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The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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Underseen and Underrated Films, Volume Two

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By Leo Milmet, The Bird on Fire Resident Film Critic

 

I had several other ideas for my previous post “Underseen and Underrated Films,” from various decades, so I retroactively (after submitting it to my editor) titled that post “Volume One” and this “Volume Two.”  This time, however, the decade in which a film is released means nothing. These are simply some extra films that I love just as much as the others that were left out in order to follow my original rule of “one per decade.” Hope you enjoy.–Leo

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (dir. Robert Wiene, 1920): A beautiful, German, monster-horror-silent film that exudes pure artistry and pure terror at the same time. A fascinating and expressionistic masterpiece.         

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (dir. Frank Capra, 1939): An all-time American classic about a  layman who is chosen to become part of the Senate.

The Third Man (dir. Carol Reed, 1949): A masterful noir thriller. Joseph Cotten stars as Holly Martins, a pulp author who goes to visit his old friend Harry Lime in postwar Vienna, only to realize Harry is dead. Obsessed with understanding the circumstances surrounding Harry’s passing, he is led into a confusing web of contradicting stories about the victim.

The Night of the Hunter (dir. Charles Laughton, 1955): Despite initial failure, this ingeniously directed, incredibly suspenseful thrill ride is one of my favorite films of all time. Robert Mitchum stars as Reverend Harry Powell, a murderous and fanatical priest in prison for car theft when he meets a man who admits he has stolen and hidden $10,000. How far will Powell go to get his hands on the loot?

A Man Escaped (dir. Robert Bresson, 1956): A brilliant exercise in sound editing and mixing. The simple (but wonderfully executed) plot concerns the escape of a prisoner of war in World War II.

Network (dir. Sidney Lumet, 1976): A poignant political satire of insane proportions. Featuring Peter Finch in one of the greatest performances of all time.

Blue Velvet (dir. David Lynch, 1986): A twisted psychological thriller about a happy little suburban town and its deep, dark underbelly.

Clerks (dir. Kevin Smith, 1994): This low-budget, black-and-white comedy depicts the type of people who’d nonchalantly ring you up at a convenience store and then feel entitled to mock you just after you leave. Clerks is one of the best of its type because while it cracks its sometimes-funny and always overly sophomoric jokes, it entices you to latch on to its realistic, relatable and (surprisingly) intelligently drawn characters in a way that few comedies of its type can accomplish. Personally, I don’t watch this movie just to laugh, and that might be the biggest compliment I can give it.

Dark City (dir. Alex Proyas, 1998): This fascinating story, a visionary blending of science fiction and film-noir, is executed with beautifully bleak cinematography and production design. If you like film-noir or science fiction, this is an absolute must-see, even according to Roger Ebert, who named it his #1 film of 1998. Also, if you’ve never heard of this film, don’t look it up, just sit back and watch it one day, as the risk of spoiling one of the film’s many wonderful twists and turns is too high.

My Friend Dahmer (dir. Marc Meyers, 2017): This “horrifying coming-of-age story”  (the words of the director, Marc Meyers) concerning the teenage life of the infamous real-life serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is one of my absolute favorite films of last year. Its well-written script is brilliantly executed, managing to be at once chilling, hilarious, and emotional without ever missing a beat.

Editor: Claire Jenkins

OSCARS 2018: PREDICTIONS, PICKS, etc.

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 By Leo Milmet, Resident Film Critic and Academy Awards Guru

Yay! That one weekend where everyone suddenly becomes a huge film buff like me is almost upon us! The Oscars are coming up this weekend!

Here is my list of predictions, wishes, and personal picks.

The following list will be divided into the Oscar nomination categories. I will write “Will Win,” “Should Win,” and “My Picks” next to the contenders:

*“Will Win” = the film/person that is likely to win the award;

*“Should Win” = who deserves to win;

*“My Picks” = my personal picks for that category.

 

BEST PICTURE:

Will Win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Pick: The Big Sick

 

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Will Win: Gary Oldman–The Darkest Hour

Should Win: Gary Oldman–Darkest Hour

My Pick: Gary Oldman

 

BEST ACTRESS:

Will Win: Frances McDormand–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: Saoirse Ronan–Lady Bird

My Pick: Saoirse Ronan

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Will Win: Sam Rockwell–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: Sam Rockwell–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Pick: Sam Rockwell–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Will Win: Allison Janney–I, Tonya

Should Win: Allison Janney–I, Tonya

My Pick: Allison Janney

 

BEST DIRECTOR:

Will Win: Guillermo del Toro–The Shape of Water

Should Win: Greta Gerwig–Lady Bird

My Pick: Martin McDonagh–Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 

BEST ANIMATED FILM:

Will Win: Coco

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:

Will Win: Faces Places

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Will Win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should Win: The Big Sick–Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani

My Pick: The Big Sick

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

Will Win: Call Me By Your Name–James Ivory

Should Win: The Disaster Artist–Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber

My Pick: My Friend Dahmer – Marc Meyers

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Will Win: Blade Runner 2049–Roger Deakins

Should Win: Blade Runner 2049–Roger Deakins

My Pick: Blade Runner 2049–Roger Deakins

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:

Will Win: Phantom Thread–Mark Bridges

Should Win: Phantom Thread–Mark Bridges

My Pick: Baby Driver–Courtney Hoffman

 

BEST FILM EDITING:

Will Win: Baby Driver–Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos

Should Win: Baby Driver–Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos

My Pick: Baby Driver

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

Will Win: A Fantastic Woman

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT:

Will Win: Edith + Eddie

 

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING:

Will Win: Darkest Hour–David Malinowski, Kazuhiro Tsuji, Lucy Sibbick

Should Win: Darkest Hour–David Malinowski, Kazuhiro Tsuji, Lucy Sibbick

My Pick: Darkest Hour

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:

Will Win: The Shape of Water–Alexandre Desplat

Should Win: Phantom Thread–Jonny Greenwood

My Pick: Darkest Hour–Dario Marianelli

 

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

Will Win: The Shape of Water–Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set

Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeffrey A. Melvin

Should Win: Blade Runner 2049–Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration:

Alessandra Querzola

My Pick: The Shape of Water

 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

Will Win: Blade Runner 2049–John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover, Gerd

Nefzer

Should Win: Blade Runner 2049

My Pick: Blade Runner 2049

 

SOUND EDITING:

Will Win: Dunkirk–Alex Gibson, Richard King

Should Win: Baby Driver–Julian Slater

My Pick: Baby Driver

 

SOUND MIXING:

Will Win: Baby Driver–Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin

Should Win: Baby Driver – Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagi

My Pick: Baby Driver

 

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT:

Will Win: DeKalb Elementary

Should Win: DeKalb Elementary

 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT:

Will Win: Lou

Should Win: Lou

 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG:

Will Win: “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman–Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

 

Editor: Renée Vazquez

Fusion Music: Fusic

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By Peter Kadel, Burgeoning Music Editor

America has historically been a place where cultures mix and blend to create new types of food, dance, literature, art, and music–a giant mixing bowl where people can embrace and experience other cultures. The blending of cultures is what will bring us closer together as a nation. One example of this culture-blend occurs in Fusion or Alternative Music. Here are three examples of some awesome Fusion Music.

A Tribe Called Red (genre–Pow Wow EDM): These Canadian DJs combine the music of Pow Wow’s from various Indian nations with electronic dance music to make a less repetitive, soothing sound. The group frequently collaborates with other DJs and Native American musicians to create a diverse body of work. There are more electric songs like “Electric Pow Wow Drum,” “Indian City,” and “Stadium Pow Wow.” Others like “We are Halluci Nation” and “I Feel” take a political stance and force us to confront the decades of mistreatment of Native Americans. It can’t be denied that the U.S and the various indigenous nations have a troubled and violent history and this genre could be the beginning of a new era in which culture can mix and blend instead of adhering to strict separation under the guise of avoiding cultural appropriation.

Dropkick Murphys (Irish Rock AKA Celtic Punk): Now, I may be biased because this is one of my favorite bands and one of my favorite genres, so be aware of that. This genre combines two styles that sound great on their own. The rich acoustic sound and meaningful lyrics of traditional Irish song combined with the speed, energy, and emotion of rock and punk music creates a strong emotional music. While some rock and punk bands rely only on anger to fuel their music, bands like Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly (another Celtic punk band) speak to a broader range of human emotion. The sound of the genre itself, while not as unique as A Tribe Called Red, is distinct and entertaining. Celtic punk bands often gain popularity on Saint Patrick’s day when everyone is feeling a little extra Irish.

Native Howl (Thrash Grass): This pairing definitely seems like the strangest, least appealing mash up, but, as a lover of Bluegrass, I can say that a combination between Bluegrass and Thrash Metal is a fantastic union that is equally angry and folksy and all parts enjoyable. This genre is a good example of opposites attracting and playing off of each others’ strengths and covering their weaknesses. As Bluegrass relies heavily on acoustics and lyrics it can sound repetitive and all the songs can meld together. While metal has a fantastic energy and the songs are unique, the lyrics can often be lacking with similar phrases being used again and again. While Thrash Grass isn’t perfect, it is an entertaining fusion.

 

Editor: Brennan Nick

The 2018 Lunar New Year is Soon!

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Graphic by Harlow Berny

By Harlow Berny

Hello, Palm Valley Students, and Happy Valentine’s Day! As many of you know, the Lunar New Year/Spring Festival/Seollal is this Friday and will mark the start of the 2018 Year of the Dog. There will be an Advisory presentation and activities based around it today. Have a good day!

Editor: Claire Jenkins

FYI: For those interested in the personality and characteristics of those born in a Dog year, chinesenewyear2018.com says,

Men born in the Dog year are straightforward and genuine. They are energetic, though they’re more pessimistic inside. . . .

Women born in the Dog year are very cautious. They are indifferent towards people they don’t like, and don’t trust easily. But once they do, it’s permanent. They are intensely protective of their friends and family.

 

Upper School Cultural Potluck

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Graphic by Harlow Berny

By Harlow Berny

Hello, Palm Valley Community! This is an announcement to the Upper School teachers and students for the 2nd annual PVS Cultural Potluck this Friday! Over 25 people have signed up to bring a dish to the Potluck that either comes from their family, nationality, or religion. Just as a reminder for those bringing food, you need to 1) send an email to Jordan Dinerman confirming that you will bring a dish, 2) bring enough to serve small portions to at least 15 people, and 3) attach a piece of paper with your name, the name of the food you brought, a list of ingredients (since some people may have allergies), and where the food is from (family recipes, culture, religion, etc.). If you bring food for the Potluck, then you will be at the front of the line to eat.

 

Editor: Peter Kadel

Too Punk for the Pop Kids?

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By Makena Behnke

if you’re too punk for the pop kids or too pop for the punk kids, give these a listen*

  • “Shape Of You” by Eat Your Heart Out
  • “I Knew You Were Trouble” by We Came As Romans
  • “Stitches” by State Champs
  • “That’s What I Like” by Dance Gavin Dance
  • “When We Were Young” by Andy Biersack and Juliet Simms
  • “Fake Love” by Grayscale
  • “Closer” by Seaway
  • “Chocolate” by Knuckle Puck
  • “Stay the Night” by State Champs
  • “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by The Maine
  • “… Baby One More Time” by August Burns Red
  • “When I Grow Up” by Mayday Parade

There are seven Punk Goes Pop compilation albums. Interested? Go to punkgoes.com or Spotify or YouTube.

 

*intro taken from “Figure Me Out” by The Summer Set*

Editor: Shelby Armor

California Split: And We’re Not Talking Earthquakes

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By Brennan Nick

Last week, the founders of New California declared their independence from the rest of the state. With their own Declaration of Independence, they took a step to forming a 51st state. Within this Declaration of Independence, in their list of grievances, they describe California as being “ungovernable.” Their plan in the separation of New California is to take many of the western and northern counties in California–many of which are rural–and separate them from the big cities of the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Furthermore, the founders of New California can also be quoted saying, “The current state of California has become governed by a tyranny” (USA Today). Here is a map showing how they plan to divide California:

 

“New California” county map

 

Now, let’s be real; this is not going to happen. However, this has not been the first time a group of people have wanted to partition the state:

 

1965: The California State Senate voted on dividing California with the Tehachapi Mountains as the boundary. It failed.

1992: State Assemblyman Stan Statham sponsored a bill to allow a referendum in each county partitioning California into three new states: North, Central, and South California.

2009: Former State Assemblyman Bill Maze wanted to split some coastal counties which usually vote Democratic into a separate state, citing how “conservatives don’t have a voice” and how Los Angeles and San Francisco “control the state” (Downsize California webpage).

2013: Some Californians living in the far north wanted to found their own state of Jefferson with some Oregon counties.

2013: Tim Draper, a venture capitalist, proposed to split California into six new states, citing “improved representation, governance, and competition between industries”(“Six Californias”).

Seeing as no other state has this frequency of partitionist movements, this is indicative of large divisions in such a massive state. Let’s take a look at what these divisions may be.

2016 election county map

We usually refer to Northern California as NorCal and Southern California as SoCal. The reasons we say this have a greater reason than simple geography. Northern California with the big cities of San Francisco and San Jose is known for its progressive, liberal streak. Meanwhile, Southern California with the suburbs of LA, San Diego, and Orange County brings a more conservative tone. This can be seen in the election of governors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan whose vote tallies were carried by Southern California suburbs. Meanwhile, San Francisco would vote the most against them. This was the dynamic in California politics for decades–the North voting Democrat and the South voting Republican. The Southern California shift towards “blue” occurred during the campaigns of Bill Clinton.

In recent years, however, this North-South Divide has turned into an East-West divide, with the urban West Coast finding common goals in the state legislature while the rural eastern interior feeling left behind. This can be seen with Orange County. Once one of the most conservative counties in the state, this year it voted in majority for Hillary Clinton and against Donald Trump.

These eastern counties could even be argued as having more in common with those in rural Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona than urban California, and this is the reason why some people in the far north of California want to found their own state by the name of Jefferson. Just consider what you think when someone says “Northern California.” You don’t immediately think of the far northern county of Trinity; you think of San Francisco, or Sacramento.

Nevertheless, these are the divisions that come with having a state of such land area and population size. These divisions have always existed and always will exist as long as California exists.

 

Editor: Claire Jenkins

“Ava” Film Review: Shelby Goes to the Palm Springs International Film Festival

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By Shelby Armor

 

I recently volunteered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. As a reward, I got a film voucher to go see one movie. A bunch of friends and I went to see a French film called Ava. It had previously won an award at the “Festival de Cannes.” The Palm Springs International Film Festival also gave it the “Best Director” award this year. Needless to say, I was pretty excited. We went into the movie knowing absolutely nothing about it. The only thing we knew about the movie was that it was of a girl who was slowly going blind and was desperate to explore life before she lost her vision.

The reality was slightly more complicated. This girl of 13 is indeed slowly going blind, but she’s dealing with nightmares and suicidal thoughts as a result. The movie starts by following a black dog belonging to a Spanish gypsy named Juan (Juan Cano). The girl, Ava (Noée Abita), sees how the boy is mistreating the dog and proceeds to steal the dog, whom she names Lupo. Along with all of this, she has a strained, love-hate relationship with her mother (Laure Calamy). The relationship grows even more strained when her mother gets a new boyfriend.

The movie is beautifully symbolic, making use of different objects and people throughout the film to represent the coming-of-age of Ava. At the beginning of the film, she is infatuated with the dog, Lupo, wanting to get him away from this bad man. But, as she begins maturing as a person, she becomes less and less interested in the dog, and more infatuated with Juan, his owner. Lupo also serves as a coping mechanism for her incoming blindness. She repeatedly uses him as a guide dog so she can rely on her other senses.

The movie itself is chock-full of symbols. And, if you’re not really paying attention, they can often fly by. There are times where I had to sit back and comprehend the literal and symbolic meaning of various scenes, as other scenes seemed somewhat random if you weren’t paying attention to what was going on inside Ava’s head. To get a better look of what was going on inside her head, there is a nightmare sequence, going through her deepest fears of the future. There are images of her baby sister without eyes, a giant eye moving around in her mouth, her mother and boyfriend (whom she dislikes), and the police shooting her baby sister. Each and every one of these flashing scenes makes her wake up in a cold sweat. However, only one thing has started to take the nightmares away.

As she becomes closer and closer with Juan, she forgets all about her fading vision. She starts focusing more on their relationship and less on what might happen when her vision fails her. The end of the movie is a freeze frame of her smiling at Juan, utterly content with life. This seems to indicate that the nightmares and suicidal thoughts are coming to an end now that she is with Juan.

But, there are problems with the movie as well. The first half of the movie is beautifully written and filled out. The cinematography is absolutely stunning, and the score is really captivating and quite elegant. By the second half, the tempo is starting to fade. The pace can seem somewhat rushed in comparison to the rest of the movie. To others who had watched the movie with me, this really bothered them. I didn’t really mind the sudden change of pace. It made sense to me that the change of pace was accompanied with the presence of Juan. But that might be part of the appeal of the movie to me; the entire film is subjective.

The film itself is made almost entirely of symbols and can be quite hard to follow if you aren’t really the type for these kinds of films. I would recommend this film to anyone who likes a provoking piece of cinema. If a film that really makes you think about the impact of each scene is thrilling to you, then this might be the film for you to see.

 

(Warning — there is mature content in the movie)

 

Editor: Claire Jenkins

Sing Street Hits the High Notes

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Review by Movie Enthusiast Leo Milmet

Grade: A+

Sing Street helped me discover even more about what exactly I love about film as an art form and why I have such an incredible passion for film. Sing Street is one of the truly great films of the 2000s. Why? For me, it’s the potent feeling it gives me every time I watch it.

Now, trust me, no one is more cynical about the modern American film industry than I am. In my humble opinion, most films nowadays are a joke. Most big-budget films are often well-crafted, yes, but to what purpose? Money? An Oscar? Most films, in general, are well-intentioned and perhaps even well-created but forgettable. They are created for selfish commercial reasons, not truly as art. Sing Street is a completely different story. Sing Street is so quietly bold as to take countless risks without even letting you know it’s taking them. Yes, Sing Street includes some cliches for this type of film in general, but the entire idea of a film about a very musical young man in high school being bullied by boys (and men) who don’t understand the meaning of art or creativity–who “have the power to destroy, but not to create” as the protagonist Conor puts it in one scene–is so boldly original that (and I rarely say this about clichés) I simply don’t care.

The film is set in Dublin, Ireland, in the 80s. In the opening scene, Conor is strumming his guitar in his room, with the audio of his arguing parents in the background. They call him out and say they’re transferring him from his posh school to a Jesuit school. Cut to an all boys’ high school–it’s pretty much totally uncivilized. Boys are screaming, fighting, laughing. All play, nothing is sacred, nothing is serious. They behave like toddlers. The rest of the film, despite mostly being an amazing romance story with great music, is truly about the introduction of a limited amount of art into a community full of teenage (and adult) ignorance. Ultimately, this changes so much without really changing much at all. It’s perfectly realistic. That’s why I love this film. It dares to be both optimistic and cynical, staying realistic throughout. All of this is partly due to the beautiful music and the brilliant cinematography. The music acts as the emotional heartbeat of the film, while the gray look of the film (contrasting with a few brilliant, deliberately oversaturated dream scenes) seems to ground the film in reality. However, this is not to take away from the incredibly smart writing in this film. After just a handful of scenes, we have already fallen in love with maybe four-five different characters, and while not every member of Sing Street (the band, not the movie) gets enough to do, every major character in this film is on par with those characters we love from the true classics of the coming-of-age genre. Sing Street is not a musical that uses its music as a crutch. The great music is another necessary element of the brilliant story, which is, at its heart, definitely the finest coming-of-age story this side of Boyhood. The film is perfectly paced and incredibly well-structured. There’s never a scene that feels rushed, nor is there a scene that drags. Some subplots could be cut without changing much, but they are more than engaging enough to not only keep our attention but to enrich the film itself. This is quite an achievement. In my humble opinion, John Carney, the film’s director, shows as much expertise in this one film as anyone has in one film in the past three years.

However, there are a few small negatives: some characters seem totally underdeveloped and are only there to flesh out the band; some scenes in the film are a tiny bit repetitive and/or very slightly contradictory; and, if this bothers you, an ending scene leaves loose ends and involves lapses in logic. However, the ending is open to interpretation in many ways, so it doesn’t bother me. I was swept up in the emotion of the moment and didn’t realize any of this until I had seen the film five times. However, none of these total nitpicks takes away from what a masterfully-created, beautiful film this is. Sure, it’s not for everyone (looking at you, lovers of only spectacle and/or mindless entertainment), but for those of you who like to experience art that is unique and interesting, this beautiful work of art deserves, at least, the meager attention of one viewing.

Editor: Charles Schnell (who agrees with just about everything Leo says of this film)

Explaining Polo: What’s a chukker and other key facts

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By Claire Jenkins                  

Polo (the real kind, not the water kind) is known as the game of kings. To put it simply, polo is kind of like half hockey, half soccer, and throw in eight horses and eight players. The objective of the game is to get the ball through the goal posts, much like soccer. It is four against four in field polo, and the fields are about 300 x 160 yards, which is about the length of three football fields.

Four of the players are trying to score one way, and the other four are trying to score the other way. In field polo, after one team scores, you switch directions so that the teams are now going opposite ways. The ball for field arena is a small white ball, kind of like an oversized golf ball, but big enough to comfortably fit in your hand.

The match is divided into chukkers, each lasting seven minutes, with a break of three minutes between each one. At half time, the interval is extended to five minutes, and the crowds are invited to walk onto the field to tread in divots.

Polo has many interesting quirks, but like most other sports it has rules against fouling. There are lots of different fouls in polo, and some are severe enough to get you kicked off the field. Below are some common rules and possible fouls:

Right of Way–When the chukker is in play there is a  “line of the ball,” which is the direction in which the ball travels once the ball has been hit or thrown. When a player has established the right of way along that line, it can’t be crossed by any player if there is any risk of collision.

Crossing the Line–Any player who crosses the player who has the right of way close enough to be dangerous or cause a player to slow down, commits a foul.

Riding Off –This is the act of pushing another player and their horse out of the way using your horse and your body. It is allowed at any point in the game whether the person has the ball or not. It must not be done at a dangerous angle or varying speeds because that can cause serious injury.

Hooking mallets – A player may hook an opponent’s mallet if they are on the same side of the opponent as the ball and the mallet must be below the level of the opponent’s shoulder. Players cannot hook an opponent in front of the horse’s legs, as it would be called a foul.

 

For more information about polo rules or upcoming events, go to uspolo.org. or empirepolo.com.

Editor: Makena Behnke