Chairman of the Board: Random chance ‘Anne’ and ‘Kim’s Convenience’ lead Can- dy nominations (¥Y Dating has never been so psychologically traumatizing And more! Have an idea for a story? M arts@theotherpress.ca qQ& @e va Chairman of the Board: Random chance > ‘Quelf’ board game review Ed Appleby Senior Columnist * I’ it possible to be too creative? Quelf (2005) is a party game for three to eight players designed by Robb Earnest, Jeremy Fifer, and Matthew Rivaldi, and published by Wiggity Bang Games. In the game, players roll dice and move along a board. Each space has a task that needs to be accomplished or the player receives a penalty. These tasks can include “showbiz,” “stuntz,” “quizzel,” or “scatterbrainz.” There are also “rulez” cards that change how the players can play the game. The first player to reach the end and win the end “scatterbrainz” card wins. The gameplay of Quelf is very active, with many of the cards requiring players to get up and move. The trivia questions range from difficult to insanely simple, which nips the issues I normally have with trivia games in the bud. The “scatterbrainz” cards are by far the most fun, forcing players to list off words associated with a theme as fast as possible without repeating any. However, where the game really suffers is the “creativity.” Shifting rules can be fun—as in the case of a game like Fluxx (1997)—but Quelf takes it to the extreme, implementing rules that break the game, or can lead to awkward situations among the players, and yet never actually change how the game is played. Every card may or may not be read aloud, and may or may not have secret rules, which either leads to the players messing up or carefully reading the rules in a long process that slows down the game. I would argue that Quelf’s “creativity” isn’t actually that creative, but more “wacky,” if anything. There’s more to being creative than adding a “z” to the end of all of your cards and getting someone to do another’s hair during the game. Creativity in board games should involve tactics and strategy, and getting players to think on their feet. It should be about how you play the game, not how you are forced to play the game. There are definitely certain groups that may find this game fun, such as intimate groups of expressive people who are game for anything. However, as an icebreaker game, or a game to pull out among acquaintances at a social event, I would give Quelfa pass. Illustration by Ed Appleby Movie series shares appreciation for French and francophone culture > Rendez-vous Cinéma events Caroline Ho Arts Editor f you're interested in learning more about the French language and francophone cultures, meeting others who share your interest, or simply watching award-winning movies at Douglas, the Rendez-vous Cinéma series is your perfect chance. Presented by the Department of Modern Languages, Rendez- vous Cinéma hosts free, open-to-all screenings of French films with English subtitles, followed by discussions of the films in French, with several events throughout the semester. However, students who are interested in attending but feel uncertain about their French language skills should not hesitate at all to join, says Carine Hirschi, a French Instructor and one of the event organizers, who spoke with the Other Press in an email interview. “The event is totally accessible to people who do not speak French, not even a little bit, but who are open to listen to a film in French,” wrote Hirschi. In addition to the English subtitles, the introduction to the film and the discussion afterward are largely bilingual, so everyone is able to enjoy the movies and to participate in the conversation if they wish. The discussion gives everyone an opportunity to share their reactions to the content, themes, and the making of the films. Hirschi said the organizers have tried to choose films that showcase different geographic areas of the francophone world and different cultures, as well as a variety of cinematic genres. Last semester included an animated film based on West African folktales, and this semester’s lineup features movies about Algeria, Canada, and Paris. The movies have also been selected based on their social and cultural significance, addressing themes such as “dealing with disability, cultural clashes, the question of evil and suffering, religious beliefs, standing for peace in times of upheaval, [and] happiness,” wrote Hirschi. Last Wednesday, Rendez-vous Cinéma screened Des Hommes et Des Dieux (2010), a film about the Algerian Civil War and religious strife. On Wednesday, February 21, they’ll be watching Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006), a inter 2018 ‘CINEMA comedy-thriller featuring Québec and Ontario police. Wednesday, March 21 will be Amélie/Le Fabuleux Destin dAmélie Poulain, a whimsical romantic comedy about its titular character’s quest for happiness. All screenings begin at 4:45 p.m. in Room N2203 on the New Westminster Campus. The Rendez-vous Cinéma series RENDEZ-VOUS Image via Rendez-vous Cinéma poster began in Fall 2017 and is now into its second semester. Attendance has been modest so far, said Hirschi, but not at all limited to people from the Modern Languages Department—it’s been people of all ages, including students, employees, and visitors to Douglas, all linked by their interest in the francophone world.