Tag Archives: ” Bagpiper

Insidious: Chapter 2 fails to capture the nerve-wracking plot of the original

By Christian Dimartino and Bryce Romig

There is a vicious cycle when it comes to scary movies. The original is released, it becomes an instant classic with a large fanbase; however, most of the time, the filmmakers do not leave the original alone. Instead, the director brings along a new form of terror: a sequel. About 99.99 percent of the time, the sequel never lives up to the original. So, going into James Wan’s Insidious: Chapter 2, the burning question on the viewers’ mind is this: Can it top the original?

Insidious, Wan’s 2011 movie that slowly gathered a cult like following, was one of the more effective scary movies in recent history. Wan hit another slam-dunk back in July with The Conjuring, an even better movie (and very successful and even critically acclaimed) which is among the year’s best.  So, there is a lot of hype to live up to. But did he do it?

The sequel takes place directly after the events of the original. The Lambert family is trying to move on with their lives and recover from the events they had previously been through. But of course, since this is a sequel to a scary movie, the recovering doesn’t last very long. The wife Renai (the always terrific Rose Bryne) starts to notice strange occurrences again, including the behavior of her husband Josh (Patrick Wilson, the most overlooked actor in Hollywood), who she doesn’t reallytrust, due to events of the previous film.

Warning: Do not see this movie without seeing the original. It is not worth it. For confusion sake, just sit down and watch the original. The sequel will not be completely confusing, but either way the original is worth seeing. The original has a solid plot that is crucial to the second.

It’s always nice to see good acting in a scary movie. Like in the original, Wilson and Byrne nail it. The statement about Wilson being the most overlooked actor in Hollywood is true. This guy is great in Hard Candy, Little Children, Lakeview Terrace, among others, and he is still not a household name. Neither is the gorgeous Byrne, who is known for FX’s Damages and Bridesmaids. These two are in top form here. Everyone’s acting is solid, and it is nice to have almost everyone from the original (even Lin Shaye’s deceased character Elise).

At the end of the day, Insidious: Chapter 2 is not quite as captivating as the original. For Wan, this is a step down from the original Insidious and The Conjuring. Jumping out of your skin is guaranteed, yet the movie needed something more chilling. It needed more of Tiny Tim’s “Tiptoe through the Tulips” or the freaky demon that had a close resemblance to Darth Maul.

It is a good movie, but some of it is uneven. Not quite all of it adds up. Also, the twist, while good, is out there, even for this movie. Insidious: Chapter 2, though flawed, is a consistently entertaining movie that is worth seeing. It works, just not as well as the original. But Insidious: Chapter 3, if it happens, is pushing it.

Regardless of a hard to follow plot and somewhat confusing storyline, Insidious: Chapter 2 is definitely going to leave you paranoid at night.

Rating: 7.5/10

Tank Top trend becoming increasingly popular

Click here to find the perfect tank top

By Bryce Romig

This year has seen more unique trends than ever before. From neon colors to darker undertones, the trends have varied greatly. Summers latest trend has seemed to have taken teenage girls by storm. Tribal tank tops have become popular with girls everywhere, and it seems like every store you go too has a multitude of them just waiting to be bought. The question is why is something so simple hitting major fashion markets everywhere?

The answer is simple; take something plain and comfortable like a tank top, add some colorful touches and designs, now fashion can be easy and flexible.

“They are more comfortable than some other shirts. I really like the bright colored ones, such as orange, pink, or purple,” said junior Hannah Andres.

Sophomore Olivia Nguyen is also up to date with today’s fashion.

“I like tank tops because they flatter most body types, and look good with shorts. I wear a lot of black, so I like to wear pastel pink colored ones because it can make your outfit look vintage and girly,” said Nguyen.

Tank tops also work as a great addition to summer because of the thin fabric and weightlessness they provide. This way, you can keep cool and look sharp all at once.

“I like wearing tank tops because they are comfortable and in summer you don’t have to wear a heavy shirt. You can just put on a tank top and not worry about being hot all day,” said freshman Colleen Fitzgerald.

Tank tops are also very wallet friendly. For fashionistas on a budget, these are calling your name.  Almost every store has them on their racks, and the prices tend to range anywhere from ten to thirty dollars. This makes for a great way to save money and add a great addition to your closet.

“I shop at many places such as American Eagle, Forever 21, and Body Central. They have great prices, and tank tops are cheap anyways,” said Andres.

School rules may interfere with your choice of tank top, so steer clear of any thin strapped ones. If you are absolutely set on a tank top that you may feel will cause a problem, trying adding a light jacket or light see through shirt over it. This way, you can look fierce and still cooperate with school dress code.

Girls, if you are looking to try out some of these tank tops yourself, try matching it with a mini skirt. These really add a glamorous effect to the outfit, and take out the lazy tank top stereotype.

For the guys, tank tops are always in. Try sticking to darker colors. These are easier to match with colored shorts, and make you look a little bit manlier. While girls have many different styles of tank tops, men don’t have very many. Try to steer clear of wearing tank tops and jeans, this combination may confuse others about what season it is, and won’t compliment your awesome fashion sense.

Tank tops seem to go with everything, so don’t be afraid to try something daring. You might surprise yourself, and come out with a rocking outfit. And before you know it, you’ll be the school trendsetter.

Journey to National Convention: live blogging from Bagpiper Journalists

By Grace Runkel

Editor’s Note: Stay up to date on the Floyd Central journalism trip to the national high school journalism convention by checking the Bagpiper Online throughout the week.

At 4 a.m. seniors Katelyn Rowe, Anna Boone, Lauren McNeeley, and I dragged ourselves out of bed, gathered our bags, and headed to the Louisville International Airport.

After arriving on time, remembering all our boarding passes, and getting through security without any hang-ups our journey was out to a great start. It was almost too good to be true.

Well, it was.

After just thirty minutes in the air, we started smelling something weird. Something electrical. And smoky.

Next thing we know the pilot announced we would be making an emergency stop in Indianapolis. There goes our connecting flight from Chicago.

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Our view leaving the Louisville International Airport. Photo by Grace Runkel.

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Landing in Indianapolis. Photo by Grcae Runkel.

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Waiting on the plane for word from the maintenance crew. Photo by Grace Runkel.

Newspaper, yearbook staffs excel at recent competitions

By Sidney Reynolds

Last Friday The Bagpiper newspaper Staff and Bartizan Yearbook staff went to Southeastern Indiana’s High School Press Association convention at Indiana University Southeast where The Bagpiper was named Newspaper of the Year for the ninth consecutive year. Additionally, the Bartizan yearbook was named Yearbook of the Year.

The Bagpiper newspaper and Bartizan yearbook were honored at two different conventions in October. The Bagpiper was named a Hoosier Star newspaper at the Indiana High School Press Association convention, and Newspaper of the Year at the Southeastern Indiana Student Press Association convention. The Bartizan was named Yearbook of the Year at the SISPA convention. Photo by JT Samart.

These honors came one week after The Bagpiper was named a Hoosier Star newspaper at the annual Indiana High School Press Association convention at Franklin College, placing it among the state’s top newspapers. The newspaper and Bartizan yearbook also won several individual Harvey awards at the IHSPA convention.

“I was really happy to see it do so well. We spent a lot of time and dedication on producing a good book for our students and competitions,” said senior Lauren McNeeley, Bartizan editor-in-chief.

Sophomore Jalyn Kowalski won second place in On-site Student Life Design at the IHSPA convention.

“It was really a big accomplishment for me because it was the first time I’ve ever done something like that,” said Kowalski.

McNeeley said the numerous yearbook awards are a reflection of the staff’s high standards. “We have very high standards for the work that we do. I think that’s what pushes us for our photos and captions to make a good yearbook,” she said.

Senior Anna Boone, co-editor-in-chief of The Bagpiper, said the newspapers staff’s focus on producing quality journalism has paid off.

“It was very rewarding,” she said. “I think it solidifies all the hard work we have been doing throughout the year.”

Senior Grace Runkel, co-editor-in-chief of The Bagpiper, agreed with Boone.

“I was really honored to win this award again. It was nice to see all our hard work pay off,” said Runkel.

Boone said the writing and reporting talents of the newspaper journalists helped lead to the recent honors.

“I think every single year we’ve had great writers on our staff, especially this year,” she said.

For next year, The Bagpiper plans to work on their website design and layout, and the Bartizan is already putting together this year’s yearbook for the next competition.

“We are going to continue our excellent writing,” added Boone.

The most recent edition of The Bagpiper was published and distributed at FC today. Interested readers can look through pdf’s of pages posted on this website.

To see a complete list of individual students honored at the SISPA convention, click here.

To see a complete list of individual students honored at the IHSPA convention, click here.