LE BILINGUE Ecole Jeannine Manuel Paris’ student newspaper
November 2021 cover art: Thomas S.
Letter from the editors Dear readers, With the pandemic slowly loosening its grip on our world, it seems that life – both inside and outside school – is returning to a semblance of normalcy. A lucky consequence is that club meetings can finally be held regularly and in person, unlike last year. Interest in joining clubs has also returned, bringing many new members along with their creativity, enthusiasm and fresh ideas to the Press Club. As we return from the Toussaint break, the school year is definitely in full swing. There’s always that upcoming deadline, test or assignment, all clamoring for our time and attention. But in the midst of all this noise and work, we hope that you can take a few minutes of your day to enjoy this newest issue of Le Bilingue, the first of this school year. It features articles about school news – including the Chinese poetry competition that took place last year, here at École Jeannine Manuel – and student life. This issue also includes a dose of history, but as always with an original twist: you can read up about punk in the GDR or about the origins of Halloween and how it turned into a commercial event. If you feel like venturing out into the crisp fall air, we’ve compiled a list of activities to check out in Paris, or if the past year and a half have made you fall in love with your couch, you can take a pick from one of our movie recommendations or learn about alternative platforms to Netflix. And lastly, perpetuating a tradition we began last year, we’ve peppered a few quotes and poems throughout the issue, which will hopefully provide you with food for thought. As always, we greatly appreciate your feedback, suggestions and any work you would like to submit, so please do not hesitate to contact us using the information on the back cover. If you are a student in 3eme or Lycee, you are also welcome to drop by our meetings on Wednesdays at noon in Art-H. And on that note, on behalf of our ever-growing team of student journalists, we hope that you will enjoy this newest edition of Le Bilingue! Sincerely, The editorial team of Le Bilingue
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Table of contents Autumn in Paris........................................................p. 3 Bons Plans d’Automne pour les Etudiants................p. 5-6 Recitations de Poemes en Chinois..............................p. 8 What is Inktober?.....................................................p. 9 The Origins of Halloween........................................p. 10 Why Do We Like Different Things?.....................p. 11 - 12 Student poem: “Realite Fictive”................................p. 12 Ostpunks: the Rebels of the GDR..............................p. 13 Student Art.............................................................p. 14 High Quality Alternatives to Netflix.....................p. 15 - 16 Why do Adults Play Teens in Movies?..................p. 17 - 18 Squid Game: a Commentary on Human Greed......p.19 - 20 Movies to watch or rewatch.................................p. 21 - 22
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Autumn in Paris - Yiran S.
The late afternoon brings a few rays of watery sunlight, too weak to warm the people that swarm around the Eiffel Tower. Summer is long past, the tourist season with it, but families bundled in coats or jackets still occupy the long stretch of grass that has faded to brown. Plane trees shaved into rectangular shapes are shedding their leaves—piles of them have gathered around the patchy trunks. A few trees are touched by red and bright yellow, although most turn brown or remain green.
Autumn, the trees say, rustling in the breeze. The sky is a smooth blue; a few clouds drift about, pushed by a wind that also stirs the heaped leaves, sending them skittering across the gray pavement. The air is fresh, though not crisp.
Autumn, the wind calls, sweeping up dried leaves that lay on the grass. The sun is already sinking, retiring for the night. Daylight is dwindling as the seasons meld together, summer giving way to winter.
Autumn, the very earth whispers, as days grow shorter and warm months draw to a close. The Seine glitters white and gold, the water itself a dark blue-green. Gulls swoop over the surface, heading seaward. Sparrows hidden between beech branches sing to the shortening days and falling temperature.
Autumn, the birds sing, their sweet voices greeting fiery scenery and cold weather. Soon, Paris' rainy season will begin. The people of Paris don coats, anticipating the frost that will soon come with their breaths. A hushed silence settles over the capital.
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Autumn, the people think, eyes sweeping over the cityscape that the season highlights with gold and orange. Autumn; Paris embraces it with open arms.
poem of the issue
Chant d’automne Charles Baudelaire
Bientôt nous plongerons dans les froides ténèbres ; Adieu, vive clarté de nos étés trop courts ! J’entends déjà tomber avec des chocs funèbres Le bois retentissant sur le pavé des cours. Tout l’hiver va rentrer dans mon être : colère, Haine, frissons, horreur, labeur dur et forcé, Et, comme le soleil dans son enfer polaire, Mon coeur ne sera plus qu’un bloc rouge et glacé. J’écoute en frémissant chaque bûche qui tombe ; L’échafaud qu’on bâtit n’a pas d’écho plus sourd. Mon esprit est pareil à la tour qui succombe Sous les coups du bélier infatigable et lourd. Il me semble, bercé par ce choc monotone, Qu’on cloue en grande hâte un cercueil quelque part. Pour qui ? – C’était hier l’été ; voici l’automne ! Ce bruit mystérieux sonne comme un départ.
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Les Bons Plans d’Automne pour les Etudiants - Victoria K. Les vacances sont finies. Mais ne vous inquiétez pas: vous pouvez les prolonger grâce à ces bons plans d’automne. Que ce soit une expo d’art, une adresse restaurant ou un magasin de mode, ils sont tous à moins de 15 euros ( ou même gratuits ) et donc parfait pour les étudiants. Paris est magique avec les feuilles rougeâtres qui tombent et ses couleurs automnales. La ville des amoureux est pleine d’endroits incontournables et d’offres temporaires en cette saison d’automne. Venez les découvrir avec moi !
La mode.“Sneaker Generation”: Galerie Sakura. Exposition gratuite Je fais appel à tous les fans de sneakers: venez visiter l’exposition “Sneaker Generation” à la Galerie Sakura dans le 4ème arrondissement de Paris. Il s’agit de la plus grande exposition de sneakers custom avec des centaines de modèles uniques. 400 artistes du monde entier sont venus customiser l’Air Jordan 1 Mid triple white en apportant tous leur propre touche personnelle. Venez, même si vous vous êtes déjà procurés votre paire de basket, vous pouvez tout simplement les admirez en ne dépensant aucune pièce. Situé 21 rue de Bourg-Tibourg, l’expo va certainement attirer un grand nombre de jeunes étant donné que la “sneaker culture”est devenue très populaire ces dernières années chez la nouvelle génération. Mais attention, “Sneaker Generation” ne dure que jusqu’au 14 novembre. Donc dépêchez-vous pour ne pas la manquer!
(https://www.galerie-sakura.com/expo/sneakers-generation)
La gastronomie. Festival TheFork
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Le festival TheFork propose près de 300 restaurants parisiens à moitié prix. C’est une véritable opportunité de découvrir différentes cuisines tout en restant dans un budget ! La variété est grandissime: Forno Gusto dans le 16e pour déguster la cuisine italienne; si vous avez envie de manger thaï, 5 Baht est l’endroit où aller; la Crêperie l’Hermine dans le 11e pour assouvir une envie de crêpe ou le restaurant japonais Shika et des centaines d’autres. Téléchargez l’appli TheFork et choisissez vos adresses pour profiter d’une réduction de -50% jusqu’au 28 novembre. (https://www.theforkmanager.com)
La Science. “Destination Cosmos” “Destination Cosmos” est une exposition incontournable à l’Atelier des Lumieres, 38, rue SaintMaur. Réalisé par Culturespace en collaboration avec le Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), l’expo est ouverte jusqu’au 20 novembre. Réservez votre place en ligne pour cette expérience nocturne, de 18h30 à 22h00, sans horaires de séance (c’est à 12 euro pour les moins de 18 ans). Immergez-vous dans la lumière des projecteurs et la musique, et embarquez pour un voyage spatial sensationnel.
(https://www.atelier-lumieres.com/fr/destination-cosmos)
La Culture. La Collection Morozov, Icones de L’art Moderne
(wikimedia.commons.com)
Vous souhaitez économiser du temps ? Vous avez envie d’apprendre ? Vous voulez voir les tableaux des artistes les plus célèbres du monde tous réunis au même endroit, au même moment ? Voici la solution parfaite pour vous. L’exposition Morozov à la Fondation Louis Vuitton rassemble l’immense collection de plus de 200 chefs d'œuvres du mécène russe Ivan Morozov. Des tableaux d’Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, Mikhail Vrubel, Edvard Munch, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Édouard Manet, Claude Monet , Camille Pissarro, Auguste Rodin, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec et beaucoup plus sont réunis sous un seul toit: pas besoin de chercher plus loin. Le tarif pour les moins de 18 ans est de 6,70 euros.
(photos by Victoria K.)
Parfois, les meilleures activités sont gratuites. Situé au cœur de Paris, le Centre Pompidou est un centre culturel d’art moderne qui offre depuis son belvédère une vue panoramique des sites historiques les plus connus: de la Cathédrale de Notre Dame jusqu’à la Basilique du Sacré Cœur. C’est une véritable occasion de contempler la beauté automnale de notre ville. La vue sur Paris est “priceless”!
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“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” - Lauren Destefano
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Recitations de Poemes en Chinois - Jade J.
(photo: Jade J.)
stitue un élément très important dans la récitation des poèmes chinois), et leur fluidité. Au grand plaisir des organisateurs, des professeurs et des parents assistant à la compétition, tous les élèves ont montré par leurs récitations un effort et une motivation remarquables.
Poetry by Heart, c’est un concept familier, du moins pour tous les élèves de lycée. Il s’agit d’une compétition de récitation de poésie anglophone où les élèves récitent devant un jury un poème de leur choix. Et si ce concept était repris avec les poèmes chinois? Voici justement l’activité animée par le Club Chinois en juin dernier. Le 23 juin 2021 eut lieu une compétition de récitation de poésie animée par le Club Chinois de l’école. Puisque la poésie traditionnelle constitue un élément fondamental de la culture chinoise, les membres du club ont décidé d’organiser cet événement pour inviter leurs camarades à se rapprocher et à approfondir leurs connaissances sur la véritable culture chinoise. Cette activité célèbre également la fête du dragon - la fête en juin qui honore le décès du célèbre poète Qu Yuan.
La compétition s’est déroulée de la manière suivante: chaque participant montait sur scène pour réciter un poème traditionnel de son choix, et après la récitation, ils expliquaient en quelques mots la signification du poème et justifiaient leur choix. Durant leur performance, les jurys leur attribuaient des points selon la qualité de leur prononciation, leur tonalité (surtout l’émotion transmise par leur voix qui con-
(photo: Jade J.)
L'événement, auquel 6 élèves motivés de collège et de primaire ont participé, a été animé par la fondatrice Jade J. aidée par sa co-fondatrice Lucie A. La professeure de chinois des primaires, Mme Truel, ainsi que la professeure du lycée Mme Rousseau ont gentiment accepté d’être les jurys.
À la fin des récitations, un premier prix, deux deuxième prix, ainsi que trois troisième prix ont été remis aux élèves. Le premier prix a été décerné à Elisa P., à présent en 4ème, pour sa brillante récitation pleine d’émotion de 草 (L’Herbe) de Bai Juyi. Les deuxième prix ont été décernés à Samuel Z. pour sa récitation de ”望月怀远“ (La nostalgie sous la contemplation de la lune) de Zhang Jiuyi et à Amélie D. qui a impressionné les juges en expliquant la signification de son poème, 游子吟 (Le chant du fils voyageur), entièrement en chinois. Finalement, les troisième prix sont remportés par Julia J. L., Pierre L. et Laura D.. Mais les prix étaient loin d’être l’essentiel de l’activité: comme l'affirment les organisatrices, cet événement était destiné à aider les élèves à approfondir leurs connaissances de la culture chinoise et à trouver davantage de plaisir dans l’apprentissage du chinois.
Il est prévu de renouveler l’activité en mai prochain. Si vous êtes intéressé par la langue chinoise, si vous souhaitez entrer dans le cœur de cette culture, n’hésitez pas à vous lancer dans cette compétition! Elle sera sans doute une expérience unique et inoubliable.
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What is Inktober? - Auxane B. Have you ever seen some drawings on social more confident about your art! media with the hashtags #inktober or #inkto- Although Inktober is over, you can still check ber2021 and wondered what it was? out the website inktober.com and look at the prompts from past years if you ever want to Jake Parker invented Inktober in 2009 with the start a drawing based on a prompt. So get your goal of using it as a means to improve his draw- pens, ink, or whatever material you want and ing skills. Through the use of prompts, partic- start creating! ipants are required to produce one drawing per day, to get into a routine of artistic expres- Below is an example that I made from this sion. Today, the popularity of this challenge year’s prompts. Drawing 1 used the prompt has grown, and takes place every year from ‘spirit’, drawing 2 ‘fan’, and 3 ‘watch’. Recurring the 1st to the 31st of October, with artists from themes of mine were the three characters that I all around the world taking a moment of their invented, a pigeon, a calamar and a chameleon. day to create a drawing based on the assigned prompt. Other than the list posted on the official Inktober website (inktober.com), many other prompts have been invented, based on different themes, book characters, movies, etc... Inktober takes place during the whole month of October, but for people who want to take the challenge further, Inktober 52 has been invented. This challenge consists in doing one drawing per week throughout the whole year. Of course, even if Inktober is seen as a challenge with artists encouraged to post their art on social media with the hashtag #inktober, you are not pressured at all to post it or do it every single day of the month, or even to use ink as the media. Inktober is just an excuse to challenge yourself to create a healthy drawing habit and improve your art skills, all to feel
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The Origins of Halloween and how it Became a Commercial Event - Anna H.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the anticipated spending for Halloween 2021 in the United States will be $10.1 billion. To give you an idea of what this represents, it is more than the GDP of the Maldives. But how did Halloween become such an important event?
Christianity had spread to Celtic lands, blending with, and later surpassing, the Celtic festivals. From this holiday comes the name Halloween or All Hallows’ eve, the evening before All Saints Day.
Halloween In the United States:
(unsplash.com)
In the colonies, Halloween wasn’t celebrated much because of the strict protestant beliefs in place. It was not until the Irish potato famine in the late 19th century, which led to the arrival of millions of Irish immigrants, that Halloween began to transform into the event we know it to be. By the 1950s, the practice of trick or treating was already a major commercial event and Halloween had lost most of its religious and superstitious meaning. Today, Halloween is the second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
A short history of Halloween :
(pexels.com)
Though different tales are told as to exactly how Halloween became the celebration we all know, most agree that the roots of the current practices come from a Celtic festival called Samhain. It celebrated their new year - which started the next day - and the transition from the end of the harvest season to the beginning of winter. During this festival, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead were said to be blurred, allowing ghosts to return to earth. The Celts believed that the world of the gods became visible to mortals during Samhain and the gods were said Side note: to play tricks on their worshipers. From this festival we inherit many of the most appreciated customs of Another custom which is quite similar to Halloween Halloween such as trick or treating, and dressing up. is el Día de Muertos , the day of the dead in Spanish, which occurs at the same time of year in Mexico. By 43 AD, when the majority of Celtic territories were However, el dia de los muertos is not an adaptation of invaded by the Roman Empire, the Roman festival Halloween as some may be tempted to believe. Indeed, of Feralia, which commemorated the passing of the the origins of the festival come from prehispanic dead, as well as the festival honoring Pomona, goddess traditions and it is nowadays one of the most important of fruits and trees, were incorporated into Samhain. celebrations in Mexico. Whilst it is true that nowadays it is quite linked to Christian holidays, it has a very The Christian holiday of All Saints Day - or All different perspective from Halloween on the role of Hallows’ Day - was first created May 13, 609 AD as the dead. The greatest difference is that during el Día “all martyrs day” but later moved to November 1 and de Muertos the dead are not feared but welcomed into made to include all saints as well. By the 9th century, the homes of their families.
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Why do we Like Different Things? - Karina G. It can sometimes be hard to understand why one might be so enthusiastic about a subject you take no interest in whatsoever. After all, no one enjoys the exact same things, or likes the exact same subject for the exact same reasons. But what truly differentiates people when discussing their passions? What makes each view on subjects unique from one another?
Different context, different mindset
“There is a ‘wow’ effect on me”
The first element in attempting to understand why taste varies greatly is exposure, hinting towards the significance of life experiences in understanding the world. In that sense, the culture and environment in which one lives shapes their take on life. A social mechanism is at play: interactions and given insights contribute to the way people interpret and tackle situations, whether it be deciding which outfit they like best or whether to launch a new business. Even more so, with global and personal context constantly evolving, so do our preferences. This further explains why rather than being a definite, fixed notion, taste is more of an unfolding process; one would not view the world in the same way at 10 and at 30. Age accompanies a progression in terms of preferences, with more knowledge and memories gained throughout Biology was first discussed, revealing some riveting the years. If you desperately wanted to become a singresponses: “I’m more the person who likes to underer when you were five, you might have since diverged stand how things work”, states our interviewee. “Profrom that dream. viding concrete explanations” to “deep and complex questions” by zooming into molecular levels, is for On a more scientific note, levels of dopamine released them a compelling aim and purpose. They also evoke when doing an activity that you enjoy do explain the a feeling of joyous “revelations” possible in biology, dissimilarities between people’s interests and pasaccompanying a profound understanding of a cersions. This hormone responsible for a feeling of joy tain notion. “There’s still so much to learn about, even and of satisfaction is not produced the same way for more so than in physics or in chemistry. I’m always all, revealing the varying nature of sources of pleasure excited to go in the classroom, and feel more alert for all people. and enthralled by whatever goes on in biology class than in any other subject.” They further evoke a “wow factor” present in those studies, an effect that lacks in Subject preferences: interview with 3 students other disciplines. In order to better understand what differentiates us when discussing our interests, two questions were asked to students passionate about diverse subjects: what do you like about your favorite subject? What does it bring to you that other ones might not? A math, a biology and a literature lover were thus interviewed.
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A math enthusiast was then asked the same two questions. Referring to the “satisfying 100% certainty” which math can provide, its logical and “simply elegant” aspect was discussed. The notion of concrete “right and wrong” can here be evoked; finding the solution to a problem by applying known methods
can be “gratifying and simply enjoyable”. “There is no possibility of error in maths, and that is so powerful.”
traordinary, imaginative escape from reality is only achievable through theatre or cinema. “Losing yourself ” to an imaginary world created by authors and directors is thus a “magical experience”. The creative aspect of literature was also put forth: “Possibilities are endless. I feel complete self-control and liberty when I write - I am free to do whatever I like and express unique emotions and feelings.”
Without a single mention of the others’ response, a different one was given by each of the interviewees, who each experience that feeling of self-contentment differently. It is truly insane to think of how rich with fascinating mindsets our world is, how diverse A powerful contrast with literary-inclined students’ personalities and interests can be. Why do we think response can here be noticed. Rather than attempt- differently? The complex and unique psychology of ing to understand things without ambiguity, our third mankind has yet to be explained, and there is still no interviewee prefers “responses that make me quiver golden rule to elucidate its secrets. In the end, only with excitement or that give me food for thought to one thing is certain: whether you excel in maths or in ones that simply give you a direct, clear answer.” “I’m writing, you are bound to have different takes on life, a big dreamer,” they say, asserting that having an ex- and maybe even on its purpose
Student poem Realité Fictive - Nathan D.
Sa chemise rouge teint les pavés ordonnés, Sa jupe blanche à fleurs embellit la nuit tombée, Des cris déchirants percent le silence ténébreux, Une femme gît auprès de son amant malheureux. Ils déambulaient, l’un et l’autre, innocemment, Elle se pensait hors d’atteinte d’un monde inquiétant. Son ancien époux n’eut pas de mal à l’abattre, Sa jalousie remplit la rue d’un bain rougeâtre. Un cortège entoure le cadavre et son aimé Les lumières s’amassent, l’affreuse nouvelle se répand La foule est horrifiée, tourmentée, atterrée, Le désordre est ministre, le chaos est régent Soudain, une ovation, et quelqu’un crie « Coupez ! » Le bruit s’apaise, tout comme les félicitations, C’est l’heure du silence, fini les acclamations. « Tout le monde est prêt ? Ça tourne. 3,2,1, action ! »
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Ostpunks: the Rebels of the GDR - Melody Z. The Punk movement was born around 1976 with bands like the Sex Pistols and the Clash in the United Kingdom or The Ramones and The Runaways in the United States. Thanks to radio, this sound was able to spread across the Western world and teens and young adults were quick to adopt the DIY aesthetic and rebellious themes the songs promoted.
fellow punk enthusiasts. Some cracked which caused distrust and suspicion within the community. Some punks were imprisoned for minor offenses; the government was strongly intent on finding and squashing anything vaguely resembling western culture as it threatened the socialist regime.
In 1945, the Allies of the Second World War divided the surrendered Germany between them. Four years later, in 1949, the Soviet Union oversaw the creation of the German Democratic Republic in East Germany. With this new state came new rules and restrictions: the Ministry for State Security, known as the Stasi, was such a repressive force and had such an impressive covert network that the population was under constant threat of observation or interrogation for any small step out of line. Despite this, life was meant to be easy As much as the Stasi believed that Ostpunks were and everyone was expected to follow a path preset for spreading a rebellious, western, capitalist way of life, them but this didn’t suit everyone. there were actually a few differences between the Eastern and Western interpretation of Punk. Through It wasn’t before 1981 that a solid punk scene was es- their style and music, West-punks fought against sotablished in East Germany thanks to careful com- cial and artistic norms, and while this resonated with munication with the West. Christian Lorenz, former the Ostpunks, they didn’t relate to the “No Future” ismember of the band Feeling-B, explains that some sue. “No Future” is a motto that was often used in the parts of the GDR could tune in to a BBC radio show western punk community, it symbolized the lack of that regularly broadcasted punk music. Enthusiasts security, certainty and help available to young people met up and formed bands, creating sounds with any- who wanted to succeed at something in society. The thing they could get their hands on. They obviously Ostpunks had the opposite problem, their future was had to dress the part, so dyed and spiked hair, pierc- laid out for them, they had no choice, no options, no ings and bold makeup started to pop up on the streets freedom. Their motto became “Too Much Future”. alongside torn, resewn and decorated clothes. People started recording pieces and writing articles to send to After the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the Ostpunk friends in the West, and some bands even succeeded movement died down. Although they had, to some in crossing the Iron Curtain to perform in the West to extent, hoped for a new East Germany, free from the a more apt audience. These people came to be called GDR, they hadn’t expected to be sucked into West the Ostpunks (East-punks). Germany and obliged to conform to their capitalist system. Some were happy with this outcome and Unfortunately, the government grew wary of the started new lives, making their own choices away youngsters' imitation of the West and the Stasi made from the constant, looming threat of the Stasi; some, quick work of gathering as much information as pos- with nothing to fight for or against, were left to find a sible on the burgeoning movement. The Stasi created new path without directions. The punk movement in a file for most Ostpunks—about 900 total—contain- the GDR was a critical part of a lot of young people’s ing their various infractions and suspicious activities, lives during the last decades of the Cold War and, alregularly bringing them in for interrogation, asking, though often disregarded, it may have played a role in bribing or threatening them for information on their the reunification of Germany.
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Student Art
These artworks are based on personal dreaming experiences which have intrigued me since my childhood. In fact, doing a little research, I learned that the science of dreams has been scarcely explored and only few experiments have been carried out on individuals. However, these investigations still do not answer the main question which numerous psychologists ask themselves: “Why do we dream ?” Since I am unable to pursue the investigations due to my lack of knowledge and tools, I decided to record all my dreams and then analyze them. Hence, these artworks are inspired by experiences in a dream state which helped me to produce them. I use a specific software which is based on acrylic pouring methods. This program allows me to create various pieces of work with a hypnagogic dimension without using specific materials. - Thomas S.
High Quality Alternatives to Netflix - Nikolai T.
As subscription-based services assert dominance over the entertainment sectors, one should choose wisely which platforms to invest money and trust in.
(unsplash.com)
My generation, born after 2000, has seen many processes of consumption change. Buying albums on CDs has been substituted by buying single songs on iTunes, and then by paying 9.99$/month for access to all music available. Buying books to learn the practice of meditation was changed into an annual 69.99$ payment to Headspace. Apple today is even offering to create an internet without ads that people will have to subscribe to and pay annual payments for. Even driving cars became a shared subscription-based service. The industry that perhaps has been transformed the most is the film industry.
the present, MUBI constantly supports new films being made and promotes them on their platform. Having watched over a hundred films and interviews on both platforms, I will try to explain what makes them so great and unique over “cash-money” competitors such as Netflix.
Quality “Quantity over quality” – said a fool. The first question that one must ask themself when choosing a streaming platform is what outcomes are you hoping for? If you’re looking for quality films selected for you by professional teams of filmmakers, MUBI and Criterion are for you.
Everyday MUBI team selects the “Film of the Day”, that relates to previous films in the chain. MUBI promotes independent filmmaking, including films from all different countries and has created subtitles for every film in at least 10 languages. This gives members a multicultural view of cinema, especially when compared to platforms like Netflix, where most featured films are of Hollywood origin and have subtitles in three or four languages. Moreover, nearly every Most of us are loyal Netflix users, paying up to 17.99$/ film on MUBI has been recognized by several festivals month for that family 4k HD subscription. However, outside of Cannes: Berlin, Sundance and Venice film Annette, an Amazon Prime produced film which won festivals prize winners are all there. le prix de la mise en scène this year at the Cannes Film Festivals, has shown us that Netflix is facing compet- As for the Criterion Channel, let’s just take an example itors in its field, and perhaps we should review our of François Truffaut’s second full-length feature film: opinions on Jeff Bezos. Aside from Apple TV and Tirez Sur Le Pianiste. After watching 92 minutes of Amazon Prime, we have also witnessed an emergence this beautiful French noir, you have an opportunity to of other, more interesting, “off-hollywood” streaming watch the full film over again with commentary with services, such as Criterion Channel and MUBI (each Peter Brunette (professor of film studies at Wake For10.99$/month). Both platforms present many more est University and the editor of a book on Tirez Sur Le opportunities to educate their audience on the art Pianiste) and Annete Insdorf (director of undergradof filmmaking than any major streaming platforms. uate film studies at Columbia University). This sort of They do so by providing archived interviews with the knowledge is not available anywhere aside from Cridirectors, critical reviews, and meticulous analyses. terion Channel and is worth every penny of the subWhile Criterion serves more as ‘an archivist of film- scription, especially when hundreds of different fullmaking’, focusing on the past slightly more than on film commentaries of this type are taken into account
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just watched. Aside from adding the film to a specific playlist, you can also see the playlists of other MUBI Unlike Netflix, MUBI’s aim is not to get as many peo- members, and see if others’ tastes match your own. ple to sign up for their service, but to create a strong What does this promote? Trust and exploration, a community of cinephiles who are willing to dedicate more careful attitude to the habit of film watching, their full attention to every film broadcasted on the and establishment of your subjective taste. platform. Hence their role is to provide for a specific audience a content of high quality, not a source of Just like MUBI, Criterion also has a number of playaddiction (at least not an easy “fast food” kind). Pro- lists called “Collections”, though these are not created fessional film critics and journalists that are employed by viewers themselves. A few examples of those are by MUBI create comprehensive sections of film, with “New York Shorts”, featuring 22 court-metrage made each section focusing on a specific topic. Here’s a brief in New York, and my personal recommendation – “Cannes ’68: Cinema in Revolt”, which depicts films look at a few of them: which were pulled out by directors due to civil unrest in Europe in 1968. Even though films on Criterion are 1. Festival Focus: Locarno Film Festival usually older, they are essential for understanding any • Night and Fog (Alan Resnais, 1956, France) • Three Colors: Blue (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1993, independent work of the modern cinematic scene.
Personal approach
• • • • • 2. • • • • •
France) The Double Life of Veronique (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1991, France) Taste of Cherry (Abbas Kiarostami, 1997, Iran) The Piano Teacher (Michael Haneke, 2001, Austria) Battleship Potemkin (Sergey Eisenshtein, 1925, Soviet Union) +20 more And the Oscar goes to…: The Great Dictator (Charlie Chaplin, 1940, United States) My Night at Maud’s (Eric Rohmer, 1969, France) All About my Mother (Piedro Almodovar, 1999, Spain) Man on Wire (James Marsh, 2008, United Kingdom) +20 more
3. Women with Movie Cameras: • Recorded Exam (Kim Bora, 2011, South Korea) • Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman, 2020, United States) • Songs My Brothers Taught Me (Chloe Zhao, 2015, United States) • Farewell Amor (Ekwa Msangi, 2020, United States) • Women Reply: Our Bodies, Our Sex (Agnés Varda, 1975) • +50 more
It’s trustworthy
It’s unique Most of the movies on MUBI you will not even find on Criterion Channel – it is truly a unique platform. The number of young filmmakers that are only featured on MUBI is a little bit scary, especially considering how good they are. Its collection of well-acknowledged films is just as stunning. Hundreds of special features, commentaries and shows such as “Moviegoing with… [insert a famous director name]” are just a few reasons why there is no platform like Criterion. Regarding the films they have, there is an absurd number — 2741 — of well-acclaimed works from old Hollywood (including any silent film you can think of) and the international cinema scene.
It’s always fresh and cool Every month, MUBI completely changes its repertoire, discarding previous pictures and uploading new ones. Besides reducing costs, the 30-day model gives the platform momentum and its members - a fear of missing out. Moreover, it stresses essential aspects of the film industry: films must stay up to date and must strive to be contemporary (by that I mean Steve Reich’s understanding of contemporary: “All great is contemporary. If it’s alive and still kicking, then it’s contemporary.”).
Never was I unable to find myself something to watch on MUBI for the evening. The service automatically Simply put - just give it a try and you will find the side suggests a film or two that link to the one you have of cinephile you never thought you had!
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Why Do Adults Play Teens in Movies? - Isolde B
We all watch movies and TV shows with teen characters, but very frequently the actors look, and are, much older than the role they are playing; why is that? Take the 28-year-old actress Olivia Newton-John who played the 17-year-old Sandy in Grease. Leonardo DiCaprio at 28 played Frank, a 17-year-old, in Catch Me If You Can. Here are several reasons for this and the advantages and disadvantages that come with them.
advantages
(unsplash.com)
There are fewer work restrictions for adults: Adults can work much longer hours than teens. In the U.S., minors cannot work more than 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week while adults can sometimes work about 15 to 18 hours a day on a series. In addition, teenagers must have time to do their schoolwork which puts another limit to how much time they can spend on set. They also need to be accompanied by a guardian. It is clearly easier for productions to cast adults as they can get so much more done with no restrictions.
Adults are seen as more experienced and mature: Directors need mature people that can wait quietly and patiently for long periods of time, so they usually go ahead and cast adults. They also believe adults have more experience acting and have lived through more. These directors must believe that the actors’ acting skills make up for their adult-like appearance as they must prefer having better actors over having actors whose age is authentic to their characters’. Puberty: Puberty is unpredictable and can quickly change an actor’s body. Directors need continuity. Half of their takes could have an actor’s voice be higher than the other half of them and that’s a risk for directors. Legal relationships: To avoid any issues concerning legal relationships if directors are going to cast adults as teens they are likely to do so for all teen characters. In addition, if they cast both teens and adults for teen roles the audience will probably notice that something is off. On the other hand, if they only cast adults and tell the audience that these are teens, at least they will all look the same age, even if they will look more like adults than teens. Again, the production looks for continuity and balance.
Wider Appeal: Usually, if teens roles are cast with teen actors, younger Lower insurance costs for adults: people will tend to watch. It seems that casting adults If there are stunts and physical work to be done on gives a wider appeal, opening up shows and movies set, the insurance cost is lower for adults than teens. to an older audience and widening the demographic. Looking at it from a budget perspective, casting adults A larger audience is targeted, and it is more beneficial can be cheaper for the production. for the production.
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Disadvantages The lack of authenticity: Adults and teens do not look the same. Yes, adults may look young, but they do not look like teens. When the audience is watching a show where teen characters are played by adults, they are immediately reminded that they’re watching a show and that the characters - or anything else in general - aren’t real. Adults’ bodies look different than teens’ and that leads to the next point. Unrealistic body image: As mentioned above, adults’ bodies are being labeled as teen bodies. If one looks at high schoolers, they may note how different they are from the ‘teens’ they see on TV. Adults have more developed bodies than teenagers. Teens are represented as people with broad muscular shoulders, perfect skin, a mostly unchanging body, deep voices… It is damaging for teens to watch this and indirectly be told that they are supposed to look and sound like this. Teens are not passive viewers; they compare themselves to these unrealistic ‘teens’ they see on screen. This can lead to body image issues, social comparison, eating disorders and more as teens strive for unrealistic perfection. Even adults don’t necessarily look this perfect, but viewers can tend to forget how much time actors spend in hair and makeup before
going on set. Saoirse Ronan seems to agree with this. In Lady Bird, she played a 17-year-old at 22 but she, her makeup artist and the director agreed to let her pimples show. Saoirse thought “it was a really good opportunity to let a teenager’s face in a movie actually look like a teenager’s face in real life.” Unrealistic sex scenes/oversexualization of teenagers: In many teen shows, most of the characters are sexually active. Nonetheless, “in the U.S., only 41.2 percent of high school students report having ever had sex, and just 11.5 percent have had sex with four or more partners.” Teen characters are sexualized and many times graphic scenes are added to appeal to more people. In addition, when adults play teenagers, the audience doesn’t necessarily realize that the characters could be doing something inappropriate for their age. This is because the actors look so much older than their character. So, the audience sees an adult in a graphic scene instead of a teen. Take the show A Teacher about an abusive relationship between an adult and student. However their relationship seems normal as it looks like two adults are together. The actor playing the student was 25 and the actor playing the teacher 37. In a way, the show fails to show this abuse because the relationship looks normal as it’s being played by two adults.
In conclusion, many times, adults are cast as teens for the benefit of the production, including lower costs and more time on set. On the other hand, this is unrealistic and can lead to many problems such as inauthentic representation of teens in terms of body and sexual maturity. - a big thank you to Mr. Tokley for his help!
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”
-Oscar Wilde
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Squid Game: A Commentary on Human Greed - Justin P. and Nguyen L. Where other Korean productions have rivalled Hollywood in the past, Squid Game, now a Gotham Awards nominee, has achieved even more dizzying heights. Much of the success can be attributed to its unique and creative plot. Dong-Hyuk’s decision to blend violent action with innocent traditional children’s games proved to be fruitful. The Western ***Spoilers included*** world has been exposed to the beauty of Korean Squid Game’s first season, comprising nine episodes, culture and they are loving it! each 45 minutes in length, revolves around the character of Seong Gi-Hun. Played by Lee Jung-Jae, the divorced middle-aged father lives in a grueling and merciless society, strangled by his accumulating debt due to gambling. Hunted by loan sharks and faced with familial drama, Gi-Hun receives a bizarre yet irrefusable offer to play children’s games in exchange for money. Sign up, compete and win. That is his simple three-step plan to escape misery, all whilst having some fun. However, these “children’s games” come with a fatal twist. Perceptive viewers may recognise how the Korean Released on the 17th of September of 2021, director thriller has shadowed its cousin, Bong Joon-Ho’s Hwang Dong-Hyuk’s Korean-produced Netflix Parasite. Both praised for their outstanding production original, Squid Game, has taken the world by storm, quality, the two shows also share a thematic purpose. surpassing Bridgerton as the most streamed TV They explore the desperate and ruthless greed inside show on the platform. This phenomenal popularity is humans, serving as an insightful commentary on unparalleled, evidenced by the seismic explosion on elitist Korean society and the pitfalls of capitalism. social media, notably on TikTok where “#SquidGame” We believe that Squid Game is an entertaining show has seen over 22.8 billion interactions. which not only is action-packed, it is also an extremely emotional show which highlights many different aspects of society, both good and bad. Through Squid Game, viewers can watch all of society in a single room; those which have good intentions and have the instinct to help others, those who have the instinct to hurt others for their own gain, and finally those who have the instinct to survive and adapt to their surroundings as best as they can. We can see that many of the different characters in Squid Game have these distinct traits: Ali’s primary instinct is to help others, like how he helped save Gi-hun in Red Light, Green Light. Meanwhile, characters such as Deok-Su 오징어 게임 (English: “squid game”) noun A traditional Korean children’s game where an attacking team has to invade a base in the form of a squid.
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only care about their own benefits, no matter how many people suffer from it. Next, there are complex characters such as Sang-woo or Gi-hun, who do not exactly have a ‘helping’ or ‘killing’ archetype, but their primary motive is to survive, even if they have to lie, or kill to do it. This is why we believe that Squid Game, while having no apparent realistic elements to it, still depicts a certain realism through its portrayal of society, relationships, and power. On the other hand, there are certain weaknesses which were clearly apparent in the writing of Squid Game. First of all, we could see certain undevelopments of side-stories throughout the entire series. While this can be justifiable as the series has only contained 9 episodes, viewers can certainly feel disappointment in how many different aspects of the overall story were left unfinished or abruptly concluded. Not only this, we can clearly see plot-armor developing especially to the main characters in this series. Many of the protagonists survive the most unbelievable cases where one would not expect them to, with the only ‘true’ explanation to be for the sake of the plot. We could obviously see this when the main protagonists clearly survive till the end when minor characters have all been killed, which does not have another explanation other than plot armor.
success. However, a question must be asked: is this beloved show overrated? As mentioned earlier, the creativity demonstrated by Hwang Dong-Hyuk and his crew is sadly blemished by occasional character underdevelopment. Plot armour also weighs down the glory of Squid Game, serving as a major deterrent to enjoyment for some viewers
Do these instances of poor writing impede the viewing experience to the extent that the show becomes unenjoyable? The answer will vary per person but we believe that these factors do indeed slightly deteriorate the quality of this otherwise outstanding show.
In conclusion, Squid Game is an excellent source of entertainment. Its second to none action scenes have viewers on the edge of their seats. Elsewhere, the stakes remain high and suspense looms overhead. Additionally, characters are masterfully brought to life by a competent cast. The message is also meaningful and pertinent to the capitalist world of today, eroding that line between fiction and reality. In fact, masked protests against poor living conditions, inspired by the show, are taking place in South Korea, illustrating the power of Squid Game. All of the traits above lend merit to the show’s popularity, negating some of its flaws. In Like it or hate it, it is irrefutable that Squid Game has light of these considerations, we have awarded Squid heightened standards in the entertainment industry Game eight stars out of ten for its excellence. through its distinct story and high production quality. The sheer magnitude of fans the show has garnered in a very short amount of time is a testament to its
Viewing tip For an improved viewing experience, it is highly recommended that Squid Game be watched in Korean with English subtitles as opposed to the default English voice over that Netflix provides. Though the latter is more convenient, the sincere emotions vividly conveyed through the Korean language are lost, wasting the effort put in by the Korean actors. The sloppy English voice over also fails miserably in terms of register, often containing too much enthusiasm in situations that call for a more reserved and sorrowful tone.
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Movies to watch or rewatch this Autumn or Halloween - Raphaëlle D. Dead Poets Society If you want to watch an emotional movie with a beautiful autumnal color palette, Dead Poets Society is perfect for you. This movie, directed by Peter Weir and released in 1989, follows Todd Anderson as he enters an elitist, all-boys boarding school. There, he meets other boys like him, all pressured by their parents to follow a certain path. Inspired by their English teacher Mr. Keating, they decide to form a club called the Dead Poets Society where they read and write poems in a cave at night. Exploring themes like love, the discoveries of adolescence, overcoming your fears and the status quo, this movie will definitely tug at your heartstrings. Its relevant topics, touching dialogues and great cast (Todd being played by Ethan Hawke and Mr. Keating by Robin Williams) make it a timeless classic. Some of its most iconic lines, like “Carpe Diem” or “Captain! Oh, My captain”, might even get stuck in your head. Lastly, its ending will definitely not leave you indifferent and may even make you envision life in a different light.
Coraline Whether you’ve never watched it or you were terrorized as a kid because of it, Coraline remains a classic stop motion film. Inspired by the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, the movie presents the character of Coraline as she moves to a new house and city, and seems quite upset about this sudden change. Her relationship with her parents is worsening and her neighbors appear to be eccentric, if not very weird. Therefore, she escapes to an alternate and seemingly perfect place where her parents take care of her and cook her delicious food and her neighbors are now musical actors and magicians. One other difference with reality is that the people there have buttons instead of eyes… The movie, which appears rather scary, also has some comic and touching moments thanks to characters like Wybie, one of Coraline’s neighbors, and the Cat, who is able to talk. The original character designs and the creepy atmosphere make it a must watch for Halloween, whether you want to feel nostalgic or are discovering Coraline for the first time.
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Edward Scissorhands It would be impossible to make a list of films to watch during autumn without mentioning a Tim Burton movie. Edward Scissorhands might not be the first to pop into your head but it definitely deserves a watch. This 1990 movie presents Edward, a human-like creation with scissors instead of hands, as he moves into the house of a middle-class family and falls in love with their daughter, Kim. We can only relate to or feel sympathy for him as he tries to adapt to normal life as best as he can. Between fantasy, romance and comedy, this movie will make you cry, laugh or a mix of both. In addition, Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder’s acting performances are truly incredible and help create the magic of the film. Whether you’re seduced by the classic Tim Burton aesthetic or the tragic yet beautiful storyline, Edward Scissorhands is a must watch for the Halloween season.
The Addams Family Another classic Halloween movie has to be The Addams Family. In this 1991 movie, we follow the adventures of the eccentric Addams family, which lives in a gloomy manor and presents a very gothic aesthetic. The members of the family include Morticia and Gomez, the loving - and probably involved with occult forces - parents, Wednesday, the cynical and terrifying daughter, Pugsley, her dense brother, their crazy grandma and the Thing, a moving hand which appears to be the family’s pet. The dark humor of the movie is based on the strange way the Addams see life and the comical contrast between them and normal people. With its iconic scenes and dark color palette, this movie is the perfect Halloween comedy. For those who’ve already watched it, I strongly recommend the second one, The Addams Family Values, which is as hilarious as the first.
Little Women If you haven’t read the famous Louisa May Alcott novel (or even if you have), Little Women is a must watch. This movie presents the adventures of four sisters in the 1860s after their father left them and their mother to join the war effort. We follow the independent Jo, dreaming of becoming a writer, the young and capricious Amy, looking for love, the responsible Meg, taking care of her family, and the soft and kind Beth, fighting her sickness. We meet other interesting characters like the eccentric Aunt March and the charming Laurie. If you’re interested in love stories, beautiful dresses, the Victorian aesthetic, sisterly love and a touch of feminism, then you need to watch this movie this autumn. If you still aren’t sure, the star studded cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Watson and Meryl Streep, should convince you.
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oUR TEAM Alessia V. Melody Z. Georges T. Anna H. Yiran S. Victoria K. Prity L. Jade J. Karina G. Auxane B. Isolde B. Raphaelle D. Nguyen L. Justin P. Charlotte M. William M. Ulysse R. Elizabeth K. Auriane L. Elliot T.
Co-editor in chief & layout Co-editor in chief Co-editor in chief Reporter & editor Reporter & editor Reporter & editor Social Media & editor Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor
A SPECIAL THANKS TO Ms. Stathopulos
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