March 2015
Vol. II
The Magnet
Will Batman v. Superman meet expecations?
Seniors
Take a look at your prom venue
Issue 3
danger! Walking and texting is not harmless.
Breaking barriers with interracial marriage.
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Clark Calendar
Letter From the Editors Monika Petrosyan
Alec Badalian
Lilia Lamas
We have crafted this magazine during the spring season, with stories in the Lifestyle section that highlight restaurants to try over spring break, classic movies to watch, and fashion tips for what to wear. We also enjoy showing students’ creative work by sharing their best photos from Mr. Zamlich’s Photography 1-2 class, and featuring students’ writing from Mrs. Guarino’s modern poetry class. We also have an In the Life story about palm reading, where junior Karla Solorzano gets her palm read for the first time by a psychic and describes her experience. Solorzano outlines how the psychic foretells her future and tells Soloranzo personality traits that she found to be
April 2016
generic. In light of the election season, and the excitement of the candidates, we also feature an opinion written by sophomore Vache Sarkissian, called “Why America Needs Bernie Sanders.” Sarkissian explains how Sanders is the only candidate who is not driven by greed and money. “Feel the Bern,” Sarkissian advises. We hope you enjoy this magazine over the spring season during a well-deserved break, just as you are enjoying the company of friends and family. Sincerely, Alec Badalian Lilia Lamas Monika Petrosyan
Table of Contents
Features Student Work Page 4 Student Stress Page 6 Prom 2016 Page 8 Distracted Walking Page 10 Interracial Love
Lifestyle
Page 12 Photos from Mr. Zamlich’s Photo 1-2 class
Page 15 Modern Poetry
In the Life
Page 16 Fashion Accessories Page 17 Romantic Comedies Page 18 Dog Haus Page 19 El Tapatio
Page 20 Waist Trainers Page 22 Palm Reading
Opinions
Page 26 Batman v. Superman
Page 24 Sanders for America Page 25 Hollywood
A&E
Page 27 The Lobster Page 28 Neighbors 2 Page 29 Hitman
The Magnet Managing Editors Alec Badalian Lilia Lamas Monika Petrosyan
Staff Writers Himanshi Ahir Farah Ali Alec Badalian John Bandek Natalie Deravanessian Ryan Ellinwood Nanor Martirosian Hayk Martirosyan Monika Petrosyan Eunice Ramilo Lucas Rosen Vache Sarkissian Nairi Simonyan Karla Solorzano Staff Photographers Natalie Deravanessian Anthony Francisco Tina Keshishian Natella Muradyan Eunice Ramilo Henry Reed Karla Solorzano Website Editors Argeen Ghazarian Karin Najarian Vache Sarkissian Business Managers Rita Belamejian Argeen Ghazarian Thor Hauerbach The Magnet, an open forum, is published by the Clark Magnet High School Publications class (4747 New York Ave., La Crescenta, CA 91214, 818.248.8324), which is solely responsible for all copy, designs and ideas contained herein. The Magnet has the right to edit any letter for purposes of clarification, length and grammar. The expressed opinions are not that of Clark Magnet High School nor of the Administration. Layouts completed onsite. This magazine was printed by aPrintis Inc., 4695 Chabot Dr, Site 200 Pleasanton, CA.
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Features
Stressing the student body Students overcome the strain of school Student Anxiety By Ryan Ellinwood “Homework will be the death of me,” said junior Larisa Mkrtchyan when asked about her daily schoolwork routine. She spends about six hours a day doing her homework. She also mentioned that she has never had more stress than now, as she is taking three AP classes. High school students face the vicious cycle of school, extracurricular activities, homework and sleep. As there are only so many hours in a day, they are expected to do so much in so little time. Since they often do not want to disappoint, they do their best to live up to the expectations given to them, but at the cost of anxiety and depression caused by stress. This stress is also heightened in students attending high schools with a more rigorous curriculum such as private schools or magnet schools. Clark Magnet has the students’ schedules set to seven classes, which
is one more period than most high schoolers take at the other Glendale Unified School District high schools. Some classes, even as early as freshman year, use textbooks that were written for college courses. The freshman class physics course uses the Conceptual Physics textbook, which is written by a university professor. This kind of reading may force students to face academic challenges that they normally would not have to face or even worry about for another few years. Junior Sandra Gadalla said that she spends seven hours a day on average doing homework, often going to sleep at 1:30 a.m. She is currently taking AP US History and AP Biology. Gadalla said that she does not have time to do the things she wants when school is over since she spends all of her time finishing up her work. “We spend seven hours at school and seven more for homework,” Gadalla said. “Yet I’m supposed to have a life...when?” Students have the stress of having to take many rigorous tests during the year. They range from basic daily
Junior Ara Sarkisyan studies for the first exam of the second semester. Photo by Henry Reed
quizzes to standardized testing required by the state. While students have more tests to take, they need to study even more to make sure they pass with an exceptional grade. Along with the hours of homework, some students put in even more time to refresh their minds by reviewing materials from previous lessons. Students don’t only put effort into their academic work. They also participate in extracurricular activities such as clubs or sports. These activities can also be very stressful as they take up the time and energy instead of letting the student rest. One student, junior Raisa Faisal, said that she is involved in numerous extracurricular activities in addition to taking four AP classes, causing a good deal of stress for her. Faisal serves as vice president of KATS Club, volunteers at Verdugo Hills Hospital, takes Arabic classes, and functions an important member of her mosque’s youth group. Some may be led to believe that these activities are not forced upon the students. When counselors give the freshmen advice, they say that when applying for colleges or jobs, admissions officers look for well-rounded individuals. Sophomore Evelyn Karayan says she sometimes feels overwhelmed juggling school and extracurricular activities. “My extracurriculars take up a lot of time for doing homework and rest,” Karayan said. “There’s no time to do anything you want to by the time you get home. Sometimes I have to do my work while I eat dinner. There is just no time to myself after it’s all done.” Jibid Cicekci, the school psychologist, helps students affected by school-related stress.“The most severe conditions I have observed in a stressed student are panic attacks, along with insomnia, nausea and shortness of breath,” Cicecki said in an email interview when asked about the different symptoms that she observes. She advised that students suffering from this anxiety should try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises or set small goals to achieve to
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Infographic by Ryan Elinwood complete a larger project so that they don’t feel overwhelmed. Sleep is also very important to living a healthy life. According to the health class textbook, the recommended amount of rest for children and teenagers is about eight and a half consecutive hours a day. Since teens have different needs and sleep patterns due the the way melatonin, a chemical in the brain that relates darkness with the need for sleep, is released in the body. Since high school starts early in the morning, the time offsets patterns in the chemical release and throws students off their healthy sleep patterns. Without rest, the brain is harmfully affected. Loss of sleep cause the brain to forget things learned the previous day. As short-term memories are not able to
become long-term memories causing memory loss. When students put many hard hours into studying, they still won’t have the cognitive power they would hope for taking an exam as they sacrifice studying for sleep. Sophomore Daniel Solakian said that after he finishes his homework, his studying and sports, he settles down late at night to only achieve an average of four hours of sleep every night; less than half the amount needed to be a healthy growing teenager. “I kind have gotten the hang of it,” Solakian said.
Junior Sandra Gadalla working hard to prepare for a Spanish test. Photo by Henry Reed
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The Class of 2016 amps up prom
Prom 2016 By Farah Ali
Seniors head in a new direction
The Calamigos has an outdoor venue with a waterfall, which is great for photos. Courtesy of Timothy Cruz For years, Clark Magnet has usually had their senior prom at one of three venues: The Castaway, the La Cañada Country Club, and the Odyssey. However, this year the Class of 2016 has changed the game. The Class of 2016 distinguished themselves when they pulled off the first ever winter formal — selling more tickets than anticipated. This year, ASB seniors were able to change the prom venue, choosing Calamigos Ranch in Burbank. However, the process was not easy. Ever since the start of junior year, seniors knew they wanted change the prom venue, and during the summer they visited five venues. Seniors in ASB fought tirelessly to get new venues approved. “We wanted a fun and exciting new venue to fit out amazing class,” said ASB president Timothy Cruz. Cruz said that the administration was very hesitant to let them change venues, with one of their biggest concerns being parking. The administration set specific guidelines
on where prom could be held — there had to parking, security, and it could not be too far — in other words, not in Los Angeles. Early in Clark’s existence as a high school, the ASB hosted the senior prom at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, and due to the problems with parking, and the venue being too far; prom has not been held in L.A since. ASB advisor Elaine Snodgress says that each class wants to do something different, to stand out, and it is left up to the seniors to decide where they want to have their prom. “The biggest factor in changing a venue is motivation,” Snodgress said. “Class of 2016 is a very motivated class, and they have had consistent leadership since the very beginning.” ASB chose Calamigos because it has indoor and outdoor venues for special events such as weddings and proms. This venue has over 75 acres of fields with large sycamore trees. They have different ballrooms to choose from, and
students can design the room according to what they like, even the napkins. Calamigos has an outdoor gazebo with a waterfall, great for pictures. Ballrooms are designed with chandeliers, glass panels and elegant colors. This location has parking, and is not too far away for safety to be an issue. English teacher Jennifer Davis, the senior class advisor, said that this year’s seniors wanted to branch out from the typical venues. This was her first year being an advisor for a class, and she liked how the Class of 2016 had new ideas and were able to produce results. “This is a very cohesive class, they have a strong sense of camaraderie,” Davis said. “It was very exciting to be a part of the process.” The PTSA also helped ASB select this new prom venue. “Lucy Petrosian from PTSA was very helpful,” said Senior Class Vice President Mayumi Lometillo. “She helped us look for places along with ways to help save money.” This is Petrosian’s first time helping seniors with their prom, and she is even donating
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The venue comes with this elegant seating arrangement under a chandelier. Courtesy of Timothy Cruz the senior class flowers and decorations for their prom. Petrosian helped the students find their venues and took them to four sites she thought they would like the most. ASB students wanted a venue that everyone would be comfortable with. “I knew they would love the Calamigos venue so I kept it till last, and they loved it right away,” Petrosian said. This new venue will be more expensive than previous venues, but the senior class believes they can afford it due to all the fundraisers they have
had since freshman year. Some of the fundraisers include Pinkberry, Jamba Juice and candy sales. The senior class began the year with nearly $10,000. The Catalina trip and the Winter Formal raised the most money. Prom tickets are not anticipated to rise, and if anything will be lower than what the costs were last year; tickets are expected to be around $85, according to Cruz. ASB students said that the process to get a venue approved was quite tedious. ASB students first visited the
site, had to approve it, have their advisor approve it, and then Associate Principal, Lena Kortoshian visited and okayed the prom venue. “We vigorously pushed for change because we wanted to do something big and different or our senior year,” said Student Store Commissioner Jada Javier. “I feel that through this we will leave an impact on Clark.” “ASB is still working to find a theme for this year’s prom, but it is a huge relief to have found a venue already,” Javier said.
This is the indoor ballroom of the new Calamigos venue ASB seniors chose for the 2016 prom. The ballroom has elegant crystal chandeliers and a large dance floor. Courtesy of Timothy Cruz
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Using phones while Distraction by walking: phones causes Is it really danger in more harmless? ways than one Dangers of Phones By Himanshi Ahir Kristina Baghramyan said she often gets distracted by listening to music while walking. Photo by Eunice Ramilo
Junior Kristina Baghramyan said she was walking home alone during the day along Colorado Street in Glendale, listening to music, and she completely zoned out when she almost got into an accident. A car had stopped right in front of her as she was crossing the street, with the driver honking repeatedly.
After this close call, Baghramyan said that she knows better than to get distracted by her phone. “I saw my whole life flash before my eyes, seemed like the driver was just as scared as I was,” Baghramyan said. “I was terrified and I never even told my mom. She would never let me walk
alone outside again. She would be crazy disappointed in me, [be]cause it was completely my fault.” Baghramyan’s story is not uncommon, though many are not as fortunate. According to Safe Kids, a teen is injured or killed every hour after being hit by a car in the United States.
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Security guard Frank Arevalo helps students cross New York Avenue. Photo by Himanshi Ahir Forty percent of teens have been hit or nearly hit by a vehicle. Among this 40 percent, 47 percent claimed to have been listening to music while crossing the street and 38 percent said they were using their phones in means of texting or calling. Even so, many believe using their phones can be safe if used under the right circumstances. “It depends on the situation,” said junior Nareh Abramian. “If I’m on a busy street with lots of people, I obviously wouldn’t put both earphones on and go on listening to loud music and texting.” Many students interviewed for this story share similar mindsets to Abramian, as they believe as long as they do not clearly see potential danger before they go on their phones or blast their music through earphones, they will think doing so is completely reasonable. “You can’t fully acknowledge your surroundings when you’re busy staring at your phones or listening to music and unable to hear,” said junior Aren Bedrousian. “I always make sure I have only one earphone on, the music is under the three-fourths mark, and that I look both ways while crossing the street.” He said that his life is in his own hands not the hands of the drivers. Others believe since pedestrians have the right of way, they can do whatever they please and if that means getting sucked into their phones so be it. “Until I cause significant damage, I’ll continue to be a danger to myself and society,” said junior Seiran Aleksanyan. He said that cars must stop for pedestrians. Aleksanyan said he believes that if drivers don’t stop, they
are responsible, even if the pedestrians are distracted and unaware of their surroundings. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), injuries occurring to pedestrians using their phones have more than doubled since 2004. And many teenagers don’t fully appreciate the chances for injury or death. “A car is a deadly weapon,” said junior Esther Barahona. “It’s not okay for you to text while driving, but when you text while walking you should be safe.” Barahona is not the only one who thinks this way. “There’s no need to focus when you’re walking, but when you’re driving you need to be alert at all times,” said Abramian. Abramian said that this is the reason everyone thinks it’s okay to use their phones while walking but not while driving. Safe Kids discovered that about one in five high school students were distracted by an electronic device when researchers observed more
than 34,000 kids crossing the street. Researchers also surveyed about 2,400 student pedestrians and found that half of them were using their phones while walking to school and 40 percent listened to music. Researchers are not the only ones who have noticed how many students use their phones while walking. Clark’s security guard, Frank Arevalo, said that he sees students not paying attention to their surrounding while walking and crossing New York Ave. in front of school because they’re too busy using their phones almost every day. “Some students are on their phones, crossing without [having] pushed for the light,” Arevalo said. “Others don’t even turn and look to see [if] cars are approaching.” Arevalo even said that he remembers that one senior girl was crossing the street in front of school, listening to music, as a school bus approached. He said that the bus was coming down and she paid no attention to that. The bus driver had to stop the bus and he had to yell to stop her. Arevalo also said that after watching students listen to music on headphones and go on their phones while walking, he knows that there is a high chance that one of these days they’ll get into an accident. Students are not only in danger of being involved in a car accident, but also getting hurt in other ways while using their phones and walking. “There was a student on his phone, in the lunch center, who just walked into one of the pillars out there,” said health teacher Randy Tiffany. Tiffany says that students are completely addicted to their phones and that’s what puts them in danger.
Students walk from their enrichment class after school to their buses. Photo by Himanshi Ahir
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Individuals reflect on their experiences as interracial children Breaking down barriers Interracial marriage By Nanor Martirosian Sophomore Nathalia Isagholian, the daughter of an Armenian father and Brazilian mother, says she is so thankful to have parents of different races. It creates diversity in her life and makes her feel like she belongs with both races. “It helped me learn a lot about different cultures, and I believe it has ultimately made me a more understanding person,” Isagholian said. Isagholian said that she has learned that race should never define a person, and that being open-minded and friendly to individuals of any ethnicity is important. “The only thing I would want to change is my lack of interest in my Armenian side when I was younger,” Isagholian said. “I did not want to learn Armenian because I knew Portuguese. I thought it was unnecessary, but this is my biggest regret. However, now I am trying to be a part of both sides as best I can.” Over the past few years, the rate of biracial marriage in the United States has shown a steady increase. According to the Pew Research Center, about 15 percent of all new marriages in the United States during 2010 were between spouses of a different race or ethnicity from one another, more than double in 1980. While 41 percent agree that interracial marriage has been a change for the better in our society, 11 percent say it has been a change for the worse, and the other 44 percent say it has not made a difference whatsoever. Although the divorce rates for people who marry an individual of a different race are higher than individuals who marry the same race, several studies using government data showed that the statistics vary by race and gender. JuniorO’donnell Jacquelynposing Goryannext is to the Tristan daughter of a Mexican mother and the band’s poster. Armenian father. “I get a taste of both of
their ethnicities and heritages,” Goryan said. “I’ve had so many remarkable experiences and have been in so many unique situations because of both of the nationalities I come from. Some people have a hard time understanding or accepting how I am from two different backgrounds, but it comes to show that the people who actually truly care for me learn to love and cherish the way I am.” Along with interracial marriage comes unique memories. “The thing that warms my heart the most is when I see both sides of my family come together for a special occasion and get along, despite their different backgrounds,” Goryan said. According to a new study published by the Brookings Institute, there has been a large increase in interracial relationships, specifically with Asians, Hispanics and Native Indians. Asian women were much more likely to marry a white or black man than Asian men. Also, it was found that black women marry an individual of another race less often than black men. Only nine percent date or marry white men, while 24 percent of black males end up with a white woman. For every state, there is
an estimation as to how many interracial marriages exist. At the top of the list is California, with a total of 4.8 million. Experts there say the constant flow of new Asian and Hispanic immigrants has expanded the variety of different raced spouses. In the past three decades, the number of interracial marriages has grown from 651,000 in 1981 to more than 2.4 million, according to U.S Census data. In order to count the number of interracial marriages, seven race groups are used; the white and African American category has grown from 167,000 to 558,000 since 1981. According to studies by the National Institutes of Health, some ethnicities and cultural groups are more strict regarding marrying outside of one’s ethnicity or culture. Sophomore Maryam Jambazian says her parents would never allow her to be in a relationship with a man of a different race. “I think it is more difficult for me because I’m an Armenian,” Jambazian said. “My parents want me to preserve my culture and language, and they say if I marry a non-Armenian, it’s a sign of disrespect to my ancestors and family.” Even though several cultures advocate same-race marriages, the
Chart shows public opinion change over time of interracial marriage in the U.S. and whether individuals disagree or approve.
Courtesy of Wikipedia.org
11 Courtesy of Wikipedia.com
Robert DeNiro and his wife Grace Hightower have been married for 17 years. United States gives individuals the right to marry their desired spouse, whether they are the same race or different. In fact, prior to 1987, marrying someone of a different race was considered a crime in some states. Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple were arrested just for marrying another person of a different race. Finding out Mildred was pregnant, they both traveled to Washington, D.C. in order to avoid Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act. During their return, both were found guilty and told, “as long as you live, you will be known as a felon.” In 1963, they both approached the American Civil Liberties union to fight their case in court. After a long legal battle, the Supreme Court said laws prohibiting marriage were unconstitutional. Finally, in 2000, the last law banning interracial marriage was repealed in Alabama.
Courtesy of Collider.com
Characters in Netflix’s Jessica Jones has various interracial characters engaging with one another.
Will Smith and Margot Robbie share a romantic relationship in Warner Bros’ Focus. Courtesy of Collider.com
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Student Work
Mr. Zamlich’s 1-2 Class Students share their best photos
Beginning Photography 1-2 students capture photos that are interesting to them.
Raisa Faisal (Junior)
Marrah Hasan (Junior)
Adrian Aguayo (Sophomore)
Talish Babaian (Senior)
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Taryn Smith (Sophomore)
Lili Navasardyan (Sophomore)
Talia Beginian (Sophomore)
Russell Caletena (Senior)
Nareh Abramian (Junior)
Patricia Cardeno (Sophomore)
Ben Satzman (Sophomore)
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Mr. Zamlich’s 1-2 Class Students share their best photos
Eddie Habalrih (Sophomore)
Arman Hakobyan (Sophomore)
Lina Petrossian (Junior)
Leila Manaois (Sophomore)
Emily Villalta (Sophomore)
Edita Gholian (Sophomore)
Mrs. Guarino’s Modern Poetry
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Students do free-write poems Avant-garde By Alec Badalian Can there be no better sanctuary?
A room devoid of light and boredom
The pictures were once black and white
But have now transformed into artistic powerhouses They immerse us into otherworldly environments
With their beautiful styles and natural performances These artists commit themselves to their craft Making it impossible to breathe back in
Those words rehearsed for three weeks Or likely even longer
Witnessing such art is an honor Similar to going to a museum
Except the painting is massive
And the experience is more unimaginable
Sitting Down Outside A Restaurant in the Streets of Pasadena By Senior Patrick Castro The crisp breeze and the frenzy of hungry customers never fail to sooth me.
Chattering families and couples smile and laugh over plates full of a spectrum of colors. Almost seven years and the counting finally stop.
No more stolen glances at my watch or crossing at days to an inevitable countdown. The waiter dressed in a white linen shirt carrying trays lays down our honey vanilla lattes, our eyes circling the intricate designs topping our drinks. My friend smile, admitting he is not a die-hard coffee drinker, but I assure him that within one sip it will change that.
Stirring the coffee, mixing the stagnant design with the coffee, turning into an effortless shade of chestnut brown graces our eyes in delight.
I cannot help stare at the small remainder of white foam edging the rim of the cup, perfectly blending into the pristine white. With his first sip, he tells me the memory of not being a coffee drinker is just as old as the vintage vinyl’s adorning the windows down the street. People shuffle in and out, new faces decorating the table around us.
And the smiles that are as down to earth and memorable as the power of the latte to change my friend’s life
Courtesy of Wikipedia.org
And with our last sip, I know that lattes have the power to make me live right here in the moment.
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Lifestyle
Top 5 Rom-Coms
Five must-see films to see over spring break By Nairi Simonyan 5. 10 Things I Hate About You At number five, we have the late ’90s classic, 10 Things I Hate About You, directed by Gil Junger. The movie is inspired by Shakespeare’s play, The Taming of the Shrew — revising the story in a more modern setting with relatable characters. Julia Stiles and HeathLedger play the roles of Kat (the edgy feminist) and Patrick, (everyone’s favorite bad boy). Patrick is paid by Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to date Kat so her oldfashioned father can allow Cameron to date her younger sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). Of course, we see the trouble Patrick and Cameron go through to impress the sisters and inevitably fall in love with them (it is a Rom-Com, naturally). 10 Things I Hate About You wonderfully showcases that there’s more to people once you crack through that angsty exterior. 4. My Big Fat Greek Wedding My Big Fat Greek Wedding balances romance and comedy with Toula Portokalos’s (Nia Vardalos) wacky family and her relationship with Ian Miller (John Corbett). Toula is a young Greek woman who tries to become more independent from her Greek family and their values and in the process falls in love with
an American man. The Portokalos family causes an uproar when they find out about the secret romance, and after a lot of convincing and some hilarity, they agree to let the wedding happen. Toula becomes overwhelmed with her family’s antics, from the constant spraying of Windex every time the slightest wound occurs, to Toula’s brother and cousin teaching Ian Greek words without him realizing that they the words are actually obscenities. Coming from a very cultured family yourself increases the relatability of the movie while also bringing forth that secret thought of marrying someone outside of your culture.
3. Pretty Woman Julia Roberts plays Vivian Ward, a prostitute who gets picked up by a rich but reserved businessman, Edward Lewis (Richard Gere). Instead of participating in the usual interactions between a prostitute and a customer, Edward offers more than $4,000 to Vivian if she agrees to be his escort to social events for a week. Vivian agrees and is gradually taught the ways of high society through this experience. Pretty Woman has been close to the top of every romance list not because having a rich handsome man fall in love with you is almost every girl’s dream, but because of Roberts’ performance as Vivian. She’s bold and outspoken; she doesn’t let her personality or her heart change even though her clothes and table manners do.
2. The Princess Bride Inconceivable! The Princess Bride, though well-loved by many, is underrated in most movie lists. The 1990 family-friendly film is one of the best examples of a book to movie adaptation, every detail and scene finely tuned and perfectly hilarious. The movie starts with a grandfather reading the story of The Princess Bride to his young grandson who is sick in bed. The grandfather narrates and transports the audience to Buttercup (Robin Wright), a farm girl who is chosen to be Prince Humperdinck of Florian’s bride — even though her heart lies with Westley (Cary Elwes) who she believes to have been killed by Dread Pirates five years prior. When Buttercup is kidnapped by the hilarious trio, Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and Fezzik (Andre the Giant), Westley comes back disguised as a masked man to save her. Each of Vizzini’s, Inigo’s and Fezzik’s performances and lines add to the film’s humor and contribute to most of the iconic lines of all time. Fans of The Princess Bride can recite Inigo’s famous line, “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die,” without hesitation. This film isn’t just comedy, though; it has romance at its very core. When Westley tells Buttercup every so often, “As you wish,” he really means “I love you.” This movie succeeds because of its ability to turn the audience into dreamers, to understand the trappings that come with love and how true love is to be fought for.
1.Bridget Jones’ Diary The top of the Rom-Com list is of course the 2001 British goldmine, Bridget Jones’ Diary. Bridget Jones’ Diary shows the life of singleton Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) and her hilarious struggle in improving herself and her love life while keeping a diary for the entire year. Bridget Jones is probably the most relatable character ever made, with her awful public speeches, her struggle with losing weight and her attempts to be a functional adult. The entire comedy of the movie comes from her bumbling actions, her foul-mouthed, feminist friends and her ridiculous mother. The romance enters into the story soon with Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) who is Bridget’s arrogant boss at the publishing company that they work at. Daniel notices Bridget and they enter into an energetic relationship, even if he thinks she’s a bit on the heavier side. Colin Firth soon enters into the equation and reminds women that sometimes what we need is right in front of us. Firth plays Mark Darcy, a top human rights lawyer who used to play with Bridget in the paddling pool when they were young kids. This is where Bridget Jones’ Diary begins to take on a Pride & Prejudice quality when Mark insults Bridget behind her back (literally, she was behind him) just based on her awkward social interaction with him and Bridget labels him off as a snooty jerk. Soon, however, Mark Darcy vocalizes his feelings for her and she realizes her mistake (after a lot of alcohol and vulgar rants with her friends). Bridget Jones’ Diary is the quintessential Rom-Com, with its never ending wit and swoonworthy love story.
Nach-o typical restaurant
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El Tapatio serves the best nacho fries By Farah Ali I’ve driven past the red hut for quite some time now, but I never bothered to see what it actually was. The outside appearance wasn’t as inviting. This eatery, located in Glendale, is all outdoors; customers go up to a window to order, like a food truck without wheels. When you walk up to the window, you can see the large menu inside glass. El Tapatio, a Mexican establishment, serves a variety of different foods. They have the usual tacos, burritos and quesadillas, with the different meats (chicken, beef, etc.), but what intrigued me were the nacho fries, which I ordered with a side of of small regular fries. After a little while I went back to the window to pick up my window. The regular fries came out first, so I munched on those while I waited for the nacho fries. The fries had a red powder dusted on the top, and added sweet and tangy. Eventually, my nacho fries came out and I carried them to my table. The nacho fries were big, these were definitely going to fill me up, fast. I noticed that there were no nachos it was just fries, intricately layered with cheese, beans, tomatoes, meat and cilantro. Nacho fries, honestly, is one of the best things I’ve ever had. The crunch from the french fries, along with the gooey cheese and flavorful meat is a great combination. The fries also come with a spicy red sauce that adds a flavorful kick to the fries. This meal is definitely filling, and very inexpensive as well. El Tapatio also has great tortas. A torta is like a sandwich, and it comes
with flavorful carne asada meat (shredded beef), cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. The toasted bun adds a nice bite and it goes nicely with the melted cheese and savory meat. Though the exterior may not be appealing to the eye, and parking is limited, the food it worth it. El Tapatio is open till late at night, and it is the place many don’t think to go to, but it is always worth it. 1266 S Glendale Ave, Glendale, CA 91205 (818) 549-4167
Open daily, 9:30 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Nacho fries at El Tapatio come with delicious french fries topped with cheese, beans, tomatoes and meat. This meal is decently priced and is as good as it looks.
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March showers bring spring fashion powers New patterns and textures make more unique fashion accessories By Tenny Vasghanian The new year introduces the spring accessories of 2016, leaving the coachella flower crowns and rubber choker necklaces back in 2015. Do not completely forget about your crowns and necklaces, because they have improved into more modern and glamorous accessories. The upgraded crowns (including tiaras) are decorated with bedazzled bundles of diamonds. According to Vogue, in New York’s Fashion Week, choker necklaces have been enriched with diamonds for an elegant touch and it can be chunky or small, simple jewels. In fashion, certain things on the runway are not always easy on the eye, but with confidence, anyone can pull it off. It is almost as if bulky, heavy sandals with similar straps like the Birkenstock sandals are also a big trend in the spring. These bulky yet contemporary sandals are fashion-forward and will continue from spring straight into summer. In 1982 at the World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, jelly shoes were created and have been a unique fashion statement on and off since. These clear, plastic shoes have evolved into hats, bags and bracelets. Shoulder dusters, which are shoulder-length earrings, are definitely making a mark in spring 2016. Whether it is feathers, metals or jewels, shoulder dusters are a fashion-
able accessory that go well with any outfit as a great statement piece. This year’s spring handbags seen on the runway are small cross body bags, but are exploding with vibrant colors, prints and textures. Also seen on the runway are bags with chains for handles which vary in thickness and design. If one is not interested in colorful bags, plain solid white bags are rock1
2
3
ing the runway as well with simple metals like gold for a buckle or on the handles. These bags alter in structure which can make a simple white bag into a bold fashion accessory. The new trends of spring 2016 have some ‘80s flare — these fads are now, fab. 4
1. Shoulder dusters are going to be a great trend for spring 2016. 2. Bedazzled choker necklaces are a great way to make a fashion statement. 3. Chains and buckles for small handbags add personality to this accessory. 4. White structured purses are a great accessory to any spring outfit.
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Have a dog at DogHaus No dogs harmed in the making of this title By Monika Petrosyan Taking the traditional taste of hot dogs and putting it in sweet Hawaiian bread sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it does. At Dog Haus, you have the option of enjoying this contraption or sticking with the classic hot dog or hamburger. This small establishment serves signature 100 percent all-beef skinless Haus dogs, Haus Sausages and 100 percent natural Black Angus beef burgers on grilled Hawaiian rolls. This restaurant has one main quality that all food connoisseurs look for: a short wait time. You get in, give your order, wait no more than five minutes and are eventually greeted with an appetizing meal that tastes as appealing as it looks. You can’t go wrong with the Little Leaguer. I don’t know who decided
that putting chips into burgers and hot dogs should be a thing, but they made an excellent choice. Personally, I don’t like meals that are mixed with other sweet foods, but going to Dog Haus with the intention of not having a part savory, part sweet meal would defeat the purpose of going to Dog Haus all together. I ordered the Little Leaguer because it didn’t sound too sweet; it’s an average hot dog, but it’s served on Hawaiian bread, the part of the meal that makes it sweet. The combination of chili, cheddar, onions and Fritos collides surprisingly well with the sweet bread. The first Dog Haus opened in Pasadena in 2010 by founders Hagop Giragossian, Quasim Riaz and André Vener. Since then, the franchise has expanded its location to 21 more cities in California and in
five other states. As for the Burbank location, the restaurant itself is fairly 2 small and cozy. There is seating outside but indoors is preferable. Inside, you can enjoy your meal to the quiet rock music playing over the speakers, the kind of music you would hear in a movie about teenage rebellion. Dog Haus also serves burgers, and if you’re not too hungry but want a small meal, you can order their flavorful fires. Dog Haus also serves veggie hot dogs upon request. Regardless of what you order, you will be greeted by a stacked meal that you won’t have to eat to know that it’s good.
3817 West Olive Ave. Burbank, CA 91505 (818) 566-4287 Open daily, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
105 N. Hill Ave. Pasadena, CA 91106 (626) 577-4287 Open daily, 11 a.m. - midnight (1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays)
WAISTing time?
Is it possible to achieve a perfect hourglass figure? By Natalie Deravanessian
I’ve always been one of the curious people looking into celebrities’ lifestyles. One month ago I began living this lifestyle. Between all the ideas flowing through my mind, I forgot to consider the fact that these celebs don’t just take regular selfies like us. They have more than waist trainers, they have Photoshop! Still, I wondered if it is really possible to change your body shape. This is the question I had when introduced to waist trainers. Can a pear or an apple eventually turn into a full hourglass with a waist trainer? How is it possible for someone to change their body so drastically with a tight piece of cloth that pulls your waist together. After long nights researching the product and watching videos, I came across some waist trainer horror stories but also before and after photos that were inspiring. While much of what I saw on waist trainers was positive, Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., an OBGYN from Yale School of Medicine said that the products are useless. “Once you take the garment off, your body will return Day One (Oct. 25): Three hours I have finally received my waist trainer. I adjusted the size, starting at the biggest clip to get used to the idea of it. The pressure on my waist during these three hours was unimaginable. Sophomore Anahid Karapetyan told me that she had also used a waist trainer to see if they really worked. “It starts to hurt after a while but the results end up to be the way you want them.” The point of waist training for me was to understand why so many people are using it. According to The Wall Street Journal, HourglassAngel.com, had a growth of $3.4 million in sales between 2013 and 2014. A leather waist trainer.
Courtesy of Flickr
to its usual shape,” she said in an interview in Women’s Health Magazine “It’s also uncomfortable.” Minkin also mentioned the fact that waist trainers restrict movement, make it hard to breathe and eventually cause rib damage. Still, I looked for the proper waist trainer (after hours of talking to my mom about even trying this). The proper corset is not hard to find at all. When ordering my corset I went for a simple clip on corset saving a lot of time. The people we look up to and see as idols are just normal people. This includes the Kardashian family (Kim, Khloe, Kylie, Kourtney), Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Jenni Farley, Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Alba. Not everyone has an hourglass shape and that’s why waist trainers are becoming such a big deal today as people search for the easiest ways to achieve the perfect shape. The effects waist trainers have on the human body.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Day 2 (Oct. 26): Four hours Turns out wearing a waist trainer at school is not a great idea. Sitting in English teacher Stephanie Sajjadieh’s class, I nearly started crying. The pressure was unbelievable. I wanted to go to the restroom, but how do you walk out of class and come back with a waist trainer? I was not very concerned about the harm that could be done to my organs as my waist trainer was not very tight. A FOX 59 segment aired in November of this year, in which Dr. Michelle Jones-Singer (cosmetic surgeon and OBGYN) said, “Some reports even attributed acid reflux, crushed ribs, blot clots and increased pressure on the heart with waist training.” Still, I kept waist training every day that week and started feeling a difference so I began to wear it for An illustration of a woman wearing a corset.
Courtesy of Wikimedia
Kylie Jenner shares a photo of her wearing a waist trainer.
Instagram screenshot taken 12/09/15
Week 2 (Dec. 3-Dec. 10): Six hours Jumping forward to week two, I trained for six hours a day. Being as impatient as I am, I went ahead and measured my waist, which was not the best idea. I was very discouraged because nothing changed. Was it really worth it to wear something so tight every day and not get any results? Junior Edita Asiryan used a waist trainer for her back and said that when using the waist trainer she noticed that it did make a difference. I decided to take what she said into consideration. “Don’t give up, even if it takes longer than a week or two,” she told me.
Kim Kardashian thanks PreMadonna for her waist trainer.
Instagram screenshot taken 12/09/15
An ad encouraging women to wear coresets. Courtesy of Wikimedia
Week 3 (Dec. 11-Dec. 17): Ten hours I started wearing the corset for about ten hours. I actually noticed that I lost my appetite; I didn’t eat for three days. I kept drinking water during those three days so I could feel like I at least put something in my body. I started to incorporate salad and popcorn into my diet for the rest of the week just to keep it light. Maybe it was the three days I didn’t have an appetite to eat or the waist trainer kicking in — whatever the case, I noticed that my waist looked smaller. Measuring my waist after three weeks, I noticed that I had lost two Week 4 (Dec. 18-Dec. 24) After journaling for a month, the final week was here. I officially lost three inches in the last four weeks which I consider to be very little, considering the fact that I spent exactly 189 hours waist training. Being the calculative crazy personaI am, I calculated how many inches I lost each hour: .01587302 inches every hour!
Reflection
Is it worth it to change who I am and after seeing how much pain I went through at some times? Why should I have to change myself to be the ideal girl? I asked Humanities teacher Jennifer Davis if she had ever heard about waist trainers. Like me, Mrs. Davis bought a waist trainer to see if the product actually worked, confessing that she didn’t like what it stood for. “I began thinking about how women fought against these uncomfortable clothing restrictions, like whether it’s high heel shoes women are supposed to wear or whatever,” she said. “Why was I falling into that trap, caring about all that? What is it that we want to value? Is it the cover of the book or what’s inside?”
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1: Life line 2: Head line 3: Heart line 4: Girdle of Venus 5: Sun line 6: Mercury line 7: Fate line
In the Life
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Clairvoyance put to the test By Karla Solorzano I’m just a typical teen girl — naive and gullible. Because of my skepticism and interest in all things mystical, I was eager to have my palm read. According to the American Federation of Psychics and Mediums, 39 percent of men and 69 percent of women have consulted a psychic (or a palmist). Chemistry teacher Alex DayBlattner said that she would never have her palm read. “As a science teacher, I try to get students interested in phenomena in the natural world and generating ideas, based on evidence, about how things
work,” she said. “I don’t think there is evidence to support what a palm reader does, and so I am concerned for the people who might make decisions based on what a palm reader says. I think that could lead to some faulty life decisions.” Despite my own uncertainty, I was pumped as I walked into the Glendale Psychic Center on Colorado in November, as I had never had my palm read. Krystal (which I assume to be her pseudonym), the palmist, welcomed me in and escorted me to a small room. “Is it okay if I record our session and take some pictures?” I asked.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t record because sometimes the recording comes out scary but you can take pictures.” she said. I snapped some pictures of the tarot cards she had when she left the room for a brief moment. Junior Kahren Torosyan once had his cards read by his grandma. “After my grandma shuffled the cards I then picked up half of the stack and gave it to her,” Torosyan said. “She picked seven random cards out of the stack and began to piece them together to reveal the image. My cards showed that I would have good travel, I would receive news in 28 days, and I would get relief from something I was worried about. As time went on everything she had told me came true.” But I wasn’t having cards read on this visit; it was my palms that would be read instead. Krystal and I then sat down so she would foretell my future. “Which hand would you like me to read? The left hand is about love, health and life and the right is career, income and success.” “Let’s do the right.” She began to tell me that I have two success lines — meaning that I would have two jobs, both of which would provide a substantial income. One job would be something small I do on the side, while the longer more defined line on my palm represents the steady and notable job I would have. “This line over here tells me that you wanted to do something in the medical field.” “Yes!” “But the line stops, which tells me that you no longer want to pursue this path.” “Yes! That’s true!” “Why? What happened?” “Well, I was always interested in it since I watched shows like House M.D. and Grey’s Anatomy, but I just thought I wasn’t capable of it.” I also told her that I was interested in being a pediatrician which was a
Kyrstal points to my lifeline Photo by Karla Solorzano
big mistake because she then said that I love children. This wasn’t a lie, but that was obvious since that job requires a great deal of patience and love for children. “Don’t divert from that path. I feel like you would be great as a pediatrician. Besides, if it isn’t working out you’ll always have that second job to support you. But I can tell this is really good for you. Obviously you don’t have to make the decision now but in a year or two you will.” I was quickly relieved to hear that I would be successful, but when she said “in a year or two,” I was alarmed because it was possible that she guessed that I’m a high schooler who is graduating in two years based on my appearance. Nevertheless, her words were still
enticing. “Let me take a quick look at your left palm,” Krystal said. “I won’t charge you for it.” I extended my arm out and opened my palm. She showed me my life line, which is the line closest to the thumb, and told me I have a long and clear life line which suggests longevity with good health. “You will take good care of yourself, so that’s good because you don’t only want a long life, but you also want a healthy one.” Krystal began to read my family line, located near my life line. “Hmm...I see here that your family has a lot of ups and downs, but you guys are always united. Meaning that although you guys fight or there are times where you don’t talk, in the end if someone needs something you are all there.” It was not a false statement because that could apply to a number of people. “Right here below your pinky is all about your future family line — the number of kids you’ll have and your partner.” She said that I would have two men in my life. The first man would propose and we would be engaged but our engagement would come to end. The second man would be my lifelong partner whom I marry and have three possible children. “You’ll definitely have one boy and a girl but this line right here is not
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clear. I’m sorry but it could be a miscarriage.” Ingender, a website about the probability of giving birth to a boy or girl, says that there is a 51 percent chance of having a boy and a 49 percent chance of having a girl. Also, there is a 50 percent chance of having a girl after giving birth to a boy. These statistics are almost 5050, which leads me to conclude that Krystal’s prediction of the gender of my “future babies” are realistic. Another skeptic, junior Vana Ter-Hovannisian, who had her palm read as well. Ter-Hovannisian recalls a Korean man approaching she and her sister in a coffee shop. “He took my hand and asked if I would mind having my palm read,” she said. “He told me that I was going to die at 30 which is ridiculous because I lead a healthy lifestyle. I run and eat healthy food, and most of my family members lived until their 80s.” Unlike Ter-Hovannisian’s thought on her reading, I concluded that some of Krystal’s predictions were practical. Although it was definitely a fun experience, I can’t determine whether what she prophesied was legitimate or not. Therefore, I am still skeptical but fascinated by the things that are beyond the realm of normal scientific understanding.
The tarot cards that Krystal uses.
Photo by Karla Solorzano
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Arts & Entertainment
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice puts a lot on the line
The biggest comic book pairing ever Batman v. Superman By Alec Badalian
PG-13
This is the showdown comic book fans and moviegoers have been waiting for ever since comic book movies became such a major part of popular culture. After years of anticipation, the two biggest superheroes in DC comic universe, and in the world of comics in general, duke it out in Warner Bros.’ long-awaited Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Hitting screens nationwide on March 25 as opposed to a typical summer release, this story takes place in the Man of Steel universe created by Zack Snyder back in 2013 and revolves around the aftermath of the fight between Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill) and General Zod (Michael Shannon), which left essentially all of Metropolis decimated. The world is split as to how to feel about Superman after this, with some fearing his capabilities and other seeing him as a symbol of protection. One of the people who sees nothing but trouble with Superman is none other than Gotham City resident Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), who also happens to be the vigilante of the
night known as Batman. As a conflict brews between the two, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) wants to take down Superman himself and creates the monstrous Doomsday to do so. With the world threatened by this deadly force, Batman and Superman must put aside their petty squabbles and join forces, alongside Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), and eliminate Doomsday. The worst part about this movie is that for those who’ve seen the trailer is there doesn’t seem to be any surprises left to unravel. The trailer reveals what looks like the entire three-act structure, from the increasing tensions between the two heroes, the inevitable fight between them and the final compromise that leads them to work together. Perhaps there are some major subplots or twists that have been kept from the footage that’s been released, and one would certainly hope that’s the case because it would be ashamed to go into this movie knowing basically the whole story from start to finish. It’s also important to remember that Zack Snyder is a filmmaker known for creating a huge spectacle with his films, not an emotional story. Look at 300, an insubstantial bloodbath filled with thrilling action sequences but
Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) face off.
thoroughly lacking any significant story. The same can be said Sucker Punch, which isn’t forgivable the way 300 is, because 300 goes for it with its violence and madness, whereas Sucker Punch is just tame nonsense. So hopefully he manages to work his way around his weak storytelling habits as well as deliver some grand visual splendor. The movie is written by the Oscar-winning writer of Argo Chris Terrio and frequent DC comic film adaption writer David S. Goyer, and if things go right with the script, paired with Snyder’s usual flair, then chances are Warner Bros. has something truly special in store for us. Will the movie be good? It’s hard to say at this point, given the fact that there’s just so much hype around revolving around it. It’s difficult to tell whether it’s because fans see substantial quality in it or just because this is a big screen pairing that almost everyone has been dying to witness for ages now. The talent behind and in front of the camera are surely capable of great work, but there’s always that unfortunate possibly where everything could go wrong, especially with such a huge movie like this. Hopefully that is not the case here, and audiences get the spectacular superhero movie they deserve.
Courtesy of Collider.com
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The Lobster is an awkwardly beautiful love story An unconventional story about love The Lobster By Vache Sarkissian
R
Courtesy of Collider.com
The brilliant and moving surreal dark comedy ‘The Lobster’ directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. In a year where genuinely excellent films were few, Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest dark comedy, The Lobster, definitely stands out as one of the best, if not the best, films of the year. And if not the best, definitely the most creative. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen a movie this weirdly satisfying since Lanthimos’ Dogtooth. The premise of the story is this: being alone is outlawed and single people are taken to a hotel in which they remain for 45 days in hopes of meeting a romantic partner; otherwise they are turned into an animal of their choice and set off into the forest. The rest of the story is as insane as you’d imagine it to be. This unconventional story about love stars the brilliant Colin Farrell in his most strangely heartfelt role since
In Bruges. The genius of Farrell is what makes most of the movie watchable at times, and, thankfully, he is at the point in his career where he can choose to play in independent films such as this because roles such as this are, in my humble opinion, where he’s at his best. Alongside Farrell is a stellar cast including Olivia Colman, a lisping John C. Reilly, Léa Seydoux, Rachel Weisz and Ben Whishaw. The cinematography also makes this film stand out. Shot solely in Ireland, the camera tells much of the story. In the woods and in Dublin, the locations and the way they’re shot prove to be an essential part of the adventure. The soundtrack is one of the best this year, featuring the heavy string quartets of Shostakovich balanced expertly between lines of dialogue and operatic Greek music overshadowing long takes in the woods. These elements of the story are vital to creating the simultaneously horrific and beautiful atmosphere of this masterpiece. But perhaps the most riveting thing about this crazy story is the fact that the world that is created is so complete. This (near?) futuristic dystopia is so carefully crafted by Lanthimos that it all seems so real and so believable. It really gets disturbing at times because it shows that this kind of world isn’t so impossible and that modern society isn’t really as far from
Courtesy of Collider.com
it as we’d like to believe we are. Attempting to take any message or moral from this movie would ruin the purity. There clearly is something being said about the constraints of relationships and societal expectations of coupledom and the haunting fear of aloneness we all face in our everyday lives. However this clearly isn’t the kind of movie that’s meant to teach you something. Like any good film should, it makes you think. But the message here is really up for personal interpretation. The entire movie possesses this bit of madness that just seems so fit for the subject it’s all centered around: relationships. The occasional glimpses of violence and anger and the overall sense of unknowingness is a perfect metaphor for the fact that in reality, this is what relationships are really like. Amidst the feelings of love and desire, nobody really knows what they’re doing. They’re all just doing it because it feels right. It’s difficult to admit that this movie might actually be the most perfect movie of 2016, because it’s just so bizarre and surreal. But insanely enough, I’d give this independent film the designation. I was thoroughly impressed with everything this film had to offer, visually and stylistically. Without being too dry and boring and also without being too emotional and repetitive, The Lobster really touches a place in the heart that every good film should strive to reach.
Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz attempt to elude the regulations placed on coupledom in this dystopian future.
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A new sorority moves in next door in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Out with fraternity, in with the sorority Neighbors 2 By Lucas Rosen
R
Director Nicholas Stoller brought us the successful comedy Neighbors in 2014, a film about Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) who are a family who have just moved into a new neighborhood with their baby daughter and are being terrorized by an obnoxious fraternity that moves in next door. This summer, Rogen and Stoller reteam once again to bring us the next installment of this comedy series with Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. The first Neighbors was written by Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien, who both wrote the 2004 Judd
Apatow comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin. They are also the writers of Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, but this time they will be joined by Nicholas Stoller, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, with Rogen and Goldberg also being producers as well. Rogen and Goldberg have written numerous scripts and produced many films together, most notably Superbad, Pineapple Express and The Interview. With this duo in the writing room and Rogen in front of camera, Neighbors 2 is sure to have some hilarious moments. So far, the announced cast is impressive. The movie will star the actors from the first film, the main ones being Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron and Dave Franco. Also joining the cast are
Kappa Nu threatens Mac and Kelly.
Courtesy of Collider.com Teddy and Mac fight back against Kappa Nu.
Courtesy of Collider.com
The poster for Universal’s Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.
Courtesy of Collider.com Chloë Grace Moretz, Kiersey Clemons and Selena Gomez as the new sorority members. As revealed in the trailer, the plot seems to be similar to Neighbors. It is about a sorority named Kappa Nu that moves in next door to Mac and Kelly while they are trying to sell their house. With the help of Teddy (Zac Efron) who was the head of the fraternity Delta Psi in the first film, they plan to take down Kappa Nu. Despite the sequel having an almost identical narrative as the original, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising looks to be as funny as its predecessor. The trailer reused similar jokes from the first film such as the airbag gag, but it didn’t seem stale this time around. If Neighbors 2 implements the same type of immature and over-the-top jokes from Neighbors, it’s safe to say that Rogen fans will enjoy it. Fans of Rogen and Goldberg’s films are undoubtedly filled with excitement by the news of another Neighbors film to be adding on to this possible franchise, with the movie scheduled for release May 20.
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‘Hitman’ opens the doors to the chaos that is Square Enix Severely lacking in stealth and percision Hitman By Hayk Martirosyan
M
If you do not know what Hitman is, then where have you been? Hitman is a game franchise, (which also unsuccessfully attempted to develop into a film franchise) that was originally published by Eidos Interactive. Now owned by the legendary Square Enix, the creators of the renowned Final Fantasy series, Hitman is preparing to make its new release on March 11. The trailer for it, released June 15, 2015, was a fantastic show of the game’s new features. Going back to the old days, the new installment, which is confusingly named just Hitman, is going to place the player, as Agent 47, in vast maps with a few fixed objectives, and allow the player to do whatever he pleases to get to his target. The main goal, as in all other Hitman games, is to kill select individuals. However the game allows the player to choose how this will be done. Does the player wish to grab a fireax and run through public, flinging it back and forth? Or, does the player prefer to spent hours scouting the level, learning every nook, cranny, and corner until the target is isolated and swiftly killed by a knife to the back or a chandelier to the head? The new game seems to be everything people would want and expect out of a Hitman game. Until Jan. 14, when it was reported that Square Enix is releasing the game in an episodic format. Now this is no new or unknown practice. One ought to only view TellTale Games’ critically successful “Wolf Among Us” or “Walking Dead” games for examples. However, with Hitman, this case can be problematic. To see the why this form of production may have poor results, one ought to look at Capcom’s Resident Evil Revelations 2, released Feb. 24, 2015. Originally intended to be a full game, it was later released in chunks,
causing its relatively low rating. The entire point of an episodic video game is to provide the same suspense with the end of every episode, as a TV show would, building up interest for the upcoming episodes. Resident Evil Revelations 2 was chopped up after being made as a full feature game. The result was very weak immersion, so much so that many episodes ended very promptly with no overarching storyline. For example, one episode ended with the player moving boxes back and forth. This same issue may be present with Hitman. The game will be released with each episode featuring a separate city where the game will take place in. So the first episode is set in Paris, the second in Rome, etc. Except there is absolutely no guarantee that the episodes will be properly set. For all the customer knows, the first episode may be
a complex assassination lasting over two hours, while the second episode may, for all intents and purposes, consist of small shooting sections that totals one hour of mindless firing.
The famous Agent 47. Courtesy of Collider.com
Courtesy of Collider.com
20th Century Fox’s disastrous 2015 adaptation.
28 Bernie Sanders By Vache Sarkissian
Enthusiasm and politics are two concepts that don’t really go together in the minds of young Americans. Even for informed, young citizens, politics is sometimes boring and often just depressing. One of the only instances in which politics causes some excitement is during election season. Let’s face it, if we’re lucky enough to live in a country where democracy is actually somewhat effective, it would be plain disrespectful to be able to vote and not partake in that privilege. Aside from that, it’s also really interesting to see how every four years a new group of people who think they’re qualified to run the country compete for the vote of every Americans nationwide. What better year to represent that idea than this one? The 2016 general elections are the most entertaining elections in a very long time. On the Republican side, things are pretty much always the same. Donald Trump is winning all the polls, while the rest of the candidates play a game of “Who’s the Stupidest Republican Candidate?” And the fact that there’s less than half as many of them now as there were in 2015 doesn’t make that game any easier. Every week there’s a new winner for that game, and it’s pretty horrifying when you realize it’s not a game, that this is real. It baffles me that people still haven’t understood why Trump is so successful. First of all, the man is a multi-billionaire. His $10-billion net worth makes even Hillary Clinton ($21.5 million net worth) seem pathetic. Secondly, the man is a naturally gifted performer. This is more or less the same thing that attracts people to Barack Obama and even Bernie Sanders. This fearless performance that he’s
Opinion
Sanders in Littleton, New Hampshire.
Courtesy of Wikimedia
Why America needs Bernie Sanders And why his ideas matter Sanders giving a speech in Arizona.
Courtesy of Wikimedia putting on is, we can all agree, highly entertaining. But again, it would be okay if it wasn’t actually the race for the leader of the free world. But let’s make this as little about Trump as possible. Let’s make this about someone who actually deserves the attention: Bernie Sanders, the 74-year old senator from the state of Vermont. In the beginning of this year’s presidential race (which ironically began early last year), Sanders was pretty much just another candidate who wasn’t Clinton or Trump. Now, it’s impossible to talk about the election without mentioning, be it in a hopeful or hateful manner, the democratic
Sanders and Clinton in a debate.
Courtest of Flickr socialist and his unique ideas. Sanders is a politician in a million. It’s weird to even call him a politician because of how dirty the term has become in recent years. This is the third presidential race I’ve been around to follow and in all three of those races, I have not seen a candidate more genuinely passionate about this country than Bernie Sanders. Fiercely intelligent and supremely experienced, Sanders is a man capable of sparking a very real revolution, and he’s already begun it with his openly progressive ideas. Sanders is a strong advocate of ideas such as free
healthcare and a free public college education for all, ideas which are modeled after countries including Denmark, Canada and Sweden. One would think that such a popular European idea would latch on quickly in the states, considering how successful it’s been across the Atlantic. But many people dismiss Sanders’ ideas either because they don’t want to pay higher taxes (which would be inevitable in such a system) or just because they are immediately turned off when they hear the word “socialist.” To make it perfectly clear, Sanders is not a socialist. He is a social democrat, or a democratic socialist. All this means is that he supports a system in which capitalism and socialism are blended so that the economy can maintain stability
while society is still happy with the services the government provides them. Sanders is offering a perfect solution, because as of right now, our economy is not stable and citizens are not happy with government services. Maybe we would be paying slightly higher in taxes, but just look how it would pay off. First of all, most of the tax money would be coming from the one percent of people in the country who have avoided paying taxes for decades. The rest of the 99 percent of us would be paying just a little more in taxes, so that when we go to college or when our kids go to college we aren’t in debt for the next 10-50 years. If we’re smart enough to realize how this system will eventually pay itself off and if there is a large enough voter turnout, Sanders
could stand a chance. Whether or not a democratic socialist could be elected president in this intensely capitalistic country is still a mystery, but it’s definitely not an impossibility. Sanders’ success in the past several months has been remarkable and truly inspiring at times. It’s quite an event to see young people so excited about politics and so excited for the fate of this beautiful country.
Hollywood, the Disneyland of every aspiring cinematographer and actor. Or so people thought. Back in the ’50s and ’60s Hollywood was romanticized for everyone. Aspiring actors came from all over the U.S. to participate in the magic of cinema. But while the grandeur of that magic still exists in Hollywood, the originality, the mystery behind it, is waning. When Hollywood was born, an ocean of new ideas flooded its world. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton’s silent films, William Wyler’s BenHur, Orson Welle’s Citizen Kane and the countless films of Alfred Hitchcock sparked the imaginations of people across the globe. Once these movies succeeded, however, franchises were born. A proper example were the Universal horror films. Frankenstein, Dracula and Wolf Man all hit a gold mine, thus starting a series of sequel movies such as Bride of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein, House of Frankenstein,
Frankenstein vs Wolf Man. If this is sounding ridiculous, it’s because it is. Fast forward to 2001 and the remake of Planet of the Apes by Director Tim Burton. With this release, Burton popularized the term “reboot.” Until the early 2000s, the concept of remaking a film was heavily criticized. However, the idea of a reboot made it sound as if it’s just a new take on the prior idea, one that would be refreshing and would provide a new look at the story. With Burton’s reboot, the surge of remakes flooded the world of cinema. Robocop, Total Recall, Point Break all had horrible remakes. Both Spiderman and Fantastic Four films got rebooted twice, with horrible results. Other franchises find a cleverer way to reboot. Terminator: Salvation and X-Men: Days of the Future Past effectively erased any progress made by the plots of their predecessor films, resetting the
Courtesy of Wikimedia Trump is a strong Republican nominee
Hollywood may be running out of ideas Some franchises can’t go on forever By Hayk Martirosyan
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Continued from page 29... franchise back to the beginning. Along with reboots are the marry onslaught of sequels. Mad Max: Fury Road, Jurassic World, Star Wars 7: the Force Awakens, Independence Day 2, Zoolander 2, and I won’t even start with the countless Marvel sequels. Now keep in mind, the fact that I list these films does not mean that I dislike them. Mad Max and Star Wars both blew my mind, and the climax of Jurassic World was the most fantastic fight scene between two dinosaurs that I have ever seen. Yet, the fact remains that Hollywood is running out of ideas for original movies. The IMDb list for upcoming sequels and remakes both peak at 101 entries. 101 sequels and remakes! Of course, technically, it’s understandable why this is done. Original films, besides requiring thought, require a great deal of risk. With an original film, one never knows if there is an audience interested in it. Meanwhile, I can guarantee that over half of the people who see this article will watch the
next Captain America, Star Wars, or even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The very fact that a film has a sequel means that the original film has been popular and now has a set audience. Thus, the very guarantee that the sequel will generate audiences is already there. Whether the sequel will turn out good or bad doesn’t matter. People are more likely to give sequels, remakes and even adaptations a higher chance than original films. Thus, despite how good some of these sequels and remakes are, they smother the life out of the original films, which end up making small money. The problem is that Hollywood, and many other modern entertainment industries, function on the “all or nothing” ideology, thinking that if all the money can’t be made, then the film failed. Ultimately, films with an established name make much more money than original ones. For example, Star Wars: Force Awakens made $2 billion worldwide. Meanwhile, Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, an original film about
the philosophy behind artificial intelligence, made $36 million worldwide, and only $25 million in the USA. Today’s market is dominated by franchises. And while some of them are good, they ultimately drown out the cries of smaller masterpieces such as Spike Jonze’s Her, Rowan Joffé Before I Go to Sleep and Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. There are still some popular original titles. Most works of Quentin Tarantino are relatively original. Alejandro González Iñárritu recently got popular with two very original films, Birdman and Revenant, and young Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash wasn’t half bad. The only thing one can truly do now is keep an eye out to spot original films that may be crushed under the big names and support them as much as we can. All forms of entertainment require originality. Otherwise the medium stagnates until all it produces becomes stale and boring.
Michael Keaton squares up in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s original surreal comedy Birdman.
Chris Pratt rolls out in the 5th film of the Jurassic Park franchise.
Courtesy of Collider.com
Courtesy of Collider.com