In America-Claudia Rightmire

The movie that I had decided to watch, and was very moved by, was the 2002 drama, “In America”, directed by Jim Sheridan. Other than the fact that it had three Academy Award nominations, it was a great story line and every member of the family would like to watch it. Some of the actors were: Sarah and Emma Bolger (playing the young sisters, Christy and Ariel), Paddy Considine (playing the dad, Johnny), Samantha Morton (playing the mom, Sarah), and Djimon Hounsou (playing the man that the two sisters meet and fall in love with, Mateo Kwame).

            It all starts out with the Irish family traveling to New York City, after leaving their home in Ireland so they could find a new start, and new jobs, after having their son and brother, Frankie, pass away. Forced to live in a run-down, scary apartment building from not having enough money, they had to overcome many hard times, which with the strength of their love for one another, and their friend Mateo that they met in the apartment along the way, they got through. Mateo was a mysterious man at first, but after the two sisters got to know him they quickly became good friends with him, not knowing that his health was not at its best due to contracting AIDS.

            Nonetheless, they lived their lives as much as they could, and kept pushing by with their mom working at an ice cream shop, and their dad driving a taxi and searching for acting jobs. Everything seemed to be getting better with the family, until Sarah, the mom, had become pregnant, and was having troubles carrying the baby. The doctors told them that when she did give birth it was more than likely that one or the other may die, and that Mateo too was at his final weeks.

            Pushing through, the baby was finally okay, as well as Sarah, but Mateo however was not as lucky. The sisters realized that even though he was gone he would be with their brother, which I thought was really touching considering most young children do not think this way.

            Overall, it was a great movie! It consisted of just about everything that would be wanted in a good movie, and I think that anyone that would watch it would say the same. It was not a sugar coated version of what that life would be like, it was the real thing, so in my opinion, it gets 4 gold stars.

The Pursuit of Happiness- Claudia Rightmire

The book I chose to read was “The Pursuit of Happiness” by Chris Gardner. At first, the read was a bit slow, but by the middle I really enjoyed Chris’s words. Everything was so real and motivational, and it showed me that wherever you are, or whoever you are, you can do anything.

            It all started out with showing how he grew up in a small town in Milwaukee, which was not glamorous whatsoever. His step dad was abusive and his mom was not strong enough to keep him away, until he finally crossed the line and they moved as far away as their finances would allow. Chris’s mother was much happier, because everyday with the step dad was full of bruises and scars. Chris was so angry however with his alcoholic step father that he had promised that no matter what he would be the best father that he could be.

            After growing up, he went into the military and tried to work with medicine for a while. He later had a child, which being a single parent was hard enough and he did not go to college either. Struggling to keep his feet on the ground he kept pushing through, sometimes not being accepted for being a single parent. Wanting a red Ferrari and to work on Wall Street however, he tried his hardest to take his job as a stockbroker and turn it into success.

            Reading this book was very eye opening and inspiring. Not having a partner to help you and stay with you through the hard times would be so difficult, but he showed that with love and strength it is possible. Parts of this book were a bit inappropriate, but that is only because it showed his life in a completely honest way. Also, some of the book seemed to be slightly confusing and did not come together completely at the end for me, but it had a great message.

            Overall I really enjoyed this book, even though it was different than others that I have read before. Sometimes it was slow, but I think that anybody that reads it will feel motivated to do something even though it may seem difficult to accomplish. I sure did.

Ishmael Book Review by Austin Rothe

 This novel has the power to change your life. The story begins with an unnamed narrator stumbling upon a personal ad (“Teacher seeks pupil. . . . Apply in person.”) The young man answers this ad, and he walks into a building to find a half ton silverback gorilla, named Ishmael.

The story only furthers in its strangeness when the man realizes he can communicate to Ishmael telepathically. Ishmael is the teacher, and what proceeds is a Socratic dialogue, in which Ishmael teaches the man how we can avoid the catastrophe that is upon us. He teaches the necessary knowledge to avoid the impending disaster of overpopulation and pollution. Ishmael’s goal is to open the eyes of the reader.

It’s A Thin Line by Kayla Challenger

Family is very important factor in life but Family can easily be disturbed by other things such as relationships, careers promotions, and daily duties. It’s a Thin Line is an excellent book that has a calibration of stories that involving one family, specifically three siblings. Sydney and Gina are the two oldest sisters, and Rick who is the youngest of them all.

Supersize Me (Project By: Alyssa Van Wagner)

     Supersize Me is a documentary film that teaches the consequences of eating McDonalds, or any fast food place for that matter, on a regular basis is utterly bad for your body. Morgan Spurlock is out trying to show America what will happen if they keep being lazy and eat most meals out at cheap fast food resturuants. It will affect your ability to play sports or even walk. It an be a pain for sexually active couples. The prices may be low, but the hidden price you will have to pay (with your health and weight) is subtancially higher. Spurlock puts his organs to the ultimate test and risks his health, and even his life, by eating nothing but McDonalds for all meals everyday.

METHOD: He has to pick something he hasn’t already had (sinse he started this) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He can not repeat any meals until he has eaten everything on the menu at least once. Then he cane eat what ever he wants.

CONSEQUENCES: He is constantlt puking after day 3, he can barley walk after day 22, and his doctors are scared for his health and his life. He is told by many that he needs to quit eating this stuff, or it will eat him. His doctors say it is very unhealthy and he is now put at a higher risk for a heart attack, a stroke, diabetes, many types of cancer, and much more. Eating healthy is vital for survival. Studies show that those who eat healthy live longer than those who eat unhealthily often.

It is a wake up call to us Americans, kind of like Wall-E was. How serendipitous is it that everytime we turn a corner, there is a fast food place luring us in with irrisistable and cheap deals. We need to eradicate the fast food industry. We need to not only imply, but enforce an argument and a fight for less temptations on the street. Where and when this change happens, is completley and soley up to us; the ones who care about our genorations falling in a fight for health.

Amanda S period 1 The Future of Food

The Future of Food directed, produced, and written by Deborah Hoons Garcia. This documentary is concerning genetically altered food. The company Monsanto is making “round-up ready” seeds that are immune to the effects of round-up (a common weed killer). Food grown with these seeds are less healthy and could cause allergic reactions. These seeds are also cross-pollinating with non genetically altered seeds causing lawsuits, and ruining crops.

Amanda S period 1 Politically Correct Bedtime Stories

The book I read was Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times
by James Finn Garner. It’s a collection of classic fairy tales that have been altered to make them politically correct such as “There once lived an economically disadvantaged tinker and his wife. His lack of material accomplishment is not meant to imply that all tinkers are economically marginalized, or that if they are, they deserve to be so.”(Rapunzel). This book isn’t actually meant to be told to children or substitute the real fairy tales but is very entertaining and shows that people have more rights these days then back when these stories were written. This is a great easy read but is not something I would suggest to someone who wants a challenging book, or great piece of literature.

Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life By:Tyler Perry (Report by: Alyssa Van Wagner)

     “…I’ve heard it called a beautiful, wonderful, extraordinary thing… I don’t know what the hell they were talking about.” That was a wise word from Madea on childbirth. Tyler Perry is a famous and well known playwright, director, producer, composer, and actor. He wrote this book, I think, to tell how harsh life is while adding the perfect “daily cup” of laughter and commedy. This book is a strong book. It does tell things for the way they are. It isn’t all that bad, there is some language, but it is used in harmony with both the personality of the character and the commedic qualities. Of the whole book, I have two favorite parts.

The Soloist By Kayla Challenger

Homelessness is one of the big issues that are facing the Untied States of America. There are many reasons why homelessness is prominent in the USA and I think that the movie The Soloist is a perfect example. As a writer and editor of the Los Angeles Times Newspaper, Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) discovers a talented musician named Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Fox) that is without a home. Steve goes through a journey trying to help a less fortunate man. Throughout this journey, both character hit some rough patches and both teach and learn from each other.

Book Review: SKINNY DIP

The cover of the book

SKINNY DIP, by Kristen Boehm, P.1

The Everglades is still dying at the rate of two acres per day, according to Skinny Dip, a novel by Carl Hiaasen. While the book’s plot focuses on the revenge of a murder survivor, it is also about the deterioration of the Everglades. Don’t let that put you off, though; the encompassing fast-action of the book and the strange quirky characters will keep your mind off the fact that you might be learning something at the same time.

 

Carl Hiaasen is a fairly well known writer. He’s written many books, mostly set in Florida, and a few books for young adults and children. Hoot was his first novel for younger audiences, and it was well accepted. Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida and still writes a column for the Miami Herald. One of his books, Srip Tease, was turned into a major motion picture in 1996.