Volume 78, Issue 11 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
ELAC football team returns to Beach Bowl after 5 years Both teams continued to answer each other’s moves, going back and Staff Writer forth with the lead being extremely close throughout the game. There The East Los Angeles College were two interceptions against the Huskies’ returned to Beach Bowl Huskies in the final Quarter. The and was marred by a 39-24 loss to Huskies went scoreless in the fourth quarter. El Camino Warriors. El Camino managed to score The Huskies played in the Beach two additional Bowl for the first time touchdowns to shut since 2016. They the game down. finished the regular E L A C ’ s football season 5-5, ELAC’s defensive Quarterback, Rudy versus their opponent w h o e n d e d t h e i r Lineman Jeremiah Garcia, had 16-31 season 6-4. Jackson-Trotter completed passes with 181 yards and It was a close call was named 72 rushing yards. for most of the first three quarters of the defensive player Wi d e R e c e i v e r Cobe Stribling game, with both teams of the game with c a u g h t f i v e o f switching off the lead. those passes for ELAC led in 15 tackles. 93 yards and two yielding the fewest touchdowns (one in yards per game, as the second quarter well as fewest rushing and final one in the yards allowed in the third quarter.) National Northern ELAC’s Defensive Lineman League. The Huskies used this to Jeremiah Jackson-Trotter wasnamed their advantage. The Huskies’ defense forced defensive player of the game with the Warriors to punt in the first 15 tackles. Head Coach Bobby Godinez quarter. The kick was blocked by rounded up his players after the the Huskies. Despite El Camino recovering the game and gave an inspirational ball, the Huskies managed to stop speech to the entire team. Godinez later told Cerwin Haynes, them in time, they were then able to score a 34-yard field goal after a ELAC Sports Information, that he holding call prevented a touchdown felt proud of his team and looked forward to next season. for the Huskies.
BY BRENDA DE LA CRUZ
CN/BRENDA DE LA CRUZ
BEACH BOWL—Huskies fight hard defensively to prevent El Camino from scoring.
GO HUSKIES—El Camino attempts to increase its lead against the Huskies in the final quarters.
CN/BRENDA DE LA CRUZ
ELAC Campus News wins multiple awards BY PAUL MEDINA Staff Writer Campus News took home several awards during the Journalism Association of Community Colleges fall 2021 conference. JACC is a community college student bi-annual state conference which brings together journalism students to participate in a variety of workshops, meetings and competitions. The conference ended with an awards ceremony in various categories ranging from copy editing, photo entries and news editing among other entries. Campus News as a whole received the General Excellence Print Edition award. Other Campus News winners include staff members Co-Editor in Chief Daniella Molina who placed in the Editorial Cartoon contest and took second place in the Canva contest. Editor Cynthia Solis placed fourth on Critical Review. Editor Annette Quijada took first place for Inside Page Layout and former staff member Andrea Cerna placed fourth for runners up illustration. Workshops ranged from panels on student transferring, ‘Telling great stories to propel social change’ to TikTok workshop showing how to ‘drive audience growth and engagement.’ “This year was very fun and exciting. I really enjoyed the Canva workshop and contest where I placed second. The highlight was hearing the names of ELAC Campus News members win,” Molina said. “Campus News placed in several contests across the board. I am honored to be on staff with a bunch of winners,” Molina said.
News Briefs
CN/DANIELLA MOLINA
WINNER—Infographic submitted by ELAC Campus News Co-Editor in Chief Daniella Molina for the infographic on the spot contest for JACC. During the welcome session JACC incoming president Nicole Vargas who is an Assistant Journalism Professor at San Diego City College, introduced keynote
speaker Andrea Lopez-Villafana. Villafana’s story is inspirational as she is a DACA recipient, San Diego State University graduate and Voice of San Diego Managing
LAC Architecture Lecture Series
The department of Architecture at East Los Angeles College will host a presentation by Barbara Bestor of Bestor Architecture on Friday from noon to 1 p.m. Join zoom at https://zoom.us/j/95801192730.
ASU Meeting
Director. “I love talking to regular people who you interact with on the street, who have just incredibly rich stories. Everyone has a story, there isn’t one
person who doesn’t have a story,” Lopez-Villafana said. Quijada, who took first place for Inside Page Layout said, “I feel surprised and proud of myself.
ASU will hold a special meeting Friday at 2 p.m. Register: https://laccd.zoom.us/j/92609500300.
The front page is pretty hard to do because you can get stuck doing the same layout over and over. So it’s nice to get recognition for it.” Wi t h m a n y s o c i a l m e d i a technology sites becoming a staple in everyday life, the TikTok workshop was intriguing and unprecedented. The workshop was hosted by KTLA 5 broadcast journalist, writer and producer Allan Lopez, she is also an adjunct instructor at USC Annenberg School of Journalism media center. “With TikTok a lot of traditional outlets are using it, trying to find a way to make this work, to reach out to all of the users who have this in their pocket. Washington Post, NBC News, Dallas Morning News are all using this platform in different ways,” Lopez said. Panelist Andres Guardon, a USC student and community college transfer student from Pasadena City College lauded TikTok and his lovehate relationship with it. “As a journalist you can reach a bigger audience, we are producing content,” Guardon said. This year’s conference remained virtual, yet offered lots of great opportunities for students to participate and compete. C a m p u s N e w s i s E L A C ’s student run newspaper. During Spring and Fall semesters it’s newspaper is published weekly on Wednesday and can be read at www. elaccampusnews.com If interested in taking Journalism courses or inquiring about joining the award winning Campus News team please reach out to elaccampusnews@gmail.com or to adviser Jean Stapleton at staplej@ elac.edu.
Enrollment Fair ELAC will hold an enrollment fair for students on winter/ spring courses available on campus December 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Opinion
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021
Council members threaten progress for homeless
ELAC works toward ending student homeless situation BY NATALIA ANGELES Staff Writer The issue of homelessness is no longer being solved with the homeless community in mind. Instead potential council members use this topic to gain votes. The City of Angels repeatedly struggles to create solutions and approaches for the homeless situation. The problem of homelessness stems from the rise in housing prices, low funding of mental health services and a decline in income. Those in power are no longer fixing these causes. East Los Angeles College is neighbor to the most populated homeless community in Los Angeles: Skid Row. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported that more than 4,662 people lived in Skid Row. This is a huge number of people living on unsafe and unsanitary streets.
Although shelters are being opened and services offered, it is still not enough to get these people off the streets. Many council members in their district have stated their contribution to the issue of homelessness. For example, suspended council member Mark-Ridley Thomas generated $355 million a year for homelessness programs. The majority of them are using funds to create shelters and provide aid. This is only to put on a show. Without homelessness, many of these council members would not be in power. The issue helps them put on an image that they are “for the people.” It often seems council members
have to satisfy those in high-power because this would harm council members with businesses and entire positions, such as the elite. neighborhoods. The only way to ELAC shows its do so is by kicking The solution support of homeless people off the streets students even when and providing them to ending other parts of the with the lowest form homelessness is county don’t help of aid. no longer to kick their own homeless The solution to population. ending homelessness people off the End Homelessness is no longer to kick streets and offer California/Shower people off the streets of Hope partners and offer them them shelters. with both ELAC shelters. Campuses (Monterey The solutions are Park and South to end gentrification, defund programs such as the Los Gate). The programs offer housing Angeles Police Department and fund mental health services. These solutions are not being used
and help for employment. There are also many resources such as Jovens Inc who assist in not only providing shelter but also food assistance, transportation support, mental health services and more. To g e t i n v o l v e d w i t h t h e community there are services such as WIN (What I Need) that help homeless students connect with other peers. The link below has ways students can help support their peers dealing with homelessness. https://www.elac.edu/StudentServices/Student-Resources/ Student-Health-Center/HousingShelter
EDITORS IN CHIEF Daniella Molina Zasha Hayes MANAGING EDITOR Erica Cortes FRONT EDITOR Annette Quijada OPINION EDITORS Teresa Acosta Cynthia Solis FEATURE EDITOR Gabriela Gutierrez NEWS EDITORS Alma Lizarraga Jonathan Bermudez ARTS EDITORS Breanna Fierro Ivana Amaral SPORTS EDITOR Miguel Dominguez ONLINE EDITOR Raymond Nava COPY EDITORS Juan Calvillo Luis Castilla Ivan Cazares STAFF WRITERS Leonardo Cervantes PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Medina Natalia Angeles ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Brenda De La Cruz CARTOONIST Max Miranda ADVERTISING Stefanie De la Torre
Homeless encampments disrupt society, should be removed
ADVISER Jean Stapleton
Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the property of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 300 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303.
BY RAYMOND NAVA Staff Writer The Los Angeles City Council is right to put its foot down when forth struggle. tackling the homeless crisis. However, by 2021, many tents While it is noble to address the have set up camp here. issue of homelessness in the most I go to a McDonald’s restaurant humane way possible, it is time every Friday close to the University for politicians to take more drastic of California Medical Center. I have measures to clean up the streets. been to it many times over the years. The needs of the public have to Recently, there has been a be addressed as well as common homeless individual who sleeps sense safety. outside near the drive-thru area. The homeless problem in LA has While this is not as big of an been getting worse over the years, example as the tent encampment, it and it has become more prevalent always concerns me whenever I go with homeless individuals appearing late at night to the restaurant. in places where they haven’t in the Over the summer, the city past. council passed I’ve seen this first even stricter bans hand in places where on encampments in I grew up. certain public areas. Compassion The Public Art This is the should be the “Gateway to Los right move, as we Angeles,” a bridge goal for society. cannot allow these above the 101 encampments in freeway in downtown places the public can Los Angeles, has visit. become a homeless Councilman Joe Buscaino has tent camp. also called for a ban on individuals However, this was not the case in from camping or sleeping in public the past. As recently as December if they have turned down shelter or 2014, the bridge was completely emergency housing offers. clean according to the street view This is something that should be in Google Maps. the current policy. The first homeless tents started Some may call it harsh, but if popping up in January 2017. Some individuals turn down help when tents would clear and then more it’s offered, then they should not would pop up. It was a back and be allowed to camp out in public www.ELACCampusNews.com
places that, in turn, can disrupt other members of the public. An LA Times article published in early November reported that some homeless individuals have turned down offers of congregate shelter. The article reported that these homeless individuals said they would prefer to live on the streets than share a shelter room with someone. While they also said this was due to them finding congregate shelters dangerous, they also said it was partly because they found it “demeaning.” Compassion should be the goal for society. But while the situation these people are in can be dire, hearing that the reason they turned down a shelter was that they found it demeaning makes it hard to feel compassion for them. Whether this is right or wrong is subjective. Yet when people turn down help, it’s easier to support banning their ideas of camping.
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Last Issue Corrections The last issue was the “pup edition,” produced by the Journalism-101 class with guidance from Campus News staff. Governor Gavin Newsom signs new bill to assist those with food insecurities by Albert Albad (page 4). ELAC theater prepares for in-person annual spring production is by Eduardo Sanchez (page 4).
The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof.
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Opinion
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021
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Getting booster shot made way too complicated three types of shots are allowed for usage in the United States: PfizerStaff Writer BioNTech, Moderna and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, best known as Johnson & Johnson. It has been almost one year since Thus, knowing that its efficiency the first COVID-19 vaccination was isn’t as strong, a booster is imminent. administered in California. A Los The FDA has recommended a Angeles Kaiser nurse was selected booster approximately six months to be the first health care provider to after taking the last jab. take the jab from the initial batch of That process, unfortunately, just 30,000 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. like the rollout of the jab, has been From the early declaration of the bureaucratic and confusing. coronavirus as a national emergency People can understand that the by President Donald Trump back in initial jab had some distribution March of 2020 to the Food and Drug issues due to the scarcity in Administration’s supply, but as the emergency implementation approval of continues with One would think the COVID-19 the booster shot vaccine, countless it makes this talk that after the eager Americans redundant. initial phase the couldn’t wait to There has also take the shot. been lots of talk booster would be The initial about the criteria administered with rollout of the of the booster vaccine seemed shot, as to who less complications self-explanatory, should get it or and confusion. That not? Where and but the process was slow and to get it? chaos and hysteria when tedious as many C’mon! People waited to get the should be left out of would think that shot since there this time around this issue. was limited the process would supply. be flawless and After healthcare self-explanatory. providers and first There doesn’t responders were given priority seem to be a shortage of vaccines. consideration, those with preexisting In fact, President Joe Biden's and underlying conditions who were administration has pledged to deemed high risk were eventually give out millions to impoverished allowed to get the jab. First on the citizens throughout the world. priority list were typically older Many people have flat-out Americans and those living in refused to take the shot for personal, retirement and convalescent homes. medical and other reasons. Thus, the Eventually, the criteria expanded rolling out of this vaccine should in and today even children as young as no way resemble how it was earlier 5 are allowed to take the jab. this year. A lot has been learned since the One would think that after jab was first administered. the initial phase the booster One of the key elements, and would be administered with less probably most important, is the complications and confusion.That efficiency of the vaccine. Only chaos and hysteria should be left
BY PAUL MEDINA
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GETTING VACCINATED—Comminity residents and ELAC students receive their COVID-19 vaccinations at a pop-up clinic held at East Los Angeles College. behind. Currently, the COVID19 Omnicron variant is quickly spreading throughout the world. Originally found in South Africa, it is quickly beginning to spread throughout Europe with cases now found in North America. Making this strain deadly is how
it has mutated and unlike previous strain symptoms, such as loss of smell and taste, these do not occur with this new strain. That is why any hurdles, red tape, bureaucracy or politics in this process should be phased out, immediately. Governor Gavin
Newsom, who tried to quell confusion earlier this month, said at a press conference that “Anyone who wants a booster can get a booster shot.” Hopefully, these resounding words will be the clarity people need to take this shot. Coming on two years with the
pandemic has been a challenge. The scientific community has made it clear that this vaccine is key to fighting the pandemic. The system should stop making it difficult to get the booster. People are sick and tired of this pandemic, literally!
Astroworld remembered as a preventable tragedy BY LEONARDO CERVANTES
STOP!
Staff Writer Travis Scott hosted his annual Astroworld Festival when a disaster struck that left hundreds in disarray and ten dead. Concert-goers' deaths could have been avoided and Scott is not the only one to blame. Many parties are equally to blame for that night's events. Scott is one of the most recognizable artists globally and has built an enormous following, especially among teenagers and young adults. On that morning, a huge crowd broke into the venue way before the event started, creating chaos right from the beginning. This chaos only continued as the night went on. City officials restricted attendance to only 50,000 guests. When Scott began performing, the crowd lost its composure. The crowd started pushing each other to the front of the stage. People could hardly breathe due to the compression of space. The pushing and shoving quickly escalated to people getting trampled and suffocating. This is what led to some of the casualties. Fans noticed people dying and looked to security for help. Others ignored the people who were struggling and dying and, in turn, blocked security from reaching them. If there were more barriers and security along with medical personnel, a lot of this could have been prevented. What makes this situation tricky is the timing of it all. Around 9:30 p.m. is when police officers say they told concert organizers to shut the concert down, but they didn't end it for another 40 minutes. Scott seemed aware that something was happening while performing, but only he and the investigators knew. “This is now a criminal investigation that’s going to involve our homicide division, as well as narcotics, and we're going to get down to the bottom of it,” Troy Finner, Houston Police Department chief, said. Officials say 9:30 p.m.
www.ELACCampusNews.com
E L P O PE ! G N I Y D E AR
PLEASE!
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I CAN'T ! P L HE BREATH!
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is when they gave orders to shut the event down. The majority of the blame should go to Scott’s management team and organizers, unless the investigation shows that Scott was aware of the multiple deaths. During this time, Scott continued performing for fans, keeping them entertained. His team should have been the one to relay the message to him about the casualties. Children and adults are injured and ten people
have been reported dead. Ezra Blount 9, John Hilgert 14, Brianna Rodriguez 16, Jacob E Jurinek 20, Axel Acosta 21, Franco Patino 21, Bharti Shahani 22, Madison Dubiski 23, Rudy Peña 23 and Danish Baig 27 all died at the event. Multiple videos have gone viral of people in the crowd pleading with Travis to stop the show because people were dying. Travis ultimately did nothing. Travis ignored the pleading fans
in a packed arena with 50,000 people since he is used to thousands shouting his name while performing. There was an eerie feeling; one girl got next to a cameraman and relayed the message that a fan was dead. The cameraman simply ignored her and told her to get off the stage. Attendees said the incident likely injured many more people. The exact number of victims won’t be known for another couple of weeks.
In the following weeks, many other artists became extra cautious at concert venues. Before the Playboi Carti concert, there was a message to the audience to call for help if anybody wasn’t feeling well. When SZA was performing, she noticed that a fan was looking sick and stopped her show to ask them if they were doing okay. The unfortunate events at Astroworld might force safer
concert environments to become the new norm. After the incident, Scott's only public statement has been a short video uploaded to his social media accounts about being sorry that it happened at his show. The current lawsuit seeks up to $2 billion in damages from Scott, Drake, Apple Music, Live Nation and NRG Stadium.
Arts Live action ‘Bebop’ stands on its own 4
BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer The live action version of “Cowboy Bebop” is an awesome interpretation for fans of the anime and pushes the series in new and different directions. Comparing Netflix’s live action series with studio Sunrise’s original anime is a mistake. Each has its own special moments and styles. The anime is the pinnacle of Noir Science fiction fare focused on the characters’ past and changing reality. Netflix’s series is similar but manages to blaze its own path. “Cowboy Bebop” follows the trials, tribulations and gunfights that the trio of Jett Black, Faye Valentine and Spike Spiegel go through as cowboys. In the show’s universe cowboys are the equivalent of bounty hunters. The three main characters fight bounties and deal with traumas from their pasts as the series unfolds. Black, Valentine and Spiegle each try to find meaning in their lives after circumstances force them into bounty hunting. The crux of the season revolves around Spiegel’s past coming back to haunt the team in the form of the mysterious group called the Syndicate. The Bebop’s captain is kind hearted former cop Black, played by Mustafa Shakir. Shakir is great as Black, exuding Black’s strength and warmness. Shakir manages to fill the role of team dad as well as the hard ass cop. Black’s partner, Spiegel, is played by John Cho. Cho excels at the moments of ac tion, comedy and introspectiveness that come with the character of Spiegle. Cho’s performance is stellar as he manages to mix in a wry smile and devil-may-care attitude into his performance. When word came out that Cho was chosen as Spiegle, the internet was buzzing about his age and style not matching what many thought Spiegle should be like. It’s fun watching Cho’s role prove so many naysayers wrong with his characterization of the show’s protagonist. Not only are his acting chops on display but he also gives his all in the combat scenes.
Rounding out the team is Daniella Pineda as Valentine. Pineda’s time on screen is interesting. She is fun to watch as her character busts both Black and Spiegels chops during the show. “Cowboy Bebop” pulls viewers in right off the bat with sleek special effects and fun choreography. The martial arts and gun fights that Cho gets in are intense. There is a bit of dissonance when it comes to how the live action fights look versus how the anime fights look. This is entirely to be expected. While the special effects are very cool, they are used for gun battles and visual shots of the world and the ships that make “Cowboy Bebop,” “Cowboy Bebop.” If viewers are hoping for fights that mirror the anime they won’t get them for this show. If viewers are hoping for fights that show off, somewhat, real martial arts and gun play then they will be totally fulfilled. Impressively the show’s effects really do the anime justice. Spiegel and Fayes signature space ships are remade exactly like in the anime. The Bebop is given a bit of a face lift but still retains the homelike feel the anime depicts. One of the most important things that makes the live-action show almost the same as the anime is the music. Yoko Kanno, who wrote the music for the anime, returned to
score the live-action show. Kanno along with The Seatbelts, the jazz band that performed the original theme music for the anime, put together a musically intense new version of the theme. “Tank!” is the name of theme for both versions of “Cowboy Bebop” and while that is the same, Kanno managed to enhance the song for the new series. The song doesn’t disappoint, and the rest of the show’s soundtrack is spot on for the noir-ish show that it is. The changes that have been made to “Cowboy Bebop,” which there are many to both characters and story elements, breathe a different type of life into the series. It does not follow what was originally created and it’s a good thing it doesn’t. There could never be another “Cowboy Bebop’’ show like what was created in the original anime. More importantly it shouldn’t be copied. Netflix’s live-action “Cowboy Bebop’’ does something really special. It gives a legendary anime the chance to live an entirely different life in flesh and blood. The passion put into this show is seen in each crisp moment on screen. “Cowboy Bebop” is available to stream now on Netflix and is rated TV-MA for sex, nudity, violence, gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs, and frigthening and intense scenes.
COURTESY OF IMDB
CAUGHT IN THE MOMENT—Spike Spiegel carefully takes aim at his adversary with a sniper rifle.
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021
COURTESY OF IMDB
CONSCIENCE TAKES CONTROL— Jennifer Carpenter (left) traps a bullet in the mouth of Michael C. Hall to remind him not to act on his empathetic impulses, since they have fatal consequences.
‘Dexter: New Blood’ explains eight year long cliffhanger BY BREANNA FIERRO Staff Writer The long awaited slasher series “Dexter: New Blood” helps restore the series with a luster fans everywhere have been desperately seeking for eight years. The highly disappointing ending for “Dexter” season eight caused fans to push for a reboot. Lucky for them it happened, and it is not the least bit disappointing. Dexter is played by Michael C. Hall. “Dexter: New Blood” is directed by Marcos Siega. Dexter plays a cheerful local in small town Iron Lake, New York, after faking his death in Miami, Florida. He left behind his son Harrison and girlfriend Hanna Mckay, so he could have sought out a “normal” life without him being around. Series namesake Dexter Morgan now lives in a remote town after the events of the series finale. Since arriving he has become a beloved member of the community. Morgan has not given into the urges of his “dark passenger.” He begins to question his decision when an old money local begins acting reckless around town. The new series begins with Dexter adjusting to his new lifestyle
in snowy New York away from his natural habitat. His home mostly consisted of life in the sun and driving around in his boat. Dexter’s new dark passenger in his head is his sister Debra, played by Jennifer Carpenter. He previously killed her in “Dexter” season eight, after pulling her plug. This happened after Deb became involved in one of Dexter’s missions and was shot, ultimately suffering from a stroke in the hospital. He is now also very open to understanding that he is slightly insane. It is as if Dexter has finally come to terms with the fact that he has a voice in his head. This is his way of coping with the loss of his sister by keeping her as a conscience, instead of feeling guilty for her death. Having Debra as a second voice is the closest thing he has to not losing her. Dexter tries hard to keep those around him at a distance, to protect them from being harmed, by himself and his mischief. Although, he decides to ditch all the lying for one piece of truth in his life, one specific person. It seems as if Dexter has finally fully come around to having a sense
of empathy. Despite being the monster he claims to have been his whole life. Since he hasn’t killed for ten years, when Dexter gives into his urges it causes him to plan and react to his kills sloppily. Dexter feels antsy every time he’s around blood, and the town people get the sense that he is just queasy around it. Actually it excites his urges to kill that much more. He continues to have ties with the police, not through working for the Miami Metro, but outside as a citizen acquainted with the department. It seems as if random characters who were thought to have no story plot at all have one. T h e s e c h a r a c t e r s a r e n ’t technically related to the main plot, but they are people Dexter might be interested in knowing eventually. It’s easy to become attached to the characters on the show but in all fairness the audience should maintain an emotional distance and an open perspective when watching for that experience. The new “Dexter: New Blood” series is playing Sunday’s on Showtime.
Latest ‘Resident Evil’ film strikes anticipation into fans BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” is a zombie survival thriller set in 1998. It’s a film that fans will find enjoyable for going back to the basics with an added emphasis of fear. After watching it fans will likely come away satisfied and enjoying it more than recent “Resident Evil” films. It is a reboot of the series and closely follows the plot of the first and second video games. Johannes Roberts is the director and writer of the film. He also directed 47 Meters Down and Darkhunters. Unlike some of the other films in the series, Raccoon City does not contain much hand-to-hand combat. Instead, they use guns and weapons. Claire Redfield, played by Kaya Scodelario, Chris Redfield, played by Robbie Amell, and William Birkin, Neal McDonough, were among the stand-out actors. The movie starts off as a horror film. Claire and Chris are at an orphanage that experiments on children. Birkin is a doctor, and is www.ELACCampusNews.com
an employee of the Umbrella saying Raccoon City will be corporation that experiments on destroyed at 6 a.m. children. While the film was enjoyable, There is little lighting at the scenes felt too rushed. orphanage with dark ambient music As is the case with movie playing in the background, creating adaptations of video games, they an eerie feeling. t ypically don’t have enough time Claire walks in a deserted room to flesh out the story as well as the with nothing but creepy dolls staring source material. back at her. I nstead of wasting time on There is a poster at the orphanage useless characters that are quickly that said “An Umbrella is shelter killed off they could have shown more from the storm”. expirmatations at It is an extremely the orphanage. creepy first scene. The setting The final scene is There are is pitch dark and exactly like the unusual events raining the entire video games. Long- film. happening at Raccoon City. This is perfect time fans of the Civilians are for a zombie franchise will love apocalypse film. becoming tense as zombies are Certain scenes the homage. It sets invading their city. are a gory mess, up perfectly as a Humans along which is what sequel. with dogs are the franchise has getting bitten by come to be known zombies and are for, besides a few causing disorder missing limbs. throughout the city. Raccoon City was creepier than Zombies are covered in blood most Resident Evil films. wandering around the street and At times it feels like a horror breaking into houses. movie. The police have become aware While all the prequels have had of the unusual events that night and their fair share of horror elements are sprung into action. they relied mostly on action scenes. Albert Wesker, played by Tom Raccoon City felt like a true Hopper, gets a creepy message horror film right from the start.
It focused on scare tactics and terrifying scenes. Resident Evil is known for its jump scares and odd use of angles to keep fans tense throughout. So expect a ton of scary and creepy scenes. Resident Evil is among the most recognizable series in pop culture. The video game franchise has received a ton of love and praise. Yet the films have always had mixed reviews. In theory, the films should be easy to adapt since the video games don’t contain any type of magic or special effects. Unfortunately fans of the series are often underwhelmed with the adaptations. Most of the films break continuosly by leaving out key details and enragies the fanbase. Raccoon City was able to adapt the first two video games properly which should make the fanbase happy. The final scene is exactly like the video games. Long-time fans of the franchise will love the homage. It sets up perfectly for a sequel. “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” is rated R, runs one hour and 47 minutes and is available at select theaters.
COURTESY OF IMDB
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER—Claire Redfield (left) and Leon Kennedy looking through the orphanage’s past files.