The Bachelor by Raquel Hewitt
The Bachelor is a show that has been around for many seasons. Its goal is to help a man or woman find their perfect match throughout a long period of time. This year the Bachelor was Sean Lowe, a 29-year-old entrepreneur from Dallas, Texas. He was a contestant on one of the previous seasons of the Bachelorette with Emily Maynard. He made it all the way to the final three bachelors and was sadly sent home. But he is now the Bachelor in his own season and is ready to find the right woman for him. Today, March 11th, is the finale of the season where he will pick either Catherine, a 26-year-old graphic designer from Seattle, Washington, or Lindsay, a 24-year-old substitute teacher from Fort Braggs, North Carolina. Sean has a hard decision to make, so stay tuned tonight at 8 pm to see whom he decides to pick!
Fan Mail to Taylor Swift found in Recycling Dumpster by Elizabeth Fernandez
Back on March 13th, a Nashville resident found hundreds of letters addressed to Taylor Swift in a recycling dumpster while she was dropping off old newspapers. She said that she didn’t know if the letters were stolen or discarded so she collected them all and put them in a box. She said she thought that Taylor should know about these letters because her fans are very important to her. She called CNN affiliate, WKRN to make sure that Taylor heard about this situation with the discarded fan mail, some of the letters opened and some that remained sealed. “It just bothered me, because I know how much her fans mean to her,” Francescan said. Some letters were decorated and WKRN said return addresses were from all around the world.
Evidently, the Taylor Swift fans were trying to send fan mail to Taylor Swift Entertainment, which has a P.O. box in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Someone from Swift staffs is supposed to pick up the letters to give to Swift. A spokeswoman for Taylor, aula Erickson, said that they didn’t hear about the recycling mishap, but offered an accurate explanation. She stated: “Taylor gets thousands of fan letters everyday and they are delivered to her management office. After the letters are opened and read, they are recycled,” Erickson said. “The only explanation for any letters being unopened would be that a small batch of mail that was supposed to be delivered to Taylor was accidentally put with letters headed for the recycling center. … We plan to immediately pick up the mail.”
Warm Bodies by Elizabeth Fernandez
Warm Bodies is a new movie that was just released on February 1st. Giving a major twist to the classic story of Romeo and Juliet, the movie is about the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. The main character, R (a zombie) encounters Julie (a human survivor), and saves her from a zombie attack. Julie begins to notice that R is a lot different from the other zombies, and as they become closer and form a relationship in their struggle for survival. R becomes more and more human, setting off a romantic, thrilling, and even funny chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and even the whole lifeless world. Personally, I didn’t think I was ever going to see this movie because the trailer didn’t really appeal to me because I’m not a big zombie fan. However, when I saw it I thought it was great! It was funny, exciting, and just a great story and movie over all. Even if you aren’t into the whole zombie thing, I highly recommend seeing it!
Zero Dark Thirty by Mike Ravas
Zero Dark Thirty is a new blockbuster movie to hit the theaters. The movie sheds light onto how Osama Bin Laden was taken down. Many movie critiques have raved over this movie giving it good reviews. One critic even stated that this movie will define the decade and I truly believe that. When I went to go see it at the movies, I felt that it was an amazing movie. It portrayed all that happened from September 11th up to when Seal Team 6 raided the spot where Bin Laden was hiding and assassinated him. This movie was put up for 6 golden globe awards, the most recognizable nomination being for Best Movie. However, it has been stripped of those nominations for reasons I don’t quite understand. However, regardless of how many awards it has won, this movie was definitely one I would go watch again and would encourage you to go see.
Movie of the Week By Ivy Nowakowski
The top movie on the charts for the month of January is Les Miserable. This is a music filled movie that everyone will love staring Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Anne Hathaway as Fantine,Russell Crowe as Javert, Amanda Seyfried as Cossette, and Samantha Barks as Epinine. Anne Hathaway won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress. This is truly a dramatic, music filled movie. It was and still is a musical that was turned into a movie. It takes place in 19th-century France. Jean Valjean, who is being hunted down by policeman Javert after he breaks the law, agrees to take care of factory worker Fantine’s daughter, Cosette. He does this because Fantine is dying and needs someone to take care of her child for her. This decision will change every characters life forever. Even though some people in the movie are not as good as others, it is still an exceptional movie.
Gangnam Style Singer, Psy, Meets President after Controversy by Elizabeth Fernandez
On December 9, president Obama shook hands with the South Korean YouTube sensation, Psy. Psy is the rapper whose song Gangnam Style topped the charts and is the most viewed video on YouTube. The rapper met the president despite much controversy about a song Psy performed in 2004 saying anti-American comments calling for the killing of “Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives.” Psy recently apologized for what he said on Friday about U.S.soldiers fighting in the Iraq War, that they should be killed “slowly and painfully.” In his apology he said:”I understand the sacrifices American servicemen and women have made to protect freedom and democracy in my country and around the world.”
He said the song “was part of a deeply emotional reaction to the war in Iraq and the killing of two Korean schoolgirls that was part of the overall anti-war sentiment shared by others around the world at that time.” Obama gave shout outs to all the performers at the “Christmas in Washington” concert, not including the Korean pop-singer.
Movie of the Week: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer By Ivy Nowakowski
Around this time of year, everyone is looking for good Christmas movies to watch. I like to go back to the classics of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It came out in 1964 so it is not modern, but it is a classic. It is a stop motion picture, which is a type of movie where you physically manipulated object to make them appear that they are moving on their own. In other words, they make statues, take pictures of the statues, and in every picture they move the statue a little bit to make it look like it is moving on there own. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is about Rudolph who is a reindeer but he has a bright red nose so everyone makes fun of him. He runs away from home and meets some pretty interesting people on the way. He eventually comes back home and is needed by Santa Claus. By the end of the movie, Rudolph is leading Santa’s sleigh to give gifts to the boys and girls. This movie is a little corny, but it is a Christmas classic filled with songs and action for everyone in your family.
Movie of the Week: Monsters Inc. By Ivy Nowakowski
The movie of the week is Monsters Inc. Monsters Inc. is coming back into theaters in 3D. It comes out December 19th. This movie release is getting everyone prepared for the new movie Monsters University (Monsters Inc. 2). Monsters University doesn’t come out until June 2 of 2013. It is going to be a while till that movie comes out. Monsters Inc. is about two monsters named Sully and Mike. They work for a company that scares children and uses their screams to power their city. One day, Boo gets out of her room and enters this monster city. Mike and Sully have to hide Boo and put her back where she came from because everyone in the city is looking for her. Surprisingly everyone in the city is scared of Boo because she is a child. They end up adoring her and it is a sad day when they put her back. This is a Disney Pixar classic that came out in 2001 and its now back for everyone to see in theaters. After the movie release, the movie will be on sale on DVD. This is convenient for people who don’t have the VHS players to play this movie anymore. Monsters Inc. is going into theaters December 19. Don’t miss it.
The AMAs by Raquel Hewitt
Artist of the Year
WINNER: Justin Bieber
New Artist of the Year
WINNER: Carly Rae Jepsen
Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock
WINNER: Justin Bieber
Favorite Album – Pop/Rock
WINNER: Justin Bieber – Believe
Favorite Male Artist – Country
WINNER: Luke Bryan
Favorite Female Artist – Country
WINNER: Taylor Swift
Favorite Band, Duo or Group – Country
WINNER: Lady Antebellum
Favorite Album – Country
WINNER: Carrie Underwood – Blown Away
Favorite Artist – Rap/Hip-Hop
WINNER: Nicki Minaj
Favorite Album – Rap/Hip-Hop
WINNER: Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
Favorite Male Artist – Soul/R&B
WINNER: Usher
Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock
WINNER: Linkin Park
Favorite Artist – Electronic Dance Music (EDM)
WINNER: David Guetta
For a complete list of winners check out:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1697612/2012-amas-winners-list.jhtml
Why are there Christmas Songs Playing in November? by Ivy Nowakowski
When you turn on the radio, you don’t want to be hearing Christmas songs for 4 weeks. You want to be hearing your normal music or thanksgiving music (If there is such a thing). In November, no one wants to be hearing Christmas songs. It is even worse if Thanksgiving isn’t over yet. My family waits to do anything Christmas until after Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving, black Friday, we have tree day. This is the day we put up all our Christmas trees and decorations and the Christmas music can start playing. Lets take it one holiday at a time plus do you really want to be hearing Jingle Bells or Santa Baby for 3 weeks straight. I don’t remember us every celebrating New Years before Christmas ever came.
Thanksgiving should be getting more attention. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful. Maybe Thanksgiving should come after Christmas so we can be thankful for our gifts and have a holiday for it. Be thankful for the thing you have this Thanksgiving and really think about the purpose of the holiday. I guess I should be more thankful since I am not very thankful for the Christmas music playing too early this year. Be thankful for the Christmas tree you have, the turkey and mashed potatoes you eat, and the Thanksgiving pie your grandmother makes. It just some ideas for thing you can be thankful for so when someone asks you, you can have a long list. Then no one will ever ask you what you are thankful for again. I just ask that someone can tell the radio stations it is not Christmas time yet. Then I will be very thankful of that person and my Thanksgiving will be full of thanks.
Breaking Dawn Part 2 by Elizabeth Fernandez
You may have heard of the popular Twilight Saga over the past four years. The movies always seem to do very well in the box office and the books and movies together have a huge fan base. Now, the last installment of the saga has come out in theaters.
The craze over Twilight began with the books written by Stephenie Meyer. They tell about a teenage girl named Bella Swan who falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen and risks everything for love. The beloved books were eventually turned into the movies that many people love. Like them or not, you can’t deny how popular they are. The first movie “Twilight” came out on November 21, 2008. The sequel, “New Moon” came out the next year on November 20, 2009. On June 30, 2010, the third movie, “Eclipse” was released. They announced that the last movie, “Breaking Dawn” was going to be split into two parts. The first part was released on November 18, 2011 and the second part would come out the next year. “Breaking Dawn: Part 2” came out on November 16, 2012. They have broken records in the box office and the fans always look forward to the premieres.
These movies mean a lot to the fans, as do the books. I imagine that it’s probably sad for them to know that there will be no more movies. So if you’re a fan of the series, you should definitely go see the film, out now!
The CMAS by Raquel Hewitt
The Country Music Association Awards are what all country music fans anticipate every year. It’s a time for them to cheer on and vote for their favorite country music stars. There were 12 categories that country stars could win. For Entertainer of the Year, the award went to Blake Shelton. His wife, Miranda Lambert, won Female Vocalist of the Year. Blake Shelton also won Male Vocalist of the Year, making that his second win. New Artist of the Year was given to Hunter Hayes. Vocal Group of the Year was given to Little Big Town. Vocal Duo of the Year went to Thompson Square. Little Big Town won their second award in Single of the Year for Pontoon. Album of the Year went to Eric Church for his album Chief. Song of the Year went to Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton for Over You, making that Miranda’s second and Blake’s third award. Musical Event of the Year went to Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw for Feel Like a Rock Star. Music Video of the Year went to Toby Keith for Red Solo Cup. And lastly, Musician of the year went to Mac McAnally.
To see a complete list of winners check out this link!
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57544121/cma-awards-2012-list-of-winners/
Movie of the Week: Perks of Being a Wallflower by Ivy Nowakowski
This new book that has just been turned into a movie is the movie to see. Perks of being a wallflower is an excellent movie I have yet to see. I first heard about it a while ago when my friend’s sister went to be an extra (a random person that satnds in the background). She ended up being in the football stands right behind Logan Lerman, who plays Charlie, and Emma Watson, who plays Sam. This movie was filmed right here in Pittsburgh. Does this bridge look familiar to anyone?
It is the Fort Pitt Bridge! The person standing in the truck is Emma Watson. This movie is about a 15-year-old named Charlie who is a freak. This only friend killed himself, forcing him to face high school alone. When all hope is lost, Patrick and his stepsister Sam who are seniors help Charlie and take him under their wings. They also introduce him to their not so good, partying friends. It is from these older kids that Charlie learns to live and love, until he finds out a secret from his past that threatens to destroy his happiness. Go see this great, new, inspiring movie.
Come to Theater Thursdays! by Ivy Nowakowski
Do you need something to do on Thursdays? Stay after school for a fun filled evening with Ms. Manuel and. Mrs. Taylor. If you don’t want to come because you think you can’t dance, sing, or act, that is the exact reason to come. At Theater Thursdays, you will learn how to dance, sing, and act. At the beginning of Theater Thursdays, Mrs. Taylor teaches you how to dance. After that, Ms. Manuel does some acting games and will tell us about upcoming events. If you are interested in doing musical this is the place for you. This is definitely not a huge commitment. You do not have to come every week (although it is suggested). This is just a fun after school activity for anyone who wants to come. It is every Thursday from 2:30 to 4:15. You can come and go as you please. So if you have to leave early or come in late you can still participate in all the fun activities. If you are not interested in musical, you can still come to learn how to dance, act, or even be there to hang out with your friends. Some of our past events we have done is the haunted hallway, the flash mob dance at homecoming, and upcoming events are the Christmas play and, of course, Musical. This does not mean that rehearsals for these things are every Thursday, these are just events the musical program has organized. If you are interested in any of this, start coming to Theater Thursdays. You don’t want to miss out!
Breaking Amish by Raqu
el Hewitt
Breaking Amish is a show on TLC about 5 young Amish men and women who leave behind their Amish lifestyle to go out and explore the modern world in New York City. The show stars, Kate, Sabrina, Rebecca, Jeremiah, and Abe. For most of them, their trip to New York City gave them the opportunity to do things they had never done before, like simply using electricity, staying at a hotel, and flying on a plane. Although going to New York City may be a dream come true for them, there are still consequences. If they choose to stay in New York City and leave behind everything they once knew, they will be shunned by family, friends, and the rest of their community. This decision most likely weighs heavily on them, but they have to choose what might be the best for them and their future. While watching this show, you start to realize how lucky you are that you were born with what you have. Every day we use our cars, cell phones, and our computers, but from where the cast of the show come from, they didn’t have the opportunities that we have every day of our lives. Breaking Amish really makes you grateful for what you have. And for the cast, we will have to stay tuned for the next part of their adventure in the Big Apple.
Wizard of Oz dress up for auction! by Elizabeth Fernandez
Next month, an auction held in Beverly Hills, CA will have the dress Judy Garland “Dorothy” wore in the iconic film “The Wizard of Oz.” It is estimated to sell for half a million dollars and is going to be a very cool item available at the auction.
The puffy-sleeved blouse with the blue-checkered dress is an iconic symbol in movie history. The Wizard of Oz was one of the first color movies (it is debated whether it was THE first or not) and Dorothy’s dress has inspired Halloween costumes for over 70 years.
It is said that several other identical dresses were made for the movie, but the one for sale is the only one seen in the film and the only complete dress to survive over the years. The outfit will be on display at the London Stafford Hotel starting October 9. The dress will then be displayed at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California from Nov. 5-9, and up for auction the 9th an 10th. It certainly is very iconic!
Ronan By Emily Efthimiades
Most people know “Ronan” as a song written by Taylor Swift, but most people do not know the story behind the song. The song “Ronan” is based on a true story of a boy, Ronan Thompson, with his battle with Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a type of childhood cancer that is very deadly. Unfortunately Ronan did not win his battle with cancer, but his memory will live on through his song, his family, his friends, and his foundation.
Ronan Thompson was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 with stage 4 Neuroblastoma. His mother kept a blog about her son’s and her family’s struggle with the difficult times they were going through. The blog that she created is called “Rock star Ronan”. The blog describes her own personal struggle with the fact that her son had cancer and they did not know if he was going to survive. It is important to know that the family and doctors did everything in their power to help Ronan make it through this. Unfortunately Ronan Thompson died on May 9th 2011. Although Ronan himself was gone, his mother continued her blog and started the Ronan Thompson Foundation. This foundation donates money, with the help of donors and sponsors, for research that with find new and effective ways to treat Neuroblastoma, and potentially find a cure for the disease. The foundation is currently working on creating a World Class Neuroblastoma Research Center.
During the Stand Up to Cancer telethon Taylor Swift performed a brand new song in which she had entitled “Ronan”. Swift was a huge fan of Ronan’s blog and read along consistently as Ronan was fighting and even after he had passed. Swift was devastated when she had heard the news of Ronan Thompson’s death. Swift then contacted the family to express her condolences and said she would like to do something. Swift ended up writing a song for Ronan Thompson and his family and debuting it at the Stand Up to Cancer telethon. For those of you who have heard this song, you would know that Swift takes specific example from the Rock Star Ronan blog. Just a few examples are the lines that read “I can still feel you hold my hand, little man” which was expressed by his mother in the sense that she can still feel her son is with her even though he is gone. Another example is “I love you to the moon and back,” when his mother first heard this line in the song she broke into tears. When Ronan started getting really sick and was laying in bed with his mother he looked at her and said “I love you to the moon and back.” Something that you wouldn’t expect to hear from a 3 year old. The last example that I would like to bring up is the line that reads “Remember I leaned in and whispered to you, Come on baby with me we’re gonna fly away from here, You were my best four years.” In the first part of this line was one of the last things that Ronan’s mother had said to him. “You were my best four years” is now something that his mother dwells upon a lot. She had to come to the reality that maybe the miracle in it all was the time that they had, although short, was a miracle in itself.
If you are interested more in learning about Ronan Thompson or The Ronan Thompson Foundation then go to:
www.theronanthompsonfoundation.com
Pop Culture! By Sam Huddleston, 2016
Times change pretty fast don’t they? That’s why I’m here, to give you an update on today’s top music, movies, internet videos, and sports. So here we go!
Music!
The top song for this week is Maroon Five’s “One More Night”, which has been on the Billboard Top 100 for 13 weeks. They have a total of four songs on the Hot 100 list, which include “Movers Like Jagger,” “Overexposed,” and “Hands All Over.” Other songs in the top 10 are “Whistle” by Flo-Rida, “Blow Me One Last Kiss” by P!nk, and “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees. The biggest drop was “Ronan” by Taylor Swift, which fell 20 spots. The biggest jump was “Bandz A Make Her Dance” by Juicy J, which debuted on the chart at #71.
Movies!
The movie that performed the best at the box office this week was the movie End of Watch, which is about two Los Angeles cops that roam the toughest parts of L.A and find themselves in a little bit of trouble with a drug cartel. Another top movie that I have recently seen is House At The End Of The Street, which tells the story of a mom and her daughter who move from Chicago into a new house out in the country. The only problem is that the house next door is a bit scary. Other top movies are Trouble With The Curve, Finding Nemo 3D, and Resident Evil: Retribution.
Internet Videos!
The biggest internet video right now is the music video for Psy’s song “Gangam Style,” a wild and crazy video showcasing, of all things, a party bus, Psy at a sauna, a horse stable, a subway station, and a blimp with Psy’s face on it. It is a wildly popular Youtube video, with over 263 million views! There have been many parodies on this video, my personal favorite being the Oregon Duck’s parody of this with 4 million views. This video shows the Oregon duck mascot going place to place doing the same things as the original video. Other top Youtube videos are videos of people taking pictures of themselves for 7 years, and parodies on the new iPhone 5 that just came out.
Sports!
Sports are in full affect now, with NFL football just recently starting and the hunt for the playoffs in baseball really heating up now, with the addition of two wild cards instead of one. The two wild card teams then play in a one game playoff to determine who moves on. The NHL is still stuck in a labor dispute, possibly cancelling the season this year, and NBA basketball is just around the corner. Many NFL fans are rejoicing over the removal of replacement referees were replaced by the regular referees. The normal refs were locked in a labor dispute with the NFL over numerous topics, most notably pay raises. But no one cares about that just as long as our own team wins.
Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa: Under the Influence of Music Tour By Emily Efthimiades
“We’re home!” is what Mac Miller yelled as soon as he hit the stage at First Niagara Pavilion on August 4th. He was wearing his Pirates hat and his Heath Miller 83 jersey to show his love for his hometown. Miller and Wiz Khalifa drew a crowd of over 20,000 in their hometown, while MTV was filming the whole thing.
Miller had broken his hand the night before, but nothing was going to stop him from performing in his hometown. He opened up with his song “Best Day Ever” featuring clips of home movies from when he was a little kid. The only other time Miller has ever opened up for Wiz Khalifa in Pittsburgh was at Stage AE in 2010. When Miller first arrived on stage he expressed how unbelievable it was about how far he had made it with his career. He said “This is crazy. I look out and see people that I went to high school with.” He also explained how good it felt to be back in his hometown performing with Khalifa again.
Miller than performed his hit “Loud” and had the crowd going completely insane. He then went back to one of the root songs that majorly helped him with his career and performed “Knock Knock.” Next he performed a song off of his new mixtape “Macadelic” and sang “Thoughts from a Balcony.” To keep the crowd going he took an exciting trip to “Frick Park Market” and then performed a slower song of his, “Missed Calls.” Just when the crowd thought that Miller had finished his set with “Missed Calls,” He exclaimed “Hold up, Hold up, I can’t go out like that.” He then finished his set with an older hit of his, “Donald Trump.”
Khalifa arrived on stage with his song “Cabin Fever” over flowing with charisma in a white T-shirt, black skinny jeans, and a grey fedora. Khalifa had DJ Bonics at the turntable, a local Pittsburgh DJ, who was over-joyed at the fact he was performing with Khalifa. Khalifa then started performing songs that unless you were a true Wiz fan you wouldn’t know them. He performed songs off of his previous mixtapes that were released before Khalifa had made it big in the rap industry. He performed his hit song “Taylor Gang,” “The Code” (with Lola Monroe), “The Bouncy,” his tattoo love song “Ink My Whole Body,” and “The Cruise.”When Khalifa started to perform his more radio friendly songs, that everyone would know, the crowd jumped more into action. He performed “Young, Wild & Free,” “On My Level,” “Work Hard, Play Hard,” and of course, “Black and Yellow.”
Although Miller and Khalifa were the main acts for the tour, other highly known rappers were featured on the tour. These rappers included Chiddy Bang, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Chevy Woods.
The rap group known as Chiddy Bang are not from Pittsburgh but are semi close to home. The two rappers that are Chiddy Bang, Chidera Anamege and Noah Beresin, are from Philadelphia. They brought a good vibe to the concert and even collaborated with the audience asking the crowd for random words so they could freestyle for them.
Kendrick Lamar on the other hand didn’t focus on a vibe. He focused on what he does best, rapping. He performed some of his hardcore rap songs, while some of the other artists on the tour, such as Chiddy Bang, focused on bringing a playful and fun vibe.
Schoolboy Q, who is fairly new to the rap industry, was ecstatic to be on tour with big names such as Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar, Chevy Woods, and Chiddy Bang. Being born and raised in LA, Schoolboy Q noted to the audience that this was his first trip to Pittsburgh.
Chevy Woods was the “Hype-man” for the entire concert. Before every act he was on stage making sure that the crowd was pumped up. Woods was not far from home either being a Hazelwood native, which is located just outside of Pittsburgh. Woods did an unexpected freestyle about how unexpected all of this was.
Movie of the Week: Finding Nemo By Ivy Nowakowski
I absolutely love this movie and I am so happy this movie is coming back into theaters. Finding Nemo is coming back into theaters and it’s going to be in 3D!!! If you have never seen this movie, you have to go see it. It is a Disney classic! Finding Nemo is about a dad named, Marlin, who goes on an adventure to try to find his son, Nemo, who has been taken by scuba divers. All that Marlin has to find his son is the scuba divers goggles and a blue fish named Dory. Dory is not much help, but she always keeps the audience smiling. I never want to spoil the end for you so I will just have to make you watch the movie to see if Marlin can find Nemo. This is a trailer for the movie so if I didn’t explain the plot enough, here is the trailer. Enjoy!!! http://disney.go.com/finding-nemo/home/
Movie of the Week: The Odd Life of Timothy Green By Ivy Nowakowski
Have you heard of the recently released new film The Odd Life of Timothy Green? Cindy and Jim Green, played by Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton, get disappointing news that they cannot have children. Instead of sobbing and crying the Greens decide they will create a list of the best qualities a child could have. They then put the list in a box and bury it in their garden. Time goes by until one night the Greens find a young boy who is covered with dirt an adjacent room in their house. They name the boy Timothy Green. You may think that Timothy can’t get any weirder but as the Greens find out more about Timothy, he has every trait and quality the Greens put on the list. Timothy not only came out of know where and he has the traits and qualities his parents wanted him to have, but he has leaves growing from his ankles and feet. As the movie goes on Timothy changes each characters life in some way. I still have yet to see this movie, but it definitely seems like a must see. Don’t worry if you are thinking this is only for kids it is not only for kids. The Odd Life of Timothy Green is in theaters so if I were you I would want to go check out this movie this weekend.
Best New Shows By Ellen DiMartini
September has begun, which means there is homework to be done, tests to take, and papers to write. Before you get too stressed out, remember that September also brings back all your favorite TV shows. That is right, that show you have been waiting all summer to see the resolution of last year’s cliff hanger is back. For some of your shows this is just another season and for others it could be the last, but with every ending there is a new beginning. That is right; it is time to pick the most exciting and interesting new shows coming this fall. There are a ton of shows to pick from, but after watching trailer after trailer for the new shows, here are the ones I have picked.
The Mindy Project
Starring: Mindy Kaling, Chris Messina, Ed Weeks
Premiere Date: Tuesday, September 25 at 9:30 p.m. on FOX
What is it About: The series follows a single physician with a Bridget Jones-like persona as she tries to navigate her way through her personal and professional life.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0atkuby1SY
Elementary
Starring: Jonny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu
Premiere Date: Thursday, September 27 at 10 p.m. on CBS
What is it About: It presents a contemporary update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes detective stories set in the United States.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUJeWvpat-M
666 Park Avenue
Starring: Dave Annable, Rachael Taylor, Robert Buckley, Mercedes Masohn
Premiere Date: Sunday, September 30 at 10:00 p.m. on ABC
What is it About: The plot of 666 Park Avenue focuses on the new co-managers of the hotel. It also centers around the other tenants in the building and the married owners of the building.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXiu-oEGydk
Ben and Kate
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Nat Faxon, Maggie Elizabeth Jones
Premiere Date: Tuesday, September 25 at 8:30 on FOX
What is it About: The series focuses on the lives of a brother and sister who are exact opposites. After Ben realizes that his sister needs help with both her life and taking care of her daughter Maddie, he decides to move in so Kate can start rediscovering what she missed out, while at the same time Kate hopes to return the favor by seeing how she can bring her brother back to reality.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOrIGYdLI0I
Nashville
Starring: Connie Britton, Hayden Panettierem, Eric Close
Premiere Date: Wednesday, October 10 at 10 p.m. on ABC
What is it About: Rayna James is a legendary country music superstar whose star begins fading. Her producers offer her a joint tour with the up-and-comer Juliette Barnes, the young and sexy future of country music. But both singers are pursuing their goals.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB9WHtAv7ts
Revolution
Starring: Billy Burke, Tracy Spiridakos, Anna Lise Phillips
Premiere Date: Monday, September 17 at 10:00 p.m. on NBC
What is it About: Revolution takes place in a post-apocalyptic future. Fifteen years earlier, an unknown phenomenon permanently disabled all advanced technology on the planet. The series focuses on the Matheson family, who possess an item that is the key to not only finding out what happened fifteen years ago, but also a possible way to reverse its effects.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwfCRAtkYEI
Vegas
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Chiklis, Carrie-Anne Moss
Premiere Date: Tuesday, September 25 at 10 p.m. on CBS
What is it About: Set in 1960s Las Vegas, the series centers on Sheriff Ralph Lamb, and his dealings with Chicago mobster Vincent Savino, who moved west to set up his own operation. Lamb was a former rancher who served as Sheriff of Clark County from 1961 to 1979.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuHRnqMkwXY
Go On
Starring: Matthew Perry, Laura Benanti
Premiere Date: Tuesday, September 11 at 9:00 p.m. on NBC
What is it About: Ryan King is a sportscaster trying to move on from the loss of his wife. To get his job back Ryan is forced to go to group therapy sessions. Along the way he meets all different kinds of people with interesting problems of their own.
Watch the Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkQ8dwI9f-4
Honorable Mentions: Zero Hour, The Following, Chicago Fire, The New Normal
If there is any show you think should be on this list or should not be on the list, just write a comment below letting us know. Also don’t forget to leave us a comment letting us know what you’d like to see us write about this year!
American Idol by Morgan Osheka, 2013
If you’ve kept an eye on reality TV lately, you would already know that many reality shows are focused on singing competitions. From new additions like “The Voice” and “The X Factor”, millions of singers across the country are given more and more opportunities to showcase their singing talents and to become a singing sensation. But when the topic “singing competition” is mentioned, what is the one show that automatically comes to mind? American Idol. Even if you’ve never watched the show, everyone knows that American Idol can be considered the #1 singing competition known. From producing music stars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, David Cook, and Chris Daughtry, American Idol has given the music industry many artists that come with the whole package: stage presence, appeal to an audience, individuality, and an amazing voice.
This season of American Idol has been one that has definitely stood out amongst past seasons. With three famous judges (Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler) as well as one of the best TV hosts in the business, Ryan Seacrest, American Idol obviously sounds like an entertaining show right off the bat. But there’s more. This season, contestants have showcased their off-the-charts vocal ranges to perfection, their individual personalities through each song choice, and have made each elimination week a nail biter. Each contestant brings something different to the table each week. For starters, there are the three powerhouse female vocalists consisted of the blonde Brit teen, Hollie Cavanagh, the tiny and soulful Jessica Sanchez, and the country star, Skylar Laine. Each girl brings their own uniqueness to the show and each has something different to offer. I definitely think one of the girls will end up in the final two. Then, there are the two guys who are so different it’s crazy. There’s Joshua Ledet who performs every night with a smile on his face and a voice that reaches the sky. His vocals are out of this world and he always has fun with a performance. Lastly, there’s, Phillip Phillips who’s my personal favorite. Phillip, with a voice that’s unlike any other, likes to flip a song and turn it into one that reflects him as an artist. And it definitely doesn’t hurt when he plays his guitar too.
So who will the next American Idol be? Will it be a guy or a girl? If you haven’t watched this season of American Idol yet, tune in on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 8 p.m. on FOX to watch the contestant’s live performances and the elimination night. There’s only a few weeks left until the finale, so start watching now!
The Killing by Ellen DiMartini,2013
Some of the best shows that are on TV right now come from small cable channels. One of the best new shows of last season was The Killing. The Killing is set in Seattle, Washington and follows the investigation of a young teenage girl, Rosie Larsen’s murder. The first season covers the first two weeks of the investigation focusing on the police investigation, the political campaign tied to the murder, and the family dealing with the grief of their loss. The show was recognized with many awards last year including Emmy and Goble Globe nominations.
The Killing succeeds in being a grounded and real. This is explored by making each episode a 24 hour time window picking up where the last episode left off. The show explores the overwhelming grief on a family when a love one dies unexpectedly. It really shows the horror families face and the grueling process of trying to move on. The Killing also does a wonderful job of keeping the suspense alive. Every episode it seemed that the person with the most motive became the least likely killer at the end of the episode. The Killing enjoys the silent moments and is not afraid of them. The Killing succeeds in making another crime procedural show interesting and nail biting.
The Killing was one of the best shows last year and will most likely be one of the best again. Season Two will still focus on the investigation of Rosie Larsen and finding her real killer, who will be revealed at the end of the season. The Killing’s second season premiers with a two-hour event on Sunday, April 1st at 8/7c on AMC. Be sure to tune in and see this amazing show for yourself.
The Hunger Games by Morgan Osheka, 2013
I don’t think I know of anybody who hasn’t heard about the newest pop phenomenon known as The Hunger Games. The popular book series, written by Suzanne Collins, has captivated readers similarly to other book series like Twilight and Harry Potter. Deciding to follow the trend of most popular novels, The Hunger Games brought its story to the big screen. With a plethora of actors casted for the movie (including Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks, and Wes Bentley to name a few), the film not only used its strong cast to portray the characters well but also to lure in outsiders who may not have been familiar with the series. Much of the anticipation among fans came from how the lead roles of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), Gale (Liam Hemsworth), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) would be portrayed. Premiering on March 23, the movie pleased many of its fans as well as those who have not yet started the book trilogy. The first novel, The Hunger Games, starts the series off introducing Katniss who lives in District 12. 
If you’re someone like me who was explained by a peer as to what District 12 is and how came to be, you probably were thoroughly confused. The basis of the story evolved from the idea that because of a brutal war, North America came to be the country of Panem, which was split up eventually into 12 Districts. The Capitol, which rules Panem, set up The Treaty of Treason which gave laws to guarantee peace among all districts. In order to make sure that the districts never went back to war, the Hunger Games were created and were in other words a punishment for the uprising conflicts that had happened between districts. Each year the annual “Hunger Games” take place, which is a tournament where twenty-four tributes, two from each district, are imprisoned in an outdoor arena which holds treacherous animals and anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. After several weeks, the tributes must fight to the death and whoever is the last tribute standing is declared the winner of the Hunger Games.
The story unfolds when on Reaping Day, the event where the tributes from each district are selected, Katniss’ younger sister, Primose is chosen as a tribute for District 12. Unable to allow her sister to enter the Hunger Games and possibly die, Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place instead. Now, I won’t tell any more about the series because I don’t want to give anything away. If you’re really curious and don’t know what happens already I highly suggest going to theaters to see the movie as soon as possible. Or if you have a lot of time on your hands, don’t be afraid to pick up the books and uncover even more about the series.
As one of the so called “outsiders” who have not yet started the much loved book series, I did however see the movie and thought that it was amazing! I never got bored, there was always something going on mainly because the storyline is so intriguing. The characters were captivating and you literally felt like you were in the Hunger Games with Katniss. Just the creativity of the whole story and the way the actors really fit their roles made me a huge fan of the series. I can’t wait to start reading the books and I’m more than positive that from already seeing the movie, there’s no way I could be disappointed! “Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!”
One Direction by Ellen DiMartini, 2013
In today’s world, music plays a large part in what we do. We can use music to make us feel better, to study, to relax, and so on. There are many talented artists in our own country, but in Britain the music is booming. With past success such as The Beatles, and with new hits like Adele, it is a no brainer why British music is on fire. Another great music group to add to Britain’s long list of talented artists is the band One Direction. One Direction is a British-Irish boy band that got its start on the X Factor. The members of the band include Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. Originally, the boys had all auditioned separately to be on the X Factor, but were put together in a band on the show. One Direction ended up finishing in third place on the X Factor and signed a record contract with Sony Music right after the end of the show. Their music has been sweeping across the world, making it a world phenomenon.
One Direction released its first CD, Up All Night, on March 13, 2012 in North America. Up All Night was originally released in November for the UK. The CD is a mostly pop rock and pop music album, with a dance-pop theme. The lyric’s are all about having fun and being young. The album received mostly positive reviews and has sold over 800,000 copies in just two months of being released. 
It is safe to say the band is a hit and so is their CD. I first heard of One Direction months ago and have been waiting patiently for their CD to come out in North America. I believe the album is one of the best for the year and is something everyone would love. You can dance around your room to it, study with it in the background, or listen to it on a hard day. The songs are fun and easy to listen to, as well as sung very well. My favorite song is a tie between “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Gotta Be You.” I love the lyrics to “What Makes You Beautiful”, but I love the harmonies in “Gotta Be You.” One Direction is my new favorite band and I would recommend their CD to all. I give it 4 ½ stars out of 5. Go buy New Direction’s Up All Night and you will be up all night.
Jane by Design by Morgan Osheka, 2012
Many new TV shows such as Terra Nova, New Girl, The X Factor, and Once Upon A Time have aired this past year and have successfully captivated their audiences. Among these new TV series includes a brand new ABC Family show called “Jane by Design”. Similar to popular ABC Family teen series like Pretty Little Liars, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Make It or Break It, Jane by Design tells a story about Jane, a girl trying to juggle two lives: one as an average high school girl and the other as a mature assistant working in the fashion business. Jane has to find a balance between her double life and the series shows the progression of her high school career and her dream job. With the help of her best friend Billy, Jane must find her own quirky way of surviving high school and impressing her cutthroat boss. 
Unlike many dramatic and cheesy teen series, Jane by Design brings sophistication and maturity to the life of a teenage girl, as well as a few bits of comedy here and there. Jane is a down to earth character who follows the beat of her own drum. Although she feels like a fish out of water in school, she finds a sense of belonging in the fashion world. This show has been popular since its premiere and I definitely recommend watching it. Who knows, Jane by Design may be the next big thing.
Beauty and the Beast by Ellen DiMartini, 2013
Beauty and the Beast is a tale truly as old as time. Beauty and the Beast is one of the most beloved Disney tales that tells a love story we all wish for. The movie first came out a little over twenty years ago in the year 1991, but Disney has re-released it in 3D (as well as 2D) for a limited time only.
Beauty and the Beast is about the ultimate love story and accepting someone for what is on the inside, rather than the outside appearance. The movie starts out with a young, beautiful woman named Belle feeling as an outsider in here town. The only person Belle can count on is her oddball father. Unfortunately, on the way to an inventing competition Belle’s father gets lost and ends up at an abandoned castle in the middle of the woods. After finding her father’s run away horse, Belle goes looking for him. She finds the abandoned castle and discovers it is not just any old castle, but an enchanted castle. All the servants of the castle have been turned into furniture and household objects, and the lord of the castle has been turned into a Beast. After finding out that her father was a prisoner, Belle exchanges her life for her father’s and agrees to stay in the castle forever. As time goes by, Belle and the Beast start to have feelings for one another. As this love starts to brew, everyone in the castle wonders if Belle will be the one to break the spell and free them all from their prisons. For that to happen, though, Belle and the Beast will have to learn to love someone, inside and out.
Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite Disney movies. Since the movie came out over twenty years ago, I never got to see it on the big screen. It was such a treat to get to see it blown up in front of me on the big screen. As the movie played I was able to sing along with the songs I already loved and gush at the moments I knew were coming. Beauty and the Beast never disappoints and is a great movie for all. Families love it because it is kid friendly, teenagers love it because it reminds us of our childhood, and adults love it because it is a cute movie with fun songs and a great lesson. So if you are going to the movies in the next few weeks, go see this classic movie for a guaranteed good time. Oh, and clear your calendars because coming back to the big screen this September is another Disney classic, Finding Nemo.
Academy Awards Nominees 2012
Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir in “A Better Life”
George Clooney in “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”
Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”
Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn”
Jonah Hill in “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte in “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer in “Beginners”
Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis in “The Help”
Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”
Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain in “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer in “The Help”
Animated Feature Film
“A Cat in Paris” Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
“Chico & Rita” Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
“Kung Fu Panda 2” Jennifer Yuh Nelson
“Puss in Boots” Chris Miller
“Rango” Gore Verbinski
Best Picture
“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer
“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined
“War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
Cinematography
“The Artist” Guillaume Schiffman
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Jeff Cronenweth
“Hugo” Robert Richardson
“The Tree of Life” Emmanuel Lubezki
“War Horse” Janusz Kaminski
Costume Design
“Anonymous” Lisy Christl
“The Artist” Mark Bridges
“Hugo” Sandy Powell
“Jane Eyre” Michael O’Connor
“W.E.” Arianne Phillips
Directing
“The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius
“The Descendants” Alexander Payne
“Hugo” Martin Scorsese
“Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen
“The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick
Best Christmas Movies! by Morgan Osheka, 2013
Christmas time is here again, and we all know what that means! It’s finally time for us to sit back, relax, and watch our favorite Christmas movies of all time. With the help of popular TV channels, including the much anticipated start of ABC Family’s annual “25 Days of Christmas” marathon, getting into the Christmas spirit through your favorite holiday films is right at your fingertips. So, what are the best Christmas movies ever? I know. It’s hard to narrow down all of your favorites and to just pick one, right? Eager to find out what were some of OLSH’s favorites, I asked a few people what their favorite Christmas movie was. Here are the top ten results from some of the students and faculty:
1) The Year Without A Santa Claus
2) Elf
3) The Santa Clause
4) The Muppets Christmas Carol
5) A Christmas Story
6) It’s A Wonderful Life
7) A Charlie Brown Christmas
8) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
9) The Polar Express
10) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
With these and other classic Christmas films like Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Home Alone, how can you not help but anticipate the Christmas season? So if you haven’t started watching your favorite movie that makes you anxious for the holidays and giddy with excitement, I hope this list of some of the most popular Christmas movies will get you started. Enjoy “the most wonderful time of the year”!
New Girl by Ellen DiMartini, 2013
Every year new shows go on the air. There are some we do not find entertaining, some we can enjoy, and there are some we real love. Every year I like to pick what I call the best new show and make it my new favorite show to watch. This year my favorite is New Girl.
New Girl is about a young woman, named Jess, who moves out of her old boyfriend’s apartment after a bad break up. Looking for a new place to live, Jess ends up moving into an apartment with three male strangers. In New Girl, the charming Zooey Deschanel plays Jess and gets to show off just how quirky she really is. Her off the wall comedy and complete randomness really helps to make the show enjoyable and the character lovable. Jess’s three roommates are Nick, Schmidt, and Winston. Nick is the grumpy, level headed roommate, Schmidt is the ladies man of the group, and Winston is the funny, ex basketball player. Throw in Jess’s model best friend, Cece, and you have an interesting set of characters that make for a funny half hour of comedy. New Girl brings something to the table most sitcoms do not have right now. They bring heart, laughter, and spontaneity. The characters are unpredictable and crazy, but always promise to make you laugh.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a drama full of dark secrets and huge plot twists, this probably is not the show for you. But if you want to just kick back and laugh for a half hour, I suggest you turn on New Girl.
“Breaking Dawn Part 1: Good or Bad?” by Morgan Osheka,2013
If you are a Twilight fan or not and saw the newest Twilight installment, Breaking Dawn Part 1, did it live up to your expectations or just fall flat?
The fourth book of the Twilight series, written by Stephanie Meyer, has been split into two movies, following the same trend as the final Harry Potter films. Part 1 of Breaking Dawn was just released on November 18 and was of course expected to be a success. “…Part 1” is about the anticipated wedding between the lead characters, human Bella Swan (played by Kristin Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson), their honeymoon, and the unexpected pregnancy and birth of their child, Renesmee. The film also highlights more of Jacob Black, the lead werewolf in the films played by actor, Taylor Lautner. Aside from the anticipation among Twilight fans, critics have been theorizing the overall success of the first Breaking Dawn film. Critics are expecting “…Part 1” to reach a domestic gross of $300 million dollars by next week, trumping the gross of the second installment of the series, New Moon ( released November 20, 2009), despite New Moon having a $142.9 million opening success over …Part 1’s $139.5 million. However, here is a comfort to all the Harry Potter fans out there. Breaking Dawn Part 1 hasn’t even come close to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 success which grossed $1.3billion this past summer.
Although many fans have been very satisfied with the first part of Breaking Dawn, a lot of critics just aren’t feeling the same way. Many have critiqued how most of the scenes in the movie are bizarre and totally unrealistic and how the movie as a whole is disheartening. Despite some negative feedback toward the movie, I personally have seen it and really didn’t think it was that bad. A lot of my friends have seen it as well and they’ve had nothing but good things to say about it. Overall, the movie was a success and though it might not have been a critic’s favorite, the movie left off in a perfect way to begin Breaking Dawn Part 2.
“Hello, Dolly!” by Morgan Osheka, 2013
Congratulations to seniors Maura Gergerich and Vinnie Smith who recently performed in Stage 62’s production of “Hello, Dolly!”
“Hello, Dolly!” follows the adventures of matchmaker Dolly Levi as she plans to marry the well-known half-a-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. Taking place in New York at the turn of the twentieth century, Dolly finds herself managing a few more romances in addition to her own. This musical comedy is perfect for the whole family, including memorable songs such as Put On Your Sunday Clothes, Before the Parade Passes By, Elegance, It Only Takes A Moment, and Hello, Dolly!
Performing from November 10-13 through November 17-20, Maura and Vinnie were casted as featured dancers and were paired together as dance partners for the entire show. “When you’re 5’9”, it helps to have a dance partner who is taller than your shoulder”, jokes Maura about the height difference between her and Vinnie. Despite height complications, technical choreography and “the nightly races to get a parasol that wasn’t broken”, Maura and Vinnie continued to give an entertaining performance each night. Maura and Vinnie would like to thank all those from OLSH who came to support them. Here’s what some had to say about the show.
Lauren MacDonald (senior): “laughed more than necessary. I loved Vinnie and Maura as a couple. LOL. Love you guys!”
Ruby Nowakowski (senior): “My favorite part was when Vinnie (for once in his life) had to be shy and awkward!”
Zander Lyons (senior): “The audience was a constant sea of laughter.”
Trevor Wivell (senior): “I really liked it!”
Rachel Osheka (sophomore): “Maura and Vinnie were awesome in the Dancing number!”
Hannah Devlin (senior): “The show was awesome! I didn’t know Maura and Vinnie were such great dancers!”
Footloose by Ellen DiMartini, 2013
“Everybody cut loose!” These famous lyrics are from the opening song in “Footloose.” The movie is about a young man, Ren, that moves to a new city and finds out there is a ban on dancing and music, due to an accident in the town occurring a few years ago. Ren decides he wants to change the law and makes a difference while dancing and falling in love along the way. Years ago, the original “Footloose” film, staring Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer, graced our theater and had a huge impact on their generation. The movie launched the musical onto Broadway and gained a large following. Now, a little over 25 years later, a remake of the movie was made. The remake stars Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough as Ren and Ariel, the love interest of Ren. “Footloose” has a rating of PG-13 for the theaters, and while it has some fun family moments, I don’t think I’d take the real young ones to this movie. I liked quite a few things about the movie, including the dancing, music, and the characters. The dancing in the movie is a mix of hip hop and country line dancing, which can seem kind of strange, but the dance numbers are actually very entertaining to watch. My Favorite song is actually a tie. I really liked the slowed down rendition of “Holding Out for a Hero,” but I also really liked the upbeat song, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy.” One of the major reasons why I liked the movie is because of the character Willard. Willard, played by Miles Teller, is a small town city boy who becomes Ren’s new friend when Ren moves to town. Willard has all the funny lines and along the way we learn he cannot dance. One of the best parts of the movie is watching Willard learn how to dance. Teller brings such a joy and great attitude to the character, making you wish he were on screen the whole time. Although I have never seen the original to compare to the remake, I think the remake holds it’s own, and while Wormald and Hough may not be getting Oscars for their roles, the movie is an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday with a friend.
A Musical Review by Morgan Osheka, 2013
This past weekend, I traveled to New York City and went to see the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” on Broadway (ironically, it is the same musical OLSH will be performing this spring). The show, a revival featuring actor Daniel Radcliffe (a.k.a.- Harry Potter) and the five-time Emmy Award-winning actor, John Larroquette, is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is said to be the “biggest and boldest” revival of the show yet. Based off of this statement, I have to wholeheartedly agree. This show, in my opinion, lived up to all the expectations I had of it. The musical was enjoyable, comical, extravagant, and never lost energy!
The show depicts the speedy success of a World Wide Wicket Company window washer named J. Pierrepont Finch, who comes across a book, entitled “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”. The book offers Finch advice on how to climb up the company’s corporate ladder while schmoozing his way past his boss and co-workers.
“How to Succeed…” was vibrant, lively, and very entertaining. I, personally, am a huge Harry Potter fan, so to be able to see Daniel Radcliffe perform in person onstage was an amazing experience. He did so well portraying his character and blew me away by his singing and dancing abilities. He seemed very comfortable onstage and you could definitely tell that he had fun with his character. The music in the show was very catchy and the choreography was unbelievable! Overall, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” is one of the best musicals I have seen and is one that won’t disappoint.