Reviews

Cinderella: The Remix Review

By Adam Raducha and Salem Hallab

The play Cinderella: The Remix was not the “super fresh, crazy hot, fly, beautiful” play we were looking for when the eighth graders went to the DePaul Theater on May 12th. This play was Cinderella but with a modern twist, everyone was a DJ. Cinderella was a very good DJ, but couldn’t show her skills because girls couldn’t DJ in Hip-Hop Hollywood. She had to disguise as a man to get a DJ job. Many people went into this play not knowing it was targeted at a younger audience. As an anonymous eighth grader said, “I had no idea that this was going to be a take on Cinderella, because I thought that this was actually going to be a musical of Cinderella for some reason. When the play started, I thought for sure that this was going to be; but it was about rights and race issues. That's when I started to change my opinion.”

This sums up what many of the eighth graders were thinking before the play. We were expecting something a lot different than what we saw because almost none of us had heard of this before. A low point in this play was a subplot about a chinchilla wanting equal rights. This plot did not work well with the rest of the play, and it just made it that much worse. In a survey taken by 110 eighth graders, 90.1% gave this play a three or below rating out of five stars, and 80.9% of people said they would not go see it again. For every comment complementing the play, there were about 15 opposing it. It is safe to say, that many people did not like this play because it was intended for a younger audience.

Posted on May 26th, 2017

"13 Reasons Why"

By: Allen White

“13 Reasons Why” is a phenomenal show on Netflix. It has been perfectly casted with stellar actors, includes unique and interesting visuals, and is one of the best teen dramas to come out in the past few years. It centers around a junior named Clay, whose best friend Hannah Baker leaves tapes explaining the “13 reasons why” she ended her life. The episodes follow Clay listening to the tapes and confronting the people on the tapes.

The story is an interesting and fresh concept within a sea of the same boring concepts. Each episode ends with you craving for the next one after. It also has interesting and comedic moments. There are shocking reveals about characters and their actions that will have you in tears.

However, there are some very clear flaws. Often times he character Clay is completely clueless in situations with obvious solutions, overcomplicating things. He takes far too long to listen to the tapes, in an obvious way, to stretch out episodes. Then there’s some characters who have literally no redeeming qualities whatsoever, they’re just horrible, awful, despicable people. And the largest problem with this show is how it makes suicide seem like revenge.

Despite this, “13 Reasons Why” is a phenomenal show. I’d recommend it to any young adult. It is a controversial show with some very graphic scenes. Don’t watch it if you are: sensitive,have a weak stomach, or are easily offended. I’d give this show a 9.5/10.

Posted on April 28, 2017

What's Wrong With The Nintendo Switch?

By: Chris Bonk

The Nintendo Switch was released on March 3, 2017, and was an automatic hit. Tons of people lined up early to get the new console and portable gaming system, all in one. That's what makes the Switch different from everything else. You can use it on your TV at home, but then take it with you as a portable gaming device. No other gaming company has done this yet. They took The Wii U and the 3DS and combined the two to make an awesome console.

But with every console there are flaws. First off, It's pricey, especially when you take accessories into account.The Nintendo Switch isn't the most expensive console on the market, and at $299 it's not a bad deal. But once you start to tack on accessories, the console becomes a lot pricier. Want to add a charging Joy-Con Grip? That's $30. How about a Pro Controller for gaming on the TV? A whopping $70---more than a standard gamepad for either Xbox One or PS4. Simply buying the system, one game and a Pro Controller will set you back $460 plus tax.

Next, there were barely any games at launch and nothing built in.Time and time again, video game consoles launch with too few games at launch. Nintendo is far from the only guilty party. It doesn't hurt that “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is a launch title. It's an amazing game and the only major Switch exclusive until “Super Mario Odyssey” is released in late 2017. But there's no built in game. Nintendo should have included 1-2 Switch with the console, not charged $50 for a bunch of mini-games.

Next, the space issue. First, you can expand the 32 GB very easily with Micro SD cards. You can add 128 gigs for $40, and the price of Micro SD is always steadily dropping. Second, if you buy games on cartridges (the Switch's physical media) you don't have to install them to play. This is in contrast to the Xbox One and PS4, which require full game installs from the disc onto the hard drive. So, if you're buying physical games rather than digital downloads, the 32 GB won't be that much of an issue. But, Nintendo is basically limiting themselves on any kind of additions, apps, and the store.

Now just tiny issues. On the day of the release, many people were complaining that the left joy con controller was not connecting and hooking up to the console. So, Nintendo released an update to fix it, so not much of a problem.

In all the Nintendo switch is a great console, and I was very excited when it released and very excited for all the new games. Nintendo is a great company and makes great consoles and games.

FFC Reigns Supreme for Area Gyms

By: Logan Komar

While there are a couple other gym’s in the area, FFC is right in the middle of town on Lake Street. FFC stands for Fitness Formula Club. It is quite convenient for a lot of people especially with all the new condos coming in. I am not old enough to get a full membership, but I sometimes go as a guest with my dad. As compared to the other gyms, it has a lot of workout machines and very high quality. They have a basketball court which is nice and a climbing wall. The only downside is it is expensive. I give FFC a 4 and a half star rating. For more information on classes and services offered through the club, visit the Oak Park FFC website: http://ffc.com/oakpark/.

Posted on March 10th, 2017

Yum Thai Restaurant

By: Jonathan Mueller-Nussenbaum

Good Thai food is hard to come by these days, especially when most restaurants are either a McDonald’s or a Chipotle. However, if you look to Forest Park, IL, you might just find that hidden gem. Yum Thai is a small, family owned business.

Read More>> Yum Thai Review

Posted on March 3rd, 2017

"That's What I Like" Song Review

By: Meshiya Smith

Reigning number four on The BillBoard Charts the song “That’s What I Like” has taken the world by storm with the electrifying beats and the amazing vocals by the one and only Bruno Mars. The song written by Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, and Christopher Brody Brown has been performed multiple times and even at the 59th Grammy Awards. Personally, the song has been in my recently played playlist ever since I’ve heard from The Grammy’s because of the vocals, beats, and just because Bruno Mars is one of my favorite artists. So if you haven't listened to the song then you should definitely listen to the song and the rest of his album which is called “24k Magic”. Parental advisory for some songs on the album is required.

Posted on March 2nd, 2017

La La Land The Movie Review

By: Danielle Guralnick & Kianna Gill

The director Damien Chazelle’s La La Land was absolutely superb. The movie won 6 Golden Globe Awards. The soundtrack, actors, and setting were all very well chosen and well done. This wonderful movie starred Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as Sebastian and Mia. Another supporting character was played by John Legend. This movie has everything you are looking for. There is humor, singing, drama, romance, and it is very upbeat. La La Land takes you on an adventure.

Read More>> La La Land Movie Review

Posted on February 22nd, 2017

Check Out Boss Burrito

By: Dylan Thomas

Boss Burrito is a small Mexican Restaurant located at 1110 Westgate. They describe themselves as “a perfect blend between typical Mexican flavors and the American palate.” The menu ranges from burritos and tamales to tacos, tostadas, and more. They are open for lunch and dinner from 10:00-9:00 Mon-Sat and 11:00-8:00 on Sunday. Although the location is small, they have a brisk takeout business.

Hidden Figures The Movie Review

By: Meshiya Smith

If you haven't heard of the all reigning movie Hidden Figures, then you must have been living under a rock. The very empowering movie has left the world shaken, from its civil rights talk to getting more women's rights in the business world. Now this movie isn't just a regular women empowerment movie, actually it stars three beautiful and talented African American leads (Taraji P.Henson,Octavia Spencer, and Janella Monae) rocking the world with their wits and incredible 1960s style.

Posted on February 7th, 2017

"Terraria" Review

By: Richard Campbell

Terraria is a game made by Re-Logic, it was released on May 16, 2011. Since then it has been released on XBOX, Playstation, PS Vita ,IOS, Android and Mac. This review will be centered around the mobile version of Terraria. Even those who have played for some time haven’t even close to finishing it. This is because even when you “complete” the game, there's always something else to do: whether it be grinding for a new sword or that key that will get you into a legendary chest. It just never ends, one drawback of the mobile version is that controls are very unwieldy, so if you're planning to pick it up, be ready. Even though the controls are a little finicky, this game is definitely a good pick up for only $4.99 on Mobile and $10.99 on PC and Mac.

Posted on March 10th, 2017