Issue II Final Layout (1)

06 | CENTERFOLD the hourglass
Hot Take: The Bee Movie
is Criminally Underrated
Find out what all the buzz is about!
MARIN HORWITZ ‘24
News Editor
The Bee Movie has everything
a movie should have. A
protagonist, unhappy with their
set future, deciding to change the
world? Check. An outrageous storyline
and outstanding cast? Check. A moral that
has you reconsidering all your choices and
honey-purchasing practices? Check.
For those unfamiliar with The Bee
Movie, it centers around Barry B. Benson,
a humble bee who has just graduated
college and realizes he has absolutely no
interest in making honey for the rest of his
life. He goes out into the world, discovers
that humans harvest bees’ honey, and sues
the human race. After winning his case,
bees as a collective stop working, but as a
result, the entire world starts to lose flowers
and presumably, food. Barry soon realizes
his mistake and then saves the world as an
apology.
The Bee Movie is moving and
fundamentally inspiring. Barry not only
defies the odds by winning a case against
honey monopolies as only a tiny honey
“
It is a movie that
is an abstract
study of American
society, all while
being ridiculously
funny.
“
bee, but he also admits to his mistake and
does everything in his power to remedy it.
He is a role model for both children and
adults alike.
The film gives a new perspective on
how we get our food. It makes viewers
reconsider buying food online or from
grocery stores, where everything is
packaged and pasteurized. We often forget
to think about how it was made, where it
came from, or the labor involved in the
creation process. Our food has lost some
of its value, as Barry points out perfectly.
The Bee Movie may be almost as old
as many students in the freshman class, but
that does not mean that it has lost any of its
relevance. It is a movie that is an abstract
study of American society, all while being
ridiculously funny.
Hot Take:
Cities Are Awesome
CARLEY TAYLOR ‘23
Staff Writer
In defense of the best places on earth
As a resident of South
Philadelphia for 16 years, I
take personal offense when
someone says that cities suck.
All of my favorite places are cities, and
that is no coincidence.
Living downtown, I see something
new every single day. Whether it’s an art
show or Lady Gaga strolling down the
street, the wonders of the city can not be
replicated by the suburban lifestyle. These
sights also provide me with countless
memories.
The
teenage
average
employee’s work stories typically revolve
around rude customers. In contrast,
working in the city has given me stories
of all the bizarre things I see parading in
the streets through our restaurant’s massive
windows. One time, I watched two women
try to steal a block of cement, hauling the
50-pound block down the sidewalk outside
our restaurant.
Not only does the city have plenty
of sights to see, but it has plenty of things
to do as well. There are countless
stores, activities,
and museums in the
sprawling urban environment. Not to
mention the impeccable flavors from
thousands of restaurants. Plus, life is
so much more convenient. If you need
something, odds are it’s just a block away,
instead of a 20-minute drive.
Even for the natureinclined,
cities provide no
shortage of parks, stacked with
places for reading or socializing
and far fewer bugs than dull
parks in the country. Urban parks
are also full of performers,
v e n d o r s , monuments,
and even zoos (there is
literally a zoo in Central Park—Valley
Forge would never have a zoo).
However, I will admit, sometimes
the performers in city parks are far from
entertaining. Dancers like the Michael
Jackson cosplayer in Rittenhouse Square
are certainly a deterrent for many. Even I
avoid Rittenhouse when I hear the sound
of his remixes through his crackly speaker.
But to be honest, the occasional bad music
is negligible when compared to the endless
positives offered by cities.
Sure, they’re loud, and some say they
smell bad (although, personally, I don’t
agree, but I may just be used to the stench),
but living surrounded by bright lights
and voices is exhilarating. Also, if cities
were really so horrible, why
would so many people live in
them?