By Isabela Roldan – Staff Reporter

Dubbed “the next Amy Winehouse” by the U.K. press, singer/songwriter Adele has become a phenomenon in her own right.

London musician Adele has successfully made a name for herself in the music industry since landing a deal in 2006 with XL Records. Thanks to BBC Radio 1 playing her single “Daydreamer,” by the end of 2007 she graduated to headlining status.

By early 2011, Adele’s 2nd album “21” featuring disco and gospel-infused songs such as “Rolling In The Deep” was released. However, this booming release was tarnished when Adele was forced to cancel her tour after suffering a hemorrhage on her vocal chords.  

With the birth of her first son, and fear she lost the ability to write songs, she had planned to quit the music industry. This seemed to be the end of Adele, as not much was said from her or about her for years after the incidents.

Reports of a third album release began to spread after some time, and by the summer of 2015, those rumors were confirmed by Adele. “25” will be released on November 20.

Adele’s lead single, “Hello,” from her upcoming third album quickly earned international success, reaching number one in 23 countries, and breaking the previous Vevo record with over 27.7 million views within 24 hours.

“Hello” uses soulful piano ballads and moving underlying meaning that leave listeners anxious and excited for her full album release. The track provides a soft and possibly relatable meaning of growing up and getting to know who listeners have become throughout the courses of their lives.

“My last record was a break-up record and if I had to label this one I would call it a make-up record,” Adele said. “I’m making up with myself.”

Adele’s tendency to provide soothing and somewhat depressing lyrics, however, seem to leave listeners with déjà vu. Many may get Adele’s two differing album themes mixed up, due to the similarity in sounds and distressing verses (“At least I can say that I tried to tell you i’m sorry, for breaking your heart.”)

Some can say, nonetheless, that this is not a falter, but a strength also. As deep, soulful sounds seem to be Adele’s forte.

Adele has, yet again, given the world another reason to cry, and reminisce over past times with one of the most anticipated albums of 2015 and the warmest “hello” she could ever give.

(Some information courtesy of twitter.com)

By Ryan Lawless – Staff Reporter

“Spectre” is the latest movie about a character known as James  Bond, codename 007. The series was first created in 1953 by Ian Fleming and since, is the 24th movie in the James Bond series.  It was filmed in many locations such as Mexico, Austria, Australia and Great Britain. “Spectre” had a budget of $300 million and grossing almost $296 million from ticket sales already.

Spectre is an evil organization that is trying to take over the world. Spectre is running an international security surveillance organization called Nine Eyes, that is made to track people and collect information for the “good of society.” Denbigh, whose code name is C, works for the British Intelligence Agency, and he is trying to get rid of the double ‘O’ program and replace it Nine Eyes.  James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, is trying to stop Denbigh from working with Nine Eyes, and Spectre. The movie makes viewers think about how surveillance and security, and how that can impact your freedom.  

Daniel Craig has played James Bond in many of his previous films but most notably in “Skyfall”. His role has greatly improved because of his previous roles. Craig also has roles in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” and “Casino Royale.”

Andrew Scott, who plays Denbigh or C, also has roles in the popular TV series “Sherlock” and “Saving Private Ryan” which provided him the ability to successfully play his part.

Every James Bond movie made is an action adventure, and has cultivated a faithful following over the years. “Spectre” is no exception, filled with action including, guns, fights escape, and  chase scenes, in cars, trains, boats, helicopters and  planes. There are cool explosions and also romantic scenes with women. The non-stop action is fast paced and keeps everyone on the edge of their seats.

Overall the movie was strong; however, there were points when it was not realistic. The lack of blood and gore shown was a disappointment because there were many action and fighting scenes that definitely would have caused pain and bloodshed, but there were little to no scratches on James Bond and his many opponents. Realistically, injuries should have been common and the absence of the bloodshed drew away from the film. Also, based on previous films in the James Bond series, this one fell short of the expected action.   

This movie is very enjoyable and keeps the viewers captivated throughout.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Ann Reed – Staff Reporter

YouTube superstar Tyler Oakley brings charm and witty humor to debut novel “Binge.”

Tyler Oakley began his online presence in 2007 when he began to upload videos to Youtube. Oakley’s videos are done in a vlog style, and consist of him speaking to his viewers about topics of interest, or events going on in his life. Oakley uploads videos every week, which get an average of 1 million views each. Oakley has done iconic collaborations with celebrities as huge as the First Lady Michelle Obama and boyband One Direction. Oakley is also a huge advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and provides a voice for teens all around the world. Since his start, he has amassed a shocking 7 million subscribers on Youtube and a 4.47 million followers on Twitter due to his quirky personality and sense of humor.

The New York Times bestselling book “Binge” gives readers an inside look at parts of Oakley’s life that have not been touched upon in his videos. While some might brush this book off simply because it is written by a Youtuber, “Binge” is spectacular even if you’ve never seen one of Oakley’s videos. Each chapter of Binge touches on a different topic relating to Oakley’s life, although it is by no means a typical biography. Instead of boring the readers with his entire long-winded life story, Oakley skips to the good parts, sharing hysterical scenarios that he has undergone throughout his life. With chapters on everything from part-time job disasters to “The One That Got Away”, readers are bound to find a piece of themselves in Oakley’s writing.

One specific strong point of the book is how strongly Oakley’s voice shines through. While reading, the reader feels as if they are having a conversation with the author himself. While most Youtubers-turned-authors use a ghostwriter to take up all the heavy writing duties, it is clear that the words expressed in this novel are Tyler’s and no one else’s. Oakley writes, ““I’ve binged plenty of times in my life, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Regardless, I indulged. This collection is the result.” This gives the novel a personal touch that readers yearn for whilst reading any autobiography.

Another strong point of this book is the humor that Oakley dishes out. Almost every chapter features at least one laugh out loud anecdote from Oakley’s life that will never leave the reader bored. Oakley includes everything from the time he crashed his car in front of the whole school in an Arby’s uniforms, to the time he witnessed one of his McDonald’s coworkers truly lose his mind. No matter the scenario, the reader will be laughing throughout the entire novel which makes “Binge” a great read for anyone looking to laugh.

The only weak point evident in “Binge” is that it is clearly Oakley’s first professional writing excursion. While the vocabulary is not very broad and the structure is choppy at times, these weak points are also what makes the novel more relatable. Oakley is not a professional writer, he is a person like the rest of us who happens to have an extraordinary job and a plethora of funny stories to share. So, although Oakley is not the most experienced writer, that fact adds to the connection he forms with the reader in “Binge.”

“Binge” is perfect for an avid Youtube viewer, or simply anyone looking for a fun book to read one weekend. Online celebrities are the present and future of the entertainment industry and “Binge” is a great window into that world.

By Ian Hugo – Sports Editor

For many Netflix diehards, “Master of None” may already be sitting in the “Watch It Again” section of their account with a rating of five stars after binging on the series over the weekend. For the more casual Netflix member, however, “Master of None” may just be that irritating suggestion that pops up every time the streaming website is opened before scrolling past it with mild annoyance.

If the latter sounds familiar, this should not be the case: “Master of None” is a must-watch, maintaining the hilarity and quirkiness often associated with star Aziz Ansari (Parks And Rec, 30 Minutes Or Less) while incorporating a sense of depth and meaningfulness to the series the stand-up comedian does not often have the chance to explore and grasp in his other works.

The show stars Ansari who plays Dev Shah, a 30 year-old actor living in New York City best known for his role in a Go-Gurt commercial five years ago. Dev is accompanied by friends Arnold (Eric Wareheim, “Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie”), Denise (Lena Waithe, staff writer for “Bones” starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz), and Brian (Kelvin Yu, “Star Trek”), with whom he tackles the day to day challenges of being an up-and-coming adult in the big city, such as what to get your friend’s son for his first birthday, the ups and downs that come along with a serious relationship, finding work in a city of 9 million people, and where to find the best tacos, all the while placing a humorous twist on the situation with Ansari’s trademark charm and lingo.

Aside from the unbridled laughter that will undoubtedly come along with watching Ansari audition for a role as a doctor in a World War Z rip-off film over Facetime in the middle of a crowded coffee shop, “Master of None” subtly deals with issues that run deeper than the Wifi in his apartment being a bit shoddy (which leads to the coffee shop “debacle”).

Ansari and co-creator Alan Yang (Producer of “Parks And Rec”) have created a series unmistakable for its hilarity that, whether the viewer knows it or not, simultaneously touches on issues society in America is currently tackling in today’s day and age, such as the struggles of immigrants deal/dealt with coming to America, racial discrimination in the workplace, inequality of women and men and the struggles women must deal with on a daily basis, and the tendency of today’s generation to abandon the old. Ansari and Yang keep a light cover over this serious undertone, making sure not to let it overshadow the comedic aspect of the series.

Another main plotline in the show is Dev’s relationship with his girlfriend, Rachel. Dev and Rachel, who are intertwined throughout the series but “officially” get together in the 6th episode, have their ups and downs, with their ups being heavenly and their downs ever so depressing. With their relationship so crucial to the show’s plot, explaining in full would bring spoilers galore and ruin any potential viewer’s experience.

In addition to the show’s main characters, Ansari’s parents Shoukath and Fatima play Dev’s parents in the series and are a delightful surprise, acting as an instant mood-lightener from the first time Dev’s father calls him “Dude!”

Ansari also injects some real life into the series, telling his parents’ actual story of how they came to America in episode two in which Dev and his friend Brian take their parents out to dinner to learn more about the struggles they endured emigrating from Asia to the United States. In episode seven, Rachel tells Dev about how she had to go into a pet store for 30 minutes just to get a creepy guy to stop following her around, a bit that Ansari’s faithful might remember from his stand-up routine at Madison Square Garden (also a Netflix production).

With that being said, there were a couple drawbacks to the show. The series, if given a theatrical rating like a movie would have, would almost certainly be R. There is far too much swearing and sexual references (whether overtly or mere innuendo) for “Master of None” to be considered family-friendly. The only other shortcoming is the fact that Ansari and Yang’s modern-day comedic masterpiece has only 10 episodes in the first season! Viewers of the show, which has already garnered positive reviews from a myriad of websites, will most definitely be clamoring for more episodes of Ansari’s Netflix Original Series, the only question being can Ansari and his crew churn out another batch of high quality entertainment with not only laughs but substance as well? Members will just have to wait and see, making due with rewatching the series’ 10 episodes released November 6 on Netflix every few weeks until we get more of Dev and his pals being thrown into hilariously awkward situations and seeing their reactions as they come.

“Master of None” is sure to bring a tear to your eye, whether it be from laughter or sadness.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

The bestselling novel “The Martian” is now out of this world.

The novel to film adaption takes viewers from the inside of a dark theater to the vast expanse of Mars’ surface. The film made $21.5 million in its opening weekend.

“The Martian” begins with a team doing research on Mars for a short mission. Astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, is left on Mars after an intense storm makes his team think he’s dead. The only problem is he’s not.

Watney has to find a way to survive on a barren, oxygen depraved, and uninhabited planet by himself. After performing emergency surgery on himself to take out the antenna that embedded itself in his stomach while simultaneously ruining any chance of communicating with NASA, Watney has his work cut out for him.

Despite the fact that the movie is based heavily in science fiction, viewers won’t be able to turn away. The technical, scientific aspects of the movie were explained in a way that was not confusing and didn’t detract from the story.

The film draws viewers in with this unending optimism. In the face of unbearable odds, some that even have Watney believing it’s the end for him, he continues to move forward because while it could end with him dying, it could also lead to him living.

Damon’s role was the highlight of the movie. He brought forth a version of his character that was inspiring and heartfelt. He has spent a fair share of his time traveling through space in works from “Interstellar” to “Elysium” and now he is traversing across Mars. His previous roles prepared him to take on the action sequences of this film.

Each setback had viewers rooting for Watney even more. At one point, the crew decides to go back to save Watney despite the consequences. They go against specific orders and plunge back into the atmosphere of Mars to save their crewmate and friend.

But Watney’s battle for life isn’t only dependent on himself. On Earth, NASA is trying to deal with the backlash of leaving a man on Mars. Teddy Sander, the head of NASA played by Jeff Daniels, works to help Watney while also keeping too much buzz from the press. Sander schemes and cuts corners, barking orders trying to keep it under wraps, within budget and a time frame.

The end of the movie features a surprise conclusion that will pique interest and leave viewers in awe of the sheer brilliance of these scientists.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

“The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials,” the sequel to “The Maze Runner,” hit theaters last week. The movie picks up off directly from the end of “The Maze Runner,” where the remaining Gladiers were ushered onto a helicopter. Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien, and his friends, are taken to a building in the middle of a desert with harsh environment referred to as the Scorch.

Minho, Newt, and the other boys were willing to enter the new routine, happy to be out of the maze. Thomas was still on edge and didn’t trust Janson (played by Aidan Gillen), their rescuer. He wasn’t the only one either, at the facility the Gladiers discovered they weren’t the only maze. All the kids were collected and brought here to one day be taken to a safe zone, never to be seen.

Aris, played by Jacob Lofland, one of the other kids found in a maze doesn’t trust Janson either. One night he leads Thomas into a guarded room to find out what is really going on once the kids leave for the safe zone. They find out that Thomas’s suspicions were right, and WCKD is still using them. Overhearing a conversation between the thought dead Dr. Ava Paige (played by Patricia Clarkson), they also discover that Thomas and his friends are the first to be harvested for their genes to create a cure to survive in the Scorch. Thomas warns the others in time and has small struggles to get out of the building.

From there, the kids go up against the Scorch. There were cranks, or people affected by the scorch that were remarkably like zombies, at every turn. The cranks were a mystery for a good portion of the movie, but you knew it was infectious and that you didn’t want it to happen to you. Without anywhere to go they decide to try and find the resistance they heard of while in the facility.

They find a warehouse that houses refugees from the Scorch where they meet Brenda and Jorge. After a brief misunderstanding, Jorge agrees to help them not only get to The Right Arm but to help them escape from Janson.

Thomas, Minho, Newt and the others have to make tough decisions that could mean life or death. They have to face the horrors of the world that they don’t remember. and Theresa is a constant problem. She’s always causing problems and commits multiple acts of betrayal.

While there were multiple scenes that involved explosions and fighting, the special effects weren’t overpowering in the movie. They fit well into the movie without shouting “green screen.”

“The Scorch Trials” is a thrilling, suspenseful movie that is action-packed and fun for everybody. The characters never get a break and will have viewers on the edge of their seat rooting for them the entire time.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

The Barden Bellas are back and ready to take on the A Capella World Championships in Copenhagen.

Three years after their incredible win at the National A Capella competition, “Pitch Perfect 2” returns, checking up on the Bellas and following on their journey to compete at the International a capella competition.

Beginning with the embarrassing slip-up the Bellas encountered while performing for the President’s birthday, a capella commentators Gail Feinberger and John Smith break the news that the Bellas are suspended from all a capella competitions, and are replaced on their victory tour by the legendary German group DSM. It is established that unless the group wins the world a capella championships- also having to compete against DSM, who have captured the public’s attention after the Bellas are fading into the background- they will ultimately have to disband the group.

Meanwhile, protagonist Beca Mitchell is trying to juggle the tight schedule of the Bellas, and the secret new internship she landed at a recording studio.

After being hopelessly beaten by DSM at an exclusive riff-off after freshman Emily (daughter of a legend Bella) tries to play an original song, the world a capella championships are looking dim for the Barden Bellas- it isn’t until the Bellas go on a retreat- lead by former Bella leader Aubrey- that the Bellas find their own a capella style, and are confident in their shot at world’s.

The movie starts with a bang – the Presidential birthday performance scene is hysterical as we check up on what the Barden Bellas are up to, two years after their legendary national a capella championship win.

Still, it was clear this sequel wasn’t nearly as good as the first film. Performances fell flat with less-known music, and even the original pieces that were used in the film weren’t good enough to pass in the movie. Additionally, there was less music in general than the first movie. “Pitch Perfect 2” focused on the drama in the Bellas’ lives rather than their actual singing.

Not only this, but the riff-off was a huge letdown after the legendary riff-off in the first movie. The categories were weak, and the teams’ responses were even weaker. While the Bellas certainly turned around for their final performance at the a capella world championships, the movie seemed like a major hit-or-miss.

Overall, while “Pitch Perfect 2” was a decent sequel, the first movie was definitely much more structured, produced, and written. A boring plotline and weak, scattered performances made the movie less than what it could have been.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

By Ismar Junuzovic – Entertainment Editor

The summer movie season officially kicked a few weeks ago with the release of the latest “Avengers” film, which broke its own box office records.

It’s now time for “Mad Max: Fury Road” to shine at the box office. The film is the fourth installment in George Miller’s eccentric post apocalypse movie franchise. Tom Hardy stars as the lead with a supporting cast including Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult.

The story, while being very simplistic, offers everything that it needs to: a compelling plot with characters that are actually developed. And while it may seem that the franchise has run its course, it is anything but that. As an action film, “Mad Max” is perfect in every way imaginable. The film revolves around a simple plot: a group of characters needs to go from one point to another; however, the movie gives the audience such a unique story which gives the characters so much life and uniqueness.

Unique could be the most accurate word to describe “Mad Max: Fury Road.” From the costume designs, to the way the story is told, to the action sequences, the movie is unlike any other film that has come before it. The action scenes are all directed beautifully and with style, but also while never compromising the viewing experience because the audience can understand what is actually happening. It is unreal how satisfying it is to watch the action in these scenes, how relentless and insane it is; it’s genius and awe inspiring at the same time.

While it would be easy to see this film as just a two-hour action movie with nothing else to offer a moviegoer, in reality it’s a movie that has a lot of heart. Miller should be commended for his exceptional work with directing this film, which easily could have been a sloppy re-mastering of an older film which could have just fell flat in front of today’s modern audience. Mad Max is easily the best film to come out this year and possibly the best action movie in the past 10 years.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

All the world’s favorite Marvel superheroes come together in the second installment of “The Avengers.”

When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner play around with the scepter, first seen in the original Avengers movie, they create Ultron. He was meant to save the world and to put an end to the Avengers so they could stop fighting. Instead, he took put an end to the Avengers as a challenge and unleashed his destructive powers onto the team of heroes.

The movie is packed with action and wit, almost to a point where it’s overbearing. However, it was still enjoyable. The actors, well-known from the previous film, were all excellent in their roles.

Scarlett Johansson plays the Black Widow. She has previously starred in “Lost in Translation,” “The Nanny Diaries” (starring Jonathan Law’s very own Nick Art), “Lucy,” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

Jeremy Renner plays Hawkeye, Chris Evans plays Captain America, Chris Hemsworth plays Thor, Mark Ruffalo plays The Hulk, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Iron Man.

The actors played each character with the same skill has the always have. They really brought it to the plate in the scenes that were more emotional than just the fight scenes.

New Marvel characters are introduced in the film, including The Scarlet Witch played by Elizabeth Olsen and Quicksilver played by Aaron Taylor Johnson. Both did well to play the enraged twins ready to wreak havoc and try to save their people in the process.

The movie starts out with action and the graphics were shaky at best, the animation was totally visible. But after the opening scene, it got much better. It was no longer obvious that the characters weren’t actually fighting monsters in some mountain top. The scenes got more realistic after that.

The storyline of the film was secondary to the action sequences and jokes. There was a point in which the Red Witch messed with the Avengers’ minds and viewers got a better glimpse as to who they are, and what makes them tick. It goes really in depth into the life of Hawkeye, revealing that he is just an ordinary family man who is overly skilled with a bow and arrow.

Overall, the movie was action-packed and a solid sequel to the original.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

By Hayley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

The thriller “Unfriended” was released into theaters on April 17 and instantly attracted viewers with its technology-driven plotline.

One year after their friend’s passing after an embarrassing video was posted online, six friends are cyberstalked for hours by an anonymous user trying to figure out who posted the video.

When the friends (Blaire, Adam, Mitch, Jess, Ken, and Val) notice a Skype user listening in on their video call on the one-year anniversary of childhood friend Laura Barn’s death, they immediately recognize it to be Laura’s old user. Assuming that the account was cruelly hacked, they attempt to rid them of their call to no avail.

After several cryptic Facebook messages from Laura’s account are received, the friends assume that it was Val who hacked the accounts- but after it was clear it was a third party that could toil with their computers, it was too late for the friends.

One by one, the friends disappear off of the call, and it is clear that the anonymous user is behind their deaths.

The remaining four friends are forced to play Never Have I Ever, and the user threatens to kill whoever loses. The game reveals secrets about the friends that turned them against each other; soon, the four are completely at odds with each other.

When there are only two left, the user asks the final and most important question; who posted the video of Laura Barns only a year ago?

The movie is confined entirely to the desktop of protagonist Blaire, where we can see which pages she visits and what spooky unintended windows an outside source opens. We can see the other friends through the Skype window, as well as when Blair talks privately with Mitch about the happenings through Apple’s Messages app.

Soon, it is clear that to the friends, there is nowhere to hide- even unsent messages are seen and replied to by the anonymous user.

As the movie plays out, viewers see that producers have thought of everything to make the movie complete, down to a pirated copy of a “Saturday Night Live” episode causing the downloaded Trojan horse removal software to lag when trying to get rid of the user, to the at times loud hum of Blair’s computer’s hard drive. Even unnecessarily loud notification sounds are a nice touch to made the audience especially on-edge.

An inventive way to portray a story, “Unfriended” was a spooky watch that was well-thought out and very entertaining.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

“Younger,” the brand new TV series starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff had its premiere on Tuesday, March 31, with a special showing of the second episode as well.

Set in New York City, 40-year-old Liza (Foster) is trying to bounce back from her recent divorce and repossession of her house while her daughter studies in India. After several job interviews, Liza gets a brilliant idea after getting hit on at a bar, in order to get going with her life she had to be younger. Posing as a 20-something, year old she lands a job, makes some friends, and begins to try to figure out how exactly to be 20 again in this new generation.

Right from the beginning, the program shows off its wild humor and sharp wit. Throughout the episode, there are well-placed digs and some almost awkwardly funny jokes. At times, while the jokes moved from funny to just plain strange, they quickly recovered and overall had a great start to the new comedy.

With a new best friend in Kelsey, played by Hilary Duff, and a love interest in tattoo artist Josh, played by Nico Tortorella, the show sets itself up nicely for an entertaining and possibly troublesome future for Liza.

Foster hasn’t had too much TV experience, only playing important roles in “Bunheads” and “The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.” But as an actual 40-year-old pretending to be 20, Foster does a good job in the pilot edpisode. Her charisma is translated on screen and she was able to enrapture the viewer and gives the character a good foundation for the show to build upon.

With the pilot gaining some solid ground for the show, the “Younger’s” writers and actors will have to keep up with people’s expectations.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

By Emily Kifer – Staff Reporter

The power team of Tris and Four are back and more powerful than ever, trying to figure out why Tris’s family risked everything they had and why the faction Erudites are doing everything they can to prevent that from happening.

Part two of the “Divergent” trilogy, “Insurgent,” begins in Amity. Amity is a dystopian place where four friends – Tris, Four, Caleb, and Peter – hide away until Erudite and Dauntless traitors arrive at Amity, searching for a Divergent to take on a special task that Jeanine has come up with. A fight breaks out between Tris and Peter regarding her family and it proves that they are truly not members of the Amity faction, therefore they can no longer hide out in the Amity grounds, which then puts them in danger.

Throughout the movie, Tris and Four do everything that they possibly can to stay away from harm in the environment until the traitors go through and personally scan everyone to see what faction they actually are. Tris knows that she is Divergent and does not want to be captured and be used as Jeanine’s experiment. Time passes and then Tris sees the harm that people are going through because they are only a small percentage of divergence.

Tris is recognized as 100% divergence which means she is the only person with the power to take on the task. After a while of waiting and hiding out Tris becomes fed up with watching all of these innocent people being killed off because they cannot open the box due to their lack of strength and power as a divergent. Tris then turns herself in to Jeanine and agrees to attempt on opening the secret box if the suicides stop.

This movie was rated PG-13 due to some of the action and mild violence.

The graphics in this movie were incredible. The fighting outside of the portal was obviously staged and viewers could tell that they were not really fighting, but when it came to being stuck with needles for special medication which made it impossible to lie, and taking on the tasks inside the portal, it was unbelievable. The images and the scenes were perfectly put together and it was so believable that viewers will feel like they were emotionally and physically there. One task is to save her mother from a burning house, which was really emotional because you felt how much Tris cared and misses her mom.

Overall, the movie was put together really well and the ending was perfectly set up for another movie to be made.

“Insurgent” had many of the same actors as “Divergent.” Shailene Woodley plays Tris Prior in both “Divergent” and “Insurgent.” She played Hazel Grace from “The Fault in our Stars,” and was Amy Juergens in “The Secret life of the American Teenager.” Ansel Elgort plays Caleb Prior in “Insurgent,” as Tris’s brother. Ansel stars in “The Fault in our Stars,” with Shailene as well, and is also in the horror film “Carrie.”

Theo James plays Four (Tobias Eaton ) in the “Divergent” trilogy and also appears in other films such as “The Domino Effect” and “The Inbetweeners.”

This is a movie worth seeing, and even though it is completely fictional, viewers can still learn a lot from the story line.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

By Briana Peters – Staff Reporter

Growing from his immature, wild concepts of music, Earl Sweatshirt’s, new album, “…I Don’t Go Outside” reflects the depression and grief in the current era of his life. As a long awaited follow-up to his album “Doris”, Earl released the album on March 22 at 11:30 p.m.

Earl Sweatshirt, 21, born Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, was discovered by Tyler, The Creator in 2009 through his MySpace account. In 2009, Earl, then known as Sly Tendencies, was working on his mixtape “Kitchen Cutlery,” but never released or finished it due to joining Odd Future. He has released two albums prior to “…I Don’t Go Outside”. His debut studio album “Earl” was self-released on March 31, 2010, and his second album, “Doris,” was released on August 20, 2013. That album was released after he went to a youth program for rehabilitation on the island of Samoa.

To sum up the album title, Earl Sweatshirt does not like anything and does not go outside. The 10-track album begins with the swaggering, organ-driven opener “Huey,” and within the first bar of the song, Earl’s voice is heard as legitimate and serious, yet self-effacing. Within the tracks, Earl’s maturity and expression of his current battle with drug abuse and depression is revealed. On March 17, 2014, he released the song “Grief,” which is a pure example of this revealing. The heavy, grim lyrics of the song describe his drug usage as an escape to deal with his depression and loneliness. Also, he makes several references about people turning into “snakes” and using him for his fame, which is why he doesn’t go outside anymore.

Besides the consistent grief-stricken remarks in his new songs, Earl makes an approach of recognizing his fortune throughout his music career, in a non-self-promoting type of way. Enough though he is struggling with multiple issues, he manages to see the good in all of it such as his fans and how far he has made it in the music industry. He went from rapping about wild, vulgar, offensive subjects to rapping about his everyday life, and relating to others that are in the same boat as him.

Overall, this album is a huge step up for Earl Sweatshirt, not only because he is being real with his music, but also because he has matured so much since “Doris.” His new ideas and concepts are extremely brilliant and relatable.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

By Malena Araujo – Staff Reporter

Catfish and The Bottlemen released their first studio album “The Balcony” in September. Catfish and The Bottlemen is an alternative pop/rock band that formed in Llandudno, North Wales. The band was formed around 2007 and the current members are Van McCann, Johnny Bond, Benji Blakeway, and Bob Hall. The band signed to Communion Records in 2013 and their album made No.10 on the UK Album Charts in 2014. Before that, the band would write songs, cover The Beatles, and play small venues. The band has been compared to the Kooks, Circa Waves, and The Courteeners.

The first single released by the band was “Homesick.” This song gave listeners a preview of the overall feel for the entire album. The single starts of as soft song then switches to a more upbeat sound when the chorus starts. The lyrics, “I said ‘I’m only looking out for you’/ She said ‘It’s obvious that’s a lie’/ ‘But I only ever put out for you, you know it’s obvious you don’t try’/” are spontaneously belted in the chorus. “Rango” is the second single. This song utilizes the drums more, but focuses on lyrics opposed to the first single. The song was mainly written by lead singer, Van McCann, who writes about experiences that relate to him and people. The storyline is about a couple splitting up through rumors, but also about wanting to leave a small town. The last single is “Pacifier” and sounds like The Killers in terms with the beat. The song was written about the differences between two people. It is like lines in a book with the dialogue between the writer and a girl.

The strongest songs off the album are “Kathleen” and “Cocoon.” The songs show more of the alternative rock aspect of the album, but still have an upbeat sound. Also, the lyrics are very clever and conversational. This album doesn’t have many fillers, which is exceptional for a debut. The album has about 11 songs and none of them are created to make up a track list. Each song adds more depth to the album through sound and lyrics.  Catfish and The Bottlemen have been a band for about seven years and they had a lot of time to write songs for this album. The band didn’t expect to ever sell albums because they are more of a live show band.

The band only decided to record this album once they got signed. The decision paid off because now they are able to tour around the world. Despite their growing fans, the sound of the album is an acquired taste. Some listeners might find the sound of the album repetitive and not understand the lyrics.

Catfish and the Bottlemen is said to be the best, “new” alternative pop/rock band in a while. Although they might be an acquired taste, their songs relate to most people. The album is perfect to play during a road trip or just hanging out with friends.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

Forty years after Arthur Kipps first was tormented, two teachers and a group of grade-school orphans seek refuge during World War II at the Eel Marsh house in “The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death.”

Surrounded by water, in the middle of nowhere, and being abandoned for years, the Eel Marsh house seems like the perfect, safest place to be. But at the story moves along, viewers see this is not the case.

Not long after arriving, the strange apparition that appears throughout the house starts to affect the children’s behavior.

Eve, a young teacher, begins to have a reoccurring nightmare of when she was younger and had to give up her baby. Later, she finds a message, reading “You let him go,” scolding her for leaving her baby.

Edward in particular, a young boy who has been mute since the death of his parents, is haunted by the Angel of Darkness. Locked in a nursery by two of the other boys, the Angel of Darkness first appears to him, and gives him an old doll that resembles a sailor. Edward carries the doll around constantly, never letting it out of his sight.

That night, one of the boys who locked Edward in the nursery is found on the beach attached to the ground with barbed wire – he had drowned at high tide.

Eve and Harry investigate the background of the Angel of Darkness. They find that her name is Jennet Humphrye, who is the sister of Alice Drablow, the original Woman in Black.

Jennet had a son who died a premature death, and is punishing Eve in the same way that she gave her baby away. Eve is not the only teacher who had been lured to the Eel Marsh House.

Finally realizing the danger that the house possesses, Jean, Harry, and Eve take the children to Harry’s airfield, where they wait while an air raid takes place. However, Jennet lures Edward from the group, where they fake his death. Not fooled by the strange woman, Eve returns to the Eel Marsh House, knowing that is where she will find Edward there.

For a movie in the “horror” genre, the film had a disappointing amount of “scares” and has little suspense and tension. The few that it did have were weak, feeble, and horribly predictable.

A solid and noteworthy job is credited to the actors, however; they definitely worked with what they had. A flimsy plotline made the movie uninteresting to watch and simply unoriginal.

The special effects from the movie were pristine, though they went a little overboard with the dim lighting. Instead of a gloomy feel, at some points it was simply too dark and foggy to see what was going on.

Overall, “The Woman In Black 2: Angel of Death” had an unoriginal plotline and limited suspense. However, the actors portrayed their characters well and the special effects made the movie interesting to watch.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

When a group of scientists accidentally kill one of their own, they face the repercussions of bringing her back from the dead.

That’s the storyline for the new horror film “The Lazarus Effect.”The serum needed to resuscitate the scientist is named after the biblical figure Lazarus, who was dead for four days before he rose again.

After “the incident,” three scientists and one documentary student try to revive their fallen colleague. On the surface, this is a premise for an exciting movie. However, viewers soon find that this film is all bark and no bite. The movie completely falls short as a horror film. Instead, it focuses too much on the build-up to the murder, the intricate background of the serum they used, and the scientists’ lives before the accidental death of the fourth scientist.

When the supposedly possessed member of their team begins to kill people, it’s predictable. (Viewers won’t be sure what is happening to this girl. Was she possessed by a demon, her own sins, the devil?) Meanwhile, Niko, who is played by David Glover (a.k.a. Childish Gambino) was the first to be alone with the neurotic undead lady, and not surprisingly, he was killed off first.

The only satisfying part of the movie was the end. Not a single main character survived the night, and it was refreshing that the lone survivor got away to live a good, if not slightly tormented, life from that point on.

Olivia Wilde plays Zoe, a scientist who dies and comes back to life only to hunt down and kill her crew. To her credit, she was pretty creepy. She successfully portrayed the psychotic demon-lady who is pretending to be a scared girl. Wilde’s previous work includes “Rush,” “In Time,” and “Tron: Legacy.”

Mark Duplass plays Frank, who is supposedly a smart man due to his degree in science. However, with the way he reacts to this situation, viewers would never know. His decisions are questionable and he dies rather quickly. He has worked in the films “The League”, “Safety Not Guaranteed” and “The Puffy Chair.”

Overall, “The Lazarus Effect” is predictable and not all that scary. It’s a movie not worth watching – or worth reviving.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

By Ismar Junuzovic – Entertainment Editor

2015 is set to be among the greatest years in history for hip-hop releases. Only a few weeks ago, fans were greeted with projects from Big Sean and Drake, and later this year, there will be projects from the likes of Action Bronson and “Earl Sweatshirt.”

One young man has finally returned with his sophomore debut on a major record label. The man is Kendrick Lamar. Many consider Lamar the most gifted rapper of the modern era. He burst onto the scene with his 2012 release “good kid m.A.A.d. city,” which stunned listeners through its unique concept of each song presenting itself as a chapter in an overall story.

His latest album, which is titled “To Pimp a Butterfly,” is different from his previous album in almost every aspect. It also is Kendrick’s most ambitious sounds he’s ever put out for various reasons. The production has a much more of a jazz and soul influence dialed in through each song. There are no radio-friendly songs on the album, which comes as somewhat of a surprise considering Lamar’s last album had songs like “Swimming Pools” and “Money Trees.”

Lamar sounds much more mature now. He’s tackling issues on these songs that most rappers today would stray away from in fear of damaging commercial appeal. He’s giving his insight on social issues such as race and police brutality but doing so in a manner that doesn’t at all contradict the music. It is still extremely enjoyable especially due to the fact that he is providing actual substance to each song. The song “King Kunta,” which comes in towards the beginning of the album, seems extremely minimalistic at first with barebones production but still manages to have a funk-like, upbeat groove to it. Other standout tracks include “Momma,” “These Walls,” and “Mortal Man,” which ends the album in a stunning way. The entire album feels perfectly polished and each song has its own place.

It can already easily be argued that Kendrick Lamar is the greatest rapper alive today. On this album, he put forth a project that will make listeners truly think instead of aiming for a more mainstream appeal. All music fans will soon look at “To Pimp a Butterfly” as not just one of the greatest great hip-hop albums of all time, but also a triumphant masterpiece that will be celebrated for years to come.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

By Hayley Sanchez – Editor-in-Chief

The newest live-action recreation of a childhood movie is now out in theaters. The new “Cinderella” movie is loosely based on the animated version and the written fairy tale.

Lily James, best known for being in the show “Downton Abbey,” became the beloved Disney princess, Cinderella.

Cinderella lives with her stepmother, who is played by Cate Blanchett, and her two stepsisters, Sophie McShera and Holliday Granger. Cinderella deals many difficulties that she must overcome to find her true happiness such as, her parents’ deaths.

Prince Charming, played by the handsome Richard Madden, has his own difficulties in trying to find his own true love but also pleasing his father. Madden was able to complete the huge task of being the prince who was down to earth and caring of the feelings of everyone around him.

The casting was really well done and the audience could really tell that each character was thought out. The costume designer also did a really great job at creating costumes that did not overpower the scenes and the characters themselves.

The special effects to create the pumpkin to the carriage and the mice to horses were well done and did not look animated.  The uses of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) were also very well done in the fact that the mice did look real.

Many believe that the movie is a complete re-enactment to the Disney Animated version but there are aspects in the movie that deal with the written version of Cinderella.  The movie shows Cinderella through the years; so from the time she was a baby to when the ball happened.

Throughout the movie, viewers could match up some of scenes with the animated version to the live action version, but there were times where there was not a match-up. The movie explains in a quick way how Cinderella got her name because it was not her original name.

The way the producers were able to combine the animated version with the written version was done beautifully because it added a sense of realness to the movie. It was not like the animated version where Cinderella loses her parents and the first time she meets her prince is at the ball.

This movie definitely brings everyone back to their childhood. It allows them for the hour and 45 minutes that they are watching the movie to forget about the real world and live in this fantasy that is so close to their hearts.

If someone is the mood for a comedic but childhood favorite then “Cinderella” is the movie to go see because it brings out the Princess and the Prince that is in everyone.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

“Let’s talk about labels. The classics still exist:  jock, geek, rocker, mean girl. But what I didn’t know was that I had a brand new label.”

That line is the theme of the new teen comedy “Duff.” Suddenly aware of the social hierarchy in her high school, Bianca, a senior, embarks on a revolution to change everything.

Content with her life, Bianca is seemingly oblivious to what is happening around her – a social trend in cliques called the “Duff.” Duff stands for “Designated Ugly Fat Friend,” though they do not necessarily need to be ugly nor fat. The duff of a clique is essentially the less popular, more approachable member of a clique that is used to become friends with the real clique members.  As Bianca says in the movie, “You either know one, have one, or you are one.”

At a party hosted by popular “mean girl” Madison and Bianca’s two best friends, Jess and Casey, Bianca is told from her old friend Wes that she, in fact, is the duff.

Insulted but not surprised, Bianca unfollows and de-friends Jess and Casey on all social media sites, choosing to end her friendship with the two after the devastating betrayal.

Bianca asks for help from her popular, jock neighbor Wesley, and sets out to defy all labels in her high school. She embraces a whole new makeover with his help, including new clothes and a new attitude. ­­After seeing Bianca and her ex, Wesley, grow in friendship, Bianca’s classmate Madison sets out to destroy Bianca. She releases embarrassing videos of Bianca, but instead of feeling defeated, Bianca only grows in determination to end social standards.

Humor-filled and extremely entertaining, “The Duff” is a movie that could very well be the new, modern “Mean Girls.” The movie is an inspiring tale in which Bianca shows the viewer how to stand up to injustices while staying true to themselves. “The Duff” is dramatic, witty, remarkably relatable, and self-empowering and accurately describes the high school social “government” – and how it must be reformed.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

Based on a true story, the awe-inspiring sports drama “McFarland, USA” is taking the box office by storm.

After losing another coaching job, Jim White (played by Kevin Costner) moves his family to McFarland, California, the only place that would hire him. Here in the run-down streets of town, the Hispanic students and families are dirt poor. Every day, the boys in town go out into the fields to pick crops, then run to their dilapidated school, and then run back to the fields to pick some more.

Soon after White, or Blanco as the kids call him, starts working at the school, he looks to get a cross country team so he might get noticed. Some of the kids have raw potential, and with some help, Blanco scrounges up seven kids to form a team. While reluctant at first, they find that with running, they can go somewhere, maybe out of this town.

Costner, who is known for his role in “Dances with the Wolves,” “The Untouchables,” and “Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves,” plays his role really well, portraying a worried father and concerned coach.

The beginning of the movie is a rough start for the team. Half of the team doesn’t really want to be there. The main runner, Thomas Valles, was running to get out of a suspension and another boy was running to avoid being put on probation. With this ragtag team, there were bound to be problems.

Carlos Pratts plays Valles, the number one runner for McFarland team. In this movie, Valles has many ups and downs, and the film focuses on the dynamic between him and White. Pratts is known for his work in “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones.” He plays the role of a troubled teen who just wants to make his father proud and do better than what life has handed to him.

One night, when White is out driving to clear his head, he stumbles upon Valles sitting on the ledge of an overpass. After this emotional night, the team begins to start getting into shape and becoming closer. The town is ecstatic when the boys qualify for the state tournament. The boys have never won anything, and many feel doomed to live the same lives as their parents, so the town rallies around them.

After a knife fight, a new job opportunity for White, and with just one meet left in the season, White decides to treat the boys. He says, “Listen, I’ve got five bucks and seven boys who’ve never seen the ocean.”

The next step for them was the final meet at states – and the exciting conclusion of the movie.

Under White’s coaching, McFarland has won 15 state championships. White is still coaching the cross country team, and the original runners featured in the movie occasionally come down to practice with them.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

By Ismar Junuzovic – Entertainment Editor

Saying that the return of new music from Drake has been highly anticipated by hip-hop fans would be a severe understatement. He has finally returned with the release of a new mix-tape entitled, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.” Drake is choosing to release this project in the midst of a conflict occurring between his close friend Lil’ Wayne and his label which Drake himself is a part of. It is speculated that Drake has chosen to release this newest mix-tape as an album in order to complete a four-album deal so he may leave the label as well.

As for this project, it was a pleasant surprise. The mix tape feels like a cohesive project that was actually put together rather than just a few extra tracks left over just being put out to make a quick cash grab. He sounds much more confident on the majority of these tracks, which provides a much more enjoyable listening experience. The production is somewhat simple and can be labeled as being “Trap-Rap” with heavy bass hits and 808 drums being expected. The sound is similar to recent releases from artists like Bobby Shmurda, Kanye West, and Migo,s who have also exploded onto the musical scene with their erratic flow and lyrical style. The sound may turn off fellow Drake fans who tend to enjoy his songs that are much slower in pace and easier on the ears such as “Marvin’s Room” even “Hold On, We’re Going Home.”

This project was obviously intended to be a mix tape based on how simple it sounds, but that doesn’t at all take away from how enjoyable it really is. Drake really pulls through some with some entertaining samples with songs like “6 God” in which he samples a beat from a level in “Donkey Kong Country 2.” The style of just rapping over anything really works for him because he sounds like he is actually enjoying and is confident in what he is putting on a song. Other highlight tracks include “Madonna,” “Preach,” and “Know Yourself” which features a hook that will be stuck in people’s heads for a few weeks. The best song on the album without a doubt, “6 P.M. In New York,” comes in towards the tail end of the mix tape. The song is a reference to an older Drake song, “5 A.M. In Toronto.” This new track features Drake rapping and essentially speaking everything on his mind, including a line has the internet buzzing in which he takes a small shot at fellow rapper “Tyga.”

Overall, Drake really did a great job entertaining hip-hop fans who have suffered through a massive drought of good music being released the past few months. Anticipation for his new full-length album will now be higher than ever, which can only be a good thing.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

By Emily Kifer – Staff Reporter

Maroon 5 is a popular pop rock band that got its start in the early 2000s. The band is made up of seven members, four of which were from their high school band Five Towns. The seven members include: Adam Levine (lead singer), Jesse Carmichael (keyboard), Ryan Dusick (drums), Mickey Madden (bass guitar), James Valentine (rhythm guitar), PJ Morton (keyboard), and Matt Flynn (drums). The five friends released their first album “Songs about Jane” in 2002.

Two years later, Maroon 5 began to climb music charts all over the world, and their album went platinum. In 2004, Maroon 5 won their first Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The following year, Maroon 5 went on to win another Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance; they won the same award again in 2007.

In 2010, Maroon 5 continued to make their songs appear as hit after hit, “Moves like Jagger” reached number one and number two on the Billboard charts. Maroon 5 then took a short break due to Adam Levine’s television appearances on “The Voice,” “American Horror Story” and many more shows.

When 2012 came crashing in, and so did Maroon 5. “Over Exposed” was soon released and their fans went crazy. Not only was their favorite band back, but a new sound was brought along with them. Some popular hits included “One More Night” and “Payphone.”

Over time, the band began to write catchier songs; however, the songs had less of a rock sound. Maroon 5 seemed to like the thrill of having fans hum their catchy pop songs repeatedly throughout the day. All artists tend to go through a phase where their sound changes, or they think it’s time to start something new to make the fans wanting more – and that is exactly what Maroon 5 continued to do.

In 2014, “V-Deluxe” was released and the music only continued to improve and become catchier. The entire feel of the overall album seemed “brand new.” In comparing songs from 2002 such as “This Love” or “She Will Be Loved” to “Maps” or “Sugar” from 2014, it is not hard to notice that their music has done a complete 360. “Sugar” was recently released on the radio. The mixture of Adam Levine’s high hit notes and the strums of the bass guitar give off the perfect pop tune. This song gives off a happy feel and leaves fans singing the lyrics over and over all day long. People who listen to the song when they are in the worst mood will no doubt boost their spirits and put a smile on their faces.

If something had to be changed about the album it would be to have a song with the old Maroon 5 sound. Even though the band is a huge hit and only keeps the fans wanting more, there are some people who miss the old meaningful lyrics. Nostalgia hits fans hard every so often, and moments later they are found listening to a song from 2002. Overall, Maroon 5 is a huge hit and people only have nice things to say about them, but there is always room for reminiscing.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Ian Hugo – Staff Reporter

“Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine.”

This is certainly not the case for Benedict Cumberbatch, star of Morten Tyldum’s “The Imitation Game.”

Cumberbatch, who has previously acted in big name pictures such as the BBC’s “Sherlock” in which he starred, “The Hobbit” films as Smaug and the Necromancer, and “Star Trek Into The Darkness” as Khan, portrays Alan Turing flawlessly.

“The Imitation Game,” based on Andrew Hodges’ book, “Alan Turing: The Enigma,” surrounds Alan Turing, a young British mathematician working for the British government during World War II as Britain attempted to crack Nazi Germany’s Enigma code, a seemingly impossible secret code used to communicate messages right under the Allies’ noses.

The film is a combination of flashbacks to Turing’s past as a child and as a codebreaker during the second World War and scenes in which we see Turing being investigated and questioned by the police in 1951.

Turing arrives at Bletchley Park, the site for the United Kingdom’s Government Code and Cypher School, in 1939 seeming awkward, humorless, and distant to his five fellow code-breakers including Hugh Alexander (portrayed by Matthew Goode), a man twice crowned chess champion of Britain.

Turing believes that a team will only slow him down, and with 159 million possibilities to try, time is certainly of the essence. The problem is, it would take 20 million years to try each and every possibility, and the team of six young geniuses from Britain only has 18 hours each day from when the first message is received at 6 am before the code resets at midnight and they must start from scratch.

Keira Knightley stars alongside Cumberbatch as Joan Clarke, a seemingly commonplace British woman who is in fact a mathematical genius. Clarke assists Turing and the rest of the code-breaking team in solving the Enigma code under the guise that she is doing clerical work at Bletchley.

Clarke also helps Turing hone his social skills and soon enough Turing begins to become accepted by his team and even tells a them a joke, something he was once criticized for not knowing the meaning of by Commander Denniston, head of GC&CS, in a rather touching scene in which Cumberbatch masterfully evokes the nervousness and diffidence of someone who is attempting to exit their shell and leaves everyone in the audience with a smile on their face.

Flashbacks to Turing’s childhood provide the audience with insight surrounding Turing’s childhood: his early experience with cryptography and personal information that could possibly explain why Turing is so withdrawn and unsociable as an adult.

The film follows Turing as he navigates his way through building the machine that broke the unbreakable code, forbidden relationships in both youth and adulthood, uncovering a Soviet spy in his midst, and the slow, painful torture Turing was subjected to at the end of his life cut short by the injustice of the British government.

Fans of the BBC’s crime-thriller “Sherlock” in which Cumberbatch stars will almost definitely be enchanted by this film. Cumberbatch plays Turing magnificently, and once again proves that although he may not be considered a genius in terms of IQ level like some of the characters he portrays (Fictional characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Khan Noonien Singh as well as actual geniuses that include Alan Turing and Julian Assange), Cumberbatch is a genius of film.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

By Malena Araujo – Staff Reporter

Fall Out Boy recently released their sixth album “American Beauty/American Psycho.” This album is the third release from the band since their hiatus that began in 2009 and ended in 2013. “Save Rock and Roll” was the first album released since their hiatus and represented a new beginning for Fall Out Boy to rejoin as a band and experiment with new sounds.

The first single from the new album is “Centuries.” It was released in September and became an instant pop/rock hit by reaching No.10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song has an “action movie” feel with its soft hook, powerful guitar riffs and strong vocals. The hook was created by remixing Suzanne Vega’s hook in her song “Tom’s Diner.” The next single released was called “Immortals.” This song teases an electronic pop/rock sound for the album and was written for the film “Big Hero 6.” “American Beauty/American Psycho” was the last single for the album and is the most upbeat single released. The song writes about the contrast between someone’s self-image oppose to the image they have of their lover. The song also takes a more pop-punk approach than the other two singles.

Fall Out Boy’s four year hiatus gave each member of the band space to grow as individuals. All the members have very different personalities and this is good for a band because it creates contrast between the members which gets incorporated into their music. The newer songs have revealed progression of the band’s music which has affected their ratings positively. Songs off this album like “Uma Thurman” and “Jet Pack Blues” shows how Fall Out Boy’s lyrics, sound, and vocals have changed from previous albums.

Although Fall Out Boy’s music has improved many fans think that it has strayed too far from old music. In the past, Fall Out Boy’s music was considered pop punk/rock. Their music now seems to lean more towards pop oppose to punk. Some people have even nicknamed the band “Sell Out Boy” because they’ve sold out to the media by writing pop music. Despite the controversy towards the genre, the only problem with this album is the lack of features. They create variety in the music which helps sell more records. “Save Rock and Roll” featured artist like Foxes, Big Sean, Courtney Love, and Elton John.

“American Beauty/American Psycho” is a great album overall. The lyrics are meaningful, the sound is different, and it is definitely worth the listen.

Rating: 3.7 out of 5 stars

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

How far would you go for survival?

On December 25, “Unbroken” brought to the big screen the incredible and inspiring true story of a World War II POW camp survivor.

As a child, Louie Zamperini, to say the least, was a troublemaker. But, with the help of his brother, he learned to channel his energy into running. Many years later, Zamperini was headed for the 1936 Olympics. However, before he is able to compete, World War II begins, and instead he enlists in the Air Force.

Meeting incredible people along the way and being a part of a close-knit flight squad, Zamperini’s life comes to a halt when, on their way to reclaim hostages, their plane crashes in the Pacific.

Only two other crewmen, Phil and Mac, on his plane survive, and they sail adrift in two life rafts for an incredible 47 days with no food, little water, and very little hope. One by one, planes fly by, with no rescue in sight- one even begins firing at them, putting holes in their life rafts, but missing the three. Luckily, they patched the rafts, saving them, but only until they were surrounded by sharks.

Weeks later, Mac passes away from dehydration and malnourishment. Soon after, Louie and Phil are saved- sort of. Running into (literally) a Japanese Navy boat, the two are captured and sent to a Prisoner of War camp.

Separated along the way, Zamperini must survive the camp guard, whom they call “the Bird,” who has seemingly targeted him. Beatings, torture, and starvation are only a few of the things he must bear.

Directed by Angelina Jolie, “Unbroken” details how strong the human spirit is in the face of intimidation.

This movie was simply amazing. The few effects it required (such as the sharks, being lost at sea, gore, and war in general) were beautifully made. Simple things like large camera angles and a floating camera at sea gave this movie the touch it deserved.

The characters were very well-developed, and while the movie was very gory at times, being brutally honest, it was necessary to truly understand the pain that Zamperini went through when he underwent living in the camp.

Easy to follow, with great twists, like when Zamperini was given the news that “the Bird” was promoted, and he was elated in the hopes that the pain and torture would diminish. The following day, however, Zamperini’s entire camp is moved to new camp, a coal mine where they will work day in and day out, only to find that this camp was where the Bird was promoted to. Seeing the crushed look on Zamperini, knowing the devastation that he hadn’t escaped the Bird, was a definite tearjerker for the audience, and perfectly capturing what it must have been like for him.

Based on a true story, the movie had a beautiful conclusion, however it missed a few points, such as, what happened to Phil after the war? Did he make it out alive? After Louie and Phil are separated, we were given no conclusion as to where Phil went, what he went through, and how he did.

Overall, the movie was a definite success. A great plot, emotional acting, intricate details, and capturing characters made this movie simply inspiring. However, a seemingly unfinished conclusion made the movie only slightly disappointing. It’s a definite must-see.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Michaela Pounds – Entertainment Editor

“Into The Woods” is a 2014 film that was adapted from a play and is based on several popular children’s fairy tales. The stage version of the story was not as family-friendly, but the film was changed so it would not be as scary for children to watch.

Disney lovers will definitely be interested in “Into The Woods’’ because of the fairy tales that are portrayed in the movie. The movie includes the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales of “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Cinderella,” “Jack in The Beanstalk,” and “Rapunzel.”

The movie is based on a couple who are not able to have a child because of a curse that was put over the man’s family by their neighbor. The witch who lives next door placed the curse because she had her magic beans stolen. The witch says the couple will be able to receive a baby if they collect all the items she desires: a lock of hair yellow as corn, golden slippers, a cow as white as milk, and a cape as red as blood. The movie shows the quest this couple goes on to collect all of the items while incorporating the other fairy tales into the story. The ending of the story is not expected because there is a twist of events.

It is easy to tell that there is major musical talent among all of the actors and actresses in the movie because of how much singing takes place. The movie reuses the song “Into The Woods” over again in the movie.

The cast of “Into The Woods” is full of well-known actors and actresses who are also able to sing. Some of the main characters in the movie are Meryl Streep, who plays the witch, Anna Kendrick, who plays Cinderella, and Johnny Depp, who plays the wolf.

The downside to the movie is its long running time, which is over two hours. The movie drags on at parts and it makes watching in the theater tiresome after a while. If the movie was shorter and its plot more streamlined, it would be more enjoyable.

The set design and special effects in the movie make it stand out and exciting to watch. The giant and the beanstalk are two great visuals in the movie.

Overall, “Into The Woods,” is a movie for all ages to see. The plot is aimed toward children, but adults and teenagers can also enjoy the familiar childhood fairy tales and musical voices of actors in this film.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

The final movie of “The Hobbit” series was recently released into theaters. “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies” was a riveting finale to the three-movie series, filled with incredible graphics, a great plotline, and a satisfying conclusion.

Bilbo Baggins, along with the company of dwarves and wizard alike, has finally made it, after a long and dangerous journey, to Lonely Mountain. Releasing the dragon Smaug from the mountain and into a neighboring town, Smaug destroys the town, before a simple townsman kills him.

Entering into the mountain, riches are uncovered: but Bilbo has a secret. While Thorin Oakenshield orders the dwarves to search for the Arkenstone that he has rightfully inherited, Bilbo has already found it, and refuses to give it up. Meanwhile, the power has gone to Thorin’s head, and he is driving the dwarves into defeat.

Word of Smaug’s death, however, has traveled around, and soon the Wood-elves- in search of their jewels, goblins, the Men of the Lake, as well as the Giant Eagles of Misty Mountain, all come to claim the riches that lie inside the mountain. From here, the Battle of Five Armies begins.

The scale of the movie was simply massive. Wide camera angles captured the enormity of inside the mountain, as well as the battle scene in front of the mountain. Thousands of gems and golden coins were stored in the mountain, and thousands of soldiers could be seen fighting in the field. The different places in which the battle took place were easy to keep up with, as well as to recognize.

The movie was easy to follow despite the many different armies and species coming together to fight. Many plot twists, like the leader of the goblin’s difficult defeat, kept the viewer entertained and interested, and graphics- especially Smaug, the dragon that haunts Lonely Mountain- were intricate and well-developed.

However, sometimes these plot twists were difficult to keep up with, namely when Bilbo was juggling what he was going to do with the Arkenstone.

The movie was a great adaptation to the book, not straying too far from the plot, but definitely kept it interesting.

Overall, “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies” was a thrilling finale to the three-part series, with great graphics- especially the dragon Smaug and the riches of the mountain- a capturing plot which kept the viewer interested, and a great adaptation to the massive battle scene.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

(Photo courtesy latimes.com)

By Ismar Junuzovic – Columns Editor

New Year’s Eve is a special day for everyone, but this year was slightly more exciting with highly anticipated music being released from Kanye West. The self-proclaimed genius has not put out any sounds since the polarizing release of his sixth studio album in 2013, “Yeezus,” which essentially divided fans who either loved it or loathed it.

Since then, West has not put out any music, and rumors have swirled about what his next project would be – these ranged from an eight-track album to an entirely spoken word album. On New Year’s Eve, West answered those questions with the release of a new single, “Only One.” The song is emotional, similar to what he showed on his 2008 album “808’s and Heartbreak.” West sings over a more electronic sound which again was a large departure from his previous works at the time. The song is sung through the perspective of his mother, Donda who passed away a few years ago. West’s intent was to show how he felt that it was his mother singing through him to his daughter. A feature also accompanies the emotional track with Paul McCartney on background vocals and piano.

West usually has the ability to try and attempt new sounds and make them sound brilliant and fitting to his style, but unfortunately this was not one of those times. This song is extremely underwhelming from someone with West’s talent. The song is very emotional but aside from the content and meaning behind the lyrics, it feels forced. A usual saving grace for West is his high attention to detail and incredible production on his songs, which this lacks immensely. The ambient piano does not provide anything unique to the vocals that West sings.

Rumors have circulated this year that West and McCartney have been planning a full length release together, and if this is any indication of what it may be like, Kanye West will be finished. It does seem somewhat ironic for such a bland and lifeless song to be released by him after his previous projects have been held to such high standards by all passionate music fans as being perfect. He has previously broken the barriers of hip-hop and putting his own unique spin on it. This song shows how no matter how passionate a musician is; the end product can still be sub-par. Kanye West finally showed his weakness.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

By Malena Araujo – Staff Reporter

English singer-songwriter Sam Smith continues to climb up the charts with his first studio album “In The Lonely Hour.” The album remains in the Top 20 even months after its release in May. Smith first caught the public’s eye in 2012 with his appearance on Disclosure’s single “Latch.” Smith’s soulful voice reached the song to No. 1 on UK Singles Chart. He then released a sample album EP, “Nirvana,” on October 4, 2013, to experiment with a different sound. This EP contained four tracks, none of which appeared on his debut album.

Smith opens “In The Lonely Hour” with his single “Lay Me Down,” a heartfelt pop song that is known for the beautifully sung long notes in the chorus. This song sets the tone and sound for the entire album. The second single he released was “Money on My Mind,” which is a more upbeat, pop single than the first. The song has an R&B breakbeat sound and has been remixed by many DJs. His third single, “Stay With Me” was the biggest breakthrough for Smith. The song is a heartbreaking pop ballad that tells the story of a person not wanting their significant other to leave. The song was brought to No. 1 with its catchy and emotional chorus that sings “Oh, won’t you stay with me?/’Cause you’re all I need/This ain’t love, it’s clear to see/ But darling, stay with me.”

Smith has said that this album is about recruiting love because many of his love interests didn’t feel the same way. Smith’s inspiration really impacts the entire album because every song has a sad tone and heart-rending lyrics. This could be because it better suits his voice or because it is all he can write about, but the sad tone gets repetitive. The constant depressing lyrics could be off-putting for listeners, which could be detrimental to a new artist like Smith.

Although Smith picks a sad tone for all his songs, he manages to make them all sound different. Smith does a wonderful job in making every song sound one of a kind with a different story or point of view. This style of writing is hard to do, especially for pop artists like Smith. He writes from personal experiences and has become a very relatable pop artist while avoiding the clichés of one. Smith sings with such soul and emotion, that each song sounds like a work of art. He’s been rightfully compared as a male version of Mary J. Blige or Adele because of his talented voice and lyrics.

“In The Lonely Hour” is one of the greatest pop albums of the year. It captures heartache with greatly written songs and wonderful vocals. This album is recommended to anyone looking for new music that might potentially cause sobs. With more time and experience in the music industry, Sam Smith may become legendary.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

By Valeria Araujo – Staff Reporter

Malala Yousafzai was a girl full of life and compassion in an area of Pakistan that was beautiful until it was transformed by terrorism. Through this, she learned to stand up for what she believes in: education & women’s rights. She advocates for her rights as a woman and for education, she travels around the world to do so, and inspires all except the Taliban who shot her in the face on her way to school and nearly took her life.

The New York Times bestselling Book “I am Malala” helps young teen readers understand exactly who Malala is. Many think “Oh, that girl that got shot by the Taliban, right?” Howeve,r the book is so much more than that. It starts off when she is about 10 years old and about how competitive she was in school. Then it continues throughout her life as she advocates for women’s rights and education while the Taliban slowly start to take over her country. She even discusses the day she was shot and what happened afterwards.

One strong point of the book is how inspirational it is. Malala’s views on education makes the reader appreciate what they have. Malala writes, “I’m not afraid of anyone. I will get my education. Even if I have to sit on the floor to continue it. I have to continue my education, and I will do it.”

She also writes, “Help us appreciate the school days that are left to us , God, and give us the courage to fight even harder for more.”

The Taliban could do anything, yet Malala Knew whatever they did, whatever they threw her way (even a bullet) she could handle. Malala writes, “They cannot stop me. I will get my education.”

Her confidence is inspiring as well. She writes, “What would I do it a Talib came to kill me[…] take my shoe and hit him[…] Just tell him what is in you heart. That you want an education. For yourself. For all girls. For his sister, his daughter. For him[…] Now you can do what you want.”

No matter how much she does, and how much she’s been through, she’s still just a teenage girl with the same interests as any other child. Malala writes, “At home in Pakistan, the three of us ran like a pack of rabbits, in and out of the alleys around our house; we played a chasing game like tag we called Chindakh (meaning “frog”), and Thief and Police.”

The only weak points of the book were the parts that were really gruesome. They could be too graphic for some readers, so reader discretion is advised. In one haunting passage she writes, , “In the video, a teenage girl wearing a black burqa and red trousers was lying face down on the ground being flogged in broad daylight by a bearded man in a black turban.”

This book is not for the weak at heart. “I am Malala” is for people who want to be informed about what is happening in the world and for those who want change like Malala did. People like Malala are the voices of change.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Taylor Loughlin – Entertainment Editor

If fans thought that the “Pretty Little Liars” Christmas Special was going to tell them anything about who the infamous ‘A’ is, they were wrong.

“How the ‘A’ Stole Christmas” mainly set the tone for season 5B. The girls are still trying to figure out who has been tormenting with them for the past five years but fans who have been continuously watching the show all have their own ideas and predictions. This is the first year the show did a Christmas special. Fans look forward to the annual Halloween episode, but were disappointed this year when they found out that it wasn’t what they were expecting.

It seems as though to make up for having a subpar Halloween episode, they decided to throw in an extra creepy Christmas Carol type experience. Alison DiLaurentis is visited by Mona’s ghost who shows Alison her past, a flashback, where she finds two identical presents, one for her and the other for a mystery girl. Putting that part into the show proves to fans that their “twin” theory may be correct after all. It also shows Alison’s mother repeatedly telling her daughter not to mention the extra gift to her father because it would make him want to leave their family. She is training Alison to become the perfect liar at such a young age.

The episode was expected, but was unnecessary. Most of the events that happened in the hour-long special could’ve been put into a regular showing when the season airs again on January 6. The writers of this show do a great job of building up suspense and then disappointing viewers when the next episode rolls around. It almost seems dragged on. Since 2010, viewers still have no clue on who ‘A’ is and it doesn’t look like they will anytime soon. Marlene King, the producer of the show, had mentioned on her Twitter that the show was renewed for another two seasons.

For most of the episode, it shows Alison being visited by Mona’s ghost who showed her the first lie she ever told. Fans did see get to see a creepy preview into Alison’s future. The rest of it was the girls searching Ali’s house trying to not get caught by ‘A’. Overall, the episode was mediocre. After waiting for five months, the episode didn’t satisfy most fans.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

If you had to decide between your career and your happiness, which would you choose?

Noni Jean, an up-and-coming artist is faced with this question, in the movie “Beyond the Lights.” Having already won a Billboard Music award before even releasing her new album, it seems Noni’s life has already been paved for her by her sometimes verbally abusive single mother who is only driven with the hope of success.

But after winning this prestigious award, Noni wonders if this is who she is – and who she wants to be. Deciding to end her life, she meets Officer Kaz only when she is perched on the balcony of her hotel room, ready to take the leap. After saving her, the pair falls for each other.

With important careers at stake, the two much choose between what they want, and what their families want.

The movie begins with an anecdote from Noni’s childhood to provide insight into how she was raised; the backstory really grabbed the audience when it showed both sides of Noni’s mother – the concerned, desperate single mom as well as the money and success driven woman.

As the movie progresses, we see Noni start to shed the walls she put up as she starts to become closer to Kaz. By the end of the movie, we see how much Noni has changed – not only has she shed her signature purple extensions and airbrushed profile, but she starts to dress more tastefully, which reflects who she, herself, wanted to be as an artist.

While the movie was great in following Noni’s progress, it would have been even better if they had shared Kaz’s finish as well. We are left with many questions regarding him- did he continue campaigning for the position he was hoping for? Did he stand up to his father, confessing that this was never his dream? Also, it would have been great to know what happened to Noni’s mother. Did Noni forgive her mother? Did they progress to mend the relationship that was never admirable?

Aside from the holes in the conclusion of the movie, the plot was a fantastic idea, if a little overused. The idea of the main character having to choose between major fame and her happiness was genius. It left the audience on the edge of their seat throughout the entire movie, all the while throwing major plot twists to keep them captivated.

With a great plot and polished backstory, Beyond the Lights, although slightly unfinished, was well worth the watch.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

By Ismar Junuzovic – Entertainment Editor

Childish Gambino has released a follow-up project to last year’s hit album with a new, seven-track EP entitled “Kauai.” Gambino began making music in 2010 with some minor releases, including a few that caught the eye of many pure hip-hop fans. However, it was his last release in 2013, “Because the Internet,” that essentially thrust him on the mainstream scene with many hit singles and a concept album that many thought was mesmerizing.

It is safe to say that this new seven-track release does not impress, especially when it comes from someone as talented as Gambino. He discarded all the elements of his previous works that made them so unique. “Kauai” gives a vibe of laziness and a lackluster set of songs that doesn’t provide anything up to the standard previously set by Gambino. The problems do not necessarily revolve around the fact that the track list is very short, rather that all the songs seem forgettable and sound as if he put the entire project together in one day.

The last project he released felt breathtaking for a multitude of reasons. Gambino had ventured into the more industrial side of hip-hop which is becoming much more popular from the likes of artists such as “Death Grips” and even Kanye West’s most recent album.  He has also been praised in the past for how he is able to have social commentary on the current status of music with tracks like “WordStar,” which he released last year.

While listening to this album there isn’t very much offered that even the most passionate Childish Gambino fan will enjoy. The EP only attempts to copy other Southern artists who have attempted this more “Trap-rap” type of sound. Some of the tracks, such as “Sober” or “Retro, may seem enjoyable at first, but even they lose their flare after the first couple of listens. It sounds like Gambino is trying to sing over some type of an outdated synth beat that doesn’t at all suit him. The only small bright spot may actually be a remix of a song that he released last year called “3005” which actually does sound nice.

Overall, this project by Gambino did not provide anything remotely entertaining even to fans who have admired his work for a long time.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

 

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

In “Mockingjay: Part 1,” the third installation of “The Hunger Games,” Jennifer Lawrence comes on-screen as Katniss Everdeen and blows the audience away. Since the first movie, Katniss has been in “The Hunger Games” twice, sparked a revolution, and had her district blown to bits. In this movie, Katniss is barely holding herself together. After everything she’s been through, she can hardly function and only acts out of pure rage or compassion for the most part. The leader of District Thirteen, where she and other survivors from District Twelve were brought, wants her to become the face of the rebellion, become the Mockingjay.  To assume the role, Katniss only has one request: they save Peeta. Until they have an opportunity to do so, they put her in the field going to districts and giving people hope and shooting a propaganda film.

The movie flung viewers right into the action, not allowing any minute of screen-time for unnecessary prologue. It simply picked off where the previous installment left off. As this is the first part of “Mockingjay,” it is basically just a filler for part two, setting up the plot so they can get into the real war. Thus far, there have only been revolts, not battles.

The basic storyline for this film was to show the progression of the rebellion against the Capitol and the consequences of Katniss blowing up the arena in the last movie, but also still following Katniss. This was captured very well throughout the film where it would show something Katniss did that would then spark a revolt in at least one of the districts.

The incorporation of the rebellion was flawless. From paper to screen, viewers can really tell that the director, Francis Lawrence, paid close attention to detail. He was able to create a way to show how what Katniss did sparked people to revolt. For example, she sang a song called “The Hanging Tree” and they filmed it to later show it to the districts. The rebels sang that song as they bombed a bridge and fought back against the peacekeepers.

The special effects were mediocre. There were times when the background looked like a green screen, but overall, it was realistic. Mostly used for rebel attacks, the effects were minimal, but necessary. At some parts, when Katniss was shooting some propaganda, the effects were sloppy, but for the most part nothing seemed too farfetched.

One of the most brilliant parts of the movie that was carried over from the previous motive was the idea of the pearl. It is never mentioned aloud how important the pearl is to Katniss, but viewers can just tell because she seems to always have it only her and is constantly worrying over it. It’s her connection to Peeta and something solid she can hold on to. It really represents the kind of hope and raw heartbreak that she had to go through. She is so lost and has nothing left but to cling to this one useless piece of rock.

Liam Hemsworth plays Gale, who has a bigger role in this movie than the previous ones. Now out of the games and into the war, Gale presents himself more to the viewers. Viewers can really start to get a feel for who his character is. Hemsworth does a good job of making Gale seem stern but also vulnerable. He lost his home, his best friend almost died twice in the games, and he’s angry. Hemsworth was able to present himself in this manner throughout the movie.

“Mockingjay” has captivated audiences everywhere and since it is broken up into two parts, the ending will no doubt shock viewers, and leave them waiting for the finale.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Taylor Loughlin – Entertainment Editor

Taylor Swift has put her days in country behind her with her new album “1989.” Swift’s all-pop fifth album is impossibly irresistible, starting with “Welcome To New York,” a dazzling view on her new hometown where she gets over all of her heartbrea ks. She had no problem calling out her former boyfriend Harry Styles in many of her songs.

Some of the songs on her album include the single “Shake It Off,” “Bad Blood,” and “Out Of The Woods.” Swift is known for writing all of her songs based off of personal experiences and it’s proven to work for her, especially on this album.

“Blank Space” almost sounds like a Lorde song, but instead of Lorde’s mellowed effect, Swift makes it her own by making it a little bit more sarcastic. “Bad Blood” is rumored to be about Swift’s “frenemy” Katy Perry, and also sounds like it could be one of Perry’s songs. The ninth song on the album is named “Wildest Dreams,” and anyone who has listened to it automatically knows Swift aimed for a Lana Del Rey-type of sound. To say the least, Taylor Swift has had a lot of musical inspiration from her other famous friends with this album.

Swift has been getting a lot of positive feedback since the album came out. Billboard’s Jem Aswad has declared the album “Swift’s best work.” Usually she writes all of her songs by herself but she had some help from Swedish executive producer Max Martin. He co-wrote seven out of the 13 songs on the album. Some other co-writers of the album were Jack Antonoff, Imogen Heap, Ryan Tedder, and Ali Payami.

Almost a million and a half copies of “1989” have been purchased since its release on October 24. The album itself earned the largest sales week for any album since 2002. Overall, “1989” sounds exactly like Taylor Swift, even though it sounds like nothing she’s ever done before.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

How far would you go to say that final goodbye?

“Ouija,” a new horror film based on the supernatural game used to come in contact with the dead, scared its way into theaters on October 24 with a highly-praised debut.

After Debbie Galardi plays with a Ouija board she found in her old house, soon after she turns up dead. When Laine Morris, her best friend, mysteriously finds the same board along with footage of Debbie using it, Laine insists on contacting Debbie with her sister, Sarah, their friends, Trevor and Isabelle, and Debbie’s boyfriend, Pete. But what they come in contact with is much more than just their friend.

Soon after, mysterious notes and symbols turn up wherever the friends go, whether it be carved into a desk, written on the window of their car, or spray-painted on a wall on their run. One by one, the friends turn up dead, until Laine refuses to let the innocent game go any further.

Lies are told, the past is uncovered and, with help from her sister, Laine uncovers the truth of the strange Ouija board- and the strange house her friend once inhabited.

Overall, the movie was another great idea that was simply not carried out properly. At first, it felt like the generic “girl goes hears something and then shuts the lights off, going upstairs to see what it was” type of horror film. But by the end of the movie, it got in some great heart-pounding scares (a few people even left the movie midway through), as well as some great plot twists that kept it interesting.

While some aspects of the movie, like how her friends mysteriously started turning up dead (they was never a follow-up on what had actually happened to them, like there was with Debbie) were negatives, I really liked the original plot and how they stuck with it. Who knew an old lady in a nursing home could be so sneaky?

Disappointingly, the messages that the spirit leaves for the friends are always the same thing: “Hello, friend.” They could have come up with more original scares, and more scares in general.

Overall, the movie was a great concept that was simply not produced very well. While it had a great plot, keeping things interesting with plot twists and great graphics, it felt slightly unfinished though it had an understandable resolution.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

By Michaela Pounds – Entertainment Editor

Nicholas Sparks’ popular romance novel “The Best of Me” has recently debuted on the big screen to rave reviews.

The novel was written in 2011, was ranked second best-selling novel of the year according to Publisher’s Weekly.

In the novel, two teenagers, Amanda and Dawson, meet while she helps him push his cousin’s car up the street. The two fall in love despite Dawson’s hard life and Amanda’s wealthy parents who do not approve of Dawson. A tragic event happens in the movie that causes the two lovers to separate for an extended period of time. Later in life, the couple is reunited in the hometown where they lived as children.

“The Best of Me” could be called a cliché “chick flick,” but it is not all cliché, and has scenes that are very moving and dramatic. Watching “The Best of Me” is an experience in itself, and many lessons can be taken from the romantic movie.

The ending of the movie is a shock and, from start to finish, it is the type of movie that will attract many romance and chick-flick lovers and those who enjoy deeper meaning and themes.

The novel’s version of the story has some details and plot differences that are noticeable in the movie.

Even though the film has depressing parts, and fewer comedic scenes, the overall plot is entertaining. For example, although the actors’ personalities are correctly portrayed as the actors change from younger to older, the young Dawson does not look like the older version, and the producers could have tried harder to find two actors of different ages who looked more alike.

In the movie, the older version of the main characters, Amanda and Dawson, are played by Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden. The younger versions of Amanda and Dawson are played by Liana Liberato and Luke Bracey. Michael Hoffman is the director of the film, Will Fetters is the screenwriter, and Denise-Di-Novi is the producer of the film along with co-producers Nicholas Sparks and Theresa Parks.

The online reviews of “The Best of Me” have been mixed, with some saying that the movie is too depressing and that it lacks excitement.

Overall, the movie is enjoyable, but is not one of the best movie adaptations of Nicholas Sparks’ books.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor“Annabelle,” the prequel to “The Conjuring,” is a horror movie about a family who buys a very unique doll.

Annabelle is a doll possessed by a demonic spirit, which terrorizes Mia and John Gordon to steal their souls. At first, the present given to Mia, the then-pregnant wife of John, seemed harmless. However, there had been a recent uprising of fanatics going to join the occult and causing violence everywhere, including their next door neighbor’s daughter, Annabelle.

In order to be fully initiated into the Marilyn Manson cult, acts of violence were necessary, but Annabelle and her boyfriend were looking for something more when they murdered her parents and attacked Mia and John. Annabelle latched onto the doll during the attack and conjured up an evil spirit.

The movie is Rated R for violence and is suitable for the recommended audiences of 16 and up.

The special effects were weak. The devils and demons were super-freaky but not initially scary. It was only scary because it was always dark. The two times they showed what the demon looked like it wasn’t lifelike; it looked like a mask to a Halloween costume. Albeit it was a strange one, it wasn’t all too scary. The times that the entire audience jumped were few and far between and only happened because the music got insanely loud.

Overall, the plot was thin and left the audience unsatisfied. There was one scene with two little kids that were coloring a picture of Mia and her baby being run over by a bus. It was random and barely contributed to the story. Evelyn was also too convenient of a character. She had all the answers and handed them over.

Actress Annabelle Wallis played Mia Gordon. After being attacked during her pregnancy and watching two lunatics die in her house, she isn’t feeling too mentally stable. She does stick it out in the house for a while without much sleep before they move and she notices strange occurrences with the doll her husband gave her. Caught up in the midst of this demon activity, Mia is only concerned for her baby’s well-being. She is a strong, loving mom and she played the role excellently. Her roles in “X-Men First Class,” “Body of Lies,” and “The Lost Future” helped prepare her for it.

Ward Horton plays John Gordon. He is a doctor and almost never at home, leaving his wife and daughter to the clutches of a demon. He doesn’t believe his wife when she tells him that weird things are happening. His roles in “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Christmas Wish List” helped prepare him for his role.

Alfre Woodard plays Evelyn, a woman who runs a bookstore and tells Mia where to find the right book about being haunted. She ends up being a crucial part to the story and a good friend to the Gordon’s. She had previous roles in “Primal Fear,” “X-PAX,” “Dinosaur,” and “Steel Magnolias.”

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

Paper town (n): a town that is flimsy and planned; subdivisions that were started and then abandoned, exist on paper but not entirely in real life; a cartographic trick where mapmakers will include fake places onto their maps to make sure no one is copying them.

In his third young adult novel, “Paper Towns,” John Green, the author of “The Fault in Our Stars,” writes about the “paper” feelings that main character Quentin Jacobson has towards his lifelong (but not close) friend Margo Roth Spiegelman.

Green begins the novel with the story of an extremely scarring and important event: when Margo and Quentin find an unknown dead man in their neighborhood park. Margo becomes infatuated with the investigation of the strange man, and would appear at his window in the middle of the night to update him on her discoveries.

Ever since then, Quentin has thought he was in love with Margo, while he discovers he was only in love with the idea of her: he had “paper” feelings for her, loving what he saw and fabricating what he didn’t.

When Margo randomly knocks on his window one night, throwing Quentin into an elaborate 11-step plan to plot revenge on those who wronged her involving leaving catfish in their cars and houses and spray-painting a blue “M” in their wake, he realizes the feelings he has for her are false by educating him on the meaning of “paper towns.”

However, the adventure doesn’t stop there. The next day, when Margo doesn’t show up to school, her parents quickly come to the conclusion that she had run away.

Leaving an elaborate set of clues in her wake, like a book of poems with specific highlighted lines, Quentin is lead to several unfinished or failed subdivisions, turning up nothing. It isn’t until graduation day that he is brought to a long-awaited conclusion.

This book can be read in less than a day. Two things that are particularly enjoyable about Green’s writing are his use of symbolism and annotation.

With each part in this three-part book, a new and improved definition of “paper towns” was concluded while still following through with the original plot. The characters were very well-developed.

However, the same three lines of the poem Margo had left for Quentin must have been repeated a hundred times. Near the end of the book, things started to slow down where Quentin had run into a dead-end.

“Paper Towns” is also being adapted into a movie, which will be released in 2015. Right now, Cara Delevingne will play Margo Roth Spiegelman. Nat Wolff will play Quentin Jacobson.

Overall, “Paper Towns” was another great book from Green. The plot was well-developed and the details were very elaborate. While the book hit a dry patch near the end, the ending was easy to understand and made complete sense.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

(Photo courtesy johngreenbooks.com)

By Emily LaLuna – Sports Editor

Chipotle Mexican Grill not having a line out the door at dinner time? Is that even a question?

Chipotle, which in Milford is located by the mall, is considered a fast-food restaurant but is a healthier alternative. All the food is prepared freshly in front of the customer and is not just sitting under a heating lamp for hours on end.

Many customers think that, because of the long lines, they will have to wait forever to eat. The lines actually cycle through very quickly, however.

The founder of the restaurant, Steve Ells, went for the more organic side of food choices. The restaurant offers many choices and various food combinations, including meat, poultry, and vegetarian options. There is something for everyone.

Customers can order their food in a bowl, a burrito, in tacos, or in a salad.

They also offer a kids menu with smaller portions and quesadillas.

The Chipotle employees in Milford are very welcoming. The employees are always encouraging their co-workers to keep the energy up when the lunch and dinner rushes come.

Having workers that know what they are doing and execute their job make the Chipotle experience better. While customers enjoy their food, occasionally a manager will ask them how their meal is. This makes it a nice environment to know that the workers care.

Chipotle has different ways of ordering and also has the ability to cater events. Customers can order their food online and come in and pick it up. There is also the option of taking the food to go.

Being a regular customer at Chipotle can get a little expensive; prices range from just above $7 to $9 just for a burrito depending what customers get on it. The prices do, however, allow anyone to be able to enjoy it – even high school students on a budget.

Taking into consideration about all of the good aspects of Chipotle, there are some improvements that could be made. In Milford, the lack of seating at peak eating hours can become an issue. When the big rushes come through, customers sometimes struggle to find somewhere to sit when after they make it through the line.

(Photo courtesy chipotle.com)

By Haley McNulty – Entertainment Editor

Would we know happiness without sadness?

Adapted from the 2002 novel by Lois Lowry, “The Giver” tries to answer that question.

Based in a utopia set in the distant future, a new method of living is put in use – one where pain, suffering, differences, and war is unheard of. Most of the memories people had were banished, and emotions were wiped away with a daily injection.

Only a select few are given the opportunity to hold onto their memories; they would be passed down in case they were of any use. One of these people is The Giver.

When Jonas is skipped at graduation, the ceremony where the teenagers of the community cross over in adulthood and are given their assigned jobs, it is unclear what is in store for him. At the end of the ceremony, it is announced that Jonas has been selected to become the next Receiver, or the next person to gain these memories.

As his training progresses, he starts to see colors, and the memories intensify, showing things like war and hunting. He skips his daily injections, and he becomes unsure if he will be able to carry on much longer with the sudden truth of reality.

But when Jonas realizes what he must do to make everything right again is also when the leaders of his community start to catch on. Taking Gabriel, an infant who can also transmit these memories, Jonas must flee to the “memory line,” which is miles away and only he and Gabriel can cross. By crossing this line, all the memories once kept from citizens will be released and restored.

The movie was very entertaining from start to finish. Parts of it felt rushed, but this is to be expected with books turned movies. The major events and storylines of the novel were presented very well, and it was well-executed as a whole.

One impressive aspect was how the movie’s directors kept the idea that the community has an absence of colors. Everything is in black and white, but as Jonas progresses and receives more memories, he starts to see color, one shade at a time.

Overall, The Giver was insightful, a great concept, and a fun watch. While it could have used more depth, the movie was very enjoyable. The details were well-thought out and it was well-adapted from the original novel.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

(Photo courtesy fandango.com)

By Taylor Loughlin – Entertainment Editor

In the movie “If I Stay,” viewers meet Mia Hall (Chloe Grace Mortez) at a crossroads – should she be living her dream and becoming a professional cellist, or traveling the world with her boyfriend Adam (Jamie Blackley) and his band.

Everything changes when Mia and her family get into a terrible car accident which kills several family members and leaves her in a coma. She begins to see the world from a whole new view while on the brink of death.

Mia experiences a sort of out-of-body experience where she is able to feel and hear everything that’s happening around her, but she is unable to respond. The words that really haunt her are ones that are spoken to her by her nurse who tells her that it’s her decision to live or die.

To live would be excruciatingly painful, as she would be living every day without her family, but it would mean she’d get to stay with Adam. Dying would be easy; she would leave behind all the pain and could go be with her family.

Mortez was exceptional in her role as Mia. Her previous roles, including those in “Carrie,” “Kick-Ass,” and “Let Me In,” were all such different characters from the one she portrayed in this film. In those roles, she was depicted as someone who took matters into her own hands with no regards to other people’s well-being.

In this movie, she’s meant to be someone who is confused and not sure what she wants. Mortez is able to show that even in her induced state, she is independent, but unable to hurt the people she loves.

Blackley, who plays Mortez’s co-star and love interest in the movie, was able to play the part of a concerned and distraught boyfriend extremely well. His roles in “Snow White and the Hunstman” and “The Fifth Estate” worked well to prepare him for the role.

Because of his role in these movies, he’s able to play his part well in this film. His character type didn’t change much from the past two roles.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

(Photo courtesy imdb.com)