Choirs continue tradition with “Evening with the Ambassadors”
March 14, 2008
By: Lexi Muir <lmuir@hilite.org>
This year’s annual “Evening with the Ambassadors” is set to take place on March 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. The event will take place in its usual location at the auditorium. Those tickets, which range from $8 to $15 depending on the location of the seats, are on sale at the bookstore.
For those unfamiliar with the event, “Evening with the Ambassadors” is a showcase that is put on by the two competition choirs here, the Ambassadors and the Accents. Throughout the evening the choirs showcase their competition sets for their friends and family to show what they have been working on all year. Along with the competition sets, students will perform many solos as a chance for their family and friends to recognize them individually as well as with the choirs.
Taylor Bossung, member of the Ambassadors and senior, said that the evening will be a great chance for the Ambassadors and the Accents to show their talents and hard work from this year. He said that he likes the combination of the Ambassadors with the Accents because it is more interesting to the audience to see them together.
“It is a chance to relive the year and wrap it up,” Bossung said. “I think it will be great.”
American St. Patrick’s celebrations differ from Irish
March 14, 2008
By: Renny Logan <rlogan@hilite.org>
While in Ireland St. Patrick’s Day is hailed as a highly religious holiday, during which schools, as well as government offices, are closed and families go to church, American acknowledgement and celebration of the holiday tend to be more secular and carefree.
“I wear green and pinch people who aren’t wearing green for fun,” senior Francis Nwosu said. “It’s all just for fun.”
Nwosu admitted he doesn’t know much about the origin or history of the St. Patrick’s Day and that he doesn’t have a bit of Irish in his blood; however, he said he celebrates the holiday anyway, just as a way to have fun.
Junior Erica Gould said she agrees. Gould, as well, celebrates the holiday in her own way. “My dad makes green pancakes for breakfast,” Gould said. “I deck out in green and I have a St. Patrick’s party every year.”
“In Ireland, (St. Patrick’s Day) is a holy day of obligation,” Charles Sinclair, science teacher and an Irish-American. Sinclair said he was born in Ireland and is 100 percent Irish. Not only was he brought up with the culture, he was also educated in a Catholic school system which celebrated the holiday. “We had a lot of Irish as well as Italians,” Sinclair said.
Gould said her reasons for enjoying the holiday are simpler. “I’m not really Irish and I don’t have a religious reason to celebrate it; it’s just one of those holidays that doesn’t get a lot of attention,” Gould said. Additionally, Gould said her favorite color was green and that this contributed to her liking of the St. Patrick’s Day.
Typically, Sinclair said he would take the day off from work but St. Patrick’s happened to fall in Holy Week and he would therefore not take the day off. Any other year, Sinclair said he would have spent the St. Patrick’s playing the bag-pipes at various venues.
What Sinclair will be doing to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, he said, is sitting down to the traditional Irish-American meal of corned-beef and cabbage and potatoes. In Ireland, the meal is traditionally served with Irish bacon, which is similar to corned beef.
Irish or not, the holiday is one celebrated by both cultures. Whether the individual celebrating the holiday indulges in traditions or simply adorns himself in green, the culture of the holiday and the enthusiasm of celebration are what count. Sinclair said, “The Irish have been very conscious of keeping the culture alive both in Ireland and here. (St. Patrick’s Day) is a chance to reflect on heritage. Different cultures have different days; everyone should be proud of their heritage.”
The Championship in Photos
March 14, 2008
American remakes v. foreign originals
March 14, 2008
By: Sam Watermeier <swatermeier@hilite.org>
Americans like their movies grand and flashy. When making a remake of a foreign film, directors need to realize that their job is not to be loyal to the original, but to make it their own. Some directors follow this rule, but others still do not.
A recent example of a great remake of a foreign film is “The Departed,” based on the Hong Kong film “Infernal Affairs.” Legendary director Martin Scorsese took the basic plot of the original film and infused it with his unique style and sense of Americana. “The Departed” opens with his signature use of Rolling Stones music, features wicked hard-core Bostonians and gritty action violence. Watching this film unfold on the big screen, I felt right at home, which is the whole point of remake of a foreign film. Speaking of feeling right at home, the Dutch film “Interview” was a perfect film to remake because its themes of sensationalism and celebrity are relevant to our E! channel-obsessed nation. Before I go too far, I must say that the golden rule of remakes still applies: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, a few films have benefited greatly from modern tweaking.
The 2002 Stephen Soderbergh film “Solaris,” a science-fiction romance/psychodrama, improved upon the original 1972 Russian film by making the world of the story more appealing with state-of-the-art visual effects. The 1998 “Godzilla” moved past the cheesiness of the original Japanese film with its better-looking Godzilla monster. The rest of that film is terrible, but that is beside the point.
There are still some directors that ignore the rules for success in making remakes, which is mind-boggling. Although it is an entertaining film, “The Ring” is too loyal to the look and feel of the Japanese “Ringu.” The same criticism applies to the horror film “The Grudge” based on the Japanese “Ju-On.” The problem with these films is that they do not feel fresh and Americanized. Note to the directors of those remakes: Don’t be afraid to be yourselves.
Spanish film paints dark 1940s fantasy
March 14, 2008
By: Reid Conner <rconner@hilite.org>
Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy/thriller fairy tale is no ordinary story. It definitely isn’t a children’s tale either. Don’t have any misconceptions about this movie; it has more blood, gore and gruesome images than a traditional fairy tale. However, the imaginative, unique plot coupled with captivating acting and visuals make “Pan’s Labyrinth” a truly unforgettable foreign film experience.
Set in the 1940s in Francisco Franco’s fascist Spain, the movie tells the tale of a young Spanish girl named Ofelia (Ivana Baquero). She, along with her pregnant mother (Ariadna Gil), relocate to the headquarters and barracks run by her father, the cruel Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez). She discovers a fawn (half-goat, half-satyr) in the labyrinth behind the home who tells her she is actually a princess. To reclaim her throne she must undergo three trials. The movie explores how a little girl copes with and comes to terms with her fascist world using her imagination.
“Pan’s Labyrinth” is a movie full of symbolism and hidden meanings. The movie is one big parable disguised like a fairy tale. The stories of Mercedes (Maribel Verdu) and the doctor (Alex Angulo) portray the harsh realism of how blind obedience destroyed people’s morals and lives. Ofelia’s quest for a kingdom without pain and suffering mirrors the desires of the Spanish rebels in the movie. Events in Ofelia’s fantasy world often run parallel to the events unfolding in harsh reality.
The acting in this movie is inspiring. Lopez steals the show in his role as the evil fascist army Captain that you love to hate. His screen presence is so despicably cruel and unfeeling that you can’t help but loathe him. The young Baquero, who was 10 years old at the start of filming, plays the lead role admirably, capturing the emotions and fantasies of a little girl trapped in the evils of an adult world. Along with the supporting roles of Verdu and Angulo, this movie has a remarkably strong cast.
The visuals are everything you would hope for in a fairy tale. Unique, dark, creative and sometimes grisly, Ofelia’s fairy tale world has a satisfying feel to it. The scenery really sets the mood of fascism and war.
Overall, del Toro’s creation is an inspiring piece of work riddled with lessons and morals. Backed up by great acting and visuals and a refreshing story, this Spanish film is one that everyone can enjoy. Keep in mind, though, this is one fairy tale that isn’t meant for children.
Breaking the American stereotype
March 14, 2008
By: Meher Ahmad <mahmad@hilite.org>
I recently watched a video on YouTube.com in which a man asked several teenagers on the street who the president of France was. Although the video was surely edited, every person interviewed had no idea who the current president of France is.
While I recognize that this video was not an accurate representation of our school, I started thinking about how many students here are aware of global events. It suddenly dawned on me that many teenagers have no interest in global affairs whatsoever.
It is understandable that everyone in Carmel does not know about what happens outside of America’s borders, but what I find unsettling is not many care. As teenagers, we tend to get wrapped up in our own world, what with sports and clubs and homework. This is no excuse, however, for limiting our scope to only what affects us.
Having traveled to a good number of countries, the constant exposure to new cultures fuels my interest in foreign affairs, whether or not they involve the United States. Seeing exactly what poverty is, what a factory in China looks like, how Parisians live, it keeps me thinking about what happens in the rest of the world
Even if students have not traveled, I feel it is necessary for our generation to care about what happens outside of American borders. We always hear about outsourcing and how jobs are quickly leaving the US economy, but few really take time to understand what that means for us, the next working generation.
The global stage is not limited to Western countries anymore. According to Steve Schifferes, an economics reporter for BBC News, emerging countries such as India and China are widening the job pool for corporations. “India is the world’s leading exporter of IT services, with its volume of offshore business doubling every three years,” Schifferes said. The speed at which these countries are going is not going to slow anytime soon, either. By the time our generation is out of college and ready for the working world, the competition we will face for jobs will be unprecedented.
In addition to competing for jobs, the reputation Americans have in foreign countries is definitely not highly regarded. We are seen as ignorant, greedy people who are narrow-minded and obnoxious. Every time I heard this description from foreigners I always fought to prove them wrong, but after living in Hong Kong for a full year, I find it hard to defend Americans entirely.
I often have people ask me where I lived in the previous year, and when I say Hong Kong, I’m shocked by the responses I get. “Oh, that’s in Japan right?” is the one I most commonly receive. After about the fifth time I heard this I began thinking like the other foreigners. I really did start to believe most Americans are ignorant and narrow-minded.
This is my eighth month living back in the United States, and I’ve come to accept that thus far, many Americans do live up to their stereotype. But I still have hope for my peers. Maybe with increasing inter-connectivity, teenagers will become interested in what the rest of the world has to offer. For the time being, I’m still explaining that Hong Kong is not in Japan.
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