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By Justin Robertson
With summer fastly approaching, Glenelg students will have more free time for fun experiences, such as going to the movies. The 2018 summer will be full of sensational new movies coming to theatres that appeal to all kind of genres. By Sofia Weddle & Anna Lawson
In this day and age, it should be normal to turn on the TV to a diverse array of actors who actually represent American society. The modeling industry seems to be keeping up through its inclusion of all body sizes and races. But why does the film world have such trouble with depicting real humans and the raw reality of life outside of suburbs scattered with matching white houses? Now more than ever, as students across the nation and the world struggle with gun violence, poverty, harassment, immigration, love, and gang dominance, it is time to showcase reality. By Justin Robertson
With the recent dominance of the video game Fortnite, it has been hard for other video games and video game companies to compete with the most popular game of all time. However, the release of the game God of War 3 could help shift the video game industry back to a competitive market. By Zach Kersh and David Toronto
(MAJOR Spoiler Alert) The Avengers Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor, and Black Widow all come together for a final battle for the universe. Other heros joining the Avengers include, Ant-Man, Dr. Strange, The Guardians of the Galaxy, and many others joining the battle against Thanos. Marvel has made clear that Thanos is different than other villians in the Marvel universe. By Alexis Kominos
I have been noticing a lot of posts around social media about the movie, I Feel Pretty, starring Amy Schumer. At first, the movie looked like a comedy with good meaning behind it. As I looked further into it, there were some aspects of the movie that made me confused and swayed my By Jacob Kersh
On April 20th, the music industry lost a revolutionary artist whose magical chords and uplifting rhythms will be remembered by artists and fans for generations on end. Avicii, who pioneered the Electronic Dance Music genre almost ten years ago, was found dead at a resort in the Middle Eastern country, Oman. By Liam Day & Mason Steinberg
Have you ever wanted to make money playing video games every day? Tyler Blevins, known online as Ninja, has recently exploded on Twitch and YouTube playing the popular game Fortnite. He has easily turned his lifetime hobby of PC gaming into a career that makes more By Jackie Lyons
John Green, author of many young adult favorites like The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska, is back with a new book called, Turtles All the Way Down, which tells the story of 16 year old Aza Holmes and her struggles with multiple anxiety disorders. When she finds out a billionaire and her friend’s father goes missing, she and her friends decide to go out looking for him. By Anna Lawson
A symphonic story brightened by vibrant latin song, In The Heights, written by Quiara Alegría Hudes with music and lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda, tells the story of a lively community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood. By Alexis Kominos & Jessica Lipman
I went to Chainsmokers last summer at Merriweather and the experience was great. I bought the tickets for about 50 dollars. We planned an uber to take us to Merriweather and when we got there I was already having a great time. It lasted for hours and I did not want the night to By Sofia Weddle
Jack Black may be known most infamously for his starring role in the 2003 blockbuster, School of Rock. With its touching storyline, hilarious jokes, and amazingly talented kid musicians, the film was bound to become a hit not only on the big screen, but across stages worldwide. By Sofia Weddle
As expected, this year’s PFW Fall 2018 RTW brought a gust of 40 degree weather, burnt color palettes, and plenty of high necklines. Designers truly brought their A-game on the runway, which ranged from a lush forest to a luminescent path of optical illusion. By David Toronto
The MLB the Show series is the leading MLB video game in the whole world. The series, starting in 1999, has sold over 5.5 million copies. The newest game in the series, MLB the Show 18, comes out on March 27th. By Alexis Kominos
It is a Tuesday night and I still have lots of homework to do. The burning question is, “Should I watch another Netflix episode of my favorite show, or finish my homework?” Netflix always seems to win. It is midnight now, but I just finished an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, and I am on a cliffhanger! By Garrett Athey
Toronto rapper, Aubrey Graham, better known by his stage name “Drake,” recently made many generous contributions to the Miami community in Florida. The donations were involved in the making of his recent music video for his new hit song, “God’s Plan.” By: Jessica Lipman
Musical talent, hilarious jokes, and raunchy puns are three words to describe Glenelg High School’s most recent production, Young Frankenstein. Originally created by actor, director, and composer Mel Brooks, students of the drama department have brought to life the story of Frederick Frankenstein, portrayed by Senior Jake Baker. By: Jackie Lyons
A new medical show has taken FOX by storm. The Resident is about a young doctor named Devon Pravesh who has just graduated Harvard Medical School and has been transported to work at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital. He remains under the supervision of Senior resident, Dr. Conrad Hawkins, played by Gilmore Girls star Matt Czuchry, who spends his time challenging the hospital’s morals and does the wrong things for the right reasons. While Hawkins is out acting like Robin Hood, Chastain’s top surgeon, Dr. Randolph Bell is facing his own issues that include accidents while in surgery. Among the numerous malpractice coverups, Chastain is being forced to go through severe budget cuts that jeopardize their ability to properly run their hospital. Medical dramas are a staple in today’s pop culture. Show such as Grey’s Anatomy and ER have left lasting impressions, and so far, The Resident seems like it’ll fit in. Each episode is jam packed with different problems the core characters have to face. Sophomore, Kelsey Flavin, says, “So far in this season, I enjoy how different each episode is and you never know how each one is going to end.” Having a new hospital show has proven to be more relatable to viewers than the hundreds of supernatural shows currently airing on TV now. Senior, Trey Hensing, says, “Hospital shows are more realistic and relatable than supernatural shows that deal with monsters, so like people understand the stresses of hospitals more easy.” Many viewers, such as Hensing, find this new medical drama refreshing compared to others shows currently being broadcasted. This day in age, cable TV shows are being cancelled left and right due to low ratings. With it’s 93% approval rating from Google users, The Resident may be the biggest hit of the year. By Sayo Jolayemi & Jacob Kersh
Epic Games’ blockbuster video game Fortnite, the unequivocal opening fad for 2018, has captivated American gamers with its free to play game mode, Battle Royale. As an amalgamation of popular video games series such as Minecraft and Left for Dead, the success of this game was inevitable. Since dropping in summer of 2017, the game has seen a sharp increase in fans as time has progressed. For those unfamiliar with the premise of Fortnite, it stems from a Hunger Games-esque style of play, pitting one-hundred individuals onto a battlefield that shrinks in size as the match continues in duration. A big part of Fortnite’s appeal is that, unlike most other console based flagships, the game is a free to play. Money is used only to unlock special aesthetic pleasures appeal to the variants of hardcore gamers. For example, Glenelg Junior Aden Boyer “got the Battle Pass” because “it was only twenty dollars and it made sense considering how much [he] plays.” What Boyer is referring to is the twenty-dollar seasonal pass Fortnite offers that is not necessary, but essentially rewards players for playing the game by dispersing prizes and virtual currency for completing in-game achievements. This package is a good deal for players of the game who play frequently, but do not want to deposit too much money right away. Also, in accordance with the newfound hype and popularity achieved by Fortnite, professional players and teams have begun to arise. YouTube and Twitch personalities such as “TheMyth” and “Ninja” have amassed a huge following due to their stupendous battle royale play, and their fanbases continue to grow in coordination with the game itself. Fortnite has attracted both avid and casual gamers nationwide. Gamers of all ages have come together to enjoy the “winner-takes-all” phenomenon in various ways, joining massive online party rooms to play in virtual squads, the game has forged strong online friendships that have also manifested into real life get-togethers for a vast number of players. The Fortnite community extends to Glenelg High School as well; there have been multiple occasions recently where Glenelg Freshman have gotten together with students from Glenwood Middle to enjoy both the game and each other’s company. One student from Glenwood Middle said “it’s cool to be able to hang out with my brother and his friends because even though they are [...] two years older than me, they still mostly treat me like they treat the people their age.” The student also mentioned that he now talks to some of the people that were there on a daily basis, so it seems as though the friendships people have developed because of Fortnite will likely last even if the game eventually dies out. Although Fortnite has brought the Howard County gaming community together in many ways, there has also been some significant competition between the high schools of the region. Tensions have arisen specifically because Fortnite players from each school claim that they are the best in the county, and because Fortnite has not implemented a private server game mode where students from different schools would be able to face off in head-to-head combat, there is no way to prove who reigns supreme. However, most schools refuse to let up. Many have even resorted to using social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter to post clips consisting of impressive gameplay from students at their specific school only, thus “proving” their gaming abilities to the rest of the county. These accounts have actually garnered fairly substantial followings over the past month, and Glenelg’s page currently sits at about 200 followers. Nevertheless, even with some competition arising in the county, Fortnite is and always will be a consumer game that most users play to relieve stress and have fun. In fact, one of the owners of Glenelg’s profile said that “there’s nothing bad about a little friendly competition” and that “we all are just honestly looking to sit down and play some Fortnite.” So even though Glenelg is undoubtedly the best at Fortnite in the county, enjoying the game is definitely the more important. But let’s just be perfectly clear here—we really are the best! By Mason Steinberg
Commercials are normally a time to get a snack or to go on your phone. However on Superbowl Sunday, viewers around the country stay glued to their TVs during the commercial break. The broadcasting companies charge more than five Million dollars for a thirty second ad. In the past, popular commercials such as Budweiser’s clydesdales, E-trades baby commercials, and the Old Spice Man have stolen the show. This year, a junior at Glenelg said, “ I thought the funniest commercial was the Alexa commercial from Amazon because all the celebrities being substituted for Alexa had me laughing so hard it hurt.” Here are the top five commercials this year according to a poll of randomly selected Glenelg students. 1. Giants Dirty Dancing: In the most popular commercial this year, Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Quarterback Eli Manning reenacted the Dirty Dancing scene. This commercial drew a mixed response while most found it hilarious, some found it strange. The usually boring Manning stepped well out of his comfort zone by performing a ballet routine with Beckham Jr. It was both funny and strange seeing Manning acting like this. 2. Alexa Loses Her Voice: In this commercial, Amazon’s digital assistant loses the ability to talk and the replacements are Rebel Wilson, Gordon Ramsay, Cardi B and Anthony Hopkins. They hilariously scold the users of Alexa for their questions and leave the users wondering what is going on with their Alexa’s. 3. The Bud Knight: Bud Light’s “Dilly Dilly” campaign is the most polarizing ad series today. Many find the catchphrase humorous and constantly repeat it. However, others are annoyed by it and think that the commercials are cheesy. In the ad aired during the Super Bowl, the Bud Knight comes to save the day, but instead jokes that he has to get to a party. At the end of the commercial the Bud Knight ends up saving the day and everyone yells Dilly Dilly! 4. Doritos and Mountain Dew Rap Battle: Doritos has consistently had popular Super Bowl ads recently. This year, they teamed up with Mountain Dew in a “fire vs. ice” rap battle. Two of the most talented actors today, Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage, channeled their inner Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot respectively. The speed of the lip syncing along with their serious facial expressions gave the commercial a humorous vibe. 5. Avocados From Mexico: In this commercial, the people are living inside of a dome. All of citizens are enjoying avocados when someone notices that chips are sitting just outside the dome. Chaos occurs while the leader frantically reminds people that avocados are also good on toast, which is referring to the current joke about millennials being obsessed with avocado toast. At the end of the commercial, people have calmed down, but the wifi shuts off which causes everyone to go crazy again. Commercials in general are designed to get mass amounts of people to buy the companies product. The most effective commercials get stuck in the viewer’s heads. While most try to accomplish this with something strange or funny, some go with a more serious tone. Companies such as Budweiser and Stella Artois focused their campaigns on helping people. 2017 was a tough year for America, much of the country was divided, and major natural disasters caused massive amounts of damage. Budweiser showed its employees passing out water to victims of Hurricane Harvey and the California wildfires. Stella Artois and Matt Damon teamed up to advocate for selling water to third-world countries. The Super Bowl and it’s commercials provide time for everyone to come together and forget about their problems for three hours. Hopefully by the time next year's Superbowl comes around, the country will be more united. By Jessica Lipman As celebrities walk along the red carpet all eyes are on the stars -- not only because they are famous, but because of what they are wearing. The 2018 Golden Globes, held on January 7th, is where many actors and actresses receive awards for their yearly accomplishments. This year however, had some of the best and worst fashion seen yet at the Golden Globes. Actresses made the choice to wear all black to protest against sexual assault in Hollywood, supporting the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Some celebrities took a more formal approach, while others, such as Connie Britton, went overly casual for the ceremony. Britton came onto the carpet wearing a knitted black sweater with white writing over it saying, “Poverty is Sexist”, along with a matching long skirt. Critics from popular social media outlets such as Ok! Magazine and the Daily Express, have described Britton’s outfit as “cheap” and “too gimmicky.” Another actress who caught attention was actress Alicia Vikander. Tori Wright, a Junior at Glenelg High School, describes Vikander’s long, black lace dress as “depressing and dull for such a lively night.” Model Kendall Jenner walked along the red carpet wearing a large, fanned out dress which appeared to swallow her small figure. Sometimes bigger isn’t better. Although there were many fashion mistakes, many actresses brought elegancy and classiness to the show. Angelina Jolie, who wore Atelier Versace, shined on the carpet as she was wearing a feathered, sheer gown which sprung out around her waist then returning back to its slim form. Margot Robbie also stole the show when the actress appeared in a luxurious Gucci gown. As multiple actresses followed the completely black trend, Robbie coordinated her own style into the dress by adding a silver, floral pattern along the front of her dress. Along with her subtle yet eye catching makeup, Robbie’s look for this year’s Golden Globes is one for the books. Sophomore at Glenelg High School, Raj Ukondwa, said that his favorite look at the Golden Globes was Nicole Kidman, who wore a lace gown from Givenchy. Ukondwa loved this look because of the “stylish lace topping to the dress and the way the bottom of the gown flows out.” Kidman’s formal gown and loose updo balanced the entire look causing her to be one of the stars in the spotlight that night. Although many critics view the similarities between all of the A-listers as somber and uninteresting, there is a strong message behind all of it. This year’s Golden Globe Awards brought attention to the sexual assault that has arrived in Hollywood recently and how it is affecting the country negatively. However, this night also brought together not only women, but even men, to stand against sexual abuse in the industry.  |