Sorry i haven't posted in so long. blame old people and their addiction to the internet.
I'm going to keep this short, the magazine is still going on its just took a small pause at the moment since i haven't wrote anything on the blog. I'll be posting something here next week that will be talking about what we're doing this school year. I can't do it this week due to many appointments to the doctor and dentist..TT_TT and the fact i'm still not done with my summer hw. Yes i had summer homework for japanese. so wait till next week for news or this weekend.
oh by the way. If any one has any new ideas or albums send it to my email.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Movie Review: Just One Win
Just One Win
By Patrick Hao
Before 2004, the Boston Red Sox and their fans had faced many heart breaks in their attempts to win a World Series. Fans would complain about the hesitation throw by Johnny Pesky in game 7 of the 1946 World Series, allowing the winning run to score. Fans may also complain about Bucky “@#$%@#$” Dent hitting a home run against the Red Sox to win a one game playoff for the dreaded Yankees. Then came game 6 of the World Series in 1986 which is what the 2005 film Game Six is about.
The film follows playwright Nicky Rogan (Michael Keaton) on October 25, 1986. Nicky is a die hard Red Sox fan and his team is up three games to two against the New York Mets in the World Series. On this fateful day however, is the opening of his new play in New York. There is a lot of buzz for the play from actors who saw a preview but that doesn’t mean there are any problems. Rogan has an estranged daughter (Ari Graynor), who doesn’t have much affection for her father. Then there is a veteran actor, who has a virus in his head which makes him forget his lines. Finally the meanest, harshest critic, Steven Schwimmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is about to see his play that can make or break his career. There is something special however about game 6. In Rogan’s mind, he thinks that if the Red Sox could win then all his problems would just disappear.
Game 6 is the directed by Michael Hoffman, most known for 1991’s Soapdish. From the description the movie may sound like a sports movie but it is not. It is a movie about the human obsession and almost serves as a Greek Tragedy. We all know what happens in that very famous game. Despite this, even for non-baseball fans, we are invested in the game as he watches it on the screen. The camera puts us into the game; despite the fact we are still in the bar where Rogan watches it.
The setting is in 1986 New York and it sets the atmosphere for the movie. The setting is bleak with grayness in the air. Violence and traffic is highlighted giving us the perfect setting for a mental breakdown, similar the De Niro character in Taxi Driver. A radio weatherman plays almost serves as a narrator, describing to the audience the thoughts of Rogan as he goes through the day. Things like that give the screenplay by novelist Don DeLilo a special quality to it. The main character has eloquent speeches that are believable due to the fact that he is a screenwriter.
A big component to the success of this film is Michael Keaton. Often times underrated due to his roles in the past, he can certainly act. He takes on a character that is special and fragile that actors of lower quality will mishandle and maybe overplay. This is certainly not a big movie and with Keaton’s sympathetic eyes we kind of root for him despite what we know will happen. Then we have Robert Downey. This is one of the films he did during, what I call his comeback. He gives another interesting performance a Zen monk, critic who everyone hates. He is paranoid, fearless, affectionate and just plain loony. The range showed by Downey is incredible and he never gives an uninteresting performance.
The film suffers some problem in production, however. The cutting is a bit frantic and doesn’t really play well with the mood of the movie. Most of the shots aren’t interesting except for a particular scene in the bar. If it wasn’t for strong performances and a good script this film would just be another forgettable Sundance film.
3.5 out of 5
Ok people i really do need editors to fix the things i post up since i'm getting less and less time on the computer..damn old people and their addicting to the internet (parents). so if anyone is an editor or has time just check the articles i put up. oh and if you have ideas for something you want to write just send it to me through email or facebook (but through messages, remember the project is a secret.)
Oh and if you want people to join, tell me or patrick about it and we'll see if they will be accepted in.
Also we might have a meeting next week, or try to and will see when people are free. It seems that it will have to be in the weekend due to prep classes that people have (suckers), so comment about the day you want it to be held.
By Patrick Hao
Before 2004, the Boston Red Sox and their fans had faced many heart breaks in their attempts to win a World Series. Fans would complain about the hesitation throw by Johnny Pesky in game 7 of the 1946 World Series, allowing the winning run to score. Fans may also complain about Bucky “@#$%@#$” Dent hitting a home run against the Red Sox to win a one game playoff for the dreaded Yankees. Then came game 6 of the World Series in 1986 which is what the 2005 film Game Six is about.
The film follows playwright Nicky Rogan (Michael Keaton) on October 25, 1986. Nicky is a die hard Red Sox fan and his team is up three games to two against the New York Mets in the World Series. On this fateful day however, is the opening of his new play in New York. There is a lot of buzz for the play from actors who saw a preview but that doesn’t mean there are any problems. Rogan has an estranged daughter (Ari Graynor), who doesn’t have much affection for her father. Then there is a veteran actor, who has a virus in his head which makes him forget his lines. Finally the meanest, harshest critic, Steven Schwimmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is about to see his play that can make or break his career. There is something special however about game 6. In Rogan’s mind, he thinks that if the Red Sox could win then all his problems would just disappear.
Game 6 is the directed by Michael Hoffman, most known for 1991’s Soapdish. From the description the movie may sound like a sports movie but it is not. It is a movie about the human obsession and almost serves as a Greek Tragedy. We all know what happens in that very famous game. Despite this, even for non-baseball fans, we are invested in the game as he watches it on the screen. The camera puts us into the game; despite the fact we are still in the bar where Rogan watches it.
The setting is in 1986 New York and it sets the atmosphere for the movie. The setting is bleak with grayness in the air. Violence and traffic is highlighted giving us the perfect setting for a mental breakdown, similar the De Niro character in Taxi Driver. A radio weatherman plays almost serves as a narrator, describing to the audience the thoughts of Rogan as he goes through the day. Things like that give the screenplay by novelist Don DeLilo a special quality to it. The main character has eloquent speeches that are believable due to the fact that he is a screenwriter.
A big component to the success of this film is Michael Keaton. Often times underrated due to his roles in the past, he can certainly act. He takes on a character that is special and fragile that actors of lower quality will mishandle and maybe overplay. This is certainly not a big movie and with Keaton’s sympathetic eyes we kind of root for him despite what we know will happen. Then we have Robert Downey. This is one of the films he did during, what I call his comeback. He gives another interesting performance a Zen monk, critic who everyone hates. He is paranoid, fearless, affectionate and just plain loony. The range showed by Downey is incredible and he never gives an uninteresting performance.
The film suffers some problem in production, however. The cutting is a bit frantic and doesn’t really play well with the mood of the movie. Most of the shots aren’t interesting except for a particular scene in the bar. If it wasn’t for strong performances and a good script this film would just be another forgettable Sundance film.
3.5 out of 5
Ok people i really do need editors to fix the things i post up since i'm getting less and less time on the computer..damn old people and their addicting to the internet (parents). so if anyone is an editor or has time just check the articles i put up. oh and if you have ideas for something you want to write just send it to me through email or facebook (but through messages, remember the project is a secret.)
Oh and if you want people to join, tell me or patrick about it and we'll see if they will be accepted in.
Also we might have a meeting next week, or try to and will see when people are free. It seems that it will have to be in the weekend due to prep classes that people have (suckers), so comment about the day you want it to be held.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Another Article
and now we have 12 ...
we've added two more people that will be in the mag, Lilja and Morgan.
and Morgan has finished her article already.... here people who want to be editors
I'm thinking that it should be cut a bit but the article was great
and ignore the fact that its about the Jonas brother. if anyone wants to write an article about why they suck, go ahead. this is for the debate part anyway.
Jonas Brothers: A Teen’s Guilty Pleasure
By Morgan Higgins
One of the well-known bands of our generation, already with four albums out, is the Jonas Brothers. Based out of Disney Channel, it is not a surprise that many kids and tweens rock out to the music of this boy band. As students age though, they begin to mature in their musical taste and, while many high school kids still enjoy the music of the Jonas Brothers, more seem to find this band “unskilled and childish.” While neither opinion is right, people who don’t like the Jonas Brothers should at least be told what their appeal is to their peers.
For those who don’t know, the Jonas Brothers are three brothers who formed a band and are supported by Disney Channel. The youngest Jonas, Nicholas Jonas, was performing in Broadway plays from a young age, including the famous Beauty and the Beast. Nick Jonas, already a solo artist signed to a major record company when he told them about his brothers. All three of them are skilled in playing their instruments. Instruments take a lot of skill to learn to play well and therefore anyone who is able to play one should be respected.
Of course, the basic necessity for a person to like a band is the music. Many people who dislike the music of the Jonas Brothers dislike it because they find them to be unskilled singers. There are two things that need to be said about this opinion though. First off, how good a voice sounds is completely dependant on the person listening. It is not a fact, but an opinion, therefore showing that some people may think the Jonas Brothers have very pleasant voices. The second thing is that not every famous singer in history is known to have an amazing voice. While some people are a pleasure to listen to, others, such as Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan, are very popular but are not seen as good singers. Therefore, the argument that the Jonas Brothers’ singing is a reason not to like them isn’t a very solid one.
Although singing is one aspect of the music, there is also another important aspect: the lyrics. The lyrics of the Jonas Brothers songs are different than most of the other artists of this time. Sophomore, Chelsea Narvaez says one reason she likes the Jonas Brother is because “they have good music that isn’t all about cursing and drugs and stuff like that.” Rather than the lyrics being about one of the above mentioned topics, the lyrics of a Jonas Brothers song come from experiences, which Nick, Joe and/or Kevin have gone through as normal, American children. When these boys look back on what has happened to them, many of the experiences they reminisce upon occurred during their high school years. Because those are the years we are going through now, we will share some of the same experiences with the Jonas Brothers, allowing us to relate to the lyrics of a JB song. This allows high school students to feel more emotionally attached to the song and therefore enjoy it. It allows people to feel like they are not the only one going through difficult times and keeps one from feeling left out. One of the songs of the Jonas Brothers which is known to bring tears to people’s eyes is “A Little Bit Longer” written by Nick Jonas.
“A Little Bit Longer” is written about the emotional response Nick has to his diabetes. The song, though, says nothing about the diabetes but rather the feeling of how people say they can understand what he is going through, but everybody is really different and feels different things. At some point in their lives, everybody feels this way. They feel as though something bad has happened to them and nobody is able to help them cope with their feelings. Although the song does not talk about how they should feel better, it does give teens the sense that everybody feels lonely about a difficult time in their life and it is normal. One of the lyrics, “you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone,” brings every single person listening to the words back to a point in their life where they lost something they took for granted and realized how important it had been to them.
Another very common song by the Jonas Brothers is “When You Look Me in the Eyes.” In this song, JB writes about what it is like to fall in love and what it feels like when the person you have true feelings for looks you right in the eyes. High school is the first time for many when they find somebody they feel like they truly love. In the song, there is a line “When you look me in the eyes and tell me that you love me, everything’s all right.” This line expresses the idea that love conquers all. When people see or hear about how much love can help people, it brings out a feeling of joy and happiness. Because of the emotional content of this song, it is loved by many.
Music is not the only thing, though, that makes the Jonas Brothers popular among teens. The way they come off as regular people also captures the appeal of the audience. Sophomore Safa Sattar says “I like the Jonas Brothers because they don't act stuck up and seem really cool and nice.” When there is a celebrity who acts like they are more important than their fans, people begin to feel as though they would be mean people and have no right to have the glory or fame. But, when a celebrity acts just as they did before they became famous, people think they deserve to be rewarded for their talent and be famous. The Jonas Brothers belong to the latter category because they are known to be very kind to their fans and grounded. Chelsea also said “They're the same down-to-earth guys that they were when they first got into the business.” The Jonas Brothers make their audience feel like they are both the same and, even though the Jonas Brothers are known world wide, they are no different from the normal American teenager.
Not only are they still the same young men they were when they started singing, they also do a lot to help others who are less fortunate then they are. As a group, the three Jonas Brothers gave 10% of their earning to a charity which they founded, the Change for the Children Foundation. When they realized they were making this much money, they also realized people were in horrible situations and that they should start to help them. Because they see that many children need help to get the most basic necessities, they feel as though it is part of their duty to help. In addition to this charity, they also have “redged and pledged” to be part of the Friends for Change, an environmental organization helping to save the earth and help people “Go Green.” The environment is an important factor in many children’s lives nowadays and therefore children find somebody who cares for the environment to be a giving person and role model. JB works with their friends at Disney Channel to help the world become greener. The way they go about both of these charities, though, is also admirable. The Jonas Brothers promote both these charities to get help from others rather than for their own publicity. They want to inform people of the problems going on in the world and how we, as a group, can help make the world a better place for everyone.
The Jonas Brothers are made up of three guys who care about what they do and also care about the world around them. They are famous, yet not stuck-up. Many high school students, though, dislike the Jonas Brothers. It is possible the reason many people don’t like the Jonas Brothers is because they are based out of Disney Channel. This channel is seen as one for younger children, and therefore many people feel as though if they watch it or listen to music that comes from it, they are childish. It is possible that if the Jonas Brothers had come out through another label they would be more popular with adolescence. Just like any other band, some people enjoy the music of JB while others don’t, showing the difference between all teens in America.
we've added two more people that will be in the mag, Lilja and Morgan.
and Morgan has finished her article already.... here people who want to be editors
I'm thinking that it should be cut a bit but the article was great
and ignore the fact that its about the Jonas brother. if anyone wants to write an article about why they suck, go ahead. this is for the debate part anyway.
Jonas Brothers: A Teen’s Guilty Pleasure
By Morgan Higgins
One of the well-known bands of our generation, already with four albums out, is the Jonas Brothers. Based out of Disney Channel, it is not a surprise that many kids and tweens rock out to the music of this boy band. As students age though, they begin to mature in their musical taste and, while many high school kids still enjoy the music of the Jonas Brothers, more seem to find this band “unskilled and childish.” While neither opinion is right, people who don’t like the Jonas Brothers should at least be told what their appeal is to their peers.
For those who don’t know, the Jonas Brothers are three brothers who formed a band and are supported by Disney Channel. The youngest Jonas, Nicholas Jonas, was performing in Broadway plays from a young age, including the famous Beauty and the Beast. Nick Jonas, already a solo artist signed to a major record company when he told them about his brothers. All three of them are skilled in playing their instruments. Instruments take a lot of skill to learn to play well and therefore anyone who is able to play one should be respected.
Of course, the basic necessity for a person to like a band is the music. Many people who dislike the music of the Jonas Brothers dislike it because they find them to be unskilled singers. There are two things that need to be said about this opinion though. First off, how good a voice sounds is completely dependant on the person listening. It is not a fact, but an opinion, therefore showing that some people may think the Jonas Brothers have very pleasant voices. The second thing is that not every famous singer in history is known to have an amazing voice. While some people are a pleasure to listen to, others, such as Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan, are very popular but are not seen as good singers. Therefore, the argument that the Jonas Brothers’ singing is a reason not to like them isn’t a very solid one.
Although singing is one aspect of the music, there is also another important aspect: the lyrics. The lyrics of the Jonas Brothers songs are different than most of the other artists of this time. Sophomore, Chelsea Narvaez says one reason she likes the Jonas Brother is because “they have good music that isn’t all about cursing and drugs and stuff like that.” Rather than the lyrics being about one of the above mentioned topics, the lyrics of a Jonas Brothers song come from experiences, which Nick, Joe and/or Kevin have gone through as normal, American children. When these boys look back on what has happened to them, many of the experiences they reminisce upon occurred during their high school years. Because those are the years we are going through now, we will share some of the same experiences with the Jonas Brothers, allowing us to relate to the lyrics of a JB song. This allows high school students to feel more emotionally attached to the song and therefore enjoy it. It allows people to feel like they are not the only one going through difficult times and keeps one from feeling left out. One of the songs of the Jonas Brothers which is known to bring tears to people’s eyes is “A Little Bit Longer” written by Nick Jonas.
“A Little Bit Longer” is written about the emotional response Nick has to his diabetes. The song, though, says nothing about the diabetes but rather the feeling of how people say they can understand what he is going through, but everybody is really different and feels different things. At some point in their lives, everybody feels this way. They feel as though something bad has happened to them and nobody is able to help them cope with their feelings. Although the song does not talk about how they should feel better, it does give teens the sense that everybody feels lonely about a difficult time in their life and it is normal. One of the lyrics, “you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone,” brings every single person listening to the words back to a point in their life where they lost something they took for granted and realized how important it had been to them.
Another very common song by the Jonas Brothers is “When You Look Me in the Eyes.” In this song, JB writes about what it is like to fall in love and what it feels like when the person you have true feelings for looks you right in the eyes. High school is the first time for many when they find somebody they feel like they truly love. In the song, there is a line “When you look me in the eyes and tell me that you love me, everything’s all right.” This line expresses the idea that love conquers all. When people see or hear about how much love can help people, it brings out a feeling of joy and happiness. Because of the emotional content of this song, it is loved by many.
Music is not the only thing, though, that makes the Jonas Brothers popular among teens. The way they come off as regular people also captures the appeal of the audience. Sophomore Safa Sattar says “I like the Jonas Brothers because they don't act stuck up and seem really cool and nice.” When there is a celebrity who acts like they are more important than their fans, people begin to feel as though they would be mean people and have no right to have the glory or fame. But, when a celebrity acts just as they did before they became famous, people think they deserve to be rewarded for their talent and be famous. The Jonas Brothers belong to the latter category because they are known to be very kind to their fans and grounded. Chelsea also said “They're the same down-to-earth guys that they were when they first got into the business.” The Jonas Brothers make their audience feel like they are both the same and, even though the Jonas Brothers are known world wide, they are no different from the normal American teenager.
Not only are they still the same young men they were when they started singing, they also do a lot to help others who are less fortunate then they are. As a group, the three Jonas Brothers gave 10% of their earning to a charity which they founded, the Change for the Children Foundation. When they realized they were making this much money, they also realized people were in horrible situations and that they should start to help them. Because they see that many children need help to get the most basic necessities, they feel as though it is part of their duty to help. In addition to this charity, they also have “redged and pledged” to be part of the Friends for Change, an environmental organization helping to save the earth and help people “Go Green.” The environment is an important factor in many children’s lives nowadays and therefore children find somebody who cares for the environment to be a giving person and role model. JB works with their friends at Disney Channel to help the world become greener. The way they go about both of these charities, though, is also admirable. The Jonas Brothers promote both these charities to get help from others rather than for their own publicity. They want to inform people of the problems going on in the world and how we, as a group, can help make the world a better place for everyone.
The Jonas Brothers are made up of three guys who care about what they do and also care about the world around them. They are famous, yet not stuck-up. Many high school students, though, dislike the Jonas Brothers. It is possible the reason many people don’t like the Jonas Brothers is because they are based out of Disney Channel. This channel is seen as one for younger children, and therefore many people feel as though if they watch it or listen to music that comes from it, they are childish. It is possible that if the Jonas Brothers had come out through another label they would be more popular with adolescence. Just like any other band, some people enjoy the music of JB while others don’t, showing the difference between all teens in America.
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