Author: Azrael Montoya

Entertainment, Movies, Opinions

Academy overlooks hit films

Azrael Montoya

The Oscars are on Feb. 24, and some of this year’s nominees are overrated or average at best. But that doesn’t mean 2018 was without its hits, as the following alternative film choices shouldn’t be missed.  ‘CHAPPAQUIDDICK’ > ‘VICE’ Both films deal with the commonality of political drama. “Vice” is more of a satirical political drama that commentates on the entrance into the Iraq War and the folly of the Bush administration. Highlighted here is the performance of Christian Bale as Dick Cheney. The film isn’t as hard hitting as the critics think. “Chappaquiddick,” however, is that hard hitting film.…

Campus

Shyamlan shatters expectations

Azrael Montoya

Nineteen years after the release of “Unbreakable” and three years after the release of “Split” comes M. Night Shyamalan’s final instalment in the superhero trilogy “Glass.”  Events of the first two films act as a setup for the final film. In “Glass,” David Dunn (Bruce Willis) and Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) are sent to a mental institution where Dunn’s arch enemy, Elijah Price/Glass (Samuel L. Jackson), is being held. It is the mission of Dr. Elle Staple (Sarah Paulson) to cure the trio of their superhuman delusions. All three characters have different philosophies when it comes to dealing with…

Entertainment

‘Westworld’ returns with second season

Azrael Montoya

Series continues answering questions after the first outing Season 2 of the sci-fi fantasy series “Westworld,” subtitled “The Door,” picks up right where the first season ended. Showrunners and writers Lisa Joy and Johnathan Nolan wasted no time after answering all the conspiracies and cliffhangers in Season 1. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins), the founder and creative director of Westworld, is now dead thanks to the gun of Dolores Abernathy, played by Evan Rachel Wood. Dolores is one of the oldest hosts in Westworld. “Journey into Night,” the title for this episode, comes from the name of Ford’s new narrative he…

Entertainment, Movies, Opinions

All-Out War underwhelms on Survival Sunday

Azrael Montoya

‘The Walking Dead’ finale fails while “Fear” premiere succeeds Season 8 of “The Walking Dead” was dubbed the All-Out War. Production team member Scott M. Gimple had long said the finale, “Wrath,” would be a game changer and bring eight years of the popular series to its final end. What we got instead was far from what we wanted. What Greg Nicotero gave us in “Wrath” was a contrived mess. The long-awaited battle between Rick and Negan literally lasted all of three minutes. Even the Rick/Governor battle lasted longer. This was Survival Sunday and thankfully “The Walking Dead” had “Fear”…

Campus

Fall in love with a book

Azrael Montoya

Students take part in Library offer to go on ‘blind date’ If you want to have some fun with a book, then “Blind Date with a Book” is for you. The process is simple. The book is mysteriously wrapped and there are three key words describing that book on a sticky note and the student will have to guess if they like the book. For Library Assistant Aaron Avalos, “getting confidence to check out a book” is important for students. For Photography major Andrew Acuna, his reason is simple. “I hope the book shows me a good time just like…

Campus

Poet tells of inspirations, influences

Azrael Montoya

Wendy Barker visits DMC for reading, talks with students Poet Wendy Barker greeted Del Mar College with her poetry as part of the Library Poetry Series on Feb. 14 for an hourlong reading packed with words and metaphors about Barker’s life. “I liked that there was lots of humor and profanity in her poetry,” surgical tech major Briana Martinez said. Associate of Arts English Professor Sara Kaplan chose Barker to visit campus. “We are literature. It’s not who we read, it’s who we are. Who we read makes us who we are,” Kaplan previously told the Foghorn News when Barker’s…

Entertainment

Three films to check out before Oscars

Azrael Montoya

With the 90th Academy Awards just around the corner, I thought it would be fitting to shine the spotlight on three particular Best Picture nominees that are important for students to see. I believe these films are applicable to young life. The first film on my must-watch list is “Dunkirk,” directed by Christopher Nolan. You may remember Nolan as the birther of the famous Dark Knight trilogy. Well, “Dunkirk” is a masterpiece for students. The film tells the violent war story of the battle at Dunkirk. It is brilliantly shot. The primary message students can take from this film is…

Community, Entertainment

Corpus Christi to get a little honky tonky

Azrael Montoya

Corpus Christi Live! will present method performer, actor and singer Jason Petty for the Hank and My Honky Tonk Heroes Tour show. Petty, a University of Tennessee graduate and native of Manchester, Tennessee, will be portraying his childhood hero, Hank Williams. Petty remembers his dad singing Hank’s hit song “Hey Good Lookin’” to him when he was just a boy. Petty has garnered rave reviews from critics such as The New York Times, Variety and Rolling Stone. “I like every aspect of music he brings to the table,” CC Live! Board member Lynn Worden said about Petty’s skill as a…

Entertainment

Neeson returns to form in an average thriller

Azrael Montoya

‘The Commuter’ entertains despite some potholes The 2018 action thriller “The Commuter” is a portrayal of everyday routine gone horribly wrong. Liam Neeson is that commuter, Michael McCauley, an ex-NYPD officer now turned insurance salesman. He gave up all the complications of being a police officer and is now a devoted family man with a mortgage. He goes through the same routine every day, gets up in the morning, and takes the same train to and from work. But one day when he meets a mysterious woman named Joanna (Vera Farmiga) and she tells him she has a “job” for…

Entertainment

Be entertained, enlightened at movie series

Azrael Montoya

Del Mar to screen different film every Friday in library The following films will be screened this semester as part of the Curricular Enrichment Film Series. Movies are shown at 2 p.m. Fridays in Room 530 of the White Library.   ‘13 HOURS’ (Jan. 26) This film, directed by Michael Bay and based on the book by Mitchell Zuckoff of the same name, chronicles the fight to defend the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, after onslaught terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2012. ‘DENIAL’ (Feb. 2) This film is a British-American historical drama based on Deborah Lipstadt’s book “History on…