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Spectre: A Throwback to Over 50 years of Bond- for Better or Worse

November 30, 2015 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Sean Morris

Staff Writer

When I entered the theaters to see the latest James Bond film Spectre, I admit i had very high expectations. After the greatness of Skyfall and my own love of the mythology, I was near a fever pitch to see it, especially for the actor Christoph Waltz, an actor who is extremely perfect for any role that has “bond villain” attached to it. And while I overall enjoyed the film, I felt that there were some flaws in it that lowered the bar just a bit from the surprising enjoyment of Skyfall. However it is still a very much enjoyable bond film, a proper conclusion for daniel craig, and a great setup for future films.

At the start of the film, Bond is going behind MI6 orders and directive to uncover a shadowy organization known as SPECTRE and with the help of the daughter of an old enemy (Léa Seydoux) he finds that the chilling leader SPECTRE (Christoph Waltz) has a dark connection to his past- and has been a constant phantom on his life. First off, I will praise the overall look and acting of the film. Daniel Craig shows us again why he’s the perfect (and probably my favorite) James Bond, Christoph Waltz being a good, if underused, bond villain and with many of the supporting cast from Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Andrew Scott, Dave Bautista (who played a nicely menacing henchman), Léa Seydoux and Monica Bellucci all doing their job well. This movie probably had the best pre opening credits sequence in any Bond Movie I’ve ever seen, with a very impressive continuous shot of Bond moving through Mexico City’s Day of the Dead celebration and later getting into a fight on a moving helicopter. And while I wasn’t initially crazy about the new Bond song “Writing’s on the Wall,” it worked surprisingly well with the opening credits sequence, which incorporated the infamous SPECTRE organization’s octopus logo in some very creative ways. Overall, I will say that the film feels more like an older Bond film- which is good for fans of the older films, but might cause some ire with those that liked the darker realism of some of Craig’s other films.

Some things I wasn’t crazy about:

The love story. The film has a “love story” between bond and one of the women that didn’t really feel very authentic, certainly not as much as vesper lynd (his love in Casino Royale) and while she was an interesting enough character it seemed a bit rushed and forced.
Ralph Fiennes taking over from Judi Dench as M came off as a little stuff, although he’s a talented enough actor whom I’m hopeful that he can bring some more energy to it later. Additionally the “oldest bond woman” who I was more interested in originally had very little screen time or importance to the plot, which was annoying.
While I found some of the dynamic between Bond and SPECTRE’s leader intresting, I felt a little cheated in the fact that we didn’t see more of the organization as a whole- more members doing more things (in fact my parents had suggested it had been interesting if they had done a “roll call” and had other past bond villain names listed- or something to that effect).
The villain’s main motivations could have also used some more explanations. The one’s given felt a bit empty and lacking to justify the scope of his plans. I definitely felt he was underused and could have had more screentime, things to do, and richer dialogue even. I mean Christoph Waltz is a perfect actor to play a bond villain and I didn’t feel they utilized him well enough.

Since it is Sean Morris reviewing a Bond movie, I will naturally also take a moment to discuss the tailoring. Tom Ford can seemingly do no wrong as Bond’s tailor with a sharp windowpane in the opening scene, incorporation of an revamp of an old look- an ivory jacket on a train ride that hasn’t been seen on bond in decades- and one of my personal favorite of all bond looks- his three piece suit with a pin collar bar, which might be a first for Bond- that also incorporated some throwback elements, including the turnback cuff- a style not seen in ages and in synonymous with Bond. However I wasn’t a fan of his double breasted bridge coat during the funeral scene- it looked dated, unstylish and even ill-fitting. While I believe he only wore the one suit, M’s double breasted chalk stripe looked incredibly well made and it showed off nicely on screen. Andrew scott’s C wore some very trendy outfits that showcased his youth. By contrast, Christoph waltz’s costumes left me with some mixed feelings- partly because it was hard to see some of the details in scenes at night, but I appreciated the incorporation of the nehru jacket (which is synonymous with Bond villains like Dr. No and Blofield) but felt there were some things they could have paired better with it. I was not a fan of how in one look Christoph was sockless and wore loose leather slippers instead- in certain shots it made him look a bit silly and less menacing than he should be.
Overall, this movie worked as an older styled James Bond film. Whether you enjoy it is a matter of taste and preference above all else. And while I thought some of the plot elements could have been better, I’m happy to have this piece of mythology back in the Bond franchise and am curious as to where it will go next.

Rolling With Rifah: Carlos Bakery

November 18, 2015 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

By Rifah Islam

Guest Writer

“Sweetness in a Box”

There are many sources of happiness in the world. A good movie, hanging out with loved ones and even passing that quiz in Spanish will always bring a smile. One thing that never fails to make me happy is a good old cupcake. That’s exactly what Carlos’s Bakery has to offer. It’s happiness at it’s best. They have everything from classic chocolate and vanilla cupcakes to eclairs and cannoli. Each looks more delicious than the next which made it so hard to choose what to get! The staff was extremely kind to my friend and I and even joked around about how they still can’t pick out which is best. We finally decided on one caramel and one Oreo cupcake. The first bite promised us that we were not going to ever go back to a generic packaged cupcake again. Even though the icing put a spotlight on caramel and Oreo, those flavors never overpowered the actual cupcakes. It was almost like they delicately weaved in those bold flavors while bringing out the best in the cupcake as well. With that being said, they were a tad bit too sweet. Sweetness is key in a cupcake but it can work against it when there is too much. Overall, our taste buds had an amazing time and we will definitely be stopping by again in the near future. You should too!

Taste: 4.5/5

Presentation: 5/5

Overall Experience: 4.5/5

Address: 2101 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Suburra: A Thrilling Crime Drama and Netflix’s Upcoming First Italian TV Series

November 13, 2015 by lpahomov 1 Comment

Sean Morris

Staff Writer

“The politics of House of Cards with the mob building of Boardwalk Empire” is the description by our own Mr. Herman that solidified my interest in the Italian film Suburra.

The film takes place in the city of Rome and its surrounding cities, and is about an interlocking tale of crime in which several mobsters want to turn the waterfront of Rome into the las vegas of Europe. However, peace does not last long after a favor from a corrupt politician goes awry. Explaining too much more would spoil the film, but it is an interesting plot that manages to get you sucked into the web of intrigue.

Reviewing the film wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the pitch- perfect cinematography and visuals. From the lighting, the very pink neon outside of one restaurant particularly strikes me, to the useage of rain and storms; which that combines with their impending theme of an apocalypse. In addition with their costuming and character designs- the film became a visual treat that, with an interesting plot make it very difficult to take your eyes off the screen, much less have a want to take them off. Theres one mustached character, Sebastiano,who has a nicely dapper sense of style, which this reviewer personally always appreciates, as well as the several handsome men in the film, and other characters like the criminal “Number 8” and his girlfriend, a Gypsy mobster and politician Filippo Malgradi all have interesting styles and tastes that reflect their character.

The actors all do a good job across the board, I might have liked to see a bit more power exerted from the well known and feared gangster known as “Samurai”, but this is a small complaint. I liked the soundtrack, which was mostly done with songs from the band m83, by itself although I question some of the placement within the movie. For some, it might be viewed as too “artsy,” especially in combination with some of its more stylized cinematography. However, I didn’t mind this and appreciated a different take on a crime story. Sometimes the stereotype holds that the more “gritty and edgy” crime dramas can wear on you down or the more “artsy aesthetic” films can be boring- this film manages to be both gritty and artsy but with none of the curses that come with it.

The movie is currently streaming on Netflix in the United States, and will be made into Netflix’s first Italian language tv series. Whether the series will become a is meant to be a retelling, an entirely different set of characters, or a (most likely) continuation of the film’s ending (which, from what is gathered is most likely) is not entirely clear, but either scenario leaves me interested in how it continue. And I can add on that it has the cinematography of “Drive” to it as well.
Overall, I would highly recommend this film to anyone who would be interested in this story. Since the story will continue, it will be a fascinating world and pleasant viewing experience to return to.

Which Path is Right for You?

November 12, 2015 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Every fall, high school seniors are faced with the same difficult situation as the last graduating class, choosing what they want to do with the rest of their lives. The choice may not be as hard for some as it is for others, but, on some level, for everyone, the choice is an important one. Seniors at SLA are all now considering their own choices and hopefully this article will help a lot of you decide which path you should take bearing in mind the next chapter of your lives.

When you should reach for that Ivy League School

Nowadays, Many Ivy League Schools are considered to be overrated, putting kids in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt each year. But, there are some instances in which this may be the best choice for you. If you are thinking of ultimately reaching a higher level degree, then having an Ivy League title attached to you gives you a great advantage. Or if you think you might be pursuing a career in law or politics, then this is the way to go. One thing to take into consideration when deciding on Ivy League is that, most of the time, they have the room to make negotiations. It never hurts to compare the money other schools are offering you with what they have offered because most of the time they can match it. Ivy Leagues are expensive, but in the circumstances above, it may very well be worth the money.

When “any old college” will do

There are a lot of instances, though, when spending the money on an Ivy League is pointless and any college would work. A lot of students are facing the issue at this time in their life in which they are still unsure what they want to do career wise, which is perfectly fine. Plenty of people change their majors multiple times throughout college, so if you are not 100% sure, then don’t worry too much, just don’t waste your money either. This is a situation in which any state (or even out of state) school will do. If you are going in undecided, then you are just getting your basic credits, in which you can receive anywhere, it would be foolish to spend a fortune. On the other hand, if you are set on a career, one of which does not require a higher level degree, than any college could work for you as well – although it’s also wise to look at school’s with specialties in your field . Also, if you want to live or pursue a career in a certain location, looking into the state colleges in that area can be useful. State colleges are also just useful sources of connections to make. These types of colleges, as explained above, do provide lots of benefits in certain circumstances for a lot lower cost.

When college might not be worth it

Aside from what the majority may say, there are some instances in which college is just not necessary. All your life you may be encouraged by your family and by teachers that college is the best way to go, but this is not always true. If you are set on some sort of labor career, such as construction, plumbing, etc., then college is not necessary at all. Also, if you are receiving any job offers right out of high school that do not require a college degree, than this may be the smarter route for you.

The advantages to college, apart from the career potential

It is true that for most career paths nowadays a college degree is not only preferred, but expected. American politician, Bernie Sanders, states that “Today, a 4 year college degree is equivalent to what a high school diploma was 50 years ago.” So, college is almost always necessary, but there are other lots of other benefits to pursuing this path than just for the potential of a better career. As stated above, college of any sort is just great for making connections. You meet people and experience situations in which you never would unless attending college. It can help us all develop better people skills. Just being in a new environment or location could really change your life. It also gives everyone options. Whether you have decided on what you want to do with your life or not, just having a degree opens up so much more to you.

Small Stores, Big City

November 11, 2015 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

by Imani Weeks
Whenever people think about stores, they think the big names such as Target, Walmart, Forever 21, just to name a few. They never think of the little stores that we pass by everyday for the nationally known names. The local business shops is where we should be putting our attention. Shopping at local stores helps our community, makes you a community involved person. Lately there has been a boost in the support of smaller business. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is now a new annual holiday Small Business Saturday. After taking all the deals and large retail stores on Black Friday, you can spend your Saturday in your local stores.

Being in Philly, especially Center City, gives you an abundance of options for shopping. For example, there is a store at 107 S 13th St called Open House. They are located around 13th and Pine. In the actual store they have knick-knacks and things such as t-shirts, mugs, magnets, books, stuffed animals, candles, and jewelry. Another store a few doors down, located at 115 is Paper on Pine. You’re on the same street yet you get a completely different theme, a stationary. All your paper needs can be filled up in this little store. They have things such as journals, invites, planners, thank you cards, calendars, and greeting cards. You can even customize your own invitations to send out. And there are many more stores that are just as unique as those. So why limit yourself to the plain old stores that everyone knows about, try something new and exciting, there are little stores all over Philly that can fit to your every need. And don’t forget to participate this coming Small Business Saturday, the little stores are waiting!