March Cover.indd - Saint Viator High School

More documents

Recommendations

Info

OPINION 17 New school filmmaking’s tragic flaw Special effects get more realistic, film quality declines Taylor Puccini Staff Writer Film: the curer of boredom, the captivator of attention and the wonderful de-stressor that first surfaced all of the way back in the 1890s. Over the years, the film industry has remarkably improved its craft, shaping modern movies into a familiar phenomenon that seems to dominate today’s pop culture spectrum. The DVD has become a common household item, and visiting the movie theater is a regular pastime. Think about it: whether you find yourself bored on a Friday night or stuck at home sick, more often than not, you probably find that the solution is to sit yourself down and watch one of your favorite movies. What is it about these modern movies that you find so enchanting? Is it really the plot of the tale you are watching that holds your interest, or have you been bewitched by its special effects? Special effects artists can turn an empty field into a raging battle. They make it possible for rooms to flip upside-down and turn a man into an animal. These artists have even created entirely new looking planets like in the popular movie “Avatar”. Enhancements like these make movies interesting by wowing their audience through vivid images, which is great, but is it enough? People have forgotten that with these technological advances the jobs of actors, whose purpose is to captivate their audiences with their performances, is less challenging. “I think having too many effects can distract from the actual acting,” said sophomore Mark Koehler. In some cases, actors or even stunt doubles do not have to perform like they did before because it can be done better digitally. How is the average movie viewer supposed to know whether what they see on screen has been altered or not? “The quality of the images on screen shouldn’t matter as much as the story and acting. People forget that sometimes,” said sophomore Sarah Miklius. When it comes to plot, many would agree that movies today are sorely lacking. Perhaps this failure is because of special effects. These enhancements have become so great that people often do not even notice the poor story behind the pretty pictures on their screens. It seems that movies today are filled to the brim with profanity, violence and crude humor, but why? Could it be that filmmakers spend so much time focusing on having the best quality images that they can and have begun to neglect than the quality of their stories and the humor within them? “Movies just don’t feel like they’re good-hearted anymore. Many seem so vulgar, and there are hardly any good quality stories,” said Miklius. Like most creations, movies were made with the belief that they would improve over time. However, have they? While it is clear that sound and image quality has improved, what about the overall luster of the film? Movies created prior to the 21 st century seem to have a simple elegance to them that cannot be matched with enhanced effects, no matter how spectacular they may be. Attention: Seniors! It’s time to leave your mark. Make sure to fill out the survey for the senior edition, which can be found on Mr. Paolelli’s Quia page. 1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com MARCH 2013
18 ENTERTAINMENT Critics’ Critics’ Corner: October March Beautiful Creatures 2013’s latest film adaptation introduces new talent with familiar story Maya Nudo Staff Writer A film adaptation of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s teen novel, “Beautiful Creatures,” hit movie theatres this past Valentine’s Day. Following the book’s story line, southern teenager Ethan Wate is counting the days until he can get out of the town he grew up in. But when a mysterious girl named Lena moves to town and rumors circulate about her past, Ethan cannot help but realize she has been appearing in his dreams for months. Lena and Ethan form an unlikely friendship with much discouragement from both of their families, and Ethan learns Lena is a caster. Casters are another term for witches, and when Lena turns sixteen, her powers will either be claimed for the MARCH 2013 light or the dark. Lena can only seem to find solace in Ethan, and the two fall in love. Falling for a caster has a price, however. Ethan gets caught up in a century old family curse. If a moviegoer decided to attend “Beautiful Creatures” without reading the book, one wouldn’t feel confused, which occasionally happens when movies don’t compensate for viewers who haven’t read the book. Lawrence of Arabia Joseph Lorenzini Staff Writer After hearing years of praise for the great 1962 historical epic Lawrence of Arabia, it is time to show the sheer magnitude and importance of this classic of cinema. Starring Peter O’Toole as the titular character, British army lieutenant T. E. Lawrence is a knowledgeable yet brazen soldier stationed in Cairo during the First World War. Wanting to get Lawrence out of the way, General Murray (Donald Wolfit) and Mr. Dryden (Claude Rains) send Lawrence on an expedition into the desert to assess the Arab tribesmen in their revolt against the Turkish Ottoman Empire, the enemies of the British during the war. Excitedly accepting this adventure, Lawrence departs with a guide of the Photo Courtesy of fanpop.com Photo Courtesy of fanpop.com For someone who read the book, “Beautiful Creatures” is a movie true to the main plot line with stellar special effects. Besides some minor changes, the movie stayed true to Garcia and Stohl’s vision. As for casting, minor roles are played by wellknown actors such as Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis and Emma Thompson. Taking center stage is actor Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan Wate and Alice Englert as Lena Duchenne, newcomers to the silver screen. Both actors shone in intense emotional and physical scenes, proving there is still talent Saint Viator High School to be found in young actors. “Beautiful Creatures” is a phenomenal fantasy movie to start 2013, and although it isn’t the next “Twilight,” it will please fans of all ages. Bedouin tribe only to have a rival tribesman, Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif), kill that guide at a contested well. Shocked by the brutality of the Arab people, Lawrence continues his journey with Sherif to the camp of Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness), and once there, Lawrence gains his trust to lead a group to capture the enemy city of Aqaba. As time goes on, Lawrence begins to immerse further into the Arab culture, adopting two orphan Arab boys, wearing traditional Arab clothing and earning the interminable title “Lawrence of Arabia.” However, this cultural immersion becomes devastating as Lawrence begins to have conflicting priorities between his two lives amongst the terror of war. Director David Lean forever immortalizes the savagery of the Arab fighting against their equally ruthless Turkish oppressors. Above all, this eternal film captures the sense of disillusionment of the era with the loss of close friends and the betrayal of trust that so often comes from the greed of military pursuits. Yes, the movie extends for over three hours, but it is just more film to enjoy. Also, there is no requirement to watch it all in one sitting. It actually may be beneficial to watch it in chunks and think about each part afterwards. “Lawrence of Arabia” is not your typical movie to watch just for the immediate pleasure, but a film that rewards its viewers with a more lasting feeling. Every movie appreciator simply must see this movie for its sublime performances, its well-made aesthetics and its impact on cinema, especially modern war films. “Lawrence of Arabia,” the story of a man transcending his time in action, but ultimately succumbing to the moral failings of the era. A classic. www.saintviator.com
Page 1 and 2: March 2013 VIATOR VOICE Volume 47 I
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 EDITORIAL STAFF
Page 5 and 6: WORLD 5 Republican Christie backs O
Page 7: WORLD 7 Chinese intellectuals push
Page 12 and 13: 12 LOCAL After searching far and wi
Page 14 and 15: OPINION 15 OPPOSING VOICES Detentio
Page 18 and 19: ENTERTAINMENT Dana Lenard Staff Wri
Page 20 and 21: ENTERTAINMENT 21 The Fame Machine
Page 22 and 23: SPORTS 23 Boys lacrosse team dreams

March Cover.indd - Saint Viator High School

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?