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A&E, Columns, Isaac Mathewson

Critic gains influence from much overlooked web series

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By Isaac Mathewson

I have sought a career in Hollywood as a screenwriter and director since childhood. However, seeing that I cannot go there for several more years until I finish college, I mostly stick to writing movie reviews or film related topics. I also spend time reading and watching reviews from other critics as a means of teaching myself how to write a good movie and to avoid previous mistakes of others. One of my favorite film critics is Doug Walker, creator and star of the hit web series The Nostalgia Critic.

The show is a comedy/review series about an angry film critic who reviews movies and T.V. shows from his childhood, the 1980s and 90s, and sulks over the ones whom he feels had not held up well. He often goes into great detail about problems he has with the movies and shows that he reviews and he sometimes goes into over-the-top tantrums whenever one of them proves to be too horrendous. Apart from reviews, he also has Top 11’s (because he likes to go one step beyond) on film and T.V. related topics and he also does “Old vs. New” in which he compares a “nostalgic classic” with a remake (i.e. The Ten Commandments vs. The Prince of Egypt). In almost every episode, he opens with his catchphrase: “Hello, I’m the Nostalgia Critic. I remember it so you don’t have to.”

The Nostalgia Critic is a satire and parody series. Apart from obvious parodies of other movies, there are many episodes which shows the Critic getting into bizarre situations that have something to do with the movie he is currently watching/reviewing. These situations include battles with famous film characters and even Hollywood’s “attempts” on world domination.

Walker’s philosophy of the show is that everyone needs a nostalgia critic, because we all are in some way. We all have seen movies and shows from our childhood that we either were excited about seeing and were disappointed by, or that we have liked as kids, but looking back, we wonder what we even saw in them. This philosophy is how he got his name.

Walker has reviewed many movies and shows and while not all of his reviews are negative, he always points out what upsets him the most and sometimes he goes on huge rants about the elements that are just too ridiculous to accept. Some of his most famous reviews are: Garbage Pail Kids, Batman and Robin, The Room, and Moulin Rouge. He is famous for his detailed descriptions, as well as bringing up points that haven’t been brought up before. Most importantly, he has come up with some of the most famous inside jokes on the Internet, among the most notable “Bat Credit Card” from his Batman and Robin review and “Bunny Boobies” from his Space Jam review.

The show has been on the web for about seven years, although at one point it was cancelled by Walker, but brought back. He posts a new video almost every week, which is quite impressive considering the short amount of time he comes up with these ideas. It can be found on YouTube, as well as on his website: That Guy with the Glasses. On the website, there are also other shows, hosted by his friends and partners, that deal with similar topics, including Nostalgia Chick, Cinema Snob, and Bum Reviews. While I enjoy most of them, I still believe that the Nostalgia Critic is the best. He has many fans inside the entertainment industry such as Christopher Lloyd, the creators of Animaniacs and Gargoyles, the late Roger Ebert, who called his tribute to Siskel and Ebert video the funniest review of the show he had ever seen, and former child actress Mara Wilson, who has made several guest appearances on his show and its sister shows.

While I do not agree with everything he says, I still believe that he writes great reviews that are both funny and informative. It is not a show for everyone, as some may be aggravated from his foul language and his tendency to raise his voice and get angry. However, if you were a kid who grew up during his time period who watched these shows and movies, or if you are a film buff and/or intend to go into the entertainment industry, this is a show that I highly recommend you to watch. It is simply one of the best web series in history.

Features, Peter Hyle

Underclassmen share views on friends leaving FC

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By Peter Hyle

Every year, friendships and relationships grow stronger within the halls of FC. At the end of each year, however, an entire class of seniors and other students say goodbye to the people they are leaving behind. While these seniors are of course nervous and excited for what is to come next, the friends that are not leaving with them have different feelings toward the next year ahead.

One example of this is junior Emily Shumate, who has developed a very close friendship with senior Addison Dorris.

“We met through mutual friends when I was in eighth grade, and ever since then we’ve just been really understanding with each other. He’s like a big brother to me,” said Shumate.

Being close friends for over three years now, Shumate has never experienced a year in high school without Dorris.

“I imagine I’ll still look for him in the hallways next year,” said Shumate, “It’s just weird to think that no one will be coming up to my locker to scare me next year.”

Others have gained more dynamic friendships with members of this year’s senior class. Junior Cat Briscoe has quickly become a good friend to senior Gunner Turner, and the two have grown extremely close throughout the course of this school year.

“We’ve developed a sort of routine this year, like he typically always comes to my house after school every day. It’s just what we always do. Next year he won’t be here to do that anymore,” said Briscoe.

Though Turner has not yet decided where he will be attending college in the fall, they know that the amount of time they spend with each other will change drastically.

“I’ve talked to him about next year and how I want to meet up every chance we get, and maybe go on one of our nature walks. I don’t think we will actually lose contact that easily once he graduates, so I’m not too sad over it. We will absolutely stay close friends,” said Briscoe.

Others, however, are facing different and more heartbreaking goodbyes. Junior Olivia Bays and Slovakian exchange student Boris Bican have spent a lot of time together during his year-long experience in America. Their closeness makes the fact that he leaves for home in one month when the school year ends so much more painful.

“I think the hardest part of saying goodbye will be knowing that I may never actually see him again. We both have a lot of the same friends, and once he leaves there is just going to be a big hole in the group,” said Bays.

These two face a much bigger challenge, where instead of attending two different schools in the fall, they will be living in two different countries.

“I don’t really want to go back, and I really don’t want to leave Olivia and all of my other friends. It’s going to feel awful saying goodbye to her and not knowing if I will talk to her in person ever again,” said Bican.

Through all of the questions and uncertainty that each of these friendships and relationships are facing, everyone involved knows that they will always have memories to look back on throughout the next school year.

“A few years ago he took me to this tractor pull with him and his friends. I was kind of hesitant to go but it turned out to be the most fun I’ve ever had with him. Afterwards we went to the par and just talked. I think that’s my favorite memory with him,” said Shumate.

For other students, it is a certain character trait that they will look back on the most.

“He [Turner] is just so funny and goofy. There was this one night we were in the park and Gunner started talking about some crazy European photo game, and the next thing I know he had jumped into a freezing creek and started posing on a rock like a mermaid, and then had me take pictures of him. I’ll never forget it,” said Briscoe.

Some have so many memories that it is hard to chose a specific moment that they will look back on most often once the next school year begins.

“I don’t know what my single favorite memory with Boris is, but I know what I’ll remember when he’s gone. Since we had all the same friends, we were always kind of surrounded by our friend group. It was hard to get away and spend time alone together, and that’s why those were my favorite moments with him. I liked when we walked down Bardstown Road, went to the movies, sat under the bridge on the waterfront and talked about traveling. It was fun to spend all this time with him lately,” said Bays.

For the students staying here at FC next year, it is hard to imagine an entire school year without their friends.

“This summer and next year are going to be interesting without him, and I think that we’ll eventually lose contact with each other. Being in different countries, different time zones, and speaking different languages is bound to pull us away from each other, obviously. I’m sad about that, but I’m glad I got to know him and got to spend all this time with him while he was here. That’s something I won’t lose.”

A&E, Isaac Mathewson

This weekend’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ ends theatre year

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By Isaac Mathewson

FC theatre director Robbie Steiner’s second year has reached its conclusion. To end the year right, he has brought the school an adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, a young middle class woman who falls in love with Mr. Darcy, a handsome rich man who does not return her love because she is of a lower class. Both of them must overcome their pride and prejudice if they are to finally express their love for each other.

Junior Alyson Jones, who plays Elizabeth, is very excited to be a part of this show.

“I know that there is going to be at least one beautiful performance, a few mistakes, and many tears will be shed.”

Jones has spent the past few months preparing for her role. She says that her greatest strength is facial expression and her greatest weakness is memorization. She likes to spend Monday rehearsals studying her role and getting into her character, which she describes as spunky and opinionated.

Senior Collin Jackson, who plays Mr. Darcy, is also excited to be a part of this production, which will be his final performance here at FC.

“It’s a great learning experience. It greatly contrasts from my role in The Scarlet Pimpernel.”

Jackson says that this role really allows him to focus on his acting and improve on his strength of feeling emotion and his weakness for displaying that emotion.

Behind the scenes, there is a crew of only four techs:  senior John McGehee as stage manager, junior Madeline Kemp as lighting designer, freshman Jerran Kowalski on lighting board and sophomore Sam Simms on sound board.

Kemp’s job is to give lighting queues to Kowalski. It is her first job in this position.

“Lighting is what moves the show in the right direction; it is great to have this new position.”

Although the tech crew is small, all of them act professionally and they believe that the show will be good.

Pride and Prejudice will premiere on April 25, 26, and 27 at 7:30 p.m. and April 26 and 27 at 2 p.m.