This discussion circled around romantic-comedies, sometimes called “chick flicks”. After discussing common themes within romantic comedies, I noticed a lot of older movies usually focused on a main female character who was unsure of their career or other aspect of their life. Then, a male lead character would come and help her find her way. However, some of the newer movies in this genre don’t always follow this trope. Some romantic comedies have been more inclusive such as Love Simon, whose main character identified with the LGBTQ+ community. It will be interesting to see what tropes and themes are more common in future romantic comedies.
Author Archives: gls236
Another Conversation With Ryan Lombardi
After attending a similar Rose Interview in the fall, I thought I would also attend this interview with Ryan Lombardi and Professor Roberts. What struck me the most was Lombardi’s commitment to students and to Cornell. For such a large university, I think it is rare to have a resource to which everyone can use and can expect responses from. From both interviewees, it was inspiring how much the student’s voices mattered to both of them, and certainly an indication of how much they care about Cornell’s students.
Former Teacher in Rose Buzz Fellow Interview
Last semester, I took the US Health System class taught by Sean Nicholson. During the Rose Buzz interview today, I was able to learn more about his upbringing and where his interest in economics came from. Additionally, he revealed he knew he wanted to study the healthcare system after writing about a similar topic for his dissertation. This was not surprising for me to hear, given his passion for the subject when he was teaching. With more people interested in the US healthcare system, hopefully the system can be improved to benefit more people than right now.
Independent Beth
In this week’s episode, Beth is now independent for the first time. She is also at a different point in her life than other young girls might be, as indicated by the interaction with her former classmate.
Thanks to her friend Harry, Beth is finally given a reality check, as she believes she is unbeatable. However, this confidence can also be the reason she loses, as Harry discovered her nerves can cause her to lose sight of the bigger picture during a game. Thanks to his insight, Beth is able to win the US State Championship and will start to work towards playing in the Moscow Invitational.
Standpoint Theory
Hassan Mahamdallie’s recent seminar brought up an interesting theory used to describe how diverse the arts community is. Currently, the arts community is not as diverse as it could be. Using the Standpoint Theory, he described the arts community as those on the outside and those in the center, or the “It” group. Currently, diversity is more towards the outside, but by moving towards the center, this will incorporate more diversity into the arts community.
The Fourth Episode of The Queen’s Gambit
In this fourth episode of The Queen’s Gambit, Beth continues to thrive in the world of chess. Thanks to her Russian classes, she was able to understand Borgov’s conversation in the elevator, in which he discusses he weaknesses and her strategy. Although she loses to him soon after, I have a feeling she will play him again eventually. Additionally, I wonder how Beth will adjust in future episodes now that she will be attending competitions alone, as her mother just passed.
Looking at Moves Ahead
In this third episode of Queen’s Gambit, we see Beth lose in the US Open against a national champion. She is clearly upset after winning so much and having some much confidence. However, she was incredibly hard on herself, especially since she studied possible moves and outcomes her opponent could have. But, this episode truly showed how difficult chess can be and how strategy can play an essential part in winning or having a somewhat equal game. In my own chess games (since starting to play chess again), I have found taking time and looking multiple moves ahead (like Beth) is valuable when playing chess.
Newly Ranked Chess Player
One thing I enjoyed throughout this episode were the competition scenes. After learning to play chess before she was adopted, Beth had minimal experience playing against other opponents. When she entered her first competition, it was nice to watch Beth finally receive recognition for her skill level, despite not having formal chess ranking. I was not previously aware that each individual player was given a score to rank themselves before watching this episode. Additionally, it was also nice to see Beth’s mother interested in her daughter’s skills to benefit both of them in the future. I can’t wait to see how much Beth will win or lose in the coming episodes!
Queen’s Gambit: A Reintroduction to Chess
After hearing so many positive reviews about this show, I thought it would be a great opportunity to watch it. I was captivated by the story and how it revolved around chess. I already knew the rules of chess, but my knowledge of strategy is limited. After watching this episode, I immediately played a game of chess with some of my roommates, and we cannot wait to continue practicing and watching the rest of the series.