Tag Archives: Christian Dimartino

A&E, Christian DiMartino, Peter Hyle

A cappella advances onto state finals

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By Peter Hyle and Christian DiMartino

This year, FC is privileged enough to not only bring their band and orchestra to state, but their choir as well. The a cappella choir specifically is looking forward to a challenging competition against 16 other high school choirs. Since the choir has not been to state in four years, everyone currently in the choir is experiencing this for the first time.

Many students involved have their own opinions why this year has been so successful.

“I think this year is so different from any other year I’ve been in a cappella. Right when the year started we were pushed very hard to come together and learn a 50-page song, an entire mass, and two solo pieces to perform with the Louisville Chorus,” said senior Nella Cox.

There are many factors that determine who wins in this Saturday’s competition.

“There are three judges at the competition, and they mainly listen for sound quality, rhythm, emotional involvement and those sort of things. Another big factor is our vowel shapes, which is the way we shape our mouths in order to produce the right sound,” said sophomore Henry Miller.

Everyone in the choir is anxious for their competition for their own reasons.

“I know that everyone in choir will give an incredible performance this Saturday, so I’m not nervous about that. It’s all the other schools we’re competing against that makes me really anxious for the competition,” said junior Andrew Mills.

Some students credit their teacher for all of the success that they have achieved this school year. 

“It is obvious to me that we wouldn’t have gotten this far without our wonderful director Mrs. Hampton. She is an outstanding teacher and she has really pushed me and motivated me more than any other adult I have met. I know that a lot of my friends in choir feel exactly the same way,” said junior Dakota Arnold.

Hampton said that the feeling is mutual.

“They really just work extremely well both individually and collectively. They get along very well, and they try to be better with each new day. This group has worked harder than any choir I’ve had in recent history. I’m excited that they get to be a part of this elite competition,” said Hampton.

 

A&E, Christian DiMartino

‘The Amazing Spider-man 2’ fails to live up to previous films

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By Christian DiMartino

I attended the 11 p.m. showing of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 last Thursday night, and had planned on writing the review the next morning. Much to my surprise, things didn’t quite happen like that. Once the movie was over, my friend and I exited the theater and then discussed how mixed we were on the movie for an entire hour. Days have gone by since then, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 still has me so torn, it has taken me this long to express myself.

This is the first big blockbuster of the summer, and one of the most highly anticipated, but even I had some doubts. As a non-Jamie Foxx fan, his casting seemed off. That wasn’t the only concern, but it was the main one. So once the negative reviews arrived, my doubts deepened.

Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man, as wonderfully surprising as it was, was unnecessary, mainly because the studio only waited five years to reboot Sam Rami’s Spider-Man movies (I personally would like to see those continued, but, whatever). As unnecessary as it may have been, it actually turned out to be the second best Spider-Man adventure, ranking behind Rami’s perfect Spider-Man 2 (sue me, I don’t care, it’s amazing). What brought the movie to life was the chemistry between Peter Parker/ Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy (on and off-screen couple Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone). They worked so well together that I was tempted to hug myself. Webb, who’s only other non-Spider-Man movie is 500 Days of Summer, knows what he is doing when it comes to the romance. Also, Garfield is perfect in the title role; a worthy replacement for Tobey Maguire.

Now, Webb returns with the sequel, and Stone and Garfield are as charming as ever. In fact, they just might be the greatest comic book couple of them all. It’s a bold statement, but a true one. The visual effects are spectacular and the entertainment value is high. Also, there are some strong moments here. There were times when I let the action carry me away, and these times were reminiscent of the other movies. But yet, there were a few short time periods where the movie was so bad that I felt like my soul was being shanked.

The sequel picks up some time after the original (original isn’t exactly appropriate but that’s beside the point). Peter Parker is still trying to fight crime, while protecting the ones he loves. Peter and Gwen are still dating, which leaves him with a guilty conscience. If you remember from the previous movie, Peter promised Gwen’s late father (Denis Leary) that he would avoid her at all costs. He doesn’t do that, until he begins seeing Captain Stacy everywhere. He is also still trying to figure out what exactly happened to his parents and how they were involved with the sinister Oscorp company.

If that wasn’t bad enough, just wait. Enter Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx), a grown-up Steve Erkel who becomes obsessed with Spider-Man after he rescues him. Dillon, an Oscorp employee, soon falls into an eel tank, gets stung a lot (duh), and becomes Electro. Judging from that last sentence, I wonder how Oscorp is still a running company. It clearly isn’t a safe work environment. Anyways, Electro, who can manipulate electricity, is pretty cool and one of the movies many visual marvels, but his motives for killing Spider-Man (Spider-Man doesn’t remember him) are weak.

Then, enter Harry Osbourne (Dane Dehaan), Peter’s childhood friend and son of Oscorp founder Norman Osbourne (Chris Cooper), who carries a very distracting Hitler haircut. Seriously, that haircut drove me crazy. When Harry becomes terminally ill, he believes that Spider-Man’s blood can save his life. So, let’s just say, he wants Spidey dead too. Harry certainly is an interesting character, but had Dehaan done what he did with Chronicle, then the performance would’ve been remarkable. Instead, Harry is just whiny (he has a temper tantrum) and, well, his haircut is obnoxious. I’m not letting it go.

TASM2, like the constantly bashed Spider-Man 3, has a little bit too much story and just a bit too many villains, but it works. Also, the action sequences are a knockout, and Garfield shares some sublime moments with Stone and Sally Field, who plays his Aunt May. While a good amount of it does work, it is kind of a bumpy ride.

The scenes with Dillon talking to himself are awkward and occasionally dumb. In fact, Electro doesn’t become cool until the final hour. Despite this however he is quite the special effect. The soundtrack is bizarre, and the score doesn’t always mesh well with what’s happening on-screen. Spider-Man himself seems a little too jokey this time around. Sometimes, he tries so hard to be funny I’m surprised the crowds of people “oohing” and “awing” didn’t hand him a microphone.

Also, some of the one liners from him and Electro, again, shanked my soul with their stupidity. Not all of them are bad though, just a handful. Not to mention Paul Giamatti’s brief performance as The Rhino is inconceivably dumb. If he is the lead villain in the next round (there’s supposedly two more movies coming out at least), then you may just have to count me out. Giamatti is a great actor, but his accent is too difficult to take seriously. Also, there are a few loose ends that need to be tied up, and some of them probably won’t be in the sequel.

Lastly, the movie would’ve been better had the ending not dragged on. Had the movie stopped at a certain point, then it would have had more of an effective and poignant ending. Instead, the movie wants to get everyone jazzed up for round three, so it sets up the next movie… but not very well.

There is more wrong with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 than right, but yet it still gets my recommendation, I guess. How? Well, its target audience (Spider-Man fans) will go for it. Being one of them, I enjoyed a good amount of it. Yes, it had its ups and downs, but it is still an enjoyable movie to some extent. It’s a close call though; if round three is a similar movie, then expect harsher criticism. Whether we like it or not, more Spider-Man is coming. Hopefully it’s a bit better the next time. The Passable Spider-Man is a more appropriate title.

The movie still has me torn though. Right now, it’s good, borderline okay. Ask me in a month or so and I might say otherwise. As of now though, Spider-Man is getting a pass. Next time, he might not be as lucky.

 

Christian DiMartino, Girls Tennis, Peter Hyle, Sports

Girls’ tennis aims to beat their record

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By Peter Hyle and Christian DiMartino

This year the girls’ tennis team has worked to reach the goals set by last year’s team. With a record of 6-2, they aim to do just as well as they did last year. Despite losing many team mates the previous year due to graduation, the team is still going strong.

Junior Alexis Applegate and sophomore Alex Jamison practice before their match against Assumption. Photo by Peter Hyle
Junior Alexis Applegate and sophomore Alex Jamison practice before their match against Assumption. Photo by Peter Hyle

“Our team this year is working extremely well together. Everyone on the team has stepped up and done their part, and we’re still doing great despite the loss,” said junior Erin Patterson.

After last year’s success, everyone on the team has high hopes for what they can accomplish this year.

“I honestly think we have a great chance of making it to state again this season, as long as everyone on the team stays healthy and positive,” said senior Dana Frank.

To produce the kind of hard work and dedication that the team reached last year, everyone is doing their best to achieve their goals.

“I think that last year’s team was so successful because we had really strong team leaders who pushed us to do our absolute best,” said sophomore Kailyn Little, “and because of that we’re state runner-ups now.”

Everyone on the team is remaining positive and optimistic about the rest of their current season.

“Last year we finished second in state, which is actually the farthest any FC girls’ tennis team has gone before. It’s crazy to think about,” said Frank.

Even though the team is doing well so far this year, it is hard for everyone on the team to go through a season without the seniors that they lost last year.

“They impacted the team in so many ways. They were truly just role models to every girl on the team, and they were amazing players too. It was a hard transition after losing four of them. It felt like losing family members,” said Little.

Everyone on the team is optimistic about the future of this years’ team, looking past the loss and focusing on the strengths that the team still holds.

“They [the seniors] were a huge part of the team, but they weren’t the whole team. It was obviously tough losing them, but we’re excelling more than anyone thought we would this year without them,” said sophomore Alex Jamison.

 

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Columnist anticipates movies of summer 2014

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By Christian DiMartino

When it comes to movies, 2014 had a bit of a rough start. With movies like I,Frankenstein, Pompeii, and Vampire Academy entering theatres, there was sort of what I like to call a “good movie drought” from January through February. However, things began to shape up in March, with the arrival of the Wes Anderson’s great new movie The Grand Budapest Hotel and Darren Aronofsky’s maddening but near great Noah.  In a way, it feels like summer has begun early. I mean, Captain America: The Winter Soldier came charging into theatres two weeks ago, so that says something. Every summer, there are movies that everyone flocks to, movies that get Oscar attention, and movies that, well, miss the mark (cough… The Lone Ranger). Summer 2014 will most likely be the same. Here is what I am personally looking forward to this summer, and what I will probably avoid.

Want to See

5. Boyhood (July 11, R): Here is a movie that I am more curious to see than excited. Director Richard Linklater (The School of Rock, Dazed and Confused) began filming this movie, which tells the story of a boy (newcomer Ellar Coltrane) from ages 5 to 18, back in 2002. It may not sound too interesting, but there is more to it than that. Linklater filmed this movie every year until last year, so, basically, the audience literally watches this kid grow up. Seems like kind of a gimmick, but at the same time, a very ambitious gimmick. I applaud ambitious movies, so I’m curious to see how it turns out. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January to rave reviews, so it might be a potential Oscar contender.

4. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2, PG-13): Although the previous movie was unnecessary, it turned out to be one of the better Spider-Man adventures, ranking  behind the fantastic Spider-Man 2. So, as a Spider-Man fan, the sequel immediately made it onto the list. Although it seems like there is too much plot (a thing that sort of dragged Spider-Man 3 down), and Jamie Foxx is miscast as the villain, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be worth seeing for the chemistry between Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone), the thing that made its predecessor memorable in the first place.

3. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (August 22, Not Yet Rated): It seemed like it would never happen. Robert Rodriguez has been planning on making a sequel to his best work, Sin City, since 2007. So, after years of waiting, it has nearly arrived. It will either be triumphant, like the original, or a letdown. He has been given a long time to prepare. It better be worth it.

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, PG-13): The X-Men series has been pretty good thus far. But now the series is on its 7th movie, and though it is kind of getting old, X-Men: Days of Future Past looks to be one of the more promising entries in the series. The film brings back director Bryan Singer, who did such a good job with the first two films, and it combines the cast of X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: First Class. How will it work? Not entirely sure on that, but I can’t wait to find out.

1. Magic in the Moonlight (July 26, PG-13):  Ever since Match Point back in 2005, controversial filmmaker Woody Allen has filmed eight films out of the U.S. What were the results? For starters, Match Point is his best movie, and he won an Oscar for Midnight in Paris a few years ago. Allen’s latest, which takes place in 1930s France, sounds too good to be true. Allen is the best director making a movie all summer, and if this is anything like his other European outings (or even his last movie, Blue Jasmine), then he will deliver again. Plus, the cast, which includes Emma Stone, Colin Firth, and Marcia Gay Harden, is dynamite.  Nobody will rush see it, but hopefully its target audience (his fans, like myself) will enjoy it.

Bad Vibe

5. Transformers: Age of Extinction (June 27, Not Yet Rated): Any time the name “Michael Bay” appears on anything, a sense of fear arrives. Michael Bay doesn’t always do bad movies, such as his last movie, the pleasantly surprising Pain and Gain, but when he does make a bad movie, it’s bad. Take Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a loud, repetitive, stupid, and simply horrible movie. This movie doesn’t look bad; it’s the “directed by Michael Bay” part that is sort of a deal breaker. That, and do we really need MORE Transformers?

4. Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, Not Yet Rated): Judging from the humongous success of movies such as The Avengers and Iron Man 3, it is pretty obvious that Marvel studios knows what they are doing. However, I have no clue what exactly they are doing with Guardians of the Galaxy, or even what it is, for that matter. I can’t tell if this movie is a joke or what, but it does not look very good. Perhaps comic book readers will flip out over it, but this movie seems to be lost in its own world. Everyone can laugh when it turns out to be good, but right now, it looks pretty dumb.

3. Hercules (July 25, Not Yet Rated): There was already a Hercules movie this year, and it was so forgettable that I don’t remember what it was called. If I don’t remember a movie, it wasn’t anything special. Surely, this one will be better. But the thought of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in this role just sounds a little… silly. Am I alone here? We shall see.

2. Blended (May 23, PG-13): Judging from Adam Sandler’s past romantic comedies, he had the best chemistry with Drew Barrymore. The two worked so well, in fact, that they did two movies together (The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates). So, when I heard about their new movie Blended, I thought that it might be a comeback for Sandler, who has been on a losing streak since Jack and Jill. Then… I saw the trailer, and it got my hopes up. The second trailer is an improvement, but the first trailer was so painful that this movie made it on this list. It is not too late, but as of now, Adam Sandler has lost his touch. Hopefully I’m wrong.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Aug. 8, Not Yet Rated): Allow me to summarize my feelings towards this movie: Gag me with a spoon. As a non TMNT fan for life, this movie was an automatic out. Then came the trailers, and it lost me even more. Lastly, guess who is producing it? Michael Bay. Should more be said? No.

Overall, this summer should be an interesting one. There were some movies, such as the Clint Eastwood musical Jersey Boys, the Channing Tatum/Mila Kunis sci-fi thriller Jupiter Ascending, and the Paul Rudd/Amy Poehler romantic comedy parody They Came Together, that didn’t quite make the list, but I still really want to see them. This summer has a lot of potential. Count me in.

 

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Oscar Watch: Columnist provides Oscar predictions and preferences

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By Christian DiMartino

The Academy Awards, which airs Sun. March 2, is drawing near, and the competition is getting tough. Some of the categories are obvious. That said, others, such as Best Picture, are up in the air. Here is what will probably win and what should win on the big night.

Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron- Gravity

Steve McQueen- 12 Years a Slave

Alexander Payne- Nebraska

David O. Russell- American Hustle

Martin Scorsese- The Wolf of Wall Street

Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron

Alfonso Cuaron is winning pretty much every directing award for his groundbreaking sci-fi film, Gravity. He is pretty much the one to beat. If anyone can take him down, it is McQueen. But count on Cuaron for this category.

Should Win: Alfonso Cuaron

Watch about ten minutes of Gravity, and it goes without saying. Each of these directors directed great movies, but none of them are quite as devoted as Cuaron. This is the greatest visual achievement since Avatar, and it is even better. This is a film that sounds nearly impossible to make, but yet Cuaron did it. It has been said that him and his crew had to create their own technology to bring the film to life. So, if anyone is truly worthy, it is Cuaron. McQueen is a close second.

Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins- Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence- American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o- 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts- August: Osage County

June Squibb- Nebraska

Will Win: Lupita Nyong’o

Jennifer Lawrence seemed to be the favorite at the start of the race, considering she won a Golden Globe. But now it seems like all of the attention is being directed toward Nyong’o for her performance as the tragic slave Patsy. Nyong’o is taking home the awards, and will probably take home the biggest one. It is not set in stone though. Lawrence could swoop in, because she recently won the BAFTA. This race is a tough one.

Should Win: Julia Roberts

There is no love for August: Osage County, so Roberts doesn’t stand a chance, but I thought this was her best work since Closer (2004). Roberts’ performance is borderline over-the-top, but yet it was one of the most entertaining performances of the year. Watching her fight with practically everyone onscreen helped the film’s entertainment value. This is a tough category, because all of these women, particularly Squibb and Lawrence, steal the show. Roberts is my vote. She probably will not win, but she should.

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi- Captain Philips

Bradley Cooper- American Hustle

Michael Fassbender- 12 Years a Slave

Jonah Hill- The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto- Dallas Buyers Club

Will Win: Jared Leto

It seems as if Jared Leto cannot be stopped. He is winning practically every award for his scene-stealing performance in Dallas Buyers Club. Leto does quite a transformation here, and the academy loves a good transformation.

Should Win: Jared Leto

Part of what makes Dallas Buyers Club special is its acting, and Leto is a huge contribution to that. Leto steals the show as the tragic transgender sidekick Rayon. Rayon is possibly the films best character, and Leto, who has been overlooked for such a long time, is too great to ignore. I am also a fan of Abdi, Cooper, and Fassbender, but Leto is a done deal.

Best Actress

Amy Adams- American Hustle

Cate Blanchett- Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock- Gravity

Judi Dench- Philomena

Meryl Streep- August: Osage County

Note: Sandra Bullock gives the performance of her career in Gravity, not in The Blind Side (the film that won her Best Actress). So I would like to pretend that the Oscar she won for that film was actually for Gravity.

Will Win: Cate Blanchett

Blanchett is practically a sure thing for her performance as the mentally unstable title character in Blue Jasmine. She is being showered with awards. If anyone can take her down, it is Adams, who also won a Golden Globe. But count on Blanchett.

Should Win: Cate Blanchett

Amy Adams is a great actress, and she definitely will win an Oscar someday, but not yet. Bullock’s case has been covered (a very close second). By now, Streep goes without saying. She’s amazing all the time. The same goes for Dench and Blanchett, but Blanchett’s is the best. Blanchett gives the performance of her career in the best performance of the year, and easily deserves her long overdue second Oscar. Jasmine is almost too interesting. She’s a woman so trapped in the past that she cannot come to terms with reality, and watching Blanchett self-destruct is possibly the best work from an actress since Natalie Portman in Black Swan. So, to summarize, yes, she should win.

Best Actor

Christian Bale- American Hustle

Bruce Dern- Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio- The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor- 12 Years a Slave

Matthew McConaughey- Dallas Buyers Club

Will Win: Matthew McConaughey

Ah, this is where things get tricky. The competition for this category has been hectic from the start. But all signs seem to be pointing towards Matthew McConaughey. He lost a ton of weight, and Dallas Buyers Club is a true story, and the academy loves both of those things. They love transformation (even though Christian Bale wasn’t nominated for The Machinist, the craziest transformation ever, and gained a bunch of weight for American Hustle).Aside from that, he truly is fantastic. He is winning pretty much every award he is nominated for. There is a slight chance that someone else could swoop in, but it is not likely.

Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio

All of these performances are terrific. Actually, it is pretty difficult to rank them. Once upon a time, Matthew McConaughey was a second rate actor. But now it seems like has really proved otherwise. He has become the actor he always should have been. That said, he has only been great for about two years, and does not deserve an Oscar quite yet. Leonardo Dicaprio, however, has been great for over twenty years, and has somehow never won an Oscar. The time is now. The fact that DiCaprio has not won an Oscar is outrageous, considering the fact that he has been so great for so long. DiCaprio gives possibly the performance of his career in this movie. He plays such a despicable human being, but yet DiCaprio makes this terrible person watchable. In fact, you sort of want him to get away with everything. DiCaprio has never done anything quite like this before, and it is definitely a bold performance, considering the content that is put on display. McConaughey will win, but it would be nice if the academy came to their senses and finally gave him the Oscar.

Best Picture

American Hustle                  Nebraska

Captain Philips                   Philomena

Dallas Buyers Club              12 Years a Slave

Gravity                              The Wolf of Wall Street

Her

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave

Ah, this is where things get even trickier. Gravity began this race as the favorite. Then came the arrival of 12 Years a Slave, which then became the favorite, and remained the favorite. Then American Hustle arrived to theaters in December and hustled its way into the race. So now the race is down to these three. Momentum for American Hustle seems to be gaining. With that said, I think we’re all overthinking this. 12 Years a Slave was the favorite for so long, and at the end of the day, there is no way that it can lose.

Should Win: 12 Years a Slave

This category is basically a toss-up between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity, but at the end of the day, there is no denying the power of 12 Years a Slave. Finally, for the first time since The Departed (2006), my favorite movie of the year actually stands a chance. 12 Years a Slave is a devastating, disturbing, raw, and intense look at possibly the ugliest chapter in America’s history. Solomon Northrup’s tale is one that truly needed to be told, and the film’s secret weapon the magnificent Chiwetel Ejiofor. Ejiofor carries this film, and so does the entire cast. If you were not in tears by the end of this movie (something that rarely happens to me during movies), then you must have no soul. This is the best movie of the year.

Well, hopefully this gave a little insight on what to expect on the big night. The race is tough, so don’t expect everyone to leave happy. In closing, there is really only one thing that must be said: TEAM DICAPRIO. Academy voters, please vote well.