Homer High School Olympian

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Movie Review: Into the Storm

Ana Shore

Into the Storm was an exciting film, yet lacked a real plot and major character development. The tornadoes that occurred, probably every 20 minutes, within the film added suspense and thrill, making it fun to watch. However, the beginning of the movie was nothing truly exciting because of the introduction of the characters, who were forgettable and lacked depth. The weak start to a relationship between two characters added a needless romance that contributed little to the actual film, but was required in order to add a sense of urgency and suspense when they found themselves trapped in the middle of a tornado. A good portion of the movie revolved around rescuing these two characters. This served as a plot during most of the film. Many aspects of the movie were predictable, such as certain obstacles that were inconveniently placed to hinder the storyline.

From a more technical perspective, the film had quite a few amazing shots. The tornadoes looked impeccably real as well as the resulting debris. There were also a few times where, with a good eye, CGI could be seen well. However, you'd have to really be looking because almost all of it looks real, which of course, it should.

I really liked this film despite its rating from IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes and I would watch it again in a heartbeat. It is a classic disaster movie that makes up for its lack of a plot with amazing action and suspense. There is almost never a dull moment and every time I found myself wishing for more tornadoes, there they appeared. Overall, Into the Storm is a very cool movie!

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Movie Review: When the Game Stands Tall

Mel Videto

When the Game Stands Tall was enticing, exciting, and a thrill to watch. The film depicts the story of legendary football coach, Bob Ladouceur, and the De La Salle high school football team, The Spartans. When a 151 winning streak, accomplished over the course of twelve years, is broken, the team must recover and make a comeback. Based on a true story, the movie was an excellent adaptation of true events and delves deep into the relationships between the players. It sheds light not only on how important football can be to some people, but also how the sport is not just a simple, toss-the-ball game. This movie shows just exactly how close a team must be to succeed. Personally, before I watched the movie, I had absolutely no interest in football. However, after viewing it, I came to have more of an understanding of how close-knit the team must be, not only to each other but also to the coach. The film emphasizes a lot on how family and friends are more important than winning.

From a more technical perspective, the movie has several memorable shots as well as impressive action sequences. During many of the actual games, the point of view is very internal and allowed me to feel as if I were right there on the field. I enjoy a movie that makes you feel involved. The filming of the games was extremely interesting and had terrific suspense. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering if De La Salle would win. Overall, the movie was touching, thrilling, and showed how companionship and the love of a sport matters more than the number on the scoreboard.

Book Review: Anthem

Book Review: Anthem

Skylar Powers

Anthem is a 1938 novel written by Ayn Rand. It had it’s first release in the United States in 1946 after being edited and essentially rewritten for American readers. This novel is one that many students at the Homer High School have read, but I want to make people aware of this novel. I am writing a spoiler-free review of the novel.

The story takes place sometime in the future and this makes it a dystopian novel. This isn’t The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, or Divergent. It is the opposite. In this fictional future, all technology and discoveries that humans take credit for today, are gone. Everyone follows a certain set of strict rules, and breaking these rules would result in horrible consequences. Life is set up ahead of time and everyone does what they are supposed to do. This is the case until secrets start to be revealed that go beyond everyone’s logic and intelligence.

The novel, in my opinion, starts out on a slow note. The first chapter drags along, and sometimes it got hard to continue reading. The language was repetitive and the story seemed dull and deprived of emotion. To add onto that, the wording is extremely confusing and the book doesn’t make much sense. For example, “We felt the cords of our neck grow tight as our head rose higher to look upon the faces of the Council, and we were happy” (Rand 26). The characters didn’t seem interesting at first, and they aren’t because that’s the way the story makes them out to be. They aren’t unique or very ambitious. The verb agreement is confusing. They use “We” with “I” verbs, if you know what I mean. It doesn’t take long to get used to the society’s usage and the reasons why they speak the way that they do. The book is a brief 89 pages, so it has to pick up in speed. Just in the second chapter, the story becomes very interesting. I became obsessed with the characters and I wanted to know what would happen next at every moment. As the story’s mysteries start to unravel themselves, the book becomes more understandable and, also, more interesting.

This book deserves more credit. It should be considered with the classics like 1984, another popular dystopian novel. It is a fantastic book with a fantastic ending and great characters. So, if you are looking for something different that can be read quickly, this book is definitely a really good option.

Movie Review: The Giver

Julia Fouts

On August 15, 2014, the movie The Giver was released. Based on Lois Lowry’s well-acclaimed book, this phenomenal movie is a must-see. The story centers on Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) who lives in a futuristic, colorless, and emotionless world. When Jonas graduates from childhood, he learns from The Giver (Jeff Bridges) all the memories of the past. He begins seeing colors and feeling deep emotions; he also sees all that is wrong with the society he lives in. Hate, love, music, and knowledge are absent in the society. Jonas risks his life to restore the past and attempt to save his world from its emotionless state. The movie does a good job in displaying the book’s main themes and ideas; it is an exciting tale for everyone, having read the book or not. The visuals are outstanding, especially when The Giver’s memories are shown to Jonas. Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep play their roles well; Cameron Monaghan, Taylor Swift, and Odeya Rush are also fantastic. The development of the protagonist, however, is mediocre. By infusing more emotion into his character, Thwaites could have added more depth and interest to his character. Despite this, Thwaites was a great choice for Jonas and did well in one of his first movies. Suspense filled the climax, and the movie is by far one of the best futuristic films of the decade; it is simple, interesting, and the romance is not overdone. In the movie, Jonas learns of pain and suffering, but also of joy and love. He has an incredible desire to share all that he feels, and this desire powers the storyline. Thoughtful ideas, such as totalitarianism, freedom of expression, and the danger of ignorance are a few central concepts displayed in the movie. Sameness and equality are put to the test in the enticing and powerful movie, The Giver.