Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus Movie Review (Sort Of)
(AKA Memories of Middle School Angst and Teenage Rebellion OR Cynicism in Post 9/11 Pop-Culture and the Millennium Generation)
Ah, Invader Zim. At times black comedy, sci-fi horror, and satire, gritty animated into what was a kids’ show. The story of an egotist and megalomaniac alien from an imperialistic race of invaders “sent” to concur Earth and turn all humans into slaves, equipped with a broken but lovable robot and limited resources, only to be foiled many times by his own schemes or his archenemy Dib, was perhaps the most bonkers cartoon on television since South Park challenge the status quo. It was brought down by low rating and mismatched demographic but nonetheless found support with critics and fans, becoming a cult classic that survived through Hot Topic merchandise and reruns, generating a comic book series and eventually a Netflix Movie, Enter the Florpus.
The show had a lot of uphill battles from the start that may have likely contributed to its downfall (and cult status). Nickelodeon, the company behind the series, was looking for something to attract the 11-15 year old demographic that was more edgy than its current lineup. The studio was drawn to the style of Jhonen Vasquez and his comic “Johnny the Homicidal Maniac” and asked him to pitch an idea for a cartoon. And thus Invader Zim was born. Vasquez, as well as the animation team, often clashed with what was and wasn’t acceptable; killing characters off permanently was a “no-no” but stealing kids organs was. The show often pushed the boundary of what could be acceptable as a “child’s cartoon program” as eyes got ripped out off-screen, Dib’s sister Gaz threaten to beat up her brother on a daily basis, and Zim talked about enslaving us all at least once an episode (even now I find the Y7-FV rating skeptical). The production team was also under a tight budget, which contributed to animation errors, but managed to pull off what was then a relatively new concept of 2D and 3D animation blended together. Add in a demonic teacher (she’s definitely a witch), an absentminded father, a bleak world that would’ve been part of the Matrix, and unfortunately no other shows on the network that could complement the darker tone, Invader Zim was “DOOMED” from the start. It premiered alongside the Fairy Oddparents in early 2001. I remember that premiere all these years later: I was only 10 and I knew we were in for something strange and unusual.
While the show became a success with critics and those who quickly became fans, the ratings became to drop and the series was canceled before completing its second season. While blame can be pointed to those ratings (and an alleged ‘bloody GIR’), the show simply did not match up with the target demographic of 6-10 year olds, nor did it fit even remotely with the network’s flagship show Spongebob Squarepants (although earlier episodes of THAT series are questionable today). Not helping was the 9/11 attack months after the show’s premiere, which saw several aspects of media and society taking conservative approaches to violence and distressing imagery. The series’ roles of the protagonist and antagonist were reversed, a concept that wouldn’t gain main stream attention until shows like Breaking Bad came along. Indeed, Invader Zim was a show made ahead of its time: it has “meme-able” moments, it was satirical, and would have served better as the type of show found on Adult Swim* in today’s political schism (not to mention the whole “invade Area 51” joke). Shows like Adventure Time and Steven Universe, even (a bit of a stretch here) Stranger Things would not be around today were it not for Zim and his crew. But for me it was the perfect show for my Catholic School rebellion to fresh to public middle school days, and for my friends it was part of what would spark the counterculture against the political and governmental oversight brought on by Post-9/11. Finally, after making what had to be tons of money in merchandise (I have at least four t-shirts, a GIR purse, and a sweater), a comic book series, reruns, and other numerous attempts both by Nickelodeon, Vasquez, and fans, we finally got a movie that does everything but actually wrap the series up.
*Allegedly, and I heavily stress allegedly, since this was back when I was in high school (so 10 plus years ago) and I’ve never been able to independently confirm it, Adult Swim’s production team wanted to buy the broadcast rights to Invader Zim. Nickelodeon declined, likely to keep the show’s broadcast rights in house.
Enter the Florpus acknowledges that it’s been a very, very, very long time since Invader Zim last graced television screens. Zim has disappeared and in his absence, Dib has become a recluse in his room, and it’s been so long that Gaz has dyed her hair and gotten a new look and Professor Membrane, Dib and Gaz’s genius father, has even grown hair. (The movie doesn’t explicitly say how long it’s been in story; Gaz mentions it’s been months since Zim was last seen but I’ve heard talk of it being two years) Zim suddenly reappears to taunt Dib, who is now more or less a chair. The Invader is ready to spring Phase Two of his master plan, and he’s spent this entire time in a toilet scheming it up. Zim contacts his superiors, the Tallest, who have all but forgotten Zim, and are not pleased to find he is still alive. Zim is further disappointed when he discovers the Irken Armada from which he hails will not be coming to Earth anytime soon and falls into a spiral of depression (he of course thinks it’s his fault for not remembering Phase Two but it’s simply because well, the Irkens want nothing to do with him). Dib manages to recuperate, trench coat and all, but he still clashes with his father over his obsession with the paranormal and the “make-believe”. The two adversaries reluctantly team up and (for the sake of no spoilers) help each other get what they want. The conclusion is somewhat satisfying but leaves room for more space invasion shenanigans.
The animation still maintains it’s dark and sometimes disturbing imagery but is much clearer and seamless. The world also seems a bit brighter this time around and while some sequences are filled with peril it doesn’t seem to push the boundary as much as its TV show did. Not that it really needed it for the story and humor but some fans seem disappointed by this. Gaz and Prof. Membrane get more to do this time around which is a welcomed change. Gaz is more helpful and supportive of her brother while maintaining her bad-ass edge (a girl has to get stuff done when the fate of the world is at stake). Professor Membrane has more centralized role to the plot and it pays off well (considering I never liked him in the series means a lot and fans seem to enjoy it as well). There is of course a GIR moment which produced a song that would not stop in my head for four days and may ended up becoming a rock-opera-rap song with full lyrics if it had continued (it may still happen; I don’t know). Fans will also have fun with the anime/FLCL inspired opening.
Overall Enter the Florpus was an enjoyable addition to the Invader Zim series. It may not have everything the fans wanted but it’s enough to keep them from drooling. Fingers crossed the next project Nickelodeon tackles from their library is My Life as a Teenage Robot or Rocket Power.
On a side note, here are two things I have concluded from the series after all these years: one) Dib is a clone of Professor Membrane and two) Zim and Dib are in love with each other but they’re just too wrapped up in their rivalry to acknowledge it (and yes #zadr is a thing and the fan art is great).
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY ZIM!
Ah, Invader Zim. At times black comedy, sci-fi horror, and satire, gritty animated into what was a kids’ show. The story of an egotist and megalomaniac alien from an imperialistic race of invaders “sent” to concur Earth and turn all humans into slaves, equipped with a broken but lovable robot and limited resources, only to be foiled many times by his own schemes or his archenemy Dib, was perhaps the most bonkers cartoon on television since South Park challenge the status quo. It was brought down by low rating and mismatched demographic but nonetheless found support with critics and fans, becoming a cult classic that survived through Hot Topic merchandise and reruns, generating a comic book series and eventually a Netflix Movie, Enter the Florpus.
The show had a lot of uphill battles from the start that may have likely contributed to its downfall (and cult status). Nickelodeon, the company behind the series, was looking for something to attract the 11-15 year old demographic that was more edgy than its current lineup. The studio was drawn to the style of Jhonen Vasquez and his comic “Johnny the Homicidal Maniac” and asked him to pitch an idea for a cartoon. And thus Invader Zim was born. Vasquez, as well as the animation team, often clashed with what was and wasn’t acceptable; killing characters off permanently was a “no-no” but stealing kids organs was. The show often pushed the boundary of what could be acceptable as a “child’s cartoon program” as eyes got ripped out off-screen, Dib’s sister Gaz threaten to beat up her brother on a daily basis, and Zim talked about enslaving us all at least once an episode (even now I find the Y7-FV rating skeptical). The production team was also under a tight budget, which contributed to animation errors, but managed to pull off what was then a relatively new concept of 2D and 3D animation blended together. Add in a demonic teacher (she’s definitely a witch), an absentminded father, a bleak world that would’ve been part of the Matrix, and unfortunately no other shows on the network that could complement the darker tone, Invader Zim was “DOOMED” from the start. It premiered alongside the Fairy Oddparents in early 2001. I remember that premiere all these years later: I was only 10 and I knew we were in for something strange and unusual.
While the show became a success with critics and those who quickly became fans, the ratings became to drop and the series was canceled before completing its second season. While blame can be pointed to those ratings (and an alleged ‘bloody GIR’), the show simply did not match up with the target demographic of 6-10 year olds, nor did it fit even remotely with the network’s flagship show Spongebob Squarepants (although earlier episodes of THAT series are questionable today). Not helping was the 9/11 attack months after the show’s premiere, which saw several aspects of media and society taking conservative approaches to violence and distressing imagery. The series’ roles of the protagonist and antagonist were reversed, a concept that wouldn’t gain main stream attention until shows like Breaking Bad came along. Indeed, Invader Zim was a show made ahead of its time: it has “meme-able” moments, it was satirical, and would have served better as the type of show found on Adult Swim* in today’s political schism (not to mention the whole “invade Area 51” joke). Shows like Adventure Time and Steven Universe, even (a bit of a stretch here) Stranger Things would not be around today were it not for Zim and his crew. But for me it was the perfect show for my Catholic School rebellion to fresh to public middle school days, and for my friends it was part of what would spark the counterculture against the political and governmental oversight brought on by Post-9/11. Finally, after making what had to be tons of money in merchandise (I have at least four t-shirts, a GIR purse, and a sweater), a comic book series, reruns, and other numerous attempts both by Nickelodeon, Vasquez, and fans, we finally got a movie that does everything but actually wrap the series up.
*Allegedly, and I heavily stress allegedly, since this was back when I was in high school (so 10 plus years ago) and I’ve never been able to independently confirm it, Adult Swim’s production team wanted to buy the broadcast rights to Invader Zim. Nickelodeon declined, likely to keep the show’s broadcast rights in house.
Enter the Florpus acknowledges that it’s been a very, very, very long time since Invader Zim last graced television screens. Zim has disappeared and in his absence, Dib has become a recluse in his room, and it’s been so long that Gaz has dyed her hair and gotten a new look and Professor Membrane, Dib and Gaz’s genius father, has even grown hair. (The movie doesn’t explicitly say how long it’s been in story; Gaz mentions it’s been months since Zim was last seen but I’ve heard talk of it being two years) Zim suddenly reappears to taunt Dib, who is now more or less a chair. The Invader is ready to spring Phase Two of his master plan, and he’s spent this entire time in a toilet scheming it up. Zim contacts his superiors, the Tallest, who have all but forgotten Zim, and are not pleased to find he is still alive. Zim is further disappointed when he discovers the Irken Armada from which he hails will not be coming to Earth anytime soon and falls into a spiral of depression (he of course thinks it’s his fault for not remembering Phase Two but it’s simply because well, the Irkens want nothing to do with him). Dib manages to recuperate, trench coat and all, but he still clashes with his father over his obsession with the paranormal and the “make-believe”. The two adversaries reluctantly team up and (for the sake of no spoilers) help each other get what they want. The conclusion is somewhat satisfying but leaves room for more space invasion shenanigans.
The animation still maintains it’s dark and sometimes disturbing imagery but is much clearer and seamless. The world also seems a bit brighter this time around and while some sequences are filled with peril it doesn’t seem to push the boundary as much as its TV show did. Not that it really needed it for the story and humor but some fans seem disappointed by this. Gaz and Prof. Membrane get more to do this time around which is a welcomed change. Gaz is more helpful and supportive of her brother while maintaining her bad-ass edge (a girl has to get stuff done when the fate of the world is at stake). Professor Membrane has more centralized role to the plot and it pays off well (considering I never liked him in the series means a lot and fans seem to enjoy it as well). There is of course a GIR moment which produced a song that would not stop in my head for four days and may ended up becoming a rock-opera-rap song with full lyrics if it had continued (it may still happen; I don’t know). Fans will also have fun with the anime/FLCL inspired opening.
Overall Enter the Florpus was an enjoyable addition to the Invader Zim series. It may not have everything the fans wanted but it’s enough to keep them from drooling. Fingers crossed the next project Nickelodeon tackles from their library is My Life as a Teenage Robot or Rocket Power.
On a side note, here are two things I have concluded from the series after all these years: one) Dib is a clone of Professor Membrane and two) Zim and Dib are in love with each other but they’re just too wrapped up in their rivalry to acknowledge it (and yes #zadr is a thing and the fan art is great).
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY ZIM!
Godzilla: King of the Monsters Movie Review
There are three kinds of dumb when it comes to narrative in cinema. There’s comedic dumb, reserved for comedy, there is popcorn flick dumb, commonly found in action flicks, bonkers dumb, which can be hard to pull off but when executed properly can generate great buzz, and WTF dumb, which has no reason or rhyme for being there, making the viewer scratch their head as to what they are actually seeing is actually a movie. Okay, yes, that’s four, but the last one we hope only appears as a fluke or briefly in any type of film. Godzilla: King of Monsters- sorry- King of THE Monsters, is loaded heavily with that kind of dumb and no so much the popcorn flick dumb we all expect it to be.
Now to be fair, I’m not a huge Godzilla fan; I grew up on reruns of the Godzilla cartoon on Cartoon Network and beyond that, other than common pop lore, that’s all I know about Tokyo’s favorite city destroyer (or savior?). That was until the 2014 Godzilla, where I am somewhat bias. The film crew came on our ship, the USS Ronald Regan, and filmed there (most of these shots were never used and they never credited the right ship- way to keep your ships straight Hollywood!). My shipmates were paid extras. One of the divisional officers had a brief scene (he’s the conning officer on the bridge giving orders but they dubbed over his voice). LT. Brody was an EOD! I was far more invested in that movie than I should be but it was a much better movie than its sequel, even though there was less Godzilla. Why? Two things: the movie made me care about the human characters and tension building. G:KotM doesn’t get me there. I’m going to break down the Good, the Bad, and the WTF.
The Good: Godzilla. Our monster hero has more screen time and you know if he shows up it’s a party (which I mean fight). It’s hard to tell how he feels about sharing screen time with his fellow tiny humans: it’s somewhere between ‘why hello underlings’ or ‘you guys again? Get out of the way’. But our real team player is Mothra, who lights up the screen like a giant celestial angel and is far more useful than her human counterparts. Anytime there’s a big monster fight it’s on, and that’s by far one of the brighter spots of the movie. Some of the animation and imagery is well crafted too, which some hinting at biblical allusions. As far as our human actors, the only people I cared about were the military folks (again, I’m slightly bias), who seemed to have a more grounded grasp on reality. Though Barnes is rocking what I believe is CWO4 rank, which seems a bit high up there for his age, but I can let that slide thanks to the other atrocities in this movie.
The Bad: All right here we go: I could care less about any of the other characters. Seriously. I was hoping one dude would just die because I just couldn’t understand his character. Millie Bobby Brown, I have no idea what she’s even doing in this movie. All she does is whine and cry for 2/3’s of the movie, does one thing, and does more of the same. Between this and Stranger Things, I think the best her acting consists of is a focused stare. She’s a nice kid but I’m doubting her acting. There may have been one or two other people I could’ve cared more about if they were given more to do or do something other than what their character was written to do. There are also some really cool sci-fi concepts in this movie but they’re executed so poorly, it’s just disappointing.
The WTF: I walked out of this movie thinking “What did I just saw?” plus words not said in front of children. I almost wanted to go get my money back. This script is so bad. I could’ve written a better script. You know if I’m saying that I, with my recent college degree, can write a better script, it was terrible. There is so much unnecessary melodrama that I would’ve scrapped all of it. Just, UGH! Someone is going to make a supercut of this film; I just know it. Also the film just throws all kinds of physics out the window. I don’t have a degree in nuclear thermodynamics and I wasn’t a Nuke in the Navy, but even I was going ‘that’s not how physics works’ at points in the movie.
Sequelability: There has already been announced a new film for Warner Brother’s ‘Monsterverse’ with the showdown between Godzilla and King Kong next summer. G: KotM did not earn as much money on opening weekend as expected even though it took the number one spot. It is fighting against a handful of already heavy summer blockbusters so we’ll have to see what WB’s plans are in the following weeks as well as international sales.
Should I See This Movie: Save your money. Go see Aladdin, or John Wick, maybe give Booksmart some love, but this movie is trash. If you have to see it, like this is your one heart’s desire, then go on a discount day. Otherwise, wait for it to hit the bargain bin at your local Wal-Mart.
Now to be fair, I’m not a huge Godzilla fan; I grew up on reruns of the Godzilla cartoon on Cartoon Network and beyond that, other than common pop lore, that’s all I know about Tokyo’s favorite city destroyer (or savior?). That was until the 2014 Godzilla, where I am somewhat bias. The film crew came on our ship, the USS Ronald Regan, and filmed there (most of these shots were never used and they never credited the right ship- way to keep your ships straight Hollywood!). My shipmates were paid extras. One of the divisional officers had a brief scene (he’s the conning officer on the bridge giving orders but they dubbed over his voice). LT. Brody was an EOD! I was far more invested in that movie than I should be but it was a much better movie than its sequel, even though there was less Godzilla. Why? Two things: the movie made me care about the human characters and tension building. G:KotM doesn’t get me there. I’m going to break down the Good, the Bad, and the WTF.
The Good: Godzilla. Our monster hero has more screen time and you know if he shows up it’s a party (which I mean fight). It’s hard to tell how he feels about sharing screen time with his fellow tiny humans: it’s somewhere between ‘why hello underlings’ or ‘you guys again? Get out of the way’. But our real team player is Mothra, who lights up the screen like a giant celestial angel and is far more useful than her human counterparts. Anytime there’s a big monster fight it’s on, and that’s by far one of the brighter spots of the movie. Some of the animation and imagery is well crafted too, which some hinting at biblical allusions. As far as our human actors, the only people I cared about were the military folks (again, I’m slightly bias), who seemed to have a more grounded grasp on reality. Though Barnes is rocking what I believe is CWO4 rank, which seems a bit high up there for his age, but I can let that slide thanks to the other atrocities in this movie.
The Bad: All right here we go: I could care less about any of the other characters. Seriously. I was hoping one dude would just die because I just couldn’t understand his character. Millie Bobby Brown, I have no idea what she’s even doing in this movie. All she does is whine and cry for 2/3’s of the movie, does one thing, and does more of the same. Between this and Stranger Things, I think the best her acting consists of is a focused stare. She’s a nice kid but I’m doubting her acting. There may have been one or two other people I could’ve cared more about if they were given more to do or do something other than what their character was written to do. There are also some really cool sci-fi concepts in this movie but they’re executed so poorly, it’s just disappointing.
The WTF: I walked out of this movie thinking “What did I just saw?” plus words not said in front of children. I almost wanted to go get my money back. This script is so bad. I could’ve written a better script. You know if I’m saying that I, with my recent college degree, can write a better script, it was terrible. There is so much unnecessary melodrama that I would’ve scrapped all of it. Just, UGH! Someone is going to make a supercut of this film; I just know it. Also the film just throws all kinds of physics out the window. I don’t have a degree in nuclear thermodynamics and I wasn’t a Nuke in the Navy, but even I was going ‘that’s not how physics works’ at points in the movie.
Sequelability: There has already been announced a new film for Warner Brother’s ‘Monsterverse’ with the showdown between Godzilla and King Kong next summer. G: KotM did not earn as much money on opening weekend as expected even though it took the number one spot. It is fighting against a handful of already heavy summer blockbusters so we’ll have to see what WB’s plans are in the following weeks as well as international sales.
Should I See This Movie: Save your money. Go see Aladdin, or John Wick, maybe give Booksmart some love, but this movie is trash. If you have to see it, like this is your one heart’s desire, then go on a discount day. Otherwise, wait for it to hit the bargain bin at your local Wal-Mart.
Apocalypse...now?
Don’t let the name fool you; Francis Coppola’s movie has nothing to do with the apocalypse but it can feel like it as it takes place in the heart of the Vietnam conflict. There are explosions left and right, casualties on all sides, bullets flying everywhere and just when you think it’s safe…BAM! There’s a freaking tiger! It’s an ugly gritty film that won numerous awards and accolades (the cinematography I can agree with but everything else is a perspective I can’t get on) so much so that it’s considered one of the greatest films of all time (for some reason). To be a worthy film, it must a make you think and make you feel. While it certainly makes me think, it also makes me want to vomit. To be fair, what I saw was the theatrical version, not the 10 other numerous versions. So let’s get started with the train wreck shall we?
First of all there’s the drug lucid opening. The protagonist Captain Willard is staring up at the ceiling fan of his hotel only there’s a superimposed view of heavy artillery exploding, more gunfire, and in place of the fan motor are the rotors of a helicopter. Willard is on something serious as he narrates over the opening that he couldn’t adjust going back home so he returned to the jungle because he felt more at ease. Hey whatever floats your boat man…
Speaking of boats, that more or less where Willard is headed. He got special top secret orders to take out a renegade commander known as Colonel Kurtz who has gone insane and has put together a militia within Cambodia. (And hey there’s Harrison Ford!) The only way to get to Kurtz’s location is by boat. The boat is manned by a small navy crew, the Chief as the helmsman, the Chef, a surfer named Lance, and Mr. Clean aka a very young Lawrence Fishbourne. The crew has no real knowledge of Willard’s mission only that they are to get him there.
Their first stop is to a site occupied by the 1st Calvary. Once a horseback battalion, the soldiers have traded their horses for heavy fire helicopters. Willard and his crew are pulling up to the site in what looks to be the aftermath of a battle. The news corps is there trying to get “good” shots of the victorious soldiers while the surviving Vietnamese are rounded up and pulled out. Willard flags down the commander of the battalions, Kilgore who is savoring his victory. He agrees to Willard’s request to give air support into the next leg of their journey. Later that night as the battalion sits around having a mock barbeque, Willard remarks that by making the front feel more like home, it softens the mentality of the soldiers.
The next morning Kilgore and his fleet of helicopters come flying in on a blaze of glory, tearing apart a village, but not before warning the entire village with the stereo blasting. In the middle of the firefight, Kilgore has Lance surf out in the water. I can’t tell if the director and writing team was being serious or satirical when they made the suggestion. The rest of the main cast seems about as perplexed as the audience does: the Navy guys are like what the hell are these Army guys thinking and Willard’s more or less “meh”. I guess we at least get the famous “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” line.
After an incident with a tiger, Willard and his escorts stop at a supply outpost. At first the supply guy is giving Mr. Clean a lot of BS but then Willard threatens him and he squeals really fast, offering up whatever they need and throwing in a bottle of Jack as an apology (wish I could get Supply to be this cooperative). The boys gather around for a USO show and they go wild when the girls are flown in by helicopter. Things get out of hand pretty quickly when some spectators manage to get on stage and try to get with the girls but they are quickly whisked away as fast as they as arrive by the same helicopters. Willard remarks that this was one of the last shows the USO ever put on at the war front (not true as there are some comedic and B-list musicians that tour to the forward deployed sites).
The next few days Willard’s crew pushes upriver and they come across a fishing boat. Willard urges the chief to press on but the Chief cites that they must stop the boat and inspect it. Things go pretty routine until Chef spots the one woman trying to hide something, panics, and kills nearly everyone on the small boat. As the woman lies critically wounded on the bottom of the boat, the Chef and Lance jump over and find that the woman was attempting to hide a puppy. Lance takes the puppy while the Chief checks the woman’s vitals. When he tries to tell Willard they need to take the woman to a triage, Willard shots the woman, putting her out of her misery and glaring at the Chief telling him that he ordered the boat not to stop for anything.
As the boat heads closer to Cambodia, Willard is diving deeper into the files of Kurtz, trying to figure out what drove him mad (and perhaps what keeps him from going off the edge as well). They come across an outpost in the middle of a firefight. An officer approaches the boat and Willard with their mail and news: another solider went in to take out Kurtz but failed. Willard and another guy try to wade through the madness of men trying to escape and trying to fight back against the invisible enemy. Willard requests to speak with whoever is in charge and most men shrug off the question until they see either his serious expression or his title. The truth is no one is in charge. At this last outpost before Cambodia, hell has won.
Now Willard and his crew have crossed into Cambodia. Lance has been off on something for a few days now and sets off a smoke grenade. The smoke attracts insurgents in the jungle like moths to a flame. In the firefight, Mr. Clean is killed with the voiceover of his mother’s letter
playing over his death scene. The puppy is lost and the Chief confronts Willard once more before a knife takes him out from the back. All that’s left is Willard, Lance, and Chef.
Finally, Willard has arrived at his destination. The militia watch as the ship approaches as they proudly display half naked dead bodies like human sacrifices around their perimeter. The remainder of the crew is greeted by a crazed photographer who is either fearful or admiring of Kurtz. Sensing possible hostilities, Willard has Chef sent back to the boat’s radio to call in an airstrike. It’s a good call as moments later Willard is captured and brought before Kurtz.
And here is where the movie lost me. I have no real idea what really happens in the next ten minutes. Willard and Kurtz talk but it’s uninspiring. I was just waiting for this movie to end at this point. Somehow Chef is killed; it’s unknown if he completed the request for the airstrike or not. Then Willard is thrown into a cell or is he? There’s a big religious gathering involving a bull and Lance (still on acid) is dancing around half naked. Willard for some reason is out of cell and free to wander around, kill some guards and get a knife. As the people begin hacking up the
bull so does Willard with Kurtz. Each blow to the cow is one to Kurtz. With his dying breath, Kurtz rattles, “…the horror.” Willard steps out of the temple after killing Kurtz and the people look up at him, not so much in shock or awe but just look at him. They back away from him as
he steps out of the temple and makes for the boat, only grabbing to pull out Lance at the last second.
This movie was just bloated with so much that it was hard to focus on just the main story. Honestly, the best character was the puppy. He was the only one I worried about. Oh, and Mr. Clean’s suave dancing moves. But after all the other production problems (Martin Sheen having a break down, long delays, the director unable to settle on a releasable cut) this movie is a hot pile of garbage. If you really want to get some commentary on Vietnam as well as political satire and consumerism, pick up the new “Flintstones” comic series by Mark Russell and Steve Pugh.
First of all there’s the drug lucid opening. The protagonist Captain Willard is staring up at the ceiling fan of his hotel only there’s a superimposed view of heavy artillery exploding, more gunfire, and in place of the fan motor are the rotors of a helicopter. Willard is on something serious as he narrates over the opening that he couldn’t adjust going back home so he returned to the jungle because he felt more at ease. Hey whatever floats your boat man…
Speaking of boats, that more or less where Willard is headed. He got special top secret orders to take out a renegade commander known as Colonel Kurtz who has gone insane and has put together a militia within Cambodia. (And hey there’s Harrison Ford!) The only way to get to Kurtz’s location is by boat. The boat is manned by a small navy crew, the Chief as the helmsman, the Chef, a surfer named Lance, and Mr. Clean aka a very young Lawrence Fishbourne. The crew has no real knowledge of Willard’s mission only that they are to get him there.
Their first stop is to a site occupied by the 1st Calvary. Once a horseback battalion, the soldiers have traded their horses for heavy fire helicopters. Willard and his crew are pulling up to the site in what looks to be the aftermath of a battle. The news corps is there trying to get “good” shots of the victorious soldiers while the surviving Vietnamese are rounded up and pulled out. Willard flags down the commander of the battalions, Kilgore who is savoring his victory. He agrees to Willard’s request to give air support into the next leg of their journey. Later that night as the battalion sits around having a mock barbeque, Willard remarks that by making the front feel more like home, it softens the mentality of the soldiers.
The next morning Kilgore and his fleet of helicopters come flying in on a blaze of glory, tearing apart a village, but not before warning the entire village with the stereo blasting. In the middle of the firefight, Kilgore has Lance surf out in the water. I can’t tell if the director and writing team was being serious or satirical when they made the suggestion. The rest of the main cast seems about as perplexed as the audience does: the Navy guys are like what the hell are these Army guys thinking and Willard’s more or less “meh”. I guess we at least get the famous “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” line.
After an incident with a tiger, Willard and his escorts stop at a supply outpost. At first the supply guy is giving Mr. Clean a lot of BS but then Willard threatens him and he squeals really fast, offering up whatever they need and throwing in a bottle of Jack as an apology (wish I could get Supply to be this cooperative). The boys gather around for a USO show and they go wild when the girls are flown in by helicopter. Things get out of hand pretty quickly when some spectators manage to get on stage and try to get with the girls but they are quickly whisked away as fast as they as arrive by the same helicopters. Willard remarks that this was one of the last shows the USO ever put on at the war front (not true as there are some comedic and B-list musicians that tour to the forward deployed sites).
The next few days Willard’s crew pushes upriver and they come across a fishing boat. Willard urges the chief to press on but the Chief cites that they must stop the boat and inspect it. Things go pretty routine until Chef spots the one woman trying to hide something, panics, and kills nearly everyone on the small boat. As the woman lies critically wounded on the bottom of the boat, the Chef and Lance jump over and find that the woman was attempting to hide a puppy. Lance takes the puppy while the Chief checks the woman’s vitals. When he tries to tell Willard they need to take the woman to a triage, Willard shots the woman, putting her out of her misery and glaring at the Chief telling him that he ordered the boat not to stop for anything.
As the boat heads closer to Cambodia, Willard is diving deeper into the files of Kurtz, trying to figure out what drove him mad (and perhaps what keeps him from going off the edge as well). They come across an outpost in the middle of a firefight. An officer approaches the boat and Willard with their mail and news: another solider went in to take out Kurtz but failed. Willard and another guy try to wade through the madness of men trying to escape and trying to fight back against the invisible enemy. Willard requests to speak with whoever is in charge and most men shrug off the question until they see either his serious expression or his title. The truth is no one is in charge. At this last outpost before Cambodia, hell has won.
Now Willard and his crew have crossed into Cambodia. Lance has been off on something for a few days now and sets off a smoke grenade. The smoke attracts insurgents in the jungle like moths to a flame. In the firefight, Mr. Clean is killed with the voiceover of his mother’s letter
playing over his death scene. The puppy is lost and the Chief confronts Willard once more before a knife takes him out from the back. All that’s left is Willard, Lance, and Chef.
Finally, Willard has arrived at his destination. The militia watch as the ship approaches as they proudly display half naked dead bodies like human sacrifices around their perimeter. The remainder of the crew is greeted by a crazed photographer who is either fearful or admiring of Kurtz. Sensing possible hostilities, Willard has Chef sent back to the boat’s radio to call in an airstrike. It’s a good call as moments later Willard is captured and brought before Kurtz.
And here is where the movie lost me. I have no real idea what really happens in the next ten minutes. Willard and Kurtz talk but it’s uninspiring. I was just waiting for this movie to end at this point. Somehow Chef is killed; it’s unknown if he completed the request for the airstrike or not. Then Willard is thrown into a cell or is he? There’s a big religious gathering involving a bull and Lance (still on acid) is dancing around half naked. Willard for some reason is out of cell and free to wander around, kill some guards and get a knife. As the people begin hacking up the
bull so does Willard with Kurtz. Each blow to the cow is one to Kurtz. With his dying breath, Kurtz rattles, “…the horror.” Willard steps out of the temple after killing Kurtz and the people look up at him, not so much in shock or awe but just look at him. They back away from him as
he steps out of the temple and makes for the boat, only grabbing to pull out Lance at the last second.
This movie was just bloated with so much that it was hard to focus on just the main story. Honestly, the best character was the puppy. He was the only one I worried about. Oh, and Mr. Clean’s suave dancing moves. But after all the other production problems (Martin Sheen having a break down, long delays, the director unable to settle on a releasable cut) this movie is a hot pile of garbage. If you really want to get some commentary on Vietnam as well as political satire and consumerism, pick up the new “Flintstones” comic series by Mark Russell and Steve Pugh.
Big Changes Coming (I Promise!)
New content coming soon! This last year has been crazy, but some more content is coming up and I just finished a feature length script that I hope you guys will enjoy and support!
HIFF Wrap Up
At the 37th Hawaii International Film Festival, I saw two full length features, one documentary, and one animated movie. I was slated to see another documentary but I got my times mixed up (and saw Murder on the Orient Express instead). The features I saw were the Napping Princess and Gukoroku: Traces of Sin, both from Japan; the Tea Explorer, a documentary from Canada, and Darkest Hour from Focus Features. I wanted to see more films but I was constricted by my job which I am usually scheduled for the weekend when most of the movies are shown and schoolwork or classes. This also hampered my ability to cover press events or interviews. I was able to go the opening press event at the Halekulani Resort and was able to get some good information and pictures from there.
Some of the highlights from the film festival were just the anticipation of waiting in line and hearing people talk favorably about many of the movies. Participating in HIFF for me gave me greater insight into covering a high vis press event and to push out information on a time limit. I’ve always wanted to cover something as big as a festival and although it no where near as glamorous as Caines, it still gives the feel of something with precedence.
While Darkest Hour focused on a small part of Winston Churchill’s struggle against his government and the greater threat of war, there wasn’t really a movie that moved or changed how I thought. Napping Princess is just a good movie, but on the opposite end there is Traces of Sin which highlights the Japanese’ quirk of not being negative toward someone and beating around the bush when it comes to rejection. The guy in Tea Explorer came across to me a as a person who was full of himself but not full on prick (and it might be because he’s Canadian).
This collaboration was a good introduction to cover a media event; it’s not a huge event that can be easily overwhelming and information seems to be changing every five minutes but it’s large enough to get a gist of all the work that goes into organizing a large festival. I would recommend HIFF to friends and family (provided that they can afford the expense of flying to Hawaii) and if they have the time and patience to wait in line for the movies. Some of these films are festival favorites and are early previews to Oscar darlings heading into the winter season.
Some of the suggestions I would like to give for the HIFF team and students next year would be better organization of the how the press pass are given out. The passes were not ready for us at the opening press conference and it took me several days and several emails to receive my pass and the ability to manage my account. There were no reminders of events that I had booked and I actually missed one of my showings because I got the times mixed up. The festival also changed up their showcase film just as the festival started and I was very disappointed as it was a film I had been looking forward to. The lines were somewhat disorganized and the signs were too small to see from a distance which line was what. The theater itself was understaffed and could not handle the increased traffic from HIFF along with other blockbusters opening over the weekend.
Overall, HIFF was a good experience but it could have been better if I didn’t have to work so much and if the festival staff had better organization.
Some of the highlights from the film festival were just the anticipation of waiting in line and hearing people talk favorably about many of the movies. Participating in HIFF for me gave me greater insight into covering a high vis press event and to push out information on a time limit. I’ve always wanted to cover something as big as a festival and although it no where near as glamorous as Caines, it still gives the feel of something with precedence.
While Darkest Hour focused on a small part of Winston Churchill’s struggle against his government and the greater threat of war, there wasn’t really a movie that moved or changed how I thought. Napping Princess is just a good movie, but on the opposite end there is Traces of Sin which highlights the Japanese’ quirk of not being negative toward someone and beating around the bush when it comes to rejection. The guy in Tea Explorer came across to me a as a person who was full of himself but not full on prick (and it might be because he’s Canadian).
This collaboration was a good introduction to cover a media event; it’s not a huge event that can be easily overwhelming and information seems to be changing every five minutes but it’s large enough to get a gist of all the work that goes into organizing a large festival. I would recommend HIFF to friends and family (provided that they can afford the expense of flying to Hawaii) and if they have the time and patience to wait in line for the movies. Some of these films are festival favorites and are early previews to Oscar darlings heading into the winter season.
Some of the suggestions I would like to give for the HIFF team and students next year would be better organization of the how the press pass are given out. The passes were not ready for us at the opening press conference and it took me several days and several emails to receive my pass and the ability to manage my account. There were no reminders of events that I had booked and I actually missed one of my showings because I got the times mixed up. The festival also changed up their showcase film just as the festival started and I was very disappointed as it was a film I had been looking forward to. The lines were somewhat disorganized and the signs were too small to see from a distance which line was what. The theater itself was understaffed and could not handle the increased traffic from HIFF along with other blockbusters opening over the weekend.
Overall, HIFF was a good experience but it could have been better if I didn’t have to work so much and if the festival staff had better organization.
Darkest Hour Video Reaction
The Tea Explorer @HIFF 37
Jeff Fuchs loves tea. As in he cannot function without it. And he’s not talking about your Lipton black tea either. Oh no. You won’t catch him tangoing with coffee either; he’ll admit that it provides income for those who cannot grow tea but he still frowns upon it. Jeff is a tea connoisseur; he’s always looking for that perfect cut brewed just right. He’s traveled all over just to find it but he’s favorite spot is in an area that makes up southern China, Nepal and Tibet.
This documentary does an excellent job of showing the almost ritualistic process of taking the tea leaves from the trees themselves, to removing the moisture, to packaging them, to even serving the tea itself. And it’s not a simple procedure of boiling water and soaking the leaves. It can take several infusions to get the right brew. Jeff’s a person who likes sitting down and talking to people, even if it’s for several days. It’s his love of tea that helps him connect and this doc is at its best when it does just that.
On the other hand, I’m not quite sure what the true topic of this documentary was. Yes, Jeff loves his tea, that is stated, but it jumps from the old traders of the Tea Horse road and preserving their stories, to following the trail, to the tea making, back to the trail, back to the old traders, back to the trail again, Jeff complaining about coffee, back to the old traders and so on and so forth. I feel like this could’ve been broken up into three separate documentaries. The cinematography is great for the most part (there are some unfocused shots here and there) and the music is pleasant but some of the editing could’ve been better and the audio touched up in some parts. And there’s Jeff himself whom I’m not sure if I want to love him or dislike him because he’s so passionate.
The Tea Explorer is worth looking at, maybe for a Netflix night, mostly because I was just waiting for it to end after an hour into it. Three out of five.
This documentary does an excellent job of showing the almost ritualistic process of taking the tea leaves from the trees themselves, to removing the moisture, to packaging them, to even serving the tea itself. And it’s not a simple procedure of boiling water and soaking the leaves. It can take several infusions to get the right brew. Jeff’s a person who likes sitting down and talking to people, even if it’s for several days. It’s his love of tea that helps him connect and this doc is at its best when it does just that.
On the other hand, I’m not quite sure what the true topic of this documentary was. Yes, Jeff loves his tea, that is stated, but it jumps from the old traders of the Tea Horse road and preserving their stories, to following the trail, to the tea making, back to the trail, back to the old traders, back to the trail again, Jeff complaining about coffee, back to the old traders and so on and so forth. I feel like this could’ve been broken up into three separate documentaries. The cinematography is great for the most part (there are some unfocused shots here and there) and the music is pleasant but some of the editing could’ve been better and the audio touched up in some parts. And there’s Jeff himself whom I’m not sure if I want to love him or dislike him because he’s so passionate.
The Tea Explorer is worth looking at, maybe for a Netflix night, mostly because I was just waiting for it to end after an hour into it. Three out of five.
Catalonia's Uncertainty
Please note: this is a story I wrote several weeks ago and is more of a showcase piece.
Catalonia’s autonomous President Carles Puigdemont missed his deadline with the Spanish government to clarify his region’s decision for independence. A heavily contested referendum for Catalonia’s independence occurred on October 1st, where violence broke out among civilians and police after Spain declared the vote unconstitutional. Despite this, the referendum went forward with 90% of votes cast for independence. It is estimated that out of the 5.3 million voters, 2.3 million participated in the referendum. However, Puigdemont did not declare a victory nor did he admit defeat in his address to the region, confusing both separatists and the main government in Madrid.
President Pugidemont wishes for a peaceful solution as stated in a letter he sent to Prime Minster Mariano Rajoy. But without making a firm call, the separatists that back him are split. More aggressive separatists wanted a firm declaration made before the October 16th deadline and the CUP party that backed these ideals threatened to pull their support from Pugidemont. Such a move would freeze the Catalan parliament from conducting legislative business. But there is still a large majority of independence supporters that want continued talks with Spain; they worry that many companies will relocate out of the region if independence is declared. No one is quite sure what Pugidemont is at with adding further confusion. It could be he’s expecting an intervention from the international community, particularly the European Union, or he’s calling out Madrid. The Catalan president has asked to end “the repression” from the Spanish government.
Spain, for the most part, outright refuses to allow Catalonia to split up the country. The nation’s Constitutional Court struck down the region’s law that the Catalans claim their referendum is based upon. Following the referendum, Prime Minster Rajoy has begun the necessary steps to invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution which would give the Spanish government to seize control of Catalonia, a move that has never been used before. The Prime Minster did not peruse the request any further, as he wanted clarification of Catalonia’s intentions first. President Pugidemont was expected to give a response on October 16th but failed to do so. The deadline has been pushed to October 19th before any further action is taken. Madrid has threaten harsh punishment for the autonomous region should they push forward with their plan of independence, but they have declined to comment on how emergency measures will be used. The Spanish government doesn’t want international intervention as it sees the matter a “domestic dispute”. The central government is willing to talk with Catalonia but only after Puigdemont admits that the Spanish Constitution was violated by allowing the referendum.
Already two pro-independent leaders have been arrested and are being held for charges of sedition, sparking protests in Catalonia. The Catalan police chief, Josep Lluis Trapero has also been called into questioning for failing to stop a protest in September and failure to shut down polling stations before the referendum vote could begin as ordered by Madrid.
Catalonia is home to 7.5 million inhabitants, with its own language and culture that was suppressed under the rule of General Francisco Franco. Prime Minster Rajoy claims that the region has not been mistreated in recent times, despite the violent clashes seen on October 1st. The referendum, legal or not, is now a source of great emotional and political turmoil.
Catalonia’s autonomous President Carles Puigdemont missed his deadline with the Spanish government to clarify his region’s decision for independence. A heavily contested referendum for Catalonia’s independence occurred on October 1st, where violence broke out among civilians and police after Spain declared the vote unconstitutional. Despite this, the referendum went forward with 90% of votes cast for independence. It is estimated that out of the 5.3 million voters, 2.3 million participated in the referendum. However, Puigdemont did not declare a victory nor did he admit defeat in his address to the region, confusing both separatists and the main government in Madrid.
President Pugidemont wishes for a peaceful solution as stated in a letter he sent to Prime Minster Mariano Rajoy. But without making a firm call, the separatists that back him are split. More aggressive separatists wanted a firm declaration made before the October 16th deadline and the CUP party that backed these ideals threatened to pull their support from Pugidemont. Such a move would freeze the Catalan parliament from conducting legislative business. But there is still a large majority of independence supporters that want continued talks with Spain; they worry that many companies will relocate out of the region if independence is declared. No one is quite sure what Pugidemont is at with adding further confusion. It could be he’s expecting an intervention from the international community, particularly the European Union, or he’s calling out Madrid. The Catalan president has asked to end “the repression” from the Spanish government.
Spain, for the most part, outright refuses to allow Catalonia to split up the country. The nation’s Constitutional Court struck down the region’s law that the Catalans claim their referendum is based upon. Following the referendum, Prime Minster Rajoy has begun the necessary steps to invoke Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution which would give the Spanish government to seize control of Catalonia, a move that has never been used before. The Prime Minster did not peruse the request any further, as he wanted clarification of Catalonia’s intentions first. President Pugidemont was expected to give a response on October 16th but failed to do so. The deadline has been pushed to October 19th before any further action is taken. Madrid has threaten harsh punishment for the autonomous region should they push forward with their plan of independence, but they have declined to comment on how emergency measures will be used. The Spanish government doesn’t want international intervention as it sees the matter a “domestic dispute”. The central government is willing to talk with Catalonia but only after Puigdemont admits that the Spanish Constitution was violated by allowing the referendum.
Already two pro-independent leaders have been arrested and are being held for charges of sedition, sparking protests in Catalonia. The Catalan police chief, Josep Lluis Trapero has also been called into questioning for failing to stop a protest in September and failure to shut down polling stations before the referendum vote could begin as ordered by Madrid.
Catalonia is home to 7.5 million inhabitants, with its own language and culture that was suppressed under the rule of General Francisco Franco. Prime Minster Rajoy claims that the region has not been mistreated in recent times, despite the violent clashes seen on October 1st. The referendum, legal or not, is now a source of great emotional and political turmoil.
HIFF Opening Press Conference
The Hawaii International Film Festival or HIFF kicked off a little bit early on October 24th with the opening press conference at Halekulani Resort in Waikiki. The press conference was headed by Executive Director Beckie Stocchetti who show cased the numerous film categories and her most anticipated films. She remarked that this would be a great “collaboration” of films from North America and across the Pacific with a massive team effort and hopes that the spotlight will be shinned on emerging new talent.
Some of the highlights of HIFF include Mary and the Witch’s Flower, the Upside, and Go for Broke: An Origin Story. Mary and the Witch’s Flower will be the festival’s opening night film; it is an animated film from Japan imagined by former Studio Ghibli artists and is one of the festival’s most highly anticipated films. The Upside is HIFF’s centerpiece film and is a remake of the French film the Intouchables staring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart. For the closing night, Go for Broke: An Origin Story will take center stage. Go for Broke focuses on the formation of the 442nd battalion during World War II and is 100% locally produced in Hawaii.
Ms. Stocchetti also wanted to remind us that on November 10th will be the HIFF’s awards gala at Halekulani. The Halekulani honorees include Bill Pullman, who will be staring in the film the Ballad of Lefty Brown, Japanese director Masato Harda, and Thor: Ragnarok director, Taika Waititi.
HIFF was also excited to bring back the anime program, and the festival is proud to have not only several Japanese, Taiwan, Chinese, and Indian films but ten films from Korea and two films from Okinawa. The festival also has four films in its Eat, Drink, Film category and five features in its Film for Thought: the Common Good category. But the main focus will be on the Made in Hawaii completion; there are six full features films and nine short films vying for the top prize. There will also be a student showcase on November 4th with fourteen featurettes.
The Hawaii International Film Festival will run from November 2nd -12th on Oahu and November 16th-19 on the Big Island and Kauai. The Festival will present over 160 films from 45 countries. For more information, show times, and ticket purchases visit HIFF.org.
Some of the highlights of HIFF include Mary and the Witch’s Flower, the Upside, and Go for Broke: An Origin Story. Mary and the Witch’s Flower will be the festival’s opening night film; it is an animated film from Japan imagined by former Studio Ghibli artists and is one of the festival’s most highly anticipated films. The Upside is HIFF’s centerpiece film and is a remake of the French film the Intouchables staring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart. For the closing night, Go for Broke: An Origin Story will take center stage. Go for Broke focuses on the formation of the 442nd battalion during World War II and is 100% locally produced in Hawaii.
Ms. Stocchetti also wanted to remind us that on November 10th will be the HIFF’s awards gala at Halekulani. The Halekulani honorees include Bill Pullman, who will be staring in the film the Ballad of Lefty Brown, Japanese director Masato Harda, and Thor: Ragnarok director, Taika Waititi.
HIFF was also excited to bring back the anime program, and the festival is proud to have not only several Japanese, Taiwan, Chinese, and Indian films but ten films from Korea and two films from Okinawa. The festival also has four films in its Eat, Drink, Film category and five features in its Film for Thought: the Common Good category. But the main focus will be on the Made in Hawaii completion; there are six full features films and nine short films vying for the top prize. There will also be a student showcase on November 4th with fourteen featurettes.
The Hawaii International Film Festival will run from November 2nd -12th on Oahu and November 16th-19 on the Big Island and Kauai. The Festival will present over 160 films from 45 countries. For more information, show times, and ticket purchases visit HIFF.org.
Interview with Audrey O'Neill
Q1: What is your name?
A1: Audrey O’Neill
Q2: What is your major?
A2: Mass Communications
Q3: What year of school?
A3: Junior. I am expected to graduate at the end of Fall 2018 in December.
Q4: What made you pick this major?
A4: I was always interested in vast variety of things within this major. I’ve loved writing all my life, as well as film. I was also interested in the public relation aspects. I wanted a major that does everything and to focus on what I specifically wanted to do. I wanted to put credits towards this major and it’s one that is broad for exploration of all of my interests.
Q5: What are some of your hobbies?
A5: I loved to sing; I was in the choir since the 4th grade to my senior year of high school. As I mentioned before, I love to write but I also enjoy to draw. I’m also starting to get into photography. I like the beach and being around the ocean. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and being around people; I’m very sociable. I’m always baking too.
Q6: What is your favorite spot on the island?
A6: My favorite spot is Barber’s Point beach park on the west side, near Kapolei. It’s a nice place to sit down; it’s very quiet, gives me something to do and hang out with friends. It’s also a great stress reliever.
Q7: What are some of your favorite eats?
A7: I’m really into chicken wings right now, especially from buffalo wild wings. I’m also Italian so Italian food is a major thing but I also like Japanese food. I always open to try new things as well. My favorite type of food is deserts; I’m a huge fan of chocolate. I’m also part German so I adore German deserts and German food as well.
Q8: What branch does your husband serve in? How many years?
A8: My husband serves in the army. He is an E4 and specialist, but he’s up for Sargent. He served for about five almost six years. He’ll continue for two more years here in Hawaii, then he plans on getting out in February of 2020 if he doesn’t decide to reenlist.
Q9: How many deployments has he been on?
A9: He’s been on one deployment to Afghanistan for 9 months. Sometimes he’s sent out on training missions like right now in California, but he does pathway tours to other countries as well.
Q10: What are some ways you stay in touch?
A10: I can’t send him letters right now, but he tries to me call when he can. It can be hard to if he’s busy; his unit doesn’t get to talk very much when they’re away. I should be able to write to him when he’s on deployment though.
Q11: What helps you from going stir crazy?
A11: I get a lot of help from neighbors, but mostly I try to keep busy, do work, schoolwork, and focus on my hobbies. I draw in a lot of stress coloring books; they help a lot. I also hang out with other military wives; they help me relate to ongoing events and help me learn ways to cope with the separation. I am still getting used to it, but the spouse and military community is very supportive. I try to get into a routine when he’s gone but it’s weird when I have to break it.
Q12: What do you think of stereotypes towards dependents?
A12: I think it’s complete BS. People think we need to be treated differently or that we think we need to be treated differently. Some of them think of us as lazy but that is not true; a lot of spouses that I know are very busy. It’s a stereotype that was carried over from the 1950s atomic family, where the husband is the breadwinner and the wife does all the housework. But I will admit that there are people that are taken advantage of and get married just to live off base.
Q13: Is there anything you would like “normal” people to understand about dependents?
A13: I want other people to understand that even though the solider goes through a lot more, there is also a lot that the military wives go through. It’s very hard to be without the spouse; it’s almost like taking on the role of two people. It’s not a common thing to go through. It’s not easy to be married in the military; people should understand and should try to learn more about what we go through. Also many civilians don’t understand that people in the military do other things than being deployed; they have jobs like everybody else.
A1: Audrey O’Neill
Q2: What is your major?
A2: Mass Communications
Q3: What year of school?
A3: Junior. I am expected to graduate at the end of Fall 2018 in December.
Q4: What made you pick this major?
A4: I was always interested in vast variety of things within this major. I’ve loved writing all my life, as well as film. I was also interested in the public relation aspects. I wanted a major that does everything and to focus on what I specifically wanted to do. I wanted to put credits towards this major and it’s one that is broad for exploration of all of my interests.
Q5: What are some of your hobbies?
A5: I loved to sing; I was in the choir since the 4th grade to my senior year of high school. As I mentioned before, I love to write but I also enjoy to draw. I’m also starting to get into photography. I like the beach and being around the ocean. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and being around people; I’m very sociable. I’m always baking too.
Q6: What is your favorite spot on the island?
A6: My favorite spot is Barber’s Point beach park on the west side, near Kapolei. It’s a nice place to sit down; it’s very quiet, gives me something to do and hang out with friends. It’s also a great stress reliever.
Q7: What are some of your favorite eats?
A7: I’m really into chicken wings right now, especially from buffalo wild wings. I’m also Italian so Italian food is a major thing but I also like Japanese food. I always open to try new things as well. My favorite type of food is deserts; I’m a huge fan of chocolate. I’m also part German so I adore German deserts and German food as well.
Q8: What branch does your husband serve in? How many years?
A8: My husband serves in the army. He is an E4 and specialist, but he’s up for Sargent. He served for about five almost six years. He’ll continue for two more years here in Hawaii, then he plans on getting out in February of 2020 if he doesn’t decide to reenlist.
Q9: How many deployments has he been on?
A9: He’s been on one deployment to Afghanistan for 9 months. Sometimes he’s sent out on training missions like right now in California, but he does pathway tours to other countries as well.
Q10: What are some ways you stay in touch?
A10: I can’t send him letters right now, but he tries to me call when he can. It can be hard to if he’s busy; his unit doesn’t get to talk very much when they’re away. I should be able to write to him when he’s on deployment though.
Q11: What helps you from going stir crazy?
A11: I get a lot of help from neighbors, but mostly I try to keep busy, do work, schoolwork, and focus on my hobbies. I draw in a lot of stress coloring books; they help a lot. I also hang out with other military wives; they help me relate to ongoing events and help me learn ways to cope with the separation. I am still getting used to it, but the spouse and military community is very supportive. I try to get into a routine when he’s gone but it’s weird when I have to break it.
Q12: What do you think of stereotypes towards dependents?
A12: I think it’s complete BS. People think we need to be treated differently or that we think we need to be treated differently. Some of them think of us as lazy but that is not true; a lot of spouses that I know are very busy. It’s a stereotype that was carried over from the 1950s atomic family, where the husband is the breadwinner and the wife does all the housework. But I will admit that there are people that are taken advantage of and get married just to live off base.
Q13: Is there anything you would like “normal” people to understand about dependents?
A13: I want other people to understand that even though the solider goes through a lot more, there is also a lot that the military wives go through. It’s very hard to be without the spouse; it’s almost like taking on the role of two people. It’s not a common thing to go through. It’s not easy to be married in the military; people should understand and should try to learn more about what we go through. Also many civilians don’t understand that people in the military do other things than being deployed; they have jobs like everybody else.