Lewis.

The closing of Houghton University Buffalo shocked many in the community. It has also challenged the community, with many mixed feelings from faculty, staff, and students about the situation. Its lasting impact has yet to be seen, with some expressing hope for the future and others suffering from a severe sense of grief and discontent. ★

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SPOT Returns!

Zimmerman [left] and Capone [right] -- Courtesy of Julianna Capone
By Jax Johnson

Tomorrow night at 10 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel, one of the biggest Houghton events returns! Hosted by Junior Julianna Capone  and Senior Anna Zimmerman , this year’s SPOT is bringing us all the way back to vacation bible school, with student videos, live music, assorted shenanigans, and more! 

As many students know, SPOT is a big tradition at Houghton. Every semester, students gather for a wild ride of a variety show with all kinds of acts relating to a theme. No two SPOTs are the same, so it is always interesting to see what students come up with each year, which also makes SPOT a perfect time for students to display all types of talents and creative projects. And, as Hall Brawl week comes to a close this week, the winners of the competition will be announced as part of the SPOT programming. 

Zimmerman talks about the upcoming SPOT saying, “This year’s theme is Vacation Bible Spot, based on Vacation Bible School that I’m guessing many of us attended as kids. The music will be rocking – expect versions of some Veggie Tales songs like you’ve never heard before. The videos will be funny- ever wonder where the giant H on the quad came from? Or what it’s like to go into Paine as a non-STEM major?And there will be interactive activities that you might just get to be a part of throughout! Along with the After Spot Sale in the Campus Store, the fun will continue at a late night After Party in the main level of the CC. Think: lots of snacks, games, some arts and crafts, and a VBS photo booth.”

Senior Linette Taylor, who will be returning this semester as part of the SPOT band, shares her excitement for the event, saying, “This is my third time being a part of SPOT band. It’s so much fun to get to make some music with my friends that isn’t part of my classes! I really look forward to it every semester.” 

As hall brawl winds to a close, students can look forward to vacation bible SPOT! Not only is it an opportunity to support fellow students, but it also is a time to unwind and have a laugh with friends. Any student can come, and are all welcomed. ★

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Hustle Culture has No Place Here

By Abigail Weeks

As I wrote this during our spring break that happens during the winter—Why don’t we call it winter break?—I found myself struggling to rest. I’ve worked tirelessly for my entire undergrad career, and now I face my last semester and I have yet again overloaded my schedule. Factoring in extracurriculars and accelerated half-semester classes, the workload comes to around an ill-advised 20 credits. And for what? I have plenty of reasons with which I won’t bore you. I could’ve taken the easy route, as I only needed six credits toward my major to graduate. Yet, like so many others, I must hold captive any spare time in my schedule and fill it with something “productive”.  

Why do so many of us as young adults feel the need to push and shove until we’re all burnt out, drowning in our school work? When was the last time you were able to truly rest outside of a scheduled academic break? Of course, there are things required of us to accomplish for our academic careers, but I’m mostly talking about extracurriculars.

As students living in a hustle culture, many of us have felt the need to always keep busy. I personally have never made it a priority to rest. I’ve been working every summer since I was 16, and I have always found a way to do more work over academic breaks. Until coming to Houghton, I didn’t think Christians really honored the Sabbath. It was never something instilled in me to do growing up, despite coming from a Christian background. So if this thing that I’m supposed to do—that we are all supposed to do—as Christians is in the Bible, why is it so hard?

Here’s a quick answer: we have let culture influence what is Good and Holy. The Sabbath day is a gift to us to restore, recollect, and reflect. It allows us to quiet our hearts and rest in God. Why do we ignore it? Furthermore, why is it so hard for us to take a few hours to rest, let alone an entire day? 

I think there is something inside of us that is afraid of being lazy. It measures our self-worth in the number of things we accomplish and the amount of times we tell people we are “too busy”. After all, we are told to do whatever we do with all our hearts, right? If I’m not being productive in some capacity, I’m automatically lazy, which to me feels much greater a sin than not resting at all. Oh, what a great lie this is. Overworking myself to the point of burnout doesn’t make me special. It doesn’t make me better than my neighbor. It doesn’t set me apart, and by not honoring a time to slow down, I end up dishonoring my Creator.

In a way, this drive to overbook ourselves has a tendency to lead us to ignore the people right in front of us and divert our attention inward. How many times have you not checked in with someone because you’re running late or because you’re thinking about how much time a 30-second interaction will eat up the little space you have left in your schedule? I know I am guilty of this. Perhaps the funniest thing about this is that all of this self-serving yet harmful behavior occurs in a Christian environment that is supposed to go against the grain of secular culture. So, what then is Christian about an environment that leaves us unrested and utterly burnt out? Should we blame the “system” and play the victim for our inability to rest? I think not. We have the ability to evaluate where we stand in our lives. It may come as a shock to the overachievers out there, but we are allowed to say no to things and still love God with all of our minds and hearts and beings, and love others, too. Loving others does not mean saying yes to every opportunity. Serving others becomes an impossible task if we are consumed by our own to-do lists.

The Bible’s teaching that we must boast in Christ alone and not in our works is a pretty stark contrast to academia’s view that without our work, we are nothing. We must learn to look to God for our source of meaning, not our lengthy to-do lists and activities. When we learn where our true value comes from, it will be so much easier for us to separate ourselves from the hustle of our lives. If you truly feel called to an opportunity, we have a faithful God that can see you through, but if saying yes to a good opportunity jeopardizes your well-being, it isn’t really good, is it? Saying no to someone or something does not make you sinful; it is saying no to God that does.

Next time you find yourself with some space in your schedule, consider honoring God through resting so you can have more strength to serve God and serve His kingdom. ★

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Houghton Choir 2023 Tour

Courtesy of Andrew Reith
By Josey Ikker

Over Spring Break from Feb. 24 through Mar. 3, the Houghton University Choir traveled around New York, to Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia for their Choir Tour. 

Each night, the Houghton Choir had the opportunity to spread the message of Christ through music in Salamanca, Hamburg and Webster, NY; Bird In Hand, Greencastle and State College, PA; and Sterling, VA. The choir also had the opportunity to work with local high schools in PA, VA and MD, participating in workshops, chapel services and rehearsals, as well as performing excerpts of their concerts. 

The Houghton Choir is the only ensemble in the Greatbatch School of Music that consists of students who are sophomores and above and have been practicing traditional choral music since the beginning of the academic school year. 

Dr. Kevin Dibble, the conductor of the Houghton choir and director of choral activities at Houghton, expresses his thoughts on Tour, stating that his favorite experience was “spending time getting to know all of the students on Tour.” 

Rebekah Scharf, a second-year graduate student in conducting, and the assistant conductor for Houghton choir, also expresses her thoughts, stating, “I loved getting to meet people and just getting some good bonding time with the choir.” 

The Houghton Choir’s statement of mission states as follows: “As the Houghton Choir, we seek to glorify God personally and corporately by upholding and extending a rich tradition of excellence in choral music. Through a diversity of choral literature, we aspire to minister the life-transforming power of God’s love and grace to all who hear us. We strive to live humbly as a community of individuals who love and value each other because of our desire to reach others for Him and our understanding of Christ’s love for us as His children. Soli deo Gloria; Latin for To God be the Glory.

Many favorite pieces of repertoire from the program include composers by Elaine Hagenberg, Stacey Gibbs, Alice Parker, Dan Forrest, and Larry Fleming, as well as a premiere piece written for Tour and composed by Ethan Carr, another 2nd-year graduate student. 

“‘I Went to the Woods’ was written by one of my closest friends [Ethan Carr] and it was wonderful getting the chance to conduct it,” says Scharf, who was mentioning her favorite pieces from the concert.

Her other favorite piece is “O Love”, although she was uncertain exactly why it was meaningful to her. 

“It just touched me more and more and it was also one of those pieces where we had choral members from other churches join us,” says Scharf.

Dr. Dibble also listed his favorite repertoire.

In “Christ the Appletree”, “I was reminded that all of the students have shown me the goodness of God and I think about all the students as fruit and the goodness it has shown,” says Dr. Gibble. “‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’ is a fantastic hymn of the faith all of our audiences and singers can relate to. ‘Give Me Jesus’ has meant a lot to me since I was a student [at Houghton] and continuing that tradition has been a privilege.”

All are welcome to come and worship with the Houghton Choir at their free concert “Christ Our Home” on Friday, Mar. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel. ★

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STARchive: College Charters and Centennials

By Christian Welker

Did you know the Houghton STAR is one hundred and fourteen years old? To put that in perspective, The STAR reported through the Great Depression, World Wars, the Cold War, and nineteen U.S. presidencies. As the Resident Expert in STAR Lore™, it is my self-imposed job to study the STAR’s Archives and find exciting and funny moments from throughout the history of Houghton University and the STAR itself.

Time for another fun fact (and one that has more to do with the article). Do you know how long Houghton University was Houghton College? Ninety-nine years!

Isn’t that annoying?

In 1923, Houghton Seminary received its charter from the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSASC. Rolls right off the tongue).

The cool part is that it has been a hundred years since Houghton became a college.

The less cool part was we were impatient and jumped the gun on the whole “University” thing (How epic would it have been to be like “After 100 years of being a college, it’s time for the next chapter”? Missed opportunity, President Lewis).

Anyway, rants aside, in the April edition of the 1923 Houghton STAR (yeah, they were only a monthly publication back then, wild, right?), an article was published titled “Final Victory Won! Houghton now a Chartered College” declaring the good news to the Houghton body, and today, 100 years later, an article titled “From the STARchive: College Charters and Centennials” is doing it again. ★

Final Victory Won!

Houghton Now a Chartered College

Again, through the mercy of God, we have gained another rung in the ladder of achievement which has been elevating us to that plane on which stands the chartered college of this state

Following the action of the Board of Trustees, authorizing this Seminary to apply for a charter, the next step was to make the formal application to the Board of Regents of the State of New York. This was done a few weeks ago, President Luckey going to Albany and presenting with the application a catalog of general information regard[ing] the school, setting [forth] the plan [proposed] if the charter be granted.

April 7, was the date set for the meeting of the Board of Regents, and at that meeting the application from this Seminary was to be considered. President Luckey again journeyed to Albany on that date and was present at the meeting of the Board, answering one or two questions which arose. 

As requested by President Luckey, his home-coming on Monday evening, April 9, was not the hilarious demon- stration which accompanied his return from the meeting of the Church Board. The occasion at this time was of too solemn nature to allow any such program as was followed before. Instead, the students gathered at the church and a committee was delegated to meet the President and escort him to the church where a service of praise and thanksgiving was held, Prof. Whitaker taking charge.

A telegram which was received here Saturday evening, stated that a provisional charter had been granted [to] Houghton Seminary. That word “provisional” puzzled us a little at first but the enigma was solved in a short talk by President Luckey at the service Monday evening. “Provisional” only means that for five years we are on probation. During that time we must prove to the State Board of Regents that we are worthy of onr charter by keeping up the prescribed income and fulfilling the scholastic standards.

The President further stated that the honor and glory at this time of victory, all belongs to God, not to man. It was the hand of God which gave the vision at the beginning and that has led all through the long and laborious campaign, and which is still leading. He also emphasized that with added opportunity comes greater responsibility. 

After several prayers filled with true thanksgiving to God for his great goodness and wise leadership, a hymn was sung and the meeting dismissed.

From the church the students went to the college campus where a large bonfire was burning. Gathering around this an hour was spent in singing school songs and giving yells. As the fire burned low the crowd made their way homeward, their hearts being filled with praise to God for the wonders he has wrought through his servants who have kept close to Him and done His bidding.

—J. Harold Douglas

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Czech Republic Mission Trip

Courtesy of Cindy Austin
By Victoria Hock

Houghton students were busy over Spring Break. Some went on vacation, some traveled for sports training, others relaxed at home, and then there were the Eight Houghton students (including one December graduate) who went on a mission trip to the Czech Republic.

This trip was run through Global Partners, which, according to their official website, is an organization that works towards “Amplifying local church mission for global transformation.” 

Junior Sarah Rider was one of the students who traveled on the trip, noting that group members “all learned so much about the importance of authentic relationship building as a part of starting and growing churches.” 

Rider further adds that attendees had the opportunity to learn “about the history of Czech culture,” and that they were able to meet and make friends with a lot of Czech people, who she described as “wonderful.”

Students on the mission trip were hosted by two Houghton alumni, Kevin and Cindy Austin. 

Senior Kendra Evans, another mission trip attendee, commented on the impact the Austins had, stating, “Both of them have shared extreme hospitality with our team while we were in the Czech Republic.”

Junior Hope Willert, another student who went on the mission trip, also shared the impact that the Austins had on their trip. 

“We got to see a lot of what missions look like for them, which we learned is based primarily on building relationships and sharing the faith through them.”

 Students had the opportunity to participate in many different activities while on the mission trip. “We visited local schools, helped out at a church youth event, had Czech lessons, traveled to three different cities (including Prague!), tried lots of Czech foods, and so much more,” says Willert.

Evans noted that students were able to visit places like Pogêbrody, Kutna Hora, and Brno, in addition to Prague. She also added that they were able to assist with a conversation club to teach English to adults in Brno, as well as a “youth hangout with high schoolers.”

Helping out with a few Christian organizations was another opportunity that Evans mentioned.

“It was great to see and help the Christian organizations in the Czech Republic,” says Evans, “Mijak (which means lighthouse in Czech) and Remedy (a church of twenty people). Christianity is kept on the down low due to the Czech Republic having the highest concentration of those who do not associate themselves with a religion.”

Evans also discussed that they saw “the effects of the war in Ukraine,” and they became friends with Ukrainian Refugees.

Overall, attendees seem to be in agreement that they were positively impacted by their mission trip, with Willert stating that after talking with the people who went on the mission trip, she feels that they “have all been changed for the better because of this experience.” She further added that “God clearly worked through the people there to open our eyes to the new culture and the missions field there. Coming home, we are all inspired to find more ways in our lives where we can serve God in both big and small ways.” ★

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Highlander Spring Athletics in Full Swing

Courtesy of Jason Mucher
By Caleb Welker

All statistics as of 3/6/2023

Houghton University’s Spring Athletic Season has officially begun. The Highlander Baseball, Softball, and Men’s tennis seasons have started, while the men’s and women’s track and field season transitions from indoor to outdoor. It has been a long wait for many, and the wait is finally over as last week the contests began for our spring athletes.

Houghton Baseball’s season has started with an up-and-down trip to Florida. The preparation for the season mainly consisted of indoor practices in the KPAC due to weather, but the Highlanders worked through the circumstances to prepare. When the time came for them to compete, the Highlanders seemed to start flat. Before the trip, Houghton played an impromptu game versus Pitt-Bradford, in which they lost 11-3. Then, a week later, they lost the first two games of their Florida trip. However, they eventually were able to ramp things up, putting together a three-game win streak; but after that, they lost their next four games. Despite narrowly losing their first game on the last day of the trip, the Highlanders used the momentum that they had built from a late-game surge to push past Norwich by the score of 17-6. Throughout the trip, several players stood out on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Zach Parr (‘23) and Ian Slate (‘24) led the team in batting average on the trip, collecting 22 of the Highlanders’ 90 team hits in the first eleven games. Meanwhile, Pitcher Aiden Talcott (‘26) led the team to two victories, including a seven-inning complete game against Chatham.

The Highlander Softball Team struggled during their first stretch of the season, falling short in each of their eight games in Florida. Like Baseball, most of their practices were indoors, but the softball team wasn’t able to schedule any games before their trip, so their first action was in Florida. They fought hard in each of their games against tough opponents, as their best game came against Adrian College, in which they fought hard until the very end, but unfortunately came up just short of the Bulldogs, losing 4-3. Leading the way on offense for the Highlanders was Junior Carlee Miller.  Miller hit .429 with three doubles over the trip. Alisabeth Crandall (‘24) and Kayla Loomis (‘23) led the way on the mound with four strikeouts each while Jen Burrows (‘23) tacked on three strikeouts.  

Men’s Tennis came out of the gates well, with a 2-3 start to their season. The Highlanders had previously battled with Allegheny in the fall, and Ithaca before February Break, falling to both of them to start the season 0-2, but they strung together two wins to open their Spring Break and lost to St. Bonaventure to close it out. Two of their first five matches were on the home courts of Houghton’s Kerr Pegula Field House, where tennis has spent most of its time practicing. When the weather cooperates, they will compete up the hill at the tennis courts near the Nielsen Center.  One of the highlights of the week was the Highlanders’ impressive 9-0 rout of Wilkes University. The Highlanders blew the Colonels out of the water, not surrendering a single set. Four Highlanders, Sam Bonisteel (‘26), Nolan Zach (‘25), Marcello Garcia (‘26), and Adam Brown (‘23), had perfect sets in the win. 

As the indoor track season comes to a close, the Highlanders look forward to the Spring Season. The Highlanders men’s and women’s teams combined for ten podium appearances at the Empire 8 Championship event on Feb. 24-25. These appearances include two first-place finishes. The first is from Senior Amanda Burrichter, who won the Women’s 3,000-meter championship with a time of 10:15.82.  The second is from Graduate Student Malachi Yeager, who won the heptathlon with a Houghton University record of 4,464 points. 

Finally, as spring sports begin, one more Houghton Winter Sport has yet to come to a close. Women’s Basketball will head to Indiana next week to compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association’s Division I National Championship tournament. They will be guaranteed three games with more information as to who they will play coming soon. ★

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Review: 2022, A Wonderful Year for Movies

By Caleb Tiedemann

With the Oscars right around the corner, I am scrambling to try and watch each nominated movie to see if they are truly worthy of the categories they were nominated for. This year was terrific for movies that were not big-budget IP films. In this brief essay, I will discuss the various films I watched throughout the year, ones that were amazing and ones that flopped.

Firstly, Marvel and DC finally got knocked down a couple of steps from their pedestal as they released quite a few stinkers. The year started very strongly, with Marvel’s darker-themed thriller in “Moon Knight,” which truly showed the amazing acting range of Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, as well as DC’s Matt Reeves’, directed, very darkly lit, almost horror-esque thriller; “The Batman.” “The Batman” was a wonderful return to the form of a dark detective adventure, showcasing Wayne’s early years as he brutally navigates an evil Gotham. “The Batman” emerges from 2022 as the best superhero movie. 

Unfortunately, as the year progressed, the superhero genre released quite a few stinkers. “Morbius,” though entertained as a hilarious internet meme for a while, was quite pathetic in terms of usage for a Marvel hero. “Doctor Strange” managed to be a fun movie but was brought down by studio interference pushing away Sam Raimi’s directorial style and replacing it with uneven pacing and a shortened runtime. This was followed up by the disaster that was “Thor: Love and Thunder,” which was a cheesy, disappointing, almost completely green-screened (and horribly) flop that disappointed nearly everyone that I have conversed with regarding the movie. I will not even mention “She-Hulk” as almost anyone who watched it would rather not ever discuss it again. It was then followed by DC’s “Black Adam,” which is essentially a “Shazam” ripoff with very few redeeming qualities. Our final movie from Marvel was “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and though it was not anywhere as bad as the previously mentioned movies, it felt very bloated and long, with a plot that lacked substance. Still, it managed to be exciting and an honorable tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. So maybe, there’s hope for Marvel in 2023?

Aside from superhero movies, we also got another big production in “Jurassic World: Dominion” which flopped horrendously, being a poorly written and directed film that neither honors the source material nor gives anyone anything meaningful in terms of character development or plot devices. We also got the release of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” which I enjoyed quite a bit, but no one seems all that interested in since Johnny Depp was fired from his role, which, honestly, is completely understandable. 

But all these flops from big-budget  IPs gave time to the others to shine, and shine they did! I started off the year quite nicely with a hilarious Cage and Pascal-led comedy, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” a funny, self-aware film that pokes fun at its own substance and character, as well as provides good laughs and a surprisingly interesting plot. It was then followed by the AMAZING A24 film, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a supreme multiverse comedy/adventure that blows “Doctor Strange”’s multiverse concept completely out of the water. It tells the story of a divided family struggling to tolerate each other brought together by an evil threat from within. It’s a completely insane idea and ride that has brought me to tears in every viewing, with all the heart put in by the production teams. Ke Huy Quan gives an all-star performance, boosted by the rest of the movie’s stellar cast, and is the only answer to the winner of Best Supporting Actor! Jordan Peele also gave a very nice horror film in his unsettling, unique, alien film: “Nope,” a unique concept with a couple of scenes that genuinely terrified me in theaters. The final summer blockbuster that I thoroughly enjoyed was “Bullet Train.” The Brad Pitt-led action, the turn-your-brain-off film was a fun ride to just sit and enjoy and put me in the perfect place to begin my 2022 fall semester.

2022 managed to end off with quite a few triumphs. A24’s second movie, “The Whale,” brings the wonderful actor Brendan Fraser back to the screen after a long departure, and he gives a wonderful performance as the 600 lb recluse, who, when told will be dead within a week, attempts to reconnect with his estranged, rebellious teenage daughter. Fraser gives a painfully honest and heartfelt betrayal as his character goes through the motions of accepting his upcoming death and the mistakes he has made throughout his life. Fraser himself has been nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role and truly outperformed everyone else. Damien Chazelle also gave a completely crazy movie with “Babylon,” a movie about the turning point from silent films to talkies and the effect it had on actors and Hollywood itself. It boasts a talented cast and composer who is up for the Best Original Score award; one that I am hoping he wins. 

The final gem of 2022 has to be James Cameron’s long-awaited “Avatar: The Way of the Water.” Cameron truly delivered another unique and fun 200-minute spectacle that manages to fully encapsulate the attention of audiences by providing great action and a whole lot of fun. His dive back into the Avatar world should award him the Best Special Effects award at the Oscars, as the CG is flawless and the motion capture is on point. There are very few movies that can be completely CG and still be absolutely stunning. Avatar is one of them. The final gen of this year and my personal favorite is “Top Gun: Maverick,” a sequel that outshines the original in all the ways that count. It provided me with one of the most utterly mesmerizing theater experiences that hit every note in honoring the characters and “Top Gun” legacy. The use of practical effects and special tech to achieve an enthralling film experience was worth it and completely blew me out of the water when I saw it. It is up for Best Picture though I doubt it will win with the titans it has been pitted against it. My belief is that Best Picture will either go to “Avatar” or “Everything Everywhere.” 

In the end, I am so glad to be alive for an age of gorgeous movies and was very impressed with some of the original ideas that were put to screen this year. Of course, all of these opinions offered are my own, and if you agree; wonderful! If you don’t, even better! I am sure there are many controversial opinions offered and welcome any new ones. Overall, 2022 was a successful year dethroning the usual titans and allowing others to perform on their own. I look forward to the upcoming Oscars and films that will be released this year, too. ★