While many viewers were quick to compare the trailers to “Coraline” and that movie’s Other Mother, it’s actually based on the 2024 horror novel “Incidents Around the House” by Josh Malerman.

“Other Mommy,” released on Oct. 9, and starring Jessica Chastain, has practically nothing to do with the book besides the general idea and characters. The film doesn’t capture the same heart of the original book, with its themes being far less subtle and much more in the audience’s face. The movie does not let you forget that this is a tale about choosing who you let into your life.

Often, writers avoid telling the audience about their monster to create suspense, but before the viewer sees a single frame of the movie itself, they are told plainly that Other Mommy is a demon. It leaves zero room for audiences to ponder what kind of force Other Mommy could be, ruining the point of a horror movie monster. It’s scarier when audiences don’t know what the monster even is, but the movie makes sure you know from the first second. The movie could have been improved by cutting the opening quote.

The book accomplishes the uncertainty quite well. Through the first-person perspective of Bela paired with the written word, the reader never quite grasps the form of Other Mommy or knows what Other Mommy is or wants. The movie could have captured the same feeling by never showing the Other Mommy directly.

The movie tries to give the impression that Bela can never tell if she’s talking to her mom or Other Mommy, but Other Mommy never tries to act like the real mom. Every scene she’s in, you can tell it’s her just from how she acts. What could’ve been a great way to brew uncertainty in the audience is thrown away. A more subtle approach could have benefitted the movie greatly, making the audience just as paranoid as Bela.

Lots of characters in the film feel inconsequential compared to the book. In the film, the plot point that Ursula is cheating on Russ is one line that’s never brought up again. Entire monologues from the book were cut. 

Certain things will inevitably be cut when making the jump from book to film. Films have less run time, and can’t go over every last beat of a book. But, it would be easier to cut the aspect all together rather than turn a plot point into a sentence.

An odd change between the book and the movie is Bela’s characterization. Throughout the entire book, Bela is adamant that Other Mommy is her friend, whereas in the movie, Bela is first uneasy and then scared of Other Mommy for the whole film. 

Despite Bela’s fear, it’s not a very scary movie. The majority of the jumpscares didn’t even manage to startle. The CGI made the few deaths in the movie look silly, and the Other Mommy’s various demonic transformations look rubbery and unreal. 

However, there is one thing to praise about this movie, and that is Jessica Chastain’s role as both the real mom, Ursula, and the titular Other Mommy. She does a good job at being both a terrified, uncertain mom and being a malicious, uncanny demon. She did the best she could with the material she had been given.

With a good premise, a good book it was based on and some good actors, “Other Mommy” had lots of promising elements, but it was mishandled, leading to a disappointing mess of a film and a generally unenjoyable viewing experience. 

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“He randomly messages me when I’m at work and is like ‘hey, do you want to go on tour with me?’” Orr said. 

What originally was meant to be a one month experience completely turned her life around, she said. Now a full-time musician, she has performed on Grammy stages alongside renowned musicians like John Legend, Usher and Snoh Aalegra. 

Orr returned to campus on Wednesday, Oct. 14 to share her story along with two other alumni as part of “Black Entrepreneurs in Conversation,” hosted by the Black Student Union.

Tom Joyce, a career advisor at Columbia’s career center, approached the Black Student Union with the idea of bringing back BSU alumni to speak on their entrepreneurial journeys in honor of Black Entrepreneurs Day.

The first Black Entrepreneurs Day was celebrated on Oct. 24, 2020, when Shark Tank investor Daymond John hosted an inaugural event uplifting Black businesses across the U.S.

“We’ve had so many talented students come through this school, many races, colors, and creeds,” Joyce said. 

The other alums were CaSera Heining, an award-winning DJ and producer also known as DJ Ca$h Era, and Da’Nelle Grier, a celebrated voice actress. Both graduated from Columbia in 2017, and were active in BSU when they were students.

“People in BSU were kind of trailblazers for us,” Orr said “That was a big motivator.”

In 2021, Grier got her first major voice acting role after a Nick Jr. representative discovered a TikTok voiceover challenge she did for fun.

“We think we won’t get opportunities unless we go insanely viral, but I got maybe 300 likes on my video,” Grier said. 

From then, she did voiceovers for shows like Face’s Music Party and Noggin Knows, as well as companies such as Zillow.

Orr said that in most rooms during her career, she’s felt singled out for being the only woman and the only Black woman. 

Black entrepreneurs only make up 3.4% of all entrepreneurs in the U.S. according to the Pew Research Center. Each entrepreneur expressed how they navigate situations where they are the only or one of few Black people in a space. 

“I have to fight for my voice to be heard,” Orr said. 

She said there are situations where advocating for yourself can be viewed as disrespectful just because of your race or gender. 

“I don’t have to burn a bridge, but I’m also not going to lay off what I know to be right,” Orr said. 

Each panelist’s journey started on campus, building strong relationships with peers and faculty, they said.

Heining said she was especially proud of the ways she maximized her resources while attending Columbia. 

“I made relationships with my professors, I did BSU, I took classes in majors that had nothing to do with mine, and I went to different events around campus,” Heining said. 

This effort allowed her to keep strong contacts with her professors and peers, shaping some of the opportunities she has today, she said.

Heining emphasized that she was able to put in this effort while being a commuter student all four years of her studies.

“You have to remember that a lot of the stuff y’all have now we didn’t have,” Heining said. 

Heining discovered her passion for DJing after taking “The Club DJ I” radio course as an elective her first semester at Columbia. She first pursued it as a hobby, but it became her career. 

“Once it came time to graduate, I was making more money DJing than anything else,” Heining said.

Grier said having a core group of creative friends has been very integral to her career and life. 

“You know they’re going to hold you down, and they want to hear all of the ups and downs without judging you,” Grier said. 

She said the connections she built at Columbia remain.

“CaSera, Chinaa, and our other friends are all women that are killing it right now in different industries,” Grier said. 

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This is how the School of Theatre and Dance celebrated the end of Hispanic Heritage Month on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The event focused on lucha libre and featured two special guests: well-known professional wrestler Paloma “La Sriracha Muchacha” Vargas and singer and theater actress Lucy Godínez, both friends of adjunct faculty Christopher Ramírez, one of the event’s organizers.

Ramírez, an adjunct professor at the School of Theatre and Dance, said he has enjoyed lucha libre since he was 10 years old and wanted to teach his students about the activity’s importance — not just as a form of theater, but also as a symbol of Latin culture and the spirit of struggle and resilience.

“I’ve always thought, and I always say, that lucha libre is theater,” Ramírez said. “So, in a way, we’re hosting an event that embodies that wrestling spirit.”

Mateo Suárez, a junior communications major and vice president of Latino Alliance, said it is crucial to hold multiple Hispanic Heritage Month events to promote the month’s significance, noting that celebrations like this one help raise awareness.

“Having just one event for the month limits people,” Suárez said. “When there are five, six or eight events taking place on different days, in different schools and in different buildings, it makes it much easier for people to fit them into their schedules.”

Prior to the event, students enrolled in the “Stage Combat II” class had the opportunity to learn how lucha libre works. To help them prepare, wrestler Vargas showed the students the similarities between professional wrestling and what they were learning in class.

“This is great,” Vargas said. “I have a space to share my love for professional wrestling and Mexican culture.”

To demonstrate how a typical wrestling match unfolds, senior musical theatre majors Shelbee Taylor and Abigail Ehrenberg faced off against each other, while the audience cheered or booed depending on who was playing the hero or the villain.

For Taylor, participating in the wrestling match was an opportunity to experience something her Latino peers identify with, all while having fun.

“Many of my friends identify as Hispanic or Latino,” Taylor said. “So it was nice to do something that is part of their culture, and it’s always really fun to see people so fired up and cheering for you.”

After the match between Taylor and Ehrenberg concluded, Ramírez introduced singer Lucy Godínez, who performed two songs. One of them was Selena’s “Como La Flor,” which prompted event attendees to get out of their seats and sing along with Godínez.

To wrap up the afternoon, attendees took turns hitting the piñata and scrambling to collect as much candy as they could.

One of the attendees, junior acting major Emily Ortiz, was the fifth person to try to break the piñata. She said she had been interested in wrestling since childhood, thanks to her grandfather’s stories, and never imagined Columbia would host an event like this.

“I thought it was really interesting that our school is showing some appreciation for our culture,” Ortiz said. “It really surprised me… wow, it blew my mind.”

Jimmy Noriega, dean of the Schools of Theatre and Dance and Audio and Music, and the person responsible for organizing the event, gave a brief speech reflecting on the history of Hispanic Heritage Month and Columbia College Chicago’s status as an institution serving the Hispanic student community. He left the attendees with a meaningful message. 

“We are here, we are powerful, we are many, and we are proud,” he said before an audience that was applauding enthusiastically.

Copy edited by Mia Smith

Originally published in Spanish 

Translated by Sofía Oyarzún

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Anthony Hernandez

Dancers pose under dramatic stage lighting during the "CounterBalance" 15th Anniversary Showcase at the Dance Center at 1306 S. Michigan Ave. on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.

Kris Lenzo had no prior dance experience when he joined the first showcase of “CounterBalance” in 2009, but now 17 years later, Lenzo looks forward to the yearly opportunity to perform with other disabled dancers in front of a crowd that keeps on growing.

“After the first dance, I was really into it and I just didn’t see it coming. But I’m really glad that’s what I’ve been doing since then,” Lenzo said.

After having both of his legs amputated at 19, Lenzo continued to be an athlete and is pursuing his passion of dance. Lenzo joined the Momenta Dance Company in 2003, and joins them yearly at the “CounterBalance” showcase.

Momenta celebrated their 15th annual showing of the “CounterBalance” showcase on Friday, Oct. 16, with around 60 people filling out a theater in Columbia’s Dance Center at 1306 S. Michigan Ave. 

“CounterBalance” is an inclusive dance concert focused on giving dancers of all different types of abilities a chance to perform. Audience member Bett Danganan related to the showcase in a more personal way than most.

“I wanted to come because I am a professional dancer, but I’m navigating injuries that have left me with a new disability,” Danganan said. “So I’m looking to get involved in spaces and organizations that integrate dance and disability”

The idea for “CounterBalance” started back in 2008. Ginger Lane co-founded the idea as a disabled dancer herself.

“It came about because the organization that I worked for, Access Living, had started a disability arts and culture project but dance had not been included,” Lane said. “So because I’m a dancer, I said, ‘why don’t we put on a show so that we can include a disability art component?’”

The first “CounterBalance” was not the production that can be seen today. In fact, it didn’t even take place on a stage.

“It started as a one-evening performance, it was in an office building in the conference room,” Lane said. “It has grown into a very professional evening and a wonderful stage for disabled performers.”

Ever since then, the show has continued to grow. Lane said the original showcase struggled to find people who wanted to participate, but now, the performance showcases 21 dancers.

“We were scrambling for good dancers. And now there are many good dancers who have disabilities and use wheelchairs, and that’s very encouraging to me,” Lane said. “I’m very proud that instead of having to be dragged in to do it, people eagerly want to participate.”

Jess Martin, a dancer in “CounterBalance,” is an electric wheelchair user who started out performing with Momenta in their showcase over a decade ago. Their experience working with Momenta inspired them to start choreographing their own shows.

Even with their own successful showcase, Martin still returns every year to perform in “CounterBalance.” 

“It’s amazing to see all different types of people coming together to see inclusion, dance and beauty, to see people just loving it,” Martin said. “The energy from the audience is exactly what we need. I have visual problems, but I can hear the audience like you wouldn’t believe.”

Ladonna Freidheim performed in Friday’s showcase, but she also has behind the scenes experience as Momenta’s treasurer. Freidheim shared that keeping “CounterBalance” going was not an easy feat.

“Part of the hard work is convincing society that people with disabilities belong and have value. That’s really the point of the show,” Freidheim said.

Sophomore dance major Emily Lhanang understood that message. As an audience member, Lhanang felt that the show was a great way to shine a light on performers with different abilities. 

“What is the function of expression if you’re not letting that be malleable to different people,” Lhanang said. “I think it’s important that every person can express themselves, no matter if they’re disabled. It’s important that a community is a community of every kind of person.”

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Kameron Clepper

Aliejha Cullick performs on stage during Columbia's Sweater Weather showcase at the HAUS on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.

Six student and alumni acts performed original music at Sweater Weather, a singer-songwriter showcase that gave students in Columbia’s event management program experience producing a live show.  

Sweater Weather, a student-produced singer-songwriter showcase held Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Haus, gave students the opportunity to perform their original music before an audience of about 50, while others gained hands-on experience organizing a live event. 

The free, fall-themed event on Thursday, Oct. 15, featured performances by students and alumni.

The showcase was organized through the cross-listed “Venue Management: Practicum” and “Club Management: Practicum” course in the School of Business and Entrepreneurship, which is producing four live shows throughout the semester. It is taught by Associate Professor Joseph Bogdan.

Elaina Fletcher, a senior arts management major and event manager for Sweater Weather, said she wanted to create an event that would bring Columbia students together while providing a platform for students and alumni musicians. 

“I wanted to do something that would really connect with Columbia students and be able to feature those students and alumni,” Fletcher said. 

Unlike other showcases, Fletcher said the event was organized almost entirely by students, with limited guidance from their instructors. Students were divided into teams responsible for different aspects of the production, including booking performers. 

“Not only is it supporting student artists and alumni artists, but it’s also supporting student managers and business professionals,” Fletcher said.

For Aliejha Cullick, a senior music business major, the showcase offered an opportunity to bring more attention to folk-inspired music. 

Cullick grew up in the Chicago area and attended a performing arts high school, where he studied choir. He later developed an interest in songwriting and taught himself several instruments, including piano, mandolin and banjo. 

He released his four-song EP, “Amulet,” last year and has spent the past year and a half performing around Chicago. 

Cullick said there are fewer opportunities for folk and country musicians to showcase their music in Chicago compared to artists performing hip-hop, indie rock and jazz. 

“I felt that it was a great opportunity for me to be a part of that greater exposure of the genre that I have so much respect for,” Cullick said. 

Beyond gaining exposure, Cullick said he hoped his music would encourage other students to explore their own creative abilities. 

“I think my overall wish would just be to inspire others,” Cullick said. 

For Kass de la Torre, a senior Illustration major who attended the showcase after hearing about it from a friend, events like Sweater Weather can help student musicians reach audiences beyond Columbia. 

“I think Columbia does a good job of bringing in people from outside the school, and that gives student artists a chance to be seen by people who might not otherwise hear their music,” de la Torre said. 

De la Torre also appreciated the atmosphere of the showcase, describing the dim lighting, decorations and acoustic performances as creating a cozy environment similar to a small music venue.

Johnathan Roggenkamp, a first year music production major and indie musician, said he attended the event to support fellow musicians and find inspiration in his own music.

“I’ve been to three events in this space, and this one especially, it feels very intimate. It feels very connected,” Roggenkamp said. “I think it’s lovely that people get to share that with their peers and their friends here.”

While performers gained an opportunity to share their music, Fletcher said students working behind the scenes faced their own learning experience. 

Serving as a general manager pushed Fletcher outside her comfort zone, particularly when it came to coordinating communications among multiple teams of students with different schedules. 

She said the experience helped the class build confidence as it prepares for its three remaining events. 

The upcoming shows include a Halloween-themed after-party called Haus of Hex, connected to the upcoming drag show “Werk It, Witch!” on Thursday, Oct. 29, a variety show and an all-women lineup. Fletcher said the class hopes to hold some of the future events at Reggies, giving students experience working with an off-campus venue.

Fletcher said the practicum had not been offered for some time and hopes the support for Sweater Weather and future shows will demonstrate the importance of continuing the course. 

“Having support from students would really help ensure that this is a course that continues to be offered because it really is a great experience,” Fletcher said.

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Kameron Clepper

Columbia students gather for the Sampaguita Celebration, celebrating Filipino Heritage Month at 618 S. Michigan Ave. on Oct. 14, 2026.

Narissa Duncan, a first-year acting major, never had many Filipino friends growing up. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, she had a chance to attend a Columbia event with other Filipinos and to explore her culture. 

“When I found out there was an event held for Filipinos, I thought it was such an amazing feeling to be represented,” Duncan said. “I feel like we have a lot of pride in being Filipino.”

Student Belonging and Persistence hosted the Sampaguita Celebration, bringing about 20 students to celebrate Filipino culture during Filipino American History Month.

An estimated 4.6 million people in the United States identified as Filipino in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Filipino Americans are the third-largest Asian origin population living in the U.S., accounting for approximately 19% of the Asian population.

The Columbia event was named for the sampaguita, a sweet-scented flower in the Philippines that is a small, star-shaped blossom which opens at dusk and closes at dawn. It holds many cultural meanings such as purity, simplicity and strength. Honoring the sampaguita, the country’s national flower, is important to Filipino culture and its celebrations. 

Dillon Poblador, a first-year photography major, attended the event because growing up in Chicago, he didn’t see a lot of Filipino representation. 

Only about 1.4% of Chicago’s population is Filipino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

“Overall, Filipinos, I feel like we’re perceived pretty good when it comes to personality and being nice,” Poblador said.

The celebration featured lumpia, a traditional Filipino dish filled with pork or beef, minced vegetables and seasonings, wrapped in a thin pastry and fried.

Rae Ruiz, a senior theatre major, attended the celebration as a way to communicate with fellow Filipino students. 

“A lot of our history is very sad, and it is still right now, so it’s important to acknowledge all the good parts of our culture as well,” Ruiz said.

Students were able to use a photobooth and try on traditional Filipino clothes at the celebration. Amy Hernandez, a senior film and television major and a part of the Student Belonging and Persistence office, provided the clothes from her own family. 

Most of the clothing was made from piña fibers from the pineapple plant, an indigenous plant in the Philippines. 

The Philippines were under Spanish colonization for over 300 years, and during that time, the Spaniards banned any coloring or designs on Filipino clothing as a way to oppress them.

“What Filipinos did in response to right against that power was they started embroidery,” Hernandez said. 

Students also had a chance to respond to prompts about what makes them feel connected and what growth they could see related to their culture. 

Poblador said he enjoyed “being able to talk and connect to people and find out about other Filipino events.”

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Anthony Hernandez

La leyenda de lucha libre profesional Paloma "La Sriracha Muchacha" Vargas, a la izquierda, y la estudiante Abigail Ehrenberg, a su lado, alzan sus manos tras una demostración en el escenario, mientras Shelbee Taylor, abajo a la izquierda, y Christopher Ramírez, presentador en el micrófono, observan durante el taller de lucha libre en Columbia College Chicago, el martes 13 de octubre de 2026.

En el medio del estudio 404 del edificio ubicado en el 72 East 11th St., estudiantes y profesores rodean una piñata en forma de máscara de lucha libre. Los estudiantes se turnan para golpear la piñata con un bate, hasta que los dulces en su interior vuelan y caen al suelo, para luego recolectarlos. 

Fue así, que la Escuela de Teatro y Danza celebró el fin del Mes de la Herencia Hispana el pasado 13 de octubre. En esta oportunidad, el foco estuvo en la lucha libre, y contó con dos participaciones especiales: la conocida luchadora profesional Paloma “La Sriracha Muchacha” Vargas, y la cantante y actriz de teatro, Lucy Godínez, quienes son amigas del instructor del curso Christopher Ramírez, uno de los organizadores del evento.

Ramírez, profesor adjunto de instrucción en la Escuela de Teatro y Danza, dijo que desde los 10 años siempre disfrutó de la lucha libre, y que quiso enseñar a sus alumnos la importancia de esta actividad, no solo como una forma de teatro, sino también como un símbolo de la cultura latina y de lucha.

“Yo siempre he pensado y siempre digo que la lucha libre es un teatro”, dijo Ramírez. “Entonces, como que estamos haciendo un evento que sigue la lucha”.

El estudiante del tercer año de comunicaciones Mateo Suárez, quien es también vicepresidente del Latino Alliance, dijo que es muy importante tener varios eventos sobre el Mes de la Herencia Hispana para promover su significado, y que eventos como esta celebración ayudan a crear mayor conciencia.

“Tener solo un evento para el mes limita a la gente”, dijo Suárez. “Cuando hay cinco, seis, ocho eventos que toman lugar en días distintos, en escuelas diferentes y en edificios diferentes, eso ayuda mucho a que la gente pueda incorporarlos en su horario”.  

Antes del evento, los estudiantes que atendían la clase de “Combate Escénico II” tuvieron la oportunidad de aprender cómo funciona la lucha libre. Ayudándoles a prepararse, la luchadora Vargas demostró a los alumnos las similitudes de la lucha libre con lo que estaban aprendiendo en clase.

“Esto es genial”, dijo Vargas. “Puedo tener un espacio para compartir mi amor por la lucha libre y por la cultura mexicana”. 

Para demostrar cómo se desarrolla un típica lucha libre, las estudiantes de último año de teatro musical, Shelbee Taylor y Abigail Ehrenberg, lucharon una contra la otra, mientras la audiencia aplaudía y abucheaba según quien personificaba el papel de la buena o de la mala.

Para Taylor, participar en la lucha libre fue una oportunidad para experimentar algo con lo que sus compañeros latinos se identifican a la vez que se divierten.

“Muchos de mis amigos se identifican como hispano o latino”, dijo Taylor. “Así que fue bonito hacer algo de lo cual ellos forman parte, y siempre es muy divertido ver a la gente muy animada y gritando a tu favor”. 

Culminado el combate entre Taylor y Ehrenberg, el instructor Ramírez presentó a la cantante Lucy Godínez quien interpretó dos canciones. Una de ellas fue “Como La Flor” de Selena, la cual provocó que los asistentes del evento se levanten de sus sillas y acompañen a Godínez.

Para terminar la tarde, los asistentes participaron pegándole a la piñata, y recogiendo cuanto dulce pudieron.

Una de las asistentes, la estudiante de tercer año de actuación, Emily Ortiz, fue la quinta persona que intentó romper la piñata. Ella dijo que desde niña ha estado interesada en la lucha libre gracias a las historias de su abuelo y nunca pensó que Columbia presentaría un evento como éste.  

“Me pareció muy interesante de que nuestra escuela muestre un poquito de importancia a nuestra cultura”, dijo Ortiz. “Me sorprendió muchísimo, la verdad… guau, me voló la mente”.

El Decano de las escuelas de Teatro y Danza, y de Audio y Música, Jimmy Noriega, responsable de la organización general del evento, ofreció un breve discurso reflexionando sobre la historia del Mes de la Herencia Hispana y del estatus de Columbia College Chicago como una institución al servicio de la comunidad estudiantil hispana. Dejó a los asistentes un significativo mensaje. 

“Estamos aquí, somos poderosos, somos muchos y estamos orgullosos”, dijo ante una audiencia que aplaudía con mucho entusiasmo.

Editado por Camila Verzino

English Digest:

In the middle of Studio 404 located in the 72 E. 11th St. building, students and faculty surrounded a lucha libre mask piñata. Students took turns hitting the piñata with a bat, until the candies inside flew out and fell to the ground to then collect them.

That’s how the School of Theatre and Dance celebrated the end of Hispanic Heritage Month on Oct. 13. For this year, the focus was on lucha libre, which featured two special guests: professional wrestler Paloma “La Sriracha Muchacha” Vargas, and actress and singer Lucy Godinez, friends of adjunct professor of instruction in the School of Theatre and Dance, Christopher Ramirez, one of the organizers of the event.

Digest by Guadalupe Loza-Sanchez

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