ZAGOTT 2016

ZAGOTT Reviews Written by Mr. Gott’s Sixth Grade Class 2016

http://www.gfacademy.org

ZAGOTT During the months of January and February, sixth graders devoted the bulk of their Writing Workshop time to writing reviews. We began by reviewing our favorite and least favorite movies; we continued by reviewing restaurants; and we concluded by writing student-choice “Wild Card” reviews. All reviews in this guide were written and edited entirely by students.

Writing a review forces an author to do two important things: approach the world from a critical perspective and develop a unique voice. The best reviewers are those whose work demonstrates a level of consistency and an engagement with the material they are reviewing.

Our Zagott Guide is divided into three sections:

I. Movie Reviews II. Restaurant Reviews III. Other Reviews We invite you to consult our review guide to discover great places to eat, great movies to watch (or horrible movies to avoid), and information about your favorite automobile, brand of tissues, pair of shoes, and much, much more! ! !

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—Mr. Gott’s Sixth Grade Class www.gfacademy.org

ZAGOTT

Movie Reviews

Karsten Rynearson 1/24/16 English 6 Blue

Babysitters Beware​...And Viewers Too When my little brother decided to watch a movie in Vermont, I said, “Fine.” I did not know the horrors that would await me from Netflix, which I thought was Heaven’s official streaming channel. That would be my fall. We flipped through tons of movies, like a literal remake of ​Kung Fu Panda​ titled ​Chop Kick Panda​, which I figured was the Chinese Communist Party’s remake of ​Kung Fu Panda​ except Mao Zedong would be Master Shifu and quite possibly the god of all Chinese Zodiac menagerie. I thought that it would be a delightful satire but Aksel vetoed me.

We finally agreed (​he ​agreed) to watch a movie called ​Babysitters Beware​. It looked like a rather stupid but charming movie. We watched the first few scenes and it showed a boy and his babysitter playing catch and his babysitter accidentally breaking some plants (GASP!) The boy, who is called Danny, has a mother and father who are constantly busy and are often at dinners so they leave him with Janelle, a hip young high school student.

Danny wishes he could spend more time with his parents (Where haven’t we heard that one before?). He decides to talk to his friend Marco (a still­fabulous Rico Rodriguez) about his poor unfortunate life, and Marco tells him about the “no­sit list”(DUN­DUN­DUUN…) To be on the list, you have to be bad enough to drive away all babysitters. Marco suggests getting on the

list. In my mind, I imagined a righteous Nancy Reagan yammering in her shrill voice to “Just say NO!” Forget drugs—they should make a campaign about dangerous little boys.

His babysitter Janelle then disappears into the void of “SAT practice.” He decides to drive away all of the other babysitters, including a crazy old bat played by Dee Wallace, which is maybe the only good part of this movie. Then there is the ex­prison guard played by Danny Trejo which shows the rumors are true: he will take any acting job now.

The movie is about all the crazy babysitters he meets. The other bad thing is that the movie looks like something a few college kids who were too lazy to even do basket weaving put together on a weekend. The budget seems to have been spent on “sentimental value” (Chorus: Awwwww…) This movie’s cinematography seemed to be shot with something like you’d find in a thrift shop on Skid Row. Overall, I would say that this movie is not a good one to see. There is too much stereotype and inconsistency for this movie to slide by with its slightly poignant if saccharine plot. Watch something worthwhile instead.

Joanne Park January 11, 2016 English 6 Yellow Inuyasha

This Japanese anime, ​Inuyasha​, is probably not the best known anime in the world but it has some perks. It was ok, it wasn’t great but ok. The series got boring after the 12th episode and most people probably lost interest, too. It has a good storyline and all, but it gets boring because the whole story is wrapped into one main idea, not different kinds of conflicts. Over all, I give it a two and a half stars. The storyline is original but it copies other plot lines as well. For example, in ​Toy Story 3​, the toys try to find their way home while in ​Inuyasha​, they try to find Jewel shards that scattered across old Japan and have to fight for them. I wouldn’t recommend this because it generally doesn’t really seem interesting.

Jensen Green English Green 6 1/26/16 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules No offence to anyone who loves this series and book and possibly even movie but I can’t stand ​it. ​Rodrick Rules​ might not be the worst movie I’ve ever seen but it could have been close.

This movie is about the main character Greg Heffley, there other characters as such as Rodrick, Greg’s older brother, Rowley, Greg's chubby best friend, and Fregly, Greg’s so called friend but who is really weird and nobody likes. As you might be able to tell all these characters seem to mush together into one oddly annoying bunch of people. I really didn’t like this movie because some parts were horribly disgusting, with childish humor many can fall for, and no real substance. It’s the perfect movie for you if you want to see a teenage guy spit milk all over his younger brother, or see a middle school kid running around a club for old people in some random lady’s underwear, then go ahead knock yourselves out. That’s the movie in a nutshell. I didn’t read the books and went to the movie because of a recommendation from my family (thanks a lot) I’m glad that I didn’t read any of the books and also sad because I wasted my time on going all the way to a movie theater to watch this movie. Next time pick your ​friend’s​ favorite movie (rather than your family’s).

Paige Farlow 2/18/16 Green 6 English The Flash​ T.V. Show Review

There is a gust of wind coming from nowhere, and you can't see what had caused it; that gust of wind probably came from the flash. ​The Flash is about a man named Berry Allen who works for the police department and also fights crime with the super speed he had gotten when the accelerator exploded as he was holding onto a metal chain making all of the energy enter his body making him the fastest man alive, or so for now. When he was little, his mother died because a man in a yellow suit killed her. He was also as fast as Berry, but had much more experience and did not use his powers to save. His father was blamed for Berry’s mother's death, as he went to prison Berry lived with his best friend. Her name was Iris, whose father was the policeman that put Berry’s father behind bars.

The Flash is one of my favorite shows because Berry saves people who have different powers all coming from the one night that the accelerator exploded, because it is so good; I think that you should watch it too. If right now while you are reading this you aren't intrigued and aren't going to watch the show at this very moment, you're going to miss out on one of the best shows you will ever see.

Rebecca Boolbol 2/26/16 English 6 Green WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!!

The Hunger Games The Hunger Games​ was by far the best, most exciting, most suspenseful movie I have ever seen. The thrilling fighting, the action, the plot itself were all amazing. I personally thought that ​The Hunger Games​ was a one of a kind film with sad, happy, exciting scenes, some of which you did not see coming, and some you did. I expected nothing but fighting, screaming and blood, but was surprised when I became enthralled by the plot and couldn’t stop talking about the film. When I started watching I thought that Katniss had no chance against her competition, especially Clove and Shimmer. I found myself cheering and crying at the same time while watching this exotic movie. I loved the connection between Katniss and Peeta and thought they were the perfect couple. I was devastated when Rue passed away, but I loved how Katniss treated her like family. I thought that the message was very appropriate for this movie. The message was don't act like everybody else or you won't be noticed. Being noticed helped Katniss get sponsors for the game and survive.

I give this movie a 3 ½ out of 4.

Harrison Stevens 1/26/16 English 6 Red Movie Review: “The Martian”

With a thrilling trailer and amazing directing from Ridley Scott’s “The Martian” depicts thrill and excitement, along with anger and sadness. In every good movie I watch, there is always an emotional twist, where the director brings happiness and pride, accomplishment, and good feelings. Then he crushes it. All that hard work and gets destroyed. This happened multiple times in “The Martian.” One example of this is where Mark Watney finally cracks the secret to making water on mars using strange futuristic hydrogen prototypes after multiple fails. He finally accomplishes to make water in order to grow plants, and I don’t know about anyone else, but I felt so happy for him, but all good moments come to an end, as the entrance to the tent he salvaged in had a malfunction, and all of the water froze and all of his potato plants died, bringing strong emotional reactions in the theater I watched it in. This hook fits in “The Martian” well because no space mission is easy, and when you are stranded on Mars, it is all risk, and as Matt Damon as Mark Watney said, “the only way to live is to take big risks and science the hell out of this.” The movie gets a bit gory at times, for those who are a bit queasy, but not too gross.

I won’t give away the ending, but here's a hint; all of those twists I talked about tied up in the end! I thought that “The Martian” was a great movie, not really a comedy (as it was classified), even though the actors cracked some pretty good jokes, but a possible space mission in mars in

the near future. I recommend this film to someone who loves realistic fiction, possibilities, and action.

Grace McElderry English 6 Blue 2/24/16

She’s The Man

She’s The Man​ is a funny, and empowering movie. The movie is about a teenage girl (Viola) who loves to play soccer, but her team got cut. When she heard that her team got cut she went straight to the boys team… she got turned down. It was the perfect time though, because her twin Brother Sebastian was going away to London to play his music. With her friends help she takes the place of her brother at the school Illyria. She jumps over many hurdles, such as making the Illyria first string soccer team. While her/his roommate Duke shares many personal things to her, she starts to fall for him. To make matters worse Duke is falling for Olivia (The prettiest girl in school) but Olivia is falling for Sebastian, who is really Viola. Her real brother Sebastian returns from London unexpectedly, and runs into Olivia. Since he arrived the night before the game, the next morning he was dragged onto the field by his teammates. To make matters so much worse he doesn’t know how to play soccer! Again, remember her one time goal was to make the team, and beat the team that she originally was turned down. Does she make her goal?

You’ll see...

Overall I think this movie deserves a 5/5 because of how they made the movie seem so real, and it shows that you can do anything you put your mind to.

Thomas Edwards 1/20/16 English 6 Green

Jaws​ is a great, entertaining movie about a series of shark attacks on the fun island of Amity island. It is directed by Steven Spielberg and composed by John Williams. It is one of the most famous movies of all time, it is famous because it started to use special effects. The ominous music always makes you scared, but you never know when it’s coming. It has great characters that are very funny including Matt Hooper, Quint and the Chief. I give it a 4.5 out of 5. The movie has a great theme song that you will be able to repeat for the rest of your life. ​Jaws is considered to be the best movie of the 1970’s besides ​Star Wars​ and ​Indiana Jones​ and after you watch it you will know why. It is scary, but I do recommend it.

Aaliyah Acevedo

11/23/16 English 6 Blue The Martian

If you’re looking for a boring and bland movie, don’t watch ​The Martian​. Six astronauts are on Mars collecting data when a big storm hits them. Matt Damon plays the lead role of an astronaut named Mark Watney who gets left behind on Mars because of the storm. Later he has to try to survive on the strange and foreign planet. The other five astronauts think he is dead but he is just badly injured and millions of miles away from help.

The release date was October 2, 2015. I didn’t expect much of it, until I watched the trailer and knew I had to see it. I usually don’t decide what movies to watch based off the trailer.

Most trailers are actually cooler than the movie but not this time. It’s a truly extraordinary outer space movie that always leaves the viewer in constant suspense. This movie is different from most space because it has a believable plot and it seems futuristic. All of the characters were realistic and easy to relate to. As serious as the movie may sound throughout the two hours and 21 minutes there were light moments of comedy.

The graphics were stunning and the costumes were just as great as the sound quality.

There we're also some time fillers like a vast valley or huge mountain that would add to the movie’s reality. I also like how everything wasn't picture perfect all of the characters had hard divisions to make and afful struggles to face. The screenplay and acting was well written and directed. I would probably rate this movie 4 and a half stars because is some strong language.

Space movies will come and go but ​The Martian​ is one to remember.

Jed Morgan 1/21/16 English 6 Blue Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens

If you are a ​Star Wars​ fan (which I hope most of you are) and have not seen the new Force Awakens by J.J. Abrams, you are definitely missing out. ​Star Wars: The Force Awakens happens thirty years after Return of the Jedi and introduces new characters, new sith, and some characters from the last movie just a lot older. The new ​Star Wars​ starts with the new planet Jakku and the potential protagonist Rey. Rey looks exactly like Leia after the last movie so it is easy to make assumptions right off the bat. At first, Rey is finding her way through a ship. It almost looks like she is looking for something. Then, you immediately get drawn in (just like every other ​Star Wars​ movie) as Rey finds something. ​Star Wars The Force Awakens​ is a great movie for everybody unless you have hated ​Star Wars​ ever since ​Episode IV: A New Hope​, that came out in 1977. The film excels in showing high technology from the future without making it look too fake. The new ​Star War​s has taken the spot of number three of top grossing movies of all time and has 93% on Rotten Tomatoes with 4.5 and has made ​1.81 billion USD (US dollars).

With all of these great ratings and reviews, almost everyone who has seen the new Star Wars has liked it. If you haven’t seen it, you won’t be disappointed about the new ​Star Wars​ at all. I recommend this movie to everyone whether it's a three­year old kid who doesn’t know what’s going on, or a 90 year­old man/woman that has seen star wars time and time again. This movie

will take you off your feet and put you in a great fantasy world full of action. I would give this movie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for everything no matter what scene it is.

Maggie Ramsay English 6 Yellow 2/4/16 Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone​ is the first movie in the Harry Potter movies. This movie is an epic adventure between good and evil, and has plenty of funny parts too. This movie has incredible actors in it like, Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy). These actors do an excellent job bringing these characters to life.

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone​ is about a young boy named Harry Potter who finds out that he is a wizard. The day Harry found out he was a wizard was the day that he received a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry saying that he was accepted to the school. He eventually after many difficulties gets to Hogwarts and meats 2 two amazing people, who become his best friends. These two people are Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

Hermione Granger is the brightest witch of their time, she is such a powerful role model for girls everywhere. She is smart, caring, kind, and one heck of a witch. Ron Weasley is a hilarious daredevil, who isn’t the smartest wizard out there. One of my favorite lines from this movie is from Hermione Granger she says to Ron when they almost get killed by a 3­headed dog name fluffy. “Now I am going up to bed before one of you has another brilliant idea to get us killed, or worse expelled.” Then Ron says to Harry after she left, “She needs to sort out her priorities.”

Harry’s parents were killed by a very dark and powerful wizard named Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort tried to kill Harry that night too, but Lilly Potter (Harry’s mom) protected him with

her love for him. That is why Harry is the boy named all over the Wizarding world, he is the boy who lived and severely hurt Lord Voldemort that night when he was only a mere toddler. Harry finds out that one of the teachers at Hogwarts is helping Lord Voldemort by having Lord Voldemort live off of him. In order to be in full strength again Lord Voldemort needs the Sorcerer’s stone because the stone can give someone immortality. The Sorcerer’s stone is hidden somewhere in the castle.

Who is the teacher who Lord Voldemort is living off of? Will Lord Voldemort get the stone? Or will Harry, Ron, and Hermione stop him first? You will have to watch the movie to find out.

Soren Morrison 1/18/16 English 6 Yellow

The Martian​ in my opinion the best movie of 2015. I saw most of the movies and this stood out from them on so many levels. This movie had everything from super realistic to science fiction to comedy. It’s about a team that was on mars, then a super storm came and they had to get back to their ship. But a piece of debris fell and hit (Matt Damon) and his crew thought he was dead, But he wasn’t. So the then he had to survive on Mars. I won’t say what happens but the end is a huge nail biter. This movie is very real and plus there are several explosions. This movie's overall rating would be five out five it is that good. This movie has some bad language but not nearly as much as other movies. I would recommend this movie for 13­113, so if you haven’t watched this movie you should. This movie has an all­star cast and like I said this movie has a mix of every genre of movie from comedy to action even to horror and scifi. If you were to watch this movie just so you know it is better on a big screen so if you have a time travel machine or a personal movie theater than your good. This is by far my fourth favorite movie and I hope it will be your number one favorite so go watch it and go love and enjoy it .

Whitney Bartol 1/13/16 English 6 Yellow Pitch Perfect 2

Want to see a great comedy that will blow you away? ​Pitch Perfect 2​ is perfect for you..

It was packed with action, drama, romance, and lots of comedy! I was surprised at how this movie brought together friendship and drama at the perfect balance. As Fat Amy says to Beca, “Do you need some of my confidence, because I could tone it down.” I realized that this movie was giving it their all.

This movie brought back the same excitement from ​Pitch Perfect​ (the original) but with more. Right away, the Barden Bellas are performing and Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) rips her pants in front of the president. This movie features an a capella group called the Barden Bellas led by Beca (Anna Kendrick) that tries to make it to the top. Through the movie there is also some secrets. Beca has a secret job and Fat Amy has a secret boyfriend. The Bellas have to face a German group called Das Sound Machine that is probably their toughest match in the International A Capella Competition. There is also a new Bella added to the group named Emily whose mom was in the first group of Barden Bellas. She brings cheer to the Bellas which brings cheer to the audience.

I think the producers of this movie had a perfect balance of the mash up of comedy, romance, and of course...singing. They really brought the story to life and the music is perfect at representing what is happening in the movie. I think this movie is better than the first ​Pitch

Perfect​ because the plot is more realistic and overall it is more exciting, The producer that Beca works for says, “So you produced this?” in a good way, which is exactly what I would say to the movie producers because this movie is too good to be true. I rate ​Pitch Perfect 2​ 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lilly Sutter 1/21/16 English 6 Red The Middle

The show “The Middle” premiered on ​September 30, 2009. Ever since then, the show still maintains its ability to make you laugh hysterically. The show includes a family with the last name “Heck.” Frankie, the mom of three fascinating children, and her wonderful non traditional ways of mothering make the show worthwhile to watch. Frankie is trying to keep her house in one piece as well as making her kids happy. Sometimes this task is harder for frankie then most mom’s, because of her dysfunctional kids. Brick, the youngest of the three children, is an odd and quirky boy​ transitioning to middle school. Born with Osteogenesis imperfecta, and is always insecure when it comes to people. Sue, who is an awkward teen, is the family’s only daughter, and is known for trying to conquer the world with a mindset that everything is rainbows and unicorns. Her childish ways have both negative and positive effects for sue throughout the show.

Whereas Axl, the oldest brother, struggles with completing school work and could careless about his family, and would very well rather be locked away in his room. Similarly, the dad mike, is never trying to please his wife frankie, and would much rather be sitting in front of the tv watching basketball, drinking soda. This aggravates Frankie just about every day. The middle has received its name because of its location in middle class america and the way that the heck family lives. Even though they are a very strange family and struggle at times, they alway try to live life to the fullest.

Anya Bettegowda 1/20/16 English 6 Green Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation This PG­13 movie will shock, stun, and amaze you, as you travel through Ethan Hunt’s world (played by Tom Cruise) as he tracks down the Syndicate: A rogue nation. This movie has a breathtaking plot with a twist that is fun and dangerous at the same time. Rebecca Ferguson who played Ilsa Faust put the cherry on top of the sundae of this movie. The IMF has been disbanded by the CIA, and no longer has the resources he needs. Join the IMF: Ethan Hunt, Benji Dunn, Luther Stickell, and William Brandt as they track down the Syndicate.

The evil Solomon Lane has been watching their every step, as they embark on an impossible journey. As Ethan travels around the world, trying to track down the Syndicate, he is faced by many, many problems. Cut off at every turn he has nowhere to turn to except, to Ilsa Faust who is under the employment of Solomon Lane. As Ethan travels around the world, trying to track down the Syndicate, he is faced by many, many problems. In the end, with Benji under the control of Solomon Lane, Ethan must take a large risk to save his friend. This movie has a sense of humor, and doesn’t contain many bad words. ​Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation​ will give you a thrill, and make you feel excited. I would recommend this movie to everyone, it is fantastic and has amazing effects. I would give this movie 3.95 stars out of 4.

Mary Kessler 1/20/2016 English 6 Green “High School Musical” Are you looking to jump up out of your chair and start singing? Then “High School Musical” is the movie for you! “High School Musical” (HSM) has an abundant amount of positive energy. The movie is about two characters trying something new and them being afraid of what their friends might think of them. Troy Bolton (played by Zac Efron), is a star basketball player trying singing for a change so he decided to try out for the musical at school. Gabriella Montez (played by Vanessa Anne Hudgens), is really bright, and she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico that year ­ that’s where the movie takes place. Gabriella also auditions for the musical. Not knowing what would happen they had a callback along with Sharpay Evans (played

by Ashley Tisdale) and her brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel). Sharpay and Ryan both had always starred in the school productions, and they are really rich and popular. Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu) is Troy’s best friend and Taylor McKessie (Monique Coleman) is Gabriella’s best friend ­ they try and talk Troy and Gabriella from going to the callbacks. Troy and Gabriella end up singing a song that blew everyone's minds away and land them the lead parts. This movie is great because it has a lot of positive energy. It teaches people that you can step outside of your comfort zone and try new things. There were two sequels made after High School Musical, but in my opinion the first one is the best. This movie is great for kids ages 5 to 12, but I think many adults would love the movie too. I give “High School Musical” a 4 out of 4 stars.

Madison Gordon 1/22/16 English 6 Green Arrow Exciting, wonderful, and full of action,if you enjoy watching something that will pull you in and keep you there for three seasons Arrow is a show I recommend you should watch.

WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT INTEND ON BINGING ON A SHOW, DO NOT WATCH ​ARROW​. That is how intensely good the show is. It is a twist on Robin Hood and a spin off of DC Comic’s ​Green Arrow​ with a couple more “heroes.” Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is the main character who has been stuck on an abandoned island for 5 years who was presumed dead until he was found by a couple of fishers. He had gone on a boat with his father and his girlfriend’s sister Sarah, (he was cheating on his girlfriend). They got caught in a storm and the ship sunk taking Sarah with it. His father, his father's friend, and him were stranded in the ocean on a lifeboat with barely any food. Oliver’s father killed himself and his friend knowing that there wasn't enough food but for one more reason. His dad wanted a lot of people in Starling City dead for reasons that aren't explained. When the father killed himself Oliver found land and survived for five years with complications and friends. He has returned to Starling City (his home town) and is now going to finish what his dad wanted to start. He reunites with his mother and younger sister and is famous all over town. He sees his ex girlfriend quite a few times and things can get awkward but out of all of it is really exciting.

This is a really well acted show and has lots of thought into it. It isn't one of those wanna be superhero shows because he is not a superhero, he is Arrow.

Sydney Allen 2/4/16 English 6 Green

Cinderella 2015

I can't even believe I watched this horrible movie. It starts off with her mom (Hayley Atwell) dying then her father (Ben Chaplin) also dying. So cinderella (Lily James) gets stuck with her evil step mother/sisters (Cate Blanchett, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera). They are mean, and cruel to her so she rides her problems away on a horse and meets the prince. Did they seriously have to change the original? Cinderella is supposed to meet him at the ball in her pretty dress. Oh and I forgot, have you seen the horrendous dress in the new film. The dress probably was made by a four year old just drawing and doing arts and crafts. And to top all of that they put butterflies on the dress. Butterflies! It was the grossest dress I have ever seen.

Cinderella goes to the ball in her “pretty dress” and meets her prince. Then the prince and her dance and make cheesy comments. They go to a “secret garden” where there is a swing and that it, just a swing and some flowers. “Wow this is beautiful” cinderella says while all there is is a swing and some flowers. Awkwardly she gets pushed back and forth by the prince “soon to be king”. Also to top all of that there is absolutely no real singing. The only sort of song was a song mumbled which was like “come dilly willy dilly” and half of the time you couldn't even hear her.

Overall I think this movie is rated three out of ten. I'm actually being generous. The visual effects were okay and the sets were realistic too.

Emma Smith 2/14/16 Yellow English

White House Down White House Down​ is very intriguing movie to watch because of all its action. In this movie the whole of the white house literally goes down, and it is a heartbreaker, too. The main character, Cale (Channing Tatum), a Capitol Hill police officer, Afghanistan vet and currently divorced man. He can't make the cut for security guard for the President because he was a bit of a slacker, as his Secret Service interviewer (Maggie Gyllenhaal) says to him throughout the movie.

Emily (Joey King and plays daughter)is overly excited by anything related to the President, so Cale brought her there to make up for missing her talent show. The White House gets taken over by a group of bombers that wanted information about the United States army, and while they had countless hostages, Emily(Cale’s daughter), who is played by Joey King, was still running around in the halls looking for the bathroom: “The bathroom is down the stars and then take a left.” Their tour guide explained.

“I will be back in a few,” She said as she ran off.

This one particular line was one of the saddest lines in the movie, because she wouldn’t be coming back. This movie shows the worry of the President and how much responsibility he has. I think it has the right amount of emotion and action, which makes it a good movie.

Conor Minson English 6 Blue 1/27/16 Minions

The first time I saw the movie ​Minions​, I decided that it would also be my last time watching or having anything to do with this horrendous movie. This is an awful movie, in which you can not even understand what these minions are saying to one another. In order to be a good movie, there definitely needs to be a main character, you have to know what the characters are saying to each other, and what conflicts there are between some of the different characters. This movie has none of these three things, and is showing examples why it might have been even worse than what I am calling it. This movie is just over an hour and a half of little yellow people dressed in blue overalls saying a bunch of random words in their own language that you can’t understand. The only thing you will be able to understand in these three hours is every minion saying “Banana” for no reason. This “movie” (it doesn’t even come close to deserving that title) is about tiny yellow people finding a ruler, and killing everyone they find. Some of the rulers these minions kill the abdomen snowman, a ​T rex.​, an early man, an egyptian ruler, Dracula, and Napoleon. This movie is no doubt the worst I’ve ever seen, and I almost guarantee that that is a fact, however I will always remember this movie. I will remember for laughing at every minute of, not the story line, but the idea that someone actually had an idea to write it. This is without a doubt the worst movie I’ve ever seen and it might be impossible to make a movie worse than this one. Never, for any reason, watch this dreadful movie as you will definitely regret it.

Alexandra Sanders English Yellow 2/11/16 Frozen Where do I begin with ​Frozen​? It is a horrible and annoying movie. First Elsa (played by idina​ Menzel)​ and the let it go song then with a talking snowman named Olaf (played by Josh Gad) that reminded me of talking ice cube, then there was Ana with her do you want to build a snowman song. It is like the annoying orange but a human, do you want to build a snowman, do you want to build a snowman, do you want to build a snowman, do you want to build a snowman, listen to your sister Ana and let it go. When I saw frozen for the first time I thought it would be great but then I heard some holy music and people cutting ice. Elsa and Ana is like the annoying version of the Olsen twins, even though they don’t look alike. To top is all off they throw in a reindeer, a a guy raised by rocks, and a big stuck up rich kid, all they need is santa for the reindeer the cast of the classic T.V show full house (that includes the olsen twins) to comfort Elsa and Ana. Wow what a movie this will be.

Shealeigh Crombie English 6 Green 2/4/16 The Adventure of “Finding Nemo” Plunge into the depths of a colorful coral reef, filled with life. It is here that a heartwarming story unfolds, the story of “Finding Nemo.” This is a tale of a father and son, separated by nothing more than hundreds of miles of water.

When Nemo the clownfish is suddenly captured by a big scary diver, Marlin wants nothing more than his clowny son to be back in his arms (or fins). However, Marlin soon realizes that finding one fish in the ocean is like finding a needle in a haystack. But despite the odds, Marlin sets forward on a quest to find Nemo.

Meanwhile, the swashbuckling account of Nemo’s perspective is emotional enough to make somebody giggle. Who would have thought that an orthodontist’s office would have so many hidden secrets concealed in the fish tank?

With some help along the way, Marlin is able to make an inspiring quest to find Nemo.

The challenges he faces along the way shape Marlin’s perspective and add spice to the plot.

Marlin (aka “Mr. Grumpy Gills”) would never have realized how much he loved his son and how much he would do for Nemo.

Though mostly a great story and movie, “Finding Nemo” had a few flaws. First of all, if you are making a movie for small children to watch, why would you make the opening scene a dark one where the Mom dies? That is a very interesting way to approach children’s movies!

Also, learning that “fish are friends, not food” is enough information to make a good two­year­old vegetarian for life. Just some food for thought, not sharks.

Also, one more thought. A child might prefer actually swimming over watching a movie about the hardships of being a fish. But if you are going to make somebody watch any movie, it should be this one.

This enterprise in the depths is sure to make any toddler laugh, cry, and fall in love with the clowny tale (or tail) of “Finding Nemo.”

Josh Zeitlin Movie/TV Reviews 1/28/16 “Creed” When I first thought about seeing “Creed,” I was skeptical. The plot of most Rocky movies have basically just been setting up the story of whom Rocky is going to fight, a training montage and then the fight itself. However, when I actually watched the movie, all of my thoughts changed. Creed had both humor and love, although it got pretty ugly in some of the fight scenes. There was a lot more to movie than that typical “Rocky” formula…It had a meaning. I could feel the emotion of how badly Adonis (Michael. B. Jordan) wanted to win for his Dad, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), a man who was one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Apollo Creed was also the best friend of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), who had in a way convinced Rocky not to of quit when Rocky was having a difficult time. Apollo was a great man, but ended up dying of a tragic death in the fourth Rocky movie, in an exhibition boxing match against Ivan Drago. Even though Apollo had Adonis from an affair, Apollo’s real wife adopted Adonis, cared for him from the time he was a young boy and made sure he had a great education.

Adonis graduates from college and gets a great job; he is a very smart man. When Adonis gets a big promotion, he surprisingly quits to move to Philadelphia and become a fighter just like his father. When he goes down to Philadelphia, he meets Rocky Balboa, and persuades Balboa to train him. This is the story of Rocky and Adonis trying to make a run for the title against “Pretty” Ricky Conlon, who is undefeated at 36­0. Along the way Adonis meets a singer named Bianca, and they fall in love. This movie is very similar to the first “Rocky,” the story of an unknown

fighter trying to rise to the top. In the words of Rocky Balboa “It’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and get back up.” This is what Creed showed to us, real toughness and real passion.

Dana Cofsky 1/9/16 English 6 Red “The Nanny”

Do you want an exciting TV series to watch? If you do, “The Nanny” is the best thing that you can possibly watch. There are plenty of episodes that you will be up watching day and night. This series is guaranteed to satisfy you; it just keeps on getting better and better. This series is good for a 5th grader or a 45th grader! No matter the age, you will always be laughing at Fran’s hysterical jokes and sarcasm, as well as her poofy hair and nasal voice, C.C. and Niles’s humorous comebacks at each other, and the special bonds that Brighton, Maggie, and Gracie have together. With of course Mr. Sheffield's shy and amusing personality. I am just about finished with this series, and if you ask my mom, I am straight out addicted. Even someone my age can’t get enough of this series. There is always something that is making you laugh or cry.

There are touching and sad scenes, with of course, hysterical scenes that are bright with color and bold. One of my favorite episodes is when Fran (A.K.A. Ms. Fine) got her job, Mr. Sheffield asked her for her resume. Fran replied saying something along the lines of this: If you can’t read it, ask me. This lipstick shade is a little light. Meaning that she wrote her resume in his house rapidly, with her lipstick. Fran got the job because Mr. Sheffield (Max) finds her beguiling and attractive. That is an example of a humorous scene, and that was just the very first episode. You can imagine what will unexpectedly happen along the way.

Andie Durkin 1/23/16 English 6 Blue “Pitch Perfect” “Pitch Perfect” is one of my favorite movies, considering the constant swearing and inappropriate language. It is about a girl named Becca who goes off to college and joins the Barden Bellas, the college’s all girls acapella group. In the past years the Barden Bellas had won many titles, but since all of the seniors and good singers of the group had left after the previous year, they had to hold auditions. The turnout was a bunch of beginner singers that did not look like the Bellas from the years before. Throughout the years they would come in second place to the Treblemakers, the all boys group from Barden. Somehow they made it to the finals, considering they used the same boring song every time. Becca was able to convince the head to do a complete mix of songs and they were able to win finals. Overall, I would rate this movie a 3/4 stars because of the basic plot, but I still laugh every time I watch it.

Cassy Callari Red Class 2/22/16

“Psych”

“Psych” stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a somewhat immature man whose dad used to be a great detective. Since he was a little boy, his father trained him in how to use his hearing and sight to his advantages. As Shawn grows up, he uses his talent to help the police by anonymous calls, giving them the key suspect for all crimes. As Shawn keeps calling, the police get suspicious and think he was a part of everything. In order for Shawn not to go to jail he says he is a Psychic.While he said this, the SBPD believes him and hires Shawn as there new Psychic detective, but Shawn does not work alone. Shawn and his best friend (Dulé Hill as Gus), who is a pharmacist, go on insane adventures solving crime while still keeping his secret safe, and not getting killed in the process. Although Gus is not really that into solving crimes, he is still a big help to Shawn with his knowledge of medicine, and other knowledge characters do not wish to know. This show now has eight seasons out; all of them are great, and you can find them all on Netflix for free or on Amazon Prime! Psych is considered a great comedy, action, and mystery genre. Although “cop” shows such as “Law and Order” may be violent, this show is not graphic.

If you are looking a great show to watch with your family that will be adventurous, mysterious and funny, this is the perfect show for you.

Will San Jose English 6 Red 1/23/15 “Megamind” “Megamind” is a lively, funny movie that puts a twist on the “good guy versus bad guy” story plot. This cast included Will Ferrell, David Cross, and Tina Fey, Ben Stiller and also Brad Pitt. This movie was ​not ​a typical Disney film, though it had that base. Megamind (Will Ferrell), the bigheaded (literally), blue alien who, classically, comes down from earth in a pod while his plant is about to be destroyed. Megamind has a long­lasting rivalry with the local hero of Metro City, Metro Man (Brad Pitt), and when Megamind seemingly kills him, he and Minion (David Cross) immediately start to wonder if they have actually done it this time, since they have failed all the times before. When it turns out they have, they take over the city, but Megamind soon gets bored because of the lack of fighting. With shape­shifting abilities, Megamind is able to save many people, including Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey), the (here it goes classic Disney) secret love of Megamind. Despite many arguments between Minion and Megamind on whether he should go after her or not. So they set out to create a new hero they can fight, who, when they are done, is called Titan (Jonah Hill). When the plan backfires, it is up to Megamind to save the city.

In the final battle, Megamind uses many gadgets, an invisible car, and the help of an old hero.

The end result is a movie with non­stop action, laughs and upbeat rock songs, and a great movie for all ages.

Chloe Murray 2/18/16 English 6 Yellow “The Fault in Our Stars” Review “The Fault in Our Stars” movie is based of the bestselling book by John Green. It is a unique love story of two teenagers that are suffering from cancer. Hazel Grace is played by the amazing Shailene Woodley who also stars in the “Divergent” series, “The Spectacular Now” and “White Bird in a Blizzard”. Augustus Waters is played by Ansel Elgort. Both actors effortlessly capture the essence of their characters and have great on­set chemistry.

I would also like to mention that the setting is great. “The Fault in Our Stars” is set in the suburbs of Indianapolis. I feel that this movie is not applauded enough for its setting and it should because the producers of this film capture the vibe of the lonely, indoor, depressing life of Hazel Grace beautifully and truthfully.

I highly recommend this movie not just because it engages the viewer but it captures the mood fantastically. “The Fault in Our Stars” expresses the same mood as the book: beautiful and devastating. This movie confronts the topic of cancer with love without being cheesy and the outcome is better than great. Some parts will make you laugh while others with make you cry.

There is absolutely nothing to compare this story too, it is its own unique masterpiece that will make your heart grow with love then break it with devastation.

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

Jack Dolan 2/18/16 English 6 Blue Super Mario “Nos” Have you ever just stopped and said “Hey, I wonder what would happen if we made Mario and Luigi into real people and make everyone else (other than princess Daisy) into monsters and made a movie? Wow! That would be so cool!” That's the thought that directors Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel had when they thought of the movie “Super Mario Bros.” With 15% Rotten Tomatoes, this decision was quickly regretted. If you had played the game when you were little, this movie ruined your childhood with creepy monsters which were supposed to be Koopas and with the only reason Mario could jump that high is that he has rocket boots. Like “Back to the Future”, they kind of over­exaggerated what the future (or in this case, a different dimension) would be like. In the plot, for some reason, princess Daisy is an archeologist and is digging up the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs and there is something wrong with a pipe, so this gives Mario and Luigi the perfect chance to just jump into the plot. When the rival plumbing company arrives first, Luigi sees Daisy and has to fall in love with her for the sake of the plot. When Daisy gets mad at the rival plumbing company (not actual plumbers) , they kidnap her and take her to their home dimension where there boss, King Koopa, is waiting for the stone that killed the dinosaurs because (for some reason) this rock will make the Koopas go back to their original form. For some people, this was one of the worst movies ever made and should be burned. If you ask anyone, no one will recommend this movie.

Albert B. 1/28/16 English 6 Green “Forrest Gump” Review

“Forrest Gump” is a truly sweet, kind, funny, and emotional movie. Forrest (Tom Hanks) is a guy who when he was little he was so stupid he couldn’t go to school but his mother arranged something with the teacher so he could go back to school. One day on the school bus Forrest met a girl named Jenny. Jenny grew up in an abusive family, so her dad was arrested and Jenny moved in with her aunt where she was close to Forrest. Forrest when he was older ran so fast he broke through his leg braces (he was wearing leg braces) he loved to run after that. The bullies kept on coming back. Forrest got into Alabama because he was good at football he didn’t know how to play football they just handed it off to him and he ran, sometimes through the tunnel, they had to tell him stop after that. Forrest got into the army where he met his best friend Bubba who loves shrimp. After Nam Forrest misses Jenny that’s just the first half or less than the movie and he’s telling people at a bus­stop it. Forrest Gump is such a sweet movie with love and laughs. I would rate this movie 10 out of 10.

Samuel Lublinsky 1/20/16 English 6 Yellow Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith "If you're not with me, then you are my enemy," is the type of suspenseful line, that left the audience gasping while watching ​Star Wars Episode III, Revenge of the Sith. ​This action­packed movie is the heart all episodes of Star Wars. Even though the film was made ​​after the sequels, it was still able to grip the audience. The whole ​Star Wars ​saga has a theme of Good and Evil. This episode definitely showed this the most. Anakin Skywalker and Obi­Wan Kenobi, the main characters at this part in the story, are on the light side of the force. This means that they want peace in the galaxy. The force is the universal power that will be controlling the world in 3,000 years (such as the “Illuminati” theory now). At the beginning of the film, Anakin and Obi­Wan are fighting against the Sith apprentice, Count Dooku, who locked up Chancellor Palpatine. A Sith or a Sith Lord is someone was has mastered the dark side of the force. There shall always be only two, a master and an apprentice. While Obi­Wan was injured, Anakin kills Dooku. Next, Anakin discovers that his wife, Padme is pregnant, so, Obi­Wan goes off by himself to continue fighting. In many scenes of action, Obi­Wan defeats many droids, which were created to destroy every member of the light side of the force. He has a long battle with General Grievous, the master of all droids, armed with four lightsabers. Meanwhile, Anakin was conflicted about how to deal with Padme during combat. This will lead to a life­changing decision that he must make: Anakin Skywalker will later have to choose between Good and Evil.

This decision will change his destiny and the entire ​Star Wars​ saga.

At the heart of the story lies Anakin’s struggle between the good and the evil inside of him. Which side will end up overpowering him? Consisting of many action­packed battles as well as Good versus Evil struggles, “​Star Wars Episode III, Revenge of the the Sith,”​ resulted in a very fulfilling experience for the audience.

ZAGOTT

Restaurant Reviews

Ben Epes 2/1/16 English 6 Yellow “American Bounty” Did you ever eat at a restaurant where the chefs are still learning how to cook? Or even a restaurant where most of the chefs are pre­grads? How about one where the chefs don’t get paid but pay to work at the restaurant? For fifty grand, you’d think the chefs wouldn’t have to clean tables also. This restaurant is in the famous C.I.A. (no joke, okay, part joke.) It’s really called C​ulinary ​I​nstitute of ​A​merica. Though I’ve been there only once, the only thing restraining me from speeding all the way down is that, one, I can’t drive, and two, the restaurant is located in Hyde Park, New York, approximately one hour away from my house.

However if you can drive, unlike me, I strongly recommend driving there ASAP. Unless you know a fifty­grand­paying student chef (I did but he graduated), maybe you should book a reservation three months in advance before going anywhere from one to 24,902 miles to get there. If that does not cover the whole earth, Google apologizes for possibly making you miss the most outstanding experience for you and your taste buds would ever have. This restaurant is called American Bounty and is at the Culinary Institute of America, the best cooking school in America.

Getting more serious, this restaurant made the best pork I’ve ever had and possibly will ever have. This dish is called the Berkshire Pork Loin. The time it took to cut my first piece flooded my mouth and gave the little time needed for my nose to be the only thing experiencing paradise. Don’t worry: your nose and mouth both experience paradise. This $22 dish doused with

all the herbs and spices your mouth could only dream of until that moment when the waiter/waitress dressed in crisp white uniforms brought you your food. Though this was the only dish I had, from the aroma of all the food and from the look on everyone's faces, I could tell that they were enjoying the food just as much as I was, if possible. I give this restaurant a 5 out of 5 star rating.

Anna Reynolds English 6 Blue 2/27/16 101 Ice Cream If you want to take your kids out to ice cream and want a meal too, Brendan's is the place for you! Brendan’s 101 Ice Cream is located the small town in Rowayton, CT. The 101 is mostly known for its delicious ice cream. However, the 101 also serves Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner and is very popular with kids. The restaurant is owned and run by Brendan and Christine McGee who are seen there most days scooping ice cream and preparing food with always a smile. I used to think that “101” stands for the number of ice cream flavors but as just recently found out that it actually stands for the address. So that's where you will find it: 101 Rowayton Avenue.

When I tell people that I live in Rowayton, they say “I LOVE THE 101!!!” The 101’s menu has a wide variety of choices for everybody from kids and grown ups. One of most popular items is the bacon egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. The thing that I love about the bacon egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches is that they always serve the sandwich on a toasted white roll and the bacon is always crisp; they also get the amount of cheese just right. One of things that the grown ups devour are the lobster rolls, if you are a lobster lover, then you should definitely try the lobster rolls. But most of all everyone comes for the ice cream all the flavors are named after local landmarks, like “Major McKinley Mint.”

Even though 101 is a small restaurant, they use their back room as an art gallery. Local artist and photographers display and sell their artwork. When you are waiting for your food it is always fun to gaze at the artwork. If you are looking for a place where you can eat inside and

out, not expensive, kid friendly, and a local hangout. It’s definitely the place to go on a hot summer day.

Patrick Murphy 1/31/16 English 6 Red Bodega Taco Bar, Darien, CT (Other Location: Fairfield, CT)

Do you enjoy a good Mexican restaurant? Are you craving a delicious taco with homemade guacamole and salsa? Bodega Taco Bar of Darien is a fun, festive, family­friendly place to get an excellent meal ­ just make sure you get there early, the place fills up pretty fast on weekends. The guacamole is made on demand, you order it ­ they make it. It is particularly useful, especially when served with their homemade, crispy chips. You can find lunch and dinner at Bodega as it opens at 11:30 am and closes at midnight most days.

Focusing on the dinner menu ­ Bodega’s strengths are in their freshly made tortilla tacos.

These tacos range from kids cheese tacos to crushed kale and mushroom tacos. My personal favorite is the Taco Americano, which is seasoned ground beef, manchego cheese, salsa, and a crispy taco shell. Tacos are not the only thing on the menu. My Mom loves the Camarones ­ spicy shrimp, mango­jicama salad, and Arroz con Crema Mexican. Bodega works hard to make their customers happy, you can even customize your meal. My Dad always orders a veggie burrito which is not even on the menu!

Bodega Taco Bar also has a location in Fairfield, CT as well as a Taco Truck to cater off­site events. Based on the fresh, authentic, pure Mexican food, Bodega Taco Bar receives a four out of four rating from me. Do not forget to order from the take­out menu if you are in a hurry or do not feel like cooking at home!

Jonty Hammer English 6 Blue “Burger Shakes and Fries”

Do you like a good burger? If so, Burger, Shakes and Fries is not for you! Burger, Shakes and Fries is located on the Post Road in Darien, CT. The restaurant is a typical loud and noisy place. Almost everything in this restaurant is huge, from the windows to the tables to the size of the portions ­ especially the milkshakes! The tables are barely ever cleaned and there is only one restroom for a large dining space.

The biggest disappointment of all, however, is the burgers. When the restaurant first opened a while ago, anyone who went there thought it was absolutely disgusting. People felt the burgers were too overdone, and were served between slices of bread rather than buns. But after a renovation, and a new chef, the place was a big hit. Every time you went the place was packed but as the months passed, you could tell that fewer and fewer people were going. I was confused by this until every time we visited we discovered another piece of bone or fat in our burger.

The milkshakes are incredibly sweet and don’t even taste like the flavor advertised. When you drink one, you can only have a couple of sips as you quickly fill up from the sugar and rich recipe. The price begins at around $12 for a burger, which is reasonable for a premium burger, but the burgers here would never be considered premium because of what you find in them.

Based on the horrible quality, I would give this place one out of four stars. ★

Lane Murphy 2/18/16

English 6 Yellow

Matsuri Do you love authentic, mouthwatering sushi? Impeccable service? Comfortable chairs and furniture? Then Matsuri is for you! The fish is freshly caught and the rice is grown in Japan.

The chefs are all from Japan and grew up making Japanese food. They have never even learned to cook American food. The waitresses all have a sense of humor and the whole restaurant is comfortable and family­friendly.

Not a fan of sushi? Just get a salad or a california roll! Matsuri offers a wide variety of rolls, salads, and noodles. The great thing is that you can order anything for an appetizer or entree! You could get a salad for an appetizer and sushi for your entree, sushi for your appetizer and a roll for your entree, and much more! Matsuri is also kid friendly. Bowls of rice suit a child just fine, or if they are feeling adventurous, a salad with tuna! No matter what kind of authentic Japanese food you are looking for, Matsuri is the place to be.

Julia Roth 2/4/16 English 6 Red Meli Melo Want an amazing crepe? Want a nice smoothie? Want a delicious soup? Then this restaurant is perfect for you! Do you want good service, short lines, and peacefulness? Well this restaurant has none of that! It might fool you with the amazing aroma you can smell from almost blocks away but the service is absolutely horrible. Yes, they have good food but from the second you walk in you have to wait in a long line, then you don't even get served till thirty minutes later, and the waiters mess up the orders and are incredibly rude! They treat you almost as if you're lucky to be there. The service a couple years ago used to be amazing but what happened to that? What happened to all of those staff members? Well those staff members have been replaced with impatient, mean, and rude people. If you want good food you’re better off ordering take out…. don’t eat here.

Davis Lawton English 6 Green 02/03/16 “Subway” In 1965, one of the best fast­food restaurants ever was born in Bridgeport Connecticut as Pete’s Super Submarines, or as everyone knows it, Subway. It has turned into the biggest fast­food chain in the world, with 1,012 more restaurants than McDonald’s. Subway definitely deserves this title. The instant you walk into your local Subway, the aroma of the freshly baked bread will overwhelm you and it will make you immediately want to get a sandwich. In the store it feels very calm, and it is filled with both dull and bright colors. Right under the counter, there is a bright light that heats up the area underneath the counter, which feels great when you come in from a snowy day. It makes you want to sit down and eat a sandwich or take it out with you. I eat at Subway at least once every two weeks, and it never gets repetitive or old. Although the sub I get isn’t complicated at all, it has just enough of everything you would want in a sandwich. I get a footlong ham, cheese, and mayo toasted on italian, which is truly amazing. The cheese is at the perfect stage of melted and the mayo works perfectly with the toasted sandwich. I would recommend Subway to anyone and everyone who feels like eating something amazing. I rate Subway 4/4 stars.

Ashley Anderson English 6 Red 2/2/16

“McDonald’s”

Should you be worried if the chicken you’re eating is real?

No one should have to suffer through the “real food” that McDonald’s has to offer on its menu. Honestly, I do not even think of McDonald’s as a restaurant. I think of as where people stop so their kids can go to the bathroom. It is said that 56% of McDonald’s McNuggets are corn—McGross! There have also been images of pink goop that McDonald’s revealed was in their chicken, and claims that they have made it healthier since the riot in 2010.

Don’t be in a situation where you don’t even know if the food you are eating is real!

Don’t go to McDonalds!

Emily Twitchell 1/29/16 English 6 Blue Swirl Are you in the mood for some sweet, cool, delicious frozen yogurt? If so, I know just where you should go. Swirl, run by Sonny Yi, is located on Cherry Street in New Canaan, Connecticut. Sonny is a very welcoming owner and he knows almost all of his customers. Swirl is open from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.

The clean, spacious, fresh, and bright frozen yogurt place has a very happy and uplifting environment. There is one big room that has many tables, so that everyone can enjoy their tasty snack. For warm days, there is also an option of eating right outside on benches. Just make sure that your dessert does not melt!

Swirl’s frozen yogurt always comes in bright tropical colors! The smell of the frozen yogurt is wonderful and always makes you want to come back for more. Swirl’s frozen yogurt comes in many different flavors and every flavor is delicious! Some flavors are chocolate, vanilla, banana, strawberry, caramel, peach, mango, and many more. Not only does Swirl have terrific flavors but they also have tasty toppings. They have every topping that you can think of from fruit and granola to marshmallow sauce and Reese's peanut butter cups. Another good thing about Swirl is that you get to put the frozen yogurt in the bowl and the toppings on the yogurt yourself! This way you can make sure that your delicious frozen yogurt is exactly how you like it!

I would give Swirl, the amazing frozen yogurt place, five out of five stars. I would give this high of a rating because of Swirl’s tasty frozen yogurt, their kind and friendly employees, and there bright and clean location. You should definitely try a taste of Swirl’s frozen yogurt, so go on down to Swirl!

Adrian Mace 2/8/16 English 6 Red Every time I see the green and white symbol of Starbucks, I beg my father for one sip of their captivating hot chocolate—specifically hot chocolate with whipped cream, kid’s temp, and topped all off with dark chocolate curls. Then I head over to the sidebar to add a touch (a lot) of vanilla, and if I feel like it, a touch (actually) of chocolate. Now I’m going to go a little more into depth about their products (besides hot chocolate).

Starbucks has an endless number of locations (23,043) which, thankfully, makes my hot chocolate very easily accessible. Overall most Starbucks’ have the same general look, wooden, and metal interior and furniture. Actually I take that back, each Starbucks has their own little touch of characteristics reflecting the area it’s in or the area’s history. The furniture is made of wood usually but some parts can be metal.The stores are very well lit and feel quite warm.

The menu contains a never­ending list of coffee­related drinks. Ok, well, we might as well try to cover it. Espresso­Beverages : Flat White, Cappuccino, Caffè Latte, Caffè Americano, Vanilla Latte (mmmm), Skinny Vanilla Latte (???), Caffè Mocha, Espresso, Espresso Macchiato, Caramel Macchiato, White Chocolate Mocha (mmmm), Cinnamon Dolce Latte, Iced Caramel Macchiato, Starbucks Doubleshot and they also offer a make it your own option. And it goes on from there. They offer many Frappuccinos Smoothies, different types of refreshers, as well as some teas and hot chocolate. On the side they also offer treats such as cake pops and brownies.

Not only that, but they also offer bagels at breakfast and cold sandwiches, available to be heated

up, throughout the day. Overall, I love Starbucks, I would give them a 3, because they need to use better ingredients to make their products.

Andrew Wagner 2­11­16 English 6 Green Rio Bravo I was sat down immediately and asked if I would like some fresh guacamole. Of course I said YES! Rio Bravo is the best Mexican restaurant ever! You come into a welcoming hearty place that seat immediately. Even though I don't drink I overheard that they have great house made margarita. They come up to you once you’re seated and make guacamole in front of you. You can go up to a salsa bar to pick homemade fresh salsa! They have a huge selection of tacos, tequilas (my grandparents say), quesadillas and much much more. You have the time of your life in Rio Bravo! You can come in casual and sit at the bar or come in have nice long sit down dinner with friends or family. You have a 4 star service and the staff is extremely nice. I give Rio Bravo a 4 out of 4 stars.

Alden Lineberger 2/25/16 English 6 Red

Have you ever wanted comfort food, but with a mexican twist? Well Rosa Mexicano, located in Lincoln center NYC, has got you covered. They offer quesadillas, fajitas, guacamole and salsa with chips, and so much more. I completely recommend to get the guac and salsa with their homemade chips. When you order it, a waiter or waitress will come over to your table with a cart, full of avocados, tomatoes, and various spices, onions, and peppers. The waitstaff will start mashing everything together with a mortar and pestle, creating the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. The decor is super cool as well. There are small statues of people diving in rows along a waterfall wall next to the stairs leading up to the second floor of seating. I also would recommend the shrimp tacos. The shrimp is always cooked to perfection and the corn tortilla is warm and soft. Rosa Mexicano is always my go to place whenever I’m in New York city, and it should be your too.

Olivia Sproule English 6 Blue 2/26/16 The Juice Bar

The Juice Bar is the most well known ice cream parlor on the island of Nantucket. All of their ice cream is homemade and is absolutely delicious. You can pick from regular homemade ice cream, lowfat, hardpack frozen yogurt, and soft serve.

No matter what time of day there is always a line. Every night I beg my parents to take me there, but sometimes the wait can be more than an hour. The portions are huge, my dad and I could easily share one, but we always get our own so we can try different flavors. My favorite flavor is “Cookie Monster” and my dad loves the Butter Pecan. All the flavors are delicious! The Juice Bar is known for their famous waffle cones/cups. The Juice Bar has other menu options then just ice cream. They also have fruit smoothies. Although I have never tried a smoothie, I hear they are every bit as tasty as the ice cream. The only complaint I have is that the service can be a little slow, and the lines are very disorganized. The price of ice cream seems fair considering that it is Nantucket, and everything is expensive on the island. Waiting in the line is totally worth it. I would give The Juice Bar a 4 ½ out of 5 stars. If you are in Nantucket, then definitely go to the Juice Bar!

Mark Streeter English 6 Red

Do you like perfectly seasoned, red, juicy steaks with the best mac­and­cheese? Then look no further than Outback Steak House in Norwalk. They have the finest facility in the world, it is well lit, and employs the finest staff you will ever meet. My father has celiac disease and can not eat any wheat. The cooks and the manager all talk to him and tell him about how separate the food with wheat is from the food that he will be eating. That is good service. The Victorian steak is one of the finest steaks I’ve ever eaten. It is always cooked to perfection and is seasoned with the finest, most tasteful spices ever seen.They cook it on a wood grill by chefs who have been cooking steaks for years. With the steak comes broccoli that is steamed to perfection with garlic and olive oil. Also with the steak comes a dish so simple, yet so extremely tasty, that even Donald Trump himself would eat it. It is cooked in a crock pot with the finest cheese and the creamiest cream. Overall, I would rate Outback Steakhouse a 4.5 out of 5 for their extraordinary food, excellent location, and supreme service.

Alexandra Agah English 6 Red 2/5/16 Viva Zapata Review

Viva Zapata has amazing mexican cuisine. Viva Zapata is located at ​530 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT, 06880. The plates are heated to perfection, and the margaritas are more than adequate (or so they say). This restaurant is family friendly, and the staff members are sarcastic (in a good humorous way) and hilarious. EVERYTHING on the menu is to die for, and will keep you very satisfied. The guacamole is outstanding, and so is everything else on the menu.

The service is more than satisfactory. If they make a mistake with what you ordered as a drink or food, they will let you keep it and make sure that the dish you ordered is right. Almost all of the staff has been working there for twelve or over years. Everyone of the staff members is always smiling even if they are not in the best mood, which makes everyone around good­ spirited. They will try their best to make sure everything is right even if it the food or just smiling.

The food is amazing! All of the items on the menu look to die for even though you can not eat everything that is on the menu. The cheese enchiladas and the chicken tacos are great for your kids and maybe something like carnitas (pork tacos) is a bit better for you. Even the most plain courses on the menu can be the best, like the side of rice and beans, even the mildest salsa can be perfect for a light snack. The main dishes will fill you up, but you will still be begging for more. The guacamole is simple and not too spicy, so that your whole family can enjoy this

masterpiece. A few years ago, Viva Zapata made the Guacamole with lettuce, and that was not amazing. Now, the Guacamole is made without lettuce. The food is definitely more than sensational.

The drinks are remarkable! For adults, Viva Zapata has more than enough choices to choose from, Margaritas to all different types of beers. For the younger ones, they have all different types of juices, milks, sodas, and more! All of the margaritas are homemade and are served in mason jars, and the kids drinks are put in safe plastic cups, so they will not break. The drinks are significant for all ages.

All of the facilities are clean, and the plates are nicely and neatly put together. Viva Zapata does not only have indoor seating, they have a nice patio for when the weather is scintillating and sunny. In the winter, indoors might be the best and inside on the walls, there are loads of spaghetti western posters. Everything at Viva Zapata is amazing and deserves five stars at the least.

ZAGOTT

Other Reviews

Andrew Gebicki 2/9/16 English 6 RED Super Bowl 50 The 50th anniversary of anything should be very special, whether it is a couple’s 50th anniversary as husband and wife, a great movie’s 50th anniversary, an important person’s 50th anniversary, or anything else that falls under the “50th anniversary” category. The Super Bowl is included in this category, correct? Well, apparently, it is not. A Super Bowl should be filled with excitement and thrills, jaw­dropping moments, tears of joy as well as tears of heartbreak. The only thing that made ​anyone​ who was watching Super Bowl 50 heartbroken was how disappointing this game was. It was very slow­paced and lacked displays of super­human athleticism. There were no catches like Odell Beckham Jr.’s amazing catch against the Green Bay Packers, no passes like Ben Roethlisberger’s perfect pass against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Honestly, Von Miller (who just so happened to be the Super Bowl MVP) was the only player on the field who looked like he wanted to win. Everybody else just kind of flopped. Peyton Manning threw terrible passes, Cam Newton got sacked on multiple occasions, Greg Olsen dropped easy catches, and Andre Caldwell fell by the flick of a finger. The worst part was that 67% of people watching the Super Bowl expected the Panthers to win by a mile. That did not happen. In fact, quite the opposite. The NFC (the division in which the Panthers play) has fantastic teams, much better than AFC teams. The Panthers just played so poorly in the Super Bowl that they were destroyed. All of their hard work... (18­1 coming into the playoffs, plus a big win against the Arizona Cardinals)... vanished. One of the main reasons that the Panthers lost

was because Cam Newton threw too many interceptions and fumbled the ball too many times. It didn’t help that his wide receivers and his tight end couldn’t catch the ball. This Super Bowl was one of the most disappointing Super Bowls in NFL history, made worse because of the high expectations surrounding the hype of the 50th anniversary. Every Super Bowl­watcher in the United States of America wished that Super Bowl 50 would be historic, like Super Bowl III (Jets vs Colts) or interesting to watch, like Super Bowl XXXII (Packers vs Broncos), but, alas, it felt like “just another Super Bowl”. Overall, a boring, slow­paced, badly­played, uneventful, and disappointing Super Bowl. Rating: 2.5/10

Santiago Mejia February 16 2016 English 6 blue

Final Fantasy is a role play science fiction game that will make you laugh, cry, and mostly make you feel like a hero. Final Fantasy is an action packed RPG full of suspense. It will make you sit from the edge of your seat. The setting is in a corrupted world in the future. The graphics are detailed and full of color. There are some scary parts in the game and some scary enemies that will give you goosebumps. Final Fantasy has been making games since 1987 and made more than 100 games in the series. The companies that run it are Nintendo and Square Enix. The game has countless characters with unique attacks. Every character has a dark past.

But even if you never attacked a monster or, ride on a spaceship you can always relate to them.

The story itself is very interesting, it has a lot of twist and emotions. for example a dear friend is a traitor or, you lose a loved one. It can hook anyone who plays the game. once you beat one level I will assure you that you will be jumping up and down with excitement. Even ​if ​you are not a fan of RPG’s or not even a gamer, Final Fantasy is a game for everyone.

Kevin Kuryla 2/25/16 English 6 Yellow Super Bowl 50 This Super Bowl did not live up to its preceding episodes. I would even say that this has been the worst Super Bowl of my life! The preceding Super Bowl, a battle of offenses, was a very enjoyable experience. I despised both of the teams, but it still left me on the tip of my chair. This year, however, was a complete defensive battle. there were 15 punts and six turnovers. Heck, even a defensive player won MVP, although with two forced fumbles and 2 and a half sacks, Von Miller deserved it. The halftime show was awful, no offense to Coldplay. I like them as a band, but you need rock or pop music at a football game. Adding to that, it was a simple performance. Last year, everyone loved Katy Perry, because she made it enjoyable for the eyes, as well as your ears, riding onto the stage on a giant metal lion. Also, they brought Bruno Mars back to do a song even though he had done the Super Bowl with Eminem during Super Bowl 48.

That was a big mistake on the planning part. The commercials were the most disappointing, though. They are the fourth most important part of the super bowl, following the game, the halftime show, and the snacks. The only good ones were the Doritos commercial with the ultrasonic, and the State Farm poppin’ dimes. I give this Super Bowl a 1.5 rating instead of a 0 because it ​still is​ the Super Bowl and because Peyton Manning won the Super Bowl during his last season.

Kavya Krishnamurthy English 6 Blue

S’well is Swell!

S’well water bottles are more than just “swell.” They are amazing. ​S'well is a company that​ makes water bottles. ​S'well is a charity as well. S'well works with more than 100 countries all over the world to improve access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. S'well water bottles are designed to keep their contents cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 and they really work.

When I first got my S'well bottle, I was skeptical about how good the quality of it was. It turned to be amazing. The bottle itself is made out of stainless steel so when you drink from it, there is no metallic taste to your beverage. It is also insulated to ensure that the temperature of your drink stays the same for up to 12 hours or 24 if your drink is cold. They are very cute and fashionable and come in different colors and sizes, so they are perfect for anyone. Although they may be on the expensive side for a water bottle, S’well water bottles are worth every penny you spend. They are unlike any other water bottles I have ever seen because they look good and work well at the same time. Most good quality water bottles (and all things in general) are ugly, like the kind your mom picks out for you. The pretty ones usually last about a month or two. But these water bottles, last long, are good quality and pretty at the same time.

These bottles are eco­friendly, fashionable, good quality, and almost magical. So if you are looking for a perfect water bottle, S'well will suit you and anyone else (unless you are looking for a bad quality bottle), because you never lose with a S’well.

Alex Pardo English 6 Red

“Cherub: The Recruit” by Robert Muchamore ​**** “Cherub ­­ The Recruit” is the first in a series of eleven action packed books written by Robert Muchamore. Cherub is the name of a secret spy organization located in London. Cherub agents are all under the age of 18. All of the kids that work at Cherub have huge expectations set on them by their teachers, room organizers and their peers. James Adams, the story’s main character, is like all cherub agents, an orphan. He has a younger sister named Lauren, who is also a cherub agent. James is a very intelligent 12 year year old who advances in mathematics and can also get himself into quite the amount of trouble because of his temper.

As the story opens James is in a small classroom in the public school. He is once again forced to sit next to a group of girls who are constantly insulting him and teasing him about his mother’s weight. After one of the girls insults his mother again, his reacts and gives us our first look at his strength and short temper. He lunges forward with such force that the girl is knocked out of her chair and then james throws her forcefully into a wall with a nail sticking out. James comes home from this awful day at school to find his step dad drinking with his obese mother.

James tries to remind his mother that she is not aloud to drink while she is on her medications.

After over an hour of drinking James comes down to find his mother dead and his sister frozen in shock. After being sent to an orphanage, James is then recruited by the only possible organization that can physically and mentally better him and can also give him a much better shot at life. After James is recruited he is sent off to a grueling boot camp for 100 days. He then

sets out on his first action and romance packed mission ­­ to infiltrate a group of terrorists and thwart an attack.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. “Cherub: The Recruit” definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. The book not only has tons of action but it also has romance and thrill to it which makes it all that much better. I love reading in this particular third person format because it makes me feel much more connected with the all of the characters. I would definitely give this book a four out of four star rating because of its great action, style of writing, and relatable characters.

Kyle Haas English 6 Blue 2/8/16 “Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library”

Last year, I read the book ​Mr. Lemoncello’s Library ​written by Chris Grabenstein and I never put it down. Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is a story about a normal boy named Kyle Keeley who loves playing Mr. Lemoncello’s (the board game maker’s) games. One day, Kyle’s smart friend named Miguel tells him that there was an extra credit contest to meet Mr. Lemoncello.

Kyle scrambles around to write a terrible letter. Somehow, he is one of the winners and he is invited to an overnight at the new library with Mr. Lemoncello. In the library Mr. Lemoncello announces a contest to be in one of his commercials. In this book, Kyle must dodge multiple bullets to try to win this reward. This is a great book because it shows how hard you need to work to win something as big as this. I like this book because it leaves you on many cliff hangers and the characters are very interesting. I would rate this book a 9 out of 10 and the sequel is great too! I promise you will like this book, and will never want to put it down, just as I did. You should definitely read Mr. Lemoncello's Library for these many reasons.

Anaya Agard English 6 Red Cracker Barrel Food and shopping in the same place…. WHAT COULD BE BETTER! Cracker Barrel is a country style restaurant with an old country store in it. Most adults don’t like the store because it is PERFECT for children. There is so much candy and so many toys to choose from. The store part of Cracker Barrel is great and all but the food is ding dang diddly! Cracker Barrel serves breakfast, lunch and dinner but they are most famous for their breakfast. They have Amazingly fluffy pancakes, perfect eggs and crispy bacon. Instead of have their syrup in a big jug like most restaurants, they put their syrup in little bottles that are warmed up so the syrup is nice and warm.

I think this is more sanitary than syrup in a jug. Their service is good as well. Sometimes you’ll have to wait a little bit but trust me, it’s worth the wait. When you’re all done and ready to pay you don’t have to wait for them to give you the check. You go right up the the counter and pay there. I think this is better because you have more time to shop. The next time you decide to have a nice filling meal and have lots of fun shopping, come to Cracker Barrel.

Allie Farber 2/18/16 English 6 Green White Noise, by the band Pvris, is truly a musical masterpiece in my eyes. The tune, released in 2014, has an amazing feel to it overall. Although the message behind the lyrics can be found a little depressing, I hardly think that is something to ​consider​ criticizing. The, what some would describe as ​peculiar ​opening to the song, is what held my attention in the first place, I found it intriguing . The electric sound was so interesting to me, it went against almost every single song on the radio. There is ​nothing​ that sounds like this song on Billboard or any other radio or music chart, and that’s why I like it so much. Perhaps one of the best things of this song is the chorus. The way that Lyndsey Gunnulfsen (the lead singer) hits the notes gives me chills probably every single time I hear it. Not only do I hear the lyrics, she has a way of singing them that I ​feel ​them too. After I hear the way she sings the chorus I want to sing along, the tune and the feeling of the song makes you want to sing, dance and do anything. The fact that a ​single song can leave you feeling like that leaves me mistified. Another part of this song that I enjoy every single time I listen is the bridge. “​Sick of the lack of signal. Sick of the lack of touch. Sick of the static voice. It's not enough, it's not enough. Baby it's hard to be just what you need when all I speak is static screams. Can you hear me?” ​These lines let alone the way she sings them make me think when I hear them. Why did the band write them, heartbreak? or something more.

The mysterious and almost gloomy tone and mood that Lyndsey gives these lyrics fuels it. With the constant electric sound backing her up, and her pretty much singing her heart out to those lyrics, the bridge is perfect. Something else that I noticed was the ending, although many artists

choose to fade out like Pvris did, they made what they did their own and it worked. The ending, consisted of the bridge lyrics fading out until ​“When all I speak is static screams” ​leaves the listener exactly where every artist wants them. It gives the audience a want for more, (because the song was so good) yet a sense of closure. So, if you ever need an amazing song to listen to I 100% recommend White Noise by Pvris.

Emma Fellows 2/10/16 English 6 Purple

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty Review

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty is a great toy but there are some dos and don’ts you should learn about to use it. It is a great object to use for stressed out people and to just squish when you’re angry. Although a very fun toy, it should not be given to kids younger than six. This toy, although amazing can get into fabric. If your silly putty ends up falling on the floor, it can get dust and hairs in it. It is a messy toy that can get flung around if not used in the correct ways. If you stretch it really far it can snap and be so thin that you can’t find it. But Thinking Putty is really fun. You can do multiple activities with it. You can stretch it, you can bounce it, you can tear it, you can squeeze it and the most fun in my opinion, is you can stretch it out into a flat shape, then you put the sides together capturing air inside the silly putty. Then, when you are done catching all the air you can stretch it into a little ball and you can snap it. Make sure when you are buying Thinking Putty that you buy the right size. I bought a size that was too big for my hands so I had to snap it in two. They sell Thinking Putty in many different containers. The largest container is what I have. They sell them in medium and small and a lot more. If you have chosen to get Thinking Putty, I say have fun with it and do whatever you want and don’t worry about getting it into a little bit of fabric. This is a love hate relationship.

Liv Jennings 2/9/16 English 6 Red Super Bowl 50 I think Super Bowl 50 could’ve been much better. Cam Newton was having an off day; that’s the only reason the Bronco’s won. When Cam Newton decided to not jump on the ball in the last quarter when the Broncos were winning by 6 points because he didn’t want to get “hurt,” I knew something was up. When Cam walked onto the field, he looked like he was about to fall asleep. I will give credit to Denver’s defense, but if Cam was having a good day the Panthers would’ve killed the Broncos. Denver’s defense was good, but Talib with three penalties?

Basically, I’m saying the Panthers defense was awesome considering how Cam Newton played.

Cam Newton got sacked 6 times and fumbled the ball 3 times. Anyone can tell Cam wasn’t having a good day but some people won’t admit it. I’m a Patriots fan and even though it’s hard to admit but the Panthers would’ve beaten the Patriots or the Broncos and could probably beat the whole league any day, any time. Panthers were the best in the league even with them losing the Super Bowl they’re still #1.

Jake Farber English 6 Blue

Have you ever wondered about what a microwave oven does to heat up your food? Microwave ovens use radio waves at a specifically set frequency to agitate water molecules in food. As these water molecules get increasingly agitated they begin to vibrate at the atomic level and generate heat. This heat is what actually cooks food in the oven. Microwave ovens save a lot of people money. But there are problems to this method. Microwave ovens destroy your food and take all the nutrients out of it. The radiation that microwave ovens give off are dangerous to humans. The food that comes out of the microwave changes your blood.

Most people think microwave ovens aren’t really dangerous, but they are. Microwave ovens zap all the nutrients out of your food, meaning if you cook your dinner in the microwave you aren’t getting most of the nutrition in the food. Also, too much radiation from a microwave can be dangerous. Side effects could include impaired cognition, nausea, vision problems, depression and irritability, weakened immune system, headaches, dizziness, insomnia and/or sleep disturbances, frequent urination, and extreme thirst. Food from a microwave can also change your blood but not in a good way. These changes are changes that can cause deterioration in the human system, meaning your body gets worse and worse until something like your lungs or an important organ fails and you die. But the changes in your blood may not affect you that much.

Microwaves are not very good for you. Microwave ovens destroy your food and take all the nutrients out of it and the radiation that microwave ovens give off is dangerous to humans.

The food that comes out of the microwave can also change your blood. In addition, they heat unevenly. This can create unpleasant hot and cold spots in your food. Finally, they don’t brown things. Few foods get nice and crispy in the microwave, because they don’t get hot enough.

They make food dry, mushy, and tasteless. If you don’t want your blood to change, don’t use microwaves.

Julian Brawn English 6 Blue 2/9/16

This review is on the video game “Star Wars Battlefront 3” (the most recent release in the series). Battlefront is made by Electronic Arts and DICE. It also drew crowds near its release due to the then­upcoming ​Star Wars Episode VII​. A lot of Battlefront fans were disappointed when they found out that there would be no ​Force Awakens​ content in Battlefront. As EA developers said, “We don’t want any spoilers for the movie.” The graphics in Battlefront are excellent; however, the gameplay is slow compared to other shooters like Halo or Call of Duty, so I do not recommend playing either of those games after Battlefront. Battlefront also includes many exciting modes such as Walker Assault, Turning Point, and Supremacy. While these two include the biggest maps in the game, there are many small map modes such as Cargo (Capture the Flag), Heroes vs. Villains, Fighter Squadron where you get to play as a ship and once your team gets 200 kills that team wins, and many more. My favorite modes are Supremacy, Fighter Squadron, and Heroes vs. Villains. For people who like slow paced shooters, I give this game a 5/5 in gameplay, but for people who like fast paced ones this game is still a 4/5 game with gameplay. If we are talking about the content, I feel that it is still fun with the original trilogy it could use fun DLC’s (Downloadable Content) like the Clone Wars ones in previous games so I would give it a 3/5 in content. The overall game as a whole still deserves 4/5 for the full game including content that I have already covered in this review.