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File
issue 29// vol 46
arts // no. 7
Premiere of new sci-fi series ‘Tales from
the Loop’ is touching yet confusing
>» Flaws undermine a compelling lead and philosophical themes
Jonathan Pabico
Contributor
kek ww X
he first episode of Tales from the
Loop presents enjoyable everyday
environments and a highly grounded lead.
Although the premiere has potential, it is
still disappointing due to its many faults.
The plot follows Abby Ryder Fortson as
Loretta, a lonely schoolgirl that discovers
startling truths about herself after her
mother disappears.
Fortson portrays Loretta with an
innocence that supplies complicated layers
to her role, even though she lacks strong
screen time with the cast. She humanizes
the episode's lead by exploring how isolated
she feels due to her distant family bond with
her mother. Little dialogue from the script
enables Fortson to be more believable. Her
performance relays how kids see the world
as they grow during their childhood.
Another takeaway from this episode
is that it patiently unravels the plights
of Fortson’s character. Wide takes of the
story’s cold surroundings edited with more
constrained shots of Loretta’s hometown
further illustrate her struggles with being
by herself. The soft melodies and solemn
tones from the soundtrack layered with the
timelessness conveyed by each camera shot
instill how Loretta’s relationship with her
mother is ironically bound by time. This
creates commentary about how time shapes
our identities and defines family ties.
What further benefits the storytelling
is that visual effects are used sparingly in
favour of practical effects and sets. Rather
‘Tales from the Loop' promotional image via Amazon Prime Video
than overwhelming the narrative with CGI,
this allows Loretta’s character development
to be more easily accessible.
The peculiar sci-fi that gradually
transgresses Loretta’s life balanced with
her estrangement from her mother elevate
the episode’s message about the costs of
becoming disconnected from family. The
premiere employs abundant shadows
and subtle sound design to represent the
Educators behaving badly
>» Hugh Jackman delivers a career highlight in ‘Bad Education’
Craig Allan
Staff Writer
keen
I this pandemic, most movies have been
shuffled off to next year. This has made
this month’s crop of movies very small,
with only a few select on demand releases
sticking to their original schedule. One of
them is the Cory Finley’s Bad Education.
Premiering at the Toronto International
Film Festival and scooped up by HBO, Bad
Education could have appeared and left the
usually crowded movie scene with barely
any notice. However, with the number
of movies premiering in April being so
few, Bad Education had a bigger spotlight
than what it probably would have had
during normal circumstances. It captured
the moment—becoming one of the best
movies of the year on any platform.
In this film, based on a true and huge
scandal, Hugh Jackman delivers the best
performance of his career (which is really
saying a lot). He plays Frank Tassone,
the superintendent of the Roslyn New
York school district. Through his hard
work and dedication to the district and
students, Tassone has managed to get the
Roslyn school district a reputation as the
fourth best in the United States. Tassone is
amazing at his job—he remembers every
student who ever met him by name, and
also property values in the district went
up a lot due to his work. But, like some
educators, he is underappreciated— getting
only a basket of chocolates from real estate
agents as a thank you.
Jackman hits all the right notes with
this role. He plays Tassone with such
charisma that throughout the movie it
never feels like Tassone is an outright
villain. In the town of Roslyn, he is
considered to be living a life of poverty
compared to the rich and affluent parents
of the children. The movie showcases the
struggle that Tassone goes through when
trying to maintain appearances for parents
who might reject him if he does not
conform to the image Roslyn demands.
Another performance not to be
forgotten is Allison Janney as Tassone’s
assistant superintendent and friend
Pam Gluckin. Gluckin is everything that
Tassone is not. While liked by the other
people in the office, Gluckin does not meet
with the students, parents, or people in the
community. She is a lot rougher around the
edges compared to her counterpart and,
in a way, I feel she is the true face of the
struggle and sacrifice that some teachers
and administrators have to go through
in order to give their students the best
education.
This film is on one hand about
self-preservation, but is also a film about
morality. This comes from the character
of Rachel Bhargava, played wonderfully
by up-and-coming actress Geraldine
Viswanathan. Bhargava is a writer for the
Roslyn High School newspaper. While
researching for a story on the building
of a skywalk at her school, she uncovers
various accounting discrepancies in
the books. When Tassone realizes that
Bhargava is onto them, he approaches her
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emotional scope of this theme.
One shortcoming is that Loretta
seems unfazed by the story’s sci-fi
wonders and treats them as normal
occurrences. The plot could have made
Loretta’s strange experiences new to her to
improve believability.
The story also falls short with an
enormously problematic script. Nothing
substantial happens for a while due to
weak suspense produced by slow pacing.
The sci-fi set pieces are underused and
could have played a larger role in the
narrative’s mystery. If that’s not enough,
the episode could have reached the climax
sooner—since that is really the only time
when Loretta’s character arc becomes
more interesting.
Tales from the Loop has a disjointed
first entry with a lot of plot holes. The
premiere takes its time developing themes
and world-building to create a moving
journey. However, the story contains
many drawbacks, despite an impressive
performance from Abby Ryder Fortson.
What can't be denied is how disarmingly
original this show tries to be in proving
how the ordinary has as much to offer as
the extraordinary.
and tells her that if she goes public with
this, many people are at risk of losing their
jobs. Bhargava’s editor-in-chief tells her
that with people like Tassone are writing
his college recommendations, and other
students colleges may be in jeopardy. This
leaves Bhargava with a tough decision.
Should she report the story, or should she
bury it and live with the guilt that she chose
not to say anything?
Bhargava’s struggle in the movie got
me thinking about what I and my fellow
cohorts at the Other Press would do witha
similar story. Assistant Editor Janis McMath
stressed that every situation needs to be
looked at individually, but the best broad
generalization would be that scandals do
more harm in the long run and tally more
victims as time passes—so it is essential
to expose the truth instead of sitting on it.
Life and Style Editor Morgan Hannah said
“penalizing the victims wouldn't be cool...
but maybe there's a way to report the story
without having to bury it?”
Bad Education tackles a lot of subjects
such as preservation, morality, and
identity—and handles all of them with
tremendous depth and tact. Come Emmy
season (if it happens), Bad Education will
surely be in the discussion with Jackman’s
role an early favourite for the Best Actor in
a Miniseries or Television Film. Jackman
gives possibly the best performance of
his career in a TV movie. In a year of
unexpected surprises, this is one of the
better ones of the year.
arts // no. 7
Premiere of new sci-fi series ‘Tales from
the Loop’ is touching yet confusing
>» Flaws undermine a compelling lead and philosophical themes
Jonathan Pabico
Contributor
kek ww X
he first episode of Tales from the
Loop presents enjoyable everyday
environments and a highly grounded lead.
Although the premiere has potential, it is
still disappointing due to its many faults.
The plot follows Abby Ryder Fortson as
Loretta, a lonely schoolgirl that discovers
startling truths about herself after her
mother disappears.
Fortson portrays Loretta with an
innocence that supplies complicated layers
to her role, even though she lacks strong
screen time with the cast. She humanizes
the episode's lead by exploring how isolated
she feels due to her distant family bond with
her mother. Little dialogue from the script
enables Fortson to be more believable. Her
performance relays how kids see the world
as they grow during their childhood.
Another takeaway from this episode
is that it patiently unravels the plights
of Fortson’s character. Wide takes of the
story’s cold surroundings edited with more
constrained shots of Loretta’s hometown
further illustrate her struggles with being
by herself. The soft melodies and solemn
tones from the soundtrack layered with the
timelessness conveyed by each camera shot
instill how Loretta’s relationship with her
mother is ironically bound by time. This
creates commentary about how time shapes
our identities and defines family ties.
What further benefits the storytelling
is that visual effects are used sparingly in
favour of practical effects and sets. Rather
‘Tales from the Loop' promotional image via Amazon Prime Video
than overwhelming the narrative with CGI,
this allows Loretta’s character development
to be more easily accessible.
The peculiar sci-fi that gradually
transgresses Loretta’s life balanced with
her estrangement from her mother elevate
the episode’s message about the costs of
becoming disconnected from family. The
premiere employs abundant shadows
and subtle sound design to represent the
Educators behaving badly
>» Hugh Jackman delivers a career highlight in ‘Bad Education’
Craig Allan
Staff Writer
keen
I this pandemic, most movies have been
shuffled off to next year. This has made
this month’s crop of movies very small,
with only a few select on demand releases
sticking to their original schedule. One of
them is the Cory Finley’s Bad Education.
Premiering at the Toronto International
Film Festival and scooped up by HBO, Bad
Education could have appeared and left the
usually crowded movie scene with barely
any notice. However, with the number
of movies premiering in April being so
few, Bad Education had a bigger spotlight
than what it probably would have had
during normal circumstances. It captured
the moment—becoming one of the best
movies of the year on any platform.
In this film, based on a true and huge
scandal, Hugh Jackman delivers the best
performance of his career (which is really
saying a lot). He plays Frank Tassone,
the superintendent of the Roslyn New
York school district. Through his hard
work and dedication to the district and
students, Tassone has managed to get the
Roslyn school district a reputation as the
fourth best in the United States. Tassone is
amazing at his job—he remembers every
student who ever met him by name, and
also property values in the district went
up a lot due to his work. But, like some
educators, he is underappreciated— getting
only a basket of chocolates from real estate
agents as a thank you.
Jackman hits all the right notes with
this role. He plays Tassone with such
charisma that throughout the movie it
never feels like Tassone is an outright
villain. In the town of Roslyn, he is
considered to be living a life of poverty
compared to the rich and affluent parents
of the children. The movie showcases the
struggle that Tassone goes through when
trying to maintain appearances for parents
who might reject him if he does not
conform to the image Roslyn demands.
Another performance not to be
forgotten is Allison Janney as Tassone’s
assistant superintendent and friend
Pam Gluckin. Gluckin is everything that
Tassone is not. While liked by the other
people in the office, Gluckin does not meet
with the students, parents, or people in the
community. She is a lot rougher around the
edges compared to her counterpart and,
in a way, I feel she is the true face of the
struggle and sacrifice that some teachers
and administrators have to go through
in order to give their students the best
education.
This film is on one hand about
self-preservation, but is also a film about
morality. This comes from the character
of Rachel Bhargava, played wonderfully
by up-and-coming actress Geraldine
Viswanathan. Bhargava is a writer for the
Roslyn High School newspaper. While
researching for a story on the building
of a skywalk at her school, she uncovers
various accounting discrepancies in
the books. When Tassone realizes that
Bhargava is onto them, he approaches her
fe)
ira)
=
&
>
c
©
5
Lis}
i)
5
xe]
lu
xe)
o
oo
vie
3
nn
°
<
a
c
G
o
2
uv
Ww
emotional scope of this theme.
One shortcoming is that Loretta
seems unfazed by the story’s sci-fi
wonders and treats them as normal
occurrences. The plot could have made
Loretta’s strange experiences new to her to
improve believability.
The story also falls short with an
enormously problematic script. Nothing
substantial happens for a while due to
weak suspense produced by slow pacing.
The sci-fi set pieces are underused and
could have played a larger role in the
narrative’s mystery. If that’s not enough,
the episode could have reached the climax
sooner—since that is really the only time
when Loretta’s character arc becomes
more interesting.
Tales from the Loop has a disjointed
first entry with a lot of plot holes. The
premiere takes its time developing themes
and world-building to create a moving
journey. However, the story contains
many drawbacks, despite an impressive
performance from Abby Ryder Fortson.
What can't be denied is how disarmingly
original this show tries to be in proving
how the ordinary has as much to offer as
the extraordinary.
and tells her that if she goes public with
this, many people are at risk of losing their
jobs. Bhargava’s editor-in-chief tells her
that with people like Tassone are writing
his college recommendations, and other
students colleges may be in jeopardy. This
leaves Bhargava with a tough decision.
Should she report the story, or should she
bury it and live with the guilt that she chose
not to say anything?
Bhargava’s struggle in the movie got
me thinking about what I and my fellow
cohorts at the Other Press would do witha
similar story. Assistant Editor Janis McMath
stressed that every situation needs to be
looked at individually, but the best broad
generalization would be that scandals do
more harm in the long run and tally more
victims as time passes—so it is essential
to expose the truth instead of sitting on it.
Life and Style Editor Morgan Hannah said
“penalizing the victims wouldn't be cool...
but maybe there's a way to report the story
without having to bury it?”
Bad Education tackles a lot of subjects
such as preservation, morality, and
identity—and handles all of them with
tremendous depth and tact. Come Emmy
season (if it happens), Bad Education will
surely be in the discussion with Jackman’s
role an early favourite for the Best Actor in
a Miniseries or Television Film. Jackman
gives possibly the best performance of
his career in a TV movie. In a year of
unexpected surprises, this is one of the
better ones of the year.
Edited Text
issue 29// vol 46
arts // no. 7
Premiere of new sci-fi series ‘Tales from
the Loop’ is touching yet confusing
>» Flaws undermine a compelling lead and philosophical themes
Jonathan Pabico
Contributor
kek ww X
he first episode of Tales from the
Loop presents enjoyable everyday
environments and a highly grounded lead.
Although the premiere has potential, it is
still disappointing due to its many faults.
The plot follows Abby Ryder Fortson as
Loretta, a lonely schoolgirl that discovers
startling truths about herself after her
mother disappears.
Fortson portrays Loretta with an
innocence that supplies complicated layers
to her role, even though she lacks strong
screen time with the cast. She humanizes
the episode's lead by exploring how isolated
she feels due to her distant family bond with
her mother. Little dialogue from the script
enables Fortson to be more believable. Her
performance relays how kids see the world
as they grow during their childhood.
Another takeaway from this episode
is that it patiently unravels the plights
of Fortson’s character. Wide takes of the
story’s cold surroundings edited with more
constrained shots of Loretta’s hometown
further illustrate her struggles with being
by herself. The soft melodies and solemn
tones from the soundtrack layered with the
timelessness conveyed by each camera shot
instill how Loretta’s relationship with her
mother is ironically bound by time. This
creates commentary about how time shapes
our identities and defines family ties.
What further benefits the storytelling
is that visual effects are used sparingly in
favour of practical effects and sets. Rather
‘Tales from the Loop' promotional image via Amazon Prime Video
than overwhelming the narrative with CGI,
this allows Loretta’s character development
to be more easily accessible.
The peculiar sci-fi that gradually
transgresses Loretta’s life balanced with
her estrangement from her mother elevate
the episode’s message about the costs of
becoming disconnected from family. The
premiere employs abundant shadows
and subtle sound design to represent the
Educators behaving badly
>» Hugh Jackman delivers a career highlight in ‘Bad Education’
Craig Allan
Staff Writer
keen
I this pandemic, most movies have been
shuffled off to next year. This has made
this month’s crop of movies very small,
with only a few select on demand releases
sticking to their original schedule. One of
them is the Cory Finley’s Bad Education.
Premiering at the Toronto International
Film Festival and scooped up by HBO, Bad
Education could have appeared and left the
usually crowded movie scene with barely
any notice. However, with the number
of movies premiering in April being so
few, Bad Education had a bigger spotlight
than what it probably would have had
during normal circumstances. It captured
the moment—becoming one of the best
movies of the year on any platform.
In this film, based on a true and huge
scandal, Hugh Jackman delivers the best
performance of his career (which is really
saying a lot). He plays Frank Tassone,
the superintendent of the Roslyn New
York school district. Through his hard
work and dedication to the district and
students, Tassone has managed to get the
Roslyn school district a reputation as the
fourth best in the United States. Tassone is
amazing at his job—he remembers every
student who ever met him by name, and
also property values in the district went
up a lot due to his work. But, like some
educators, he is underappreciated— getting
only a basket of chocolates from real estate
agents as a thank you.
Jackman hits all the right notes with
this role. He plays Tassone with such
charisma that throughout the movie it
never feels like Tassone is an outright
villain. In the town of Roslyn, he is
considered to be living a life of poverty
compared to the rich and affluent parents
of the children. The movie showcases the
struggle that Tassone goes through when
trying to maintain appearances for parents
who might reject him if he does not
conform to the image Roslyn demands.
Another performance not to be
forgotten is Allison Janney as Tassone’s
assistant superintendent and friend
Pam Gluckin. Gluckin is everything that
Tassone is not. While liked by the other
people in the office, Gluckin does not meet
with the students, parents, or people in the
community. She is a lot rougher around the
edges compared to her counterpart and,
in a way, I feel she is the true face of the
struggle and sacrifice that some teachers
and administrators have to go through
in order to give their students the best
education.
This film is on one hand about
self-preservation, but is also a film about
morality. This comes from the character
of Rachel Bhargava, played wonderfully
by up-and-coming actress Geraldine
Viswanathan. Bhargava is a writer for the
Roslyn High School newspaper. While
researching for a story on the building
of a skywalk at her school, she uncovers
various accounting discrepancies in
the books. When Tassone realizes that
Bhargava is onto them, he approaches her
fe)
ira)
=
&
>
c
©
5
Lis}
i)
5
xe]
lu
xe)
o
oo
vie
3
nn
°
<
a
c
G
o
2
uv
Ww
emotional scope of this theme.
One shortcoming is that Loretta
seems unfazed by the story’s sci-fi
wonders and treats them as normal
occurrences. The plot could have made
Loretta’s strange experiences new to her to
improve believability.
The story also falls short with an
enormously problematic script. Nothing
substantial happens for a while due to
weak suspense produced by slow pacing.
The sci-fi set pieces are underused and
could have played a larger role in the
narrative’s mystery. If that’s not enough,
the episode could have reached the climax
sooner—since that is really the only time
when Loretta’s character arc becomes
more interesting.
Tales from the Loop has a disjointed
first entry with a lot of plot holes. The
premiere takes its time developing themes
and world-building to create a moving
journey. However, the story contains
many drawbacks, despite an impressive
performance from Abby Ryder Fortson.
What can't be denied is how disarmingly
original this show tries to be in proving
how the ordinary has as much to offer as
the extraordinary.
and tells her that if she goes public with
this, many people are at risk of losing their
jobs. Bhargava’s editor-in-chief tells her
that with people like Tassone are writing
his college recommendations, and other
students colleges may be in jeopardy. This
leaves Bhargava with a tough decision.
Should she report the story, or should she
bury it and live with the guilt that she chose
not to say anything?
Bhargava’s struggle in the movie got
me thinking about what I and my fellow
cohorts at the Other Press would do witha
similar story. Assistant Editor Janis McMath
stressed that every situation needs to be
looked at individually, but the best broad
generalization would be that scandals do
more harm in the long run and tally more
victims as time passes—so it is essential
to expose the truth instead of sitting on it.
Life and Style Editor Morgan Hannah said
“penalizing the victims wouldn't be cool...
but maybe there's a way to report the story
without having to bury it?”
Bad Education tackles a lot of subjects
such as preservation, morality, and
identity—and handles all of them with
tremendous depth and tact. Come Emmy
season (if it happens), Bad Education will
surely be in the discussion with Jackman’s
role an early favourite for the Best Actor in
a Miniseries or Television Film. Jackman
gives possibly the best performance of
his career in a TV movie. In a year of
unexpected surprises, this is one of the
better ones of the year.
arts // no. 7
Premiere of new sci-fi series ‘Tales from
the Loop’ is touching yet confusing
>» Flaws undermine a compelling lead and philosophical themes
Jonathan Pabico
Contributor
kek ww X
he first episode of Tales from the
Loop presents enjoyable everyday
environments and a highly grounded lead.
Although the premiere has potential, it is
still disappointing due to its many faults.
The plot follows Abby Ryder Fortson as
Loretta, a lonely schoolgirl that discovers
startling truths about herself after her
mother disappears.
Fortson portrays Loretta with an
innocence that supplies complicated layers
to her role, even though she lacks strong
screen time with the cast. She humanizes
the episode's lead by exploring how isolated
she feels due to her distant family bond with
her mother. Little dialogue from the script
enables Fortson to be more believable. Her
performance relays how kids see the world
as they grow during their childhood.
Another takeaway from this episode
is that it patiently unravels the plights
of Fortson’s character. Wide takes of the
story’s cold surroundings edited with more
constrained shots of Loretta’s hometown
further illustrate her struggles with being
by herself. The soft melodies and solemn
tones from the soundtrack layered with the
timelessness conveyed by each camera shot
instill how Loretta’s relationship with her
mother is ironically bound by time. This
creates commentary about how time shapes
our identities and defines family ties.
What further benefits the storytelling
is that visual effects are used sparingly in
favour of practical effects and sets. Rather
‘Tales from the Loop' promotional image via Amazon Prime Video
than overwhelming the narrative with CGI,
this allows Loretta’s character development
to be more easily accessible.
The peculiar sci-fi that gradually
transgresses Loretta’s life balanced with
her estrangement from her mother elevate
the episode’s message about the costs of
becoming disconnected from family. The
premiere employs abundant shadows
and subtle sound design to represent the
Educators behaving badly
>» Hugh Jackman delivers a career highlight in ‘Bad Education’
Craig Allan
Staff Writer
keen
I this pandemic, most movies have been
shuffled off to next year. This has made
this month’s crop of movies very small,
with only a few select on demand releases
sticking to their original schedule. One of
them is the Cory Finley’s Bad Education.
Premiering at the Toronto International
Film Festival and scooped up by HBO, Bad
Education could have appeared and left the
usually crowded movie scene with barely
any notice. However, with the number
of movies premiering in April being so
few, Bad Education had a bigger spotlight
than what it probably would have had
during normal circumstances. It captured
the moment—becoming one of the best
movies of the year on any platform.
In this film, based on a true and huge
scandal, Hugh Jackman delivers the best
performance of his career (which is really
saying a lot). He plays Frank Tassone,
the superintendent of the Roslyn New
York school district. Through his hard
work and dedication to the district and
students, Tassone has managed to get the
Roslyn school district a reputation as the
fourth best in the United States. Tassone is
amazing at his job—he remembers every
student who ever met him by name, and
also property values in the district went
up a lot due to his work. But, like some
educators, he is underappreciated— getting
only a basket of chocolates from real estate
agents as a thank you.
Jackman hits all the right notes with
this role. He plays Tassone with such
charisma that throughout the movie it
never feels like Tassone is an outright
villain. In the town of Roslyn, he is
considered to be living a life of poverty
compared to the rich and affluent parents
of the children. The movie showcases the
struggle that Tassone goes through when
trying to maintain appearances for parents
who might reject him if he does not
conform to the image Roslyn demands.
Another performance not to be
forgotten is Allison Janney as Tassone’s
assistant superintendent and friend
Pam Gluckin. Gluckin is everything that
Tassone is not. While liked by the other
people in the office, Gluckin does not meet
with the students, parents, or people in the
community. She is a lot rougher around the
edges compared to her counterpart and,
in a way, I feel she is the true face of the
struggle and sacrifice that some teachers
and administrators have to go through
in order to give their students the best
education.
This film is on one hand about
self-preservation, but is also a film about
morality. This comes from the character
of Rachel Bhargava, played wonderfully
by up-and-coming actress Geraldine
Viswanathan. Bhargava is a writer for the
Roslyn High School newspaper. While
researching for a story on the building
of a skywalk at her school, she uncovers
various accounting discrepancies in
the books. When Tassone realizes that
Bhargava is onto them, he approaches her
fe)
ira)
=
&
>
c
©
5
Lis}
i)
5
xe]
lu
xe)
o
oo
vie
3
nn
°
<
a
c
G
o
2
uv
Ww
emotional scope of this theme.
One shortcoming is that Loretta
seems unfazed by the story’s sci-fi
wonders and treats them as normal
occurrences. The plot could have made
Loretta’s strange experiences new to her to
improve believability.
The story also falls short with an
enormously problematic script. Nothing
substantial happens for a while due to
weak suspense produced by slow pacing.
The sci-fi set pieces are underused and
could have played a larger role in the
narrative’s mystery. If that’s not enough,
the episode could have reached the climax
sooner—since that is really the only time
when Loretta’s character arc becomes
more interesting.
Tales from the Loop has a disjointed
first entry with a lot of plot holes. The
premiere takes its time developing themes
and world-building to create a moving
journey. However, the story contains
many drawbacks, despite an impressive
performance from Abby Ryder Fortson.
What can't be denied is how disarmingly
original this show tries to be in proving
how the ordinary has as much to offer as
the extraordinary.
and tells her that if she goes public with
this, many people are at risk of losing their
jobs. Bhargava’s editor-in-chief tells her
that with people like Tassone are writing
his college recommendations, and other
students colleges may be in jeopardy. This
leaves Bhargava with a tough decision.
Should she report the story, or should she
bury it and live with the guilt that she chose
not to say anything?
Bhargava’s struggle in the movie got
me thinking about what I and my fellow
cohorts at the Other Press would do witha
similar story. Assistant Editor Janis McMath
stressed that every situation needs to be
looked at individually, but the best broad
generalization would be that scandals do
more harm in the long run and tally more
victims as time passes—so it is essential
to expose the truth instead of sitting on it.
Life and Style Editor Morgan Hannah said
“penalizing the victims wouldn't be cool...
but maybe there's a way to report the story
without having to bury it?”
Bad Education tackles a lot of subjects
such as preservation, morality, and
identity—and handles all of them with
tremendous depth and tact. Come Emmy
season (if it happens), Bad Education will
surely be in the discussion with Jackman’s
role an early favourite for the Best Actor in
a Miniseries or Television Film. Jackman
gives possibly the best performance of
his career in a TV movie. In a year of
unexpected surprises, this is one of the
better ones of the year.
arts // no. 7
Premiere of new sci-fi series ‘Tales from
the Loop’ is touching yet confusing
>» Flaws undermine a compelling lead and philosophical themes
Jonathan Pabico
Contributor
kek ww X
he first episode of Tales from the
Loop presents enjoyable everyday
environments and a highly grounded lead.
Although the premiere has potential, it is
still disappointing due to its many faults.
The plot follows Abby Ryder Fortson as
Loretta, a lonely schoolgirl that discovers
startling truths about herself after her
mother disappears.
Fortson portrays Loretta with an
innocence that supplies complicated layers
to her role, even though she lacks strong
screen time with the cast. She humanizes
the episode's lead by exploring how isolated
she feels due to her distant family bond with
her mother. Little dialogue from the script
enables Fortson to be more believable. Her
performance relays how kids see the world
as they grow during their childhood.
Another takeaway from this episode
is that it patiently unravels the plights
of Fortson’s character. Wide takes of the
story’s cold surroundings edited with more
constrained shots of Loretta’s hometown
further illustrate her struggles with being
by herself. The soft melodies and solemn
tones from the soundtrack layered with the
timelessness conveyed by each camera shot
instill how Loretta’s relationship with her
mother is ironically bound by time. This
creates commentary about how time shapes
our identities and defines family ties.
What further benefits the storytelling
is that visual effects are used sparingly in
favour of practical effects and sets. Rather
‘Tales from the Loop' promotional image via Amazon Prime Video
than overwhelming the narrative with CGI,
this allows Loretta’s character development
to be more easily accessible.
The peculiar sci-fi that gradually
transgresses Loretta’s life balanced with
her estrangement from her mother elevate
the episode’s message about the costs of
becoming disconnected from family. The
premiere employs abundant shadows
and subtle sound design to represent the
Educators behaving badly
>» Hugh Jackman delivers a career highlight in ‘Bad Education’
Craig Allan
Staff Writer
keen
I this pandemic, most movies have been
shuffled off to next year. This has made
this month’s crop of movies very small,
with only a few select on demand releases
sticking to their original schedule. One of
them is the Cory Finley’s Bad Education.
Premiering at the Toronto International
Film Festival and scooped up by HBO, Bad
Education could have appeared and left the
usually crowded movie scene with barely
any notice. However, with the number
of movies premiering in April being so
few, Bad Education had a bigger spotlight
than what it probably would have had
during normal circumstances. It captured
the moment—becoming one of the best
movies of the year on any platform.
In this film, based on a true and huge
scandal, Hugh Jackman delivers the best
performance of his career (which is really
saying a lot). He plays Frank Tassone,
the superintendent of the Roslyn New
York school district. Through his hard
work and dedication to the district and
students, Tassone has managed to get the
Roslyn school district a reputation as the
fourth best in the United States. Tassone is
amazing at his job—he remembers every
student who ever met him by name, and
also property values in the district went
up a lot due to his work. But, like some
educators, he is underappreciated— getting
only a basket of chocolates from real estate
agents as a thank you.
Jackman hits all the right notes with
this role. He plays Tassone with such
charisma that throughout the movie it
never feels like Tassone is an outright
villain. In the town of Roslyn, he is
considered to be living a life of poverty
compared to the rich and affluent parents
of the children. The movie showcases the
struggle that Tassone goes through when
trying to maintain appearances for parents
who might reject him if he does not
conform to the image Roslyn demands.
Another performance not to be
forgotten is Allison Janney as Tassone’s
assistant superintendent and friend
Pam Gluckin. Gluckin is everything that
Tassone is not. While liked by the other
people in the office, Gluckin does not meet
with the students, parents, or people in the
community. She is a lot rougher around the
edges compared to her counterpart and,
in a way, I feel she is the true face of the
struggle and sacrifice that some teachers
and administrators have to go through
in order to give their students the best
education.
This film is on one hand about
self-preservation, but is also a film about
morality. This comes from the character
of Rachel Bhargava, played wonderfully
by up-and-coming actress Geraldine
Viswanathan. Bhargava is a writer for the
Roslyn High School newspaper. While
researching for a story on the building
of a skywalk at her school, she uncovers
various accounting discrepancies in
the books. When Tassone realizes that
Bhargava is onto them, he approaches her
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emotional scope of this theme.
One shortcoming is that Loretta
seems unfazed by the story’s sci-fi
wonders and treats them as normal
occurrences. The plot could have made
Loretta’s strange experiences new to her to
improve believability.
The story also falls short with an
enormously problematic script. Nothing
substantial happens for a while due to
weak suspense produced by slow pacing.
The sci-fi set pieces are underused and
could have played a larger role in the
narrative’s mystery. If that’s not enough,
the episode could have reached the climax
sooner—since that is really the only time
when Loretta’s character arc becomes
more interesting.
Tales from the Loop has a disjointed
first entry with a lot of plot holes. The
premiere takes its time developing themes
and world-building to create a moving
journey. However, the story contains
many drawbacks, despite an impressive
performance from Abby Ryder Fortson.
What can't be denied is how disarmingly
original this show tries to be in proving
how the ordinary has as much to offer as
the extraordinary.
and tells her that if she goes public with
this, many people are at risk of losing their
jobs. Bhargava’s editor-in-chief tells her
that with people like Tassone are writing
his college recommendations, and other
students colleges may be in jeopardy. This
leaves Bhargava with a tough decision.
Should she report the story, or should she
bury it and live with the guilt that she chose
not to say anything?
Bhargava’s struggle in the movie got
me thinking about what I and my fellow
cohorts at the Other Press would do witha
similar story. Assistant Editor Janis McMath
stressed that every situation needs to be
looked at individually, but the best broad
generalization would be that scandals do
more harm in the long run and tally more
victims as time passes—so it is essential
to expose the truth instead of sitting on it.
Life and Style Editor Morgan Hannah said
“penalizing the victims wouldn't be cool...
but maybe there's a way to report the story
without having to bury it?”
Bad Education tackles a lot of subjects
such as preservation, morality, and
identity—and handles all of them with
tremendous depth and tact. Come Emmy
season (if it happens), Bad Education will
surely be in the discussion with Jackman’s
role an early favourite for the Best Actor in
a Miniseries or Television Film. Jackman
gives possibly the best performance of
his career in a TV movie. In a year of
unexpected surprises, this is one of the
better ones of the year.
arts // no. 7
Premiere of new sci-fi series ‘Tales from
the Loop’ is touching yet confusing
>» Flaws undermine a compelling lead and philosophical themes
Jonathan Pabico
Contributor
kek ww X
he first episode of Tales from the
Loop presents enjoyable everyday
environments and a highly grounded lead.
Although the premiere has potential, it is
still disappointing due to its many faults.
The plot follows Abby Ryder Fortson as
Loretta, a lonely schoolgirl that discovers
startling truths about herself after her
mother disappears.
Fortson portrays Loretta with an
innocence that supplies complicated layers
to her role, even though she lacks strong
screen time with the cast. She humanizes
the episode's lead by exploring how isolated
she feels due to her distant family bond with
her mother. Little dialogue from the script
enables Fortson to be more believable. Her
performance relays how kids see the world
as they grow during their childhood.
Another takeaway from this episode
is that it patiently unravels the plights
of Fortson’s character. Wide takes of the
story’s cold surroundings edited with more
constrained shots of Loretta’s hometown
further illustrate her struggles with being
by herself. The soft melodies and solemn
tones from the soundtrack layered with the
timelessness conveyed by each camera shot
instill how Loretta’s relationship with her
mother is ironically bound by time. This
creates commentary about how time shapes
our identities and defines family ties.
What further benefits the storytelling
is that visual effects are used sparingly in
favour of practical effects and sets. Rather
‘Tales from the Loop' promotional image via Amazon Prime Video
than overwhelming the narrative with CGI,
this allows Loretta’s character development
to be more easily accessible.
The peculiar sci-fi that gradually
transgresses Loretta’s life balanced with
her estrangement from her mother elevate
the episode’s message about the costs of
becoming disconnected from family. The
premiere employs abundant shadows
and subtle sound design to represent the
Educators behaving badly
>» Hugh Jackman delivers a career highlight in ‘Bad Education’
Craig Allan
Staff Writer
keen
I this pandemic, most movies have been
shuffled off to next year. This has made
this month’s crop of movies very small,
with only a few select on demand releases
sticking to their original schedule. One of
them is the Cory Finley’s Bad Education.
Premiering at the Toronto International
Film Festival and scooped up by HBO, Bad
Education could have appeared and left the
usually crowded movie scene with barely
any notice. However, with the number
of movies premiering in April being so
few, Bad Education had a bigger spotlight
than what it probably would have had
during normal circumstances. It captured
the moment—becoming one of the best
movies of the year on any platform.
In this film, based on a true and huge
scandal, Hugh Jackman delivers the best
performance of his career (which is really
saying a lot). He plays Frank Tassone,
the superintendent of the Roslyn New
York school district. Through his hard
work and dedication to the district and
students, Tassone has managed to get the
Roslyn school district a reputation as the
fourth best in the United States. Tassone is
amazing at his job—he remembers every
student who ever met him by name, and
also property values in the district went
up a lot due to his work. But, like some
educators, he is underappreciated— getting
only a basket of chocolates from real estate
agents as a thank you.
Jackman hits all the right notes with
this role. He plays Tassone with such
charisma that throughout the movie it
never feels like Tassone is an outright
villain. In the town of Roslyn, he is
considered to be living a life of poverty
compared to the rich and affluent parents
of the children. The movie showcases the
struggle that Tassone goes through when
trying to maintain appearances for parents
who might reject him if he does not
conform to the image Roslyn demands.
Another performance not to be
forgotten is Allison Janney as Tassone’s
assistant superintendent and friend
Pam Gluckin. Gluckin is everything that
Tassone is not. While liked by the other
people in the office, Gluckin does not meet
with the students, parents, or people in the
community. She is a lot rougher around the
edges compared to her counterpart and,
in a way, I feel she is the true face of the
struggle and sacrifice that some teachers
and administrators have to go through
in order to give their students the best
education.
This film is on one hand about
self-preservation, but is also a film about
morality. This comes from the character
of Rachel Bhargava, played wonderfully
by up-and-coming actress Geraldine
Viswanathan. Bhargava is a writer for the
Roslyn High School newspaper. While
researching for a story on the building
of a skywalk at her school, she uncovers
various accounting discrepancies in
the books. When Tassone realizes that
Bhargava is onto them, he approaches her
fe)
ira)
=
&
>
c
©
5
Lis}
i)
5
xe]
lu
xe)
o
oo
vie
3
nn
°
<
a
c
G
o
2
uv
Ww
emotional scope of this theme.
One shortcoming is that Loretta
seems unfazed by the story’s sci-fi
wonders and treats them as normal
occurrences. The plot could have made
Loretta’s strange experiences new to her to
improve believability.
The story also falls short with an
enormously problematic script. Nothing
substantial happens for a while due to
weak suspense produced by slow pacing.
The sci-fi set pieces are underused and
could have played a larger role in the
narrative’s mystery. If that’s not enough,
the episode could have reached the climax
sooner—since that is really the only time
when Loretta’s character arc becomes
more interesting.
Tales from the Loop has a disjointed
first entry with a lot of plot holes. The
premiere takes its time developing themes
and world-building to create a moving
journey. However, the story contains
many drawbacks, despite an impressive
performance from Abby Ryder Fortson.
What can't be denied is how disarmingly
original this show tries to be in proving
how the ordinary has as much to offer as
the extraordinary.
and tells her that if she goes public with
this, many people are at risk of losing their
jobs. Bhargava’s editor-in-chief tells her
that with people like Tassone are writing
his college recommendations, and other
students colleges may be in jeopardy. This
leaves Bhargava with a tough decision.
Should she report the story, or should she
bury it and live with the guilt that she chose
not to say anything?
Bhargava’s struggle in the movie got
me thinking about what I and my fellow
cohorts at the Other Press would do witha
similar story. Assistant Editor Janis McMath
stressed that every situation needs to be
looked at individually, but the best broad
generalization would be that scandals do
more harm in the long run and tally more
victims as time passes—so it is essential
to expose the truth instead of sitting on it.
Life and Style Editor Morgan Hannah said
“penalizing the victims wouldn't be cool...
but maybe there's a way to report the story
without having to bury it?”
Bad Education tackles a lot of subjects
such as preservation, morality, and
identity—and handles all of them with
tremendous depth and tact. Come Emmy
season (if it happens), Bad Education will
surely be in the discussion with Jackman’s
role an early favourite for the Best Actor in
a Miniseries or Television Film. Jackman
gives possibly the best performance of
his career in a TV movie. In a year of
unexpected surprises, this is one of the
better ones of the year.