Posts published in “Reviews”

Challenging Justice

By editorialteam on February 23, 2024

Death Note Review

By Sam LeMay | Observer Contributor

Death Note is an anime that toys with the audience’s perception of justice and judgment. The main character, Light Yagami, also known as Kira, blurs the line between protagonist and antagonist. He introduces a twisted sense of curiosity as he explores his vision for a new world.

The 37-episode anime debuted in 2007, directed by Tetsurō Araki (“Attack on Titan”) and adapted from Tsugumi Ohba’s successful manga series by the same name. Death Note has also been adapted into a light novel series, several live action films and series, a video game, and a musical. read more

Elf the Musical

By editorialteam on December 27, 2023

Spreading Holiday Cheer for All at the Mount

By Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief

*Photo by Laura Cavanaugh via Theater at the Mount*

On Saturday, December 2nd, Mount Wachusett Community College’s Theatre at the Mount (TAM) put on a spectacular performance of their holiday show, Elf: the Musical, a stage adaptation of the hit 2003 film of the same name.The musical follows Buddy (David Allen Prescott)—a human raised by the elves (who are “Happy All the Time,” according to the show’s opening number) at the North Pole—as he sets out on a journey to New York City in search of his real father…and his true identity. read more

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials

By editorialteam on December 27, 2023

Everything Old is New Again in the Doctor’s Latest Adventures

By Tom Hill Jr. | Observer Designer

November 23, 2023 marked the 60^th Anniversary of the longest-running science fiction program in history: a little BBC show called Doctor Who. To celebrate its 60 years on our television screens, three special episodes were released.

For the uninitiated, Doctor Who is the story of an alien known as the Doctor and their various companions. They travel through time and space in a ship called the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), solving mysteries, fighting monsters, and just generally experiencing the weird wonders of the cosmos. The Doctor has the ability to “regenerate” when they are about to die, a process that changes every cell in their body, leading to different physical appearances and personality quirks, but remaining the same character. This was a mechanic introduced to keep the show running when the first actor to portray the Doctor, William Hartnell, left the role. To date there have been thirteen “main” actors who have portrayed the Doctor, with occasional “one-off” appearances from other actors in the role. read more

Review: AMC’s Interview with the Vampire

By editorialteam on September 20, 2023

The Perfect Gothic Drama to Sink Your Teeth Into This Fall

By Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief

AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” is a sumptuous reimagining of Anne Rice’s timeless gothic novel by the same name. Laced with humor, irony, and creeping tension, complete with the representation of the inherent eroticism that any vampire narrative should have, “Interview with the Vampire” is many things, but perhaps most of all, it is a visceral exploration of immortality’s existential complexities. Directed by Rolin Jones, this series—originally released on AMC and its streaming platform in 2022—is currently available on Max until October 31, and it’s a perfect addition to any autumn watchlist. read more

Review: Doctor Who – The Power of the Doctor

By editorialteam on November 8, 2022

The Whittaker-Chibnall Era Comes to a Clustered Close

By Tom Hill Jr. | Observer Designer

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) turned 100 years old on October 18, 2022. To celebrate, they released “Centenary Specials” of some of their various television programs, and one such program that was given the Centenary treatment was the long-running science fiction show Doctor Who, with a 1 hour and 28-minute special: The Power of the Doctor. A lot was riding on this special for many reasons, but for me, it didn’t quite meet the mark.

First, some brief background; Doctor Who began in 1963 and centered on the adventures of an alien known as the Doctor who travels through all of time and space in a ship called the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space). It appeared as a 1960s Police Box that was larger on the inside than the outside and served as the Doctor’s home. The Doctor gathered a constantly rotating cast of companions over the years, as well as various enemies, which are usually alien monsters that threaten the safety of Earth. read more

Review: The Batman

By editorialteam on April 6, 2022

The Latest Adventure of the Dark Knight Goes Detective Noir

By Eoin Haggerty | Observer Contributor

Matt Reeves’ take on The Dark Knight is a grisly yet familiar story of redemption and how one must face their past, no matter how unwanted it is. Its epic runtime of nearly three hours is not unwarranted as it lets the city of Gotham live and breathe–along with the characters that inhabit it. Though, at points, the world may seem fantastical and over the top, that is just the nature of The Batman.

Robert Pattinson stars as the titular hero, with Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, and Colin Farrell filling the following roles of Cat woman, Commissioner Gordon, and the Penguin. Pattinson’s approach to Batman is one previously seen, with him only in his second year of being the caped crusader. Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is also secretive and cold, perhaps still reeling from the trauma that made him into what he is. Kravitz’s Selina Kyle is one we have seen before as well. As she is established as a worker at a local lounge, who makes her money on the side as a thief, not unlike the animated adaptation of Cat woman, which also begins a will-they/won’t they with Batman. read more

Review: The Book of Boba Fett

By editorialteam on March 7, 2022

The Middling Adventures of Star Wars‘ Original Mystery Man(dalorian)

By Thomas Hill Jr. | Observer Designer

Disney and Lucasfilm’s third foray into the live-action Star Wars series (after two seasons of The Mandalorian) brings us The Book of Boba Fett. Acting as a sort of sequel/spin-off of The Mandalorian, Boba Fett follows the titular bounty hunter as he attempts to take over the criminal empire built by the now-deceased Jabba the Hutt on desert planet Tatooine and turn it to his own devices. To do so, he must build a team of other bounty hunters, gangs, and Tatooine’s own denizens to chase off rival crime lords looking to take a piece of the pie, including the spice-dealing Pyke Syndicate (drug dealers, essentially) and Jabba’s own family. On the surface, this seems like an intriguing set-up; a deep dive into the seedy underbelly and criminal politics of the Star Wars galaxy. Unfortunately, the execution of this idea leaves quite a bit to be desired. read more

Down the Rabbit Hole

By editorialteam on November 15, 2019

Doctor uses stories to explore Alzheimer’s disease

By Maya Douglas
Observer Contributor

*Image from Amazon.com*
The cover of Dr. Dana Walrath’s graphic novel, *Aliceheimer’s: Alzheimer’s Through the Looking Glass*

Dr. Dana Walrath is the author of the graphic novel Aliceheimer’s: Alzheimer’s Through the Looking Glass – a collection of stories about her mother’s battle with dementia.

Aliceheimer’s: Alzheimer’s Through the Looking Glass is laid out as a collection of short stories. Each page has a new story and a new drawing so that if a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia loses their place or forgets what they have read, it doesn’t matter. They can still enjoy it without confusion. “Telling stories restores humanity,” said Walrath. read more

More Mercenary Mayhem: Review of Borderlands 3

By editorialteam on October 14, 2019

By Anna Allen
Observer Web Editor

On September 13, Gearbox Software released its bang-up video game sequel, Borderlands 3. In a series known for its fast-paced action and childish but endearing humor, the third installment doesn’t disappoint.

As usual, the opening scene shows the planet of Pandora, a wasteland full of Psychos and spiderants (which are supersized, hybrid, armored bugs).

However, this story doesn’t end on Pandora as the earlier games do. Instead, the adventure travels to five other planets. From a world covered in a jungle, to a world covered in an urban jungle, this game is larger than any of its predecessors. Zany characters send the player on zanier missions – such as the foul-mouthed Lorelei who just really wants a good cup of coffee. Don’t we all? read more

The Sweet Side of Campus Life

The Sweet Side of Campus Life

By editorialteam on February 22, 2018

By Michele Walsky
Complimentary confections enticed students and staff at the annual Valentine’s Chocolate Sampler on February 13th. The line grew fast as students satisfied their sweet tooth with an array of treats. Cupcakes, cookies, angel food cake with strawberries and even a chocolate fountain awaited hungry undergrads. The event was sponsored by Student Life and the Campus Activities Team (CATS) during free period in the south cafeteria.

“This year we were sure to include some sugar-free and gluten-free options as well,” said Kathy Matson, Student Life programming assistant.

According to Matson, a majority of the goodies were created by the Green Street Cafe, while Student Life supplied candy and mini cupcakes from the store.

Student Life and CATS host a variety of activities each semester.