Movie Review of Thirteen 06/15/2022

By Michelle Cass 

The film Thirteen is based on the true story of Nikki Reed. Writer and actress Nikki Reed is known for her iconic leading role “Evie Zamora”, she is also known for being the co-writer of this film. Reed based the film off herself when she was in search of acceptance in junior high, Reed hung out with fast crowds, getting caught up in drugs and shoplifting. Thirteen is a 2003 drama film following a thirteen year old girl, named Tracie who is an innocent, straight A student. She meets Evie in her school who is the opposite of Tracie. Evie is manipulative, reckless, and wild. Tracie befriends Evie who introduces Tracie to the world of shoplifting, drugs, and boys; which is not who Tracie (a straight A student) was before. Before proceeding to read, please be forewarned that this review will contain spoilers. The start of the film shows Tracie starting her school year as a well-mannered and smart kid at a junior high school in Los Angeles. Tracie’s mother, Melanie, a recovering alcoholic struggles to support Tracie and her son Mason as a stay at home hairdresser. On the first day of 7th grade, Tracie comes across Evie, the most popular girl in her grade, who makes fun of her because of the “little girl” clothes she’s wearing. Embarrassed, Tracie throws out most of her clothes and buys new trendier clothes to impress Evie the next day. The following day Tracie wears her new outfits; after seeing Evie leave to use the bathroom, she follows her. Evie, realizing Tracie is following her, compliments her outfit. In turn, Tracie does the same. After they talk for a while, Evie invites Tracie to shop with her at Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Evie writes her number on Tracie’s notepad and leaves. 

Thrilled Tracie runs home after school and immediately calls Evie. But, after two attempts Traice realizes that Evie gave her a fake number to humiliate her. That doesn’t stop Tracie from being accepted in Evie’s group. Tracie goes to Melrose and finds Evie and her friends shoplifting. She goes outside mortified, while sitting on a bench a distracted woman is on the phone not realizing her wallet is out of her purse. Tracie, seeing this, steals the women’s wallet. She goes and finds Evie who becomes impressed with Tracie shoplifting skills. After that, Evie and Tracie become inseparable. Evie introduces Tracie to this whole new world of drugs, shoplifting, and boys; in the end Tracie has lost complete control of her life. The film depicts lots of realism to what some teens are going through in order to fit in. The film shows in great detail how someone can fall under the influence of the wrong crowd in order to be accepted. As the audience, you can see Tracie’s life falling apart through each scene. Traice is no longer interested in school, fights constantly with her mother, and follows everything Evie does. The director Cathrine Hardwick had done a great job setting the color scheme of each scene; illustrating when Tracie was in distress the shot would be a melancholy blue and when Tracie was calm the shot would be neutral. What makes this movie different from others, is that the film also illustrates the relationship between Tracie and her mother. As Tracie’s mother (Melanine) realizes that Tracie has been acting not herself after she met Evie, she doesn’t know how to intervene. Melanie tries to get through to Tracie as she breaks down feeling as if she failed as a parent. Throughout the movie Traice is constantly causing Melanie distress, but when Evie betrays her at the end; Melanie is by her side trying to comfort her. In many coming of age movies, I haven’t seen much where parents get involved in their children’s life, so as I watched this movie I was surprised at how Melanie’s mother became slowly concerned at what Tracie has become. Nikki Reed not only took this experience from her own life, but also her parents’ lives as she thought they were an important factor of teenagers’ lives. Throughout the movie, you feel sorry for Tracie especially when Evie betrays her and she doesn’t know where to go as her life has spiraled out of control; you can’t help but feel sorry for her. 

All in all, this movie has been one of the best drama films I’ve seen as it gradually becomes intriguing as the film progresses. Nikki Reed is an amazing actress and co-writer who creates an impact on how peer pressure can spiral out of control. I give this movie a 10/10 rating. 

Goodfellas Film Retrospective 06/15/2022

By Mia Ramsburg

“To me, being a gangster was better than being the president of the United States.” Martin Scorsese’s critically acclaimed film Goodfellas was originally released in 1990 and has since been named one of the greatest movies of all time. The film was originally inspired by author Nicholas Pillegis’ novel Wiseguy which is based on the true story of American mobster Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta). The storyline follows Henry throughout the course of his lifetime. From a very young age, Henry is exposed to the both frightening and luxurious mob lifestyle. He is fascinated by the things you can get away with as a member of the mob. These gangsters had more than enough money to live comfortably. They easily got wives and girlfriends. And through Henry’s eyes, they had it all. From that point on, Henry was just infatuated with what it meant to be a mobster- and that’s when he realized that the lifestyle was just what he wanted.  

The central theme of Goodfellas is about what loyalty means to people. You can see this from the very first time that Henry is getting in trouble with the law. He’s praised for protecting his friends by not admitting to any criminal activities. After this, one of the most important lines of the movie is delivered: “Never rat on your friends and always keep your mouth shut.”  This sentiment is echoed by many members of the mob throughout the film, building it up as one of the most important parts of their lives. Scorsese does a phenomenal job at demonstrating that this idea of mob loyalty is all actually just one big lie to protect gangsters from trouble. Warmest before the hit, a mobster will do anything to promote themself and their own reputation. 

Supporting character Jimmy Conway played by Robert Deniro orchestrates a money heist that is very successful, but he ties up loose ends by killing everybody that he thought might talk to the cops. Even though Henry was loyal to Jimmy, the reason he doesn’t get killed isn’t that he was loyal- it’s actually because he wasn’t involved in the heist. The people who did get killed didn’t deserve it any more than he did. For example, Frankie Carbone was a robber who didn’t do anything wrong but still got “whacked” because he was tied into the theft. All this goes to show that in the end, mob loyalty only matters when it protects the people at the top. 

All together, the actions of the characters in Goodfellas prove that even though the mafia saw loyalty as very important, they weren’t actually loyal to each other in the way that normal people should be. 

A Review of Kendrick Lamar’s Newest Album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers 06/15/2022

By Madeline Golia

Kendrick Lamar hasn’t released an album in 1,855 days up until May 13, 2022. “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” is Lamar’s 5th and final album with Top Dawg Entertainment. This album is almost like a combination of his other albums but something new in and of itself. I’ve listened to the album multiple times now and heres what I took away from it. The production on this album is amazing, each song sounds different and it shows how diverse of an artist Lamar is. 

A few songs that stuck out to me were “Die Hard”, “Father Time”, “Count Me Out”, “Crown”, “Auntie Diaries”, “Mr. Morale”, “Mother I Sober”, and “Mirror”. Each of these songs gives off almost an completely different vibe on each one. In “Die Hard” he talk about putting trust in his partner and how difficult it is for him to open up. In “Father Time” he talks about the toxic masculinity his dad projected on him. He says how his dad wouldn’t let him cry when he got injured, which seems small but in the long run this has had a major effect on how Lamar handles his emotions. His dad told him to never show feelings, he himself not letting himself grieve his mother’s death and going straight back to work. This set an example for how Lamar should handle difficult situations. “Count Me Out” is about how Lamar is wearing himself out trying to be perfect and eventually leaving a toxic relationship to better himself. “Crown” is about his attention from fans and not being perfect enough and not being able to please everybody. He says the phrase “Heavy is the head that wears the crown” saying that he got all of this fame and fortune, but money doesn’t buy happiness and he still has internal struggles to work through. “Auntie Diaries” goes onto how Lamar would formerly say homophobic things. He explains that when his aunt and cousin came out as transgender, it opened his eyes to normalized homophobia. In “Mr. Morale” Lamar speaks on generational trauma, mentioning celebrities R. Kelly and Oprah Winfrey who are both known for their history with abuse. In “Mother I Sober” he talks about breaking generational trauma and how staying sober is an important part of healing from grief. He also opens up about his experiences with sexual assault and how it affected his family. While he was young, his mom often asked him if his cousin had assaulted him, Lamar would answer with an honest ‘no’ but being questioned so much traumatized him. He later found out it was because she had been assaulted herself and didn’t want that for him. He repeatedly says in the chorus that he wishes he was someone else, anyone but himself. He talks about the sad truth of rape and assault. The last track on the album “Mirror” has Lamar talking about how he is choosing himself and choosing to let go of everything else and work on him. He repeats in his chorus, “I choose me, I’m sorry” which can be interpreted in multiple ways. He talks about how getting personal gain off of his pain is nonsense, which could mean that him having to put himself through pain to be able to make good music is toilsome for him and that’s why he’s choosing himself and focusing on family. One part of the song that really stands out to me is, “Do yourself a favor and get a mirror that mirror grievance, Then point it at me so the reflection can mirror freedom” in this verse he is telling the listener to look at themselves and become introspective that way they can understand their own trauma and once they figure it out they can become free with themselves, just as he has done over the course of this album. 

I’d say that this album is a 10/10, there were a few songs I didn’t like as much as others, but this album has no skips. Overall, I think the more I listen to this album the more it will grow on me, and I’ll understand the meaning more. But, for the first day of it being released, I think the message behind this album is amazing. Kendrick Lamar is an unbelievable artist who should get album of the year. This album is a work of art and even after his long break he still had it in him to release a outstanding album.

The Art of Making Music 06/14/2022

By Georgie Stone

Whether its in the car, at the grocery store, or scrolling through your phone; music can be found just about anywhere. People have used music to express themselves for centuries through different genres, melodies, and rhythms. Musicians who write their own music such as Taylor Swift, Tyler The Creator, Mac Miller, and Frank Ocean produce songs from the depths of their own minds. More importantly, writing music as your own personal form of therapy rather than for fame or money, is so extremely powerful and shows through your work. When you listen to a song and feel so understood and almost as if that person had taken a page out of your diary; that is the effect of music. 

Not only songwriting, but the actual production of music also has a huge impact on listeners. Some examples of incredible production in my opinion would be “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift and “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” by Tyler, The Creator. What Swift sings about in “Cruel Summer” is reminiscing of a summer love; but the upbeat production of the music makes the heart wrenching lyrics sound almost fun. In “RUNNING OUT OF TIME”, Tyler talks about the feeling of desperately wanting someone to love you and doing anything for that experience. The electric piano seems to disguise the painful lyrics used in the song; which is a perfect example of great production. 

Now that the effects that music can have on someone is all laid out, what is relevant in someone making their own music? There are hundreds of artists out there who craft their own songs; but what makes them all different is the interpretation. Many people have experienced heartbreak, but the way two artists interpret it can be widely different. When you begin to write your own music, you use all of those feelings and write about things you directly relate to. You can always listen to music and feel understood, but there is just nothing compared to writing your own songs about your own feelings. Being able to put your emotions down on paper and being able to express those feelings openly in a way that other people can understand is like no other form of art. Getting lost in your music is an escape from everyday life, one thats much needed.

Outer Banks Netflix Show Review 06/14/2022

By Gabby Verdone

A great number of people have watched the Netflix series Outer Banks, or you definitely have heard of it. April 15, 2020 the teen drama Outer Banks was released to Netflix. A very popular show right from the beginning, with every seemingly every social media platform buzzing with teenagers discussing the show. In a day, Outer Banks became #1 on Netflix. 

Admittedly, Outer Banks is definitely an unrealistic mystery teen drama. The main actors which are the teenagers are about sixteen in the show and play their roles amazingly well. They are all attractive and great actors. The show is set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina where the teens attend Kilidare County High school. Each individual has a unique home situation, but the group mainly spends their time with one another.

In the show, they spend most of their time running from the cops and going on adventures. Specifically, they hunt for The Royal Merchant. Most of season one consists on them trying to find the treasure while main character John B. is in denial about his father’s death. There are two groups of people in the Outer Banks, the Kooks and the Pogues. John B., JJ, Pope and Ki are Pouges on the island, while the Cameron family are Kooks. Pouges and Kooks never got along but in the first season Sarah Cameron and John B form a bond which is when the Cameron family comes in the picture. John B. is living with no parents after his father suddenly disappeared. He never knew how, but is revealed later on in the season. Outer Banks is a teen drama that I highly recommend. I love all the surprises they throw at you each episode and all of the adventures they take on, I highly recommend this Netflix series.

Pipeline Punch Monster Energy versus Ultra Watermelon Monster Energy 06/14/2022

By Elisabeth Giesa

Monster Energy features many unique and different flavors among all of their drinks. Monster is well known for marketing their drinks in bright and flashy ways. This is very important as it allows the consumer to separate these flavors. Two popular flavors include Pipeline Punch and Ultra Watermelon.

Pipeline punch has a subdued watermelon pink can with the Monster logo in a lighter hue of pink, almost a rose pink. The drink’s description, clearly printed on the side of the can, states that the drink is, “The perfect blend of the best flavors Hawaii has to offer – Passion fruit, orange & guava” The drink is marketed to have a tropical, intense taste. From the first sip, the drink tastes of various fruits. The taste is very lively and tropical, as promised. The aroma from the drink matches the taste, to say, refreshing. The description and packaging do not disappoint.

Ultra watermelon is vastly different in looks. The can is bright red, with designs of fireworks and a green shadowing on the monster logo. The can is very bold and makes a promise of flavor. The drink is described as, “summer-time in a can so you can enjoy it anytime. Zero sugar, easy-drinking refreshing flavor with the explosive Monster energy blend to light-up those hot summer nights.” This drink is marketed to fit a certain vibe and theme. As stated in the description, the flavors are made to remind the consumer of a summer’s evening, at a party. Apon first tasting the drink, one is greeted with a surprisingly tangy and sour-sweet flavor. The taste itself could be compared to one of a watermelon jolly rancher. The sourness is quickly chased away by an overwhelming sweetness. It does not taste like what an actual watermelon does, but the watermelon flavoring is a classic. The smell of the drink is subdued to what the taste actually is, but nonetheless matches the cool vibes that the drink radiates. 

Ultimately, the two drinks are unique in their own ways. Pipeline Punch gives off a softer and smoother taste while Ultra Watermelon is a kick of flavor. If someone is looking for a more refreshing, leisurely taste that still gives you that boost of caffeine, Pipeline Punch would be the way to go. On the other hand, if one is looking for an exciting and power-packed flavor, Ultra Watermelon would be the way to go. Both drinks have a very artificial taste to them, but Pipeline Punch delivers that flavoring smoother. Overall, Pipeline Punch seems the way to go in the case of these two drinks. 

Legally Blond: A Review 06/14/2022

By Diana Guerrero Flores

The 2000s was an incredibly iconic era where rom-coms and chick-flicks were at their prime. One of the most memorable ones, in my opinion, included: Legally Blonde (2001). A rom-com directed by Robert Luketic, starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods. I believe It’s an inspirational and empowering movie that shows how important it is to stay true to yourself and to work hard for what you really want. 

At the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to Elle, a fashion major and sorority queen. She wants to marry her rich lawyer boyfriend, Warner and thinks Warner will propose to her one evening. However, he ends up dumping her the same night because she’s too “blonde”. This breakup infuriates Elle so she decides to win Warner back at Harvard law, deciding that if she became a lawyer as well, he might want her back.  She toils away at her studying, steering clear of frat parties and fun events. This act shows Elle’s determination and how she works to get what she wants with effort, and eventually gets accepted into the prestigious school. 

However, upon arriving at Harvard Law, people disapprove and underestimate her because of her blonde locks and fashionable personality. When she gets assigned to her first case, Elle is brought down by others telling her that she’s not good enough. Nobody seems to believe that Elle could pull off winning her case, but Elle doesn’t let those remarks get in the way of her success. Victoriously, she uses her incredible knowledge of fashion to win her case. Throughout all her struggles, Elle graduates valedictorian, officially dumps Warner, (and is engaged to someone else), and becomes a lawyer. In my opinion, Legally Blonde is ideal and motivational for all people. 

Virtual Reality is on It’s Way – and It’s Coming Fast 06/14/2022

By Derek Wilson

To some people, the idea of a virtual world is scary, and I see where they are coming from. People usually protest with “It damages your eyes,” or the “What about ACTUAL reality?” which two both very valid points if the people arguing them did any research. In reality, VR is just as harmless as playing any regular video game, and may even be a better alternative to normal games.

For starters, the claims of vision damage tend to be false. As long as you follow the proper precautions, VR is practically harmless to your vision. Taking breaks often and only playing in short bursts is the best way to ensure safety.

Secondly, the people who argue that reality is the only way to experience life, are most likely just hesitant to take the leap into the next big way to live life to the fullest. But, those who have already made the leap know how life changing some of the things you can do are. For example, you can face your fear of heights, watch a movie in a theater from your house, or just work a day shift in an office job full of robots.

So why might VR benefit society and change lives for the better? Well, I’ll tell you. For starters, VR is a great way to keep active and stay fit. There are many workout applications, and even workout games that can keep you moving, and still be enjoyable at the same time. As you may know by now, your controllers use motion tracking to determine where your arms are in real life, so many games use this to its full capability. A lot of games make sure they don’t have you standing still for too long and keep your arms moving, and in some headsets there is even an in-headset calorie tracker. So, what if fitness isn’t your forte?

Well there are plenty of alternatives. There is a whole load of entertainment available, even with an inexpensive headset. Want to web swing through a city like Spiderman? You can do that! Want to play a matrix-style game where time only moves when you do? You can do that!

Want to chat and interact with friends without leaving your house? Yep, you guessed it, you can do that too. With so many possibilities, it’s inevitable that VR will be a staple household item in just a few years. 

Summer Adventures 06/14/2022

By Cristopher Sanchez Chavez

With summer just around the corner many students are anticipating the fun that comes with summer break. Though there might be other intriguing, exotic places to visit during the summer, much of these places are far and expensive for some. Here are some of the more affordable and convenient places to visit during your summer vacation. 

The first is one of New Jersey’s finest attractions, Six Flags. Six Flags is packed with fun, ranging from safari exhibits and seeing various animals up close while you drive by on your car, to an outdoor waterpark and of course its main attraction, its roller coaster which would have you have feeling a variety of emotions, some ups and downs. The closest location of Six Flags from Collingswood would be located in Jackson Township. Starting tickets can range from $19.99 to $39.99 for each person depending on which park you go to while the summer pass is on sale for $69.99 each person and gives you access to all parks. However, lines tend to get relatively crowded and food is expensive. Overall, a good and relatively inexpensive place to visit if you’re willing to wait long periods of time for rides and if you bring your own food.

Another fascinating place to go if you like the sea-side, aquatic rides, and like shore walks is definitely Wildwood. Wildwood is great as the space it offers people and its striking view it offers from Hotels. If the rides are busy people can always move their attention to the shore and be there while the place gets less busy. Truly a great place to visit during the summer.

Finally, for those who are fans of beautiful scenery and mansions, Van Vleck House and Gardens is a must-see destination. The entry is free and the place is a well groomed mansion with stunning views of flower orchards and a great place for photoshoots. However, it is about an hour and twenty minutes from Collingswood but if you’re willing to put in the time, it can be an unforgettable experience.

Whether you decide to take me up on these recommendations or not, it is important to make the most of your summer breaks and explore and have fun while you still can. 

Top 5 Cereals 06/14/2022

By Carly Frenzel

Over the past week, I have collected information to identify what the most popular cereal is among high school students. After recording the data, it’s clear that there is a vast selection of cereals among high school students, these are the top five.

The fifth most popular cereal is Honey Nut Cheerios. Honey Nut Cheerios are one of many variations of Cheerios, including the original, apple cinnamon, multi-grain, frosted, chocolate, fruity, and many more. Honey Nut Cheerios have a honey and almond flavor with a honey and brown sugar glaze over them made by General Mills. 

The fourth most popular cereal is Cap’n Crunch. Cap’n Crunch is a corn and oat cereal made by Quaker Oats. There’s also two other popular versions of the cereal, Cap’n Crunch Berries and Cap’n Crunch all berries.

The third most popular cereal is Froot Loops. Froot Loops are a ring-shaped, fruit flavored cereal made by Kellogg’s. Despite the six different colors of loops, they’re all the same flavor. There’s also a marshmallow and a gummy version of the cereal.

The second most popular cereal is Lucky Charms. Lucky Charms are a glazed pulverized oat cereal with little colorful marshmallows throughout it made by General Mills. The marshmallows are the best part, there’s blue moons, green clover hats, pink hearts, purple horseshoes, pink balloons, unicorns, yellow and orange shooting stars, and rainbows. There used to be an hourglass marshmallow, however, it got replaced by the unicorn.

And finally, the number one most popular cereal is Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Cinnamon Toast Crunch is cinnamon and sugar covered cereal made by General Mills. While Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a good cereal, I definitely don’t think it deserves to have the number one spot.

My personal top five list of cereals is Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles, Froot Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Trix.

So, what do you think the best cereal is?