You are here: Home / Archives for admin

The Hunger Games movie review

April 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Ashley Castaneda

First it was Harry Potter. Then it was Twilight. The Harry Potter films are finished, and Twilight is coming to an end. Fans of these two films were left without anything to see or read. Until The Hunger Games came along. Outrunning Twilight with its action scenes and Harry Potter with its extraordinary journey, The Hunger Games fulfills fans needs for a action, romance and adventure.

 

The wait is over for the 74thHunger Games. “Citizens of Panem” lined up to experience the tributes’ journey in the new franchise The Hunger Games on March 23.

 

After North America fell from destruction, Panem was born. Panem consist of 12 districts with one capital (District 1). The people of Panem promised to never rebel again and that peace is what will be in the districts. In order to keep the districts at peace, every district sends one boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate as tributes representing their districts in the 74th annual Hunger Games, where tributes fight in a battle of survival that is broadcast live throughout Panem. Only one tribute can survive the Hunger Games, and the tribute that wins will never have to work for food again.

 

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), both citizens of District 12 , are forced to take part in the Hunger Games. Katniss takes the place of her little sister Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields). Her promise to her sister is that she “would try to win (the game) for her.” Peeta amd Katniss, along with 22 other trubutes, compete to win the favor of sponsors in order to increase their chances of survival. With romance getting in the way of Katniss and Peeta, they face a hard decision in surviving the game.

 

Jennifer Lawrence is an talented actress known for being in films such as Winter’s Bone and X -Men First Class. Lawrence has had experience in action films so she was the perfect Katniss Everdeen. What makes Lawrence the perfect Katniss is the emotion she brings into her character. Lawrence puts bravery, determination, and wit into her character. Lawrence did an

 

amazing job when Katniss is saying goodbye to her sister and her mother. She portrays such fervent emotion and feeling when Katniss says to her mother.

 

 Katniss:“ You can’t tune out again.”

 

 Katniss Mother: “I won’t”

Katniss: “ No you can’t. Not like when dad died. I won’t be there anymore. You’re all she has. No matter what you feel, you have to be there for her. Do you understand?”

 

( Katniss’ mother nods with tears in her eyes)

 

 Katniss: “ Don’t Cry. Don’t”

 

 Josh Hutcherson is adorable and charming just like his character Peeta Mellark. Hutcherson is known for being in Bridge to Terabithia and Journey to The Center of The Earth. He too has had experience in action genre films. Hutcherson doesn’t have to try hard to be charming and sweet because he is that already; Hutcherson was being himself. The Peeta in the book is described as being a soft, sincere, and quiet but in the movie Peeta is caring and sociable; he loves people. Hutcherson puts humor into his character to make him seem practical. Fans will enjoy this practical yet charming Peeta.

 

Although Liam Hemsworth, who plays Gale Hawthorne, he is shown only in the beginning of The Hunger Games. Hemsworth still catches fans eyes with his strength and maturity as Gale.

 

The rest of the characters like Caeser Flickerman ( Stanley Tucci) Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), and Effie Trinket ( Elizabeth Banks) were very entertaining to watch, they were probably fans favorite characters.

 

All the performance came from the direction of the director Gary Ross, the Oscar nominated writer and director. Ross Directed movies like Big, Dave, Pleasantville, and Seabiscuit. Producer of The Hunger Games, Nina Jacobson knew what she was doing by picking Ross. His image of The Hunger Games was extraordinary.

 

Ross stated in The Huger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion what he wanted fans to experience,

 

 “I needed to give the audience that incredibly immediate sense that they’re not watching this girl – they are this girl. I wanted them to be in her shoes, to experience everything through her eyes.”

 

 In order to make this effect Ross uses handheld cameras to create this effect. Watching the movie people do feel like they are part of the Hunger Games but as for the behind the eyes of Katniss the movie hardly shows what she sees. In the action scenes the handheld camera effect is used a lot; these scenes seem a little sloppy with this effect because the minute someone is attacked, the camera moves all over the place and the next minute two other people are dead. It may have confused some audiences when the camera was moving fast because the fight scenes went by fast. This film is full of intense action scenes well choreographed.

 

There’s nothing more fans of franchise books love more than to have the author ( Suzanne Collins) help write the screenplay. The movie followed the book, of course a film can’t be so long so characters such as Madge and the Avox girl were cut out of the movie. Collins listened to her fans by following every step of the book. As for the setting of the movie , Panem is the future so they do stick with 21st century style in poor areas like District 12 homes that are “ Factory homes”, sort of beat down trailer homes. The setting of District 12 is similar to the setting in the book, the electric gate is near the woods where Katniss hunts, and the seam is indoor surrounded by worthless junk.

 

The design of the Capital was beautiful and very elegant. The setting of Katniss and Peeta’s housing in the Capital was colorful just like the Capital is supposed to be. The Capital is known for being colorful with their eccentric clothes and makeup. The clothes had a look kind of like Alice in Wonderland look with heavy makeup and hats, wigs, and clothes that were elegant but fun looking at the same time. The Capital had to have been one of the best scenes in the movie. It was very fun to watch the people of the capital.

 

This film is rated PG-13 because of intense violent thematic material and disturbing material. The Hunger Games is now showing at all movie theaters. 

 

Filed Under: Entertainment

Bel Air Students make it to FBLA Nationals

April 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Edna Ferguson

Two of FBLA’s participants at Bel Air will be going to nationals this summer. The National Leadership Conference will take place in San Antonio June 28 through July 2. Freshmen Gimena Ramirez and junior Michelle Rodriguez will both be representing Bel Air High.

 

State competition took place in Houston, TX. Fifteen students represented Bel Air. Gimena Ramirez took first place in Word Processing 1 and Michelle Rodriguez took second in Help Desk.

 

Rodriguez has been in FBLA since her freshmen year. She will compete in Help Desk again for nationals.

 

In Help Desk, the competitor is tested in helping the customers with their computer problems. The customers are the judges. “It’s an interactive presentation,” Rodriguez said, “I have to speak to the customer and come up with ideas to solve the problems.”

 

Rodriguez says she plans to study either Hospitality Management or Business Administration. “FBLA has helped me be a better leader,” Rodriguez said, “It has also helped me with my speaking skills.”

 

Ramirez will compete Word Processing 1 again in nationals. Word Processing 1 consists of the students typing letters or newspaper releases. “I have to do as much as I can in an hour,” Ramirez said. There is also a 100 question test required.

 

Both Ramirez and Rodriguez enjoy participating in FBLA especially in the different service it gives to the community.

 

“FBLA helps me understand how to be in a professional career and be more organized,” Ramirez said. “I got to meet new people, and I liked helping in the March of Dimes.”

 

“I have made friends that I can depend on and will always be there for me,” Rodriguez said.

 

FBLA stands for Future Business Leaders of America, is the largest and oldest student business organization in the world. Its membership is 250,000 of middle, high school, and college students.

 

 

Filed Under: News

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

March 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Edna Ferguson

Based on the novel “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” HUGO reveals the wide appreciation for films and the love for children’s imaginations.

 

HUGO is about the life of a twelve year-old boy living inside the walls and clocks of a Paris train station. Being an orphan, Hugo strives to reveal the mystery an automaton his father left him has, believing that whatever it is, the message is from his father. Through his journey he steals everything he can to keep him alive and help him fix the automaton, his only friend, always running away from the injured guard that wants to put him in an orphanage.

 

He makes friends with the toy shop’s goddaughter who turns out to have the key to start the automaton. Her godfather turns out to be the famous Georges Melies, one of the first filmmakers. Thus the main adventure begins with finding out the mystery behind this man’s retirement. Through his tough kid life, Hugo finds adventure and a family in his friends.

 

Entwined with romantic comedy this film is great for a family night. It contains small episodes between innocent adults that have fallen in love for the first time and the funny acts they each go through to get to that significant other.

 

The film projects the psychological and emotional views of life, especially the truth and humor behind “falling in love.” The film appreciation in the movie is also attractive in the sense that the audience, who had no interest in films whatsoever or did not know much about them, are left with the awe and wonder over the art of film making; people want to know more.

 

Though PG rated for containing some humor not appropriate for children, HUGO is as innocent as it could be to the main audience. Nominated for Best Picture for the Academy Awards, HUGO is a must see film. 5 stars.

 

 

Filed Under: Opinion

Enforcing New ID Policy

March 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Michelle Ivette Rodriguez

Student IDs have been a requirement for students for several years. However, the enforcement of IDs has been inconsistent. Administration has now initiated a more rigorous way of enforcing the wearing of IDs to ensure student safety.

“The use of student and faculty ID cards is for student safety. (With the IDs) we are able to quickly identify people who do not belong at the school,” Principal Dora De La Rosa said.

Some, like World Geography and Freshmen Girls’ Basketball Coach Manny Piñon, agree some aspects of the policy, but disagree with other aspects of it.

“I think (students) can have whatever lanyard they want as long as they have their IDs,” Piñon said. He said that the policy will “work to get kids to conform (and wear their IDs because) when (students) start losing their free time that’s when they start all of a sudden falling into place because they don’t want to lose their lunch.”

This policy requires students who do not wear their IDs to join “the Lunch Bunch.”

“Students who are not in compliance forfeit their lunch for a cafeteria sack lunch. This (detention) is for the entire lunch time will the detention (for tardies) is only part of lunch,” De La Rosa said. She said students are being “asked not to deface their IDs or lanyards.”

Piñon, however, does not think the “Lunch Bunch” detention will entirely solve the ID problem, but does not know of any solution that will.

Junior Christian Gamboa completely disagrees with the policy saying that “(administration tells students they) need to wear…IDs…but shouldn’t (the) teachers we have already know who we are?” Futhermore, Gamboa sees the policy as “unfair” because, in his opinion, it is not right for a student who forgets his/her ID for one day to be punished.

He suggests that a better solution to the problem is to “tell (students) they have to have their IDs with them, but it shouldn’t be mandated for them to wear them.”

Others, like junior Stephanie Chavez, don’t care for the IDs or lanyards. Chavez said that a better solution to the problem would be to simply wear “name tags” instead of the “itchy…lanyard.”

However, some students don’t mind the new ID policy. Junior Carmen Kerstiens said that wearing the IDs is “good not only because it’s for the safety of the students (but it) helps us acquire a good habit” for students’ future professional lives.

Despite the good aspects of the policy, Kerstiens sees the policy – particularly the punishment as “too severe” and suggests that a more lenient punishment would be a better solution.

“I feel there should be stages of punishment like a short lunch detention and then if the student continues to not have (his/her) ID, then (he/she) should receive the whole lunch detention,” she said.

Administration will do walk throughs to ensure students are wearing their IDs and are in compliance to school policy. The “Lunch Bunch” will held be in the Tartan Theatre as well as in different classrooms. Teachers can volunteer and be paid to supervise the detention. The policy went into effect Thursday March 1.

 

Filed Under: Features

Academic Decathlon in Search of New Members

March 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Michelle Ivette Rodriguez

After have a successful regional competition, Academic Decathlon sponsor Eduardo Malandris is in search of new members to complete next year’s team.

 

“Most of the team is graduating, so I have to start recruiting new team members,” Malandris said. He will “put out an announcement for (students) interested in joining.” He said that in order to have a full team, there needs to be nine members.

 

“(We) can compete with (fewer members), but (nine) is a full team.”

 

Academic Decathlon is a series of academic competition that tests a student’s knowledge in “math, science, literature, economics, essay writing, interview, and speech,” Malandris said.

 

Seven of the nine members of the current Academic Decathlon placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at the regional competition.

 

“(When the students were preparing for the competition) the students (were) given reading and practicing material, plus a novel to read,” Malandris continued. He said the team “met once a week after school…to practice for (the) competition.”

 

“Ms. Shawn Mena was instrumental in preparing the students for the Speech and Interview parts of the 10 event competition,” he said of the studnets’ preparation.

 

All nine students competed in all 10 categories including a Super Quiz Relay, in which the current Academic Decathlon team placed third, a first for the team.

 

Filed Under: Features

The Hunger Games book review

March 6, 2012 By 1 Comment

By: Rosario Neria

Book review- The Hunger games by Suzanne Collins

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, a young adults book of survival and love, enthralls it’s readers with a setting of interesting views and characters that have readers mesmerized.

 

The book is set in Panem, a “shining” Capitol of 12 districts that rose up from the ashes of a place that was once known as North America. Class is organized by districts, the bottom class being district 12. In Panem the Capitol Keeps the districts in line and reminds them of the Capitol’s superiority over them by forcing the districts to send one boy and one girl to participate in the annual Hunger Games survival and a fight to the death on live TV.

 

The protagonist of the story, Katniss Everdeen, volunteers to participate in the Hunger Games taking the place of her little sister Prim.

 

“’I volunteer!” I gasped. “I volunteer as a tribute!’” Katniss Everdeen says.

 

During the Games, their adviser, Haymitch, and the boy tribute, Peeta Mellark, decided to use a love story between Katniss and Peeta as a way of survival. Though angry about being used like that, Katniss soon understands a need for this as a way to survive in the Games. She finds ways to survive by using the trees to escape the other tributes and using the elements agents them. She also forms an alliance with one of the tributes. When the rules take an interesting turn she finds herself back in the game of playing lover with Peeta as she tries to keep both of them alive.

 

The book has readers on the edge of their seat for the next chapter every minute that they are reading. With a futuristic twist, the plot and setting is so believable that readers would want to watch their backs for the Capitol’s Peacekeepers. This book has a copious amount of adventure and romance keeping the adventure seekers on the edge and the romantics sighing.

 

This book gives readers a view into a world that is harsh and cruel with characters that readers would have a hard time not either hating or feeling for. Readers can feel for the character Katniss and the hardships she faces though strong she is still considerably naïve. Peta, who at first seems’ naïve, shows many times how strong he can be. Also, the Capitol would have readers in a fury at their ways of doing things, though there is some understanding of why the Capitol does what it does. IAs a whole, this book has entranced many to read until the very edges of the night to the early wisps of morning to see what would happen next. When readers finish this book they will be so enthralled by the characters and plot that the next book to the trilogy wouldn’t be in their hands fast enough. Readers can find this book and the next two of the trilogy at their local Wal Mart for $6.29 or at a local Barns-N-Noble for $ 8.99.

 

Also on March 23 the movie The Hunger Games will come out in theaters.

 

Filed Under: Entertainment

Speech and Debate team

March 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Edna Ferguson

The Speech and Debate team advanced to state this month. Patrick Jaramillo, Cristian Morales, and Edith Torres each qualified to do an oratory.

“An oratory is a written speech of 10 minutes or less on a persuasive topic,” Mena said. “The kids choose the topic.”

 

Senior Edith Torres chose the topic “Lazy in the USA,” which is about laziness throughout the nation.

 

Torres entered Speech and Debate this year. “I was kind of volunteered into it,” Torres said, “Ms. Mena recruited us.” Like her, Senior Cristian Morales also started this year. His oratory topic for State will be “Why the negative public image of teachers is incorrect.”

 

“I like working hard and I enjoy the feeling of public speaking,” Morales said.

 

He has been in three tournaments this year. He placed 3rd in the EPCC Tournament, 2nd place in the Burges Tournament, and took 1st place in the Nationals’ Qualifying tournament. He performed an Oratory for all three. He will be going to Nationals in June.

 

The team is scheduled to leave Feb. 29th and come back March 4th. Competition will take place in Amarillo, TX.

 

 

Filed Under: News

Book Review: Maus by Art Spiegelman

March 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Rebeca Cazares

The complete comic book Maus captivates the audience with an emotional journey through the amazing graphics and the intellectual writing.

 

The comic book is by Art Spiegelman and is a biography of his father’s life during the Holocaust. The book is an easy and quick read. The audience won’t want to put it down once the first page is read. The book even though it is a comic book, it has proved that it is literature. This book revolutionized comic books proving they can be serious literature.

 

The comic book has anthropomorphism (where animals are being used instead of humans).  Each animal symbolizes a nationality or group in this comic book.  The Jews are mice, and accordingly the Germans are cats.

 

The story emphasizes on the relationship between the son and the father, repeatedly showing the regret that was once felt throughout the story.  Personally the story brought memories back of the relationship with my father, so therefore the story line led me through an emotionally journey throughout each page.

 

Besides discovering how important relationship with our parents are, the story also deals with the hardships of the Holocaust.  It goes over that idea of having everything and then having nothing all due because of the war.   Trauma is also heavily seen, after having survived, the father deals with repression and the constant idea of someone out to get him.  The father saves everything (any metal he finds in the ground or any scrap of food) because that can be used which continually reminds the people around him that he hasn’t gotten past the idea of being at war.  The father doesn’t live in peace.

 

This book is Spiegelman’s masterpiece. Spiegelman’s creativity in this biography is innovative and deep.

 

5 stars

 

 

Filed Under: Opinion

Musical Review: Some Nights by Fun

March 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By: Chrissy Gomez

Three years after their freshman album “Aim and Ignite,” indie pop band Fun has stirred up the enthusiasm of fans with their stellar hit single “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” and have recently released their next studio album. Fun fans can now get their hands on “Some Nights,”an album that has been highly anticipated since the release of “We Are Young.”

 “Some Nights” is packed full of energetic songs with an almost grungy sentiment that keeps Fun true to their nature. Lead singer Nate Ruess’ multi-octave vocals coupled with the operatic highs and lows of each song make the entire album so much more different than their prior album “Aim and Ignite,” in both positive and negative ways.

 Since the Chevy Sonic Superbowl commercial, the single “We Are Young” has hit the top of the iTunes charts along with the version of the song covered by the Glee cast. The song features the Grammy-nominated R&B singer Janelle Monae, which adds a very soulful feel to the tune.

 The overall sound of the album is much more mellow and euphonious than what Fun usually dishes out to their fans. “We Are Young” and “Out On The Town” sound like Fun’s classic foot-stomping compositions, however, “Carry On” and “Why I am The One” are tracks that are much too tranquil for the usual clamorous nature of the band.

 Fun still keeps their unique style while incorporating a newer sound to that could get some getting used to but is definitely a step in the right direction for this upcoming indie band. “Some Nights” is available at l FYE and Best Buy for a generous $10 or so. For that vintage feel, the vinyl and CD bonus pack will run about $25.

 As it stands, “We Are Young” has hit number one on the iTunes charts and “Some Nights” has placed second on after Adele’s “21” album.

Filed Under: Opinion

Lady Highlanders Varsity Basketball

February 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Videographers: Edna Ferguson and Ashley Castaneda

Edited by: Michelle Rodriguez and Ashley Castaneda

Pictures by: Eli Alacron
Lady Highlanders make history as the first district champs in over 30 years.

(CLICK HERE)–>Girls Basketball

 

Filed Under: Sports
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »