Category: Reviews

Book Review of Marina and the Kraken (The Mythics #1) by Lauren Magaziner

Gabriel T., journalist

This book was so kindly sent to me by its author, Lauren, not long before she was the guest for the season finale of my book podcast “Try Reading.”

I have loved Lauren’s work for so long but it had been a while since I had read a book of hers. And let me just say, it was good to be back.
This is a wonderful middle-grade fantasy and knowing it’s shorter, it cuts to the chase right away and you are well-informed of the way the society works and how these five fantastic girls, Pippa, Hailey, Kit, Ember, and of course our main character, Marina, have to go on a quest to gain their mythical familiars.

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Book Review: Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala – (Review by Gabriel T.) 

Gabriel T., journalist

I have so much love for Mia’s writing and the world she has built with Lila and all of Shady Palms. It had been so long since I had read a Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery, so of course I was overjoyed to be reading Mia’s amazing writing again. While this is the third book in the series, these books are written so they can be read as stand-alones or out of order as well. 

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A Documentary: Intrigue at its Finest

Emma P., journalist

Have you ever wondered about how the famous painting of the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris?  Have you ever wanted to know more about your favorite chef? How he – or she – got started in the industry or how to recreate one of the iconic recipes? Maybe you like sports and you want to know more about Deflategate. If you respond yes to any of these questions, we’re going to get along swimmingly since the answers to these questions, and so many more, can be found in documentaries, one of my favorite movie/TV genres.

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“The Batman” Is the Perfect Portrayal of the World’s Greatest Detective

Cole B., journalist

Continuing their mission to focus on director-driven projects, Warner Bros. and Matt Reeves (director) produced “The Batman”: a dark, thrilling detective-noir film that is unlike any iteration of the Caped Crusader that has ever reached the silver screen. Batman (Robert Pattinson) must scour through the criminal underworld, following clues left by the Riddler (Paul Dano), a criminal who murders Gotham City’s elites in an effort to expose corruption. Aided by Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and the unpredictable Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), Batman tries to unmask the truth before the Riddler unleashes terror and destruction on Gotham. 

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Book Review: Daisy Jones & the Six

Ella M., journalist

“‘You’ll be Daisy Jones & The Six.’ And no one was happy, but everyone was kind of equally dissatisfied.”

This quote easily sums up the story of an up-and-coming rock band and free-spirited young talent in the ’70s, as told in the novel Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. 

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James Gunn’s the Suicide Squad Is an Exciting Masterpiece, Full of Heart… and Hearts.

Cole B., journalist

In the summer of 2018, James Gunn, director of the popular Guardians of the Galaxy films, was fired from Disney/Marvel after the offensive social media posts of his past resurfaced on the internet after 10+ years. Shortly after this, Gunn apologized for his insensitive, immature comments, and was hastily hired by Warner Bros. Pictures to direct any film he wanted. He created The Suicide Squad–one of the greatest comic book movies in recent years.

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Review: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

By Emma D., Arts Department Co-Editor

Photo courtesy of NBC.

If your life were a musical, it might look something like Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. The NBC dramedy created by showrunner Austin Winsberg (The Sound of Music Live!) recently finished its second season and has a dedicated fan base who are hoping it will be renewed for a third one.

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Netflix’s “Moxie” Gives Young Women a Sense of Empowerment

Paige P., journalist

On March 3, Netflix started off Women’s History Month with a bang! Moxie, Amy Poehler’s female empowerment themed movie was released. In the setting of a typical American high school, the main character, Vivian (Hadley Robinson) begins to notice and pay closer attention to the issues of sexism that occur on a daily basis all around her. Inspired by her mom’s and passion for feminism and observing the new girl in school, Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña) standing up for herself, Vivian distributes copies of an anonymous pamphlet entitled “Moxie.” The pamphlet calls out unacceptable behaviors and actions towards young women in her school in an attempt to make female voices heard and it received a lot of traction. As a result, a group of students also called Moxie forms to protest injustices in their school, big and small, and work to empower not only each other, but everyone in their school (especially young women) who feel as though they are not being heard.

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Mankind’s Crucible: What Arthur Miller’s 1953 Masterpiece Taught Us

Nastia Goddard, Arts Department Co-Editor

The Crucible is one of those titles that almost everyone is familiar with or has at least heard of- and for a good reason. Arthur Miller’s 20th-century classic drama tells a brazenly timeless story, though few truly recognize its candid relevance in the modern world. As society becomes increasingly polarized in the digital age, it is easy to brush off the lessons of the past as inapplicable historical lectures. Such thinking is inherently flawed: how can we move forward if we refuse to acknowledge our past? The answers to some of today’s most pressing questions may lie in the text of a play that most high schoolers begrudgingly skim.

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