CENSOR THIS! - Kelowna Secondary School

Christmas Classics
by Mary Bunka
Somehow it’s not quite Christmas if you don’t have one of your favorite
Christmas movies playing as you wrap presents, bake cookies, or do whatever
it is that makes it festive in your home. (Personally, I track Santa on
NORAD.) Whatever your favorite genre is, there’s definitely something
for everyone this holiday season. Censor This! is proud to present the
definitive guide to classic Christmas viewing. All movies are based on
recommendations from KSS students.
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) (The original with Hermie
the Dentist-Elf.) “Let’s be independent together.” This is a classic
Christmas movie with some cute songs and interesting characters. It’s the
perfect Christmas movie to watch with a younger sibling or cousin.
2. The Polar Express (2004) The Polar Express is a heartwarming
Christmas classic that has delighted many children. Though some older
audiences find the animation a tad... creepy and the lack of names to be
irritating, all can agree that the movie leaves you with a true sense of
Christmas spirit.
3. Elf (2003) Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, a human child raised in the
North Pole who sets off, full of Christmas spirit, to find his real father.
Discovering that much of Manhattan is lacking in Christmas spirit, Buddy
tries to change their opinions and make them believe. It’s a cute film with
some funny moments that are sure to put a smile on your face.
4. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) George Bailey has given up most of
his dreams to help others, and his life has spiralled out of control. It is
Christmas Eve, and he considers suicide. Enter his guardian angel stage
left. It’s an amazing, heartwarming movie that will remind you of the true
meaning of Christmas.
5. Home Alone (1990) A Christmas classic about every kid’s dream:
having the house to themselves. Kevin is an eight-year-old whose family
accidentally leaves him behind as they leave for their Christmas vacation.
Home Alone is a great movie about the importance of family, new friends,
and security systems.
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Beautiful Creatures
by Mackenzie Schermann
“There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of
nowhere.At least, that’s what I thought.Turns out, I
couldn’t have been more wrong. There was a curse.
There was a girl.And in the end, there was a grave.”
Ethan Wate was a typical teenager;
school, sports, friends. Then, he met a girl,
and suddenly, everything he knew changed.
Beautiful Creatures is a novel by Kami Garcia and
Margaret Stohl. The duo created the small Southern
town of Gatlin, South Carolina; a town where
everyone knows each other, and there are no secrets.That
is, until Lena Duchannes comes to town.
Lena is the niece of the town recluse,
and, as such, is immediately excluded. If that
wasn’t enough, Lena wasn’t a normal girl.
This book tells the story of how these
two met; and how everything changed for
them; even the way Ethan viewed his boring,
cookie cutter, proper Southerner neighbors.
Even the people with nothing to hide had
deep secrets, ones that nobody would expect.
Garcia and Stohl have created a remarkable
blend between a proper Southern town and a
dark, dangerous secret. The book almost relates to
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Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird; if the novel
was written within the twenty first century, and
deals with romance and the supernatural. Many
allusions in the book are, in fact, directed towards
Harper Lee’s famous 1960 novel. The authors
have made the story come to life; when you read
it, it feels as if you are there, as if you are the
one that is telling the story. It is very relatable; the
characters are still trying to figure out who they
are. The book also uses a lot of imagery; when a
scene is described, you can almost smell the grass,
taste the food and hear the whisper of the breeze.
It captures the senses, and the imagination. Also,
instead of being from the female point of view, as
many teen books these days are it is written from a
male’s eyes, which brings out an entirely new perspective
that isn’t always seen in novels these days.
Goodreads, a website specializing on reviewing
books and gathering readers opinions, has
rated the book 3.79 out of 5, and most of the reviews
that can be read are positive, although a few say that
it was too long of a read. However, if you read and
enjoyed Shiver, Hush Hush, Night World, Twilight,
City of Bones... I think you will enjoy this book.
Androgyny
in the Media
by Zoe Shay
Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Stella
McCartney and Proenza Schouler all have something
in common. No, it’s not the sky-high prices
of their clothing- it’s the pretty face advertising
their collections. Andrej Pejic, 21 year old Serbian-born
and Australian-raised model is flaunting
their designer clothing in magazines, prestigious
events and fashion shows everywhere. What’s so
unusual about a young, beautiful model posing
for pictures? Well, you can find Andrej not only
in impeccable menswear suits but also in wedding
dresses, high heels and stunning women’s
clothing as well. Androgynous models are popping
up in major designer collections more and
more often as the lines between male and female
blur.
In his book The Art of Seduction, Robert
Greene gives advice in successfully catching
the eye of the population: “In a society where
the roles everyone plays are obvious, the refusal
to conform to any standard will excite interest.
Be both masculine and feminine, impudent
and charming, subtle and outrageous. Let other
people worry about being socially acceptable;
those types are a dime a dozen, and you are after
a power greater than they can imagine.” Androgynous
models have that concept nailed down and
the fashion industry has definitely noticed.
Androgynes have always been seen as
intriguing and have been objects of fascination
throughout history. Thankfully, androgyny is being
rapidly integrated into media and society as
minorities are becoming increasingly accepted in
everyday life. Androgyny in fashion is growing
into a major trend that we are sure to see more
of in the near future. Keep your eyes open for
Andrej Pejic, Lea T and other modern androgynous
models as well as famous figures from the
past such as Annie Lennox and of course, David
Bowie!
A great Christmas
gift! Put it
on your list.