What's Your Favorite Halloween Movie? | Byte-ing Questions

Blake asks Ball State the Byte-ing Question, What is your favorite Halloween movie? 

The Extraordinary Life of Dylan Geick

In 2017, an 18-year-old was introduced to the world through YouTube and social media as a young man capable not only of writing, but wrestling, singing, and potential being a voice for the LGBTQ+ community. It’s 2020, and Geick’s channel lies empty without updated content and a trail of breadcrumbs that left him leaving the spotlight possibly for good. 

Celebrate the Halloween season with these 10 horror movies

Celebrating Halloween may look different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Which Quentin Tarantino Movie is the Best?

From a young age, Quentin Tarantino has been interested in movies. Tarantino’s writing is inspired by movies, books, and spaghetti western film director Sergio Corbucci. Tarantino follows a nonlinear storytelling style: We can see in the films Reservoir Dogs, Inglorious Basterds, and the Kill Bill volumes that he jumps around storylines. In Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, the audience bounces between Sharon Tate, Rick Dalton, and Cliff Booth’s storylines.

iPhone 12 Announced! | Checkpoint

Blake and OK break down the upcoming iPhone 12 and what it brings to the table over past models. 

Artist of the Month: BETWEEN FRIENDS

One of my favorite up-and-coming artists right now is BETWEEN FRIENDS. After hearing their debut single — “suburban wonderland” — my senior year of high school, I was immediately drawn to their sound. I dove head first into the rabbit hole that was their Spotify artist page and wondered how this band, that I now adored, wasn’t more popular. Their self dubbed “laptop-dream pop” was something I couldn’t get out of my head. I found myself reverting back to “suburban wonderland” over and over again. Now, they not only have that single, but they also have an EP titled, we just need some time together. 

Spiderman's Multiverse Expands | Checkpoint

Five Underrated Horror Movies to Watch this October

There are certain horror movies that are must-watch, staples for the Halloween season. Classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Shining, Scream, and of course, Halloween are essential October watches. However, there are plenty of other spook-worthy films that should be watched during the month of October that don’t receive the credit they should. 

Supernatural Concludes | Checkpoint

Top 5 LGBTQ+ Films to watch to commemorate National Coming Out Day

Sunday, we celebrated the hardship, failures, and suffering that LGBTQ+ youth and community endure and have endured since the beginning of time. We also celebrated the successes, stories of hope, and love and connection that make this community one of the unique and essential aspects of human history. National Coming Out Day was first observed in 1988 after a massive march for LGBTQ+ rights outside of Washington, D.C., took place a year prior. Thirty-two years later, the month of October has turned into a month that is bigger than getting free candy in a costume. It’s a celebration of love and the lives of the LGBTQ+ community that continues to fight for the right of all humanity — which is equal treatment for all of humanity everywhere. To commemorate this historic event, we look at the top five LGBTQ+ films.

An Update on the Movie Industry: Movie theaters need blockbusters to survive

2020 has been a rough year, and one area in particular that is feeling the impact of the pandemic is the film industry. Earlier this year, theaters across the world began shutting their doors forcing studios to either delay their films, or to find alternative ways of releasing them. We began seeing studios sell their films to streaming services or skipping the theatrical release by dropping their films on streaming with a premium price of around $20. 

Flashback: Disco is an important part of our pop culture

In the mid-70s, France’s music scene was spurring with a new sensation that would forever change the music world. Manu Dibango intermixed a series of instruments that had a “funky” appeal with their hit “Soul Makossa.” This was later picked up by New York’s underground music industry. Roller-skating, disco balls, “Soul Train,” and other iconic American culture-esque features would begin a culture of its own that would span for a decade. However, some artists in the pop industry today may be dipping their toes back into the culture of the 70s.

The Tribeca Games Festival | Checkpoint

Tribeca Games Festival | Checkpoint

OK and Blake break down the upcoming Tribeca Games Awards. 

The Future of Among Us | Checkpoint

Threatening the theatre: How acting majors are coping with COVID-19

With COVID-19 cases still high across the nation with nearly 50,000 new cases in the last 7 days, individuals from all walks of life are having to alter their schedules and plans. Coming back to Ball State University this fall has demonstrated that there will have to be a new normal for everyone. It is currently unacceptable to embrace a friend, walk around without a mask, or congregate in large groups. Even though the average person may miss these small gestures, some Ball State students do not have time to dwell on them as their entire academic lives have been turned upside down. One major that has had to do a lot of adapting for the recent semester is the acting major.

Sjokz: A Voice for the Gaming Youth

To many Esports fanatics, Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere is someone many people—especially women—look up to. Whether it be her large presence and voice within the gaming industry or what she signifies for their professional ambition, Sjokz has paved the way for many young voices in the gaming industry who wish to fill her big shoes over the past 20 years.

History of Scream

Fall marks the time of year when Americans go to haunted houses, carve pumpkins, and curl up on the couch with a bucket of popcorn while walking horror movies. One of the horror flicks that should be at the top of every list is Scream. The film is like lightning in a bottle.  It combines horror and comedy while having clever commentary on horror films woven throughout. With an all-star cast including Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Jamie Kennedy who have created some of horror's most iconic characters, the film was able to go on to be a success both critically and financially. But how did this iconic film, not based on any previous source material, begin in the first place?

The Batman Catches Corona | Checkpoint

Blake and OK return to break down the delay of the upcoming Batman film, The Batman.