Category Archives: Movies/TV/Theaters

Prom 2016

Prom was on Friday, May 6th, at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul. Not everyone went, so here’s pretty much how Prom 2016 turned out for those who were wondering about how everything went.

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photo taken from the Highland Prom Dropbox

The doors opened at 7 o’clock, but a lot of prom attendees were all outside around Rice Park taking pictures before going into the Landmark Center. Around 8 o’clock the room was packed and the doors were closed. It wasn’t crowded, there was more than enough room. Against one wall there were beverages and snacks, towards the back of the room there were many tables for people to sit and stand around, there was also a photo booth – with funny accessories that were Gatsby themed, and in the middle of the room was the dance floor with a DJ on stage. Prom didn’t start to die down until around 10 o’clock.

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photo taken from the Highland Prom Dropbox

I personally think that it was very fun and was worth the money my parents and I put into it. The overall night made it all well worth it. The venue was beautiful and really made me feel like I was somewhere fancy and important, and there was more than enough space. The music was good because there was a little bit of everything, so everyone at one point was dancing or singing along. The photo booth was a lot of fun, when people were just sitting around, instead of being bored they got up and went in line for the photo booth with their friends. I had a lot of fun, because my group and I didn’t leave until around 10:30, we weren’t ready to leave.

Aside from my own thoughts, I asked some people what they thought of Prom:

Did you think prom night was worth the money?
“I didn’t spend that much money, and I am glad I didn’t because I had a lot of fun and spending more money wouldn’t of made it any more fun.” Jocelyn Chavez (11)

“Yeah. It was a lot of fun and wasn’t too expensive for me.” Larissa Lopez (10)

“No, but it was a lot of fun and I personally didn’t spend a lot of money but for the people who did, I don’t think so.” Victor Minefee (11)

Did you have fun?
“Yes, so much fun. Dancing was a lot of fun.” Jocelyn Chavez (11)

“Yeah, it was fun.” Larissa Lopez (10)

“Yeah.” Victor Minefee (11)

What was your favorite part of the night?
“The music and dancing.” Jocelyn Chavez (11)

“Being with my friends and dancing.” Larissa Lopez (10)

“Being with my friends.” Victor Minefee (11)

For more pictures from prom night check out Highland’s twitter https://twitter.com/highlandprom_ (@highlandprom_) and https://www.dropbox.com/sc/dg5f92j3b34vw1d/AABdSdqhCo35iPP-8vXcHgo1a

Movie Review: The 5th Wave

I recently saw the movie The 5th Wave at Regal Brooklyn Center Stadium 20.

The movie is about how the human race stands on the brink of extinction as a series of alien attacks decimate the planet, causing earthquakes, tsunamis and disease. Separated from her family, Ohio teenager Cassie Sullivan (Chloë Grace Moretz) will do whatever it takes to reunite with her brother Sam. Fate leads her to form an alliance with Evan Walker (Alex Roe), a mysterious young man who may be her last hope. Forced to trust each other, Cassie and Evan fight for survival during the fifth assault from the invaders.

Overall, the movie was good. On a scale from 1-10 I give it a 7.3 because it has slow parts and is sort of boring in some parts, and sometimes you don’t know what is happening in the film. There are sad parts too, but overall it’s a good film.

I recommend this film to people who like action movies.

Beats vs Bose

In the world of sound and music, people want the best headphones and the best speakers. There are many really, really good speakers. The bad thing is that all the best speakers are huge, so you won’t be able to take them on the go. Beats and Bose both have found a way to get around that size obstacle: there’s the Beats Pill and Bose SoundLink.

Now, let’s talk about the Beats Pill. It does indeed look like an oversized pill, only with a flat foot on the bottom to keep it from rolling off the table. It’s sleek, slightly hip, and it’s available in a bunch of fun colors. A lot of people get the Beats Pill for its bass, which is totally understandable.

The Bose SoundLink isn’t exactly known for its bold design choices, opting for the more safe and reserved look in nearly every example. When the company does try to go for a more “fun” look, you end up with something like the company’s FreeStyle earbuds which sounded nice, but looked more like a pair of pants from the 1990s than something you wanted to wear on your head. Looking at the SoundLink Mini, let’s just be happy the company decided to keep it simple.

Beats and Bose both are very good, but now let’s talk about which one is better. Beats Pill has a decent bass, while on the other hand Bose SoundLink probably has a better bass then the Beats Pill. The Bose SoundLink mid-bass and the lower midrange is much better, and there is a nice depth to most of the lower range of frequencies. Highs are free of the rolloff that is so common on speakers in this size, but still, they never sound harsh or overbearing even as you push the volume higher. And that reminds me, the SoundLink Mini can get pretty loud; impressively so, considering the size.

So, in the end, if you’re looking for a speaker on the go I would go with Bose.

Jackie chans’s Project A

This movie takes place in China about 1983 when China’s Royal Navy is trying to capture pirates.    

The theme of the movie is action. Playing the main character of Sergeant Dragon Ma is Jackie Chan. He is part of the Hong Kong Marine Police’s effort to suppress the pirates, who have been raiding ships for months. Members of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, and the MP, who have  strong interservice rivalries, get into a fight in a bar. Shortly after this, Captain Chi (Kwan Hoi-san) releases all of the sailors to their commanding officer, and two of the MP’s ships get blown up.

Over all this movie deserves a 3 out of 5 stars

Even though the movie is a couple years old, I recommend this movie to all people that like action, and who don’t mind watching some old movies. Although this movie is not in theaters, you can watch it on Netflix, Hulu, or any other movie streaming website service.

Five best restaurants in the Highland area

If you’re a student looking for places to eat in the Highland area, don’t look any further, here are the five best restaurants around (in no particular order).

The Cleveland Wok is a high quality Chinese buffet featuring staple items like egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken. They have great service and the food is fairly priced. However, parking is hard in the street; you most likely will have to park in the back of the bank next to it. The Cleveland Wok deserves to be on this list because they have excellent value and service.

The Neighborhood Cafe is much more than a cafe. It provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with happy hour specials. It is on Selby and Snelling, but if you take the 84X after school, which is right next to the school buses, you can get there fast. The Neighborhood Cafe deserves to be on this list because of the big portions they serve for a good price. It also has a cozy environment and the staff is friendly.

Smashburger is a chain restaurant that serves not only burgers, but also chicken sandwiches, salads, and shakes. The burgers come in a large variety of options, along with the create your own option. One of the unique burgers they offer is the Buffalo & Blue Cheese burger, that has buffalo sauce and an egg bun. The atmosphere is very hipster-like and relaxed. It deserves to be on this list because of the wide variety Smashburger provides.

The Highland Grill is a little more pricey than the other options, but the food is definitely worth it. The Highland Grill provides a large array of American breakfasts and entrees. The atmosphere of the Highland Grill is very social; on warm nights you can usually find people relaxing just outside the restaurant socializing while enjoying their meal. It deserves to be on the list because of its beautiful decoration and chic style.

Which Wich, a restaurant that specializes in subs and sandwiches, is located on Ford Parkway right next to the Walgreens. For a sandwich shop, they have a lot of variety. From vegan options to seafood. The food is reasonably priced and uses high quality ingredients. The wait is usually not that long and you can either eat in or take out. It deserves to be on this list because of it’s creativity in sandwiches.

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Have you heard the hype about the new movie Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice? Well we can’t stop talking about it.

Based off of trailers, the new movie is about Batman (Ben Affleck) going head-to-head in combat with Superman (Henry Cavill). To learn more about the movie, here are the links to a few of the trailers:

https://youtu.be/0WWzgGyAH6Y

https://youtu.be/NhWg7AQLI_8

https://youtu.be/fis-9Zqu2Ro

Based on the premise of the movie, let me ask you a question, who would win in a fight, Batman or Superman? Each have strengths and weaknesses that would both help and hurt them in this fight. Here is a list of their strengths and weaknesses:

Batman

Strengths – Weapon master, skilled in martial arts, high level of human strength and intelligence.

Weakness – Batman has no known weakness with the exception that he is mortal and can die.

Superman

Strengths – X-ray vision, super strength, heat vision, super speed, and he can fly

Weakness – Kryptonite is Superman’s biggest weakness.

Now that you know about each superhero, Who do you think would win in a head-to-head fight, Batman or Superman? We asked a few of our Highland students and teachers who they think would win.  There results were:

Batman won with 51 votes while Superman received 31.

So, we know whose side Highland Park is on, however, if you want to see who really wins go see the movie which is 2 hours and 31 minutes long, rated PG – 13, and comes out on March 25.

Beats vs. Bose

In the world of audio and headphones, it’s all about Beats and Bose, the top dogs in the industry. Which is better? Is there even an answer to such a question? As with everything else, they each have their pros and cons. Let’s go over them here.

Beats is the marketing master in the headphones industry. Having professional athletes wearing them in public and in their commercials. Beats are recognized world-wide as a high end brand for audio products. A reputation any of its competitors would do anything for. For this reason, people perceive them as “the best” instead of seeing them for being simply the most popular.

On the other hand we have Bose, the main rival competitor to Beats. They may not have the best appearance out there for headphones (gray, white, silver) but they’re still as good as Beats. Their brand has literally become synonymous with quality, especially for those audiophiles that care for highs, lows, frequencies, and the like. While their bass and volume are more leveled (less dramatic), keen ears will be able to recognize a quality that screams quality and is worth every penny spent.

So in the end, overall Beats and Bose are very similar, however, I would choose Beats over Bose as they are more comfortable and have a better sound, overall, in my opinion.

My experience with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is released on February 5, 2016 in theaters across America. The film stars Lily James, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Sam Riley, and Bella Heathcote.

The Jane Austen novel of young love and pride takes place in 19th century England. This film, directed by Burr Steers, honors Austen’s original story, only Buur adds one more complication to the love story-an army of hungry zombies.

Highland Park High School was contacted by a producer from the film offering the Plaid Line staff two tickets to see the premiere of the film at MOA as well as the opportunity to participate in a nation wide conference call with the cast. Excited, I, and another writer, John Edwards, accepted the invitation and saw the premiere.

The movie was exactly what you think it might be, a strong and independent woman who falls victim to prejudice daily but somehow falls in love with the same man that oppresses her, all the while fighting the never ending war against zombies.

The day after the premiere we were told that we could participate in a press conference where we could ask the cast questions about the movie. The press conference was scheduled to take place at 2:30 and last till three. My fellow writer and I racked out a few questions we were eager to ask and report back to our fellow readers. Patiently we sat next to the phone listening to the smooth jazz that reminded us we were on hold; for half an hour. It wasn’t till after four “thank you for waiting”’s and a few minutes after three did the press conference begin.

We were instructed to press a pattern of buttons and wait for an operator to ask our questions. If we did that, we couldn’t listen to the cast answering questions from a few writers who were fortunate enough to be able to ask a question. A few questions later, we thought we finally had our turn; the operator had our name and we had our question ready. That was when the host of the conference said “Thank you for participating in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies press conference…” and that was it. Fifteen minutes of listening to redundant questions, struggling to figure out the procedure to ask our own, all the while the holding-jazz-music was laying in the back of our heads.

So overall, we would give the movie itself, 3.5 stars out of 5 due to its cheesiness, and lack of originality.

As for the conference call, we would rate that experience 0 out of 5 stars. Overall, not worth the time invested.

Movie review

I recently saw the movie The Forest at Regal Brooklyn Center Stadium 20.

The movie is about a girl who goes to Japan after her twin sister disappears. Sara (Natalie Dormer) becomes determined to find out what happened to her sister. Sara’s investigation leads her to the legendary Aokigahara Forest (suicide forest), located at the base of Mount Fuji. Accompanied by expatriate Aiden, she enters the mysterious wilderness after being warned to “stay on the path.” Her investigation brings her into a dark world where the angry and tormented souls of the dead prey on those who dare to explore the forest.

Overall, it’s a good movie. On a scale from 1-10 I give it a 8.5 because it has slow parts and is sort of boring in some parts but overall it’s a great film filled with scary scenes that will make you jump.

I recommend this film to people who like paranormal movies.

Popular Christmas movie recommendations on Netflix


Still in need to get into the holiday mood? Below are listed popular and classic Christmas movies available to you via Netflix streaming.

Holiday Comedies

I’ll be home for Christmas (1998) PG

A college student struggles to return home for Christmas and learns a lot about himself and the true meaning of the holidays.

Christmas with the Kranks (2004) PG

With their daughter away, the Kranks decide to skip Christmas altogether until she decides to come home, causing an uproar when they have to celebrate the holiday at the last minute.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) R

A man must struggle to travel home for Thanksgiving with an obnoxious slob of a shower curtain ring salesman as his only companion.

Bad Santa (2003) R

A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid, and the security boss discovers the plot.

Happy Christmas (2014) R

After a break up, Jenny moves in with writer Kelly, her filmmaker husband, and their child. Despite a rocky start, Jenny’s influence helps Kelly realize that an evolution in her life, career and relationship is necessary for her happiness.

Romantic Comedies

Love Actually (2003) R

Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

White Christmas (2000) NR

A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.

The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012) PG-13

The adult siblings of the Fitzgerald family prepare for their estranged father to return home for Christmas for the first time since he walked out on his family 20 years ago.

Children Holiday Favorites

Frosty the Snowman (1969) G

A living snowman and a little girl struggle to elude a greedy magician who is after the snowman’s magic hat.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) PG

Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but doesn’t quite understand the concept.