Gallup Sun

Despite the two wins on Apr. 2 for Miyamura High School, Aaraya Jayde Sheridan didn’t seem too happy or too impressed at the Sports Complex.

Photo Credit: Tom Hartsock

“The Turquoise Trader” is a New Mexico based novel that takes place in Gallup.

The main character is Zia Yazzie, the illegitimate son of a Navajo woman, and Ben Monroe, a Navajo Jewelry trader. Zia is a college student with big dreams of helping the Navajo people after his graduation from UNM.

Those dreams are interrupted by Ben’s sudden appearance after a 21 year absence. Zia wishes Ben would return to his “real” white family, while Zia’s mother remains silent. Throughout the novel she appears as a background decoration, much like the Navajo Jewelry that Ben trades and sells. Ben insists that Zia work for him in his Gallup shop.

For inexplicable reasons, this must happen...

Rating: ««« out of 4 Stars

Running Time: 116 min.

Occasionally, there’s a downside to seeing so many movies. When one really makes an impression on you, it’s tough for any sort of follow-up to compete. Such is the case with Everybody Wants Some!!, a “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused (1993) and to some extent, Boyhood (2014). I’m a big fan of the earlier title, which captured the last day of school for a varied group of kids in a local high school. It depicts a day of celebration and consternation about the future and is pretty much one of the best coming-of-age movies you’re likely to see.

Truth be told, there’s nothing wrong with Everybody Wants Some!! It’s...

Rating: «« out of 4 Stars

Running Time: 96 min.

A strange thing happened during the preview screening of the first-person action flick, Hardcore Harry. While some members of the audience hooted and hollered at the over-the-top events and violence appearing onscreen, many others were less than impressed. I counted at least 20 walkouts in the opening half-hour. It felt like there was constant movement of people in and out of the theater. That’s a huge number of people throwing up their hands in dismay. Clearly, this is going to be a polarizing cinematic experience.

For me, the reaction wasn’t as severe, but I certainly wasn’t cheering either. Yes, I thought that there were many...