By: Emma Hofer Whether you think video games have an effect or not, they do. Many studies have proven they do have some effects, good and bad. Although most people primarily think of the negative effects. But there are positive effects that can occur and help people with certain disorders in playing video games that are overlooked.
First, what actually are the effects of video games on young minds and bodies? According to the American Psychological Association, video games, more specifically violent video games, will increase aggression in both the short and the long term. However, there isn't enough evidence to link aggression from video games to crimes or delinquency. Aggression isn’t the only negative effect, though. Other effects include low self-esteem, a preference for solitude, loneliness, negative attitudes/emotions, and poor work/school performance. Video games can also affect your physical health. According to a study done at Georgetown University by Sandra L. Calvert, students who had played a violent game experienced a higher heart rate, increased dizziness, nausea, and demonstrated more aggressive thoughts compared to someone who played a regular video game. In another study done by Dr. Moberg, other physical effects of video games could include wrist, neck and elbow pain, skin blisters, calluses, and, in some cases, sleep disorders. Some effects from long-term addiction to video games can also include obesity, weakness or numbness in your hands, or even blood clots. While the above effects sound pretty bad, there are some positive effects to playing video games. According to the American Psychological Association, some positive effects from video games are that they can help improve depth perception, increase helpful behaviors, and even increase physical fitness. Mentally, some positives are that it can help those who suffer from mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, antisocial personality disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and Alzheimer's disease. Even violent video games are now showing that they might have some positive benefits that haven’t been considered in earlier research. Video games have effects, whether positive or negative, they have an effect. Not all effects are mental, but that’s mostly what people think of when it comes to the effects. Some of these effects are very damaging and some are very helpful to the mind and body.
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By: Macie Gardner When trying to choose where to go to lunch, there are many different factors that play into your decision. Three students at Bear River (from different grades) provided their opinions on the best places to get food during lunch time.
Metztli Aguilar, a sophomore, said her favorite place to go during lunch is Harris Market. She said, “It's so close and nobody thinks to go there. Also, the workers are very friendly and give you good deals.” Aguilar thinks that gas stations, including Maverick, are one of the best options people have because you are not depending on anyone else to get your food in time. For example, Aguilar said, “I hate going to Golden Spike during lunch because it is so crowded and they take forever.” Speed and good deals are a must. When asked where the best place is for that, Aguilar said, “Pizza Plus has a very good student special and they are very fast workers.” Reagan Tureson, a junior, on the other hand, said she doesn’t like going to gas stations for lunch. She thinks it is better to go to actual restaurants so you can order exactly what you want, don’t have to worry about being fast, and you don’t have to depend on yourself. Tureson says she likes to go to Subway the best: “They are pretty close to the school, and don’t take very long to get your food to you.” Tureson says that if you try to go anywhere that is more than a couple minutes away, you won’t have enough time to eat and get back to class in time. She says, “The line to get out of the parking lot takes a long time, plus the drive time, then you have to eat. You barely have enough time to do it all.” Last, we have Porter Hammons, a senior. He said that his all time favorite place to go for lunch is home. His second favorite is McDonalds. Other than fast food restaurants, Hammons thinks that grocery stores are better than gas stations. He said, “Kent's has a very good deli option, and they have so much more than a gas station does. The only bad thing is that it's such a good option, everyone goes there so you have to be fast.” As with Aguilar and Tureson, Hammons pointed out that time is a key factor. You have to hurry after third hour, get out of the parking lot, and stay close to the school if you want to make it in time. By: Madisen Child Welcome back to “This Day In History,” where we feature a prominent event, birth, and death from one day spanning all of human history. This week is focused on February 19.
Birth: In 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus Sr. and Barbara Watzenrode welcomed the youngest of four children. Nicolaus Copernicus Jr. would grow up to become one of the most famous mathematicians in history. Copernicus is featured briefly in Pixar’s “Soul” as one of 22’s mentors. He is seen angrily shouting, “The world doesn’t revolve around you, 22!” This is a clever reference to his work for science and astronomy. Copernicus, as you may have learned in your science class, was the first to propose the heliocentric model of the universe. He believed the controversial idea that the sun stood in the middle of the universe while Earth revolved around it. Before him, humans believed in the geocentric model, meaning the sun revolved around Earth. As we know now, he was right. His outburst is a reference to our old belief of the universe literally revolving around us. Event: If you have a bit of theatrical knowledge under your belt, you probably know about Alexander Hamilton and his nemesis, Aaron Burr. The musical “Hamilton: an American Musical” by Lin Manuel Miranda tells the story of Hamilton and Burr’s friendship, and how it devolved into hatred. Burr ended up fatally shooting Hamilton in the stomach in 1804. What musical fans don’t know is that, 214 years ago in 1807, Aaron Burr was arrested for treason in Alabama. According to History.com, Burr was charged for “...plotting to annex Spanish territory in Louisiana and Mexico to be used toward the establishment of an independent republic.” In 1806, Burr led armed colonists toward New Orleans, prompting his investigation and eventual arrest. He was acquitted on September 1, 1807 because he never engaged in an “overt act.” An overt act means that he didn’t do anything to give concrete proof of criminal intention. This was a key part of treason according to the Constitution, which Burr helped to defend during the American War of Independence. Death: “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a well known book among high school and middle school students. The story of Scout Finch and her family is a required reading book in many school districts. As such, it holds a place in many hearts and minds throughout America. The book won a Pulitzer prize in 1961 and has since become a classic. The author of this book, Harper Lee, died at 89 years old on February 19, 2016. She died in her sleep, according to her nephew Hank Connor. She’d had a stroke in 2007 and had since struggled with various health problems. Hearing and memory loss along with limited sight are only a few among these problems. Today, she rests at Hillcrest, Penville and Baptist Cemetery in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. By: Meadow Mellon Hot dogs are one of the staples of American cuisine. They are most commonly found in sports’ stands and cookouts for the neighborhood. But how did this food become so popular in America? The origins of the American hot dog actually start in 1487 Germany. A Bratwurst was put onto a milk roll and sauerkraut was added on top. Hot Dog History said before that, in ancient Rome, the head chef at the palace discovered that a pig served to the emperor had not been properly cleaned. When he cut into the pig stomach its empty intestines fell out and they were bloated from the starvation diet that they were subjected to. These intestines were later used to make casings for hot dogs.
Hot Dog History said it is thought that the North American version of the hot dog is based on European sausage brought by butchers to the Americas. Now as to who sold the first hot dog, that is a mystery. It is theorized that a German immigrant in 1860 walked around with a push cart in New York. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, “In 1871, Charles Feltman, a German baker, opened the first ever Coney Island hot dog stand and sold 3,684 dachshund sausages in a milk roll in his first year of business.” Now how did “hot dog” come to be the name for this tasty food? According to Hot Dog History, it is said that the name was coined in 1901 in the streets of New York, where the vendors had hot water tanks filled with the sausages. Vendors would call out, “Red hot! Come and get your dachshund sausages while they're red hot!” An artist nearby drew a dachshund in a roll and, not knowing how to spell dachshund, he just put the words ‘hot dog.’ The name took off, but the original cartoon was never found even though the artist that made it was very famous. As for the classic bun, Hot Dog History said this wonder was created during the 1904 Louisiana Purchase. The story was that white gloves were handed out to hold the piping hot sausage. When the gloves were never returned the stock began to run low, so they had to come up with an alternative. The brother-in-law of the one handing out the gloves was a baker. He came up with the solution to his brother-in-law’s problem. He took the original idea of the soft roll and made them longer to fit the hot dog. This began the idea of the hot dog bun. Hot dogs, an American classic, began with German butchers that brought processed sausages to America to sell. Hot dogs have become a common and favorite dish in American households. By: Madisen Child Introduction: Welcome to the first edition of “This Day In History,” courtesy of The Red Pages! So much can happen in a year, let alone one day. That is what this column aims to highlight. Every week, this column will feature a prominent event, birth, and death from one day spanning all of human history. This week, our date is February 12. Although overshadowed by Valentine’s day, the 12th has some unique and interesting events of its own.
Birth: February 12, 1809, the future 16th president of the United States was born. Abraham Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky exactly 212 years ago today. His parents, Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, lived on Sinking Spring Farm. The farm has since become an elegant Grecian-style monument with 56 steps to represent each year of the President’s life. Lincoln was raised in poverty, but would grow up to become one of the most well-known US Presidents to date. Though he was unpopular and even tyrannical in some minds, Lincoln has gone down in history as the man who led us through the civil war and freed slaves in the States forever. Event: 61 years later, in 1870, Utah became the second state to allow women to vote. Utah, just a territory at the time, granted women the right to vote in legal elections. Two days later, Seraph Young became the first Utah woman to vote. This was a major victory for suffragettes of the time, and we enjoy the fruits of their labor even today in 2021. Unfortunately, they would not keep these rights for long. In 1887, the Edmunds-Tucker Act revoked the voting rights of all Utah women. This act was originally passed in an effort to restrict polygamy among the Latter Day Saints. For this reason, the act was nicknamed the “Anti-Polygamy Act of 1887.” Once Wilford Woodruff officially ended polygamy, women regained their voting rights and have kept them ever since. Death: A lot of people know the story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov. Her parents, Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, were the last rulers of Russia before it was taken over by the Communists. Anastasia had three older sisters named Maria, Olga and Tatiana, and one younger brother named Alexei. Rumors got out that Anastasia and Alexei survived the attack and escaped. Their bodies weren’t found with the rest of the Romanovs. Since then, countless women have come forward claiming to be the lost duchess Anastasia. The most famous of these imposters, Anna Anderson, died of pneumonia on February 12, 1984. Although she failed to prove that she really was Anastasia, she’s become the most well known Romanov imposter in history. Looking back, it’s amazing how differently a day can go in different years. Each event here took place during entirely different eras. This amazing, unique history is something that I look forward to highlighting every week. By: Enoch Whitaker Welcome to the first edition of New Music Friday, where I will be reviewing the most notable releases from last Friday. This includes Albums, EPs, and Singles from a variety of different musical genres. After listening to each project a couple of times, I will give my personal thoughts and opinions on it, then a score out of 10. This week, we will be reviewing “The Voice,'' an Album by Lil Durk, “Forever is the Sweetest Con,''an EP by Taylor Swift, and finally “You,” a Single by Vance Joy, Benny Blanco, and Marshmello.
To start off, I will be reviewing Lil Durk’s newest album, “The Voice.” This is the deluxe version of the Chicago based rapper’s sixth studio album which adds 12 more tracks, making it his biggest album with a total of 28. Lil Durk has been making music for just around 11 years, with his first project coming out in 2010. He did not find instant success though, finally hitting the mainstream in 2015 with his debut studio album, “Remember My Name.” To give some backstory on this album, Durk’s life-long friend and fellow rapper, King Von, was tragically murdered last November. Durk dedicated this album to him and he is featured prominently on the cover art and the 18th track of the album. After listening through this album and his previous work around four to five times through, I can confidently say that this is Durk’s best work. This record has some great features from some of the hottest names in hip hop at the moment with artists like Lil Baby, Young Thug, and rising star, Pooh Shiesty. Most of the album is Durk rapping about his experiences growing up in Chicago, his time in jail with his contemporaries, and his life before and after fame. One of the better songs on this record, “Finesse Up the Gangway,” tells the story of Durk rising to the top of the rap game all while a brazen multi-layered piano instrumental perfectly compliments his voice. About two-thirds of the way through the song, Lil Baby comes in to tell his story, which is similar to Durks. Later down the record you come to the track, “Kanye Krazy.” Kanye West, just like Lil Durk, is a rapper who hails from Chicago. On this song, Lil Durk pays tribute to his “idol” and raps about how he himself is going “Kanye Krazy.” Another standout track on this release is named after the album itself and is simply called “The Voice.” The best thing about the track is no doubt the instrumental. While the instrumental is yet another piano beat, it has a guitar that is pitch-matched to the piano and the background vocals. Listening to the track like this, it is easy to lose yourself in the world the track creates around you. Throughout most of the album, it features many lamentful piano layed instrumentals but one track in particular stands out from the rest. “Still Trappin’,” featuring Durk’s late contemporary, King Von, has an energy that is not to be found anywhere else on the album. The instrumental on this track is tough, dark, and grimy in comparison to other songs like “Switched Up” and “Refugee” which makes it that much better. I can definitely say that I thoroughly enjoyed every listen I had through this album, but there is one big problem that I have with this album. Many of the songs seem so incredibly similar to one another. Of the 28 total tracks on this record, 23 of them feature a mainly piano instrumental. I feel this is because on these instrumentals that is where Durk really shines but often many of the tracks just seem just like the last with no real changes. I loved tracks like “Still Trappin’” and “Stay Down” where he took a risk to get off those piano instrumentals and it worked amazingly. Again, I can understand why Durk has so many of the piano instruments, but I would love to see him take more risks with his instrumentals in the future. Overall, this is a fantastic record with only one or two songs I’d skip if they were played. I am honestly feeling like a strong eight out of ten for this record. Next, we have Taylor Swift with her latest release in her “Chapter” series: “Forever Is The Sweetest Con.” Alongside her two album releases in 2020, Folklore and Evermore, she has released small, six track “Chapters” comprised of music released on those two albums. She has released a total of six chapters which include “The Escapism Chapter,” “The Sleepless Nights Chapter,”“The Salthouse Box Chapter,” “The Yeah I Showed Up At Your Party Chapter,” “The Dropped Your Hand While Dancing Chapter,” and finally, “Forever is the Sweetest Con Chapter.” True to the chapters before this, it runs for 24 minutes and is six tracks of songs from Folklore and Evermore. Despite having already heard these specific songs in those said two albums, “Forever is the Sweetest Con” brings new life to each and every single track. The EP starts out with “Cowboy Like Me,” an alternative song that has a twang of country placed perfectly in the background. Using simple guitars and drums, the music seems to swirl around you while Swift sings about dancing with a cowboy but knowing she’ll never love again. Next comes “Mirrorball,” which is probably the most forgettable song on the EP. While a good song, it is easily outshined by every other track on this record. The third track is “Evermore,” a piano based song featuring Bon Iver. Singing about her struggles with being happy while the song continues to build up around her, eventually peaking when Bon Iver comes in. Continuing on, we have “Long Story Short,” a more upbeat pop sounding song that reminds me of her 2014 album, 1989. Getting to the bottom of the tracklist we have “Invisible String.” This song tells the story of Swift revisiting different parts of her past and thinking about time passing, all on top of an acoustic guitar. Lastly, we have “Willow,” another great sounding track with an acoustic guitar serving as the main instrumental. After listening to this EP around five to six times through, I have hardly anything negative to say about it. It has sounds ranging from a slow rodeo esque song to one more on the pop side and yet it still works really well. Swift makes it easy for the listener to be captivated inside her singing and the instrumentals. My only complaint to the EP is that I can’t help but wish there was more of the country sounding songs like “Cowboy Like Me.” Other than that, this is a very well put together EP without any skips in it. For me, the most standout tracks on this record are “Cowboy Like Me,” “Evermore,” and “Invisible.” Overall, this is a great listen and I would highly recommend this to anyone. This record is feeling like a strong seven to a light eight out of ten from me. The last record that I will be reviewing is “You” by Vance Joy, Benny Blanco, and Marshmello. This is a collaboration from three of the most notable names in pop music right now. This marks the return of Vance Joy, an Australian singer who will always be remembered for his 2014 hit song, “Riptide.” This is his first song to be released on streaming platforms from him in just around two and a half years. Benny Blanco, on the other hand, has been releasing many great songs over the last couple of years. Releasing his first album and nine other singles featuring major artists like Khalid, Halsey, and Juice WRLD. The third person to work on this record is Marshmello, the legendary DJ who first blew up nearly six years ago in 2015. He and Benny Blanco are involved with making the instrumental and Vance Joy was given the responsibility of singing over it. Now to the record itself on which I have mostly positive things to say. When the song starts you are immediately met with a lone acoustic guitar. After a couple of seconds of the guitar playing, Vance Joy comes in with vocals. The song seems to wrap around Vance until it builds to a climax where trumpets start to blare and the guitar and Vance are engulfed in it. The process repeats itself once or twice more and then the track is over. Overall, “You” is a great sounding pop anthem but does have some flaws to it. Vance Joy, Marshmello, and Benny Blanco work together very well and I could see this being played on the radio for months. The way the song builds itself up and then back down all whilst Vance is singing is fantastic. But after all of this, I can’t help but feel that this song feels forgettable. Even with the amazing singing and great instrumental, this just wouldn’t exactly stand out to me if I heard it on the radio or in public. Songs like this are a dime a dozen and seem to go on and off the radio for months with little fanfare. Though, I do think because it sounds so basic, that's what works for the song the best. Sometimes being basic and not taking any risks works, and it certainly does on this record. This record is pretty good overall, despite its limitations, and I would definitely recommend it. I would give this record a light seven out of ten. This week we had a lot of great and noticeable music released. From the ones that I reviewed, every single record was pretty enjoyable, and were from a variety of genres. From the country esque sound coming from Taylor Swift to the beautiful piano instrumentals from Lil Durk, I could hardly find a song I did not enjoy. Thank you for reading the first edition of New Music Friday and I hope to see you next week. By: Hanna Nyman It is no secret that teenagers everywhere loathe this quarantine. After all, how can you force a teenager to stay home and not go see their friends? It just won’t work out well. For most teens, friends are what keep them sane and happy, so when you ask them to isolate, it equals bad news. Junior,, Brinlee Haynes, is no stranger to the effects of the quarantine. When interviewed, Haynes stated a very important piece of information. Her parents are health care workers. This has had a drastic effect on her. She stated that “Not socializing with people in person has made [her] anxiety worse and since [her] parents are health care workers, [she’s] left alone almost every day.” Loneliness can have a very prevalent impact on someone's mental state. Especially when it's forced isolation, like the quarantine. Yes, we may have other forms of communication, but “even though we stay in contact over text, it just isn’t the same” Haynes stated. Even though Haynes and her friends are staying in contact over text and Snapchat, she wishes she could just go and hang out with them, as not being able to see them has had a significant toll on her mental health. Haynes, as most teenagers do, has a job at a local fast food restaurant. As we all know, they didn’t shut down during quarantine so Haynes was still able to leave to go to her workplace. When asked if her mental health has affected her ability to do her job and schoolwork, she replied, “Yes. I haven’t felt like myself in a long time and there are days when it is difficult to get out of bed. I'm just so emotionally and physically drained because of everything that is happening.” Most teenagers can probably relate to Haynes in this way and have made similar comments about the quarantine.Even though this quarantine has been tough on Haynes, she has been giving it her all to make sure things get done to the best of her abilities. This quarantine hasn’t been easy on anybody, but we can use it as a time of growth and look forward to a time when we can socialize more normally. Editor’s Note: May is “Mental Health Month.” If you feel you need resources regarding mental health, you can find them at mentalhealth.gov or rtor.org. Below are also resources regarding suicide prevention.
Suicide Prevention Resources: -SafeUT app -National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255, Available 24/7 -Crisis Text Line: Text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, Available 24/7 By: Nikayla Williams With everything going on, let's be honest, who isn't slowly going a little crazy? Online school is not the easiest, or the most fun thing to be doing, but it's what has to be done in the for the time being to keep everyone safe. After talking to a couple of our BRHS students, it became even more clear that very few like online school. A student from each grade level was interviewed to give some insight as to how students feel about online school.
Sophomore, Kinley Richards is not a fan of online schooling at all. She says, “It's hard wanting to do school in the morning, especially if it's your decision to open your computer or not.” Staying caught up and trying to get all the work done, Richards said that her hardest class right now is dance: “It is hard staying motivated to get up and learn a dance.” Even though she doesn’t feel motivated all the time, she still makes the time to get up and learn the dance. Richards is going strong and is pushing through to get what she needs done. Kaitlyn Carter, a junior, thought online school would be worse than it is, but still admitted, “It is hard for me to sit down and email my teachers without me feeling like I’m bombarding them.” For Kaitlyn, her hardest class is chemistry: “I didn't know what I was doing in school and I don't know what I'm doing now.” Carter is fighting her way through online schooling and is trying her best to get through chemistry. And lastly, senior, Dustie Warr. As a senior, Warr is looking at the situation a little differently than the other two students interviewed. Warr only has one class this trimester, so for her it is easy and fast. She said, “I love that there are videos explaining mostly everything...I love not having to wake up early.” Though this may be hard and not what we want to be doing, remember you're not doing it alone. Summer is getting closer, so keep up the great work for a few weeks and continue being great. By: Kambree Adams Are you a pessimist or an optimist? When asked this question, senior Britton Larsen answered optimist. With everything going on with Covid-19 it gets too easy to slip into the “poor me” attitude. It’s not a secret that everybody lost something they were looking forward to, but why the pessimistic attitudes people? I can’t be the only one that will lose it if I see one more poor me post on social media! However, take a second and look at what’s going on all over the world. Sure there’s a lot of sad stuff, but there’s lots of good stuff too. Below are five different examples of ways the pandemic is bringing out the best in people. 1. Ironically, the pandemic that has pulled people away from each other is the thing that is uniting the world in a way that has never happened before. Through all kinds of social media platforms people are staying connected. Thousands of young people across the United States are sending letters and uplifting messages to nursing homes. Not to mention the meme culture that has come about because of Covid. We are seeing people from all kinds of backgrounds unite because of a common struggle. This is history in the making! 2. Some of the biggest companies in the world are doing all they can to provide relief. In the number one spot is Walmart, who has donated more than 25 million dollars to organizations on the front lines of this pandemic. But they didn’t stop there. Recently, they opened an online donation program called “Fight Hunger. Spark Change (FHSC).” This program has assisted in providing more than 1 billion meals across the United States. 3. Big shots in the movie and entertainment industries are also assisting in any way they can. To boost morale while every family in America is stuck at home, Disney+ and other programs are making streaming movies easier than ever! An at home theater is easier and safer. Not to mention popular TV shows like The Good Doctor, Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, and many others have been donating their medical supplies to hospitals and relief centers all over the US. 4. If that isn’t enough, animal shelters all over are reporting a boost in pet adoptions! With so many people home, they can finally take proper care of a pet. It just gives me the fuzzies to think about. 5. Finally, the impact is being felt by everyone on the planet. We can relate to people we’ve never related to before. The quarantine call is not a punishment and we need to take it seriously! As Larsen said, “Everybody just stay home. Please, I want a summer” and I think we can all agree with that! Like Larsen, influencers all over the world are taking to social media with “please to stay home” and “spread positivity.” For millions of teens all over the world, this was a curve ball no one was expecting and it’s affecting everyone. Perspective is everything and if you choose to see the good, you will see the good. If you choose to see the bad, you’ll see the bad. It’s that simple. You’d be amazed what a change in attitude will do to your happiness. Stay home, stay safe! By: Hanna Nyman Many people dream about their special junior prom day. The big dresses, nice dinners, cute dates, slow dances, the whole production. But what happens when other grades invade that space? Many, many juniors have voiced thier opinions on the matter, but here to switch up the game is sophomore Clara Hawkes.
Although Hawkes herself is not attending prom, she knows of plenty of people who are including fellow 10th graders. When prompted with the question as to if non-juniors should be able to go to prom or not, she responded with, “I think it is okay for non-juniors to go to prom, but I do think that the juniors need to be asked first or at a higher priority.” Most juniors would agree with this statement. After all, it is called ‘JUNIOR Prom.’ What about if the non-junior is accompanied by a junior? What if they aren’t? Hawkes stated that she believes that since it’s called ‘Junior Prom,’ that juniors should ask other juniors, before considering dates in other grades. Out of a random selection of 70 Bear River students that were surveyed, 49 agree with Hawkes. Hawkes was then asked if she felt that juniors have the right to be upset when other grades show up to their prom. “Yes!” she said, “It is literally their prom after all.” Because, yes, juniors are upset that other grades are going to their prom. Especially the couples that don’t include a junior at all. Hawkes herself even said, “it should just be a juniors thing because we will all get our own when we are juniors.” Juniors have a right to be upset with this situation. Students in other grades sympathize as well. After all, non-juniors will get or have had their prom. If you are not a junior, maybe take a step back and let them fully enjoy their prom. By: Bailey Barker The sequel to “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” (a Netflix Original) did not disappoint. It is a great film to watch if you’re into chick flicks. Being a fan of chick flicks and romantic films, I really enjoyed this movie. I frequently found myself smiling at the cute little moments between characters.
In the first movie, Lara Jean (played by Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (played by Noah Centineo) have a really well-played, on-screen connection that had fans questioning if they have an off-screen connection as well. In the beginning of the second film, their relationship looks picture perfect. As the movie progresses, one of Lara Jean’s letter recipients from the first movie is officially introduced and his background story goes more in depth. There is some competition for Lara Jean’s attention between Peter and John Ambrose (played by Jordan Fisher), whom Lara Jean had sent letters to in the first film. John Ambrose, in my opinion deserved better, he was countlessly majorly friendzoned and the movie really didn’t go into depth with what his ending was. I like that it showed some character development for those characters that we really didn’t expect a change in. For example Gen (played by Emilija Baranac) is Peter’s previous girlfriend and Lara Jean’s frenemy and throughout the first and second film she is what some would call a “mean girl” to Lara Jean for obvious reasons. However, towards the end of the second film they show a side of her that is sort of vulnerable and shows that she cares for Lara Jean even if they weren’t as close anymore. Overall, the movie is a great coming-of-age film. In some ways, it can be relatable for confused teen minds. It’s almost reassuring to know that it’s normal to be confused and think certain ways about silly situations. This is what I enjoyed most about the movie. I would recommend watching it if you enjoy chick flicks and upbeat-type films! By: Kaitlyn Cutler “Jojo Rabbit,” set in Germany during Word War II, is a very interesting movie and it continuously surprised me with multiple plot twists. I’m not sure what I originally expected, but the movie turned out better than I thought. This movie has a lot of love from the audience with a Rotten Tomatoes audience rating of 80% which is well deserved. The plot of “Jojo Rabbit” revolves around a lot of imagination from many of the characters creating both a hilarious and hopeful setting. When the characters show their creative imaginations, the audience is allowed to gain a deeper appreciation for how much hope the characters have, despite the atrocities of war, and why they have certain beliefs. This movie has a lot of humor which helps lighten the load from the heavy topic of World War II. The consistent jokes and Jojo’s imagination help make it seem like they are farther away from the war than they actually are. However, the movie still shows the hardships from the war and it still acknowledges the bad and melancholy parts of that time period. While there are many tragic things that happened in the war, there were people that still had hope and funny moments. This movie helps remind its viewers that the war, although sad, also had moments of happiness and hope. *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS**SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*I will say that the hardest part for me was when Jojo finds his mother hung in the town square for treason. We are only shown her legs and her distinct shoes as she dangles. This was so hard for me because his mother was such an important force in his life. Throughout the movie, his mother was always tying his shoes and, as she hangs there, Jojo tries to tie her shoes. I will admit that I cried and I believe that it can give the audience a chance to imagine the deep despair of losing your only parent.
In the end, I was impressed by this movie and I definitely recommend seeing it. My only suggestion is to be prepared for the dark humor that is in this movie. This movie can be pretty amusing, but some of the humor can make some people uncomfortable or feel guilty for finding it somewhat funny. By: Josh Johnson Schools punish students for tardies to push the importance of coming to class on time and being prepared. Teachers and administrators want students to be prepared for college and other major life events. At our school, the punishment for five tardies is lunch detention and after six tardies a ‘U’ is administered. The ‘U’ can be worked off by attending citizenship class after school. Absences, though, have hardly any punishment at all. This system doesn’t actually incentivize students to go to class. In this system, being absent is actually less harmful. When students realize they are going to be late, they end up not going to school which is more harmful (to their actual education) than just being late.
Tardies were implemented in schools in the early days of public school. Schools around the world believe in getting their students on time and to class prepared for the day. Students in this school know that being tardy is a bad thing, but it can be hard to get to class on time. Carson Anderson, a senior, explains, “I just like to sleep.” Anderson has 25 tardies in his first hour because of his habit of sleeping in. He works after school often and has many other responsibilities that affect his sleep. Anderson said, “I work very often, and don’t sleep a lot.” Many other kids in this school realize that being late is an issue, but they find it difficult to do anything about it. Tardies should still be punished to improve punctuality, but I believe there is a better system to achieve this. I think that being more lenient with the tardies and more realistic with absences will satisfy the students and may decrease the amount of tardies students get. I think that a warning should be implemented and the punishment should be made a little less intense afterwards. The students here at Bear River need leniency and understanding when it comes to tardies. By: Conner Palmer "The Turning" was a completely bland movie, where virtually nothing happens and nothing matters. It came out January 24, 2020, and sits at the abysmal score of 12% on Rotten Tomatoes. That score reflects how I felt about it: I left the theater feeling completely disappointed with everything I saw.
I immediately noticed the acting and I felt like every line was shakily delivered. The lead actress, Mackensie Davis, was really strange in her role. Every line lacked a sort of conviction. She would try to be disciplined but it would come off as uncharacteristically shaky and weak. Her character reminded me of corn bread, boring and in need of something interesting to accompany it. Brooklynn Prince, the actress who played Flora, a little child, was also bad. Her acting is a little more forgivable because she is a child; however, if you are going to have her play an important character, you should probably get someone who can deliver a line like a normal person. A huge problem in this movie is pacing; I had no idea where I was in this movie. It was so hard to gauge because nothing important happened until the very end, and it doesn’t even end up changing anything anyway. This movie does that horrendous thing where a whole sequence of events were actually a dream. Problem is, the dream was the most interesting thing that happened in the whole movie, and when the main character came out of the vision, the movie just ended a few minutes later. ‘The Turning’ had a lot of potential, and it at least made a profit, but I just can’t, in the right mind, call it good. I knew it wouldn’t be though; I saw the ratings before I went to see it. I tried to stay optimistic, seeing as the concept of a ‘Turning of the Screw’ book adaptation could’ve been interesting, but sadly it just didn’t do it for me. If you are easily scared you might enjoy "The Turning," but otherwise, I don’t recommend it to anyone. By: London Hillis At the start of the 2019-2020 school year the bathrooms near the cafeteria exit were remodeled. These were previously known to be very run down and beaten up due to the years of use, and just high schoolers not treating them well, but the question is: do people treat better looking things nicer? Brooke Petersen was interviewed about the topic and she said, “I feel like I now make a more conscious effort to keep things looking nice and clean.” Before the remodel of those bathrooms, having them treated nicely was a rarity, if it happened at all.
Darrell Christensen, the custodian who cleans those bathrooms, has a unique perspective on the topic: “I keep it clean so people will respect it, because people respect what is clean.” When asked if the bathrooms seemed easier to clean since the remodel, he confirmed that it was, which goes to show that quality affects respect. Many people have also said that they have noticed less drug affiliated smells coming from those bathrooms since the remodel, which could make a lot of people feel more comfortable when using the restroom. Based on psychological studies, a person's unconscious brain takes in objective data such as cleanliness, color, and general atmosphere. These observations greatly affect the way a person will unconsciously treat something. People end up treating things poorly because our brains automatically create assumptions about how other people treat it, and rationalize our own mistreatment. Along with the remodeling of bathrooms, BRHS also closed down the two bathrooms near the auditorium for an unknown reason. Christensen thinks that bathrooms near the auditorium should be remodeled because “they’re due for a remodel: they’ve been there for a long time.” Christensen noted that the bathrooms along with the older parts of the school are over 50 years old. The vandalism that was previously prevalent in these bathrooms has been diminished by the quality of the new bathrooms. Christensen hasn’t noticed nearly as much vandalism as before. As well as people respecting nicer things in life, it's important to realize that every item deserves respect and preservation. Not all of BRHS is brand new and remodeled, but it's important to remember that not only new things deserve respect despite our tendencies otherwise. By: Josh Johnson The Donald Trump impeachment movement was a fluke from the beginning. Many of the facts that were brought up in the Democratic discussions have been disputed and countered. The Democrats don’t like Trump because he is not scared to say what he thinks. The “crime” that Donald Trump was accused of was “an act against the public trust,” which in fact is not a crime at all, and definitely isn’t an act of injustice.
Another act Donald Trump was accused of was pressuring Ukrainian politicians to investigate a political rival. What this accusation means is he pressured Ukraine into getting information on the Bidens, rivals to him and his industries. The only proof the Democrats claim having is what they call a whistleblower who came out and revealed that Trump was doing this. Gavyn Byington, a student here at Bear River High, believes Trump to be guilty. He says that the acts of the president are enough for him to be removed from office. Byington explained, “When a president does something without the consent of most of the nation that can negatively affect the people's lives, it should be punished.” I very much agree with the fact that a president should be punished if they did something that negatively affected their country’s people, but there is not enough evidence of this to prove Trump is guilty of this. Trump has done nothing against the law as America’s president. Byington had some other thoughts on the subject: “The accusations are not for the law but for the fairness of the people.” To this, I counter that many times throughout history, our presidents have done something that was ‘wrong’ in the eyes of the American people that ended up saving them. In my opinion, the impeachment charges against Donald Trump have been a waste of political time. Many months have been wasted talking about something that ended up not passing in court. The people running this country should be doing their jobs and listening to the people, not wasting time with charges that simply can’t be proven. On Wednesday, February 5, 2020 Donald Trump was indeed acquitted and pronounced not guilty although the polls were pretty close. Mitt Romney, the senator of Utah, voted for impeachment and was the only one in history to vote against their party’s president during an impeachment trial. This brought backlash onto Romney and created discordance within the republican party. I believe that Romney did what he thought was right, but, either way, Trump is definitely not guilty for abuse of power. By: Bailey Barker Valentine’s day: the holiday that you either love or hate. The main purpose of this holiday is to appreciate your loved ones and to celebrate adoration. However, this day of celebrating love is also hated because people feel extra lonely around this time if they do not have a significant other. I’m here to tell you that it is still possible to enjoy this holiday even if you do not have a special someone to celebrate with.
If you are willing to try to enjoy some truly amazing movies, then I recommend watching the following movies: 50 First Dates, The Notebook, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Fault in Our Stars, and Dirty Dancing (all are my personal favorites). All of the films previously mentioned are rated PG-13, and are bound to make you laugh and cry at the same time. So if you find yourself bored on Valentines Day, kick back and watch a film that you can enjoy even if you’re alone, with buddies, or if you do have a significant other. Along with watching romantic films, baking is a good strategy to forget about your problems with this holiday. You could bake treats for yourself, or you can bake for the people that you appreciate. Like Ian Somerhalder once said, “the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach.” Even if it’s not for romantic reasons, it just shows that you care. If baking or cooking isn’t your calling, you could write notes to your loved ones. These notes can be short and sweet, or long and meaningful. Either way, it is guaranteed to make that person’s day. Learning to find the best in this holiday is not that hard. Look around and you’ll find someone that could be appreciated. If you have some lonely buddies that hate this holiday as well, go do some activities and hate it together. Tell your parents that you love them, and that you are grateful for what they do for you. Write a note telling your sibling that you love them, even though they might drive you crazy. Let the people you care about know that you care for them; it will make both them and you feel good on this Valentine’s Day. By: Conner Palmer Horror, in my opinion, is one of the most innovative movie genres around. It has raised the bar for so many years, with movies being profoundly symbolic and powerful, while also scaring the masses. Recently though, horror has been a joke: a dimly lit cluster of random jump scares to surprise people into thinking the movie was good. Movies like “The Curse of La Llorona,” and “The Nun,” rely on this so heavily to distract from a completely boring narrative with overall underwhelming characters.
Another problem with the current horror genre is how many people attempt it. Some people seem to think it would be easy to make a good horror movie since some filmmakers have been able to create remarkable films with a small budget, such as “Halloween.” Companies like Blumhouse Productions put out movies with relatively small budgets and make millions more than they even spent. However, there is no passion present. Blumhouse alone can put out two movies in one month. They’re cash grabs: they rely on tropes and stereotypes. A lot of low budget horror movies rely on the most cliche of character archetypes, and don’t differentiate from them to try and raise the bar. Recently, movies have not let the imagery speak for itself. Directors have to hammer down the film’s themes and plot points. They don’t even try to make a character that’s at least smart, banking the entire plot of the movie on someone doing something stupid. Movies like “The Bye Bye Man” and “Truth or Dare,”portray some of the dumbest characters that I’ve ever seen, but they still pulled in money. Overall, I will never truly hate the genre of horror. These past few years have actually given me some of my favorite movies and even some new directors to look forward to seeing. This makes me hopeful for the future of these kinds of movies, although recently, I have been let down in a lot of ways, but I remain excited to see what the horror releases of 2020 will be. By: Bailey Barker Dolittle, being one of the first movies of the year, was mediocre. Rotten Tomatoes rates it 17%, IMDb ranks it 5.6/10. These sites imply that it wasn’t that great of a movie, but in my opinion it is just intended for a certain type of audience. As a teen watching it, it was amusing, but not as amusing as it would be for a younger demographic. While watching the movie, you could catch some of your favorite celebrities’ voices including Tom Holland as Jip the dog, Selena Gomez as Betsy the quirky giraffe, Emma Thompson as Poly the demanding parrot, and Rami Malek as Chee Chee the fearful gorilla.
Robert Downey Jr. being in the film, is what drew my interest in watching it. His role in the movie is not like his usual roles that we have seen him in, but his character is very distant and not as expressive as I thought he would be. Downey’s other roles have been much more energetic and confident. His accent wasn’t great which was disappointing considering how well his accent was in the movie ‘Sherlock Holmes’. The animals may have been able to understand him, but I sure couldn’t. The storyline of the film was not confusing, it was easy to follow all the way up until the end, when there was a dragon that was guarding a forbidden fruit. The dragon threw me off because the dragon was not mentioned until they got to the island where the antidote was. Going back to the beginning of the movie, Dr. Dolittle is summoned by Lady Rose (Carmel Laniado) to save Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) that was poisoned by one of her trusted doctors: Dr. Blair Mudfly (Micheal Sheen). The fruit that was guarded by the dragon (played by Frances de la Tour) was the only antidote for the Queen’s illness and finding the fruit is the reason why Dr. Dolittle and his furry companions went on their adventure. Their quest had some action, conflict, bromance, and evolved relationships between characters. The movie shows a father-son relationship blossom between Dr. Dolittle and his future apprentice, Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett). The relationship between the two was heartwarming. The movie overall is great to watch with a younger audience, but if you’re a child at heart, this is also the perfect film for you. The humor is more targeted for children's amusement, but the quality of the movie is very well presented. By: Josh Johnson Stomps and high school go together like peanut butter and jelly. Generations remember going to stomps after games, and recall the fun they had with their fellow classmates and the sense of unity it created in the student body.
Malaiyah Thomas, a senior at Bear River High, said that she attends stomps whenever she can. She tries to show up to extra activities such as these to boost school morale and help others get involved. Thomas shared had a stomp experience where she learned some country dancing for a little hoedown, and made some new friends along the way. She said she got out of her comfort zone and talked to some students she hadn’t before. Many times she would go, some students wouldn’t participate, she says that the most fun she's had is when everyone was involved. “These activities bring unity and less suicide to the school,” Thomas explained. Thomas believes, along with others, that these activities bring us closer as a school and encourages people to get out of their comfort zones. Thomas said the music at the stomps affects the environment and mood of the dance. She said, “Modern songs are more likely to get people moving.” Songs that people are more familiar with will encourage more dancing and participation. She says that by playing these songs, others can be involved more easily. She wants to see more people at stomps, hoping to share the experience with her fellow students. School unity is something that is cherished here at Bear River; we believe that having a safe and exciting school can influence the actions of the students. These activities that we participate in are the perfect things for boosting morale in the school and in students' lives. This school has a lot of unity because of activities like this. Don’t forget to stay for the stomp the next time you’re at a game! By: Conner Palmer
‘Cats’ fails in almost every way a movie can, and if that isn’t impressive, I don’t know what is. ‘Cats’ came out on December 25, 2019, which was either an incredibly bold decision or an effort to make sure nobody watched it. The movie is rated 20% on Rotten Tomatoes and other rating sites gave a score that was similarly low. Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin with this movie. The plot was a mess, although that carried over from the Broadway musical. The whole of this movie consists of various cats introducing themselves in various fashions. This makes the entire movie feel both longer than it should, and extremely uninteresting. The acting in this movie is decent, but the main character, played by Francesca Hayward, seems to have a completely baffled look plastered to her face the entire movie. In a way, it reflects how I felt the whole time: not a good sign. A semi-enjoyable part was the music, although only a few songs were very notable. One song I particularly liked was “Memory,” performed by Jennifer Hudson, but that song has been way overplayed, and has been performed better by others. “Macavity the Mystery Cat” was entertaining, extremely jazzy, and fun, but Taylor Swift’s British accent while singing it was lacking in a lot of ways. Another thing that really bugged me about this movie was the lack of comedy. Whenever there was a joke in this movie it never landed. There’s this bizarre sequence during Jason Derulo’s song where Rebel Wilson’s cat makes fun of him, but I didn’t hear a single laugh out of the theater until the very end of the movie when a random, “We aren’t dogs!” line was thrown out. All in all, not only is this movie plain terrible, but it is also completely surreal. Afterwards, I felt like the only thing I had seen was a horrible CGI fur texture ballet dancing and singing. I don’t recommend this movie to anyone, unless you were a fan of the original musical and want to see it adapted. By: Conner Palmer
Mystery and drama are two things that many, if not all of us, find tons of interest in. One movie in particular captures both of these things in an amazingly unique way: Knives Out. Knives Out is a drama/thriller released in November of 2019, and is rated PG-13. It boasts an all star cast, and has a run-time of two hours and ten minutes. The movie follows the Thrombie family under investigation after the millionaire father/grandfather, Harlan Thrombie, is found dead in his room. This investigation leads to the family turning on themselves in response to both his death and the will he left behind. Knives Out did many things right, which I will build up to in a linear fashion until its ending. A small one for me that really enhanced the experience was the score (the music in the movie). The music is orchestral, which both captures the elegance and pretentiousness of the family, but also the emotion being conveyed in the moment. The music also brings a level of campiness to the scenes that really makes them stand out. Another small thing I noticed is details that are presented to you in the beginning of the movie find their way to the end. Nothing is forgotten, everything ties together. In a “whodunnit” style movie like this one, every single suspected character needs to be presented with a clear motive. Knives Out does an amazing job of making you feel like certain characters have done something, while others are perfectly innocent. They then take that, and flip it on its head, creating more drama within the story. It's done in such a way that really keeps you invested and you care about what is happening. The characters are also wonderfully portrayed by all of the cast, with actors/actresses such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, and Toni Collette, who all flesh out every character’s personality to perfection. *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* Now, on to my favorite thing in the movie: the ending. The way that it plays out is so unexpected, and it ties together everything that you saw in the movie until that point. Nothing is left out, and it makes for a much more satisfying ending knowing that Marta was never in the wrong, and that Ransom, Harlan Thrombie’s grandson, was the reason Harlan actually killed himself. No one killed Harlan, he just thought he would die anyways and did it to save Marta. Ransom, however, killed the housekeeper to cover up his misdeeds, and confesses on accident when he is told that she actually lived. It’s all so completely out there that when it’s happening you feel almost enlightened, and I would guess on a second viewing there would be so many things you would notice that would make you yell, “Oh my gosh!” *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* Seeing Knives Out was a great way to start off my year, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good mystery movie with a compelling story and characters. If you enjoy a theater experience, I would recommend going soon, since it's already been in theaters for a couple months. |
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March 2023
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