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vol. 12
// f eb ru ar
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disney educates youth how gpas fail students teen romance hits theaters
vipers take aaa arena
n i t e l l u b d r a o b
View p oints From th e E d itors
Hits and misses Enchanters won National Championship. Congrats, girls!
The school getting colder by the day, right in the middle of flu season.
Beautiful Creatures, wasn’t as bad as Twilight... but it was still pretty bad.
The boys basketball team played on the Miami Heat’s home court and beat the Sunset Knights. Go Vipers!
‘Argo’ and ‘Life of Pi’ won big at the 2013 Academy Awards. Ben Affleck is coming back.
Dennis Rodman is the closest we’ve ever come to peace with North Korea. America, we have a problem.
The Editor Says: intrinsic value
If I hear the phrase “GPA boost” one more time, I may have to puke. It’s not that I don’t like school-- I’m a Ravenclaw. The Harry Potter Hogwarts house has become a key part of my identity. Canonically, Ravenclaws value knowledge and wit. They’re lovers of learning-- not just the end, but the means. So I love school quite a bit. What I’m not crazy about is the systematic quality public education has taken on. I’m tired of seeing the College Board logo on every surface of the school, tired of the seemingly endless cycle of standardized tests and of the constant worry over Grade
Point Averages. The last point is one we address in this issue’s editorial. Here are my personal two cents-When you do something, it should be because, as George Watsky says in the Fireworks track off his new album, “you love it like nothing else in the universe.” It shouldn’t be a matter of what you get out of it, but rather the sheer value of doing it. So when we show up to class, it would be nice not to have to focus on the next test or the homework we didn’t have time to do, and instead just revel in the process of learning. All the best experiences I’ve had as a student have come from class discussion or hands-on activities, like talking about a book or producing a magazine. And when I’ve signed up for Advanced Placement classes, it’s never been for those two extra points or the college credit-- it’s to be able to access a better learning environment. Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to pick and choose to access that? DFTBA, Claudia Morales Editor-in-Chief @ravenclawdia
volume 12 November ‘12 Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Claudia Morales MANAGING EDITOR/ PHOTO EDITOR Janelle Malagon LIFESTYLE EDITOR Giovanna Navas SPORTS EDITOR Suzanne Pontillo VIEWPOINTS EDITOR Ciro Salcedo
Staffers
Katie Ewald Shiloh Hayes Jean Oliveros Alexa Jimenez
Adviser
Elizabeth Cardenas
Editorial Policy The Viper Vibe is the student newspaper of Felix Varela Senior High (15255 SW 96 St. Miami, FL, 33196). It is an open forum for student expression. The opinions expressed in the publication do not reflect the official opinions or policies of the school. The Viper Vibe welcomes letters to the editor, but requires that they be signed and reserves the right to reject, edit and condense letters. The staff and davisor can be contacted at 305-752-7900 or thevipervibe@gmail.com
Ads The Viper Vibe solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed obscene as to minors, defamatory or materially and substantially disruptive of school activities.
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Viewpoi nt s F rom t h e Editors
We Say:
GPA fixation fails students
In Memoriam
Today’s public school system is almost identical to improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?: “Everything’s made up and the points don’t matter.” Since our indoctrination as early as pre-kindergarten, our lives have been defined by this system. We’ve never had any say in what happens to us as students. We’re forced to adhere to a Grade Point Average (GPA) scale that does far more harm than good. Established in Yale University in the 19th century, the GPA system aggregates student performance on assignments and exams. It took decades for the system to evolve into the one we know today-- the College of William and Mary used 1 as the best and 4 as the worst, while Harvard had 20- and 100-point scales. Still, GPAs have been around for a while. GPAs aren’t necessarily useless. They allow for statistical analysis, school-to-school comparison and other quantitative necessities. But these are only necessities when we work under the belief that students should be pitted against each other in the first place. That is the basis of the struggle. While there is a place for statistics in ev-
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ery situation, the education system has conflated this need with their ultimate goal. Schools educate their students in such a way that their GPAs are inextricably tied to their worth and intellect. We’re kept on a tight schedule of honor roll after honor roll, class ranking update after update, report card after report card. A toxic pressure is created under the pretense of “recognizing
“A toxic pressure is created under the pretense of ‘recognizing excellence.’”
excellence.” The goal becomes not learning or mastering a subject, but passing the next test. We memorize facts for the sake of an A and discard the information in preparation for our next task. Erica Goldson, a New York valedictorian, spoke out against this cycle in her 2010 graduation speech, saying she “excelled [...] for the purpose of excel-
Mary Joffre Once a Viper, always a Viper
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ling, not learning.” “I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system,” Goldson said. “Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. [...] I have successfully shown that I was the best slave.” After thirteen years of adhering to standardized education, Goldson felt at a loss on the cusp of her transition into the “real world.” She speculated that her peers who may have neglected their grades in favor of their non-academic interests were better off. Six states south, Goldson’s experience is just as common. Take Varela’s iPrep magnet, for example-- it claims to educate the “21st century learner” but altogether discourages non-academic pursuits. Technology is undeniably vital in any education. However, when it’s paired only with academics and we’re not taught all the good it can do elsewhere, everybody involved is shortchanged. As long as our fixation on GPA and academics persists, so will the mentality. If that’s what the 21st century is meant to look like, we’re not sure we want to be a part of it.
In honor of Mary Joffre, Varela faculty are planning a memorial bench situated by the open courtyard pond. Ms. Joffre would often stop there to rest or think, watching the wildlife and enjoying the nature. If you would like to donate, you can do so online at www.gofundme.com/280a7s
View p oints Op in ions
by janelle malagon
managing editor @janbydesign
3d filmmaking is a cheap gimmick It is safe to say that– in an age marked by constant innovation in the world of entertainment– all things come and go. This, I hope, specifically applies to the world of filmography. Ever since its rise in the early 20th century, stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) film has been blessed with a consistent rise in popularity despite its inherent flaws. It’s happened to everyone: when watching a 3D film, what is called a “ghost” will appear. Not the sort that haunts houses built on Indian burial grounds, but rather the ones created by a distortion of color as a result of an offset in the two cameras the film was filmed with. If the shift did not occur during production, then it was a result of the post-production conversion. These “ghosts” are caused by something of an overlap in the films, where one eye will see a piece of the film intended for its companion, giving what could very well be a masterful film a cheap appearance. With the revival of 3D at the turn of the millennia came the push by producers to charge the common folk another five or seven dollars to put on a pair of glasses in a darkened room and have their eyes assaulted by layers upon layers of post-production stereoscopic editing that was never intended to see the light of day. The most common form of 3D films are created through a conversion of dimensions created to give the illusion of depth. In other words, moviegoers
are being charged heavily to rely on an emptier wallet and a whole lot of imagination to see the Na’vi standing ten feet high and firing arrows in their general direction. That alone seems like a bit of a robbery to me. For something meant to enhance a visual experience, logistically speaking, 3D has the inverse effect. When a film is produced in 3D, it is filmed with two cameras set side by side one another, mimicking the way we see; one camera for one eye. With that, a film will actually be produced twice, each with the intention of being viewed by a separate eye, a phenomenon made capable by the infamous 3D glasses in their unnecessary plastic wrapping that movie goers keep for souvenirs. The creation and push for 3D films, I find, creates an even more problematic result. 3D has become little more than a dime-a-dozen crowd pleaser. For some inane reason, audiences like images being thrown at them. It fascinates them despite inciting headaches or nausea in some people as a result of the “ghost” seen through the inconsistency between cameras. The addition of 3D, however, results in the subtraction of artistry. That is not to say that filmmakers who apply 3D to their films are not artists but rather that the human eye cannot possibly observe cinematographic artistry while it is busy being attacked by explosions or arrows. Humans are attracted to 3D in the
same way that cavemen are attracted to fire. They don’t know what it is, how it works or why they like it so much but they know that it’s pretty. They like to stare at it until someone learns how to use it. As of yet, very few people have learned how to use it. By “use it” I mean create an adequate balance between pretty explosions getting a little too close for comfort and conveying artistry and emotion through cinematic aspects such as lighting, colouration and camera angles. At the end of the day, filmmakers need to make money. Unfortunately, we live in a country whose majority appreciates instant gratification through big explosions, pretty colors and sub-par plot lines more so than a film with intellectual or thematic value relayed in part by cinematographic choices. What is even more unfortunate is that the way to rake in the big bucks is by creating a film that can be converted into 3D once all is said and done and, for the big blockbusters, into the evermore-expensive IMAX theater. As per recent films since James Cameron’s infamous Avatar (2009), countless films have been re-released in 3D years after their initial 2D release, others converted into 3D in post-production. It seems that some filmmakers have lost sight of the ability they have to create art and have instead focused on what will appease the greatest number of audience members.
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View p oints Op in ions
books and movies are separate
by Giovanna navas
lifestyle Editor @gioomaria
A trip to the movie theater today is almost like a trip to a library. Pretty much every film being made today is some kind of literary adaptation. The reason being: it sells. It’s no secret that when a movie has a predisposed fanbase, it’s obviously going to do well in the box office. Looking at 2012 alone, 50 percent of the top ten grossing films were adapted from literature. Marvel’s The Avengers and The Amazing Spider-Man were highly anticipated before either film had even entered preproduction. The YA Dystopian sci-fi The Hunger Games developed a roaring crescendo of fans after word of mouth enticed readers to pick up its mother novel. Even the last dying breaths of the Twilight saga have induced copious amounts of buzz in the film-world from fans and haters alike. Even today, more and more works of literature are being adapted to screenplays. With Screen Gems going into post-production for Cassandra Clare’s dark fantasy The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and Marvel getting ready to create films for Ant Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, it appears that page-to-screens are here to stay. But while works of literature are great springboards for moviemakers, fans and readers are finding the concept of separate entities difficult to grasp. In truth, we as fans need to understand
that a movie is not a book and once the rights have been sold to a film company, it now belongs to them. The rest is completely up to the director. Because while the book might be the author’s, the movie is not. That is the decision that an author consciously makes before selling the filming rights to a company. So when disappointed fans rage, “This movie blows! It was nothing like the book!” they need to sit back and ask themselves what really hindered this film from being good. Was the script poorly written? Was the story sloppy? Were the effects unrealistic? As a stand-alone film, was it flawed? It’s a very common misconception that an adaptation can only be enjoyable if it’s faithful to its source material. But, in truth, that’s not the case as all. The 2011 film Moneyball was so loosely based off of its mother novel that it could even be called a separate story altogether, yet, Moneyball received outstanding critical reception and was even nominated for seven Academy Awards. Meanwhile, Catherine Hardwicke’s first film installment of the Twilight saga stayed relatively true to the books. Unfortunately, that thwarted the film more than it helped it. Of course, there are cases where an unfaithful adaptation is poorly made. Chris Columbus’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a sad testament to this. However, the movie was not bad because it didn’t follow Rick Riordan’s (outstanding) book; it was bad because the acting was abysmal, Columbus’ story lacked logic and organization, and the script rendered every character unlikeable and melodramatic. In short: books are books and movies are movies. It’s really not that difficult to grasp. It’s understandable, for a minute, that readers get disappointed when the picture in their mind doesn’t transcend similarly on screen. But the fact of the matter is that the book and its movie adaptation are two completely separate entities. They should not be compared and they should stand on their own.
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What book do you want to see on screen?
“Maximum Ride series. I think it would be really cool to see how they work with that in the movie and I think it’s one of the only books in my library that they haven’t made into a movie yet.” Jeremy Martinez 10
“Vampire Academy because it’s such a good book and I’d love to see the main character come to life.” Emily Aldana 10
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Th e Vi p er V i b e A d s
The Viper Vibe would like to thank Subway and the Miami International Airport for sponsoring the publication. If you would like to sponsor us, e-mail thevipervibe@gmail.com for more information.
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NEWS
What is your favorite theme park? “Definitely Magic Kingdom because it brings back so many childhood memories and it just makes me happy.”
“Universal because they have [The Wizarding World of] Harry Potter and the wands and all that.”
Jade Gonzalez 10
Johanna Correa 11
walt disney world hosts student journalists at media day story by Giovanna Navas
New s Beyon d Varela
Disney stretches far wider than the business and entertainment company it appears to solely be. As it turns out, there is a huge integration of programs and workshops targeted towards students. This ranges from the Disney Institute - a program in which students young or old receive intricate education on business - to the Disney College Program where participants work on-thespot at Disney parks and resorts to gain hands-on experience. Most recently, the Disney Youth Program teamed up with the Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA) for their annual Disney Media Day, an event hosted in the parks for middle and high school journalists all across Florida. Their objective is to immerse student journalists into Disney’s world of mass communication by means of interactive exercises and presentations. This year’s event was hosted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with a special emphasis on leadership, and storytelling through photography. To be considered for the program, schools had to apply with two student journalists from their respective communication departments.
Photos by Stephanie Mesa
The pairs of students selected were to represent the communications program at their school. These students were divided between those choosing to take photo-storytelling workshops and those adapting leadership skills. The latter were immediately taken to a scorching hot, open Epcot courtyard where they learned about innovation, entrepreneurship and how leadership interconnects with business. “I feel like it’s a great experience to learn more about myself and my leadership abilities and how to apply those to journalism.” said Warden High School (New Tampa, Florida) student Haley Gonzalez. After which, they were given the opportunity to listen to speaker Joseph Gardner who gave business and leadership advice to the students. “Leadership creates the environment.” he told them. Elsewhere, the photo-journalists remained at Hollywood Studios for basic lessons and exercises on camera lighting, positioning and being able to tell a profound story through a single photograph. “It was really fun,” said Dreyfoos (West Palm Beach, Florida) student Michelly Gonzalez. “I’m doing photoediting for our newspaper next year. The camera-work was very interesting. I didn’t really know a lot about it, so it did teach me a lot.” Afterwards, they were taken to Innovention at Epcot where they were
given an assignment to test what they’d learned. “We went into Innovention and were each given a different focus in photography like cropping and candid shots and had to find photos that fit our category,” Varela yearbook editor-inchief Stephanie Mesa said. “We got to take lots of photos and learned how a change of lighting and how a matter of zooming in can easily change your typical photograph into a masterpiece.” All the students later converged back at Hollywood studios for a free lunch and several presentations from Disney’s business professionals. This included John Cutsinger, a former newspaper and yearbook adviser who now works with Disney. He spoke on what makes a good leader, a good writer and, overall, a good journalist. “Reporting is the heart of writing,” he told the students. “Writing is the heart of storytelling.” There were then several charismatic speakers who educated the students on further leadership skills as well as the business side of Disney. While doing so, they spoke about the opening Magic Kingdom’s new Fantasyland expansion and Downtown Disney’s new bowling alley, Splitsville. Disney Media Day is only one testament to the aggregation of youth programs courtesy of Disney. And while these programs all differ, they have one thing in common and that is the invaluable knowledge gained.
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“It was a blessing and a lifetime experience. Hopefully, with hard work I [could] to be there in a couple of years.�
Jonathan Lafontant team captain
Sp or ts | I n Varela
varsity boys victorious at the aaa by alexa jimenez staff reporter @lexii112
For the first time in Varela history, both the boys basketball team and their rivals, the Sunset Knights’ boys basketball team faced off at the American Airlines Arena (AAA), home of our NBA Champions, the Miami Heat. The game was held on January 25. Seats were sold for $35 and included a ticket to not only the Varela basketball game but also to the Miami Heat game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 24 at the AAA. The ticket for the Varela game included transportation on a “fan bus” that allowed attending students to leave from school at noon. According to head coach Cesar Lacaci, anyone can play at AAA, however, “it just takes a lot of work because you have to sell [150] tickets. Schools have to be willing to take on that challenge.” The challenge presented to both schools was the one of having the two teams sell 150 tickets each. While the varsity boys had the majority of the responsibility when it came to selling the tickets, the JV boys helped them out.
“It was difficult selling the tickets because many people asked where the seats were. Since the seats were high, not many people wanted to purchase a ticket, many people said it was also too expensive,” junior Javier Baez said. After a close game, Varela came out victorious in a win of 50-40 against the Knights. Scoring the majority of the points was senior Jose Pujol with 15 points. “It was a blessing to score 15 points in the AAA. It was like a dream come true,” Pujol said. “It was an honor sharing the moment with my teammates, not many people can say they played there.” The first points of the game came from a three pointer shot by Baez who finished the game with seven points. Shooting three pointers were juniors Hector Duran and Ivan Baez. Sophomore Andres Gallego not only shot one three pointer, but two, finishing with 6 points. Even though this game didn’t count towards districts, some of the varsity expressed that this experience of playing on an NBA court will stay with them for the rest of their lives. “It felt great, it was a dream come true,” Gallego said. “I’ve been watching basketball since I was three, so shoot-
follow the viper vibe on twitter: Photo courtesy of Fox-Mar Photography.
ing NBA range was amazing and it was something I’ll never forget.” The NBA court on which they played is 94 feet, while the court found in Varela is a ten feet shorter, 84 feet. Not only was this a new experience for the players and coaches, but for fans as well. Students and family members were able to see those they love playing where some of their favorite professional players and teams play from time to time. “I felt proud of my boyfriend and his team,” junior Blanca Siles said. “It was a great experience and it was also a good fundraising activity. I also got to see where the actual Miami Heat play.” Although none of the players or fans were able to communicate with the Miami Heat, they got to take home an incredible experience and plenty of memories, including a ticket to the Heat game the month after. The Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-105 in a neck-to-neck game that was about even the whole game. “It was a blessing and a lifetime experience,” team captain senior Jonathan Lafontant said. “Hopefully, with hard work I [could] to be there in a couple of years.”
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L i f est yle E nt er tai n ment
lifestyle
‘trilogy’ is relatable and strong
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by Jean Oliveros Staff reporter @jean_c_ramirez
After two years of producing mixtapes and collaborating with other artists, Canadian R&B singer Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name The Weeknd, finally finished his debut album. Trilogy consists of three mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence - that he released for the general public between March 21 and December 21 of 2011. It really captures the true essence of of a great R&B album, as well as all the aspects of a perfect musical masterpiece. The beats of Trilogy are all produced by Tesfaye along with fellow Canadian producers Doc McKinney and
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Illangelo who are known for their past work with Drake. All these beats are immensely unique and soothingly euphonious everytime the beat drops. Lyrically, the entire record was written by Tesfaye and fueled by his ambition to get his music out to the world. The lyrics of all the songs are all about different encounters with love that Tesfaye has faced in his road to stardom. In the track “Twenty Eight,” Tesfaye speaks about how his fame has brought unwanted attention to his personal life. He is telling the world how fame could really be to the life of a new artist. Anybody can relate to these tracks because of how real and common these situations are. He manages to humanize this topic for the people that aren’t familiar with the famous life. The diversity of the record also grants listeners emotional and inspirational tracks with a romantic undertone. They have a deep interpretation of
what love really means to someone, and make the listener recall past relationships to figure out what went wrong. Tesfaye’s work drives the individual to chase their true love in spite of their fears or what people say. The lyrics themselves can bring tears to one’s eyes because of how real the situation mentioned in the song is to the listener. “Wicked Games,” Testfaye’s biggest single, appeals to a wide audience because of its relatability. “Just tell me you love me, even though you don’t love me” being among them as a lyrical approach to unrequited love. This album is by far the best R&B album of the year, beating R&B powerhouse albums like Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange and Usher’s Looking 4 Myself. The Weeknd’s debut album was not only great, but it was a musical masterpiece.
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album covers courtesy of Universal Republic
Lifestyle Enter tain ment
justin bieber headlines at aA arena by katie ewald social media editor @c4lkatie Thousands of girls screaming as loud as they can: it’s Bieber Fever at its highest. January 26 - and 27 due to popular demand - Justin Bieber made his last stop of his Believe tour in the U.S. at the American Airlines Arena. Fans waited outside the arena for hours in hopes of getting a glimpse at Bieber before the big show. Manager Scooter Braun and bodyguard Kenny Hamilton were present throughout the whole event to make sure everything was running smoothly and nothing got out of hand. The second tour for the Canadian singer was announced on May 23 of last year while on the Ellen DeGeneres show. When tickets went on sale they reportedly sold out in hours, according to Us Weekly. The tour launched in September, opening with Cody Simpson and Jaden Smith. Prior to Bieber’s performance, Braun took to the stage to announce that Jon M. Chu, the director of Bieber’s
last movie “Never Say Never,” is making a brand new movie about him and has decided that Miami would be their concert to film. Cameras were rolling throughout the night and fans had a shot to make it to the big screen. When the ten-minute countdown finally ended, the pop star made his appearance from behind the stage strapped on to a pair of wings. Bieber’s first song of the concert was “All Around the World.” Between his singing, dancing and presence alone, fans were jumping up and down and singing along as loud as they could. He sang songs off of his new album Believe and even a few older songs from his last albums My World and My World 2.0. Like his last tour, when Bieber performed “One Less Lonely Girl,” he brought a fan on stage and serenaded her with flowers while the arena went crazy as he held her hand and put his arm around her. Fans followed along when he performed his signature “Baby” dance and slowed it down a bit when he performed his mellower song “Fall.” Bieber’s band didn’t miss
a beat and Justin even took time to perform a little solo on the drums. As the night came to a close, Bieber thanked his fans for coming and showing their support and said he would be singing the last song of the night “Believe.” The arena was louder than ever with fans enjoying their last song. However, when the song finished and Justin ran backstage, it wasn’t quite over. Bieber’s famous “swagger coach” and good friend Ryan Good came on the projector and told the fans they couldn’t leave. What kind of show would it be without a little encore? Fans went crazy realizing their night wasn’t over and the whole arena began chanting “encore.” After about 30 seconds of chanting, Bieber popped up from the middle of the stage. He sang his first single off his Believe album “Boyfriend.” Lights were flashing, confetti was falling from the ceiling and everyone was having a blast. As the night came to a close and Bieber said his goodbyes, fans left the arena with memories that will last a lifetime.
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by Claudia Morales One Direction’s shamelessly fun charity single brings together two classics to showcase the band’s unique talents. It’s sunshiney bubblegum pop, but that’s part of the appeal - not the detriment self-declared music buffs will tell you it is. And when all profits go to the Comic Relief organization, what’s not to love?
album covers courtesy of Reel FX Creative Studios; photo by Gabriella Hutagalung
Released in tandem with their worldshaking comeback announcement, Fall Out Boy’s first single back from a three year hiatus opens their new era with innovation and flame. It’s a bit of a departure from their signature tongue-in-cheek pop-punk, but the band’s powerful personalities and infectious lyricism shines through.
reviews by Claudia Morales
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L i f est y le E nt er tai n ment
teen paranormal romance returns by giovanna navas lifestyle editor @gioomaria
Fear not, Twihards. Hollywood’s newest teen book-to-screen paranormal franchise has all the romance of Twilight with a darker, more twisted edge. Something about this script was so attractive that even Oscar winners Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson signed on. But the mature cast isn’t the only thing that separated this movie from every other teen romance. From its strong feminine characters, to its very scarce use of CGI, Beautiful Creatures sets itself apart.
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Was there any conflict between the author of the books and the director? Alice Englert: Well, I believe that Richard really is a master in adaptation and I think what the writers understood was that there would be a lot that would be adapted, but that Richard was very keen to be able to keep the essence of it. Alden Ehrenreich: Yes, they were thrilled. I mean the experience of having this thing that you wrote and seeing
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it turn into this big movie, shot on giant sound stages with these incredible actors. I think they at least have expressed to me that they are just really thrilled.
How do you feel about this being called “The New Twilight?” Ehrenreich: You know, I feel like it’s the same demographic and it’s the same audience. I haven’t seen the Twilight movies, so I don’t know how similar they actually are, but hopefully people feel a fraction of the enthusiasm for this film as they did for those films. And I think that you know, but to me this film has its own very distinct identity and voice and signature and such an incredible cast. Englert: I agree with Alden, I mean, I understand why the comparisons are being made, it’s very natural because [there’s] such a large audience. What attracted you to this script? Ehrenreich: A big part of it was that sometimes you see these big films that take place in these fantastic realities. And they take themselves very seriously and that’s something that I really appreciate that from day one. [This story] never did. And I think that’s in the book as well. There is lot of humor. That to me makes it a movie that’s really enjoyable and allows you to not feel like you are being forced at some kind of story that you are supposed to believe when it’s so unbelievable. The humor kind of alleviates that pressure and make you
kind of go, ‘OK, well, I’ll go for this ride, it seems like fun.’
What capabilities did the sets have? Englert: Well, the dining room set was built on a kind of a turntable where the table would turn one way, the floor would turn another way. The chandelier would swing back and forth. And the whole thing went up and down. Ehrenreich: Yes, the whole thing was on a hydraulic system that made the floor rise and go down and so that was really like being on a ride at Disneyland.
What was the most challenging part about making this movie? Thomas Mann: I don’t know, the challenging part for me was just sort of getting the accent down and not making it over the top. [I wanted him to] feel like a real small town kid and not too sophisticated or trying to be too cool. He has a very narrow world view, and so I wanted it to sort of seem that way. Zoey Deutch: For me it was finding ways not to judge the character. [She is] widely manipulative, entitled, spoiled and close-minded. And it kind of represents everything that Lena, who is the protagonist of the story, isn’t. I had to find ways to not judge her and understand what her position [was] and where she is coming from. How was it working with the older
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros
Lifestyle E nter tain ment
by Giovanna Navas
actors? TM: The older actors that we worked with were just so nurturing and open to teaching us, you know, everything that they knew and it was a great acting class just getting to watch them work. ZD: We got paid to go to acting class. And I didn’t feel like judged by any means. They all really got along. I feel personally very fortunate to have this experience and had it been so fun and exciting. Most difficult scene to shoot? Emmy Rossum: For me, the most difficult set piece was at what we like to call the autumn harvest dinner that’s kind of like Caster-speak for Thanksgiving. When my character comes back to the small town that she grew up in, she is kind of letting her family know that her younger cousin [Englert], when she turns 16, is going to come to the dark side and that my character is very pleased about that. So in that scene I get into an argument with Lena, that’s our protagonist, that’s my cousin. And we basically go off in this battle of our powers, which was often like every good Thanksgiving family dinner should be. Table spinning, things flying, everything breaking and, you know, a hurricane. Were there any accidents while doing any of the action scenes? ER: Well, all off the silverware on the dining room table was real, so at one point one of the knifes or forks that flew off the table got jammed into one of the gimbals rigs, so everything kind of screeched to a halt all of a sudden, but it just felt like being on a ride at Magic Mountain while trying to act in six inch
heels.
Who was your favorite castmate to work with? ER: I loved Emma Thompson because she was really fun and funny to work with.
How did you get into character? ER: Besides the glamour aspect to it and all of the fittings and wardrobe. I worked with the dialect coach with Emma Thompson to kind of make our voices and our patterns of speech similar because our characters have been together you know, on the dark side for so long. And I also did research into Wicca and spell casting. But what I found most helpful was I found a Norse goddess named Fria who is kind of this all powerful, very sensual being who liked to call struggle and that’s kind of that was my in with the character besides reading all the books. How you feel about playing strong female roles? ER: One of the things I loved about this story, which I think makes it different from a lot of the young adult novels and properties that are out there is that we are showing the females in the Duchannes family as the ones with all the power. And you know, the boy is the one who gets in trouble and she has to save him. Will the other books be adapted into movies as well? ER: We are signed for sequels if people embrace the series and want them to continue. I would love to reprise the role.
As the newest addition to Hollywood’s teen paranormal romance genre, Beautiful Creatures, wasn’t bad because it was dramatically unfaithful to its source material. It was bad because the screenwriters’ rewritten story made absolutely no sense. Now, what saves this movie from being completely unwatchable is the fact that the script was shockingly witty for the first hour or so of the film. After which, all the wit had dissolved into a script so melodramatic I suffered from second-hand embarrassment for everyone involved in this project. To say the movie went downhill after that is an understatement. By that logic, the movie fell off the edge of a cliff and was battered so much by the time it hit the ground that it was completely unrecognizable. Kind of like the derivative story after the screenwriters got a hold of it. Whether you are familiar with the novel or not, the movie had a storyline going for about the first hour or so. But once it hits that halfway point, the story shifts dramatically and just abandons all logic. The scarcely used special effects were so terrible that it looked as if the movie were made in the director’s backyard with about a hundred dollars worth of a budget. Although it is edgier than Twilight and a heck of a lot more watchable, Beautiful Creatures still fails as both an adaptation and a standalone film. The witty dialogue can only take this movie so far. It’s unfortunate that this very talented cast of actors will have this dent in their filmography. But if there is any mercy in the world, this franchise will be left alone and potential sequels will not be green lit.
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L i f est yle E nt er tai n ment
fantasy prequel satisfies fans by ciro salcedo
viewpoints editor @cj_fett_salcedo
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Howard Shore opens The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with his excellent score. Like the other Lord of the Rings film some long and dragged on battle sequence is expected to lead the movie. Much to my surprise, something totally different happened. The film opens with Ian Holm reprising his role as Bilbo Baggins from the first three LotR films. Elijah Wood also comes in, reprising his role as Frodo Baggins. I thought to myself, “This film is going to be great!” Fortunately, it was. The film is set 61 years before the first film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. The story centers on the 13 dwarves of the kingdom of Erebor, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) a hobbit of Bag-End and the old wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian Mckellen), trying to reclaim the treasure of Erebor from the dragon Smaug. So basically, the film follows the book, but also borrows heavily from the original trilogy and other books by Tolkien. One problem this film had was the overuse of computer generated imagery (CGI). This is something that bothers me about most films that are made nowadays because it takes away that sense of realism. This happened in the Star Wars prequels, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Spawn.
t hev i p er vi b e . t u m b l r . com
Remember in the LotR film how all the orcs were guys in prosthetic makeup? They looked great. If orcs were real, that’s probably how they would look. Unfortunately, they are all completely CGI in this movie. Not only could you tell it looks fake, it gets boring seeing two computers fight. The only instance where the CGI was great was the scene where Bilbo meets Gollum (Andy Serkis). It’s been more than a decade since his first appearance in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, but he still looks stunningly realistic. The motion capture performed by Serkis really made the character come to life. The acting is phenomenal. Freeman does an excellent job as Bilbo Baggins. He is an all around likeable character and is much cooler than Frodo or Sam from the original movies. Similar to Wheatley from Portal 2, he bumbles around nervously but is incredibly smart, funny and has this certain charm that makes you want to like him. In this movie Bilbo is actually seen doing things that don’t ultimately mess things up for everyone else. Also, upon learning what his mission is, he doesn’t spend 146 minutes complaining. The return of certain cast members was a nice touch. Being a big fan of the first three films, it was nice to see these characters again after years. Gandalf the Grey, Saruman (Christopher Lee), Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and - my personal favorite - Gollum were all great and they felt necessary to the story. Unlike most nostalgic cameos these characters felt
like they had purpose. They were actually useful and not just some dumb fan service. The dwarves were also great characters. Although it does get a little overwhelming with so many of them and they do get a little annoying. At times they are humorous Fili and Kili (Dean O’Gorman and Aidan Turner) were by far the funniest characters. Thorin (Richard Armitage), on the other hand, was a little depressing. Okay, you had your kingdom burnt down, lighten up. The cinematography was wonderful. Aside from some issues with the CGI, Middle-Earth looks beautiful and never failed to impress me. The film was shot in New Zealand, like all the other LotR films, and its beautiful landscapes and forests look amazing. This film will definitely win the Oscar; it was nominated for in the visual effects category. This film is also the first film to run at 48 frames per second in 3D rather than the conventional 24 frames per second. After watching it twice, once in 3D and 2D, I can safely say there is no difference. It solely depends on which theater you go to and if you want to pay the extra cash. Overall, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is not only a great film, it’s a satisfying experience and incredibly immersive. A few minor issues won’t get in the way of what is not only one of the greatest fantasy films ever, but probably, one of the most unforgettable moments of 2012.
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photos courtesy of New Line cinema
Lifestyle E nter tain m ent
by Suzanne Pontillo
Unwholly
neal shusterman
by giovanna navas lifestyle editor @gioomaria
Neal Shusterman’s striking Unwind sequel was shockingly engrossing, considering the first book’s seemingly definite conclusion. Unwholly delves into topics morality and ethics in a gripping setting. Shusterman’s futuristic United States is now more complex and much more terrifying. Light has been shed on repressed government secrets and there is now seemingly reasonable logic behind the corruption of this country and its subsequent war. Each individual in the large and diverse cast of characters is now given something different to fear that goes far beyond being Unwound - having their body parts harvested for later use (kind of like a twisted, againstyour-will organ donation). For returning protagonist Connor Lassiter, it’s having the juvenile authorities find the Unwind-runaway safe house and shutting it down. For the newly introduced Miracolina, it’s being kept from her tithing - her own Unwinding as a gift to God. The character development was jarring from book one to two. Shusterman doesn’t let readers forget the hardships these kids underwent. So much so that it becomes very easy to forget that ex-tithe Lev Calder is only thirteen. There are layers upon layers of realism in each and every single one of these characters, granting them not only a horrifyingly realistic sense of traumatic maturity but also a humanistic quality that induces empathy from readers. This includes the conniving and seemingly relentless Starkey.
While it should be easy to hate Starkey for his prejudicial behavior, the complexity of his character makes it impossible. He is fueled by resentment for his being storked - left on a stranger’s doorstep during his infancy, the Unwind world’s version of putting a child up for adoption. So, as a result, he is adamant on overthrowing Connor and creating a stork-driven safe-haven, even if it’s at the expense of non-storked Unwinds. For a novel so character driven, it would be expected that plot complexity and suspense would be lackluster, but Shusterman manages to balance all the novel’s different elements in a way that creates a believable world, home to a gripping story. Between all the action and emotion, there are underlying themes of morality and playing God. How much of what is being done takes science too far? Why does nobody seem to realize what is wrong with this world? As a result, the community has become astonishingly desensitized towards the idea of stripping children of having control over what is done to their own bodies. Comprised entirely of parts of other Unwinds, Shusterman’s newest character creation named Cam is comparable to Frankenstein’s monster. This prompts a questionable morality as readers and the community finally begin to realize how far this can actually go and how, while science is making all kinds of leaps and bounds, morality is regressing. Shusterman’s Unwind trilogy acts as both a social commentary and highly enrapturing story about fear, oblivion and desperation. Unwholly is a follow-up just as strong if not stronger than its sensational debut.
Unwholly cover courtesy of Simon & Schuster Books; key lime pie photo by Suzanne Pontillo
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chocolate key lime pie Don’t feel like driving those 161.5 miles to get your hands on a slice of key lime pie that, despite their yelling, you won’t share with your younger sibling? That’s fine. Key West’s best can now be done at home. (And you still aren’t obligated to share with your greedy family and friends!)
INGREDIENTS
- Oreo™ pie crust (found in your local grocery store) - One can of condensed milk (14 oz.) - 1/4 cup of key lime juice. - Three egg yolks - Zest from two key limes - One teaspoon of vanilla extract - A pinch of salt
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 325° 2) Put the condensed milk, key lime juice, three egg yolks, zest, vanilla extract and pinch of salt into a large bowl 3) Mix thoroughly 4) Put mix in the pie crust 5) Put pie in the oven for about 12 minutes 6) Leave standing for two hours to cool down.
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