Entertainment

Avengers hits theaters hard

By: Danny Hovanessian

With over $1 billion in box office receipts worldwide, “The Avengers” sets out to amaze audiences with the aggregation of now-popular superheroes—Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth), along with numerous “lesser” superheroes, such as Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)—all working together to stop Loki (Tom Heddleston) from ruling the world through the use of the Tesseract, a hyperactive energy source that can potentially destroy the world.

The movie has attracted audiences due to its good-looking actors and action shots. A majority of the actors give wonderful performances, most notably Downey Jr., who truly brings Iron Man to life, excellently delivering the movie’s many knee-slapping jokes. Johansson also does a remarkable job as the sly, cunning assassin Black Widow. Ruffalo and Evans give adequate performances, but nothing extraordinary.

Thankfully, “The Avengers” is well aware of its sub-par story and focuses on what it’s good at: exceptional directorial work, intense and beautiful CGI-infused action scenes, and the development and comedic banter between the superheroes. This saves the movie from being another bland action flick and provides the audience with a delightful experience.

Even if you haven’t seen any of the superheroes’ prior movies, the film does an excellent job of filling you in, as the first half of the movie focuses on introducing the heroes, familiarizing the audience with their distinct personalities and “special” abilities, then launching them into the all-new conflict with Loki of Asgard attempting to take over the world.

Once the introduction is hurled out of the way, the movie’s pacing skyrockets and takes the conflict head-on through marvelously crafted fight sequences with amazing CGI that is superbly mixed with live action footage and makes for convincing scenes.

What makes the movie enjoyable is that it succeeds at pleasing many audiences. Fans of the comics and earlier films will drool at the idea of the movie, and those who jumped into the center of the on-going conflict can enjoy the action and quirky dialogue without feeling hopelessly lost.

Though the movie may have many aspects that make it appealing and definitely worth watching, I still yearn for the release of a superhero movie with a respectable storyline. Though some may argue and say “it’s supposed to be like that,” it’s because we’ve accepted that as “the norm.” “The Avengers” doesn’t try to do anything too original, and it’s fine with that.

The plot is noticeably clichéd. The story itself consists of little more than the typical “alien power source used by evil man to take over the world.” Loki serves as a forgettable villain, with no unique motive and no semblance of development, as he is evil for the simple and gratifying joy of being evil. It’s a weak story that doesn’t amount to much and prevents the movie from truly being fantastic.

Even with that significant flaw, “The Avengers” manages to entertain a wide variety of audiences. It’s nothing mind-blowing or particularly memorable, but the in-your-face comedy and the awesomely frantic action makes “The Avengers” an immensely enjoyable movie that’s worth watching in the sea of abysmal releases.

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Santigold fails to strike gold

By: Sophie Mirzaian

You probably know Santigold (or Santogold, as she was formerly known) for her 2008 single “L.E.S. Artistes,” a hit in both the U.S. and the U.K. With her new album, “Master of My Make-Believe,” which was released on May 2, we see Santigold departing from her pop style and shifting into something slightly less electronic, more Lykke Li than M.I.A.

As the album starts, you don’t see all that much of old Santi White in it. “GO!” has an interesting sound as it is a mix of genres, like many of the songs on the album. The problem is that even one of the album’s better tracks feels drawn-out and repetitive. If it weren’t for Karen O., who is featured on the track, I would skip to the next song sooner, but even Karen’s part isn’t too impressive or exciting.

First released as a single, “Disparate Youth” combines emphasized guitar, synthesizer, and lyrics about distinct young adults not plagued by laziness but saturated by ambition. White thinks these young people of the world have enough drive to fight for the things they believe in and care about as she does.

“God From the Machine” has substance and compelling rigidity. The accentuated drums add a richness to the song while still maintaining its muted quality. However, it seems White doesn’t understand the concept of “less is more.” The song should have cut out its repetitive parts and been at least 30 seconds shorter.

The fifth track, “Freak Like Me,” is impossible to take seriously. For White’s sake, I hope she meant to use it as a filler, considering a majority of the lyrics in the song are “la la la la” and “you a freak like me.”

An awkward jump from somewhat exciting with a dub vibe to calm marks the middle of the album, where White moves into slower but not higher quality songs. Some of the tracks make me want to play jungle-themed video games rather than continue listening to the rest of the album.

“Master of My Make-Believe” is a fairly decent album on its own, at least when not compared to White’s previous work. It’s somewhat easy to listen to but fails to keep your attention, often turning into mere background noise than an album that has you enthralled. When compared to “Santogold,” Santi White’s 2012 album seems insignificant.
With all the changes, “Master of My Make-Believe” lost many of the qualities that made the first album the gem that it was. You lose the excitement and substance that made White interesting in the beginning.

As with “Santogold,” there were high and low points, but on a much less-impressive scale of musical grandeur. This means lower highs and also lower lows.
If you don’t expect anything good, maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised, but really, don’t go out of your way to listen to the new album unless you’re an avid fan of Lykke Li or M.I.A. However, if you don’t have Santigold’s self-titled album, you should.

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Peep Show stirs laughter

By: Sophie Mirzaian

You constantly hear Anglophiles going on and on about the superior quality of British music to American music, British films, television shows—everything except British food. There are these new “Culture is Great Britain” advertisements. If you go to London as an obvious American, you will most likely be mocked and treated rudely. But in all honesty, this air of cultural superiority is totally warranted, especially considering England has shows as brilliant as “Peep Show.”

“Peep Show” has been running since 2003 and is scheduled for at least a few more seasons, but for now, the first seven (each with six 20-minute episodes) are available to watch instantly on Netflix.

Main characters Mark Corrigan (Dave Mitchell) and Jeremy Usborne (Robert Webb) have been best friends since their college days, and now, years later, they share a flat in Croydon, South London. Mark sees himself as a morally-sound intellectual (even though he works at a credit managing company) and Jeremy as a lovable, jobless deadbeat attempting to make it in the music industry. In reality, both have faulty moral compasses shattered beyond repair, the primary cause for the show’s absolute hilarity.

Fortunately for us, “Peep Show” represents Americans quite generously compared to other British sitcoms.

Every episode is sure to get laughs out of you, especially the male audience the show is targeted towards. “Peep Show” largely revolves around Mark’s and Jeremy’s inner thoughts and original, creative ways to communicate them: point-of-view shots and internal monologues.

Despite the male-centric jokes, anyone can enjoy this show, with its cultural references (Savage Garden, Hitler jokes), charmingly stupid characters, people getting hurt and embarrassed. And most characters’ blatant lack of a moral compass is what makes their sticky situations and the things they do to get out of them some of the funniest things on television.

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Kayla sings her heart out

By: Jeannie Mai

Taking three deep breaths, she stepped in front of the small group of girls. She had sung in front of large audiences before, but it wasn’t the numbers that made her nervous. It was this audience in particular. This performance was not just another performance. This one had meaning. This one had a purpose. As she looked across the room of eager faces, she began to sing.

In Nov. of 2011, junior Kayla Calica performed with Talentum Youth, a club dedicated to sharing and inspiring their talents to the community, at the Maryvale Orphanage in Rosemead . She appropriately chose Mariah Carey’s “Hero,” a song with powerful lyrics that tells people to look within themselves to find strength. She was hoping to “make an impact” on the girls and ended up exceeding her own hopes.

She recalls seeing the girls, along with the caretakers, with tears running down their faces, never realizing she had the ability to make such an impact.

Calica remembers one little girl in particular who was angry because of a game earlier that day. She was sitting on one of the adult’s laps and as Calica prepared to sing, she saw her anger melt away. The girl hopped off of the adult’s lap and went to join the other children on the mat in front of her.

Talentum Youth club president, Veritas Kim (’13), found Calica’s performance “clear and beautiful.”

“She was nervous beforehand, but on stage, she was just like any professional: calm and confident,” Kim said. “The girls were very impressed.”

For as long as she can remember, Calica has been singing. It all started when she was three years old. Her mother, Edel Calica, purchased Disney sing-a-long tapes that would always be playing and eventually Calica grew to love them and started singing along. With her passion only growing, Calica officially joined choir in the third grade at Mark Keppel Elementary School, and has stuck with it throughout high school.

Edel also had her attending early morning practices at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints “to gain more experience and enjoyment in singing and performing.”
Every Sunday, she would learn and memorize songs that she performed in front of the congregation several times a year. Calica would also sing at several community service events, such as the Fourth of July Jubilee at Forest Lawn and at various nursing homes.

When it came time for her audition for the chamber choir, her “voice kept cracking and [she] couldn’t get the sound right.” However, when she discovered she got in, she felt it was “one of her biggest accomplishments yet.”

Calica and friend Hyunah Bae (’13) were the only two freshmen that got into chamber. Bae feels Calica’s voice is “truly one of a kind” and a voice like Calica’s is unheard of because it is “deep and soothing” with a “unique and natural vibrato that’s never forced.”

Bae sees a lot of people today who fail to find their “original voices because of all the trends and influences of mainstream music,” but says that Calica “certainly expresses her own.”

Calica admits that singing as an alto in chamber choir her freshman year was a “really scary” experience. She recalled being in Toll Middle School’s choir and whenever chamber students would come over, she was “terrified” and looked up to them like “gods.”

Edel fully supports her daughter’s singing career, and is especially grateful to Kayla’s vocal teacher, Elizabeth Richey, for the “knowledge, support and experience she has imparted with Kayla.”

Richey has known Calica since fifth grade when she taught the chorus at Keppel. She feels Calica’s “warm, rich and mature” voice is what makes her unique.
“Kayla has perfect intonation and sings very passionately,” Richey said.

Richey remembers accomplished tenor, Rodell Rosel, coming in for a vocal clinic and specifically commenting on “what a gift” Calica’s voice is.

Richey’s favorite performance of Calica’s was “Keep Holding On,” a duet with Nick Bassirpour (’11) at the annual pops concert, because of how passionate both singers sounded.

Calica admits she only recently started appreciating music. She “didn’t have a reason before” because in chamber, students are exposed to many different classical pieces, which “isn’t really [her] style,” but she has grown to love it.

According to Calica, the hardest part about singing, other than the “technical things like breath support,” is knowing what emotion to put into the song.

When it comes to music, most people worry about their pitch and how they sound. For Calica, however, emotion ranks first on her list. Bae knows Calica feels passionately about music, and claims “there is no Kayla without music.”

Stepping out of her comfort zone and into theatre, Calica decided to audition for drama’s latest production, “Beauty and the Beast.” She received the role of a Silly Girl, one of the girls who swoons over villain Gaston. She also played one of the French maids in the castle.

“Honestly, singing and dancing is hard. I’ve never really acted or danced and I’m not good at multitasking, but I love the challenge,” Calica said.

Being a part of “Beauty and the Beast” inspired her to try more of the arts. She feels “if she goes through this, [she’ll] grow.” She plans to audition for her church’s production of “Annie.” She is also attending the Carnegie Hall trip with choir at the end of May.

In the future, Calica hopes to attend Brigham Young University-Hawaii and continue her singing. Though she does not know whether it will be her professional career, she knows it’s “something [she] wants” to keep in her life. She plans on taking music and vocal classes in college.

“I want to learn more. I’ve had Richey all my life. It’s going to be hard [to learn under someone else] but I want to see what others can teach me,” Calica said.

Edel knows that “singing will be a big part of Kayla’s future.” She is grateful that her daughter is knowledgeable about music and “knows that she will touch lives as she shares her talents with others.”

“If I become a singer, one of my goals is to make sure my words mean something,” she said.

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Freeing up White Collar crimes

By: Daphne Ong

In a world full of liars and crooks, people still believe in second chances. And who better to give a second chance to than a thief who was captured after three years of running from the FBI but escaped from a maximum security federal prison months before the end of his sentence?

“White Collar,” which first premiered in 2009 on USA, is about international con-man Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), who becomes a consultant for the FBI after he is caught by Special Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) for the second time.

He must help Peter solve white collar crimes, such as fraud or forgeries, in exchange for his release from prison. The only catch is the ankle monitor that can track down Neal’s every movement and prevents him from stepping outside a 2-mile radius of his home.

Aside from its fascinating story about a criminal solving crimes, the show appeals to its audience through the well written characters. Neal’s wit, charm, and intelligence to solve and commit any crime make him the most likable character. He shows that even though he lies for a living, he still has the humanity in him to love and trust others such as his number one confidante and fellow con-man, Mozzie (Willie Garson), who is often the comedic relief. However, Neal tests the viewers, as well as Peter, and makes them wonder if he really can be trusted.

Neal and Peter’s relationship is the most interesting to watch because of their opposing values. Peter lives the life he earned with his wife Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen) and their dog Satchmo. Neal desires to con his way up to a life he fantasizes.

The storyline is genius. As each episode has its own mystery to be solved, there are also advancements on the overall plot of specific characters as Neal often reconnects with people from his past.

Seasons 1 and 2 are available instantly on Netflix. If you are not yet convinced to start watching this show, Google “Matt Bomer.”

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Steering clear of the woods

By: Danny Hovhanesian

Since 2010, B-movie horror films have been plopped in front of our faces, seemingly more frequent in release than the amount of cheap scares they implement in their movies. Failing to be anything original, they play it safe, and audiences eat up the mediocrity. “Cabin in the Woods” seemed like the light at the end of this torturous tunnel with its original concept, but it falls completely flat.
“Cabin in the Woods” has a unique plot device. Of course, the main characters are in a frightening abandoned area filled with psychotic killers, but there’s a twist: the innocent souls within the cabin are being monitored by technicians held in some sort of facility. The plot succeeds in making you wonder why or how these technicians are willing to set up the deaths of young adults through the entire 95-minute film, and even adds in some dashes of tongue-in-cheek humor to create a somewhat unique experience.
Unfortunately, that is the only positive aspect I can point out from “Cabin in the Woods.” It tries to be original. For that, I applaud it, but the key to success lies in the execution, which is where it ultimately fails.
The biggest flaw is with the main characters; red-headed beauty Dana (Kristen Connolly), jock boyfriend Curt (Chris Hemsworth), overly-flirty girlfriend Jules (Anna Hutchinson), absent-minded Marty (Fran Kranz), and scholarly Holden (Jesse Williams) all serve as stereotypical idiotically brave young adults. Kranz in particular achieved in making me cringe with every delivery of every line and served as a poor impersonator of the lovable Shaggy from “Scooby Doo.” The rest of the main cast was irritating in terms of their sheer unrealistic behavior.
Despite being warned by the typical clinically-insane man who lives in a place in the middle of nowhere and witnessing eerily creepy objects (along with coincidentally finding an unsettling excerpt from a diary), they decide to stay in the cabin. When they finally get a clue, it’s too late, and all of them are punished for their ridiculous ignorance.
The plot in and of itself is reminiscent of swiss cheese, filled with gigantic holes that pulled me out of the experience. I was waiting for a brilliant plot twist to make it all better, but the finale felt like an unoriginal cop-out.
For horror fanatics, there isn’t much to enjoy. As someone who doesn’t enjoy voluntarily scaring himself, I didn’t jump out of my seat nor did I even flinch; there isn’t much of a “scare factor.” For everyone else, there are little bits of humor not even worth mentioning.
“Cabin in the Woods” could have been something brilliant, but the irritating main cast and the horrible plot ruined the experience.

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“Wasteland” is paradise

By: Sophie Mirzaian

After a few years and a couple of side projects, I’m glad to have Matthew Ward, better known as M. Ward, back to doing what he does best: very intimate solo work. The “him” in She & Him released his newest album, “A Wasteland Companion,” on April 10.

Although this is M. Ward alone once again, it’s obvious he’s taken heavy influence from his recent projects, not only from She & Him with Zooey Deschanel but from Monsters of Folk with Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes.

The album begins with a guitar melody, then vocals and lyrics that reflect Ward’s recent musings. The first lyrics on “Clean Slate” pull you in and prepare you for a journey of growth, mistakes, and maturation. When he was younger, he “thought the pain of defeat would last forever,” but bravely opening his heart once again has allowed him a “clean slate.”

“Primitive Girl” speaks of feminine simplicity and carefreeness. Ward wants the humble, lovely girl, but she doesn’t need him nearly as much as he needs her to feel free. Halfway through, the single becomes more calm and muted, only to flawlessly transition into “Me and My Shadow,” a song which is easily one of the finest Zooey Deschanel-M.Ward collaborations to date.

The guitar starts off like Elliott Smith’s “Almost Over” (but with significantly more verve), and then Ward’s lyrics come in with Deschanel occasionally adding her vintage voice and creating a richer, more lingering and more stirring song.

If Deschanel’s lyrics are appropriate anywhere, it’s on M. Ward’s cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Sweetheart.” Ward takes an already oddly charming song and amplifies it tenfold with Deschanel’s help. With a little speed and a little pep, he’s created a song that is a fairly large departure from the original, and also much, much better.

In “I Get Ideas,” Ward sings of a somewhat fortunate yet somewhat unfortunate love. He “[cares] more than [he cares] to.” He wants to “scold” the girl he loves because of this, as if it’s her fault he cares so much. But even if he doesn’t want to care, he hopes he’s right that her eyes “[are saying] the things [she’ll] never say,” that “[she] could love [him], too.” Ward takes a familiar adolescent longing and translates that into song.

Track six, “The First Time I Ran Away,” expresses an external emptiness alongside an internal yearning. Running away in itself isn’t an indication of trying to escape something, but of hoping to run towards something better.

Later in the album, you see more of “Post-War” M. Ward shining through in “Watch the Show” and especially “There’s a Key.” His pleasantly rough voice accompanies his guitar in “There’s a Key.” “Wild Goose” is also close to his older solo work due to its rough and whispery lyrics but fairly rich musical quality.
The passions characterizing “Pure Joy” can be used to describe his entire album. Ward not only acknowledges the presence of complex things in life like love, depression, hopelessness, and affection, but also packages them into something so simple. Although the album lasts roughly 36 minutes, it gives you material for hours of sober contemplation.

The sound is closer to She & Him than to Ward’s previous solo work, but the quality of “A Wasteland Companion” is on par with his brilliant 2006 release “Post-War.” This extremely easily-receivable album lacks exceptional musical complexity, but takes listeners through a world of emotion, emptiness to cheerfulness, different feelings for different situations song after song, all the while keeping your spirits high.

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A smashing review for “Smash”

By: Josh Briggs

Over the last two years, it seems that musicals and show choir have taken over the country with full force due to the overwhelming popularity of Fox’s hit show “Glee.” NBC jumped on this new opportunity for a musical TV show and created “Smash.” The show centers around the making of a musical about Marilyn Monroe, specifically the fight for the lead role between Broadway veteran Ivy Lynn (Broadway veteran Megan Hilty) and underdog country girl Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee).

“Smash” focuses on the real relationships between each of the main characters and more on the interactions than boring the audiences with excessive singing.

Half of the musical numbers in the show are also original songs written specifically for the show, giving it an edge and making it far more entertaining.

No one breaks out singing randomly either. All characters sing within the rehearsals or on stage so there will be no High School Musical-esque songs about feelings. The show provides a glimpse into the real world of musical theatre and not the frilly mimic that the rest of the media gives the profession.

Beyond the solid story line, the show offers an all-star cast. Debra Messing plays Julia Houston, the lovable and witty scriptwriter of the show who is desperately trying to balance her work and personal life. Other major characters include the “evil” director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport), the artistic and money-desperate producer (Anjelica Huston), and Julia’s partner-in-crime, songwriter Tom Levitt (Christian Borle).

Hilty’s portrayal as Ivy Lynn and impressions of Marilyn are particularly striking and accurate. It is quite obvious that she is fully dedicated to the show and her prior experience on Broadway is evident both in her supreme singing voice and in her mastery over her desperate character.

With the combination of fantastic songs, an amazing cast, and intense relationships, “Smash” finds itself as one of the best shows of this new spring season.

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“Hunger Games” is starving in direction

By: Sophie Mirzaian

Whether you’ve read the books or seen the advertisements for the new film, you know “The Hunger Games.” The movie, which was released last Friday, made $65.3 million on its opening day alone, ranking as the fifth most profitable Friday opening of all time and the first for a non-sequel, according to the Huffington Post.

For those who have recently shut themselves out of the world, “The Hunger Games” involves a country called Panem that is divided into 12 districts. Every year, one male and one female from each district between the ages 12 to 18 are chosen to participate in the Hunger Games, a “pageant” where the participants fight to the death.

When Katniss Everdeen’s (Jennifer Lawrence) sister, Primrose, of District 12 is chosen at random, Katniss refuses to allow her to compete, knowing that she will be killed and volunteers to participate instead. The male chosen is Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), who has had a crush on Katniss for years.

But despite the hype, I did not expect much from the movie. Nothing in the research I had done seemed impressive, except that the author of the series, Suzanne Collins, had assisted in writing the actual screenplay. That reminded me of Stanley Kubrick’s version of “Lolita” where Vladimir Nabokov assisted in writing the screenplay, although the “Hunger Games”’ director, a man I’d never heard of before this film named Gary Ross, is nowhere near as wonderful a director as Kubrick. In fact, I believe Ross is what nearly destroyed a potentially exciting and enthralling film.

The movie begins with twenty minutes of wretched camera movements, the annoyance of which absolutely cannot be overlooked. I thought I was imagining things when the camera seemed to be moving too rapidly until people sitting next to me began complaining about it.

Why the director chose to do that is unexplainable as it has no purpose other than perhaps serving as a symbol for the chaos in District 12, but even that doesn’t compensate for how aggravating it was attempting to focus on something in the shots and having the images only fly by. The only place where this makes sense stylistically is during the action scenes, but it being both in scenes with normal dialogue and those with action makes it entirely confusing.

The sometimes obvious attempts at symbolism were unclear about what they tried to portray. The emphasized minuscule mannerisms of Katniss make you think rather than feel. When she hesitates to shoot the deer in the beginning of the film, viewers are supposed to think of her as a considerate person and appreciative of nature, and although I recognized that, I cannot say I earnestly felt that trait in her. Everything Katniss did seemed to pile together to form her artificial character.

The acting is not terrible, but neither is particularly impressive. Each actor has lapses of quality: Hutcherson borders on creepy, whereas Lawrence and good friend Liam Hemsworth’s (Gale) robotic exchanges with one another leave you feeling awkward. There seems to be no chemistry between any of them besides some (on my part) misinterpreted romantic tension. It is never clear whether Katniss and Gale are interested in each other or whether the attraction felt by Katniss towards Peeta is real or a show.

Besides perhaps the intensity of the emotions, the basic events of the film follow the novel closely. Surely the people who have read the novel will appreciate the beloved series having been adapted into film. The movie is worth seeing to either familiarize yourself with the extremely popular series if you haven’t read the books or to see the book you spent so much time reading in movie form if you have.

So, happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor.

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Film franchises fail to please

By: An Uong

It’s Saturday. After a week of hard work at school, it’s time to visit the expensive albeit local theater. There, we scan for the posters that pique our interest, or the titles that have received positive reactions. I can assure you that at least one of them is the fifteenth or so installment of an established franchise. Iron Man 500 maybe, or Spiderman 360. It seems as though the film industry is stuck somewhere along the creative process.

Psychologically, franchises that have already been acquainted with audiences are the ones that have returning viewers. The public naturally wants to know what happens to its favorite hero or heroine after the last film. It’s obvious that this marketing strategy is effective, but only to a certain extent. Money is at the crux of everything, so it seems. Because audiences would rather fall back on something they are more comfortable with rather than take a chance on something unknown, film producers know this is what brings in the big bucks.

A franchise is like that favorite sweater you were gifted with five years ago. It might be comfy, but it’s starting to fall apart at its seams. New ideas must be tried, no matter how risky or else they’ll only have audiences walking away with disappointed faces.

As an artist, it is one’s responsibility to create, not recycle. Granted, it’s quite difficult to produce an original piece of work due to how easily one artwork influences the creation of another, but, trying never hurts anyone. I understand the pressures of struggling to catch some bait in a competitive shark tank, but to return to the same old safety net is to set aside one’s creative abilities for lesser but more profitable projects.

This July, “The Amazing Spiderman” is opening in theaters, yet another recycled idea that will most likely hit gold, but fall short on originality. Box Office Mojo reports that the original Spiderman franchise grossed $423 million with its debut film, but as more movies were added, the gross income gradually declined to $336 million with the third installment. After all, there are only so many times one can sit through a two-hour film of Spiderman swinging from one tall building to another with the same pitiful issues.

After the third or so installment, it’s time to move on. The same topic keeps being used, wearing away at the archetypal plot line that involves a lot of action and riveting adventure.

Some franchises, however, have actually succeeded in maintaining their entertaining aspects. Take “Pirates of the Caribbean,” a franchise that has been around since 2003. The success of this series of films has depended mostly on the excitable minds of the eager youth. Its first release garnered a gross of $423 million and sharply declined to $241 million by the fourth film. Jack Sparrow, no matter how amusing, is the same drunkard staggering about with his rum.

With the entertainment industry reusing big ideas that people naturally gravitate towards, creativity has been somewhat stagnated, leaving viewers yawning in their seats, or worse, snoring.

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Shaelan O’Connor shines on stage

By: Jeannie Mai

At the age of 16, most of us have just gotten our driving permits and taken our first honors classes. Sophomore Shaelan O’Connor, however, is already a professional actress.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, O’Connor has been working in theatre since she was 10 years old.

According to mother Suzanne O’ Connor, Shaelan grew up “[watching] a lot of Disney shows and old films” and caught “the bug to act.”

When she was 10, O’Connor participated in a Christmas musical at Montrose Church. The following summer, Suzanne put her in a summer camp at Glendale Centre Theatre and later enrolled her in dance classes at the Pasadena Junior Theatre. At the theatre, O’Connor auditioned for an adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” known as “The Wiz,” and earned the lead role of Dorothy.

According to Suzanne, it was “tough being so green and getting a lead in a show, but [Shaelan] loved it.” Suzanne feels that her daughter has an “uncanny ability to get to the heart of the scene” and her character’s motives very quickly.

“Sometimes she takes criticism and rejection hard, but bounces back pretty quickly,” Suzanne said. “Acting is not a profession for the thin-skinned.”

After “The Wiz,” O’Connor wanted to get an agent, but did not actually get one until the end of her eighth grade year because her parents “strongly felt that she should just be a kid for a while longer.”

Currently, O’Connor works for Amsel-Eisenstadt Frazier Talent Agency and Pillar Entertainment and says that they are “the people who take care of and send [her] out to auditions.” Between television and musical theatre, O’Connor recalls going to about seventy auditions for various companies such as Paramount and Warner Brothers.

Her manager, Delora O’Brien, has been working with O’Connor for the past two years and feels she “has it all.”

When she auditioned in O’Brien’s office, “immediately impressed with her grasp of the script during the cold read and also by her maturity.” According to O’Brien, O’Connor has “an old soul [that] you see in her work,” and her biggest strength is her ability to adapt to a character.

To help her prepare for auditions, O’Brien “goes over the sides (the part of the script she is auditioning) with her” and O’Connor “never fails to impress.”

O’Connor has a passion for comedic and dramatic acting, and loves the feeling of “being on stage and playing different characters” along with “interacting with the audience.”

Friend Gabby Carreiro (’14) finds O’Connor to be a “funny,” and “very talented actress” who has given her advice on acting over the years.

O’Connor has been taking vocal lessons every week for seven years, training in opera, musical theatre, and R&B. She has also been taking seven years of acting classes and has taken dance classes on and off for eight years.

She has been in short films, a few commercials for online travel agencies, and a television pilot. Unfortunately, the show was never picked up but she was not too disappointed because it was a “good experience.”

Outside of acting, she is involved in drama club and chamber choir, describing herself as a “soprano with a belt.” She has also taken piano lessons for six years and recently had a friend teach her how to play the guitar.

Her most recent work was playing Babette, the feather duster, in the school’s musical “Beauty and the Beast.” She enjoyed her role because it was different from the usual parts she plays.

“Being an actress is probably one of the hardest jobs out there because you could be the most talented person on the planet, but just because you don’t look the part, you may not get the job,” O’Connor said.

Her dream has always been to become an actress and she “can’t see herself doing anything else.” If she decides to go to college, she’d choose to stay close to home and attend Emerson College or Chapman University. Her dream is to one day be in “Cabaret” or “Chicago.”

“Shaelan has what it takes,” O’Brien said. “If she makes this her career choice, she will not only succeed but excel.”

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Wittgenstein (1993)

By: Sophie Mirzaian

There are many movies about great lives, but not quite as many about great intellectual lives. Ludwig Wittgenstein lived both with a passion and an intensity so great that with every stroke of logical genius he came close to madness; and so close to suicide with every realization about the true worth of a life well lived.

He was a philosopher—for many, the greatest of the past few centuries—but he thought that philosophy was a symptom of a disease caused by misunderstanding language. He once thought he solved all philosophical problems for good, but he also thought that even then all the truly important problems were left untouched: the meaning of life, the nature of goodness and beauty, God, and all that makes life worth living would forever be beyond the reaches of logic and language, beyond the limits of sense, deep into the domains of silence and nonsense.

Of course, this is only a rough and shallow sketch of an intellectual life of incredible complexity, and it would be ridiculous to pretend that one can really do justice to such a life in a short review. Maybe a short movie that pretended that would be as laughable, but Derek Jarman’s “Wittgenstein” attempts to do just that. And it not only pretends to tell the story of a man who lived a fascinating and heartbreaking life—that would be already a daunting task—but also the story of what that man thought, and how those thoughts profoundly changed the history of ideas in such a way that, after him, philosophy was never the same again and no serious philosopher was able to philosophize without taking into account the problems Wittgenstein saw, even if he never solved them or even thought were solvable.

This, I suppose, doesn’t sound like a movie one would enjoy watching—for many, I’m afraid, not even a book one would dare to open—but it, despite some flaws, the movie works admirably on many levels. First, it could be watched as the story of Ludwig Wittgenstein, the man, whose miserable and erratic life paints a vivid portrait of passion and romanticism in the search of meaning and virtue, no matter how many disappointments and no matter how many episodes of a profound loathing and despising that expresses itself not only towards the people around him, but perhaps most cruelly towards Wittgenstein himself. Secondly, it could be watched as the story of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s ideas. Here we have an understandably brief but mostly accurate portrayal of his most important philosophical insights from his first phase, when he wrote and published the “Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus,” to his later and quite different philosophy as he expressed it in his “Philosophical Investigations.”

One of the movie’s flaws is that its ambitions are too big for such a short movie: at 70 minutes one cannot help but feel there are seriously under-explained passages of both his personal life and his intellectual life. Those that are not already familiar with Wittgenstein’s biography and work might feel lost and confused, especially considering the abstract and austerely play-like style of the film. Not only does the movie have formal shortcomings, but it also has content “problems.” They should have presented the ideas in a more understandable fashion, asthe ideas themselves are an important barrier for perhaps the vast majority of movie viewers. It demands not only familiarity with the life of Ludwig Wittgenstein, but also familiarity and, above all, enough interest, patience and intelligence to be able to understand it, because the movie, very much like Wittgenstein, would rather be obscure than deceptively clear.

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Haibert produces his own album

Photo Source: Grindin’ Records

By: Alejandra Rosas

Many students enjoy mixing tunes in their spare time. However, not many find themselves presented with the opportunity to be part of a record label, become a record producer, and have their own music released on their own Extended Play (EP). Junior Haibert Barfian, however, has had this very opportunity.

Barfian’s interest in music was first ignited at the age of 12 when he began playing the drums. Although it was just a form of entertainment, it led to his interest in producing music later on.

In the seventh grade, he was first introduced to a software known as Frooty Loops, which allows users to mix songs and experiment with their tempo, sound, etc.

Delving deeper into the software, Barfian was intrigued by the art of D.J.’ing. His newly found hobby eventually became a passion and even a part-time job. Along with former partner Anthony Grigoryan (’13), Barfian became known for performing at a number of different house and birthday parties.

“Haibert is undoubtedly talented and he knows how to play music that really makes people want to dance,” Grigoryan said.

According to Barfian, he found D.J.’ing really fun and a great way to occupy time, but realized that he wanted to create his own music rather than just “playing someone else’s.”

For a period of time, Barfian spent hours on his black Sony VAIO remixing a great number of songs and uploading them onto his YouTube account, Haibertdude.

Over the course of two years, the number of listeners quickly grew leaving him with 4,000 subscribers as of today.

Andrew Assatourian, a 19-year-old producer and owner of Grindin’ Records, came across Barfian’s page on YouTube and listened to a few of his remixes.

Without hesitation, Assatourian contacted him on Facebook and asked Barfian to become a part of his record label, one that is known for representing other artists such as JayyFresh, Equinox, and Barcode among many others.

At first, mother Violet Barfian was skeptical and concerned about her son being asked to join Assatourian’s label. She warned Barfian to be careful with his personal information, but still gave him permission to join the label and supported him all the way.

According to Barfian and Assatourian, the EP called BARF that they worked on consists of five tracks, three of which Barfian had previously worked on for approximately one month.

“Each song you create makes you smarter and more experienced for the next one,” Barfian said. “You build skills and more love for the music.”
Barfian uses a software often categorized as a Digital Audio Workstation called Ableton Live, from which he creates songs from scratch, focusing mainly on the details of the song which seem minor, but to Barfian, are the “most important.”

After perfecting a song to his liking, Barfian sends the song to Assatourian via Facebook. Assatourian then takes the time to review it several times and if he is content with it, he proceeds to send it to a website called Beat Port. If Beat Port also approves the music, they give the producer a release date for the music on the website.

Visitors of Beat Port­ can purchase and download it for a certain price, ranging from $1-$2. Regardless of the amount of people who purchase the songs, however, Barfian makes 50 percent of the profit and is paid approximately every two months. ­

Friend Andre Davidian (’13) listens to his music and has worked with Barfian on four tracks by contributing to melodies through the piano. He says that Barfian is always “consistent” and applies himself to make the most out of music.

“Knowing that my friend had his own EP was very exciting,” Davidian said, “He earned it with his talent.”

According to Barfian, having his EP released was just the “first step” in his music career.

Barfian aspires to have his own album released in approximately five months, which he is currently working on. The album will consist of 10 tracks, one of which has already been completed.

Although Barfian aspires to make a future out of producing music, he also expects to have a business major after high school as a back-up plan.

“Producing music is my job, but it’s also something I have fun with and want to continue doing for the rest of my life,” Barfian said, “This EP only marks the beginning.”

To listen to Haibert’s music, visit: beatport.com/#release/barf-ep/855682

Photo Credit: Alejandra Rosas

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Living up to a legacy of magic (Beauty and the Beast Preview)

Photo Credit: An Uong

By: Jeannie Mai

Everyone is familiar with Disney’s “tale as old as time,” but for the first time in the school’s history, the drama department brings the classic childhood favorite to life.

“Beauty and the Beast” follows the adventures of Belle, a young woman who longs to escape from her mundane life in the village. Her father, a quirky inventor, is on his way to a convention when he is attacked by wolves and takes shelter at an abandoned castle.

Little does he know, the castle belongs to a young prince who was turned into a beast by a disguised enchantress. She cast a powerful spell on the Beast, along with the rest of his castle, turning all his helpers into household objects. She gives him a single enchanted rose, which will bloom until he turned 21; if he cannot find true love by then, he will be doomed to look like a beast forever.

“It’s all [Elizabeth Richey’s] fault,” director Dave Huber joked on the choice of this year’s musical.

Ally Specter (’13) felt “insane” and “incredible” after receiving the role of Belle, her “dream role” that she’s “worked so hard for.” She hopes the audience will be “impacted” and see the musical “in their own way.”

Specter started preparing for the lead role of the musical at the beginning of the year. She chose her audition song “To Be Free” from Aladdin on Stage at Disney’s California Adventure because she felt that it “showed a similar situation to Belle’s.” She listened to the song constantly and analyzed the words to fully understand the song.

“The first time I met Ally, she mentioned that ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was her favorite. She’s wanted to be this character since she was five,” Huber said. “Ally knows the story better than anyone else and she will be amazing.”

Michael Yapujian (’12) snagged the lead role of the Beast. He feels the musical is going to be a big hit because it’s something that all high school students “grew up and fell in love with,” but that expectation also adds pressure to the actors. Yapujian says the musical “expands on the cartoon” while displaying a “broader range of emotion.”

When Yapujian first auditioned, he was “unhappy” with his performance. He felt that after all his practice, he “[lacked] the vocal intensity that was required for the role of the Beast.” But when he got the part, it took him “weeks to believe it actually happened.”

Besides the acting, “Beauty and the Beast” has dance numbers, choreographed by assistant principal Caroline Sweeney.

This is the third musical that Sweeney has choreographed and she finds the cast to be “amazingly talented and fun to work with.” Specifically, “Be Our Guest” is a large group production number with a “showy” feel, “Beauty and the Beast” is a personal waltz, and “Human Again” is more “melodic.”

The only difficulty she ran into while choreographing was in “trying to get [her] vision across.” However, the cast was “patient and worked hard” to adjust to her teaching methods.

The cast has been meeting for two months of countless after school rehearsals and two Saturday rehearsals since Jan. 9. Yapujian describes them as “physically and mentally straining.”

Diane Chung (’12) plays the percussion parts for the musical, including the drums, bells and tympanis. In her opinion, the hardest part is keeping up with the fast tempos. Her favorite song to perform is “Be My Guest” because it is an “upbeat [and] fun” song.

According to Specter, the “music in itself is challenging” but the hardest part is “learning” all the notes of the songs and then trying to really feel the music.

“If we don’t feel it, then the audience won’t feel it, and we won’t be doing our job,” she said.

The musical features seven songs that aren’t in the cartoon such as “If I Can’t Love Her” and “Is This Home?”

Annie Lee (’12), who will be portraying the role of the motherly, loving Mrs. Potts feels that the musical will be a big hit since “anyone from ages three to 80 can be inspired” by the classic. Lee says that the biggest hardship for her is taking into consideration the size of her teapot costume and having to interact with others accordingly.

Junior Justin Cha will be playing the self-involved villain Gaston. During the first rehearsals he found difficulty in portraying his character because he felt it “contradicted” his own personality since Gaston is “arrogant and confident.” His favorite part about this musical is getting to do things he wouldn’t normally do off-stage, including kicking right-hand man Lefou (senior Joe Pison) in the face.

Students are looking forward to seeing their favorite childhood movie come to life. Rima Sahakyan (‘14) is eager to witness how the drama department will “create the characters” and make them “human-like.” She wants to see how the cast will perform together, particularly the seniors because she feels they are “the best Hoover has ever had.”

This musical is different from previous years because it calls for a great amount of special effects. Three onstage transformations will take place: two in the beginning involving the beggar woman turning into an enchantress and the prince into the Beast, and one at the end when the Beast finally transforms back into a handsome prince.

“I hope it takes them back to their childhood, when beauty wasn’t just skin deep and everyone still believed in happy endings,” Specter said.

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Album Review: Beautiful Things

Photo Credit: Photo Finish Records

By: Sophie Mirzaian

Imagine a man with blue eyes and an awkward, almost feminine voice. When that man begins to sing the music that he wrote himself, his voice suddenly becomes even higher, and on your first listen (or on my first listen, anyway) you swear you just heard a girl with a raspy voice. Whether it was a girl or a guy, you no longer care; you suddenly become transfixed. You think, “this music is incredible.”

After you research a bit about the artist and his fan base, you realize he is a man—a wonderful man named Anthony Green—who has the ability to make straight men swoon over him like twelve-year-old girls drooling over Justin Bieber.

After many recent significant changes in his life, Green released his second solo album “Beautiful Things” last month. Although his first solo album, “Avalon,” received generally negative reviews, his most famous band, Circa Survive, has put out some of the best indie/experimental albums to date—”Juturna” (my favorite of all Green’s work), “On Letting Go,” and “Blue Sky Noise”—and I honestly prefer them to any solo work he’s done. Still, I don’t want to discourage people from listening to “Beautiful Things.”

Many genres are mixed into the songs of this album, further proving Green’s versatility, but at this point, it doesn’t feel like he’s picking what would be best for the tracks. The genres feel like they’re being chosen almost at random, all only consistent with the fact that they allow room for a little bit of bare-bones, acoustic-type recording without the elements so common in the music that his fans know and love him for.

This album is like Green’s diary. He uses music now more than ever for sharing what is most personal to him and for talking about recent life events: marriage, the birth of his son James, his independence from medication, all the “beautiful things” in his life.

Upon pressing play, you are struck with a sort of suppressed screaming, but it’s a musical yell that immediately captures your interest and attention. Soon after, guitar and drums come in to start “If I Don’t Sing.” It’s a simple song lyrically to open up the album, and it works. Also quite impressive, Green wrote the entire song throughout one five-mile bike ride to practice during the time Circa Survive was recording “Blue Sky Noise.”

The second track, “Do It Right,” features Green and the members of Good Old War, good friends of Green and fellow musicians, making things up on the spot while drunk in the house where they were recording some of “Beautiful Things.”

Someone decided to turn on a few microphones about twenty minutes into their mock show, and then things became serious. The message of the song they created is to “make sure everybody you love in your life knows it.” There’s no other way to record a song this honest, not only in its lyrics, but in its emotion other than doing it candidly. In other words, although at first listen it may seem like a mediocre recording, this song is truly special.

“When I’m On Pills” was written when Green was, well, on pills. He felt the only time he could do anything was when he took medication. Around the time he wrote the song, he and his wife were constantly fighting. Somehow I find this song to be reminiscent of “Mandala,” (a Circa Survive song from “On Letting Go”), at least in its tempo and beginning and its hint of that dub vibe, although the dub style is much more prevalent and deliberate in “When I’m On Pills.” However, the original acoustic version of this song was much harsher on the ears and very different. I definitely prefer this album version.

As for “James’ Song” and “Love You No Matter What,” I feel guilty for criticizing cute songs written for babies, but I can’t say I liked either one. I understand he wrote them for his son, but I felt like a sleepy baby myself when listening to them.

Writing lyrics have always been Green’s strong point, but this time around, they’re simple—which isn’t necessarily bad—but listeners are sort of left yearning for more. Where are the calcium waste metaphors? I’m not sure I want to hear about how he’ll love his kid “no matter what,” even if he’s “fat or [he’s] small, really short or so tall.”

After “James’ Song” comes something completely different. In “Blood Song,” the usually subtle bluegrass influence is much too apparent, as in we don’t want it there in the first place, and when we notice it, it feels artificial. When I started listening, for a second I doubted I was still hearing a song from the same album by the same person. Still, the concept is interesting; Green wrote it after watching “There Will Be Blood” for the fifth time, and the song was entirely inspired by the film. There seem to be many songs on this album with good intentions but poor executions. “Blood Song” is another one I’ll have to toss into that category.

At this point, I found myself waiting for the album to finish so I could go listen to “Juturna.” I missed the way his voice sounds characteristically, his completely unique singing which and the overall style of Circa that drive fans crazy. This acoustic/singer-songwriter “suit” he’s wearing doesn’t fit properly. I miss angsty Anthony.

But there was one more song: “Lullaby.” Originally a Good Old War song, Green covered it for his album. His friends wrote it for his wedding, and it makes for a cute but slightly sleep-inducing ending to the album. I know beautiful singer-songwriter music, and this doesn’t even come close.

What Anthony Green failed to deliver here is something that Circa Survive’s albums never lack (although his other solo album “Avalon” had the same problem but not to the extent of this one): the ability to manipulate emotions. You feel this wonderful sensation of being pulled in a million different directions as Green’s pitch rises and falls in Circa albums, but that doesn’t happen at all in “Beautiful Things.” Some songs are pretty adorable, but at the same time, I think four-year-olds would enjoy them more than most young adults. I guess maybe that’s the point.

Although I can’t speak for all fans (I’m sure there are some whose new favorite album of Green is “Beautiful Things”) but I think a good deal are disappointed with this (hopefully temporary) directional change. It’s not that he got lazy, he dared to tried something different, and it just didn’t work out.

This album is made for those long-time fans who care about Anthony Green as a person, his life and his wife and his kid. I suggest you listen to any one of Circa Survive’s albums if you’ve never heard his music before and want to hear something incredible.

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Glad they came into our lives

By: Natalie Hovanesian

When one usually thinks of a boy band, the word “talent” does not usually follow your train of thought. The Wanted is here to prove many of us wrong.

My first encounter with the British musical group took place on my trip to England in the summer of 2010. Its first single, “All Time Low” was playing on televisions and radios every day and was very popular among young girls all over the United Kingdom.

Recently, its second album Battleground was released, staying true to its original style despite the band’s growing fame, while simultaneously adding elements that make it special.

The band consists of five members: Max George, Nathan Sykes, Tom Parker, Jay McGuiness, and Siva Kaneswaran. In the majority of the songs, they each have a solo, but sing together during the choruses, giving their music a unique feel.

“Glad You Came” has been slowly gaining the attention of Americans with KIIS F.M. as it repeatedly plays the upbeat, dance type song. It starts off slowly with a piano medley and gradually builds up to the main rhythm. The song utilizes an accordion, giving it a European vibe and further adding on to the unique element of the album.

The band has come as far as making a 2012 T.V. debut on the Ellen DeGeneres Show which has enabled their first tour in the United States. This is unbelievable considering the fact that about two months ago when I searched “The Wanted” online, I’d get results like “America’s Most Wanted.” Now, the first result has the link to the “Glad You Came” music video.

Other than “Glad You Came,” the single “Lightening,” also catches one’s attention. It is a very happy and fun song that will make listeners want to sing along to the sweet and loving lyrics such as “pressing pause on my heartbeat.” It’s happy and fast beat combined with the optimistic lyrics makes the perfect “feel-good” song.
“Gold Forever” focuses more on the band’s vocal talents. It was used for a charity called “Comic Relief” which made the single more meaningful. The heartfelt lyrics, “we were meant to fly,” creates an inspirational mood that is sure to get listeners hooked to the song.

While most of the singles have an outgoing feel, “Warzone” has more of a relaxing and calm tone. The song starts out with the band’s signature amazing piano solo played by Sykes. He then starts to sing with his powerful and velvety voice. The song speaks out to those who have had problems with love and, as the lyrics state, are “running from a warzone.”

Overall, the album contains songs of pop and dance that are accompanied with great vocals from all the boys.

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Adaptation

By: Sophie Mirzaian

The title of “The Orchid Thief” is fairly self-explanatory. The title of “Adaptation?” Not so much. If you know Charlie Kaufman, the man behind the script and also the man who wrote himself into his own film, you know his movies are thought-provoking and mind-bending. “Adaptation” does nothing less than revolutionize the way you view film in a not-so-subtle way.

The movie focuses on Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage, who, by the way, gives a fantastic and practically perfect performance) and the struggles he faces while attempting to adapt a book about orchid collector John Laroche (Chris Cooper), which has no plot and no particular conflict called “The Orchid Thief” by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep). His twin brother, Donald (also Nicolas Cage), follows Charlie’s example and begins scriptwriting. He attends classes taught by a real-life film guru Robert McKee (Brian Cox) and constantly impresses upon Charlie that he should try the classes as well in his attempt to mitigate his writer’s block.

While Charlie is adapting “The Orchid Thief,” Donald, with the guidance of the film guru, ends up writing a ridiculous and nonsensical mystery screenplay called “The Three” about a cop, a serial killer, and a girl who are all supposed to be the same person with a multiple personality disorder, which itself is making a mockery of Hollywood and its absurdity.

“Adaptation” ends as a movie about love, drugs, betrayal and violence put together in the most hilarious and intelligent way possible.

Keep in mind, however, that this film is a comedy and a satire on Hollywood, and you’ll be able to recognize the genius in it. Research it a bit after you’ve finished watching, and you’ll appreciate it even more. Kaufman writes the perfect film by doing everything you’re not supposed to do: putting in voice-over to express the thoughts of the main character, writing himself into his own script, and using deus ex machinas.

“Adaptation” has a tagline which perfectly summarizes the premise of the movie and much of what it stands for: “Charlie Kaufman writes the way he lives- with great difficulty. His twin brother Donald lives the way he writes- with foolish abandon. Susan writes about life, but can’t live it. John’s life is a book, just waiting to be adapted. One story, four lives, million ways it can end.”

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“Skyward Sword” soars above expectations

Photo Source: Nintendo

By: Danny Hovanessian

After 25 years of throwing bombs, breaking pots, slinging arrows, pulling out the Master Sword, and saving princess Zelda, “Skyward Sword” arrives to change the formula in the Zelda games while still using some traditional elements to create a wonderful mix of the old and new.

Yes, you are still trying to save the princess Zelda, there is still a focus on solving creative puzzles, and there are still bombs and arrows at your disposal. “Skyward Sword,” however, does try quite a few new things to keep the series from feeling stale.

As usual, Link is the “chosen one” destined to save the world, and, of course, Zelda (who is his childhood friend in this installment) is by his side. I appreciate this game’s more cinematic presentation with its scenes, but the story is lacking and basic.

From the very start, the plot seems familiar. This kind of story would be acceptable a decade ago, but in today’s generation where games try incorporating a great story along with great gameplay, “Skyward Sword” falls short. It undoubtedly has the charm that many Nintendo games have, and the characters are endearing for the most part, but the story line is too shallow and unoriginal compared to other games like Final Fantasy.

Fortunately, “Skyward Sword” excels in almost everything else. It requires the use of the Wii Motion+, a peripheral that is designed to make movements more accurate and precise, and while I think Nintendo should have gotten it right the first time with their original controller, it now significantly improves the experience in the game.

In previous Zelda titles, combat was relatively mindless—a few clicks of a button did the trick and there was not much else to worry about. In “Skyward Sword,” combating is a lot more interesting because of the Wii Motion+. Now, enemies guard the attacks of players and actually require them to think and use tricks (as they try calculating their next move) so they can deal some damage. Any movement that players make are emulated on screen, and I found that to be very interesting because most other Wii games simply have players fling or waggle the Wiimote for an inaccurate response. Even boss fights (more powerful enemy encounters, usually found at the climax of a certain section) are much more formidable this time around and are an actual challenge.

Another great thing about the game are the visuals. The Wii is very much visually inferior to the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360, but “Skyward Sword” is still a delight to look at most of the time. Characters feel more alive this time around with their animations and facial expressions. Aside from the occasional muddy and low-resolution textures, the game as a whole looks phenomenal and will be one of those games which may stand the test of time longer than most due to its strong visuals and artistic elements.

“Skyward Sword” also satisfies when it comes to its soundtrack. Previous Zelda games’ soundtracks all consisted of “beep boop boop beep,” using computerized instruments and tunes instead of real ones. This was unacceptable considering that games started to incorporate orchestrated tracks back in the late 1990′s. With this game, Nintendo has gotten with the program and given us a fully orchestrated soundtrack. There are quite a few memorable tunes, and the game benefits from it greatly. The soundtrack adds much to the game’s charm, personality and the experience as a whole.

Strangely, Nintendo still hasn’t added voice acting. It feels a bit bizarre watching a scene with lips moving but nothing but the occasional gibberish or grunt coming out of their mouths. I could see every character but our mute hero Link having a voice, and I hope Nintendo does this for future installments.

I do have gripes with the game, though, and unfortunately, they aren’t small. The biggest problem is the sheer amount of fillers that make the already poorly paced plot even worse. It already takes hours to reach one of the several dungeons in the game, but more than once you find yourself needing a key to open doors that lead to dungeons—a key that has somehow been split into five pieces and is scattered over all corners of the entire area, which you will now need to retrieve if you want to progress. I haven’t even scratched the surface on the fillers in this game, but it’s absurd.

The flying sections in the game is another part of the game riddled with flaws. Not only are the controls for flying a little wonky, but the sky itself is very empty and there is almost nothing to do and almost no one to talk to. How could the residents of Skyloft believe that they are the only living things out there when there’s a grand total of 30-35 people living in the sky?

Despite its shortcomings, “Skyward Sword” is a wonderful experience, which is surprising, considering that the fact that I didn’t enjoyed the past few installments. Dust your Wii off, buy the Wii Motion+, and buy this game—give it some time and look past its faults and you will find yourself having a great time.

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Forging a new beginning

By: Sophie Mirzaian

“Realistic” people have this idea that nothing will ever truly work out. Usually, they also make sure nothing ever does. Feeling disconnected, pressured, and alone transforms people into things they wish they weren’t. They strive to be in control of something, and if that one thing is their own unhappiness, then so be it.

In the movie “Beginners,” Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) is one of those people. He exists, but that’s about it. His 75-year-old father, Hal (Christopher Plummer), admitted to being gay when Oliver’s mother died. During the last few years of his life, Hal chose to embrace his sexuality and lived his life more fully than Oliver ever lived or could imagine living his own.

After his father’s death, Oliver meets a beautiful woman, Anna (Melanie Laurent), with whom he has a lot in common. As an actress, she travels from place to place without making human connections. They both finally found people they can relate to, and they discover both love and themselves through each other.

Director Mike Mills does a tremendous job with this poignant, original, and smart love story. The film seems to mostly be a reflection of himself and his life.

The performances are touching and effective. McGregor is perfect for the role of Oliver; he is candid, vulnerable, and genuine, and the emotions expressed seem completely authentic. Laurent and Plummer are the same, and the cast has surprisingly believable connections with each other.

Mills takes you on a subtle and beautiful adventure filled with the happy and the sad, the tears and the laughs, the disappointments and the once-in-a-million moments that allow you to breathe a sigh of relief because things actually worked out. The film is terribly effective because, really, that’s what love is; that’s what life is.

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Downey’s Holmes is more Iron Man than Sleuth

Photo Credit: warnerbros.com

By: Sophie Mirzaian

“First, crack eggs. Now, scramble.” Robert Downey Jr. making breakfast? Not quite. Sherlock Holmes fighting a Cossack assassin? Oh yes.

The newest Holmes film—if you can even call it that—“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” was released last Friday. It features Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his sidekick, Dr. Watson (Jude Law) combating Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), who himself is equipped with money, power, and, although not to the extent of Holmes, ingenuity.

Despite the recurring characters, however, this seemed like a rip-off of a true Sherlock Holmes movie. To assume it will resemble one is the easiest way to set yourself up for disappointment, and comparing this film to the classic Holmes films and stories would raise obvious criticism about the superabundant humor and action.

Downey, although charming, is not a very Holmes-like actor. Not only is Downey an American with a bad British accent, but he has a reputation as a fun and good-humored man. In this role, he feels more like Tony Stark from “Iron Man” and less like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes.

When comparing Guy Ritchie’s sequel to his first Holmes film from 2009, I do have some positive comments to share. It is far more entertaining than the previous one. There are more unique slow-motion action sequences we only saw once in the beginning of the first film. Europe is beautifully portrayed with most scenes having that characteristic bluish tint. The costumes do not seem like 1890s garb, but at least they are visually appealing.

The movie is ultimately more about Holmes and Watson and less about the villain. I am fine with that because, in the film, Moriarty is not that interesting of a character—just a standard power-hungry man, despite the fact that the filmmakers meant to portray him as an intelligent and crafty professor. They could have done a better job of giving Moriarty more character.

True Holmes stories should be based upon puzzle-solving, logic, and the deductive method of solving crime. Unfortunately, there is no puzzle left for you to solve. “Holmes” reconstructs scenes within a matter of seconds and leaves even less room for your own cogitation than was left in the first movie, which did not have much to begin with.

It may seem like a bad thing that there is so much more action and so much less mystery, but I felt the 2009 film had an awkward distribution between the two. There was little humor, little action, and little mystery. It did not feel as though it belonged to any specific genre. At least this film can be clearly identified as an action one.

Downey does an impeccable job of lightening the mood of the movie, which is very much prevalent in the movie. The writers have also equipped him with an army of jokes, which prevents viewers from seeing the movie in a serious light at any one point during the entire film. A silly drawing or dialogue can be confusing when introduced during a suspenseful scene. Even when people are nearly dying, you can’t help but laugh at the funny facial expressions the characters make.

There are anachronisms, some unnoticeable and some that raise suspicions. Dr. Watson must have been more brilliant than we are led to believe, for the technique of using chest compressions for rescuing the dying was not invented until many years later. Also, the guns so-often used were obviously too advanced for 1890.

To consider this movie anything close to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories would be a mistake, but as an action film, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” stands out as entertaining, funny, and thrilling.

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Bieber raises fever once again

Photo Credit: Island Records

By: Natalie Hovanesian

I know what you’re thinking; great, another Justin Bieber album. But his most recent Christmas album, “Under the Mistletoe,” is sure to get everyone into the holiday spirit.

Released on Nov. 1, it has a different style from his previous albums due to his maturing personality and music. For one, Bieber’s voice is much deeper, which automatically changes the way his music sounds. Many songs have the addition of jingle bells, giving the album a holiday feel.

“Under the Mistletoe” has 11 tracks, but also has a deluxe version which has four additional singles. Bieber has included many traditional songs in this album, while managing to add his own taste and personality into the music.

“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” is more of a pop song rather than the customary song everyone has already heard. Bieber not only sings very lightheartedly, but he also makes remarks to entertain the listener. With lyrics like “it’s that time of the year, where you let all your problems go,” listeners can tell that he is greatly enjoying himself because of the passion in his voice. I found myself tapping my foot to the loving spirited tone.

Bieber’s take on “Silent Night” had me struck with bliss and ecstasy. His voice is relaxing, especially since it is combined with a beautiful piano medley that echoes in the background.

Another factor that makes this album so different is that Bieber has collaborated with Usher, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Busta Rhymes, and The Band Perry, giving each single a unique quality.

The song “Drummer Boy” featuring Busta Rhymes is another traditional track, but the beat is completely different. The classic one is a soft and relaxing melody, while Bieber’s version is fast and upbeat. In this version, Bieber raps (surprisingly well) during one half of the song and sings in the other. Busta Rhymes, known for his extremely fast rapping, also raps during the song which makes the listener nod his head with the lyrics.

In the single “All I Want for Christmas is You,” featuring Mariah Carey, Bieber sings during one part of the verse and they sing together in the chorus. Carey adds a special tone to the song because of her high-pitched style of singing.

Despite all the wonderful collaborations, however, “Mistletoe” is definitely my favorite song on the album because it is just one of those songs that you can put on repeat and still get a different feel for each time. Once it plays, I can imagine hot chocolate with marshmallows, fuzzy socks, and presents that represent the “most beautiful time of the year.” The jingle bells and snaps in the background give the song the perfect warm feel.

At about 38 minutes in length, “Under the Mistletoe” is a must-have Christmas album to brighten up the holidays.

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Kate and Kristine Paguinto Take on Hollywood

Photo Credit: An Uong

By: Jeannie Mai

They walk the same, they talk the same, they even look the same—they must be the same, right? Wrong.

It’s easy to see why strangers would mix up identical twins Katherine (Kate) and Kristine Paguinto (’13) so frequently, but, to be quite honest, they could not be any more different. Though they have the same aspirations, Kate and Kristine have extremely contrasting personalities.

Meet Kate: She describes herself as “outgoing” and “friendly.” She enjoys listening to Good Charlotte and reading The Perks of Being Wallflower. Kate spends her free time making art and writing short poems and creative stories.

Photo Credit: An Uong

Meet Kristine: She describes herself as “more calm” and “reserved” than her sister. She enjoys listening to The Smiths and teaching herself new songs on the guitar. She also has a keen interest in fashion and enjoys comedies like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

Photo Credit: An Uong

Though very different, however, both share a passion: theatre.

“We were never close before,” Kate said. “This was the first year we really opened up to each other.”

Their mutual interest in acting shaped their friendship and the two are now inseparable.

It all began in the summer of 2009, when there was only one seat left in David Scate’s Health class. Kate quickly snagged the spot, leaving Kristine with drama for the first semester of summer school.

Kristine instantly fell in love with acting and gives drama teacher, Dave Huber, all the credit. When second semester came around, the sisters switched classes, leaving Kristine to take a semester of health and Kate with the class that her sister had been talking about nonstop for weeks.

“When I joined drama, I immediately loved it,” Kate said. “Not just the art of acting, but the environment in our theatre was so carefree and open.”

So far, both have appeared in school productions such as “12 Angry Women,” “J.B.,” “Spoon River Anthology,” and “The Yellow Boat.”

However, it was not until this past November that Kate and Kristine finally experienced changes in terms of their acting careers. The twins were used to playing similar roles in school productions but for “The Diary of Anne Frank,” Kristine was cast as the lead role of Anne, while Kate did not receive a part in the production, but took the responsibility of being one of three stage managers for the production.

Huber said that he “likes the way they support each other” and that Kate did not show “jealousy” upon her sister receiving the lead role. Her “maturity and professionalism” really stood out to him.

Kristine found it “strange” to act in a play without her sister but thought it was “good that it happened” because realistically, both know they will not always be working together in theatre.

“Since they first arrived in my class, whenever they leave, they say ‘thank you for teaching me.’ In all my years of teaching, I’ve never had a student say that to me,” Huber said.

Kate says that she looks up to her father, Michael Paguinto, as her biggest role model and inspiration because of all the love and support he has for their interest in acting. He attends all the shows the girls appear in and drives them to auditions whenever necessary.

Michael says that he just wants to “make [his daughters’] dreams come true.” He knows that the acting industry can be a difficult one, but is willing to do whatever it takes to make his girls happy.

“At first, I was skeptical about their interest in acting, but after seeing how much of their own time they gave up for after school and even weekend rehearsals, I realized that this was something important to them,” friend Samantha Flores (’13) said.

In August of 2011, the girls got their first real taste of “Hollywood” when they created online profiles on LAcasting.com and were casted as extras in an independent film called “nightdreamblues,” directed by Nadine Truong. They played students sitting in a classroom.

Though a “small role” in Kristine’s eyes, she found the entire experience “motivating.” As it was their first time on a real set, the girls were amazed to see how the cast and crew worked together.

The plot of the movie involved three childhood friends reuniting and reminiscing about the hopes and dreams from their youth. The movie is currently in post-production and is set to release in 2012.

After high school, the twins hope to stay close to home and attend Chapman University to study filmmaking, producing and/or directing.

Kristine’s dreams include succeeding as a professional actress and living in a “cozy, modest home” with a husband and two sons. Like her sister, Kate hopes to marry and have two children, whilst achieving a career in acting, but also sees herself helping run the family business.

In 2003, Michael opened a small family jewelry business named “Kriskate & Co.,” which the sisters help run. They sell anything from sterling silver rings to engraved necklaces.

Kate likes that the jewelry company gives her a chance to work hard and that she learned “the value of a dollar” at a young age.

“I really like the way they support each other—they’re best friends. You don’t see that often with twins,” Huber said.

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“Spoon River Anthology” creeps onto stage

By: Natalie Hovanesian

The members of a small town discuss what they would have liked to do differently in their past. The only thing is that they’re dead.

The upcoming Advanced Drama Class play, “Spoon River Anthology,” involves a mysterious, dramatic, and exhilarating plot that is very distinct. It will premiere in the auditorium on Oct. 21and 22 at 7:30 p.m. for $5.

The cast is preparing to mesmerize audiences, who will be sitting on stage, with this dramatic play based on Edgar Lee Masters’ original poem.

It takes place in the town of “Spoon River” where the deceased talk about their lives, regrets, problems, secrets, and victories. The dead citizens of the small and quiet town reveal the truths and irrationalities of modern life.

The poem has an assortment of short passages that will be recited by each performer. The entire play is a series of monologues that explains a certain character’s life. In one scene, a character will be performing, talking about his life, and in the following scene, a different character will be on stage.

The performers have multiple roles because there is quite a number of characters in the original poem. Drama teacher Dave Huber feels that it is a “great workshop for the advanced drama students” because the cast members have to work as a group and communicate with each other in order to understand the relationship between the characters.

Although there are not any lead characters, some are mentioned in other monologues more than others. Most are also in the monologues of other characters. The more characters are introduced to the audience, the more the play connects, as each character has a piece of the story.

“Since [the characters] are not always honest, it’s up to the audience to see everything and figure out the real story behind the otherwise average town of Spoon River,” Jonna Henderson (’13) said, who plays Pauline Barrett, George Gray, Mrs. Sibley, and Actor One.

The cast has also taken a new approach to this play, as they have been analyzing each character.

“Finding out the characters’ motivations makes the play more enriching and enjoyable to watch,” Henderson said.

One of her characters, Pauline Barrett, is one who undergoes a major surgery. She is despondent and feels useless to her husband. Her guilt leads to her suicide.

According to junior Kristine Paguinto (Ollie McGee, Hannah Armstrong, Mabel Osborne, Petit the Poet) the play has a very unique aspect because it contains inner monologues of the characters, though there is almost no interaction between them. One of her characters, Ollie McGee, is one who complains about her past life with her husband.

Junior Vivek Patel (Knowlt Hoheimer, A.D. Blood, Willard Fluke, Reverend Sibley) feels it is a unique play because it “involves a lot of emotion.”

Willard Fluke (Patel) is a man who cheated on his wife and got syphilis. He feels guilty for doing so, but he did not die from his disease; instead, his daughter had to suffer the consequences of being born blind. When he is confessing at church for the sin, he sees his daughter and dies because he cannot handle confessing that he is responsible for her pain.

The cast members as a whole are thrilled to be presenting this upcoming play.

“I’m really excited and nervous at the same time,” Sheena Bandzharian (’12) (Lydia Puckett, Daisy Fraser, Zilpha Marsh, Actress Four) said.

Lydia Puckett (Bandzharian), is linked to Knowlt Hoheimere (Patel) because she explains the fact that she feels guilty for her actions involving Hoheimere.

According to senior Alina Karimian (Walter Simmons, Emily, Actress Two, Aner Clute), there are also elements of humor because everyone is talking about each other and complaining about their past in a comical way. But the play “[focuses more on] the traumatizing deaths” of the fellow town members.

“It’s really powerful,” Huber said. “[The characters] create a challenge for the actor, which is to develop a unique character each time
that the audience can empathize with.”

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Dixie steals your Hart

By: Daphne Ong

What’s more entertaining than watching a fish out of water trying to fit in? A New York surgeon who moves to Alabama to inherit a private practice.

The medical drama “Hart of Dixie” premiered last month on the CW, centering around Dr. Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson), who has desired to become a cardio-thoracic surgeon like her absent father since she was a child.

When she is rejected from an internship, she travels to Bluebell, Alabama, where a stranger, Dr. Harley Wilkes, who has been offering her a job for four years, owns the small practice.

Upon arriving to Bluebell, however, Hart learns that Wilkes already passed away and mysteriously left half of the practice to her. But there is a catch. The contract of the business partnership states that she must collect 30 percent of the revenue or else she has to give up her half to Wilkes’ partner, Dr. Brick Breeland, who makes her feel unwelcome from the start.

In addition to the cultural shock Hart encounters in the small southern town, she must also replace her New Yorker customs with southern hospitality to try to win the trust of the patients and keep her half of the practice.

“Hart of Dixie” is a refreshing break from the usual CW shows such as “Gossip Girl,” “Vampire Diaries,” and “One Tree Hill.” Although it does not have shocking surprises like secret twin sisters or sexy vampires, it is still worth watching.

The fresh cast, the amazing soundtrack, and the witty, yet heartwarming script add to the unique dynamic of this show. In fact, the series already has a strong fan-base because of Bilson and producer Josh Schwartz, who have previously worked together on “The O.C.” (a.k.a. the best teen drama of our generation).

Although there has only been three episodes, I see a lot of promise from the writers and assurance that they will incorporate things that are new to viewers. So far, between the secret birth delivery, the annual Founders’ Day Parade, and the love quadrilateral between Hart, the town’s golden boy, Breeland’s daughter, and the mayor, this show has my approval.

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Beirut sheds a new light

By: Sophie Mirzaian

I suppose everyone changes, some for the worse, some for the better. There are certain changes that one can only describe as becoming “different.” In the case of Beirut’s new album, “The Rip Tide,” there was a change towards introspection, which doesn’t imply either progress or worsening, although it is very different from previous music Beirut has released.

Since its Aug. 30 release, my opinion on Zach Condon, Beirut’s front-man, has changed drastically. During his time as a fun-loving, Europe-roaming young adult, he produced excruciatingly beautiful music. As I sat down to listen to his new album, I expected to be bombarded with intense emotions that very few artists can make a person feel.

This time around, however, I sadly found myself disappointed.

His previous albums, “Gulag Orkestar” and “The Flying Club Cup,” made one feel as if he were lost in a drunken stupor. The emotions created by the music alone forced one to rock from side to side. It was the European—specifically Balkan-folk and French chanson—influence that made Beirut’s sound so distinct.

Beirut’s sound has matured, but the sense of maturity isn’t due to the western pop style he’s adopted; it is because of his lyrics. He strips away excessive instruments and ceases experimenting with them as he had in previous albums. Instead, he showcases his very personal lyrics at the expense of the album and makes it fairly uninteresting.

But it would be wrong to say the album was bad because it was different. The problem is that people, especially die-hard fans like myself, tend to interpret any drastic change as something bad.

This is a personal album about Condon finding a place where he belongs, as he is no longer the traveling storyteller. It has little to do with his fans, while his other albums have close to nothing to do with who he is as a person.

A main theme in the album is establishing a home after feeling isolated for so long. Condon has been traveling the world since the age of 17. Now, he’s engaged and settled, a concept almost completely unfamiliar to him.

The beautiful, ever-changing, forward-moving life of a vagabond inspired the song “Vagabond,” written about advancing through life in hopes of finding a place to settle. The piano ballad, “Goshen,” talks about privacy and an introverted girl who is about to go on stage, but despite or in favor of her reluctance, she must make a choice: go or risk losing the fame she had worked so hard to achieve. The girl has an obligation to her fans to perform, but it is also important that she stays true to herself.

“Port of Call” creates an interesting conclusion. I see it as an apology to a loved one. Condon is scrutinizing his proficiency in romantic relationships. He creates the image of a man who has a tendency to drift away and come back again. His love still has hope for the relationship, but he disappoints her in every way. However, the nostalgia and memories of their relationship before he left still dwells within both of them.

Then, as the music ceases playing and listeners are left to ponder over Condon’s music, they will realize it is astoundingly short at 33 minutes. “Gulag Orkestar” was hardly longer at 37, but “The Rip Tide” leaves you half as satisfied.

As an introduction to Beirut, this album is a good place to start. “The Rip Tide,” although different, lighter, and heavily introspective, is a good album with some wonderfully crafted songs. Think of it as “Beirut Light,” but as far as diluted things go, Beirut’s new sound is sturdy and enjoyable, maybe not as profound as the older Beirut, but still much better than most bands today.

For Beirut fans stuck in the ways of the old albums, “The Rip Tide” may never work its way up to being on your favorites list, but it does grow on a person with every replay. As fans begin to understand his intentions in writing the album, the change in sound becomes less shocking, and listeners begin to gradually accept it.

Although Condon has lost some of his Balkan-folk and French chanson influences and adopted a more westernized pop sound, he still perfectly understands the very fine line between “indie-pop artist” and “sellout.”

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Glee gets glee-ish

By: Michael Yapujian

“Glee” and I: we sort of have a love-hate relationship. The first season: incredible, no words to describe. The second season: really? Is this the same show? The third season: Yea! Oh no, wait! WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE.

When the third season started out, I was loving it: the writers were getting rid of all the extraneous characters, starting to focus on fewer people, bringing back plot lines they decided to ignore in the second season, and dealing with real, pressing issues again.

At least, this is how the first two episodes were. Then, the third episode rolled around and I felt like I needed a V-8 (I wanted to slap my forehead in disappointment). Although I liked the whole Mike-Chang-actually-has-parents-and-he’s-afraid-of-what-they’ll-think-regarding-his dancing-career, it shouldn’t have been the main focus of the “Asian F” episode.

In “The Purple Piano Project,” I felt like I was taken back to the first season—the episode stood for something greater, it wasn’t just high school kids fighting over the solo for vanity. Rachel and Kurt were scared for their futures: they saw performances of other Broadway-bound high school seniors and realized that they were not “hot stuff” outside McKinley’s walls, and Quinn was trying to find herself (behind dyed pink hair and cigarette smoke).

And a stroke of genius must have struck the writers, when they brought Shelby Corcoran (Idina Menzel) back. Her arrival re-ignited plot lines from the first season, and, also, Menzel is simply incredible. The episode involved Rachel getting a better understanding of how her biological mom felt about her, Quinn and Puck realizing that they really love their baby and want to be in her life.

Then, “Asian F” came around, and the entire episode consisted of Mercedes becoming a total (insert degrading term here), and Mike Chang talking with his dad about getting an A- on his chemistry test. Yes, it was very touching hearing Mike talk with his mom about his passion for dancing, I get it, but if this persists, “Glee” will just be heading down the same spiral it did in the second season.

The moment that Brittany received a last name, I knew the show was heading towards the wrong direction. There needs to be a central focus on a few main characters. This is a television show where we can’t focus on a different person every episode, even if they all have very interesting and tear-evoking back stories.

The second season of “Glee” was full-on hairography, which is ironic considering the fact that the episode “Hairography” in the first season was specifically composed to prove that the “New Directions” had an excess amount of talent, which would be wasted if given into this device.
This is the last year that Rachel, Finn, Kurt, Puck, and Quinn are going to be attending McKinley High, and the show should really shift its focus to these four again, before they graduate and leave it in the dust.

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Gaga not born this way

By: Michael Yapujian

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Looking through the lens

Photo Credit: Allen Au

By: Maryam Soorma

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Defending Vinny

By: Michael Yapujian

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Enter into “Portal II”

By: Daniel Massey

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Hoover Stock Performs 6/4

By: Edwin Flores

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No more trials for J.B.

Photo Credit: Allen Au

By: Edwin Flores

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Taking a ghostly adventure

By: Edward Nadurata

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We we we so annoyed

By: Daniel Massey

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“Your Highness” reaches new lows

By: Daniel Massey

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Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

By: Edward Nadurata

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Josey Lee raises her voice

By: Edwin Flores

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Red loses her fire

By: Michael Yapujian

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One dimension too many

By: Daniel Massey

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A glance into the woods

By: Edwin Flores

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Where did the M go?

By: Michael Yapujian

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Everything is coming up roses

Photo Credit: Cain Buckler

By: Edwin Flores

Glasses touch together. Clink. The roar of laughter is heard everywhere—the countdown begins: three, two, one—Bang! Anticipation hits the room and the New Year ball hits the floor as excitement spills everywhere on New Year’s day. The next two hours of the night are spent celebrating gaily until eyelids begin to droop, contagious yawning engulfs the room, and beds begin to call out to their owners. Everyone will be off to sleep—except for seniors Allen Au (’11) and Greg Kalfayan (’11) who will be preparing to perform in Pasadena’s122nd annual Rose Parade at 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning.

Au and Kalfayan will march down Colorado Blvd. in a sea of red and white uniforms, after having been chosen for the Pasadena City College Lancer Band. Out of more than 520 students who auditioned to perform, Au and Kalfayan were selected for positions.

Au has been playing the bass drum since he joined the school’s marching band freshman year. Over the years, his determination to improve his skills has led him to become the bass captain and a member of the drum corps. His efforts finally paid off on the day of the audition.

Au was “relaxed” and “nonchalant” about his competition—he knew that with his training with Impulse, a summer drumming program, he was bound to get the position.

The percussion auditions lasted for an entire day. Students who passed the preliminary round were called back for follow-up auditions. Au made it through the first round, and he was not surprised to hear the judge call out his the audition number.

Just as he predicted, the Southern California students gathered around the Pasadena Community College stadium were “no match” for him. He was already used to “eating, breathing, and sleeping [music],” and he earned one of the 25 drum line spots.

“I’m excited to turn right on Colorado and watch all the fans cheer us on,” Au said.

The experience has been a “great opportunity” and he is grateful that he will be able to learn from the more experienced drummers in the band.
Pasadena College marching band director, Kyle Luck, said that when Au walked into the series of auditions, he was one of the few who “stood out among his peers.”

He also commended Kalfayan for his earned position in the trumpet section of the band. Luck explains that the trumpet player auditions were one of the most complicated of the day because of the three parts they were broken down into: a recital of a musical selection chosen by the candidate while marching, a prepared piece, and an on-the-spot sight reading. At his audition, Kalfayan performed “Largo and Allegro,” a three-minute piece highlighting the first trumpet high notes.

“At first I was nervous, but once I started playing, everything went smoothly,” Kalfayan said.

Ultimately his rigorous audition landed him one of the 32 available spots in the trumpet section.

Band director Martin Rhees was not surprised to find out that both students were chosen to march in the band.

“Greg and Allen are the type of people who show up and are prepared,” Rhees said.

He explains that it is an “honor” to have both Au and Kalfayan represent the school at the parade.

After having been chosen, both band students have had a difficult schedule for the past month. They have been rehearsing since November, once a week on Sundays for four to six hours.

Due to the upcoming parade, their schedule has dramatically increased, with practice scheduled every single day starting Dec. 20 until Jan. 1.

On average the band marches four miles, perfecting routines to be flawless; both Au and Kalfayan will march 30 miles by New Year’s.

“At first I was hesitant about giving up my winter break, but after I realized that this might be my only chance to appear on national television, I knew that I couldn’t pass it up,” Kalfayan said.

Eunice Choi (’11), who marched in the parade last year, knows that it takes a lot of hard work and determination to complete the parade. She admits that the “invigorating” feeling she received after the parade was worth the constant practicing.

She and other band members agreed that both students were one of few who were passionate about marching.

“They’re always focused at practice and they are the people I learn from,” band member and friend Liz Avila (’13) said.

As of now, both Au and Kalfayan are anxious for the day to come. Marching alongside other more experienced drummers and trumpet players has been an “enjoyable” experience for both of them. Considering that they are some of the youngest members of the band, Kalfayan feels it is an “honor” to perform with the other members.

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Do you know the Alma Mater?

We asked our if they knew our Alma Mater.  The results varied, but the comedy stood true.

Video Credit: Shane Vera, Cain Buckler, Dahn Kim

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