Crossword
By Henry Kaplow
I created an original, HRA themed crossword puzzle. Click on this link to access it. Note that it may be blocked on school iPads.
https://crosshare.org/crosswords/ZOGigY36RnyRNsCNZbFO/hampton-roads-academy
Four Book Recommendations If You End Up Bored This Summer
By Ellie Richardson
Sci-Fi: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
This book has been one of huge popularity even before the recent movie release. As someone who doesn’t regularly like science fiction novels, I thought this one was pretty interesting and universally appealing. The main character, Ryland Grace, has a doctorate and has taught science for most of his adult life, meaning his scientific knowledge is much more prevalent than the common reader. Weir balances the line between overcomplicating and under-explaning well, allowing the reader to keep up to speed without making it seem like the characters don’t know what they’re doing. This book was heartwarming and I was able to finish it within a day or two. Easily a good choice if you liked the movie, the genre, or are just generally pretty bored and in need of something to do.
Romance: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book feels like a parent randomly dropping crazy lore out of nowhere. It switches between a famous movie star’s narration of her life and the commentary/viewpoint of the person writing her biography. It has plenty of romance (since she has seven husbands and multiple affairs), but is primarily a story of success and self-exploration that connects with readers. This book is pure entertainment, and I’ve reread it many times in one sitting. It’s easily digestible and perfect for wanting to spend a summer day off your phone. Everyone I know who has read it absolutely loved it.
Horror: Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven
I borrowed this book from Mr. Clover earlier this year when I was going on a trip and ended up loving it. Told through documentary transcripts, this story entails a Disney-style theme park that is deserted during a severe natural disaster. Left to their own devices, all the teenage workers form tribes and tensions rise. Very reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, this story speaks to the horror that occurs when there are no rules or regulations and boredom/terror is rampant. Each of the individual stories and perspectives are so interesting and immediately draws the reader in.
Miscellaneous: The Anthropocene Review by John Green
I’m currently in the process of reading this book and love it. It’s a series of short essays about facets of human life, ranging from Halley’s Comet to Scratch and Sniff Stickers and all the way back to a Beatles song. Each of these quick writings explores a topic, mixing both history and Green’s personal experiences, and finishes off with a rating on the five star scale. This book is interesting and witty, and John Green does an excellent job with the idea. This book is a great pick if you don’t want to read it all in one sitting and prefer to have something that can be spread out over time.
The Best Shot of Whiplash and It’s Connection to the Rest of the Film
By Lily Doan
If you still have not seen the movie Whiplash, Netflix recently added it to their streaming options. (This means you have no excuse. I know you all have a subscription to Netflix, so just go watch it). However, since I have no patience, here’s a quick summary and rant about a single shot in this film. Whiplash follows the tale of aspiring jazz percussionist Andrew Neiman, who meets the instructor/conductor Terence Fletcher at his music school. Long story short, Fletcher’s methods of teaching are extreme, including screaming and throwing instruments at his students. But let’s get back to the point of this article. You may be asking yourself: what in the world is so interesting about one second of a much longer movie? Well dear readers, I will tell you. First off, this shot is my favorite of the movie. I think it’s just a very artistic shot, simple as that. However, let’s zoom out and I’ll give you some food for thought. What if this one shot captures the entire essence of the film? I know I know, that’s kinda a stretch but I really do think it cymbalizes (pun 100% intended) the whole storyline. Nothing else in focus except the disc, which reflects how Andrew is only thinking about trying to get the rhythm right and is completely zoned into his performance. There is no movement explicitly implied in this shot despite the fact that the cymbal is a part of a drum set that has been relentlessly slammed throughout the film. However, the audience can assume that there is a lot of movement on other parts of the drum set or the shot just before it, reflecting the larger duality of the film, intensity vs reflection. Although the audience would expect blood to be a warm color, the blood in this shot is so dark it looks almost cold and alien, showing how Andrew is not really registering the fact that he is bleeding. This connects to the larger theme the shot is communicating: Andrew doesn’t notice the effect that the pressure of his passion and the abusive nature of Fletcher’s instruction has on him until it almost breaks him. When out of context, the shot is just a cymbal with a little blood on it, yes, but it represents the lengths that success can drive us. It forces the audience to question: how far is too far and when does dedication become something darker?
Television series; BEEF
By Adrian Anatolian
The Netflix series BEEF dropped a new season. The show is centered around critiquing modern society. The first season displays a conflict between two people who see each other as enemies, willing to do anything they can to damage the other person’s life. They go to unseen lengths to try and destroy one another. Eventually though, the two characters bond after getting lost in the Californian wilderness. They go through a huge struggle to make it out alive together.
The show’s second season, while unrealistic, presents an even bigger satire on modern society. The season begins at a country club where people collaborate for a charity cause. Everyone seems to have a shadow over their own personality. One of the main characters, Josh, accepts an invitation to travel with a friend to Las Vegas, unknowingly forgetting his wife’s birthday is on the planned day of travel. When he gets in the car, his wife suddenly turns passive aggressive and makes a huge deal about his mistake. The couple eventually explodes into a huge fight in their home, throwing glasses, breaking furniture, yelling at each other, and almost physically engaging in conflict. A younger couple, who work at the club they had returned from, attempt to deliver Josh and his wife a wallet that they had left behind. They eventually hear the fighting and record it. The older couple sees the recording and immediately disengages from the fight as if nothing happened. From here, the story develops into the psychological issues of the people, class divisions, false love, etc. The season was made to criticize modern day society and how no one is their true self anymore and people lie/act fake. The show represents a story of the collapse of American society. I highly recommend the show, both seasons. The first season, in my opinion, is better than the second season in terms of artistic factors, but the second season makes a bigger satire on people and the archetypes of society. When watching the show, I would really try to look for artistic factors, satire, irony, etc. rather than watching it for mindless entertainment. From my point of view, the first season is a 10/10, and the second season is a 7/10 as the ending is a bit confusing, but symbolic nonetheless.
HRA Newspaper 