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New SGA officials elected amidst COVID-19

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The Student Government Association held their elections from Apr. 6 through Apr. 12, seeing a total voter turnout of 375. 

Rosie Red, Michael Foster and Stephen Chang have been elected SGA President, Vice President and Treasurer, respectively. 

Rosie Red is the newly elected SGA President, winning the position by nearly 79 percent. Photo// Sga_floridatech Instagram

None of the races were close, Red won by 230 votes, Foster by 162 and Chang by 249 votes. 

The SGA election saw a drop in voters from the previous year’s 592 cast votes. According to the student body election results, there were 375 votes from this election account which accounts for 8.6 percent of the possible students available to vote. Voting was open to undergraduate and graduate students at the Melbourne campus according to The Supervisor of Elections, Jacob Chesslo. Based on 2019 enrollment data from Florida Tech’s Office of Institutional Research, 4,349 students were eligible to vote in the 2020 SGA election. 

Despite her victory, Red called the current COVID-19 situation “detrimental” to the campaigning process.

“Running a campaign using an online platform has made it much more difficult for candidates to connect with students and vice-versa,” Red said. “Which I believe is also part of the reason the election turnout was so much lower this year than in previous years.”

Chesslo said the COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest reason why there were fewer votes this year.

Chang, Foster and current SGA President, Jace Petwroski, also attributed COVID-19 and Florida Tech’s transition to online classes as to why voting numbers decreased. 

Petrowski will hold the president position until the end of summer 2020. 

As Petrowski’s Vice President, Red has already laid the groundwork for projects she’d like to accomplish during her term, such as a renovation of Evans Hall and adding lights to the Southgate intramural fields.

Red added that due to the current circumstances it’s hard to say what physical projects will be accomplished.

Petrowski said he was “exceptionally pleased” with the results of the election and has come to see Red as family.

“In these uncertain times, Rosie is the President we need and the President who will march our university into a brighter, post-COVID era,” Petrowski said.

Red said one of the reasons she ran for SGA President was to carry out the goals of the current SGA.

Chang said he is confident in both Red and Foster in their newly elected positions.

Stephen Chang is the newly elected treasurer of SGA. He won the position with over 300 votes. Photo// Sga_floridatech Instagram

“As a team, we have good communication and are good friends both in and outside of school,” Chang said. 

One problem that Chang said drove his run for treasurer was that “there were many organizations that do not know how to request money from the Student Activities funding committee or know what is available to them.”

Foster said one of his main reasons for running for Vice President was because he believes in order to have a successful university structure, it is essential to have a well-run representation of the student body.

“I genuinely believe I can do the job very well,” Foster said. “And given the opportunity, I would work to the best of my ability to make my time in the position as productive as possible.”

20 senators were elected as well: 

  • Michaela Salazar
  • Sasha Anguiano
  • John Wu
  • Pearson Kerchner
  • Cody Cochran
  • Carolynne Garutti
  • Madison Ulvenes
  • Tanner Crampton
  • John O’Brien
  • Jack Dennis
  • Alexander Datillo
  • Trent Linville
  • Austin Sisinni
  • Morgan Gray
  • Eli Rines
  • Spenser Gorenflo
  • Luis Carlos Mantilla-Garcia
  • Nicholas Assante
  • Dylan Hammond
  • Reese Van Putten

An amendment to replace the former constitution of SGA with an updated one was also passed. According to Chesslo, more than half the people that participate in voting are needed to pass the amendment. Based on the 2020 student body election results, 91 percent of students that participated in voting were in favor of the amendment. Chesslo said that some of the major changes within the new constitution provide for greater documentation of processes and procedures, and more analysis as to how SGA should operate.

“This allows for the house of delegates, student organizations, to have more say in SGA,” Chesslo said. “It also allows for a constitution of the student body rather than that of just the Student Government Association.”

This story was updated on April 15 at 6:40 p.m. to provide updates about the newly ratified amendment.

Nerd News: The Stream Dream

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Due to the COV-19 outbreak across the globe, television shows and movies have all come to a screeching halt.

Production on popular shows like “The Ellen Show” and “Stranger Things” have been paused, and blockbuster movies like “Mulan” and “Fast and Furious 9” have delayed their release date. 

While most movie studios that have announced they’re pushing back a film’s release date have not given a specific timetable, Universal has already announced that “Fast and Furious 9” is now set to release in April of 2021. 

This is 11 months after its initial release date of May 22. While it is a bold and saddening move by Universal to push the release back nearly a year, they’re giving themselves plenty of time and staking a claim to that month. 

So, why is it so important to pick a specific date right now? The domino effect.

You may not have noticed this in the past, but movies come out at specific times for specific reasons. 

The busiest time of the year is “Summer Blockbuster Season” that lasts from about late spring until the end of summer.

 Critically acclaimed films typically come out during “Oscar season,” which happens from late fall and early winter until the year ends. 

Those other times of the year are typically saved for smaller films that a movie doesn’t think will do as well at the box office. There are of course exceptions like the latest “Star Wars” trilogy all being released just before Christmas.

Everyone in the industry is aware of this unwritten rule and knows the risks of opening during a bad time of the year, or too close to another blockbuster. 

This year’s first major summer blockbuster is Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow.” Disney has not yet budged on the May 5release date. 

As a devoted Marvel follower, I can tell you that they are methodical when it comes to their movies’ release dates. 

The film a studio thinks can make the most movie comes out in early May, one they’re confident in but don’t trust comes out earlier in the year around March, one they hope will be a success but haven’t tested the water with will be released in the Fall. 

This year “Black Widow” is in their “breadwinner” slot, and so far the Coronavirus has not made them budge. 

As of right now, this seems like a really bad idea, but I understand why they’re holding out hope. 

Every movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe builds on top of the next, Disney can’t simply push “Black Widow” back to next April as Universal did with “Fast and Furious 9.”

They already have their next seven movies announced and precisely placed throughout the next few years. 

Disney, I have a solution, release the movies on Disney+. 

I’m not sure if they recognize it or not, but Disney already gave themselves the solution to this problem back in November when they launched Disney+.

It’s this simple, go ahead and release the movie in theaters, and whoever is brave enough to go, will go, but also release it on Disney+ for a premium price. 

It can also act as an “Unlock” button on the app where you can now see that “Black Widow” is available on Disney+ but you have to pay $30 to 40 for access.

The price will have to be well higher than an average movie ticket in order to gain comparable revenue to a normal theatrical release. 

It may not be ideal for the company of the fan, but these aren’t ideal times. 

If Marvel Studios really cares so much about sticking to the plan, then they should allow fans who don’t feel safe going out to a theater to have access to the film from home.

They’ve given themselves the opportunity to go to plan B, but also keep the ship on course.

For the rest of the movies and TV, I’m afraid these are dark times. Production will be backed up leading to later release dates and leaving fans foaming at the mouth for new content. 

2021 was already going to be a crowded year with movies like “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” “Jurassic World: Dominion” and “The Batman.” 

But now with all the delays it could be overflowing and lead to different studios cannibalizing each other at the box office. 

Only time will tell how bad this situation will become but remember to wash your hands, stay at home and keep re-watching “Avengers: Infinity War” until you start rooting for Thanos.

Sports, we’ll miss you

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Why do we watch sports? Seriously, why do we constantly check scores and stats, scream when a big play happens, cheer when our team scores and go home feeling sick when they lose? What’s the point?

The act of sport is an escape. 

An escape from our job, an assignment due at midnight, a tough breakup, a sick loved one, or politics, politics, and more politics. 

Sports are the only thing on Earth that can bring people together no matter their political party, religious beliefs, race, sexual orientation, age, gender, or any other category that separates us as humans. 

Are we rooting for the same team? We are? Great! You’re welcome to our club. You’re rooting for the Patriots? Go kick rocks dude!

It’s that exclusive club of fans rooting for the same team or player that makes watching sports so special. 

The Coronavirus has ripped this escape away from us. 

Not only have all of Florida Tech sports been canceled, but practically all major American sports have been either suspended or canceled. 

This year you won’t get the opportunity to fill out 47 March Madness brackets because you want to tell your friends, “My bracket lasted the longest, I told you guys I know what I’m talking about.”

We may not even get to see the best NBA team hold up the Larry O’Brien trophy, or the best NHL celebrate with the Stanley Cup. 

Major League Baseball won’t be welcomed into the new season with the tradition of Opening Day. 

Professional golf season won’t tee off at Augusta National for the Masters Tournament on time. 

It’s all just gone, within a blink of an eye our escape from whatever is dragging us down in our lives is gone, and we don’t know when it’ll be back. 

I write this not to mope and have someone play a sad song for me on the world’s smallest violin, but to tell the sports-crazed fans out there that you’re not alone. 

We all should know how serious this disease is and the impact it could have on our country and our planet. 

Sports will return and everything happens for a reason. 

Maybe this a sign that we should all pay closer attention to our family, friends, co-workers, classmates and neighbors. 

While this feels like a nightmare, it will get better, our escape from reality will return. 

In the meantime, wash your hands, practice social distancing and watch reruns of the 2016 NBA Finals.

Giving high fives to strangers at a game will be back, but until then, sports, we’ll miss you.

Nerd News: Superman Was Ahead of the Curve

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One movie this year was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, made over $1 billion, caused nationwide controversy and just so happens to be based on DC Comics. 

Directed by Academy Award nominee Todd Phillips, “Joker” is the highest-grossing rated R film of all time. 

A story about a mentally ill man that becomes a murdering clown earned the seventh most money of the year. 

Warner Bros. and Phillips pulled no punches. This film is bloody, curse-filled and undeniably uncomfortable. 

While there are those who didn’t like the film, “Joker” is nominated for the most Academy Awards and lead actor Joaquin Phoenix has already won awards for his performance at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The audience for this film was a perfect storm of nerd culture, mental health advocates and film buffs.

Would this perfect storm have existed 10 years ago?

Let’s take a trip back to June of 2013. 

The Miami Heat were on their way to back-to-back championships, “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk was atop the charts and Vine was rapidly growing in popularity.

Something else you may have forgotten after June 2013 was the release of Zach Snyder’s “Man of Steel.”

The Superman reboot earned  $668 million at the box office, but faced a lot of scrutiny for its muted color scheme and dreary plot. 

Full spoilers for “Man of Steel” below.

In the film’s climactic final battle, Metropolis is being decimated by a Kryptonian World Engine. 

The tallest skyscrapers imaginable crashing to the ground while survivors run through the streets surrounded by clouds of dust. 

Shortly after the film premiered, controversial screenwriter Max Landis went to his YouTube channel to share his displeasure with the film and also said: “… after hundreds of thousands of people have died on camera is such a direct 9/11 corollary…” 

In 2013 Variety’s Justin Chang also wrote: “I’d say Snyder goes even further than those movies in the way he channels the specific terror and chaos of 9/11.”

On top of the 9/11 comparison, some DC fans were also outraged that Superman (Henry Cavill) brutally snaps Zod’s (Michael Shannon) neck – making him a killer.

In my opinion, Superman had to kill Zod, he was given no other choice. 

“Man of Steel” does a good job of explaining that Zod was never going to stop or settle for less than recreating Krypton. 

Once that plan is no longer an option, Zod simply goes ballistic. Someone with Superman-like strength looking to get revenge on Earth’s people.

Superman doesn’t want to kill him, he just couldn’t let Zod kill the innocent.

The Man of Steel even cries out after killing Zod, a clear indication that he’s troubled by this hard decision. 

As for the destruction of Metropolis, I would have never correlated the scene to 9/11 on my own. For me, it was how any giant city would look while sections of it crumble to the streets.

“Man of Steel” couldn’t shake the controversy as “Joker” did. In fairness, both films faced controversy for two very separate reasons, but they are both undeniably dark films.

In a direct comparison, “Man of Steel” could even be considered upbeat or chipper compared to the emotional weight of “Joker.”

In 2013 no one wanted to crack through a dark, dull outer shell. People wanted the flashing lights and quippy characters from 2012’s “The Avengers.”

The story of Clark Kent in this movie is about self-discovery, fitting in and knowing the difference between right and wrong.

We see Clark go through life not knowing why he has these powers, why he has to be different than everyone else. He also struggles to know how and when to use his powers for good. 

Clark even lets his father die in a tornado because he didn’t believe it was time for the world to see that his son was different.

I believe this movie gives us our best look at what it would really be like if an alien came to Earth and was virtually unstoppable. 

The U.S. military involvement, The Daily Planet afraid to publish a story due to fear of public reaction and where religious beliefs fall in this fiction world, to name a few.

I’d advise anyone who has made it this far to rewatch “Man of Steel” sometime soon. 

Maybe you already love the movie, if so that’s great, but if not, give it another chance.

I think with a few more years under your belt you may believe in the brilliance that I do.

Nerd News: Star Wars ranking and Episode 9 preview

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The widely anticipated “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” opens in theaters on Dec. 20. Disney and Lucasfilm have said this is the end of the “Skywalker Saga.”

The “Skywalker Saga” is all of the episodic Star Wars films produced up until this point. 

Beginning with the adventures of Luke, Han and Leia, then the prequel trilogy focusing on Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padme, the sequel trilogy finally wraps up starring Rey, Kylo Ren, Finn and Poe. 

With such a monumental nerd chapter coming to a close, here are my full Star Wars movie rankings—including the anthology films—and a quick predictions section for “The Rise of Skywalker.”

10. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Bogged down by a force-fed love story between Anakin and Padme, “Attack of the Clones” is filled with poor acting and head-scratching story decisions. Obi-Wan’s arc is easily the best part. 

9. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

Remove Jar Jar Binks and this would still probably rank ninth on my list. In one movie, George Lucas ruined everything we thought we knew about the Force and turned Darth Vader into a whiny little kid. We do, however, get one of the best lightsaber fights ever between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gonn Ginn and Darth Maul (shoutout to the music “Duel of the Fates” playing). 

8. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Finally, we get to see Anakin become Darth Vader. Oh wait, maybe we didn’t want to see little Ani mercilessly kill younglings. In all honesty, this is probably the only prequel that I enjoy watching out of the three, mainly because there is real emotion when they execute Order 66. Also, the final fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan does pull at a few of my heartstrings. 

7. Solo: A Star Wars Story

This may seem like I am ranking this movie low, but I actually enjoy “Solo.” The story, characters and action sequences are all enjoyable but it doesn’t provide any unforgettable moments in my opinion. While Alden Ehrenreich does the best he can playing Han Solo, my biggest problem with this movie is that he’s not Harrison Ford. Obviously, it would be impossible for Ford to play this aged character now but that just makes me question if we really needed this movie at all.

6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This is exactly what a “Star Wars story” should be: a well-crafted story around likable characters that we grow to quickly love throughout the film. We only see one lightsaber (the one and only Darth Vader’s) and it is one of the best scenes in Star Wars history. Not only does this movie perfectly lead into “A New Hope,” but it provides us with the “wow” factor we all crave when journeying to a galaxy far, far away. 

5. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

This was nearly placed at number six on my list, but despite all the movie does wrong, the super sweaty, gasping-for-air moments in this movie give it the nod over “Rogue One.” Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo, is my favorite character of the new trilogy and I love everything he does in this movie. All of the moments between him and Rey are great (#TeamReylo), and their brief team-up against Snoke’s guards is pure Star Wars bliss. 

4. Star Wars: A New Hope

Back where it all began. The teaching between Obi-Wan and Luke learning what the Force is, our first appearance of Han and Chewbacca, Darth Vader force-choking his subordinates and the beginnings of an iconic friendship between Luke, Han and Leia. The original Star Wars film will always hold a special place in our little nerd hearts.

3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Some take points off for being very similar to “A New Hope” but I absolutely love “The Force Awakens,” even with the blatant copying. Star Killer Base was a misfire. However, seeing a Storm Trooper—Finn—go rogue, being introduced to the best pilot in the resistance—Poe—and meeting our midi-chlorian-filled scavenger Rey are all great character moments and sets the foundation for the next three movies. Also, Han (rest in peace), Chewy and Leia are heavily featured and it feels like a dream come true.

2. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

I do not mind the Ewoks. Inject the throne scene between the Emperor, Vader and Luke directly into my veins. Next. 

1. Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back

If this isn’t your favorite Star Wars movie are you really even a Star Wars fan? Some of the best elements are the battle of Hoth, Luke training with Yoda and Lando Calrissian and Cloud City. This movie also has some of the best moments of dialogue, including the moment between Han and Leia where she proclaims her love for him and he simply responds, “I know.”

There’s also this iconic exchange between Luke and Vader: 

Luke: I’ll never join you!
Vader: If only you knew the power of the Dark Side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
Luke: He told me enough! He told me you killed him!
Vader: No, I am your father.

Image result for mic drop

The Rise of Skywalker questions/predictions:

  • How and why is the Emperor back?
  • Who was Snoke?
  • How do they handle Leia?
  • Kylo and Rey team up in the end to fight the Emperor.
  • Kylo dies in the end.
  • Rey, Finn and Poe all survive.
  • We see Hayden Christensen reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker in the form of a Force ghost.

Florida Tech Sports Recap for Nov. 24, 2019

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Football: Overall record: 5-6

The Panthers finish their season strong with a blowout win on their home turf.
Photo // Florida Tech Athletics

Nov. 16 42-3 Win vs Shorter

Volleyball: Overall record: 4-27

The volleyball team ended their season on a 12-game losing streak and placed last in their conference. Photo // Florida Tech Athletics

Nov. 15 0-3 Loss at Saint Leo University
Nov. 16 0-3 Loss at University of Tampa
Nov. 22 0-3 Loss vs Lynn University
Nov. 23 0-3 Loss vs Nova Southeastern University

Men’s Soccer: Overall record: 12-3-1

After losing the second round of the conference playoffs, the Panthers still solidified a spot in the NCAA playoffs and secured a victory in the first round. Photo // Florida Tech Athletics

Nov. 14 1-3 Loss vs Palm Beach Atlantic
Nov. 23 2-1 Win vs University of West Florida

Men’s Basketball: Overall record: 2-3

The Panthers are off to a below-average start early on in their lengthy season. 

Nov. 8 75-92 Loss vs Benedict College
Nov. 9 84-88 Loss at Auburn-Montgomery
Nov. 14 111-71 Win vs Johnson
Nov. 16 81-63 Win vs Puerto Rico-Bayamon 
Nov. 23 70-75 Loss at Saint Leo University

Women’s Basketball: Overall record: 3-3

A .500 start six games into the Panthers season.

Nov. 8 67-75 Loss vs University of West Georgia
Nov. 9 75-73 Win vs Spring Hill College
Nov. 15 80-56 Win vs University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon
Nov. 16 53-75 Loss vs Clayton State University
Nov. 19 71-57 Win at Flagler College
Nov. 23 67-82 Loss at Saint Leo University

Nerd News: Why Disney+ is a game-changer

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A sneak peak of the interface of Disney+. Photo // Disney

The Walt Disney Company is coming for us all.

Swiftly after Disney bought out 21st Century Fox for a cool $71.3 billion— feel free to meditate on that number a bit—they are now launching their own streaming service.

This is a continuation of the recent trend towards streaming subscription services like Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime and many more.

Disney+ has a lot of factors working in its favor, specifically price, audience and future.

Price

Disney+ costs $6.99 per month, or $69.99 per year— $5.83 per month.

In August, Disney announced that if you sign up for the D23 Official Disney Fan Club, you could sign up for a three-year commitment for just $140.97.

That’s $46.99 per year or $3.92 per month. Demand for the offer reportedly caused so much traffic that the D23 website temporarily crashed.

The chart below shows how Disney+ stacks up against competing streaming services.

The lack of variety in packages, I believe, is a benefit for Disney+.

Alternatively, Disney is offering a package of Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu with ads for just $12.99.

In May, Disney acquired Comcast’s one-third stake in Hulu and took full control of the streaming service.

This three-service package by Disney is a power move and clearly is targeted at competing with Netflix’s $12.99 standard price.

So why would anyone choose Disney+ exclusively over Netflix?

Audience

The fundamental flaw with Disney+ is that they will only offer Disney’s own properties.

Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with that, but it may not be for everyone.

On the other hand, with the acquisition of Fox, their library of content now contains properties like “The Simpsons,” “Home Alone” and the original Star Wars trilogy, to name a few.

Speaking of Star Wars, if you’re a fan of the franchise Disney+ is a must.

“The Mandalorian,” a brand new Star Wars show, is available on Disney+ from launch.

As a huge Star Wars fan, I cannot wait for this show to begin; it will be the first thing I watch on Disney+.

If you’re like me and love Star Wars, you may also enjoy the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Again, if you’re an MCU fan, Disney+ is crucial to have. Not only will their movies be slowly rolling out onto the service, but Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has announced eight Disney+ exclusive shows.

Feige has made it clear that these new shows hold equal weight to the movies.

As a Marvel superfan, it would be virtually impossible to not subscribe. So what about those who aren’t sweating over every word that Feige utters?

Anyone watch the Disney Channel growing up?

Not only are classics like “High School Musical,” “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody” and “That’s So Raven” going to be available on the new service, but a continuation of “Lizzie McGuire” exclusively on Disney+ is in the works.

The 6-year-old me that truly believed he was going to marry Hillary Duff is very excited about this new series.

Honestly, the array of Disney Channel Original movies and shows that were going to be available from day one may have been worth the price for me solely based on nostalgia.

Speaking of nostalgia, Disney classic animated movies such as “The Lion King,” “Mulan,” “Beauty and the Beast” and more will be unvaulted and neatly stored in Disney+.

For anyone with kids or if you are a kid trapped in an adult’s body like me, the $6.99 a month will probably be well worth it.

If you’re into more PG-13 and above rated material, Disney+ may not be the service for you.

This is Disney after all, so if you want to watch horror movies or raunchy comedies, just keep mooching off your ex’s Netflix account.

Future

This category may be Disney+’s greatest strength.

The streaming service is going to be very reliant on old shows and movies upon release, but over the next few years, it will become overflowing with original and exclusive content.

Disney properties up until this point have lived on places like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The launch of Disney+ doesn’t just add new competition with new content, it weakens its direct competitors.

I would be surprised if Netflix doesn’t lower its price sometime in the near future, as they are going to have to rely more and more on original content to stay afloat.

Disney+ is going to have an immediate impact on the streaming service world, especially due to the prices and ranges of people that may be interested.

It appears Disney’s strategy is to get as many people as possible signed up from the beginning; then in probably two to three years bump the price up just like we’ve seen with Netflix and Hulu.

So, my advice is to enjoy Disney+ now while it’s price feels more like an add-on payment, rather than having to cut ties with another service.

The present and future of home entertainment lie within streaming services and Disney+ may soon change the entire industry.

Nerd News: Why it doesn’t matter whether Marvel is “cinema” or not

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Francis Ford Coppola rivaling the Marvel Cinematic Universe for classifying it as “not cinema”. Photo // INQUIRER.net USA

During a recent interview with Empire, beloved Director Martin Scorsese called comic book movies, specifically Marvel, “not cinema.”

He went on to say the best comparison for them is theme parks.

Instead of writing a thousand words on how these comments are ridiculous and Scorsese is just a grumpy old man (trust me, I almost went there), I have been able to take a step back and have come to a conclusion. Who cares?

I’m not backing down as a Marvel superfan, nor am I trying to discredit Scorsese’s opinion.

Cinema can be defined simply as movies or motion pictures, but a secondary definition according to Meriam-Webster Dictionary is, “the art or technique of making motion pictures.”

This seems to be the definition Scorsese meant when critiquing comic book movies.

Later during his interview with Empire, he explained his stance, saying, “It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

Now while I do not agree, I understand.

Scorsese is basically trying to say Marvel movies rely too much on the big explosions, computer graphics and lighthearted comedy to be considered real cinema.

Scorsese also admitted to not watching Marvel movies despite trying.

While this is clearly an outsider’s point of view looking in, the nine-time Academy Award nominee’s opinions still hold great weight—enough so that the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr. and Natalie Portman defended Marvel movies as cinema.

Unfortunately, fellow iconic director Francis Ford Coppola went one step too far when adding onto Scorsese’s comments.

In an interview with Yahoo! Coppola said that Scorsese “was kind when he said it’s not cinema. He didn’t say it’s despicable, which I just say it is.”

Grumpy old man alert! He explained why he agreed that Marvel movies aren’t cinema.

“We expect to learn something from cinema,” Coppola said. “We expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration.”

Nerd alert incoming! Inspiration?

These movies inspire, especially children, to use their gifts for the greater good.

For example, Peter Parker (oh no, here he goes again) was just a nerdy teen trying to work his way through school.

He didn’t seek his great power, but once he had it, he took on the great responsibility.

He used his gifts to help and protect his community.

The point wasn’t that he could lift a car or climb walls—it was that he was given amazing abilities and how he used them was all that mattered.

We may not be able to swing through New York City or stop a speeding train, but we all have our own gifts and they only matter if we use them to the best of our abilities.

To be frank, Mr. Coppola, I was a pretty freaking inspired six-year-old watching Spider-Man 2 on repeat.

So the question is, why the sudden bashing of the incredibly successful Marvel movies that have recently been released?

Well, I think that is exactly it: Marvel movies are insanely successful. Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” is the highest-grossing film of all time, bringing in just under $2.8 billion.

They have also had an effect on the rest of the industry, especially genre films.

For example, Marvel Studios began adding post credit scenes to their films to get fans excited for the next film and keeping the excitement levels always to the max.

In August’s action film “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” there were four post-credit scenes teasing the next installment.

Even Scorsese’s much anticipated film, “The Irishman,” coming out in November of this year has been affected.

The movie is in partnership with Netflix and in an interview with Entertainment Weekly Scorsese said that the $159 million project “was very difficult to get made the past 10 years, and for many different reasons.”

Scorsese is even using de-aging technology in his new film. This part-incredible, part scary computer graphics effect has been previously used in Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” and “Captain America: Civil War.”

Times are certainly changing in the film industry and I think generational directors like Scorsese and Coppola, who have been creating major motion pictures for nearly 60 years, may feel threatened.

It was clearly not a cakewalk for Scorsese to get his latest project funded and Coppola still hasn’t begun official production of “Megalopolis.”

Deadline reported that Coppola described “Megalopolis” as “usual” and said, “It will be a production on a grand scale with a large cast.”

Interesting, grand scale and large cast … where have I seen that before?

Nevertheless, the film industry has changed rapidly over the past 10 Avengers filled years and there’s no sign of it stopping.

The great Robert Downey Jr. put it in the best way possible while on The Howard Stern Show.

“When you come in like a stomping beast and you eliminate the competition in such a demonstrative way, it’s phenomenal,” Downey said.

So who cares if Martin Scorsese or Francis Ford Coppola think that Marvel movies aren’t cinema?

They are more entitled to their own opinions than practically anyone else in the film industry, but actions speak louder than words and money speaks even louder than that.

This never needed to become a viral story, because it is what it is and none of this means that we as Marvel fans should enjoy The Avengers any less.

We also shouldn’t have to feel like traitors for watching “Shutter Island” or “The Godfather.”

At the end of the day, the movie industry is changing and evolving, just as it has over the past 100 years, and there’s nothing you, me or Martin Scorsese can do about it.

Athletics stay busy during homecoming week

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To begin the week, the volleyball team fell to the Embry-Riddle Eagles on Tuesday night.

The Panthers lost in straight sets but kept each set close. Each set was lost by only five points or fewer.

They finished the match with 33 kills, 33 assists, five service aces, four blocks, 64 digs and 63 total points. Soccer continued the week on Wednesday night, both taking on Rollins College.

The No. 6 ranked men’s team was undefeated entering the game with a 9-0-1 record.

Their game against the Tars was the Panthers second of the season to go into overtime but this time they came up short, losing 2-1.

Guillermo Segovia scored Florida Tech’s only goal of the evening, tallying his goal total for the season to a team-high seven goals.

The women’s team had similar results at home against the Tars, losing 3-0.

Maria Munoz, Brittany Etrick and Alexis Sheely each challenged the Rollins goalkeeper, putting a shot on goal.

The football team wrapped up homecoming week Saturday afternoon as they took on the West Florida Argonauts.

This game was not only the homecoming game but the fourth annual Coastal Classic rivalry game between Florida Tech and West Florida.

The winner gets to keep the Coastal Classic Trophy for the full year until they face off the next season.

In last season’s game, the Panthers overcame an 18-point deficit and beat the Argonauts 30-28.

This year, Florida Tech fell to West Florida 38-14, making their overall record 1-3 in the rivalry game.

The 24-point difference was the greatest so far of the four-year rivalry.

Similar to last year, the Panthers found themselves down early, trailing 17-7 at halftime.

After falling down 31-7 in the third quarter, it was too great of a deficit for them to overcome this year.

Freshman quarterback Mike Diliello was featured in both of Florida Tech’s touchdowns.

The first was a 91-yard run by Diliello that at the time brought them within three points of the Argonauts.

The second and final touchdown scored by the Panthers was a seven-yard pass from Diliello to tight end Kenny Hiteman late in the third quarter.

The trophy is now back with West Florida but the Panthers will have their chance to reclaim it next season.

Florida Tech began their season 3-1 but have now dropped four straight games, leaving their record at a 3-5 with three more games remaining in the regular season.

They next take on West Alabama at Panther Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Nerd News: Why “Joker” is the must-see movie of 2019

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Official movie poster // Warner Bros Pictures.

“Joker” by Todd Phillips is a work of art and deserves tremendous respect and praise.

With that being said, film is subjective and this film, in particular, has been under fire for its representation of mental illness and violence.

Today, I want to discuss this wave of controversy, share my thoughts on the matter and why I believe “Joker” does a lot more good than bad.

Brief History Lesson

In 2012, during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora Colorado, James Holmes set off tear gas grenades and fired his gun at the audience. Twelve people died and 70 were injured.

The Joker wasn’t featured in that film, but it was coming off the heels of 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” where Heath Ledger plays the Joker.

Ledger died due to a drug overdose before “The Dark Knight” was released in theaters.

His performance was so impactful that he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2009.

It is still devastating to think that Ledger never got to see how loved and adored his portrayal of Batman’s most famous antagonist was and still is to this day.

Fast forward to 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” where Jared Leto took his turn as The Clown Prince of Crime.

I personally didn’t hate his performance as much as many people and even found myself wishing he was in the movie more.

With that being said, Leto’s Joker isn’t even near the same league as Ledger’s and now Phoenix’s.

The Real Dark Phoenix

Arthur putting on makeup for his clown persona. Picture // Warner Bros. Pictures

Now before I open that can of worms, no, I am not going to debate whether Ledger or Phoenix had the better Joker (maybe another time).

But the fact that Phoenix has a real case for having a better performance than Ledger’s now-iconic portrayal is significant in its own right.

There were moments while watching “Joker” where I thought to myself, “This is the best acting I’ve ever seen” by the great Joaquin Phoenix.

Now upon further reflection and seeing the movie again, I can confidently say Phoenix should be nominated for Best Lead Actor at the Academy Awards.

I don’t want to say he should win without seeing the other performances that will be nominated, but I honestly doubt anyone will be as good this year.

Phoenix put his mind, soul and body into this performance and it’s so apparent on screen.

Firstly and most obviously, he lost 52 pounds for the role and in a recent interview on The Jimmy Kimmel show Phoenix said, “It is difficult at times, but then there is something very empowering about it as well.”

This, in a sense, perfectly describes his acting in this film.

Phoenix is able to get into the bruised and battered head of his character Arthur Fleck with what feels like such ease.

Alright, enough beating around the bush—full “Joker” spoilers time.

Leave now and come back after you’ve seen the film or stay and enjoy the sweat.

The Laugh

Arthur laughing on the bus in the movie. Picture // Warner Bros. Pictures

Phoenix reportedly studied people who suffered from pseudobulbar affect, or PBA.

PBA causes those that suffer from it to have sudden outbursts of uncontrollable laughing, crying or both.

While doing research for this article, I watched a few videos of real-life people who suffer from PBA and it is stunning how well Phoenix was able to mimic this condition.

Whereas when someone normally laughs it comes from a place of joy, this is the exact opposite; it is normally triggered by an uncomfortable situation and can lead to embarrassment, social isolation, distress and depression.

Those are all emotions and conditions Arthur is depicted as suffering from in “Joker.”

It is never explicitly said what exact conditions Arthur has in the movie, but we do learn that he uses seven different medications and suffered significant head trauma as a child.

Arthur even has a card he carries with him that says, “It’s a medical condition causing sudden, frequent, uncontrollable laughter that doesn’t match how you feel. It can happen in people with a brain injury or certain neurological conditions.”

Abuse, isolation, neglect and early loss of a parent are all linked to real-world cases of mental illness and Arthur suffers through all of these in this film.

Phillips does a great job of using laughter as a tool, not just a character flaw.

We see Arthur painfully laugh at the worst moments; a few scenes particularly stuck out for me.

In one of these scenes, Arthur is trying to make a young boy laugh by making funny faces and playing peekaboo.

The boy’s mother tells Arthur to stop bothering her kid, and after the rude interruption of Arthur’s innocent act, he breaks into laughter.

A loud, pained, uncontrollable laugh leads to our first look at his aforementioned card that explains his condition.

This is our first time as the audience seeing the laugh in public at full strength, and it is terribly uncomfortable but makes us feel great sympathy for Arthur.

The next pivotal laughing scene is the turning point of the movie.

After being fired from his job, Arthur is on the subway heading home and three seemingly drunk men are bothering a woman on the subway.

Arthur takes notice of this and between the mixture of his despair from his job and the awkwardness of the situation, he busts out in his troubled laugh.

The three guys now direct their attention to Arthur, get uncomfortably close and then begin to fight.

Arthur is overpowered and is repeatedly kicked while laying on the ground (a callback to one of the first scenes in the movie).

This time Arthur fights back, pulls out his gun and proceeds to shoot and kill all three men that night.

We see Arthur’s first real Joker moment, a sudden lethal outburst that he embraces.

Nearing the end of the film, Arthur gives the chilling line, “I used to think my life was a tragedy, but now I realize it’s a comedy.”

From that point on you see him embrace the laugh and finally have a little bit of control over it for the first time.

You even see Arthur become more comfortable in his own skin as he falls further into darkness.

The most comfortable you ever see Arthur is when he’s on the Murray Franklin Show with full Joker makeup on and in a very familiar purple suit.

Laughing is no longer his enemy.

Is Joker a Hero?

Arthur, now Joker, dancing down the stairs. Picture // Warner Bros. Pictures

The murder of three Wayne Enterprise employees by “a guy in a clown mask” is what triggers the street dwellers of Gotham to fight the wealthy and also raises an interesting question I wanted to discuss.

On one of the newspapers that wrote about the shooting, they question if the masked killer was a vigilante.

As a nerd, this was a cool Easter egg as Batman is often times marked a vigilante by the police and media.

In one of Arthur’s fake memories (more on these later) of a date with Sophie (Zazie Beetz), she says that she thinks the person who killed those guys is a hero.

I interpret this as Arthur solidifying to himself that his actions had good ramifications.

This is one of the examples that show the audience how unreliable Arthur is as a narrator.

The other key example is when Arthur imagines himself on the Murray Franklin show while watching with his mother.

Nevertheless, no matter Arthur’s unreliability, he performs terrible acts throughout this film.

So the short answer is no, he’s not a hero, even though we sympathize with him.

Arthur is a tortured character who even says he’s never had a truly happy moment in his life.

Despite repeatedly being thrown in the trash and gut-punched (literally and figuratively) by society, there is no excuse for Arthur’s actions.

We see him kill six people in the movie and Sophie’s fate wasn’t confirmed, so the kill count could be even higher.

Despite his condition and set of circumstances, there is no excuse for his actions and because of this, of course, he’s not a hero.

The Big Controversy

Now the big talk heading into the film’s release date was that it glorifies both mental illness and violence, with the fear being that this movie may inspire violent acts, much like Arthur/Joker does by the end.

In a time where mass shootings have become a regularity, I understand why people may feel like there’s no place for this movie right now.

I personally have a different opinion on its message.

I think if anything, this movie shows us how we need to treat mental illness and how serious it really is.

Any mental illness should not be ignored, laughed at or overlooked. “Joker” shows us an extreme case that leads to mass violence, but I think it is trying to tell us this is a feasible thing that could happen, and maybe already is happening. One of the best parts of this movie is just how real it feels.

We only ever seen Gotham from a street-level view.

Every punch, kick, gunshot, death, laughing attack all feel completely real; no “movie magic” here.

I could understand someone having a different opinion than me on the subject, but I think that’s another part of this movie that’s so great: It is extremely fun to talk about and it’s impossible to not have an opinion after watching it.

Finals Thoughts

This movie is not a horror film—it is a horrific film.

Its intent is not to scare you, it just wants to show what could happen to someone with severe mental illness when society rejects them despite their best efforts.

I can’t imagine anyone in this role instead of Phoenix, and if he’s not at least nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards, I will write a 3000- word Nerd News column on how the system is completely corrupt.

While I want to say the same for whether “Joker” is nominated for Best Picture, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is snubbed because of how divisive it is amongst critics and fans.

Despite the mixed reactions, I believe Phillips completely shook off the idea that he can only direct comedy after directing “The Hangover” trilogy.

He creates the most grounded Gotham City in the history of cinema and tells a great character driven story that makes the audience sympathize with one of the most famous comic book villains of all time.

I almost feel guilty about how much I enjoyed this movie. It is two hours of seat shifting, shock, heartbreak and one of the most chilling scores to a movie I have ever heard.

I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to see it a third and fourth time in theaters.

The End

So did you make it all the way through? Be honest, I know you skipped some of my over analysis of his laugh, but c’mon, the laugh is one of the driving forces behind the movie! A freaking laugh!