‘Cruella’ review

May 13, 2022 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Eva Olson

Image taken from:
https://movies.disney.com/cruella

‘Cruella’ aired May 18th, 2021 in theaters. It stars Emma Stone as Estella and Cruella de Vil. Estella is very smart and ambitious while Cruella is wicked and revenge-bent. Throughout the movie she switches between Cruella and Estella making the movie all the more fascinating.

This movie’s storyline and plot were very different from ‘101 Dalmations’ which made the film super entertaining to watch. It was fun to try and find the differences between the Cruella in the animated ‘101 Dalmatians’ from 1969, and the Cruella in this movie. Also, seeing how Dalmatians tied into this storyline was amusing.

All of the main characters had a lot of layers to their characters. Emma Stone did an amazing job as Cruella.

Emma Thompson also did an amazing job in making me dislike her character the Baroness.

This movie shows you a lot about Cruella’s backstory and what her story is. You get to see a lot of Cruella as a child. You also get to learn more about her friends Jasper and Horace which was very interesting.

The setting was mostly in London in the 1970s, which was very cool and made the movie very visually appealing. Hellman Hall, where the Baroness lived, was very eerie and creepy. Throughout the whole movie the weather was kind of dreary and gray which really matched the movie and set the tone.

The costumes in this movie were eye catching. Mostly because one of the main themes in this movie is fashion, and Cruella is an aspiring fashion designer. I especially loved Cruella’s dress that she lit on fire. All of the characters’ outfits were so captivating, especially Cruella’s, and really showed their individual personalities.

Overall, I liked this movie more than I thought I would. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to just about anyone. I would give this movie a 5/5 star rating. You can watch ‘Cruella’ on Disney+.

Tech/Games

Wordle: The new popular vocab game

May 13, 2022 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Olivia Miller

Image taken from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2F
http://www.gamedeveloper.com%2Fgdc%2F- wordle-creator-heads-to-gdc-2022-to-talk-about-his-surprise-smash&psig

“Wordle” is a new daily word game that has become incredibly popular in the last 6 months. The online game that is currently being run by the ‘New York Times’ has taken the nation by storm, and unlike other vocabulary games, has managed to reach players of all ages.

How does this game work? Well, it’s quite simple. Everyday, there is a new five letter word that players have to attempt to guess in six tries. On your first try you guess any random five letter word, and afterwards the game tells you which of the letters in that word are either not in the word, in the word but in the wrong spot, or in the word as well as in the right spot.

With these clues comes a tactic most players use, which is when typing their first guess, trying to include as many vowels as possible. This tactic helps get at least one correct letter in the first try, in turn helping you guess the full word quicker. Some people (like myself) always use the same first word every day, mainly because they think that word is most effective in getting the most letters correct.

There is no explanation for this simple game’s rise to popularity, possibly because there is only one word a day. This causes people to end the round of the day wanting to play more, so they come back the next day, the next day, and so on.

I asked students of Highland Park High School what they think of “Wordle” and here are some of the responses.

“I think it’s fun to compete against your friends to see who can guess it in the least amount of tries” – Mila Hart.

“It’s a game that’s fun but works your brain at the same time… it’s also helped me learn new words I didn’t even know existed.” – anonymous.

This game has become so popular that there have been many spin offs of the game created. These include “Wordle Unlimited”, which name explains itself. Apparently players can’t wait a whole day for another word so an unlimited version of the game has been created.

Another popular spinoff is “Heardle”. This game plays a small clip of a song that you then (like “Wordle”) have to guess in a limited amount of tries. There are tons of more spin-offs that have been created, so if you get sick of “Wordle” you can check out these many other games.

Editorials/Student Voice, Travel/Food

Why is soda so addicting?

May 13, 2022 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Haroon Yonis

Image taken from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/soda-and-sleep

Soda is a common drink in America. It’s tasty, sweet, and most importantly it’s refreshing. You can’t go a day without seeing it, whether it’s in your household, on a commercial, or in the restaurant you’re having your meal in.

It’s undeniable that soda is involved in our lives, and especially plays a major role in American culture and cuisine.

But what makes this drink so addicting and tasty? The answer may surprise you, and may finally make you realize how much of a danger it really is.

Firstly, soda contains a ton of sugar, and some brands may have upwards of 60 grams in their drink! This insane amount of sugar releases chemicals in your brain, chemicals that make you feel good, and makes the soda much more refreshing. One of these chemicals is known as dopamine, and it makes you feel pleasure, a common feeling associated with sugar and soda.

On top of that, many sodas contain ingredients such as artificial flavors, and additives such as caffeine, that make you crave it, and as a result sometimes causes one to create an unhealthy addiction and obsession with the drink. Diet sodas have further promoted this widespread addiction, as many view them as a healthier alternative to regular sodas, when in reality they may even be worse.

The availability and cheap price of soda also makes it appealing to many customers, especially those who cannot afford healthier sweeteners, and as a result opt out for soda instead. They are found in practically every restaurant, and the honest and rather harsh truth is that it is almost impossible to avoid soda. There are very limited options when it comes to alternatives, and the sweet tasting drink has become a staple in America.

Some advice would be just to cut out soda from your diet, and as your body slowly adjusts to the change, you’ll realize that you no longer crave or want the drink. Soda has many detrimental effects on your body, and it simply isn’t optimal for human digestion. Do yourself a favor and stay away from that can of poisonous sugar!