Issue 3 - December 2021
Introduction Welcome to the third issue of Roar!, the student magazine at Stratford Hall. Our mission is to provide a platform for artistic voices to be seen and heard in our growing community.
Designing the Zine this year has been daunting, yet rewarding in many ways. We're so excited to see the incredible work from our senior school - and this issue of ROAR also hosts our first-ever competition submissions! Your creativity and energy is what drives this :)
We look forward to bringing more issues to you in the coming years! The production is not only about growing as a team, but also growing as a school as we come together in support of amazing artists.
Thank you to everybody who contributed to this issue. Special thanks to Marcus C. in Grade 10 for designing the cover.
Editorial Team Hannah C. Grace Y. Madeleine Q. Noelle Q. Kristen C. Alex C.
Ms. Shoker + Ms. Chang Teacher supervisors
Contributors
Grade 12 Grade 11
Grade 10
Grade 7
Grade 6
Prefects Claire T. Dana Y. Kristen C. Alexander C. Grace Y. Alyssa F. Visual Arts 11 Mandarin 11 Marcus C. Alyssa V. Natalie L. Jay Z. Jonathan C. Aaria J. Ronick K. Golrokh K.
Table of Contents 1 - Introduction + Editorial Team + Contributors 3 - Get To Know The ROAR Team 5 - Canada's Climate Pioneers 6 - Winter Solstice Festival Treats 7 - Holiday Reading List 9 - Holiday Playlist 10 - Diwali Recipe: Gulab Jamuns 11 - Christmas Recipe: Eggnog Cheesecake 12 - Student Art 20 - Painting Process: Kaiya and the Tasty Sandwich 23 - DP 11 Visual Arts: One Object Many Ways 26 - Poem: pushing rhythms 27 - Poem: escapist 28 - Poem: empty room 29 - Short story: dreamland 30 - Photograph: Cosmos Chi Kung Ping Pong Club 31 - Prefects' Picks 33 - A Year in Film 2021
e h t R O w A o R n k t e o a t m t ! ge MADELEINE Q. My favourite food would definitely have to be tuna poke: it’s too good to pass up. If you have the chance, you should try it! As far as music goes, I love to spice up my afternoons with a little ABBA or The Beatles. Some of my other favourite musical artists include The Neighbourhood, Lovejoy, Queen, The 1975, and Duran Duran: a really random mix of angst, upbeat, and 60s/70s/80s classic. I’ve been performing since I can remember: this makes my 13th year as a dancer, having tried pretty much every style under the sun: jazz, ballet, modern, lyrical, and even Russian-Ukranian character dance! That’s my main hustle as an artist - but I also play a little piano, write poetry and short stories, and dabble in the visual arts.
HANNAH C. My favourite dish is steamed egg with minced pork with plain rice or congee. Definitely a comfort dish of mine that I will never get tired of. Right now, some of my favourite music artists are Mitski, Gorillaz, Molchat Doma & Tatsuro Yamashita. My dream vacation would be a trip to Hokkaido or Osaka in Japan with my friends anytime after graduation. My art medium of choice is photography and my favourite things to take photos of are people and new places I visit. I also do like sketching and doodling every now and then as well as visiting art galleries/museums whenever the opportunity passes by!
NOELLE Q. My favourite food would probably be those lemon-y potatoes in Greek food, or basically any sushi roll. I like listening to music by artists such as Lemon Demon, Sarah and the Sundays and YOASOBI. I definitely prefer upbeat songs to sad ones. Some of my favourite songs would have to be Cabinet Man by Lemon Demon, I’m So Bored by Sarah and the Sundays, and Computer Love Song by Carter Vail. My favourite art-related thing I do is writing. I used to do a lot of it when I was younger, but I kind of ran out of ideas and stopped for a long while. I still don’t have much inspiration but I think it would be cool to get back into
.
writing
KRISTEN C. My favourite food… I’m really indecisive so I don’t usually have a favourite thing for anything but if I had to pick one it would probably be mac and cheese. Some songs I’m listening to at the moment are Never the 1 by ROSIE, Haunted House by Mckenna Grace, and Break My Heart Again by FINNEAS (it’s likely to see me listening to sad/slow songs as I feel like the lyrics have more meaning). Also, my favourite art-related thing to do is play music. I play some instruments such as piano, ukulele, and a bit of guitar. I mainly play piano but what I find most fun is to learn pop songs as I don’t enjoy classical music a lot.
GRACE Y. My favourite food is sushi! I love more simple sushi rolls, like salmon or chopped scallop, and also those with tempura inside. As a big Harry Potter fan, one of my favourite travel destinations in the past was Universal Studios, although I enjoy road-tripping with my family too! My dream vacation is to go to Italy or Peru, as I like to travel for food and distinct historical or cultural experiences. I also really enjoy hiking. My most notable art form for expression is creative writing, specifically poetry and short stories here and there. I’ve played around with slam poetry, short and long poetry, and a lot of imagery based short stories. I have been privileged to be published in two anthologies, and had the gift of experiencing Hullaballoo virtually last year!
ALEX C. My favourite artistic hobbies are painting and animating. I just feel so focused and relaxed when I am doing those things and I feel like I could keep doing them forever. An album I would reccommend is I Need to Start a Garden by Haley Heynderickx. The music is chill and the songwriting feels very personal and emotional. Also, a video game I like is Night in the Woods. I have a dream vacation… once I get my full driver’s liscense (currently I have an L) I would like to take myself on a road trip along the west coast. I will start in Vancouver and finish in San Diego, stopping at every interesting city/town. It will be epic
😎😎😎
CANADA'S CLIMATE PIONEERS Sophia Mathur is 14 years old, and already a notable activist! She became the first student outside of Europe to join Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement, appearing on an Amnesty International climate activism panel. She was born in Sudbury, and continues to bring local impact, as the Sudbury city council declared a climate emergency around 5 months before Toronto did.
Sheila Watt-Cloutier has spent much of her life working with Indigenous peoples in Canada. She has worked to make climate change and how it effects Indigenous people a national priority. She argues in her memoir that climate change is fundamentally a human rights issue. Watt-Cloutier has also expressed how Inuit and Indigenous peoples are key to help guide us through the climate crisis.
Dianne Saxe is an Environmental Commissioner playing an important role advising and reporting on the state of energy conservation and greenhouse gas emissions in Ontario.
Dale Marshall is the National Program Manager at Environmental Defence Canada and Vice-Chair of Climate Action Network Canada. His written work explaining various environmental issues has appeared in the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, The Narwhal, and The Huffington Post.
WINTER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL 冬节／節 とうじ 동지
至 冬 -
-
- Đông chí
Winter Solstice Festival is mainly celebrated by Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese families. It is celebrated on the shortest day of the year (the day of the year where the sun sets the earliest), between December 21st-23rd (this year 2021, it is on 21st).
Families often celebrate with a big dinner. Cuisine includes making & eating tangyuan (glutinous rice balls with different fillings, like black sesame paste, taro, red bean paste, or crushed peanuts). It can be served hot in a bowl of warm sugar water. Other traditional food ranges from dumplings, to rice cake, to mutton soup, to hot pot, and much more.
The experience is not quite the same as when homemade and surrounded by family & friends. But if you would like to to try these treats, check out these shops & restaurants!
Tangyuan: Bubble Hot pot: Hai Di Lao, Fruity, Sungiven Foods, Pearl Hot pot T&T Dumplings: Kam Wai Dim Sum, Dicky's Dumps
H O L I D A Y
reading list
The Barren Grounds [David A. Robertson] Grade 6+ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe [C.S. Lewis] Grade 6+ The Golden Compass [Philip Pullman] Grade 7+ Dash & Lily's Book of Dares [Rachel Cohn, David Leviathan] Grade 7+ Slasher Girls and Monster Boys [April Genevieve Tucholke] Grade 8+ shiver [Maggie Stiefvater] Grade 9+ The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse [Charlie Mackery] Grade 6+ The Raven Cycle [Maggie Stiefvater] Grade 8+ Winterhouse [Ben Guterson] Grade 8+ Truce [Jim Murphy] Grade 6+ A Christmas Carol [Charles Dickens] Grade 4+ I Am Half-Sick of Shadows [Alan Bradley] Grade 9+ Moon of the Crusted Snow [Waubgeshig Rice] Grade 9+
diwali recipe LOVE PUNJABI SWEETS? LIKE LIGHTING CANDLES? LIKE TELLING STORIES? WHY NOT CELEBRATE YOUR NEXT DIWALI WITH DELICIOUS GULAB JAMUNS! HERE, I’LL GIVE YOU A RECIPE THAT HAS COME FROM THE HEART OF PUNJAB, MY OWN GRANDMA, SARDARNI UDHAM KAUR. You will be using hot oil, so make sure you have a responsible adult and fire safety around you.
Jamun
Ingredients:
¾ cup (100 grams) milk powder, unsweetened Set oil on medium heat. ½ cup (60 grams) semolina flour Mix the semolina flour, milk powder, and baking powder ½ tsp baking powder in a large bowl. Combine the milk into the dry ingredients until the dough is sticky. Add 2 tbsp ghee, mixing it to soften the dough- do not knead! Piece the dough into inch wide spheres. Note: the dough becomes hardened and difficult to work with quickly, so work fast! If it is to sticky, use ghee to soften the pieces you pull to roll into balls. cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Channi In a medium saucepan, bring the water to boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and dissolve the sugar in
2 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp ghee while separating dough milk (for kneading) ghee or oil (for frying) Channi (sugar syrup) 2 cup sugar 2 cup water 3 cardamom pods (optional) 1 tsp lemon juice (optional) 1 tsp rose water (optional)
by Kiran Shoker
the water. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and add to the saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes or until the sugar syrup turns slightly syrupy. To test its consistency, talk droplets onto a cold spoon. Add the optional rose water and lemon juice if desired Cover and keep the sugar syrup aside.
Assembling Deep fry in medium hot oil or ghee, turning over and constantly stirring to ensure all sides become golden brown. Drain off and transfer the jamun into a hot sugar syrup. Cover and rest overnight or until jamuns absorb the sugar syrup.
Enjoy!
EGGNOG CHEESECAKE Ingredients
I first made this recipe a year ago, for my personal project.
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
Honestly, it was the only part
2 tbsp. white sugar
that went well, but it also ended up being one of my favourite recipes. It's a recipe I got from
3 tbsp. melted butter 3 8oz packages cream cheese 1 cup white sugar (separate)
my grandma, and it makes a really great dessert for the holidays. Hope you enjoy! -
Noelle
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 3/4 cup eggnog 2 large eggs 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees 2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a medium bowl 3. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan 4. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool 5. Preheat oven (again) to 425 degrees 6. In another bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and eggnog, and mix until smooth! 7. Blend in eggs, nutmeg, and give or take a tsp. of rum 8. Pour mixture into the cooled pan with the crust 9. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 250 degrees and bake for 45 minutes 10. Remove from oven and immediately loosen the cake from the pan. Let it cool completely before removing it from the pan.
STUDENT ARTS SHOWCASE
Featured here is a special compilation of the work from our incredibly talented
senior school visual and photography
artists! We hope you enjoy this fantastic
Alyssa V. (Grade 10)
display as much as we do. - Madeleine
Aaria J. (Grade 6)
Ronick K. (Grade 6)
Jay Z. (Grade 7)
Claire T. (Grade 11)
Jonathan C. (Grade 7)
Jonathan C. (Grade 7)
Golrokh K. (Grade 6)
By Natalie L. (Grade 10)
Making art pieces just like these? Want to showcase your talent? Send it over to us! Contact: madeleineq23@stratfordhall.ca For a feature and a chance to win prizes!
MY PAINTING PROCESS
by Alex C. (Grade 11)
Over the summer, I made a painting called Kaiya and the Tasty Sandwich. This piece is in memory of my very tasty sandwich that was stolen and eaten by my dog, Kaiya. I would like to share my painting process with you all.
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STEP 2: DIRECT TRANSFER
Now it was time to start the painting. I made a sketch by tracing the outline of the reference image.
This is how I did the direct transfer: First, I hung a piece of watercolour paper on the wall of a dark room. Second, I used a projector to project the image onto the paper. Third, I traced the outline of the image with a pencil. Finally, I was left with a perfect sketch!!!
STEP 1: REFERENCE
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This was the image I used as a reference for my painting. It was not taken at the scene of the crime. This photograph was taken by my mom and I thought it was perfect due to Kaiya's guilty expression and pink lips. I added a sandwich using Photoshop. Notice how I have given it a shadow that has the same light source as Kaiya.
At this stage, I decided to change the composition of the piece. I made Kaiya more zoomed in and put the sandwich in the background behind her. I thought this added to the storytelling of the piece. It is as though the viewer of the painting has caught her in the act.
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STEP 3: PAINTING KAIYA
I painted Kaiya using watercolour paints and added details using oil based Prismacolor pencils. I copied the colours and shading from the reference image.
STEP 4: THE SANDWICH It was time to paint the sandwich. I used watercolours and then added some small "bread dots" using a Copic marker.
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STEP 5: BACKGROUND & FINISHING TOUCHES The last thing I did was painting the sandwich's shadow and writing my signature on the bottom of the page. Now the painting was finished! I started making it on August 28th, 2021 and finished on September 10th, 2021. I would estimate it took 8 hours to make.
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Feeling down? Needing a bit of that Christmas spirit? Look no further! We've got a great variety of old, new, borrowed and blue for all your holiday needs. Sit back with a warm mug of hot chocolate, put on your comfy socks, and crank up the carols :)
the ultimate christmas playlist
1. santa tell me - ariana grande 2. all i want for christmas is you - mariah carey 3. blue christmas - elvis presley 4. mistletoe - justin bieber 5. let it snow! let it snow! let it snow! - dean martin 6. rockin' around the christmas tree - brenda lee 7. jingle bell rock - bobby helms 8. last christmas - wham! 9. feliz navidad - josé feliciano 10. baby, it's cold outside - idina menzel, michael bublé 11. santa baby - eartha kitt 12. holly jolly christmas - burl ives 13. rudolph the red-nosed reindeer - gene autry 14. the christmas sing-along - pentatonix
GRADE 11 VISUAL ARTS
b a
c
d
"ONE OBJECT MANY WAYS"
e
g
f
h
All artworks are displayed throughout the DP building :) i
k j a. bubble bear, Kristen Chan b. Creature of Dreams, Alex Coleman c. Deviant, Adrian Yeldan d. frank, Kenji Kamachi e. you thought there’d be a name, didn’t you, Victoria Haussmann f. Study Habits, Hannah Chin g. boy sitting on a roof at night, Emelie Kim h. jeffrey!, Madeleine Quennec i. hisss!, Claire Treacy j. How'd you get in there?, Noelle Quennec k. What a Funny Fella, Misha Morozov
pushing rhythms as the light begins to fade passed the past until the past stood stooped on the porch wrapped hands pressing away the rain sifting reasons as the tea s e e p s through the water spikes heavier as eyelids droop bowed head plunged in problems clouded futures like the horizon the night we sat on the field close but not quite edging towards the deep end
yet all cowards call for retreat back to where we started
)11 edarG( gnuoY ecarG
reaching homeward
escapist
When I close my eyes, I inhale reality
and exhale fiction.
)11 edarG( orihsamaY anaD
hush (he wept silently – to not disturb the baby that just fell asleep)
how could you leave me, in that empty room, all alone for me to question what I did wrong you filled my week with misery. an invisible indescribable pain that swallowed me whole... I counted the days you had no voice only hearing the tapping of my own fingers. but when you finally spoke, all I could feel was betrayal. so I'll ask one last time, how could you leave me in that empty room?
Kristen Chan (Grade 11)
empty room
dreamland Grace Young (Grade 11)
The water forms fluid lashes of cold, licking my eyelids. The water is so transparent it darkens as I sink, entrapping me in its bitterly heavy shadows. My chest is sharp with pain. Does water crystallize at its depths and enter my lungs? Or am I simply aching with longing for cool air? The water is so cold.
I walk slowly to the water’s edge, whose fingertips drag the sand into patterned foam. Caressing the shore is the art of nature, belonging to the trees’ shadows and those crystalline waves. There is a divet in the beach. An indent from the picnic blanket that rested upon its forehead, positioned at the view point of the horizon. A wrinkle along the many wrinkles. But this one is special. Here, were bright bursts of strawberry juice trickling down chins, and laughter caressing the shore with an art form more immature than joy. Jubilance. They sat here with the happiness equal to two days’ worth of walking the beach. They found each other, while walking the beach, like a shell you might pick up and press to your ear, listening to the sounds of the ocean. Immortalized life of the water, cupped in your hand.
Do not disturb me in this state between life and death, though I long for help. Perhaps this is my reckoning after days on the surface - I must now sink deep below. The broken shadows of algae clouds cloud my vision. Criminal, isn’t it? That gravity works slower underwater, the density oppressing my breaths that are too dense to work against the pressure of the sea. I should never have walked this beach.
The wind whips through my hair as I sink into the heavy stillness of a long drive home after a cold day. If I had taken your hand, would the waves keep moving? Or is the moment too heartstopping? I will wait here forever. Unconsciously, you move closer, and my breath wanes. I will keep smiling at your touch until it becomes forever, but even then I don’t know if I could stop. If this moment was a dream, I would not pinch out an escape from my meager imagination. You are too good to be true.
The waves are pulled by the moon, and the waves pull at my breath. The ocean is selfish. Water and life belong to each other, but the ocean is so far from its soul, it hates its soulmate. It must steal mine. My breath wanes. How much longer is the death of forever? I should have taken your hand.
The sunrise sighs behind the horizon, telling us we must say goodbye to goodnight. I cannot let go of what could’ve been, your hand still lying on the seat of the car. I don’t want us to wake up, to no longer be pulled by the moon. The aftertaste of strawberries is strong. I could not take your hand for a moment and not hold on for forever. But maybe we still have forever…
My darling, live on in forever. Don’t come closer. I am forever in death.
COSMOS CHI KUNG PING PONG CLUB HANNAH CHIN (Grade 11)
MILLENNIUM GATE
PREFECTS' PICKS Moneek (Innovation & Academics): One of my favourite albums ever is Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers. It's a pretty slow album and the lyrics are brilliant, and Phoebe has such a beautiful voice. My favourite songs are 'Halloween,' 'Graceland Too,' 'Savior Complex,' and 'Punisher,' but every song is great, this is a no-skips album for sure. It also feels perfect for fall and winter, listening to the album while it's raining is a 10/10 experience. Jonah (Innovation & Academics): Rubinoos - I love music that makes me think, reflect and cry as much as the next guy, but sometimes IB gets me down, and then I just want some vibey tunes to cheer myself up. One album which always gets me that kick is the Rubinoos by (this isn’t a typo) the Rubinoos. It’s very bubblegum pop meets Buddy Holly, and although I’d be pleasantly surprised if someone told me they thought it was wellmade, it still absolutely slaps. Highly recommended! I’d suggest listening to it in order, but that’s just me, I’m not your dad. Georgia (Action and Wellness): Halloween is over which officially means it’s Christmas season! One of my favourite ways to get into the Christmas spirit is by watching Christmas movies, especially Elf. It is a fact that Elf is the best Christmas movie and I cannot recommend it enough. It has all the right touches of humour, nostalgia, horrible singing, a heartwarming ending, and Will Ferrell, making it the perfect movie for a cold winter day. Also, there’s a talking narwhal. What’s not to love? Harjunn (Action and Wellness): Chicago Med - Recently I started getting into the medical genre of TV shows and I do not regret it at all. This show is nothing like Grey’s Anatomy (which is good in my opinion). You go on a journey with different types of medical professionals such as cardiologists, pediatricians, emergency medicine doctors, nurses and psychiatrists and more. This show does not hide what emergency medicine entails and you empathize with all the people who work there. If you want to see a show purely about medicine, you’ll love this show.
Jenny (Arts): The Grapefruit Skies album by TEEKS; the music, TEEK’s voice and the lyrics are my cup of tea for this cold, rainy weather. My ultimate go-to has to be Never Be Apart as its lyricism and groove are simply timeless, endearing and raw. Whenever I listen to this album, it feels like I’m reading a book, enjoying a visual art masterpiece and watching a movie at the same time: that is how surreal the album is. It’s safe to say I am obsessed :)
Adam (Arts): Dark Side of the Moon - My favourite album of all time is Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. The great thing about the album is the fluidity of it -- you have to listen to all the songs in order or else it doesn't make much sense, since the end of each song leads into the beginning of the next. There is so much metaphorical meaning packed into each song it is really cool. My favourite song from the album is Brain Damage/Eclipse -- it is two songs but as mentioned, the fluidity of the album means it is more like one song. It is also my favourite song of all time, I highly recommend it. Listen on, Sabres! Jakob (Athletics): Basketball - Recently I have completely indulged into the lives of the Toronto Raptors and how their team has been working inside and out. I use it as a way to escape from school and to stop thinking about the upcoming deadlines I have. With the help of fantasy basketball and the incentive of winning money, watching the games has become a lot more fun to watch. Our team may not be the greatest right now but the Raps will definitely make a comeback next year with our young core putting in the grind. My favourite player, Jeremy Lin, isn't on the team anymore, but Scottie Barnes has really shown out and made basketball so much more enjoyable to watch. Sarah (Athletics): CLIF Builder's Protein Bars - These are absolutely my favourite protein bars; I eat one every day! They're delicious and super convenient for a pre- or post-workout snack. At 20 grams of (plantbased!) protein and less than 300 calories, the macros are great. Try one of their delicious flavours today! **NOT SPONSORED**
Jaya (Spirit): I have been absolutely in love with Kid Krow by Conan Gray, for the past year and a half. I love the lyricism and the flow of the album. My favourite song has got to be ''Little League'' because of its coming of age feel and pace of the song. I also really love ''The Cut That Always Bleeds'' and ''Comfort Crowd'' because they're just really good songs. To conclude this album is an experience that everyone should have the pleasure to partake in.
A Year in Film
Alyssa F. Grade 11
2 21
If we’re being honest, 2021 felt like a slow year for movies. Theaters had opened up early, allowing for all of us to go back to the movies: blockbusters were getting released at least every other week, and were making box office records post-pandemic. And yet, it still weirdly feels slow. There were some definite gems this year, as well as some absolutely awful films. This feature will include where to watch the movies, and maturity ratings. The recommended age is my own opinion, and your parents might say otherwise! I saw a lot of movies this year, so without further ado, here is (my opinion on) the best blockbuster films of 2021.
Luca Rated: G - Recommended for Grade 2+ Where to watch: Disney+ Directed by Enrico Casarosa, Luca is a heartwarming coming-of-age film. Set in a seaside town on the Italian Riviera, it stars two kids, Luca and Alberto, who are experiencing an unforgettable summer where they learn what it means to grow up and have close friends. But the two have a dark secret: they are actually sea monsters from a world just below the surface. The film has stunning animation and lovable characters, as well as a simple yet effective storyline. It’s a wonderful film to remind you of summer in these cold winter months, and is overall just a really fun time.
Eternals Rated: PG - Recommended for Grade 8+ Where to watch: In Theaters, Coming to Disney+ (as of issue's release date) CW: Violence, Mild Language, Brief Sexual Content
Eternals is Marvel’s most recent (and divisive) film directed by Cholé Zhao. It follows the story of the Eternals: immortal beings with superpowers, who have been living on Earth for thousands of years. They are forced to come together after an unexpected tragedy and fight the ‘deviants’, an ancient enemy of mankind. The film introduces many new characters into the MCU, and seems like it will be playing a very large role in the upcoming Marvel phase 4 movies. The film got very mixed reviews. Despite receiving 48% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52% on Metacritic, it is still a must-watch for the cinematography and music alone. Even with the film's reviews being mixed, the film had many firsts for the MCU and marks a huge step for them. Phastos, one of the Eternals, is the first character shown in a same-sex relationship on screen as well as having the first on screen same-sex kiss. Two of the other Eternals, Makkari and Kingo, hold the titles for the first deaf MCU superhero and first South Asian MCU superhero respectively.
Dune - Part 1 Rated: PG - Recommended for Grade 9+ Where to watch: Theaters (as of issue's release date) CW: Violence, Frightening Scenes Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune was adapted from a book of the same name in 1965 written by Frank Herbert. It follows our main character, Paul Atreides, as he travels to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of House Atreides. The film is split up into two parts, the second part set to be released sometime in 2023. The only way to describe Dune is that it’s boring but in a good way. The story takes a while to get going, but once it does, it's a thrilling ride. The cinematography brings the planet Arrakis, the main location of the film, to life with an incredible amount of detail. Accompanied by the cinematography are the effects. They do an amazing job of immersing the audience and are so well done to the point where it looks real. The music, done by Hans Zimmer, fits the tone of the movie and helps elevate the atmosphere of the film. The film is packed with a long list of incredibly talented actors who bring the characters to life. If you need an excuse to watch this movie, watch it for some of the brilliant performances from Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya (her amazing 30 seconds of screen time), Oscar Issac, and Stellan Skarsgård. It is a film with rich world building that feels personal yet has such a large scale to it.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings Rated: PG - Recommended for Grade 8+ Where to watch: Disney+ CW: Violence, Mild Language Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings marks the 25th movie in the MCU. It follows Shang-Chi, a martialarts master, as he confronts the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the Ten Rings organization. Unlike Eternals ShangChi received strong reviews, 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 71% on Metacritic, while also being a milestone for the MCU. It is the first superhero movie with an Asian American lead. The film has easily one of the best soundtracks in a superhero film and has some of the best action scenes in the MCU. The action scenes are interesting and incredibly well choreographed. The cast is incredibly strong and I am personally very excited to see their return in future films. Overall, it is a strong introduction to one of the MCU’s new heroes and how he will affect the universe.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Rated: PG - Recommended for Grade 8+ Where to watch: Theaters (as of issue's release date)
Directed by Jason Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a return to the world of Ghostbusters with a new set of characters. A single mom moves to a small town with her two teenage kids, and they discover their connection to the original ghostbusters. This movie has one of the funniest scenes I have ever seen, with a bunch of stay-puft marshmallow ghosts causing chaos in a Walmart. Paul Rudd’s character just sits there and watches as they run around the giant store. I can’t put my finger on why it was funny, but I enjoyed it! Aside from this, the movie isn’t super special. It has some interesting cinematography at times, but for the most part, it's a simple and enjoyable watch. The plot is really easy to follow, and the characters are likable enough to watch an entire movie for them. For any huge Ghostbusters fans, this movie is totally worth a watch: and for newcomers, it's able to stand on its own and still be enjoyable.
Bo Burnham: Inside Rated: PG - Recommended for Grade 10+ Where to watch: Netflix CW: Language, Mentions of Depression, Suicide, Sex, Drugs and Alcohol Created by comedian Bo Burnham during the height of the pandemic, Inside is a comedy special that was filmed entirely in one room. The special was created entirely by Burnham, and has an incredible use of technology to enhance the show. He can be seen switching lights mid-song, messing with camera equipment in the middle of the show, and having tech thrown all across the room. It creates a very honest tone to the show, and makes it feel really personal. The comedy is mostly told through music, most of which stands very well on its own outside of the special. It's an honest look into the mental toll that quarantine had for many, as it sees Burnham’s mental state decline throughout the filming of the show. Please note: it can be slightly distressing to watch, especially if you can relate to the messages communicated. Overall, it's an essential watch with fantastic music. Inside is a technical accomplishment, all created by one guy in one room.
k n a h T ! u ! o y
As the editors of the third issue of the ROAR Zine, we would like to thank everyone who had a hand in the artwork and production of this issue. We appreciate all of the submissions and can't wait to see what you create next. We look forward to seeing your beautiful art in the next issue!
- The Editors
R Z
