I must namecheck one individual in particular who is responsible for my career at the Daily Bruin: a tall, buffoonish caricature of James Bond’s dashing looks called Aren Alexander.
Alexander, a former Daily Bruin photographer, was my second-year roommate who, knowing that I loved movies far too much, forced me to apply as an intern that fall quarter. He is to blame for my presence at this organization, and all formal and informal complaints should be sent his way.
He was correct, however, in acknowledging that one of my main goals in life has been to become a film critic. Over the last three years I have manipulated my way through this establishment to a position that allows me to write about practically any movie that I want, so I would say I’ve succeeded. Why anyone has permitted me to keep this much power for this long is beyond reason.
I’ll summarize my tyrannical bumbling through the Daily Bruin’s Arts and Entertainment section with a few brief memories. Initially, I had joined the paper under the reign of editor in chief James Barragan, a man whose overbearing charm has always subtly reminded me of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of fertility.
During my first year at the Daily Bruin, I started a nonsensical column titled “Love|Hate,” in which I and another A&E writer (professional bearer of bad opinions Tony Huang) would speak briefly about entertainment topics we saw trending on Twitter that week. It grew very popular.
At one point during a budget meeting, Barragan complimented my “Love|Hate” column for that week, which discussed the Marvel cinematic franchise. Barragan complimented me because I spoke highly of Iron Man, and he thought Iron Man was cool or something. It was the highlight of my Daily Bruin career.
The following year, I applied to be a film and television editor under the rule of Jillian Beck, a commanding woman who was very consistent in reminding her staffers that she loved the Boston Red Sox more than she loved any of them, not that anyone could blame her.
The most intimate interaction I had with Beck while working as an editor occurred while I was writing a movie review, and she had noticed I mistakenly submitted the word “twat” when I meant to say “twit.” This error also describes my experience as a film editor pretty effectively.
I spent much of my role as editor not editing for days at a time. It culminated in the week that I covered the American Film Institute festival, leaving my school, friends and job for eight straight days to watch foreign movies in Hollywood. The festival was a wonderful learning experience that I vigorously wrote about for A&E’s online blog Spotlight and, as such, my writings were never read by the general public.
It is worth noting that after my stint as editor, my work with the Daily Bruin led to a summer editorial internship at Variety magazine. At Variety, I reported for the weekly print magazine, covered premiere events, conducted interviews with famous personalities, ate ice cream with J.K. Simmons, had smoke blown in my face by Leonardo DiCaprio and spent a night in a small hotel smoke room with Kid Cudi and his posse. The job had its highs and lows.
This brings me to the past year, under editor in chief Andrew Erickson, a man who perfectly embodies what I believe Huey Lewis to have been like in his college years. I make daily rituals out of perpetually bothering everyone who comes in through the front entrance to our office and occasional games out of who I can bother most. I’m suspicious as to why I haven’t been fired yet.
Being my last year, I have come to an interesting realization, though. There is no one at the Daily Bruin who I truly consider to be a long-time friend. I have made plenty of good friends, and have hung out, partied or otherwise had positive relationships with practically everyone on the main staff for my past three years at the paper.
Yet, I don’t know if I will see a lot, if any, of the people that I have met at this organization again after I graduate. Perhaps that speaks to my own character, or the character of the people that I have worked with.
I do hope I see some of them again, even if it must take some unrealized personal effort. I recognize now, almost three years after the fact, that joining the Daily Bruin purely to become a film critic was a hollow goal. At the very least, it’s a hollow goal that I took the time to fulfill.
Torrelio was an A&E senior staffer from 2014-2015, the A&E film and television editor from 2013-2014 and an A&E contributor from 2012-2013.