Cheers, Portland

2009

The town of Portland, Oregon and I have a relationship of extremes. That is to say, I am at once enraptured and disgusted, admiring and eye rolling, in love and exasperated. However, I suppose here is neither the time nor the place to go into the greater details of my history with the Rose City.

. . .

I had recently returned home for the summer. The moment was both promising and bittersweet. I was simultaneously on the cusp of an exciting job and an entire season of enjoying my newly minted non-minor status as well as doing the sort of re-evaluation one seems to find a necessary evil at some point(s) in their college career.

The first warm evening of the summer I found myself with nothing to do. With two good hours of sunlight left I rolled my bike onto the MAX and whizzed towards downtown. It would be my first excursion in the city with my new cherry red cruiser, which I had dubbed “Bettie Page,” thinking I was perhaps more clever than I truly was. Decked out in my ultra uncool red helmet and makeshift-reflective seafoam green workout shorts, I was ready to ride.

Once in the heart of the city I pedaled towards the twinkling lights, bustling noise and competing smells of cotton candy, hot dog and carnival pony coming from the waterfront Rose Festival. I gingerly weaved through the crowded bike path, crossing the bridge, watching the city sunset from the east. By this time, my new bike seat seemed less comfortable with each pedal and I pushed back on my coaster brakes and smoothly stopped near an open bench for a break. Slowly removing my helmet, I sat down and rested my feet on my parked bike sitting in front of me, squinting at the sun.

From my solitary seat the cars scooting along the bridges, the festival rides swirling and twirling, and the chatter of people on the bike path behind me provided an intoxicating glimpse into the city’s simultaneous discordance and harmony. I breathed a deep sigh of contentment and soaked in the city around me.

Suddenly, a noise startled me and I was jolted from a relaxed gaze. A man, perhaps in his early 30s met my eyes with a smile. His face was dingy, but not filthy, and he carried a faded backpack and guitar case slung around his shoulder. With one hand he pulled a bottle from a sixpack and set it in my hand, resting on the side of the bench.

“Can I give you a few bucks for this?” I asked, caught off guard by his generosity.

“No, no,” he replied with a chuckle. “Just keep sittin’ and starin’ like you were.”

As I opened the bottle with my shirt folded into my hand I quietly smiled to myself… Only in Portland do the homeless people drink microbrews.

I asked the man what his name was, he said it was Tracy. We chatted briefly, then found ourselves quietly sitting alone on our separate benches. After thanking him I sat back, took a swig from my bottle, and watched the last glimmers of the sun dance on the river water. Tracy and I made eye contact and I raised my bottle in a silent toast.

“Here’s to me,” he said, “and here’s to you.”

At that moment, his concise words seemed perfect. Perfect because the moment seemed to encapsulate what I love best about this city—everyone can simply be themselves. Perhaps this is the type of experience that writers for the New York Times hope to capture in their increasingly frequent articles about the city.

Part of me is excited that people finally see the unique world Portland has to offer, but, at the same time, the rest of me wants the city to remain a quiet treasure. That Sunday night I sat on the bench with my bike, beer and buddy, I experienced the city for what it is—the sights, the sounds, the smells and most importantly, the unique moments of human interaction.

To Portland, I think Tracy said it best… Here’s to me.

And here’s to you.

Summer Plans

Originally published, Bulletin, 2009

As the year comes to a close, we may find ourselves writhing in the emotional doldrums. The economy is in the can, snow flurried on campus in April and various other social maladies continue to pursue us with dogged perseverance. But never fear! There are still some great events yet to come and some simply ridiculous entertainment memories to reconsider.

This year brought the inevitable clash of Britney Spears' circus-like existence and her eponymous comeback album, we saw a greasy Russell Brand offend everyone with both his salacious pseudo-jokes and his preposterous rat's nest hairdo, and a cadre of celebrity crotch shots, not to mention a relatively lackluster year at the Hollywood box office.

While the school year may be coming to a close, the spring and summer entertainment season is just heating up. On-campus events like the Death Cab concert and Madonnastock still loom on the horizon. Also, regional summer events promise entertainment.

On April 24, Death Cab for Cutie will descend upon Gonzaga and headline a long set at McCarthey. Death Cab has gotten the brunt of the publicity but the concert also features Ra Ra Riot and Cold War Kids - two bands that shouldn't go unnoticed. Cold War Kids blend a rock style with a bit of a hipster edge and Ra Ra Riot is an indie rock band that pumps an energetic vibe. See below for info about where they will be playing this summer. I am the first to get in line behind Death Cab but their openers are not to be merely ignored as such. Tuning out during these opening acts in impatience for the main show would be a mistake!

The following day, Gonzaga University tradition Madonnastock will play on Foley Lawn. Last year, the weather cooperated and a bright sunny day ushered in the good, the bad and the hilarious in on-campus bands. Highlights included a jean short-clad Rod Aminian as frontman of Boy Rainbow 2.0. Ok, so maybe the tunes aren't always rockin', but who doesn't love sitting outside and enjoying (even bad) music? With an exceptionally long winter behind us, students campus-wide should be ready for a healthy dose of sunshine.

May 23-25, many will make the trek to the Gorge to see the Sasquatch Music Festival. This ultra-cool 3-day music-a-thon features kickass bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kings of Leon, The Decemberists, Ra Ra Riot, former Spokanite DJ James Pants, Mos Def, TV On the Radio, of Montreal, Erykah Badu, Girl Talk and Santigold … just to name a few. The festival also features comedy from comedians like Todd Barry and The Whitest Kids U'Know. Just go see this thing; it's totally worth it.

If you don't want to travel far, Hoopfest is for you. A Spokane tradition, Hoopfest lines the streets with hundreds of ballers and wannabes playing 4-on-4 games. This year, the tournament is June 27 and 28 and promises the same sort of relaxed atmosphere it brings back year after year. Head downtown to see some of these games, ranging in competitiveness from laid-back to cutthroat.

For those who prefer their entertainment while they sit on the couch, the NBA playoffs are sure to thrill. Normally, I would make some snide remark about the extremely long playoff season or the glacial pace at which teams advance through the tournament, but this year it's different for one reason - the Portland Trail Blazers. You may be saying, "Why would I give a crap about the Blazers?" Well, with the unfortunate demise of the entity formerly known as the Seattle Sonics, the Blazers are geographically the closest thing Spokane has to a "home team" in the NBA. The days of the Jail Blazers are gone and what better way to celebrate the end of the academic year by cracking a cold one and watching Brandon Roy and the boys rock the tourney?

As we draw closer to bidding the 2008-2009 academic year adieu, let's get ready to celebrate with on-campus events and summer fun alike. So get out there and enjoy the sun! Take a study break to catch great on-campus music or set your sights on summer entertainment - either way, you're guaranteed to have a good time.

How MTV Became Cool Without Carson

originally published, Bulletin, 2009

Most of us can remember the days when middle school girls wearing their butterfly clips and their back pocket-less jeans and boys in their polos and cargo shorts hopped off the bus, enjoyed whatever micro­waved snack and religiously flipped the channel to TRL. Or perhaps, we remember entire high school Saturdays filled with "Next" marathons and being able to name the castmates from each season of "Real World." After years of arguing over MTV's relative coolness to "sell out" ratio and their noticeable lack of music videos, we reach a new point.

Today, there is no more "TRL," and "Real World" goes unnoticed in a sea of reality TV; a geriatric pioneer slowly drifting away, and shows like "Next" and "Room Raiders" are reserved solely for drunken 3 a.m. viewing. The current lineup includes shows like "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory," "Nitro Circus," Justin Timberlake-produced "The Phone."

These shows feature over-the-top stunts, wild re-creation of material dreams, neck-breaking dance moves, and heart-pumping drama . . . at least they're supposed to. With these new shows, as well as the rotating graphics-based identity of the MTV brand, many ask if MTV is regaining their cool.

At first glance, it seems so. The network's seamless integration of music and TV shows forces a top-40 soundtrack to our lives (much to the chagrin of music junkies) and likely provides ample space to drive iTunes downloads. However, it is the new lineup of shows that says a bit more. These shows provide escape.

In tense economic, political and social times, it sometimes seems like worldly woes burden our every thought. Each show offers a unique moment of withdrawal for the viewer in a different way.

"Fantasy Factory" is perhaps the most obvious of these escapist shows, offering both the subjects and the viewer a momentary promise of eternity spent in fantasy life within a pimped-out warehouse. Like his old show and undeniable crowd-pleaser, "Rob & Big," Dyrdek and Co. promise hilarity and outrageousness in 30-minute blocks. Whether Dyrdek is building a massive zipline across the building, enough skateboard ramping to inspire relative awe, or scheming up a new, outlandish fantasy to fulfill, the viewer is sucked into a world where one can remain a child forever. In "Fantasy Factory," looming economic fallout or global warfare stand down to giant inflatable toys and an indoor go-kart track. Like the title says, Dyrdek offers us a fantastical wormhole in which to escape the worries of the world.

Similarly, "Nitro Circus" contributes to the network as a crypto-"Jackass" without the drug-addled Steve-O or ringleader Johnny Knoxville (well, beside their persistent "cam­eos"). Just think of "Nitro Circus" as a "Jackass" with con­siderably fewer liters of vomit. In the show, Travis Pastrana and other BMX riders scour the world in search of the next stunt and thrill.

Years ago, stunt pros like Evel Kneivel captivated audiences with death defying jumps and cannon exits. The members of "Nitro Circus" offer an updated ver­sion of amusement through possibly bone-shattering feats of man and machine. However, unlike Knievel, it seems that the point of "Nitro Circus" is to capture an off-hand crash, burn, explosion or otherwise unfortunate bodily injury. Catering to a more stunt-sensitive audience today, "Nitro Circus" ap­peals to the same kids as Knievel but with a bit less class.

Justin Timberlake's "The Phone," which debuted Saturday night, puts contestants (who apparently have no knowledge of what awaits them) in a game of high-stakes cash prizes in exchange for daring risks at the beckoning call of an anonymous, heavily accented phone operator. Some say the show is merely an "Amazing Race" or "Survivor" remake with JT's face plastered on it. However, I argue the show is about much more than that. In a world where things seem constantly in flux, the idea of an omnipotent higher power (the phone operator, did someone say "Deal or No Deal") commanding seemingly heroic feats of mind and body for a greater goal appeals . . . and indeed holds some serious symbolism.

To some, these shows mean nothing; they simply rep­resent a dumbing-down of American youth, a gluttonous society based on conspicuous spending, or a culture obsessed with bloody injury. However, they seem to provide at least temporary escape from worldly woes and transport us to dif­ferent time, chronological age, or financial means.

Maybe MTV isn't so meaningless after all.

Kicking Out the Old School and Bringing In the New

Media Credit: courtesy of rottentomatoes.com That was then. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: courtesy of vanityfair.com This is now [Click to enlarge]

Published, The Bulletin, 2009

Comedy is changing. In an arena previously dominated by the Will Ferrell-Owen Wilson-Vince Vaughn-Luke Wilson powerhouse team, a new crew is taking the spotlight and doing it awkwardly. The grandiose goofballs of olde provided us with hours of entertainment, changing our vernacular to include every linguistic nuance of "Anchorman," "Old School" and "Talladega Nights," forcing us to witness more of a whitey-tighty clad Ferrell than we thought we could ever stomach, and just generally creating a ruckus.


That was old comedy - loud, raucous and vulgar as hell.

Today, though, the movie comedy world is controlled by loveable lads like Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen and Michael Cera. These guys are changing up the game by providing us with incredibly accessible comedy. Where Ferrell and Co. provided us with outlandish characters we could laugh at from afar, Segel, Rudd and Rogen portray people we would like to kick it with. Girls crush on Cera, Rudd and Segel (and maybe, even thought we might not admit it, Rogen) and guys want to be them. In short, awkward is the new hot.

Movies like "I Love You, Man," "Knocked Up," "Superbad" and "Pineapple Express" offer a type of comedy in which the viewer can identify with the characters. Whether we watch Rudd in search of the perfect bromance, Cera pine for teenage love, Segel cry at his piano after a breakup, or Rogen deal with an unplanned pregnancy, we feel like we are watching our friends or even ourselves. These men make us laugh partly because they say the things we think, except they say it funnier.

Rudd and Segel's journey toward bromance in the recently released "I Love You, Man" provides ample evidence of this comedic shift. Segel appears in what has now become his typical role: a laid-back earnest guy with uncannily witty observations on daily life. When we first see the two "slappin' da bass" in Segel's mancave, we want in. The genius of these types of movies is that they revolve around simple guys doing simple stuff. There is a twinge of the old Farrell-esque comedy (cut to scene featuring Lou Ferrigno putting Segel in a sleeperhold) but the brightest moments shine when Rudd and Segel are engaged in awkward banter. Laughs are guaranteed as Rudd makes uncomfortable attempts at nicknaming, settling on the oddly hilarious "Jobin" for Segel. The two lovable dorks are charming.

This same sort of narrative also guides blockbusters like "Superbad," in which the played out teen sex comedy is revived. Cera shines as the sympathetic loser in all his films. Cera has reconstructed the heartthrob to fit today - where tube socks, a large vocabulary and earnest intentions trump washboard abs and a dickish attitude. Comedy used to be about the bad boy, now it's just about the boy next door.

This shift signals a change in the world of the comedy movie, but it may also say something about us that has little to do with film. The shift from outlandish to awkward ushers in an era of the resurgence of the nice guy. Wordsmiths unite, because in this world of new comedy, you are the kings and queens. No longer is someone's comedic value based on the decibel count of their yell, their ability to crack beer cans on their head, or anything of the sort. Today, a well-said joke has legs.

Undoubtedly, this new change is here to stay.

South By Southwest unrivaled in scope and credibility

published, Gonzaga Bulletin 2009

Media Credit: courtesy of kalamu.com The Blue Scholars, a hip-hop group with Northwest roots, who dropped beats on the front steps of Crosby last fall, also lit up the stage in the South By Southwest festival. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: courtesy of freeringtones365.net Above: The Cold War Kids (above), participants in South By Southwest, will visit Gonzaga in April along with Death Cab for Cutie and Ra Ra Riot. [Click to enlarge]

Last Sunday marked the end of the eight-day music festival South By Southwest (SXSW), which has become colloquially known as being the coolest music festival this side of Woodstock. While the event itself actually features music, interactive art and film, it is best known for bringing the hippest indie bands together for a week of mind-blowing live music in Austin, Texas.

Music, what SXSW has been steadily becoming known for, started on Thursday and went through Sunday with multiple venues featuring a blowout lineup of hundreds of performers. The schedule included performances from well-known artists and bands like Third Eye Blind, Rick Ross and Ben Harper. The list also included many bands merely on the cusp of their burgeoning success including: Blue Scholars (noted Northwest favorite), Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Starfucker, Cold War Kids (who will be traveling to Gonzaga in late April with Death Cab), Peter, Bjorn and John, P.O.S. Gomez, Andrew Bird, Explosions in the Sky, and Dead Prez. The exhausting list of artists included music from a multitude of genres including rock, alternative, singer-songwriter, electronic, DJ and hip-hop.

The festival even included perennial throw-down joke band The Oak Ridge Boys as well as the ridiculously side-ponytailed female MC Lady Sovereign.

SXSW has been putting on a festival since 1987, and has grown in popularity, especially within the last five to 10 years. The festival is held every year in Austin and has become a cultural icon for superstars and hopeful bands to come together, providing attendees intimate and unparalleled access to live music performance.

In both scope and credibility, SXSW is unrivaled. Many speculate on the reasons for the festival's success, and it is largely based on three separate elements. First, SXSW offers a uniquely largely cross-section of current music, without most of the fluff that seems to pass for popular music. Second, the festival creates not just entertainment but an experience, tapping into the wealth of the blogging community. Last, SXSW is just good, old-fashioned fun.

The ability of SXSW to draw a massive variety of bands now is undoubtedly related to its growing reputation as the source for legit music. However, it was simple hard work and word-of-mouth that led to its success.

The layout of the festival is not like your typical outdoor music festivals such as Sasquatch, Bumbershoot and Coachella. SXSW features multiple venues around Austin (which now holds the record for most original music nightclubs in a concentrated area than any other city in the world, according to its Web site) and each club has a set schedule of performers for each day. Some clubs are 21 and older; others are not.

The main way in which SXSW attracts fans now is by taking advantage of the highly important, yet largely under-the-radar power of the independent music blogosphere. By utilizing the enormous power of the online music community through both a powerful blog of their own as well as imbedded outside bloggers before and during the festival, SXSW directors exhibit a fascinating literacy in the way to amass power in a changing society.

SXSW organizers know their audience to be an intensely Internet-oriented group and have mastered the way to communicate with them and legitimize the festival in Internet circles which hold sway over powerful social opinion of independent music. If the Internet is the vehicle by which powerful entities grow, it seems only fitting that the enormously powerful SXSW exhibits a textbook skill in mastering the independent music world.

The last way SXSW flexes its social muscle is simply by providing ample opportunity to listen to great music in a fun environment. Austin provides a cultural backdrop ripe for a good time. With great weather, young residents and visitors, tons of music venues and bars and a distinctly international feel within a relatively small city, Austin has it all. With the University of Texas right in the city, the vibe is young and diverse. Additionally, people from all over the world come to play and listen at SXSW. Performers and attendees hail from Oklahoma City to Tokyo and everywhere in between. SXSW and Austin are so indelibly tied that it seems pertinent to ask which came first, the proverbial chicken or the egg?

SXSW provides music lovers, music newbies, and independent spirits a perfect opportunity to see their favorite bands and even hear some new stuff. Bands descend upon the city for one week a year to rock the music scene's socks off. Tickets are pricey but one thing is for sure - everyone should make the trek to see SXSW live at least once in their lives. For more information visit www.SXSW.com.

Hey, It's Cool, You Can Bring Your Green Fedora

Helping you get prepped for the artistic part of Spokane's 'First Friday'

published, Gonzaga Bulletin 2009

Media Credit: Hanne Zak The inside of Art, Music and More has a well-lit and intimate setting conducive for photgraph and art perusing. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Hanne Zak Teapot ladies, tentacled ladies, the Empyrean will feature art by Mariko Sullivan and Tiffany Patterson this Friday. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Hanne Zak Jundt continues its Violence! exhibit through April 4 [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Hanne Zak Jim Kolva hangs a Sandy Ayars watercolor in preparation for First Friday. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Hanne Zak A sampling of the pottery featured at Mark Moore and Chris Kelsey's Trackside Studios [Click to enlarge]

To some, publicly exhibited art seems to exist in a confusing, alternate world where bespectacled ladies and gentlemen go to sip chardonnay and hear themselves talk about whether splattered paint is a sign of their rotting postmodern existence or whether a milk jug with a knife in it speaks to an existential notion of uselessness … or something equally pretentious. Outside of the world of monocles and monogrammed handkerchiefs, art galleries conjure images of a stark white room with a small painted canvas hanging on the wall, its meaning elusive to the viewer, prompting them to return to their world of Pabst Blue Ribbon and reality TV, chalking the entire experience up to a befuddling fluke.

However, here in Spokane, many places are turning that stereotype on its head by offering cool, calm, unpretentious spaces to explore art of different kinds. For those who cannot recognize Klimt from Kirchner, Jasper Johns from Georgia O'Keefe or watercolor from acrylic, art galleries and studios like Art, Music and More, Kolva-Sullivan, Jundt Art Museum, and Trackside Studio invite art neophytes and experts alike to experience different mediums of visual art.

Additionally, cafes like the Empyrean and hipster hangout Baby Bar/Neato Burrito offer the chance to experience art while chowing or guzzling your way to contentment. Sometimes, puzzlingly, it appears like there is some sort of invisible force field between campus and downtown. However, a quick jaunt over the river toward downtown promises a new, fun way to view art.

Many of these cafes, galleries and studios participate in Spokane's hidden gem - First Friday. Like its homonymic relatives in other cities, is a specific time when local art exhibitors can show their work to the wider public in a fun, community-oriented event. The first Friday of every month, most of Spokane's downtown galleries (and a few in the Garland area) open their doors to eager art viewers. The event has amassed quite the following and is a certifiable must-do before your tenure at Gonzaga comes to a close.

Here's a look at some of Spokane's coolest art spaces:

Arts, Music and More

OK, so their name may not scream "awesome!" but Art, Music and More is an eclectic, loft-like space where music, painting, ceramics, jewelry design and crafts come together in a laidback environment. With exposed brick walls and a quaint, intimate live music stage in the back, AM&M exhibits art for sale, created by local artists. I first came to AM&M for a live music set (shout-out to GU student Kevin Vance for performing) and was surprised by their highly accessible artwork. Their exhibited pieces were displayed for the public in a way that was both inviting and unpretentious. Whether you go to AM&M for live music or visual arts, you will not be disappointed with the relaxed environment and the access to local artists' work. AM&M is located at 608 W. 2nd Ave.

Jundt Art

Many people on campus know the Jundt Museum as the dark building on the other side of campus that they have never been in. With its "museum" designation, Jundt is rumored to be an enigmatic place where stuffy art is exhibited - if it is even mentioned at all. While the museum's ultra-cool and locally acclaimed exhibit "Violence!" just recently closed, the senior thesis exhibit will be coming into the museum within the month. The senior thesis exhibit is a great way to experience art in a traditional museum setting while simultaneously supporting the work of our fellow students. The exact content of the exhibit remains to be seen, given the individualistic nature of the art department thesis program. However, the contents are sure to please. The Jundt Art Museum can be found between Jepson and Dussault.

The Empyrean

This chill coffeehouse has come to be known over the last two-and-a-half years for offering a quiet place to study or read if you're suffering from campus fever. However, not only do they offer delicious coffee drinks and decadent pastries, The Empyrean also features a vast array of cool paintings and ceramics created by local artists. Many times, according to the Empyrean staff, art comes from people who just like to kick it at the coffeehouse. The Empyrean also offers poetry readings, dramatic performances and live music. In fact, Gonzaga students will be putting on a play titled "American Buffalo" that runs at the venue April 23-26. The Empyrean is a great place to hang out and a perfect spot for dipping your toe into the proverbial waters of the art world. The Empyrean participates in First Friday and can be found at 154 S. Madison Street.

Kolva-Sullivan

Kolva-Sullivan is an intimate, funky gallery that features a wide variety of different art on a rotating schedule. This week, a show of watercolors by local artist Sandy Ayars moves in. Kolva-Sullivan participates in First Friday, and today will mark the opening of Ayars' first solo show in Spokane. Her beautiful and vibrant watercolors focus on beauty in nature. Her work features a notably relatable theme, as we all experience nature in our daily lives and her pieces have been described as "transforming the mundane into an artistic story."

While the studio is a working business that sells art, owner Jim Kolva describes the gallery as, at its core, "a space for artists." Sometimes the shows at Kolva-Sullivan are political, sometimes they are ecological, sometimes they are psychological - but they seem to be always relatable. The vibe when I spoke to Kolva was relaxed, yet informative, an ethos that seems to permeate the space. Kolva-Sullivan is the perfect place to go if you want to learn more about the art you are seeing in an inquisitive environment, or if you are an artist yourself looking to speak with knowledgeable staff about deeper meanings in visual art. It's a refuge from the derelict atmosphere outside of the gallery. Kolva-Sullivan is located at 115 S. Adams.

Trackside Studios

In the same building as Kolva-Sullivan, Trackside Studio is a ceramics studio and gallery featuring the works of Mark Moore and Chris Kelsey. One of the owners, Moore, is a graduate of GU. The space, with high ceilings and large open front windows, is a bright and inviting place to check out pottery and sculpture. Upon entering, it seemed like a place made for young people. Music played in the background and I asked myself, "Is this one of my Pandora stations?" and the staff was amiable, helpful and not snobbish in the least. Trackside is a good place for budding artists to go to see art being made in a relaxed, open environment.

When I walked into Trackside, it was evident that they were preparing for First Friday and falling quickly behind. "It's hard to keep a pottery shop clean," explained Chris. Unfortunately for Chris, the Thursday snowfall had drawn his partner Mike to the mountains, so he was left to fend for himself. And he had a lot of work to do. Lucky for me, some of the pottery had already been assembled and arranged, so I was able to take in a fairly august preview of what was to come. Expect arrangements of upper-echelon pottery that will soon be imitated inside of your IKEA and Pier 1 Imports catalogue. Trackside is located at 115 S. Adams.


If you're bored of the same stale house parties, the eardrum-blasting party music and the incessant beer pong - or if you're simply up for some variety - try something new. Head out to Spokane's First Friday to see some local art in inviting, warm, unpretentious galleries and enjoy the community. You will undoubtedly meet some great people, expose yourself to new art and experience a side of Spokane you may have never seen before.

Watching For Watchmen’s Zach Snyder

published, Gonzaga Bulletin 2009

With the upcoming release of the highly anticipated, end-of-days epic Watchmen, film junkies and graphic novel gurus are abuzz with fervent expectation for what will most likely be an undeniably successful blockbuster hit. Zach Snyder, the man who brought you such gore-fests as 300 and Dawn of the Dead, unveils his newest brainchild to the world this Friday.

While many people know about Watchmen, many do not know director Zach Snyder as a household name. He is a relatively young Hollywood director, but, in his short tenure as one of the reigning directing giants, he has made his mark on both cinematic and commercial genres. Devoted followers credit him with a so-called “cinematic wide-screen style”, creating an intensely saturated aesthetic.

Snyder’s fansite characterizes his work as, “landscapes with a painter’s sense of light and color… combin[ing] powerful storytelling with a compelling sense of place.” It may come as no surprise, then, to know that Snyder studied at London’s Heatherlies School, where he was trained in painting. Later, he attended the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Like many directors, Snyder has accrued a following of disciples, devoted to his panoramic aesthetic and larger-than-life visual ethos.

One thing is for sure when watching a Snyder film, the viewer is immersed in what has been called a “big screen look,” which can be alternately engrossing and horrifying depending on the film. This also plays a part in his commercial work with noted companies like Gatorade, Subaru, Nissan, BMW and Budweiser, making the product the center of what critics have likened “a visual assault”.

Snyder is most well known for the Spartan epic, 300. Snyder’s visually gluttonous aesthetic features splattering blood and spit, as well as enough heads lopped off to make the French Revolution look like amateur hour. Unapologetically making little attempt to be historically accurate, Snyder pushes the viewer into a dream-like world of epic fighting between villains and heroes seemingly sizeable enough to move mountains.

Some critics panned 300 for almost numbingly frequent outbursts of bloody violence, taking away from the viewer’s ability to be fully engrossed in the film. Many viewers, however, do not care and have come to welcome Snyder as a purveyor of borderline pornographic violence with buckets of fake blood smeared from here to Thermopylae.

Snyder’s other famous work, Dawn of the Dead amassed a cult following of its own. While not a true remake of either George Romero’s 1978 horror Night of the Living Dead or the cult classic 28 Days, Snyder infused his same gory carnage. As the undead descend upon the last vestiges of “pure” humanity, Snyder presents us with cerebellum-hungry undead soccer moms and middle-management goobers, the unharmonious birth of a demonic, zombie fetus and rotting flesh galore. One critic characterized the zombies as, “deliciously rotting and pukey,” and one couldn’t agree more. Snyder’s job is done as the viewer walks out of the theater, stomach churning, on the verge of some reverse peristalsis of his or her own.

Not everyone is a Snyder fan and many critics agree that, aside from his visual style, he lacks an ability to direct quality screenwriting. Like a proverbial male model, a Snyder film looks great… but not so much with the talking.

Critics' opinions aside, it is undeniable that Snyder presents not just a movie but a visual experiential moment. With the debut of Watchmen on the horizon, Snyder’s choice to portray graphic novels as films is clear. His style melds the impossible and the possible, bridges fantasy and reality, and draws the viewer into shared sensory overload.

If you are one of the millions of people who will see the upcoming Watchmen, you will likely not be disappointed. Just as his other movies have, Snyder’s films will continue to awe, impress and disturb. Other movies simply beckon you to watch; Snyder’s films punch you in the gut, tie you up and make you forget your own name.