issue #4 JUNE 2022
THE EDITORIAL TEAM Zine Executives: Kristen Chan Hannah Chin Alex Coleman Madeleine Quennec Noelle Quennec Grace Young
Teacher Leads: Shoker Ms. Chang
Contributors:
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Jonathan Coleman Hannah You Willem V.A.D Talulla Cameron Natalie Lilico Alyssa Fielding Victoria Haussmann Fitz Hobbs Carol Xing Adrian Yeldan Dana Yamashiro Grace Young Alex Coleman Ilyas Kherani 2023 Prefects GSA Club
Special Thanks to: Alyssa Verma, artist of this issue's cover
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 - Editorial Team + Contributors 3 - Editor's Letter 4 - Recipe: Oat Fudge Bars 5 - Recipe: Citrus Yogurt Pound Cake 7 - Student Art Feature 9 - Student Photography 10 - Student Landscape Photography Contest 11 - Animation: The Locket 13 - Short Story: A Tuesday Morning, a Passerby 15 - Poem: Hometown 16 - Short Story: the nectarine tree 17 - Heartstopper Review 19 - Taste of Music 21 - Things I Wish I Knew About the DP... 23 - Pride Month 25 - Celebrating API Month 28 - Five Star Films, Movie Reviews 31 - Prefects' Picks
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editor's letter Dear Students, If you're reading this, that means we reached the production deadline against all odds! Grade Eleven, as we've learned, isn't easy. ROAR Issue #4 brings to you the best of the best. We've worked hard to give you more than just an anthology - we've created something interactive. Something deep. And, of course, something beautiful. We had to do our submissions justice! As you explore these artistic catacombs, we hope that you take a moment to appreciate the incredible efforts of your friends. We have a tremendous amount of talent, and all of us here on the ROAR Editorial team are so proud of you. Here's to ROAR 4! - Madeleine Q.
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oat fudge bars Ingredients
Ilyas K. (Grade 11)
Oat Base 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup salted butter, softened 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp baking soda 3 cups old fashioned oats Fudge 1 can (300 mL) sweetened condensed milk 2 cups chocolate chips (either semi-sweet or milk chocolate) 1/2 cup salted butter Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177⁰C). Line a 7×11 pan with parchment paper that covers the bottom and reaches up the sides. 2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugars, 1 cup butter and eggs. 3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking soda and oats. Slowly mix the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until fully incorporated. 4. Spread 3/4 of this mixture into the prepared pan. 5. In a medium saucepan, melt the fudge ingredients on medium heat, mixing until smooth. 6. Pour the chocolate mixture over the dough in the pan, then small blob the remaining oat mixture on top. 7. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes, then refrigerate. Then cut into bite size pieces
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citrus yogurt pound cake with lemon cream cheese frosting
by Fitz H (Grade 11)
preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) grease a 12-inch (30-cm) bread loaf pan with oil, line bottom and sides with parchment paper, then grease again and dust with flour set aside
cake 1 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 cup (240g) plain whole-milk yogurt 1 cup (210g) granulated sugar 4 large eggs 3 teaspoons lemon zest 2 teaspoons orange zest 1 teaspoon lime zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup (120ml) sunflower oil (or vegetable oil) 1. sift flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl 2. set aside 3. in another large bowl, whisk together yogurt and sugar until smooth 4. add eggs one by one, whisking the batter lightly after each addition 5. stir in all the citrus zest and vanilla paste 6. slowly whisk in the dry ingredients, until just incorporated 7. fold the oil in the batter using a silicone spatula and gently stir until it’s all incorporated 8. pour batter into prepared pan 9. bake for 40-50 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean
citrus syrup 1. 1/3 cup (80ml) freshly squeezed citrus juice (use citrus that you zested) 2. 1/3 cup (80g) granulated sugar 3. combine citrus juice and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan 4. cook on medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes 5. set aside
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when the cake is done 1. let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes 2. place a baking rack on a large plate or baking pan, then transfer cake onto the rack while it’s still warm 3. remove parchment paper 4. pour the citrus syrup all over the cake, especially down the center where the crack is (if there is one) 5. let the syrup soak in while the cake completely cools
cream cheese frosting 250g cream cheese however much powdered sugar looks right a splash vanilla extract one lemon’s worth of lemon zest some lemon juice if left over, but not a must
decor dried oranges thyme can be whatever you want though! think edible flowers, other herbs that match, fresh fruit if it’s in season, etc
enjoy!
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STUDENT ART FEATURE
Hannah Y. (Grade 9) Untitled
Carol X. (Grade 11) Easter Hunt
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Natalie L. (Grade 10) Summer Heat
Talulla C. (Grade 10) 1. girl with a pear earring 2. untitled 3. waterlilies by monet (left to right, top to bottom)
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STUDENT STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY
Jonathan C. (Grade 7)
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Jonathan C. (Grade 7)
Victoria H. (Grade 11)
Jonathan C. (Grade 7)
LANDSCAPE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST CONTEST
Jonathan C. (Grade 7)
Victoria H. (Grade 11)
Victoria H. (Grade 11)
Jonathan C. (Grade 7)
Victoria H. (Grade 11)
Willem VAD. (Grade 9)
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New animation to share with you :) from Alex C. I am very excited because my animation was a finalist for the Zoom International Student Film Festival, a festival for teenage filmmakers that is hosted every year by Earl Haig Secondary School in Toronto. It was my second year applying and first time being accepted. You can watch my animation and the other selected films on YouTube. I hope that you enjoy them :)
https://youtu.be/I7kVNhtsoNY Video title : "Zoom International Student Film Festival 2022 | Full Festival Reel"
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Adrian Y. (Grade 11)
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A Tuesday Morning, a Passerby She waits there, suspended in free fall. Everything is still. Her coffee hits the platform first, and she will soon follow. A Tuesday morning. She was at the train station, thinking about the places she needed to be. And in the swarm of people also thinking about the places they needed to be, she made a small misstep. She tripped. Now she will fall. She will miss the train. She will get back up, and she will take the next one. But she will be late. That’s how it usually goes. But where are you in all of this? Open your eyes. You are here, at the station, standing in the doorway of the train. Your eyes catch her as she is falling. You look at where you are standing. You don’t move. She is just out of reach. She hits the ground—a slap on the concrete. You wince. People watch her. Your first thought is: Your second thought is: should you help her? It would be easy enough to step off the train—to help her up. It’s allergy season, and you have some spare tissues in your pocket. It would be easy enough to clean the spilled coffee from her hands... But this is a train station, don’t you have places to be?
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The doors shut before you have the chance to step off (or so you will tell yourself when you recall this later). (You will say you were going to help her, but your hesitation now says otherwise.) Don’t worry, someone else will help her. Does this make you a bad person? you ask yourself. No, you say. For you are just a person. Just a person with places to be. But so says everyone else on the train—they think the same as you! You are not bad people, you all agree, you are just people. And so you, among the misses the train. At least you won’t be (You will never admit that Tuesday morning, that you were glad it passed by.)
people, watch from the windows as she late. your first thought as you watched her, on was wasn’t you lying on the platform as people
by Dana Y. (Grade 11)
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hometown walking past these memory framed doors i hear the click of your skeleton hand in mine the only thing that we still share is the image of the moon imprinted on eyelids on separate sides of the border your bones squeeze tighter around my fingers as i remember all those pleas for love floating unsaid like stars covered by city smog every time i pretend not to look at our cafe i pretend not to care when someone says your name my flesh is still cold, and your skeleton frame is still comfort hold on to me i’m barely holding on to me you moved back to your hometown backcountry with your North Carolina grade 5 sweetheart it must be clear enough to see the stars so far away
by Grace Y. (Grade 11)
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the nectarine tree Victoria H. (Grade 11)
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Heart Stopper A Breath of Fresh Air
Review by Alyssa F. (Gr. 11)
Heartstopper was easily my most anticipated piece of media set to come out this year. It seems strange to say considering the line up of amazing content slated to come out but this one holds a very special place in my heart.
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Heartstopper is a coming of age LGBTQ2+ romance series directed by Euros Lyn and written by Alice Oseman. The series is based on Oseman’s webcomic/graphic novels of the same name. It follows teenagers, Nick and Charlie, after they meet during class and their journey navigating friendship and family as well as first love and identity. Before I get into the details I’d like to mention a few things. One, I am completely biased as I have read, and loved, the novels that the series is adapting and two, I am a sucker for a cute romance. Every cute romance needs to have two leads and with Heartstopper, these leads are Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson played by Joe Locke and Kit Connor respectively. These characters feel like they were pulled off the page by their extremely talented actors and they feel like actual teenagers which is basically the most important part of a coming of age story. Alongside Charlie is his wonderful friendship made of Tao, Issac and Elle and alongside Nick is Darcy and Tara. The “side characters” can't really be called side characters as they are just as involved in the story as NIck and Charlie are, they have their own stories and problems to figure out. They are all portrayed wonderfully and the actors clearly have so much love for their characters which is always nice to see.
Speaking of the characters, something that I will forever praise Heartstopper for is its representation of LGBTQ2+ people. While everyone will be able to relate to someone whether they are part of the community or not, but members of the community I think you’ll be able to get a little more out of the show as you’ll be able to find yourself or your experiences reflected in the characters. For me, that character was Nick Nelson. When reading the original text and now watching the show, Nick was my favorite from the start. He likes Marvel films and he has a dog named Nellie (who, if we’re being honest, is the real star of the show). He has a pretty good sense of style, something that I definitely cannot relate to, and has a haircut that I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of. But those weren’t the only reasons he was my favorite, he was my favorite because I could see so much of myself in his character. Nick goes through the entire thing questioning himself, something that I did back in grade 7 & 8 when I was first figuring myself out. Nick not only questions his sexuality but the friendships he holds. He starts to view his world in a completely different way. I’ve watched so much media over the years but never have I seen an experience that feels so authentic and that resonated with me so much. It got to the point where I spent so much of my time watching Heartstopper absolutely sobbing my eyes out, not out of sadness but out of joy. I wish that I had this type of media years ago as it is peak escapism and provides a source of comfort I will never be able to put into words.
To put it simply, Heartstopper is a show for anyone who has ever felt unsure of themselves or who has ever questioned their identity. It is for anyone who has ever been in love or had a fight with a loved one. It is a show for anyone who has ever been a teenager and it knows exactly how difficult it can be. I don’t think I have ever felt so seen by a piece of media and I really really hope that this wonderful series gets another season to continue the story they’ve started. Also if you’re a fan of the books then you’ll adore this and if not, you can watch the show knowing that you’ll have at least two volumes of the graphic novel as well as a short novel to keep your incoming Heartstopper addiction going strong.
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THE TASTE OF MUSIC By Hannah C (11)
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Our music taste would be pretty boring if we only listened to songs in our own language. So if you're in need of some new tunes, I, with the help of the zine team, compiled a collection of non-English songs that we love! Organizing the songs by genre turned out to be too difficult. So I chose the next best, most obvious option: Rain or Shine ice cream flavours. I guess you can say I'm adding more flavour to your playlist. You'll find songs in Russian, French, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, German, Malay and Vietnamese. All organized by Rain or Shine's signature ice cream flavours and their vibes.
FLAVOURS: Take some time to listen to the songs under your favourite flavour. And if you're more of an Earnest ice cream person, you're wrong but you'll still enjoy these songs.
Malted Milk Chocolate Крыши (Kryshi) by Molchat Doma - Russian
Blueberry Balsamic Text me by DPR Live - Korean (Nakaniwo Shoujyotachi) by SHISHAMO - Japanese твои волшебные мечты (tvoi volshebnyye mechty) by Где Фантом? (Gde Fantom?) - Russian Love theory by TAEYONG & wonstein - Korean
中庭の少女たち
Coffee
Blue Whale by Arches - Cantonese
Toffee
lovememore. by do3sii - Korean
Señora Diana La Ví by Eduardo Mateo & Diane
Amour Plastique by Videoclub - French
Goalkeeper by Chinese Football - Mandarin 100 Bosques by Patio Solar - Spanish
Honey Lavender Caminando by Isadora - Spanish
たぶん (Tabun) by YOASOBI - Japanese 하루살이 (dayfly) by DEAN feat. sulli, Rad
Denoir - Spanish Città vuota by Mina - Italian
巴黎德州 (Bālí dézhōu) by The Chairs - Mandarin Hello tutorial by Zion. T, Seulgi - Korean Quiero by Divino Niño - Spanish
深夜浪漫 Midnight Romance by Gigi Cheung Cantonese
Peanut
L’appuntamento by Ornella Vanoni - Italian
Butter
Sinaran by Sheila Majid - Malay
ICHIDAIJI by POLKADOT STINGRAY - Japanese
Museum - Korean
Cracked Mint
Estrelar by Marcos Valle - Portuguese 99 Luftballons by Nena - German Nerdy Love by pH-1 & Yerin Baek - Korean Bruxelles je t’aime by Angèle - French See Thinh by Hoang Thuy Linh - Vietnamese
I’M A STAR by WOOSEOK X KUANLIN - Korean RIDE ON SHOOTING STAR by the pillows Japanese 16 Hours by Higher Brothers - Mandarin
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things i wish i knew about the DP before i started 21
1. talking to teachers, asking questions, and going to study centre before a big test/summative is due is *really* useful 2. using a Google Calendar or some sort of organization system for all of your deadlines and meetings is key to keeping on top of things 3. doing past papers to study for exams is the way to go 4. log your CAS hours -- it's easier to keep track of them that way 5. when you become overwhelmed by all the major assignments going on (e.g. summatives, IAs) and you are also trying to study for exams at the same time remember this: everything will get done eventually, just keep your head up and make sure to take breaks 6. using the Pomodoro technique or some other study strategy is actually pretty useful, even if you have laughed about its effectiveness in community before 7. being open about your struggles with work and life in general is normally quite therapeutic and helpful -- people around you will be able to understand and empathise, cause hey, we're all trying to get through the DP together 8. the DP is HARD, but that doesn't mean its impossible make sure to honour YOUR progress -- even if you're not getting the same grades as the person sitting next to you, progress is the MOST important thing in the DP 9. don't let your first summative marks get you down -- how you start the DP is definitely not how you're going to finish
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BEING A
BETTER
ALLY during pride month.
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As another Pride month rolls around, it's important that we acknowledge how strange this year has been for members of the LGBTQ2IA+ community. 2022 is set to be a record-breaking year for queerphobic legislation in the USA. We, as a community, need to be able to put faith in our allies. Here are 3 simple suggestions to improve your allyship -- regardless of whether you're queer, cishet, questioning, or otherwise.
1.
Do your research : and stick with it. Many businesses that we know and love actually contribute large sums of money to anti-LGBTQ2+ organizations and politicians. Do your research and try your best to avoid those brands. And this shouldn't be exclusive to Pride month.
Consider donating to a cause. Approximately 1 in 4 queer kids are rejected from their families on the basis of their identity. LGBTQ2IA+ people make up a significant portion of BC's homeless. By donating to a Queer youth health centre, or homeless shelter, you are directly helping to eliminate a huge problem faced by queer Canadians.
3.
2.
Be sensitive. If you have any queer friends, be mindful of their feelings. Make extra efforts to use their correct name and pronouns, give them compliments that align with their gender identity, and avoid heteronormative language. We deserve to feel normal as we are :)
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Celebrating our
A.P.I HERITAGE
by Hannah C. (11)
May is Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
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To celebrate this year's API Heritage month, I along with the ROAR Zine team, put together this article to highlight to not only books and films/shows with API narratives, but as well as bring attention to the experiences of API students here at Stratford Hall from everything between joys and struggles of being a part of Asian/Pacific Islander diasporas.
BOOKS TO READ: Bolded titles can be found in our school's library!
1. Chinatown Through a Wide Lens: The Hidden Photographs of Yucho Chow by Catherine Clement (Gr. 6+) 2. Flamer by Mike Curato (Gr. 6+) 3. The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata (Gr. 6+) 4. Trust No Aunty by Maria Qamar (Gr. 9+) 5. The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen (Gr. 6+) 6. Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon (Gr. 8+) 7. Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman (Gr. 6+) 8. The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (Gr. 7+) 9. Hunted by The Sky by Tanaz Bhathena (Gr. 7+)
FILMS TO WATCH:
Please forgive me for giving this section special attention, but these are all films I've seen and loved so I can't not gush about them.
Only some of these portray the API diaspora experience. Since the films I included that fit into the 'foreign cinema' category tell LGBTQ+ stories, I thought "Hey, why not?". That isn't to say queer films featuring Asian-American/Canadian characters don't exist, in all honesty I just haven't watched any yet! But I am looking forward to it. I hope you can take time to check out at least one of these films that are a part of growing collection of API heritage/Asian cinema films that I adore :]
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (एक लड़की को देखा तो ऐसा लगा) (2019) India (Hindi), Gr. 7+
Tigertail (2020)
USA (English, Taiwanese Hokkien, Mandarin), Gr. 8+
Scarborough (2021)
Canada (English), Gr. 8+
Minari (2020)
USA (English, Korean), Gr. 7+
윤희에게) (2019) Your Name Engraved Herein (刻在你心底 的名字 ) (2020) Taiwan (Mandarin), Gr. 10+ Moonlit Winter (
South Korea (Korean), Gr. 6+
Flee (2021)
Denmark (Danish, Dari), Gr. 8+
Boy (2010)
New Zealand, (English, Māori), Gr. 7+
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
USA (Engish, Mandarin), Gr. 10+
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Q&A with Stratford Hall
I surveyed a few of my peers about how their Asian identity and the experiences that come along with it. I will admit, the few grade 11 students definitely does not represent the entirety of the school's API student population. But nonetheless these are still the real feelings of the surveyed students. I hope that through reading the real thoughts of API students here at the school, it inspires you to advocate for your own API peers, or even find that these answers also reflect your own experiences.
Q: Has representation of your culture in media and pop culture progressed?
Q: What struggles do you face because of your ethnicity/culture?
A: I believe Korean music and cinema has contributed in the deconstruction of negative representation in western media. More East asians are now being recognized in the film industry due to recent success from EA films. The popularization of this media has resulted in a way of providing asian representation in film and transcending common asian stereotypes.
A: Mainly microaggressions from peers masked as a "joke," especially when I was younger when these behaviours were normalized.
A: I think that representation for Singapore in particular in media has in some ways increased, for example with Crazy Rich Asians. However, for most people this is about the only movie that comes to mind, so it would be great to see media in general that represents the average Singaporean more accurately.
Q: What makes you proud of your heritage? A: Something that makes me proud of my heritage is hearing about the struggles my family has faced while moving from India to Canada. Despite facing pressure to abandon their customs and traditions, they chose not to and to continue practising them with me and my cousins
A: A lot of the time I am subjected to racism and judgement based on how I look. This is very hurtful because I have been dealing with it for a very long time and have accepted that it is going to be something that happens to me wherever I go. However, I wish it wasn't because I don't want other POC kids to experience some of the things I have went through and hear some of the things that are said to people who look like us.
Q: What is a piece of media that represents your culture, that you love? A: Joy luck club. It is about immigrating to America and explains to people about the struggles and inequalities Asian women had to go through. It is quite inspiring and it also teaches people about Asian culture. A: Never Have I Ever is a really interesting TV show about an Indian teenager living in the US and parts of it include her struggle with connecting with her culture and fitting into the society that she is currently in. It highlights some of the very relatable issues that many POC youth face through an engaging platform.
A: I am proud of my culture and my family and how hard my family has worked to become who we are today.
Q: Why do we need API Heritage Month? Especially when we are already encouraged to celebrate diversity everyday? A: I think we need an AAPI Heritage Month to celebrate the diversity that exists all around us! Not only in the student community, but just in Vancouver and Canada in general. I think that participating in API Heritage Month helps us to become more anti-racist and actively educate ourselves about the realities and super cool cultures that 1111are in our world.
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A: AAPI heritage month is important to celebrate as there are many achievements from the community to be celebrated. There is still progress to be made in breaking stereotypes however, by commemorating AAPI heritage month and learning its historical significance in a positive light more people may be educated on the topic :]
A: I think API Heritage month is good to have because it explicitly shows Asian and Pacific Islanders living outside of these regions that they live in a place accepting of their heritage.
FIVE ST R FILMS
★
according to Alyssa F. (11)
For those of you who don’t know what Letterboxd is, it is basically a social media/tracker site for movie fans. You can log films, rate them and review them alongside a bunch of other stuff. I am going to be going through the movies I gave 5 stars and talking about them! Technically not all of these are movies but if they’re on Letterboxd they count. I’m assuming most of you won’t really care but I’m taking this opportunity to ramble about the movies I love.
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The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Pride & Prejudice
MICHAEL RIANDA, 2021, 113 MIN.
JOE WRIGHT, 2005, 127 MIN.
Look I’d there as animated rivalled
This beloved adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel of the same name left me with an unexplained feeling after watching it.
be lying if I said this wasn’t up my favourite or second favourite feature film of all time, only being by Into the Spider-verse.
The film follows a family, the Mitchells, as they embark on a roadtrip to drop their daughter off at college. Things quickly go off the rails as a robot apocalypse begins and it seems that the Mitchells are the only people who can save the world. While the story is fantastic, there are many other things to love about this film. First of all, there is so much love poured into this movie and it shows. The amount of detail in each frame is astounding and the overall film has a certain warmth to it that can only be achieved with love and dedication. Second of all, the amount of style that oozes from every frame is incredible and I cannot believe that this did not win the 2022 Academy's Best Animated Feature (please note: Encanto is a fantastic film and it deals with the topics it chose to cover very well; HOWEVER, it does not do much in the style category and looks like a generic Disney film. Also the Oscars are kind of a joke right now so I guess it doesn’t matter that much). Mitchells vs. The Machines has a combined superhero comic mixed with home video footage look to it and that alone basically makes the film a piece of eye candy. Aside from that, each character design is incredibly unique and there isn’t one character that looks reused in any way. Speaking of characters! The characters in this film are incredibly loveable and feel like an actual family. This is absolutely due to the fantastic writing as well as the stunning voice performances from the entire cast. I know that most of this is pretty vague; however, I don’t want to ruin the magic that is viewing this film for the first time. It's an emotional roller coaster about love and family and growing up that can relate to everyone in some way.
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The story follows the Bennet family, specifically the 5 Bennet sisters, and their navigation of marriage as well as family. The film is set during the late 18th century and takes place in England. To start, the performances in this are wonderful. Kiera Knightley, the actress who plays Elizabeth, is just incredible throughout the entire film and had me giggling throughout a large portion of the film because of her line delivery. Opposite Knightly is Mathew Macfadyen who plays Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth’s love interest. Macfadyen is also incredible and plays the subtleties of his character so well (for any of you that have seen the film should know what I’m talking about when I mention the hand flex scene). I should also mention that because I've watched HBO Max's Succession, it was strange to hear him talk in an English accent despite the fact that the actor is actually English and not American like his Succession character. This didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the film but it did take me around 10 minutes to get used to it. There is so much more to gush about as the writing, costumes and set are all fantastic but I want to get back to the unexplained feeling this film gave me. I don’t think I will ever be able to explain what that feeling is; however it is like a warm hug given to you by your family and it most likely comes from the loving relationship between the Bennet family as well as the delicate lighting and colour palette. It is also like the experience of falling in love, something that most likely comes from the stunning performances from Keira Knightly and Matthew MacFadyen I mentioned earlier. This film does so much right and I think it is so difficult not to adore it. Also, I fully believe that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth invented true love.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Normal People
JOHN HUGHES, 1986, 103 MIN.
LENNY ABRAHAMSON & HETTIE MACDONALD, 2020
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off follows Ferris Bueller, a student, as he skips school with his girlfriend, Sloane, and his best friend, Cameron. It's not hard to love this film considering everything it has to offer but one of the main reasons I adore this film so much is because of the fourth wall breaks. I find that a lot of films that do this always do them at awkward moments and do not use them to their full potential. But with Ferris Bueller, it's the opposite. The breaks are short, to the point and usually for comedic purposes. They are put in the perfect places and never overstay their welcome. Another thing that I particularly love about this film is the tone. This is not usually something I comment on but it would be a shame not to mention it. The film manages to keep a consistent fun and airy tone to it while still exploring heavier topics. This is all done through Cameron’s character as his home life is less than ideal as well as his mental state. He is incredibly anxious (much like myself) and is a direct contrast to Ferris’s character. Much like the other films in this list, there is so much more than what I’ve mentioned but I think it's better left experienced on its own. This film comes down to being a fun time where one could turn off their brain for the 1 hour 38 minute running time and just enjoy the ride, much like Ferris and his friends during the film.
I should mention that this is not technically a movie, it is a mini series; however, it is on letterboxd so I’m going to count it anyways. The series is based on a novel by Sally Rooney of the same name and follows Marianne and Connell as they go from high school to university. More specifically, the story follows their relationship and how they change as people throughout it. This is a series that feels like you stepped into someone’s life with a camera and recorded it. It is honest, raw and an emotional rollercoaster. It understands that there are people in your life who you will always love and that things might not always work out the way that you want it to. In many ways this is a romance story but it is also a story about growing up and changing as a person. It is an exploration of relationships and life as a whole. The show deals with, at times, extremely mature content; however it does this in a way where it does not feel as though it is taking a side and is instead, telling a story. I’m not sure if that makes sense for some bits in the show but that is the best way I could word it. As for the pieces that make up the show, the characters stand out as they are incredibly human. When I say this I mean that they are flawed, they make mistakes and they don’t know what they’re doing most of the time. This is due to the incredible writing as well as the vulnerable performances given by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal who play Marriane and Connell respectively. Alongside this is one of, if not, my favourite soundtracks that I have heard in a piece of media. It doesn’t show up much as music is quite scarce in the show but when they use it, they really hit you where it hurts. There is one track in particular that made me cry just by listening to it (I’m not ashamed to say that considering the music is really good). It is a simplistic score that matches the highest of times and the lowest points the characters go through. There is so much more that makes this series incredible but overall, this is a show that tells an honest story about relationships, whether these are romantic or platonic, and tells it in a way where anyone can relate to it.
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PREFECTS' PICKS Grace: Milo Dinosaur - A Milo dinosaur is a much loved drink of mine that is Singaporean and Malaysian. It’s basically iced Milo (which is a chocolate-malt drink) with extra Milo powder on top (this gives the drink a crunchy-chocolate-y element). You can buy your own Milo powder from the grocery store to make it!! You could also go to different Singaporean restaurants in Vancouver, and they might sell some version of this drink. For peak enjoyment, drink it in mid-20 degree celsius weather (not too hot that the ice will melt right away, but hot enough that the drink is refreshing rather than chilling).
Victoria: My cat - her name is Petunia, and she's 15 years old, so a little old lady. She's a long haired tortoiseshelllooking ball of fluff who loves attention. Her favourite food is rabbit paté, and when she wants attention she gets up on the table and flops onto her back so nearby humans can rub her belly and fawn over her. She occasionally will get too excited and flop off the table as well, but she tries to walk it off like "oh, I meant to do that". A purrfect little lady. Madeleine: Telestrations - this odd mashup of Pictionary and Telephone is sure to leave you in stitches. What is at first a seemingly simple concept, can turn into absolute chaos with just one miscommunication. I was a bit hesitant to play this the first time around - it seemed a little bit juvenile, and not like something I would enjoy... on the contrary, I ended up having a great time! It’s fun for people of all ages, and things can escalate super quickly into a laugh-fest of epic proportions. You can find it in most game stores around Vancouver, or you can order it online. Happy drawing!
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Alyssa: Tell me that it’s over by Wallows - I’m a huge Wallows fan and I think this might be my favorite album of the last 5 years (definitely not biased). It's a mash of so many different genres and feelings that I could probably live only listening to it if I had to. “Hurts Me”, “At the End of the Day” and “Guitar Romantic Search Adventure” are my personal faves but like the entire album is incredible. It's basically my go to source of music right now :D Aly: TechLinked - a YouTube Channel run by Linus Media Group. This channel creates humorous videos three times a week about the latest tech news in a variety of different areas, such as new computers, phones that have been released and recent news about video games. I personally quite like this channel, as it allows me to stay on top of what is happening in the rapidly changing tech world, while not taking up much of my time in order to do so. Furthermore, I like how this channel discloses its sponsorships, so I know the influences they may have when they are giving opinions about the tech news. Overall, if you are interested in the technology and want an easy and fast way to stay on top of the latest news in this field, I would highly recommend this channel to you. Ilyas: Dad’s Root Beer - As some of you may know, I was fasting and when I would go to break my fast this year, I was pretty keen on having Dad's Root beer to quench my thirst. It comes in a glass bottle, and everything tastes better in glass and is freshly carbonated with very little ingredients. The taste is elegant and if you like root beer I would recommend you try it out.
Radhika: Tangled - My favourite movie of all time is Tangled, it has an amazing soundtrack and the animation is incredible. In my opinion, the best scene is when Rapunzel and Flynn are running away from the twins and the guards. The other classic scene from the movie is where Rapunzel and Flynn are singing “I See The Light” with the lanterns flying around them. It is an amazing movie and I recommend it to everyone.
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Morgan: Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) - This movie is simply fantastic. Easily one of the most compelling and profound pieces of writing I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in my admittedly short lifetime. A Silent Voice is an animated movie and does get into some pretty heavy topics especially concerning mental health, depression, bullying, and people with physical impairments (one of the main characters is deaf). It provides terrific insight into a lot of these issues from the perspective of children/adolescents, but the content is still hard to handle all the same so perhaps if you’re a little younger maybe wait a bit so you can really enjoy this one. It’s an emotional rollercoaster but definitely one worth riding. Simon: Christina Lake - My family started going to Christina Lake 18 years ago, before I was even born. It is the perfect place to spend a family vacation in the summer. In the interior of British Columbia, Christina Lake’s warmth and scenery makes it a great place for swimming, boating, fishing and hiking with friends and family. I can’t wait to spend more time there this summer!
Dana: Honeycrisp Apples - These apples are Prefect picked to enhance your apple eating experience. Ever since Kindergarten, I’ve had a miscellaneous assortment of apples with my lunch. Of course, boredom reached me somewhere in the middle of Grade 4 to the point where my lunch hours felt… fruitless (those were rough times). That was until something amazing happened. I bit into another apple. But this was not just any apple, it was a Honeycrisp apple! And I felt… joy. It was sweet. It was tart. It was perfect. Honeycrisp apples planted new life into my lunches, and I will continue to enjoy them until the end of my days. They may be a few cents more than any old Ambrosia, but these babies are worth it!
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