Opinion

OPINION: Tim Burton films lack representation

  A chill in the air and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew on the menu at Starbucks mean that it’s the perfect time to binge watch spooky movies. However, you should think twice this fall about putting a Tim Burton film with questionable representation into your queue.  Of the 26 feature-length films that Burton has either directed or produced, only four of them have Black actors in supporting roles, and only one has a Black actor in a leading role — Samuel L. Jackson as the villain in “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Extraordinary Children.”   Burton made headlines back in 2016 when the film was released after his interview with the women’s magazine Bustle. 

OPINION: Fall recipes to sweeten up your semester

  Baking pies and cookies in fall has always been my favorite autumn activity, and warm desserts always help on a chilly day. This fall, I decided to try a new recipe, pumpkin spice cake balls, and an old family favorite, pecan pie squares. Pumpkin spice cake balls Fall has arrived and with it, a barrage of pumpkin-themed foods and drinks, including the ever-so-popular Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Have you ever wanted to have this delectable drink in the form of a cake ball? Well, look no further than this delectable recipe.

LETTER: Why isn’t UNM requiring high school students on campus to be vaccinated?

  In late August, the University of New Mexico publicly announced that all students, staff and faculty accessing University facilities would be required to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30, with two exceptions: medical necessity and sincere religious belief. What the UNM administration failed to tell the public was that there was a third exception to the vaccine mandate: high school students attending UNM classes.  The UNM administration has informed the United Academics of the University of New Mexico’s bargaining team that it is too complicated to require high school students to be vaccinated. 

September 20, 2021 Comics

OPINION: Sparse tree canopy in International District indicates environmental racism

  The International District, one of the least affluent areas of Albuquerque, might as well be the poster child for environmental injustice. This ethnically diverse area is knee-deep in the cruxes of climate change, seen by way of the urban heat island effect, which comes to fruition through substantial infrastructure development such as concrete buildings and asphalt in cities. The effect causes cities to absorb and trap heat in areas like the International District, which is an area between Lomas, Eubank, Gibson and San Mateo. This trapped heat results in hotter temperatures during the day and less cooling at night, which is particularly impactful on the most densely populated neighborhood in New Mexico. 

REVIEW: Sally Rooney’s new novel serves to reinforce her place among the greats

  “Beautiful World, Where Are You,” Sally Rooney’s third novel, is a marvelous display of deft description and skillful storytelling. It’s safe to say that Rooney’s smash hit, “Normal People,” wasn’t her last masterpiece; rather, it was clearly just the beginning of her (hopefully) long lasting and successful career. “Beautiful World” tells the story of best friends Alice Kelleher and Eileen Lydon from college to early 30s; they live apart but stay connected over email, and are forever intertwined through lasting friendship. Of course there are other characters, like both women’s respective love interests, as well as Eileen’s chaotic sister Lola, but Alice and Eileen are the main focus of the novel.

September 13, 2021 Comics

REVIEW: “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is more than just another Marvel success

This review contains spoilers. Each time I find myself in a theater gearing up for Marvel’s newest offering, I can’t help but prepare for the worst. As the lights dim and that iconic Marvel opening plays, I shield my eyes from the screen, prepping myself for the impossible: a disappointing Marvel movie. But just from the first few minutes of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,'' I quickly realized that Marvel has another hit on their hands.  What I didn’t realize until the credits started rolling, though, was to what scale this film might have an impact on Asian representation in film.

September 7, 2021 Comics

OPINION: UNM men's basketball player pairing could solve team's issues

Last year, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team was terrible on the offensive. They couldn’t shoot, they turned the ball over way too much and their defense was poor in the backcourt. There were problems all over the roster, but the most glaring started at the guard positions, which are the most important positions in college basketball. This season won’t be perfect in that department either, but UNM does have two players that could propel the Lobos to better offensive bliss if they can play together: Saquan Singleton and Jamal Mashburn Jr.

OPINION: Sexism pollutes sports industry

  Sexism in sports has tainted every aspect of the industry and continues to do so even today. In a seemingly progressive society, we remain decades behind where we should be. Women are continuously viewed as lesser than men, and this trend in sports is something that needs to be addressed and worked on. From a local perspective, I see a distinct lack of coverage in female teams, whereas male teams are in every media aspect imaginable. The University of New Mexico has more womens’ sports teams than mens’, so why am I only hearing about the mens’ teams? 

REVIEW: ‘Candyman’ (2021) shows the horrors of gentrification

  This review contains spoilers If you asked any filmmaker working in Hollywood right now, regardless of talent or experience, if they would want to remake 1992’s “Candyman,” the general consensus would probably be a resounding, “No, the original was already so good; how could I even come close to approaching that?” Enter director and co-writer Nia DaCosta, who boldly takes on the challenge of re-imagining one of the most iconic ‘90s horror films and overall one of the most iconic horror films of all time; DaCosta steps up to the plate with an immense respect for the genre and a whole load of creativity.

August 30, 2021 Comics

OPINION: New “Witcher” movie adds depth, beauty to established universe

  As an avid fan of the hit Netflix series “The Witcher,” I was devastated when I originally burned through the eight, hour-long episodes very quickly. However, Aug. 23 brought some new content with the release of “The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf,” an animated movie independent from the first series that’s actually worth watching. My initial excitement about this new series was short-lived when I learned the characters would be unfamiliar and the plot would be completely unrelated to that of “The Witcher.” However, I soon came to realize that while the stories may be different, the world that both productions share was greatly benefited by this new animated film. 

OPINION: My traumatic experience as a breakthrough COVID-19 case

I write as a student journalist that has covered the COVID-19 pandemic since it started. I write as an aspiring musician who has been playing the flute for half of my life. I write as a heartbroken person who feels isolated emotionally and physically as I get over my experience with COVID-19. And I write for all the people lost due to the recklessness of others. I did everything right: I’m fully vaccinated, I’ve been adhering to mask mandates and social distancing, and I’ve been putting my life on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. But I still got the virus.

OPINION: “Twilight” takeaways as an adult

  This review contains spoilers for the “Twilight” series Take any movie saga from the early 2010s and you’re bound to get an iconic era fueled by quirky traits like side braids, archery classes and running around aimlessly in the woods. Possibly the most influential of the fictional series phase we all experienced around the 2010s was “The Twilight Saga.” While I never got into the books or movies at the time, the films’ recent arrival on Netflix inspired me to finally see what the hype was about. I can completely understand loving “Twilight” as a kid, but here are some of my thoughts as a first-time adult viewer. 

August 16, 2021 Comics

Ask the editors: Music edition

  As school starts back up, every student should be armed with a solid playlist to get them through the day. Whether you’re running to class or sifting through dozens of introductory assignments, here are four songs that are sure to liven up your days as you get back into the swing of things. Listen to the full playlist here! On Emma’s playlist:  “Unlock It (Lock It)” by Charli XCX feat. Kim Petras and Jay Park This song, expertly squeezed in on XCX’s 2017 feature-heavy album “Pop 2,” is a blissful collection of electro-pop sounds and beautifully curated vocals by XCX and Petras. “Unlock It (Lock It)” has recently enjoyed a resurgence thanks to a viral TikTok trend, and I couldn’t be more pleased. 

OPINION: Fake vaccination cards are dangerous and immoral

  With COVID-19 cases surging across the country, universities and employers have begun attempting to crack down on vaccine requirements. Although this signals a step in the right direction, the increasing number of fake credentials being used to cheat a verified vaccination status could very well land us right back where we started, or worse. Fake vaccination cards are not new in regards to this pandemic; a public service announcement about the illegality of fake cards was released by the FBI in March, near the time the vaccine was approved for the majority of adult individuals in New Mexico, proving that for as long as any place has required a COVID-19 vaccine, people have found ways to produce or procure counterfeit documents.

OPINION: Sci-fi comedy “Star Trek: Lower Decks” makes way for another memorable season

  This review contains spoilers for “Lower Decks” seasons 1 and 2 Trekkies were in for a treat on Thursday with the arrival of the season 2 premiere of “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” The show continues to go where no man has gone before as creator Mike McMahan, former “Rick and Morty” writer and producer, intertwines this adult animation with science fiction, comedy and sleek references to the entire “Star Trek” universe, setting up for yet another season that’s definitely worth watching. If you haven’t seen the first season yet, I’d recommend watching that before diving into the second one.