Author Archives | Baylee Friedman

Student athletes’ housing experience

One’s housing situation decisively affects sports performance, school performance and emotional health. A bad roommate, broken air conditioning, lame RA or insect infestation can play a part in destroying general well-being, bottoming out the lowest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This fragile and fickle ecosystem is especially important to student athletes who do not have the time to focus on anything else besides school and sports. While Georgia Tech provides the basic living needs most of the time — excluding Smith — there are some issues for student athletes, specifically involving community and finances that need to be addressed.

Generally, first-year students have the choice of where to live. Athletes are essentially required to live in certain dorms or apartments their first year. This is why many student athletes choose off-campus options after they finish their required time in on-campus housing. 

Franco Reyes, a former student athlete comments on the situation, “Swimmers are required to live in Maulding apartments as freshmen.” Maulding is a student apartment complex located on West Campus at a cost of $4,829 per semester. Compare this to Smith dorms at $3,459, and the student athlete is at a financial disadvantage of $1,370 per year. Granted, many of the student athletes are here on scholarships, but there are many that are not.

“While I was good enough to get a scholarship, some slower swimmers had to pay for the dorms themselves — maybe they should try harder to get the scholarships next year,” said Reyes. Athletes who are already financially disadvantaged have another item to stack onto their debt. First-year football players live in North Avenue Apartments and track athletes live in Eighth Street Apartments, all of which are more expensive than standard freshmen housing.

In addition to the financial burdens, the sense of community is also another issue. Community directly translates to comradery among team members. Team bonding is the driving factor of performance for certain sports. While the student athletes live together in the same apartments, they share the floor with other non-athlete Tech students. 

For example, “We had some senior honor students next to us. They were not very accepting of our loud and vibrant lifestyle. Mixing seniors with freshman is ‘wack,’” said Reyes.  

Reyes describes the situation perfectly and highlights a key distinction between the “Freshman Experience” and student athlete housing. As a compromise however, Reyes would like to see that each floor of an apartment building be dominated by athletes of the same sport, so team building “would be easy.” To be acquainted with Tech, it is best to be with people who are experiencing the same transitions.

While the convenience of living close to the student athlete’s athletic facility is important, does it take away from the community that is built in freshman dorms or burden those student athletes that are financially disadvantaged? Perhaps it is time to reevaluate what it means to be a student athlete and determine what values of housing are important to the athlete’s success and college experience.

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Welcome to Tech, Green bros.

On Sunday, Jan. 12, excited patrons flocked to the Ferst Center Theater to see John and Hank Green on their last stop of the “Dear Hank and John: Minotour 2020.” The brother duo, originally famous for their “Vlogbrothers” series on Youtube in which they communicated with each other through daily video blogs, took their podcast series on the road this year, recording live episodes of John Green’s “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” Hank and Katherine Green’s “Earth Bones” and John and Hank’s co-hosted show “Dear Hank and John,” along with other surprise shows and appearances. The proceeds of the tour are going towards building a “Town Center of Excellence.” The brothers are partnering up with Partners in Health in order to push this initiative to help solve the issue of world high maternal mortality rates in Sierra Leone. 

The theater was filled with nerdy excitement in the form of John Green “pizza” hats and graphic shirts galore spread among the audience. The anticipation was building as showgoers conversed with each other, sharing their love for the brothers and the brothers’ various ventures throughout the years. Suddenly, the prefilled playlist of music stopped, and a minotaur, in the same shape, look and sound as Hank Green, appeared on stage. 

After a laugh-filled introductory monologue from the minotaur, John Green came on stage. “I’m so glad to be back in the state I took my SAT in,” Green said, later explaining that his home state of Alabama only offered the SAT every other month. In good procrastinator fashion, he had prolonged taking it until he was forced to roadtrip to Georgia. 

He began to read an essay for his podcast solo show, “The Anthropocene Review,” in which he “rates different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale.” This episode’s topic under review was “Auld Lang Syne,” the beloved soundtrack associated with every New Year’s ball drop. Spoiler alert, Green gave the 1788 poem a five star rating. 

The minotaur-masked man then came back on stage to introduce Hank and Katherine Green’s duo show, “Delete This,” in which the two analyze Hank’s twitter feed and comment on popular tweets from the past week. The lighthearted show was a welcome follow-up to the slightly existentialist spiral John put the audience through in the prior segment. 

Following a short intermission, the Green brothers met each other on stage to record an episode of “Dear Hank and John,” where they read and answered questions submitted by the audience members prior to the show. The brothers’ advice and answers ranged from how to show your mother she is appreciated, whether it would be hypothetically better to be slippery or sticky for the rest of your life and what kind of chair is their favorite — a question inspired from a question referencing Tech’s ID 2202 class, lovingly nicknamed “History of Chairs.” 

The show then transitioned to live audience questions, where three lucky people got to ask the Greens about their quandaries. One student asked about how to acquire proper fish custody rights for a goldfish, for which they babysat for an out-of-state friend and to which they had grown attached. 

Soon after solving this problem by creating an elaborate scheme to train the goldfish to swim to the person they want it to live with, the Greens then took a question from someone wondering how to run for mayor of their municipality and another question regarding how one should go about introducing their internet-made best friend to their real life friends who ask how the two met. 

Not only was the show a celebration of all the awesome things the Green brothers have produced and put into the world, but it was also a joyous reminder of the power of the internet to bring people together. John and Hank Green have truly created a media empire that undoubtedly helped educate a large portion of the Georgia Tech student population in classic literature, science and social studies and their comedic energy and personalities transferred well from their original Youtube platform onto the podcast stage.

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Selena Gomez’s new ‘Rare’ is a little undercooked

Selena Gomez, the pop princess of comebacks, released her third studio album, “Rare,” on Jan. 10, following a five-year hiatus. This intimate record focuses on Gomez’s personal growth and the adversities she faced during her time away from the limelight. The 13-track album gives powerful insight into her past relationships, mental health and other struggles, but this album exhibits little musical growth from her past discography. “Rare” is stagnant in the face of her two previous bubblegum pop albums. 

The first track, “Rare,” begins the album in a mid-tempo fashion and incorporates a vaguely catchy chorus. Although this tune is a single off the album, it lacks an “it” factor. The song is unmemorable and is an easily skipped track, which unfortunately sets the mood for the rest of the album. The first promoted single off this album, “Lose You to Love Me,” has a positive message and speaks of the pain felt years after ending a relationship. The lyrics are a notch above mediocre, but the vocals leave a lot to be desired. It is obvious that Gomez’s comfort zone lies within repetitive and shallow lyrics. While this is usually enough to make the top charts, “Lose You to Love Me” is among the other tracks on this album that lack catchiness. 

“Look At Her Now” is another single that falls flat but at least offers uplifting lyrics. This song relies heavily on its backing music rather than her vocals. This tune also leans into the notion of being defined by past relationships, which may leave a bad taste in listeners’ mouths. It has been done time and time again by Gomez. “Look At Her Now” lacks depth and, because of this, comes across as one-dimensional. 

Standout track “Ring” is the only song that differs from the rest of the album and is literally the only track that achieves something new. The song is extremely catchy and sounds like it could easily be featured in a movie’s action scene. It sticks to her typical formula, which is to just repeat the name of the song as much as possible over the course of three minutes, but this time it works. It is reminiscent of her more successful 2015 album, “Revival.” 

“Rare” also features popular artists 6LACK and Kid Cudi on “Crowded Room” and “A Sweeter Place,” respectively. Unfortunately, neither of these stars could save this flop of an album. The majority of the tracks could be classified as fillers, and only a few songs are actually worth a listen. After listening to one song off of “Rare,” the rest of the album is unnecessary as all the tracks sound the same. Considering all Gomez has endured during her five-year hiatus, more profundity was expected from her third studio album.

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Mendes’ one-shot film ‘1917’ joins Oscars race

With the Oscars less than one month away, the race for Best Picture is finally starting to take shape. One film has joined the ranks as a new contender for the coveted prize: “1917.”

The new war movie from Sam Mendes (“Skyfall”) won Best Drama Picture and Best Director at the Golden Globes, received eight nominations from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and just collected ten Oscar nominations, including those for Best Picture and Best Director. Beyond the numbers, though, what makes “1917” such a presumed favorite?

For one reason, as long as the Oscars and the Academy have existed, they have expressed consistent adoration for historical dramas and war movies. Moreover, “1917” is being presented as a one-shot film — a method that gives viewers the appearance that they are watching one continous take of the camera, achieved by stitching together long, tracking shots with limited and veiled cuts. In recent memory, this technique has garnered praise and awards, as was the case for 2014’s “Birdman,” which won Best Picture.

However, for Mendes’s latest work, this filmmaking decision is not a gimmick for attention but a tool to enhance storytelling.

Bearing much similarity to “Saving Private Ryan,” the script penned by Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns (“Penny Dreadful”) follows a pair of British soldiers during World War I on an against-all-odds mission to stop a devastating military loss and save the life of a brother. The protagonists, Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield, are played respectively by relative newcomers Dean-Charles Chapman (“Before I Go To Sleep”) and George MacKay (“Captain Fantastic”). After the duo receive their orders from General Erinmore (Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”) they depart on their mission immediately. On their journey, the soldiers encounter a murderous row of famous British actors, including Andrew Scott (“Sherlock”), Mark Strong (“Kingsman”) and Benedict Cumberbatch (“Doctor Strange”).

While the camerawork — shot by the legendary Roger Deakins (“No Country for Old Men”) — is dazzling and impressive, technically, what is almost more remarkable is just how effective, purposeful and cohesive it is with the narrative. As the camera follows Blake and Schofield through the trenches, it evokes an uncanniness that mirrors the impossibility and danger of their mission. In calmer moments, the presentation captures the humanity of two friends hiking through a literal warzone. At its most suspenseful, the boldness of the filmmaking matches the protagonists’ general defiance of fear and death.

In other words, Deakins and Mendes are not employing the one-shot method to be flashy or simply because they can — they utilize it purposefully to improve their visual storytelling.

While “1917” is certainly not a perfect movie, few are. At times, some writing choices and staging decisions break the realism that the film works tirelessly to construct. When Schofield sprints across open fields as mortars strike and soldiers charge behind him, it can be easy to remember that this is still a movie. Being unrealistic is not a crime in itself, but when it undermines the general vibe and atmosphere of a movie, it can detract from the viewing experience.

Moreover, despite some awards attention for composer Thomas Newman’s (“Skyfall”) score, the World War I epic does not quite feel like a very symphonically assembled movie. The edits (or lack thereof), sound design and score often fail to click with the on-screen narrative in the same way that Deakins’s cinematography does. To put otherwise, while some films feel like they are firing on all cylinders, “1917” seems to fire on only two.

These imperfections are not indications of poor quality. Rather, they reflect a film just shy of literal perfection in a couple regards, which is still quite impressive.

War might be hell, but “1917” is a hell of a war movie, and although the pack of contenders is particularly deep for this year’s Oscars races, it would not be particularly surprising to see Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins accepting awards on behalf of their acclaimed war film.

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How to argue in a loving way

On a hot summer morning, I made an off-handed comment to a friend about climate change — likely complaining about the heat, something I am known to do. But then I got an unexpected response. My friend replied, “Yeah, I don’t really think humans are responsible for climate change.”

Suffice it to say, the 45 minute car ride that followed was uncomfortable. Occasionally supported by friends in the backseat, I argued emotionally with the driver. 

How could he be so ignorant? What made him think he was smarter than the scientific consensus? How could he be so careless with the future of our planet?

And he argued right back. Both of us emerged from the car at the end of the ride frustrated. My happy summer day had been scarred by an argument that I had far from won. 

A tiny part of me was disappointed in this friend that I considered intelligent and rational. My response to his statement denying culpability for climate change was emotional, unnecessary and unhelpful. I had not changed his mind. If anything, I had solidified his opinion that climate change activists are chronic overreactors obsessed with the end of the world. 

I look back on that conversation with regret; I could have been a better advocate for what I believe, and more importantly, I could have been a better friend.

Many of us have examples of conflicts like this, and they are only exacerbated by an ever increasing polarization of opinions in our country. Our blood boils when we are faced with opposing opinions on controversial topics like abortion rights, immigration and healthcare. 

But what happens if it is someone you love who is on the other side of the spectrum?

I recently came across a comic in The Lily titled “10 steps to take when talking politics with someone you disagree with this holiday season.”

 I read through the few steps, which included “be an engaged listener,” “plainly state what you believe, and offer a value you might share”  and “share a story about how this story impacts you or someone you love.” 

The information in the comic was based on the LARA Method for Tense Talks, a conflict resolution strategy from Stanford that stands for Listen, Affirm, Respond, Ask Questions.

I reflected on my conversation over the summer and realized that I had broken every one of those rules and disregarded every guidepost towards a productive conversation. I let my emotions get the best of me. If I had spoken calmly and respectfully, sharing my side of the story clearly, I might have actually made an impact on my friend.

 Or maybe not — but at least I would have had a better chance. It feels easy and harmless to get angry at a stranger or someone you do not like about a questionable opinion, especially on the internet. Though it gets more complicated when someone you care about happens to disagree with you on such a fundamental level. 

From this conversation and others I have had with coworkers, parents and friends, I have found little success in convincing someone of my point of view by yelling or furiously googling statistics to prove the other person wrong. 

It is far more effective to listen, try to understand and speak with kindness. That way, people will remember my words rather than my reaction.

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Mechanotechnology research wins Suddath Award

ME Aaron Blanchard gave a talk on his ground breaking DNA mechanotechnology research at the Bud Suddath Award Symposium. The award is open to any doctoral student conducting biological or biochemical research at the molecular or cellular level, and as its first place winner, Blanchard will get his name added to a plaque in the Petit Institute as well as $1000 to further his research. 

Blanchard’s work is focused on the nano-scale mechanical forces that occur within the human body—everything from muscle contraction to embryogenesis are accomplished by these tiny biological machines. These functions are controlled by biomolecular structures that detect and transmit piconewton-scale forces. Blanchard began by emphasizing our dependence on these tiny mechanical forces, and discussed his research studying and reproducing them. 

He and his team have already made significant contributions to the field of “mechanotechnology,” a term he coined. Specifically, he has worked on developing nano-scale DNA hairpin tension probes that communicate when force is being exerted. These rigid six-helixed structures, among other important functions, emit force as fluorescence that can be observed during experimentation. Integrins, receptors that allow animal cells to bind to the extracellular matrix, are a main focus for Blanchard’s team. Blanchard clarified that “when integrins get activated, it starts intracellular signaling, which decides how cells react to force.” 

The orientation of these forces matter, and exploration of this orientation is one of the most crucial parts of Blanchard’s research. From a National Center for Biotechnology Information article detailing one of Blanchard’s collaborations: “We used single-molecule force spectroscopy to determine the probes’ tension response thresholds and used computational modeling to show that hairpin unfolding is semi-cooperative and orientation-dependent.” This is important for the field of biotechnology because it allows scientists to build similar mechanosensors for important biophysical processes like immune response and cell development.

As a result of their work, Blanchard and his team have created the world’s strongest synthetic DNA-based motor. He explained that DNA is one of the
more convenient molecules to begin with—it’s easily manipulated, affordable, commercially available and easy to design with computational sequencing. The mechanical forces of DNA are predictable which makes it an easy structure to build from the ground up. 

His talk was part of a two-day symposium, the focus of which was sharing new research on probe signaling that might help human health. The award, which has been given annually for the last 28 years, is granted in memory of Bud Suddath, a former professor and Vice President for Information Technology at Georgia Tech.

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Atlanta’s greatest music albums of the decade

Over the past decade, Atlanta has been called home by many talented artists. This city offers a sound like no other whether it is hip-hop or metal. Even though it is nearly impossible to narrow down the top albums that came out of Atlanta, there are ten that truly defined this past decade. 

Deerhunter’s enigmatic 2010 album, “Halcyon Digest,” helped shape the start of the decade with its atmospheric instrumentation and hypnotic vocals. This album created a melting pot of all previous decades and plucked the best part of various eras. Single “Earthquake” is reminiscent of the slowcore movement while another song off the album, “Revival,” is the polar opposite and offers a doo-wop and surfer rock sound. 

With an incomparable tone and infectiously catchy lyrics, CeeLo Green more than impressed with his third solo album from 2010, “The Lady Killer.” “Forget You,” initially more explicitly titled, became an instant hit with its repetitive hook that could not help but get stuck in listeners’ heads after one listen. Although that song alone makes this album deserve   to be on this list, the other tracks off the album are definitely worth a listen. 

Atlanta-based metal band Mastodon had long since made a name for themselves, but 2011 album, “Hunter,” bolstered their rise even more-so in the city’s grindcore and progressive metal community. This band has been established as one of the biggest influences for the rise of progressive rock in and outside of Atlanta. Standout tracks “Black Tongue” and “Blasteroid” feature complex rhythms and corroding vocals that lingers long after listening. 

In his 2012 album, “Based on a T.R.U. Story,” rapper 2 Chainz helps carry the torch of those before him with his southern hip-hop drawl and marries it with his signature “trap music” sound. This album is doused in heavy synths and lewd lyrics. 2 Chainz’s flow is in a league of its own, and he proves it with tracks “Birthday Song” and “I’m Different.” This album finds the perfect balance between its sampling and vocals without neglecting either components. 

Although Atlanta royalty Outkast did not release any albums during this decade, half of the acclaimed hip-hop duo, Big Boi has released quite a few solo albums since leaving the group. On his 2012 album, “Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors,” Big Boi pays homage to the city that made him with song “In the a” and features other notable Atlanta rappers, Ludacris and T.I. This album reminds listeners how influential Big Boi was to country-fried hip-hop. 

Compton-bred rapper YG brought his West coast sound to Atlanta in 2014 when he recorded his album “My Krazy Life” in Home Park, a neighborhood that is a stone’s throw away from Georgia Tech. YG fuses his hometown pride and gangster rap with an Atlanta-produced sound. Tracks “Left,Right” and “BPT” adopt heavy basslines and percussion sampling along with raunchy lyrics. 

Atlanta’s golden boys of trap music, Migos, released “Culture” in 2017 and greatly left their mark on the city’s rap scene. Track “Bad and Boujee” featured tight percussion and a rap flow that mimics the backing instrumentation on the track. This song was also responsible for popularizing the term “Bad and Boujee” worldwide. Another standout track that became an overnight anthem is “T-Shirt.” The rap trio is most well-known for their triplet-flow and funky trap sound.  

This alternative-rock, Atlanta-based band, Manchester Orchestra, did more than impress when they released their fifth studio album, “A Black Mile to the Surface,” in 2017. The album is chock-full of anecdotal lyrics and gut-wrenching vocals. For an album that only took a matter of months to complete, it sounds like it was years in the making. Standout tracks “The Grocery” and “The Alien” are centered around complex and philosophical themes. Each song offers great depth and intricate storytelling making it feel like a complete book.  

Misnomer is a collective of musicians that defy the jazz genre. Their 2018 album, “Neighborhood,” finds the sweet spot between funk and a big band sound. Standout tracks “Rippin” and “Breakdown” both have a groove that cannot be ignored by listeners, even those who are not jazz fans. They will be performing at Vinyl near the end of this month for anyone wanting to check
them out live.

Up-and-coming alternative-folk artist Faye Webster gained nationwide attention in 2019 after the release of her third studio album, “Atlanta Millionaires Club.” It could be listened to cover-to-cover without ever wanting to skip a track. Webster’s crooning is a step above whispering, but her mild manner works beautifully as she tells a new story on each song. Standout tracks “Jonny,” “Room Temperature” and “Kingston” exemplify her unique vocals and a tone that commands attention. 

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Netflix show ‘Dracula’ starts strong, ends slowly

When writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, creators of the popular series “Sherlock,” announced that they were writing a three-episode miniseries based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel “Dracula,” expectations were high.

The duo’s work on “Sherlock,” most notably their excellent dialogue writing, has received critical praise and amassed a significant following around the world. There was little doubt that their writing style would translate well from Sherlock’s world to Count Dracula’s, and indeed it does.

“Dracula” follows a more classical vampire formula than most modern media featuring the supernatural beast. Gatiss and Moffat’s count wears a cape, lives in a massive medieval castle in the mountains of Transylvania and is terrified of crucifixes. Still, the miniseries does not simply follow the plot of Stoker’s original novel. 

While the episodes do follow Count Dracula (Claes Bang of “The Square”) as he attempts to reach England and a character named Van Helsing’s attempts to stop him, as in the original novel, Van Helsing is not a stuffy old Dutch professor. Instead, the character is a delightfully witty and self-professed nun in a local convent.

The character of Sister Van Helsing, who results from this creative rewrite, is one of the miniseries’ greatest strengths, as portrayed by actress Dolly Wells (“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”). The nun is the perfect rival for Count Dracula, constantly checking his ego with her own intellect. In fact, she is the only character that refuses to let the count get the best of her. Every conversation between the two is a struggle for control and dominance, and Dracula’s abrasive arrogance and cruelty make Van Helsing’s eventual triumph over him incredibly satisfying to the viewer.

The miniseries is also extremely beautiful, from elaborate period costumes to the absurd gothic décor of Count Dracula’s castle to the beautiful snow-covered valleys of Transylvania. The series is visually reminiscent of the 2016 one-off “Sherlock” special “The Abominable Bride,” which moves Gatiss and Moffat’s modern-day versions of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson back to their native Victorian times.

As it turns out, Victorian settings may play well to Gatiss and Moffat’s strengths, because “Dracula” begins to fall apart when the two writers move it from 1897 forward to 2020 at the beginning of the third and final episode. There is nothing wrong with this move on its own; Dracula is immortal so it is not much of a stretch to move things forward 123 years. The problem is that same things that make the first two episodes of the miniseries great also make the last episode borderline insufferable.

The trouble begins with the settings Gatiss and Moffat choose. The scenes in modern-day London all seem to be set in oversaturated dance clubs full of ecstasy-fueled ravers and annoying strobe lights, boring-looking hotel rooms and sterilized hospital hallways. The beautiful costumes and sets that made the first two episodes so interesting to look at are gone, leaving in their place an atmosphere that feels ordinary at best.

Still, the main reason why the last episode is so much worse is that Gatiss and Moffat’s writing totally falls apart. The dialogue is still fairly interesting, though the absence of Dolly Wells’s Sister Helsing character from most of this episode makes it slightly less entertaining. 

The problem is that the writers seem to completely lose their ability to craft a cohesive plot. Gatiss and Moffat introduce multiple characters that seem to serve no meaningful purpose in the main story and, worse still, distracting and uninteresting subplots, which exist in parallel to the story of Dracula and Van Helsing and interact only tangentially with them.

Matthew Beard’s (“The Imitation Game”) character, Jack, gets significant screen time in the third episode, yet he seemingly exists only to drive the ill Van Helsing to her final confrontation with Count Dracula. 

Then there’s Lucy, portrayed by Lydia West (“Years and Years”), who actually does serve a relatively important, although abstract, role in the main plot. The problem is that the episode dedicates far too much screen time to following her and her group of friends, giving her character disproportionate focus and boring the viewer. 

The result of these subplots and unnecessary characters is that the third episode, which has a runtime of over 90 minutes, seems to drag on forever. By the time the miniseries reaches its conclusion, the viewer cannot help but feel relieved that the whole thing is finally over. 

Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat’s new miniseries “Dracula” starts strong with striking visuals, intriguing characters and entertaining dialogue, but its final episode leaves the viewer with such a sour taste in his mouth that it is difficult to recommend a viewing.

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The movies, developments that defined the 2010s

Though few things are certain in this world, the claim that cinema as a form of art and entertainment remained static during the 2010s it patently false. Many speculate that the industry is dying, as depicted by declining ticket sales, the rise of streaming services and a culture of sequelization. While these prove at least partially true, the general pessimism and anxiety overlook the progress, achievements and emergent talent the decade has witnessed.

The Academy Awards expanded the pool of Best Picture nominees, and in turn called attention to smaller films that would otherwise have been ignored, such as 2015’s “Room.” In response to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in early 2016, the Academy started diversity and inclusion initiatives, which were followed by awards for films like “Moonlight” and “BlacKkKlansman.” Although the results are still far from equitable — only one woman (Greta Gerwig) was nominated for Best Director in the whole decade — the steps appear to move in a more promising direction.

Outside of the Oscars, #MeToo sent ripples through the show business, resulting in overdue self-examination and justice within the industry. The mainstream successes of “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Coco” and “Black Panther” have made it hard not to feel optimistic about trends toward better representation both on-screen and behind-the-camera.

The decade also saw the emergence and contributions of some truly great filmmakers. Alfonso Cuaron (“Gravity”) and Alejandro Inarritu (“Birdman”) championed long, single-take camera shots — an age-old filmmaking technique that has now been obsessively adopted by many other filmmakers. Denis Villenueve joined the likes of Christopher Nolan (“Inception”) as one of the best working directors of popular, mainstream cinema with “Arrival” and “Sicario.” 

Meanwhile, a new generation of young talent announced their exciting presence as voices of the future — Damien Chazelle (“La La Land”), Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther”), Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”), Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) and Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”).

Despite much cause for anxiety and gloom about the state of the industry, the 2010s gave moviegoers numerous reasons to be excited and optimistic about the direction of the artform. In no particular order, these are some of the decade’s finest works.

“Lady Bird” is the 2017 directorial debut from Greta Gerwig (“Frances Ha”) about a young woman (Saoirse Ronan of “Brooklyn”) coming of age and quarreling with her mother in small-town Sacramento. What powerfully separates “Lady Bird” from its genre’s peers is Gerwig’s thoughtful, focused filmmaking. The camera oozes with compassion, capturing the titular character’s unspoken adoration for the hometown that she is trying to escape. It is a rich text about the inherent tension between identity, home, family, love and attention.

In 2014, Ava DuVernay released “Selma.” In the biopic about the 1965 civil rights marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the reverend is played impeccably by David Oyelowo (“A United Kingdom”). Although the movie is terrific in nearly every way, it excels the most in two particular ways. First, its portrait of Dr. King is nothing shy of magnificent, reflecting the genuine doubts, fears and humanity of a man whose life was in danger daily. Second, the film serves as a moving call to action, inspiring its viewers to persevere and endure as they work to secure a safer and better world
for their kids.

Absurd as it sounds, people should really stop sleeping on “Paddington 2.” Released in 2018, the sequel follows the CGI bear through his antics in real-life London. At times, the film is nothing more than a PG, family-friendly movie for children, and even then, it is relentlessly charming. Yet “Paddington 2” transcends its cute setup by telling a remarkably heartwarming story. Everywhere the bear goes, he brings joy, compassion and companionship. In a perfectly constructed and cohesive work, the movie relays just how bright, terrific and happy the world can be when people are fundamentally good to each other.

Weirder than a bear prancing through London, “Her” is a sci-fi romance in which Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”) falls in love with his operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson (“Avengers”). In other words, he essentially has a romance with a sentient version of Siri. But writer-director Spike Jonze (“Being John Malkovich”) is aware of the weirdness and uses it to create a masterpiece about loneliness, love and the impermanence of relationships.

A growing cliche about Pixar is that kids will enjoy their movies, but adults will get emotionally wrecked by them. While “Inside Out” certainly feels like it is doing the latter, it never sacrifices the elation and adventure that makes a trademark piece of animation. For those who skipped it, “Inside Out” is about the emotions inside of Riley — an eleven-year-old girl — where the characters are Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear. Responsible for Riley’s well-being, the emotions make a few mistakes when managing a tumultuous move, sending them on a mission to save the young girl before she runs away. The stakes are small, but they feel enormous. The adventure is hysterical and brilliantly written, but the themes about the importance of emotions and expressing them are more fully developed and effective than any other movie this decade.

Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” is regarded as one of the best films of all-time, so making a sequel 35 years later seemed a dangerous endeavor. Fortunately, the aforementioned Denis Villenueve attached himself to the project, and he created a sci-fi epic that transcends the term “sequel.” Ryan Gosling (“La La Land”) plays a replicant — beings who appear human but are actually machines, engineered to be better soldiers — who hunts down his rogue peers, but ultimately finds himself caught in a mystery about a former detective played by Harrison Ford
(“Blade Runner”). 

It is hard to draw one’s eyes away from the screen, as the production design, cinematography and imagery are breathtaking. And the story is a brilliant encapsulation about individual agency and the ability to forge meaning in one’s own life.

Hot off the heels of surprise Best Picture winner “Moonlight,” writer-director Barry Jenkins adapted to screen the famous James Baldwin novel, “If Beale Street Could Talk.” The story portrays a young African-American couple divided by an encounter with the criminal justice system just as the woman became pregnant. It is a romantic drama about desperate efforts to keep a family intact when institutional racism interferes. Some of the film’s elements are so unbelievably spellbinding that it puts all other romances to shame. The camera gazes at its subjects lovingly, bolstered by a truly magical, romantic score. Unfortunately, the movie is a tragedy. But in Barry Jenkins’s eyes, even tragedies can be told with love.

Like “Frozen,” “Moana” remains extremely Disney, yet subverts classic Disney tropes. There are princesses and cute animal sidekicks, sure, but the women are the heroes of their own stories, refusing love and male heroism. “Moana” is the 2016 animated movie from Disney about a young princess in Ancient Polynesia who embarks across the sea to save her island from an ancient curse. What separates this film from the pack is remarkably rapturous music from Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, which instills feelings of place, people and culture. The world is full and realized, but the titular character is even fuller and more realized. Where the film appears to be a Disney adventure, it is even more-so a movie about reconciling identity and 

forging a path.

Although action movies are often described as relentless, nearly all of them have moments where the film stops to breathe. Even the “John Wick” movies and “Mad Max: Fury Road” do just that. “Dunkirk,” on the other hand, does no such thing. The 2017 war movie from Christopher Nolan illustrates the Battle of Dunkirk, in which scores of British soldiers were stranded and bombed constantly as they attempted to evacuate. 

From its opening moments to its conclusion, the film is an unceasing symphony of danger and noise. Hans Zimmer’s (“The Dark Knight”) score ticks like a clock, the camera frames are claustrophobic, and the cuts between shots are gut-wrenching. It is a perfectly constructed masterpiece of great intensity, that immediatly places itself among the best action and best war films of all-time.

Richard Linklater (“Dazed and Confused”) is obsessed with moments, time and human life. Thus, his twelve-year passion project “Boyhood” becomes a perfect encapsulation of his worldview. Released in 2014, the film follows the fictional life of Mason — played by Ellar Coltrane for all twelve years of the movie’s production — as he ages from
six to 18. 

Linklater cuts out most of the cliched milestones in one’s life and instead focuses on the mundane, undramatized parts of Mason’s life. In another’s hands, the mundanity could consume the film into boredom. But Linklater has an eye for dialogue, humor and nostalgia. He makes inconsequential moments vibrant and beautiful. It can be difficult to view this movie without smiling silently at the magic of seeing a kid grow up. 

There is no tension, though, no conflict. In fact, the only tension is the aching feeling in one’s gut that Mason is leaving childhood behind, that he cannot get this time back. The audience knows it but he does not. As Mason nears adulthood, it is difficult not to wonder how an experimental film like this will end. After all, the movie is devoid of cliches. But when it finally hits in a simple and pseudo-intellectual conversation, it all clicks. Contrary to the criticisim, Linklater’s coming-of-age epic is not a nostalgia trip; it is a love letter to the beautiful moments that make human life so emphatically special.

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Collins welcomes six new freshmen to 2020 roster

Six members of the 2020 football recruiting class were welcomed to the 404 as they moved in the weekend before spring semester began. Coach Collins’ efforts to utilize the Atlanta related branding for the program have paid off, as half of the early enrollees are from Georgia high schools. 

The local talent, combined with multiple stand-out out of state players, has made the 2020 recruiting class one of the best in recent Georgia Tech history. By signing day in December, the Jackets had signed 22 recruits, with the class being ranked 20th by Rivals nationally, and 4th in the Atlantic Coastal Conference. 

The early enrollees have the opportunity to jump-start their career on the Flats as they dive into spring training and practices in the coming months. For Sims and Gleason in particular, the extra off season time will be crucial for them to gain comfort behind the ball, which could become an important reserve to draw from, now that redshirt Junior quarterback Lucas Johnson has entered the transfer portal. 

Among the early enrollees is Jordan Williams, a three star offensive tackle from Gainesville, Georgia. Williams was one of the earliest recruits of the 2020 class, with heavy interest stemming from Offensive Line and Assistant Head Coach, Brent Key. Standing at 6’6” and 310 pounds, Williams is bringing his size to the advantage of the offensive line. One look at his highlight tape from his time at Gainesville High School shows that despite his size, he brings an athletic tempo to the position that can potentially benefit the Jackets against heavy defensive teams. 

Jalen Huff, a three star cornerback hailing from Buford, Georgia will be joining the team as an important defensive tool for Collins to put to use within the next season. His lean stature, standing at 5’11” and 180 pounds, speedily carries him around the field to make big plays. Huff, a highly recruited player who was originally committed to Oklahoma State University, will become a player to watch in Bobby Dodd. 

The last of the in-state players to enroll early is Akelo Stone, a three star defensive end from Savannah, Georgia. Stone will not only be bringing his defensive talents to the Flats but also a re-energized optimism for the program’s future. Starting early this spring is going to be a crucial development period for Stone to make gains and beef up before he has the chance to face some of the ACC’s biggest guys this fall. 

Jacksonville, Florida’s Jeff Sims was a significant pick up for Collin’s recruiting class this year. The four star quarterback was originally committed to Florida State, but flipped his decision and signed with Tech in mid December. Looking at his highlights from Sandalwood High School show that Sims could become exactly what Georgia Tech needs in the pocket. He is able to complete long passes under pressure and can also run the ball when needed, toughing it out for yardage when he has multiple players covering him. 

Another Floridian quarterback joining the Jackets this spring is Tampa’s Tucker Gleason. Gleason was an early pick-up for Tech, making his interest known during the early signing period back in March 2019. Gleason’s development as quarterback will be an interesting one to watch, as he also received offers from Georgia, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia Tech. He has shown great accuracy and precision in the pocket, which the team needs to develop as Collins continues to transition the team’s offense. 

The last of the early enrollees is Ryan Spiers, a three star offensive linemen from Biloxi, Mississippi. Spiers will most likely end up being one of Brent Key’s power players in a season or two, as he has already made a conscious effort in high school to bulk up for the position. Tech’s team simply lacks the size and weight that other ranked teams, such as Clemson, heavily use against us on the defensive side. With the addition of Spiers in the spring, giving him more time to size up in his position, we could see those gaps close as we approach next season. 

While only analyzing the spring enrollees, it’s clear that Coach Collins and his recruitment team have been successful in bringing talent into Atlanta, and keeping strong players in the state. 

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