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| Entertainment May/June 2003, Volume 6, No. 6 |
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Not as good as the first, but close
By Paul P., Layout editor
The Matrix: Reloaded was a great movie. This sequel to 1999's The Matrix is not as good as the original, but it is still better than some other sci-fi/action releases this year. (*Cough*Dreamcatcher*cough*) First of all, I'd like to say that the special effects are fantastic. I found myself looking twice during some of the fight scenes to see what was real and what was CGI.
I've heard some people refer to the plot as a recycled version of the first film. It still focuses around Morpheus, Neo and Trinity.
This one, however, deals with the machines digging down to the last human city of Zion, deep beneath the surface of the earth.
To complicate matters, the powerful Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is back to kill Neo, but this time he is working on his own, outside of the system.
The human resistance is fighting for survival and there is a power struggle between those who believe that Neo (Keanu Reeves) is the "one," a messiah type character, and those who don't.
This leads to a long, drawn-out scene in Zion where everything is explained. The second half of the movie contains most of the action that should've been dispersed throughout.
Most of Reloaded's fight scenes are the same type of stylized kung fu that made the series famous.
I was rather disappointed when I realized that there were no "John Woo" gun battles like in the lobby shootout of The Matrix.
This is due to the fact that Neo can stop bullets with his mind. Working this element into the plot kind of backed the Wachowski brothers into a corner.
The climax of the whole thing is a fourteen-minute car chase along the highway.
Many new characters are introduced in Reloaded. The usual cast of Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Lawrence Fishbourne, and Hugo Weaving return, and the new characters include Niobe, (Jada Pinkett-Smith) the captain of a resistance ship, and Link, (Harold Perrineau Jr.) the new systems operator aboard Morpheus's ship.
There are many more characters introduced but these are the only ones who play major roles in the plot's development. The acting is usually very strong.
I would strongly recommend The Matrix: Reloaded for fans of the first movie. It doesn't reach the same level of quality, but it gets close. Rating: ***
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
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Holes digs up intrigue
By Cassandra D.
Holes is an excellent movie that has lots of excitement, action, mystery, and intrigue.
It is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats who is falsely accused of stealing a pair of shoes. For his punishment, he is sent to Camp Green Lake.
The thing is, there is no lake at Camp Green Lake. It is in the middle of the desert.
The boys there are required to dig one hole a day. They work in the hot sun and the food is terrible.
All the boys there have weird nicknames, such as Armpit, Zero, and Caveman.
Caveman is Stanley's nickname. Stanley has many adventures and solves a mystery while he is there.
Holes is based off of the book by Louis Sachar. It is rated PG.
Anyone who enjoys a good mystery or has read the book Holes, will think it's good, and it's definitely the movie for you.
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Ghosts of the Abyss
An exciting IMAX 3-D movie
By Carmen Z.
I went to see the new IMAX 3-D movie, Ghosts of the Abyss. It is a favorite for all you Titanic buffs. But if you think the movie is a cartoon, you'll be disappointed because it's a non-fiction movie based on footage from the wreck.
It all began when James Cameron (producer & director) asked a friend of his (Bill Paxton) to come along with him on an expedition to see the extraordinary wreck of the Titanic.
At first, Paxton was nervous about going beneath the ocean under tons of pressure. He was queasy the first few seconds of going down under, but then he felt better.
When Paxton first saw the Titanic he gaped with awe and couldn't believe they were just hovering over parts of the ship only a few inches away.
The next trip down was better and they got to use Jake and Elwood (2 mini subs controlled by joystick). They went inside the decks of the Titanic and James and his crew were able to see all the remains of the ship.
Some of the most amazing things that remained when the Titanic hit the ocean floor were a vanity glass bottle, a glass, the reception cranks in the Marconi Room and a davit that had lowered a lifeboat.
Some of the neat effects were the realness of it. Sometimes it felt like you were on the Titanic or right in the deep waters of the north Atlantic.
I think this is a great historical movie that would satisfy anybody and everybody!
RATINGS:
Overall (On a 1-4 scale): 4
Genre (type of movie): Historical non-fiction
Movie rating: G (General Audiences)
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Wolverine's Revenge
One of the coolest games out there!
By Alex S.
There are many good games out there that you can either buy or rent for X-BOX, but one of the newest games is "Wolverine's Revenge".
Most websites give it a four-and-a-half-star rating, but I think that it is even better than that.
You can hide and unsheathe Wolverine's claws, use his mutant senses, slice, jump, kick, and use many more of these cool moves.
In the first level, you fight, using Wolverine of course, your way out of the lab in which you were mutated.
Then you, in the second level, find out that you are going to die soon unless you find an antidote for the poison that was injected into your body.
On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 9 and 3/4. If you want to find out more play the game. "Wolverine's Revenge" is a great game.
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"Read To Succeed" A Success!
Sixth graders at Peacock once again had the opportunity to participate in the "Read To Succeed" reading program sponsored by Six Flags Theme Park. This year numbers were up, and thirty-seven students participated. For their efforts, the following sixth graders earned a ticket to use at Great America, or another Six Flags Theme Park, this summer. Congrats to all participants readers are winners!
| Eric A. Kelly A. Molly C. Christopher C. Ben C. Megan C. Jack C. Phil C. Stephanie D. Peter D. Camille D. Anthony D. |
Adam D. Brianne F. Triciia H. Cristhal H. Steven J. Charlie J. Rachel K. Val K. Nicole K. Urszula M. Brian M. Trisha M. |
Brian M. Kelsey M. Brittany O. Elizabeth P. Matt R. Taro S. Alex S. Michelle S. Callie S. Jose S. Jessica T. Chris W. Dana Y. |
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