17 minute read
Monopoly
Jessica Zhou DPS Editor
Brian Chau, junior, is known for his quiet and sweet personality. Whether it be at the math center or on the tennis team, he is hardworking and always willing to help. I got the chance to sit down with Chau to learn more about him over a cup of tea.
Advertisement
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
“I would want to go to Britain. It makes it easier so that I don’t have to try to learn a new language and I like hearing British accents. From AP art history, I’ve learned a little about the architecture so it would also be interesting to see all of the cathedrals and castles in person.”
What have you been watching lately?
“All right. Well recently there’s just YouTube channel I’ve been into called bone appetit. It’s basically a channel that contains a lot of diff erent types of food related shows. Th e two that I mainly watch are “it’s alive with brad” and “gourmet makes” with Claire. “Gourmet makes” is the host, Claire, trying to recreate candy from scratch while also using more natural ingredients.”
Would you rather fight one horsesized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?
“I don’t know. I guess one horse sized duck. Because ducks aren’t as intimidating. If it’s a goose, then yeah, I choose the other one. But ducks, they’re fi ne.”
Manas Khatore/Prowler
If you could compare yourself to any animal, what would it be and why?
Jacob Malone Back Cover Editor
Students sightsee over winter break
Jessica Zhou DPS Editor
Many people recall making their best memories travelling to diff erent parts of the world. Immersing themselves in diff erent cultures, trying the food and rendering service to those in need are all part of the experience. Over this past winter break, several students had the opportunity to fi t in one last travel experience before the end of the decade.
Hello there- Matt Lippert, sophomore, stands at the bottom of some concrete stairs while he explores the jungle in South Inthanon National Park, which is located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. “We hiked a bit and saw some cool waterfalls and did a whole bunch of recreational stuff,”
Lippert said. Matt Lippert/ With Permission
“I would compare myself to a turtle. One reason is because of my work pace. Although it’s slow, I can usually get work done. Although turtles are known to be slow, they can run pretty fast if they want to. Th is also parallels my pace. If I happen to procrastinate and have to do a lot of work in a short amount of time, then I can somehow manage in the end..”
What activities are you involved in outside of school?
“For an actual activity I guess tennis, because I am on the tennis team and I do enjoy it. Other than school, I am also interested in medicine. So I decided to apply to Los Robles hospital as a volunteer. Th is way, I can both help people and get experience in the medical fi eld. I’m not sure what specifi c job I want to be in the future, so I think that volunteering for the hospital would help me narrow my decision.”
Arriving in Hawaii, Ramya Ukkan, junior, relaxed on the beautiful beaches for the fi rst time in ten years. Ukkan spent a week of her winter break in Maui, Hawaii, participating in a range of activities from visiting Haleakala National Park to whale watching. However, Ukkan’s favorite activity was snorkeling.
“I saw a turtle for the fi rst time. It was a baby turtle and it was swimming around and we actually went scuba diving because it was a mix between snorkeling and scuba diving. We had to pay extra for it but it was worth it because when you went you got to see the coral up close, and the babies were actually swimming up to me,” Ukkan said.
When asked about the most memorable experience she had there, Ukkan recalls the moment she had to walk in a storm to get food. “I made the reservation at an Italian restaurant and then my brother decided he wanted baby back ribs from Dukes which was down the beach. So we walked at night when it was raining and really windy all the way down to Dukes at eight, let him eat his baby back ribs and then we walked all the way back,” Ukkan said.
Rohan Jhingan, junior, had the opportunity to travel to Spain. During his trip, Jhingan visited several towns in Spain, taking in the lifestyle and culture of a new place.
“We went to Toledo which is the city where Flamenco Dancing was fi rst created. Th ere we got to watch a live Flamenco Performance that consisted of the dancer, the singer, and the guitarist,” Jhingan said.
On the other side of the globe, Matt Lippert, sophomore, spent his two weeks of break in Th ailand. “We stayed in Northern Th ailand for about 5 days,” Lippert said. “We went to an elephant sanctuary on the second day, and we got to interact with elephants and swim and bathe them. We also went to some rice farms and coff ee farms and stuff like that.”
Aft er spending some time in Northern Th ailand, Lippert caught a third fl ight to Krabi. Located in Southern Th ailand, Krabi is a popular vacation spot because of its spectacular beaches. “We went snorkeling, island hopping, went to tons of beaches, did tons of swimming. We also went to tons of places for eating lunch and had some good seafood and thai food,” Lippert said.
“Little Women” feels like coming home
Clarissa Shin Sports Editor
Adalia Luo Staff Writer
Th e values of home and happiness are timeless. Th e newly released movie “Little development and relevant to women both of today and Alcott’s time. Th is central storyline of the Women,” adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s novel by Greta Gerwig and original is talently adapted, well-written and gives lots of depth to multiple characters. nominated for six Oscars, beautifully encompasses both feelings and Director and screenplay writer Greta Gerwig parallels the present with fl ashback scenes from brings a modern touch to a classic story about four young women in the past in order to take her audience on a journey throughout each sister’s path and twine them the 19th century. all together. Th e elements of fl ashbacks were used throughout the fi lm, the past utilizing a warm
Th e fi lm opens with a negotiation between Jo March, an aspiring color scheme and the present a colder color scheme, was eff ective in creating a complex plot that writer, and a local publishing offi ce as she attempts to get her short describes the sisters’ lives growing up, as well as in their present lives. Th e actions and emotions of stories in the newspaper. March is told by the editor, Mr. Dashwood, played the family before and aft er the occurrence of certain signifi cant events were conveyed side-by-side. by Tracy Letts, that if she is to feature a female protagonist, she must either Th e playful bickering between the March sisters, Jo, Beth, Amy and Meg, played get married or die. Th e frustration that March feels represents the pressure by Saoirse Ronan, Eliza Scanlen, Florence Pugh and Emma Watson respectively, of women of that era to fi nd a husband or be worthless. develops the relationship between the sisters and their mother, Marmy, played
“Little Women” artfully conveys the struggles of women like by Laura Dern. Th e beginning of the movie immediately draws the audience March and their quiet combat against the severely sexist standards in, allowing the reader to feel “at home” with the realism of how the family of the era. Jo insists throughout the story that she never wants to get interacts with each other. married and subsequently concede to society’s expectations of her as “Little Women” presented an intriguing story due to how deep the a woman. However, she is soon caught in a complicated love triangle family’s dynamics were throughout the movie. Th e movie showed between a close friend, Laurie, played by Timothee Chalamet, and the audience the internal clashes that occurred in the March family a sister. Convinced that she and Laurie would never work out, she over money and love. We loved this aspect because it opened our rejects Laurie, who in turn falls in love with her sister, Amy. eyes to the same struggles that could be occurring present day
All these feelings eventually culminate in a passionate speech, within our own communities. wherein Jo famously said, “I’m so sick of people saying that love We loved being able to watch the characters grow as individuals is just all a woman is fi t for… But I’m so, so lonely.” Her internal as they got older, having to hold back our tears because the family confl ict of wanting love, but feeling the need to stay uncommitted had gone through so much together. Th e ending illustrated the family in rebellion to the patriarchy make for a character fl ush with Clarissa Shin/Prowler bond that kept the sisters together, leaving us overall satisfi ed.
Rahul D’Souza Chief Photographer
Yes, Netfl ix. We’re still watching.
As we pull into the next decade, many might be making new resolutions to stop watching so much Netfl ix, but we all know those won’t last long. So might as well inform you on the new updates to help break your weak-wills.
In terms of good drama fi lms, Netfl ix is adding “Catch Me If You Can” and “Inception”, both “Certifi ed Fresh” on RottenTomatoes. “Catch Me If You Can” is about a young boy, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who runs away from home and becomes the most successful con artist of all time. Th e FBI chases him like a criminal, but in reality he’s simply a scared kid trying to get his family back together.
“Inception”, another DiCaprio movie, is trippy to say the least. It blows your mind in seven diff erent directions on seven diff erent levels. When you get through the whole thing, though, there’s eight more levels, and then you don’t know what happened, and you sit there, and you cry because you can’t sleep.
Also coming to our favorite streaming site are both versions of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. Th e original, starring Gene Wilder, is a timeless illustration of Roald Dahl’s most famous book. Th e 2005 version, however, starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka, is genuinely scary. Th e application of modern special eff ects to the movie should disqualify it from the Family genre and push it into Horror. Given a choice, watch the classic, it’s a much better fi lm.
Netfl ix does make up for it however with, objectively, the best addition to Netfl ix. Th e absolute god-tier rom-com, Hitch, is fi nally streaming. Will Smith plays a charming love doctor, pedaling the secrets to sweeping any woman off her feet. He has a plan for every man, except when he needs one himself and everything falls apart. Th e fi lm centers around Hitch attempting to navigate someone else’s love life as well as his own, all the while trying to stay anonymous.
Alright, now prepare for this blasphemy: “Friends” is no longer on Netfl ix. Yes, just absorb that for a moment. You can no longer binge watch an entire season instead of doing your Written Task 2. Th is is heresy. Bring it back, Netfl ix. And bring back “Avatar: Th e Last Airbender” while you are at it.
Emily Augustine/Prowler
20
The upcoming year entertains
Manas Khatore Entertainment Editor
20
Th e movie scene certainly does not look dry for 2020. A liveaction version of “Mulan” will be released on March 27, a fresh twist to a movie that we all saw dozens of times in middle school. We can expect some high-profi le superhero movies this year with “Birds of Prey,” starring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and “Wonder Woman 1984,” featuring the popular Gal Gadot. 2019 was a pretty disappointing year for the horror genre, as seen with fl ops such as “IT Chapter Two.” In 2020, sequels to the “A Quiet Place” and “Th e Conjuring” series will be released, as well as several other originals.
In the sports realm, the biggest event of the year will be the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Unfortunately, American hero Michael Phelps will not be getting in the swimming pool this year, but there are still plenty of athletes to look forward to. Additionally, fi ve new events have been added to the competition, including karate and surfi ng.
Social media has become the main leisure (and time-wasting) activity for our generation. Coming out of 2019, one platform in particular has surged in popularity: TikTok. As controversial as it is, it cannot be denied how many people use the lip-syncing app now. Instagram will continue to be a dominant social media force, but Snapchat is expected to fi zzle out due to its lack of innovation and new functionality. 2020 features a wide variety of events that we can look forward to. It is clear that this year off ers something for everyone. But if you are not interested in any of the things listed above, don’t sweat; the 2020 election is coming up, which should provide enough entertainment to get through the year.
entertainment 13 Panther Prowler • Jan. 24, 2020 Skywalker
doesn’t rise to all the expectations
Rahul D’Souza Chief Photographer
JJ Abrams returns to direct his second Star Wars movie, “Star Wars: Th e Last Jedi.” Fans have been anticipating this movie since the release of “Th e Force Awakens” in 2015. Aft er nine fi lms, three full trilogies, and three generations of actors, the saga fi nally comes to an end.
Critics tore the movie apart, giving it a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. But for both fi rst time Star Wars viewers and intense fanatics alike, the movie was very enjoyable, with intense action scenes and incredible visual eff ects. Abrams brought back some fan-favorites like Lando Calrisien and Han Solo, who played pivotal roles in the movie. Th e best character, however, is known as Babu Frik, a talented droid engineer.
In terms of the overall plot, the famous rolling text at the beginning of each fi lm already delivers the fi rst plot twist, having fans at the edge of their seats before the fi rst scene: Emperor Palpatine is back. In the following scenes, we can piece together where our heroes are and what has been happening since “Th e Last Jedi.” Finn and Po, our beloved First Order deserter and daring Resistance pilot, have been running missions under General Leia while Rey has been undergoing her own Jedi training. We also see that the force-link, as some might call it, between Rey and Ben Solo is still prevalent, and in fact stronger.
Th e rest of the story is centered mainly around these two characters and their confl ict with each other and themselves. Ben Solo was born as part of the light side, and was corrupted along the way. His internal doubt has began to consume him and he doesn’t know what to do anymore. Rey, on the other hand, is scared that she will fall to the dark side. Abrahms beautifully choreographs the clash of these two diff erent worlds, ultimately blending them together by the end of the fi lm.
For the most part, Abrahms does a good job sticking to the same familiar feeling that the original trilogy brought about. At some points, however, the fi lm screams Disney, with semi-forced jokes peppered in here and there, or a couple monologues from
Manas Khatore Entertainment Editor
If you have been following fi lm over the last year, you have probably seen a particular movie make headlines. “Jojo Rabbit” is a fi lm that has attracted controversy for its subject matter and left critics divided. Directed by Taika Waititi, the movie takes place in Nazi Germany and follows the life of Jojo, a ten-year-old Hitler Youth member. Instead of being a serious movie focused on the evils of the Nazi regime, “Jojo Rabbit” was advertised as a playful, comedic movie making light of the situation. Waititi himself even plays a goofy version of Hitler, who accompanies Jojo as his imaginary friend. Before seeing it, I admit that I was a bit concerned about whether the movie would be insensitive or off ensive to those aff ected by the Holocaust. However, “Jojo Rabbit” is much deeper than what it was advertised to be.
Th e ending had potential to be great, but ended up being mediocre at best, thanks to Disney’s insatiable desire to force an awkward romance into every movie they get their gloved hands on. At the climax of the fi lm, Rey and Ben share a completely unnecessary and pointless kiss. Aft er having absolutely no romantic connection the entire trilogy, the studio decided that was a good idea. It was not a good idea in any world. In fact, it was a terrible idea.
Th is doesn’t mean that the movie wasn’t great, because it was, but it’s far from perfect. Th e critic rating of the movie is very harsh though, even taking into account the kissing scene. I believe a 7/10 is accurate.
Emily Augustine/Prowler
Satire hops into “Jojo Rabbit”
Much of the fi lm’s success comes from its cast, particularly Johansson. Her portrayal of Rosie, a member of the German resistance movement, is fantastic and highlights the central anti-hate message of “Jojo Rabbit.” Th rough her conversations with her son, Rosie tries show that there is more to life than war and anti-Semitism. She states that love is the most powerful force in the world and shows this through her care for Jojo and Elsa simultaneously. Th is is a message that sticks with audiences, especially in a society that is still plagued with bigotry. Her role is highly reminiscent to the life of Miep Gies, one of the people who helped hide Anne Frank.
“Jojo Rabbit” is much more than a shallow movie that makes light of one of the darkest periods in human history. Its appropriate use of satire and message of acceptance run deep and defi nitely resonated with me. It is one of the freshest and most necessary movies of 2019 and is something to look out for in theaters.
Th e plot involves a diverse set of characters and lends itself to great character development, especially on the part of Jojo. During a Hitler Youth weekend camp, Jojo takes the advice of Hitler (his imaginary friend) and throws a grenade, severely injuring himself in the process. Jojo is deemed unfi t to participate in more physical activities and stays with his mother Rosie, played by Scarlett Johansson. Jojo, who is an ardent anti-semite, soon fi nds out that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl named Elsa in a hidden space in their house. Initially appalled, he gradually starts to talk to her and realizes that she is not the monster that Hitler made her out to be.
Th e backbone of “Jojo Rabbit” is humor. Yes, there are many jokes planted throughout the movie and the audience was laughing throughout. However, “Jojo Rabbit” is purely satirical and tastefully uses humor to mock the Nazi regime and Hitler. For example, at several points throughout the movie, Jojo asks Elsa about the characteristics that make Jewish people diff erent from Germans. Elsa responds by saying that Jewish people grow horns and can read minds, outlandish pieces from Nazi propaganda. Despite the fact that Elsa looks like a normal girl, Jojo blindly believes her. Although this is portrayed comedically, it also serves as commentary for how ridiculous but impactful Nazi propaganda was for rooting Jewish stereotypes into society. Additionally, Waititi makes Hitler seem laughable and incompetent, poking fun at the ideology that he stood for.
the bad guys. Th e monologues were arguably the worst part-part of the reason the original trilogy was good was because it lacked any.
Emily Augustine/Prowler
