RTC Keeps it “Clean”
Transcription
RTC Keeps it “Clean”
Tu n a Ta l k Vol. XIII, Issue IV The Roeper School March 2012 New Administrative Assistant Joins Birmingham Campus By Rodger MacArthur have with the teachers.” When students heard that new Administrative Assistant/ School Secretary Robin Turner was coming from a large public high school system, some thought she would be too strict and not fit in with the informal atmosphere at Roeper. Their fears were unfounded. As a former graphic design teacher, Turner is no stranger to the classroom. “I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher,” she says. When she was growing up, she would often “play teacher with the little kids in the neighborhood. Her dream was realized when she taught graphic design From her first day to kids in Detroit as part of at work when her lunch was the career tech education pilfered from the kitchen curriculum. In this program, fridge, she has taken her job in Turner says, “Kids forgo their stride. “After 27 years in public electives at their respective education, if that’s the worst schools and instead, go learn a thing that’s going to happen certain profession for 2.5 hours I’m more than fine with it,” she a day in marketing, masonry, says. Administrative Assistant Robin Turner helps freshman Aaron Baker graphic communications, set up an appointment with Upper School Director Lisa Baker. electrical stuff, fashion design.” When Turner left the Photo by Rodger MacArthur Detroit Public School system Turner was born and last June, she did not want to raised in Michigan. Apart from retire, and began looking for a a short stint in Texas during new job. “Roeper appealed to to day duties as “maintaining staff and parents.” She also the 1980’s for her husband’s me because of the philosophy. [Middle School Director] says she “maintains records as career, she has resided here her In fact, my children attended Carolyn [Borman] and [Upper well as gives out peppermints.” entire life. She attended Central Montessori schools that School Director] Lisa [Baker]’s While only working at Roeper High School, one of the first embody similar ideals like at calendar, coordinating staff for two months, Turner public high schools in Detroit, Roeper.” meetings, monitoring student likes “the openness and after which she attended activities, assisting students camaraderie, the inclusive spirit Wayne State University. Turner describes her and the relationship students Working in schools has defined Turner for many years; while not getting much sleep or time alone, Turner has recently come into the concept of free time. She plans on “making a web site for my church and doing some freelance graphic design stuff on the side.” Turner enjoys “any kind of movie, as long as it’s a good movie with a good story line. The only genre I don’t like is slasher movies.” She also watches “American Idol and The X-Factor but my favorite show is House Hunters, or any show in which people buy houses.” Turner is looking forward to her career at Roeper and being the Administrative Assistant/ School Secretary. “I’ve given out a lot of BandAids,” she says. RTC Keeps it “Clean” By Patrick Yee Printed on one of the first pages of the Roeper Theatre Company’s script for The Clean House is: “Everyone in this play should be able to tell a really good joke.” This should give you a good idea about the RTC’s latest production which opens March 15th. “This is a story that definitely centers around the telling of jokes,” RTC Director Chi Wright says. But jokes don’t necessarily mean comedy. “The play blends together comedy with things that are less than funny like adultery, illness, death, and loneliness because it’s really about the characters coming to terms with their woes, embracing them, and going on from there and comedy eases them through that process,” junior Abena Stone says. The Clean House is the story of Brazilian maid Matilde (Stone), who would Texting Teens p. 2 much rather come up with the perfect joke than actually clean much to the dismay of the homeowner, Lane (sophomore Rachel Stamler-Jonas). After hearing of this, Lane’s sister, the bored housewife Virginia (sophomore Rachel Nichols) hears of this and conspires with Matilde to secretly clean Lane’s house. Life seems to be going smoothly in this house until it is revealed that Lane’s husband Charles (senior Patrick Yee) is in love with one of his patients (senior Josephine Jason). Also featured in the play are sophomores Morgan Young and Jalen Raines who play the mother and father of Matilde respectively. Wright chose The Clean House because the students really liked the show and he liked “the way that it starts us out in what seems like a threedimensional ordinary world and we end up in a multidimensional de constructed universe.” of the show. Cleanliness is really a representation of the order of life. There is a level of “established symmetry,” according to Assistant Director Gavin Buckley “and then it falls apart, making things dirty that were once clean.” The show is set in Lane’s living room. The room has a “post-modern” look to it with lots of “blacks” and “whites” as Buckley calls it. The Clean House was a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2005 and was named as one of the top ten theatrical attractions of the year by Entertainment Weekly in 2006. Clean House cast members sophomore Rachel Stamler-Jonas and junior Abena Stone rehearse a scene. Photo by Gavin Buckley As the name, The Clean House implies, cleaning and cleanliness are major parts Students on the Board p. 3 by Duncan Burns Origins of Roeper Sports p. 4 Teachers on Facebook p. 5 Sleigh Bells Reign of Terror p.6 2 Tuna Talk Community/News Texting Tempts Teens to Stop Talking on the Phone By Francesca Bennett For some students, talking on the phone is as horrible as holding your hand on a burning stove. Sophomore Cece Watry has wary feelings about talking on the phone, especially with people she doesn’t know. “It’s uncomfortable and awkward because you’ve never met the person,” she says. The convenience and popularity of texting has unquestionably contributed to a decrease in the use of calling. “I send about 100 texts a day, and make about two calls,” sophomore Tori Farrow says, “It’s just more convenient.” So why has calling taken a backseat to texting in most teenagers’ minds? parents or, more importantly stay busy during a boring class. messages daily, while between 30 to 38% make calls daily. emergency, can you? Years from now, how will people communicate in the workplace? According to another 2010 Pew Internet study, 87% of teen cell phone users text, whereas only about 72% of adult cell phone users text. While the number for adults is rising, evidence suggests that texting will still be more popular among teens for at least another decade. Avoiding talking on the phone will eventually lead to further distancing of human beingswe’re all individuals in our own technological webs. many teenagers have. So how do we try and get rid of this sentiment? Try starting with calling someone you know. Have a short conversation. Then, when the time comes for the need to call a stranger for some reason, you won’t be as nervous. Perhaps it is because of the accessibility and casualty of it. How much easier is it to whip out your phone, The Sophomores Jaela McDonald and Molly Phlips text with freshman Joanne Ogsend a quick text, and then abundance of undipe. put your phone away; rather texting and lack of Photo by Jonah Sklar than dialing a number, waiting human interaction while it rings, and then having According to a 2010 study by Although texting is that comes with it has led to a back-and-forth, lengthy Pew Internet and the American more popular, phone calling a general uneasy feeling about conversation. Texting is also an Life Project, of teenagers is still a necessary skill. After talking on the phone-especially easy way to keep in touch with ages 12 to 17 54% send text all, you can’t text 911 in an with those you don’t know-that We’d love to hear from you! Send “Letters to the Editor” to: [email protected] or [email protected] T u n a Ta l k Staff Writers: Patrick Yee, Jonah Sklar, Rodger MacArthur, Francesca Bennett, Alec Segel, Ari Teitel, Nathan Flynn, Armani Lee, Ethan Rosenberg Editors: Francesca Bennett, Ari Teitel Copy Editors: Ben Kochanowski, Nathan Flynn Layout: Ben Kochanowski Advisor: Linda Vernon Tuna Talk 3 Features Alumnus Tries Hand at Tribeca Film Festival By Ari Teitel It all started when Bailey Scieszka ‘07 bought a cheap video camera while in high school. Five years later, her film, Balioni was featured in the Tribeca Film Festival. summer art camp and at Roeper, where she developed She draws inspiration from other experimental films, materials at thrift stores. Balioni stars Scieszka’s alter-ego, a former child hand model named Old Put. “It’s this weird saga of his thoughts about growing old,” Scieszka says. “He’s a character I use a lot. I used to dress up as him.” Old Put may sound like a funny character, but the inspiration behind him is sad. “A long time ago, I thought I was going to die, and I was in this really dire moment,” Scieszka says. “Most people have their life flash before their eyes, but for some reason I thought, Is this the end of Goopy Dog?’ Then, I was like, ‘What does that even mean? Why did I think that?’” Scieszka wrote about Goopy Dog in creative writing classes, A shot of Old Put in Balioni, Bailey Scieszka’07’s short film. who eventually evolved into Old Put. “As the camera pans Photo courtesy of Bailey Scieszka out of Old Put’s head, it’s probably just this dude in his several of her characters YouTube videos and plays, as Scieszka plans on boxers, sitting in this awful in former art teacher Pat well as personal experiences. expanding her productions to apartment,” Scieszka says. “It’s Lawrence’s art classes during Her film is truly a DIY work: include feature length films. like his form of escapism.” her senior year of high school. she does all the writing, She recently moved back to “She has some stock characters directing, camera work, editing, Detroit to study 3D Video at Sciezska produced that she uses again and again, acting, and voice overs. College for Creative Studies to her film while earning her [such as] the Paula Deen help attain the goal. “I really B.F.A. in video in the spring character, and this little frog,” To craft her characters, want to sell out,” Scieszka says. of 2011 at Cooper Union in Lawrence says. Scieszka uses “a lot of “I’d love to have a job where I New York City, a prestigious paper mache, a lot of weird can just do effects. That’s what arts and engineering college. Scieszka’s strong collecting. I think shopping I’m working towards.” Before studying at Cooper artistic background gives is its own art form that will Union, Scieszka pursued art her the tools to push the never be really appreciated.” extensively at Cranbrook’s boundaries of her creativity. She purchases many of the Student Board Responsibilities Not Shrimp-Sized By Nathan Flynn Imagine waiters dressed to the nines, pandering to give you shrimp cocktail and other finger foods. Imagine walking into a meeting and seeing a copy of Depal Patrick’s autobiography waiting at your seat at the table; or having a view of the second largest green roof in Michigan from the window of the board room you frequent on Tuesdays. It’s not a scene out of a CEO’s life; it’s snippets of being a Representative on Roeper’s Board of Trustees; and one that two Roeper students are able to experience each year, as Student Representatives to the Board. The position of Student Representative was created more than 20 years ago in an effort to more fully represent all of the constituency groups of the school. “It is the right of the students to have such representation,” says former Student Rep Joey LoCascio ’11. “The need is both pragmatic and philosophical, productive and righteous. The position exists because the Roepers were wise enough to see this,” he adds. This year is an especially exciting year to be on the Board because two landmark events happened to coincide: the hiring of a new Head of School, and the construction of a new three year strategic plan. Even the Student Reps had a big hand in voicing the opinions of their peers that the Board took into account when making their decision. “Stopping things in their tracks is a principle duty of any trustee… I relished this duty- calling into question everything that the student body might find intolerable,” LoCascio reveals. “The Student Reps have a very important job because they provide a special function to other members who value their opinions greatly, and also because they represent a constituency that isn’t often heard from,” says Chair Emeritus Doug Winkworth. “In fact, for a while not even alumni were guaranteed representation, so they were an extremely important constituency then.” This also means that there has been an increase in workload for the youngest members of the Board: Erik Burbulla and Nathan Flynn. While past Student Reps such as Adarsh Shah ‘11 only attended committee meetings “around once a month,” the reps this year have had to go as frequently as once a week. “The need is both pragmatic and philosophical, productive and righteous. The position exists because the Roepers were wise enough to see this.” Committee meetings tend to focus on one specific issue; such as 21st century education or budget planning. Beyond the overarching topics of the committees, each one must delve deeper into the subjects at hand. For example, the Facilities Committee drafted seven potential strategies for creating more classroom space in the future. “Student Reps tend to do important work on committees that affect their constituency- such as the Development and education committees,” Winkworth says. Burbulla, continuing the positive trend, serves on the education committee. Despite the importance of drafting the new plan, committee meetings were suspended in October to begin preparation for the interviewing of semi-finalist candidates for the Head of School position. This turned out to be an even bigger time commitment than committees was. “We had meetings two or three times a week, for up to four hours at a time for two months,” Burbulla reveals. “We spent four hours in the multi-purpose room debating and voting… it was very tenuous,” Burbulla admits with a smile. “It was a very trying time.” “Student Reps have done a great job with the head search on many occasions… and the reps this time I think did an outstanding job.” Now that Feldman has been hired, the hottest topic for the board has been the construction of the new threeyear plan, which the working groups have been constructing since August. Burbulla, who also serves on the Educational Technology working group, has spent a lot of time conversing with students about what they think is necessary for the school to adopt in order to have a more comprehensive education. The consensus has been roughly consistently “more bandwidth and Smart Boards.” The Roeper Board may be unique in its approach to having kids on the board, but this doesn’t mean that the kids aren’t around to help. In fact, Student Reps have often been some of the most important on the boardincluding LoCascio, who was called “the model board member” by co-member Shah. Although the students may not wear the nicest clothes or speak with as much authority, their influence is undeniable- proving that with great responsibilities comes great results. 4 Tuna Talk Features Social Media Relationships an Open Book for Staff and Students By Alec Segel Developing strong student-teacher relationships is a vital part of what makes Roeper unique. For some students and teachers, these relationships have leaked into Facebook, creating a new way of communicating effectively with one another. Like many other things in life, Facebook seems to be useful as long as it is used appropriately. Some students, like senior Taylor Mitchell, think that it is “appropriate for students and teachers to be friends on Facebook, as long as the relationship’ stays friendly.” Instrumental Music teacher Jason McIntosh agrees, “We [the adults and teachers] need to be cautious with what we post to make sure that we don’t jeopardize our relationship,” McIntosh says. “I wouldn’t post anything that was inappropriate. We also need to be very cautious with the younger students,” he adds. For some teachers, Facebook has become the main portal of communication with their classes. “I sometimes use Facebook to have my Advanced Biology students turn in their homework and to also notify them of anything up and coming.” Biology teacher Laura Panek says. “I wouldn’t have started using Facebook if not for that.” McIntosh also uses Facebook to contact his students. “My homeroom has a snack by Kylee Weiss [This blocks content from certain people] For example, I do not want kids to see things that have to do with my personal/family life.” Freshman Ian Solomon has a more radical approach. “If a teacher comments on something I posted, I will automatically unfriend them, just because they read my comments,” he says. Facebook means a great deal to students and teachers alike. In some ways, this helps maintain the studentteacher relationship. There is a fine line between what should be posted on Facebook, and it seems like Roeper students and teachers have the uses for it under control. Instrumental Music teacher Jason McIntosh checks his Facebook. Photo by Alec Segel schedule and Facebook lets me communicate with them so that they can figure out when it is their turn to bring in snack,” he says. Just last year, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon imposed a law that made it illegal for students and teachers to be friends on Facebook. Junior David Veillette opposes a similar law being enforced in Michigan. “It imposes on free speech,” Veillette says. “The state doesn’t have the constitutional power to control the internet,” he says. Others, like McIntosh, were neutral. “If the law was imposed, we have other ways of communication, such as emailing and phones,” McIntosh says. [Note: later that year, Missouri Teachers sued the state over this law. The judge repealed it over an injunction.] Some teachers have Facebook policies for their students. “I have all of my students on a list and they can’t post on my wall until they become an alumnus of Roeper,” Panek says. “In this way, I don’t have to be responsible for what other people post on my wall.” McIntosh also has a rule, “I do not friend people unless they are in a class with me and I never send a student a friend request,” he says. “I also have a very limited profile. Congratulations to Girls’ Varsity Basketball District Champions FRONT ROW (L-R): Katie Saslow, Julia Lisi SECOND ROW: Captain Julie Pudar, Captain Kiara Canales, Morgan Harrison, Sophia Savas, Alyssa Flynn, Nadia Salman, Francesca Bennett, Lauren Anderson BACK ROW: Tori Farrow, Amy Romano Photo by Nick Pudar Tuna Talk 5 Sports Coaching Legend Recounts Career By Armani Lee “The first year of Track, his coaching career. “The first way. When you start talking Athletic Director Girls’ team I coached in 1983about best, there are so many Ernie Righetti is arguably one 84 didn’t win a game, and by categories. I can’t really tell you of the best coaches in MHSAA history, racking up 700 games and counting . “At a young age, I found [that coaching] was something I was good at,” Righetti says. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to be,” he adds. His first chance was coaching cross country at Olivet High School in 1973. At the time, Righetti was a senior at Olivet, majoring in Biology and Physical Education. “I only coached one year, because it was my senior year and I graduated,” he explains. Righetti coached at Wayne Memorial High School and Wayne State University. “I’ve coached football at a high school level and basketball and cross country, and track at a college level.” Righetti then came to Roeper. “I was hired as Athletic Director in 1982. I planned to stay here one year; at the time I was looking for a collegiate track job in that area.” Thinking back, Righetti remembers, “I think they were changing the Athletic Director every year. At the time Mike Coach Ernie Righetti poses with the Boys’ Varsity Basketball team after his 700th career win. [Ruddy] was stepping in as Photo courtesy of Nick Pudar Athletic Director and physical ed. teacher. I was hired by because we qualified three their senior year they were who the best has Mike. . . [the] Head of School, or four runners for States. I ranked in the state.” been. We played as a team, and [the] Assistant Head.” thought they exceeded expecta- When asked who he and I appreciate all their ef During his 30 years tions. Basketball- wise, my son thought were his most “memo- forts.” at Roeper, Righetti has also (Eric ’96) and daughter (Lesley rable” athletes, Righetti says, While being at Roeper coached Girls’ and Boys’ Bas’03) playing, obviously that was “I have had so many, I don’t Righetti was strongly encourketball and Track. special for me.” know where to begin. Everyaged to apply for Head of When recounting his Righetti has overone that has played for me I School. “There were a number most memorable coaching come some obstacles during feel has contributed in a special of people who wanted me to years at Roeper Righetti says, apply for Head of school back in the ‘80’s, and I considered doing that,” he says. “I thought I could have helped the school in a lot of ways, and then helped it in a lot of ways.” Righetti plans to retire in two years. “. . . We’ve targeted a couple years from now,” he says. “I could leave in five years, or I could leave tomorrow. My wife (Roxanne)’s retired, and coaching is a hard thing. Every night until 8 or later . . . I want it to be my choice, and not the school’s. When I am ready to go, I will let the school know.” When Righetti does leave, “My plan is to relax, not to have to go to basketball games all the time. I think the thing I am looking forward to is being able to go somewhere without having to come back at a certain time.” When asked what legacy he hopes to leave behind, he says, “I hope people will appreciate the hard work of the program we have developed- the Booster Clubs who have raised thousands of dollars for our programs- the hard work of the athletes. I wish that could continue.” Former A.D. Fox Recalls Kickoff of Roeper Sports By Jonah Sklar It has been over four decades since teams first appeared in a uniform under the leadership of Roeper’s pioneering Athletic Director Sid Fox. “I was hired to be Athletic Director in the 1965-66 school year,” Fox remembers. “The program was founded [due to the fact] that students and parents clamored for more extracurricular activities.” According to Fox, sports were limited at the time, “When I got there, they only had sledding and skating… in the winter, but no Physical Education program. We only had outdoor classes to teach skills at the start of my tenure which proved very prohibiting.” Fox faced further limitations as Roeper only ran through the 10th grade, so the program only competed at the junior varsity level at its highest. Not to mention that the school was at the bottom, size-wise, of Class D. In fact, on the 1966 Boys JV Basketball schedule, Roeper was pitted against a Michigan School for the Deaf. “We rented public and private high school facilities for practices and games such as the Bloomfield Hills Public Schools and Cranbrook,” Fox says. Further limitations stretched to the mentality of the athletes that played at Roeper during the 60’s. “It was a challenge to teach the values associated with sports in a non-competitive environment,” says Fox, “Characteristics such as being aggressive, disciplined Former Roeper Athletic Director Sid Fox . Photo courtesy of Emery Pence and enjoying the challenge of performing better than other school teams did not always resonate with Roeper students,” Fox says. Despite these hurdles, the sports program had mixed success. Although most of the teams did not have a winning season in 1966, money was not a problem. “The program was generously funded through parent and student-run fund raisers.” These efforts were just enough money to keep the sports program afloat and to field varsity teams the next year. When the sports program began in the fall of 1966, students voted on the school colors and mascot. “We established the school colors as scarlet and white, for no apparent reason,” Fox remembers. “And had a school contest to establish the Roughrider logo that has been retained.” In 1974, Fox vacated the position of Athletic Director for a position at another, larger school. Football coach and science teacher Walter Cowans took over as the interim Athletic Director and cut programs such as football after the 1975 season due to a lack of funding. Cowans served as Athletic director until 1978 when a young Mike Ruddy assumed the position. Ruddy served as AD and Soccer Coach. In 1982, Ernie Righetti took over for Ruddy as AD and has retained that position, as well as coaching men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams since that date. Although Roeper sports started off as a small, laid-back program, it has developed into a powerhouse among certain sports, achieving dozens of District Championships in multiple sports as well as developing Division 1 college athletes. Under the guidance of current Athletic Director Ernie Righetti, Roeper has only grown from what it was in the 1960’s and 70’s, adding a basketball and volleyball facility with plans of further expansion with the ‘Home Field Advantage’ project. 6 Tuna Talk Reviews Sleigh Bells’ Reign of Terror No Treat By Nathan Flynn Perhaps the secondmost important thing that selfappointed critics look for from an artist between their first and second albums is growth. Growth is a term that can’t really be qualified; much like pornography- I know it when I see it. For example, Weezer grew as a band by writing Pinkerton instead of sticking with their more humorous stylings of the Blue Album; and Bon Iver grew by incorporating a full orchestra instead of his baseline acoustic guitar and drum accompaniment. Now take Sleigh Bells- a band that reduced pop to its most basic by incorporating just loud guitar, lyrics that were moreoften-than-not indecipherable moans, and the occasional loud drum track. The band really had no choice but to grow from its baseline ingredients and, by incorporating too many changes, has crafted an album that ultimately falls short of its predecessor- Treats. The most noticeable change that Sleigh Bells has incorporated is evident on the cheekily titled “True Shred Guitar,” which begins with Krauss yelling to what sounds to be a riled-up crowd before the guitar line comes inexcept it kind of doesn’t. The once blasted power chords are still there but not with the punch that they used to pack. Compared to Treats’ opener “Tell Em,” it sounds like a Shih Tzu trying to yap over a Rottweiler’s powerful bark. Granted, the volume was occasionally overpowering on Treats, but the guitars sound neutered on Reign of Terror as a whole, with the wonderful exception of “Comeback Kid,” the single that made every Sleigh Bells fan believe that this album would be more of the same from the noise-pop duo. “Comeback Kid” is the turning point for the guitars of the album- they begin to regain their former power but ultimately, it’s too little too late. The first five tracks of Reign of Terror tend to deviate too much from Sleigh Bells’ comfort zone to be considered effective. This discomfort is found in two areas: the pro- gramming and singer Alexis Krauss’ vocals. Producer (and guitarist) Derek Miller has grown immensely as a producer, but the creative liberties that he takes tend to muddle the mixture for often than provide a line of clarity. The most blatant example is the introduction of a synth line to the formerly spartan backing track. Using a synthesizer could have provided another cool layer to Sleigh Bells’ sound but ultimately are too invasive and wouldn’t sound out of place on a Crystal Castles album- especially on more subtle songs like “End of the Line.” Even on standout “Comeback Kid,” the synths overshadow the drum machine throughout the song despite the blatant aggression in the drum programming. It’s a strange juxtaposition that confuses more often than wows, and that is consistent throughout the album. The most positive example of growth exemplified by Sleigh Bells comes from Krauss’ vocals, but she still doesn’t seem ready to carry an album with her vocals alone. Instead of using her trademarks moans and coos, Krauss assaults us with actual vocals all the way through Reign of Terror. She is a naturally talented vocalist, but seems uncomfortable when her vocals are at the front of the mix rather than being overshadowed by the noisy guitars, as they were on Treats. One of her biggest vocal triumphs- “Demons”- is a direct result of her being hidden underneath Miller’s once-again cacophonous guitars. Her vocals aren’t bad, just frequently shaky, and don’t pack enough punch to make up for the loss of consistently true loud guitar. So yes, Sleigh Bells did manage to grow a great deal on Reign of Terror, but growth is just the second-most important thing to look for. At the end of the day, the number one question will always be ‘did they equal the success of their first album?’ It seems that Sleigh Bells did not meet this criterion because of the leaps and bounds that they took to evolve their sound and grow as a band. It’s an honorable thing to do, but when the product suffers one must wonder- was it worth it? Regardless of what the answer to that question is we must consider Reign of Terror for what it is- a puzzle with too many pieces that don’t quite fit. It’s still a fun puzzle, but an exceedingly frustrating one to do. Discover The Secret (World of Arriety) By Patrick Yee I am an avid anime fan. This is the main reason I saw The Secret World of Arriety, a movie clearly not marketed to someone of my demographic. This is a family movie. It is marketed as one, but that should not prevent you from enjoying it. As I mentioned in my 10 Movies to Watch in 2012, The Secret World of Arriety is (somewhat loosely) based on Mary Norton’s The Borrowers. For those of you who are not familiar with this particular piece of literature, the Borrowers are tiny people who typically live under the floorboards and take things that will not be missed by the human “beans.” The Secret World of Arriety is about 14-year-old female Borrower named Arriety who finally gets to go on her first “borrowing.” Unfortunately, she is seen by Shawn, a human. But what makes the movie work is what the audience is seeing. One of the things I knew would make or break the movie is how the animator shows the world as seen by the Borrowers and the humans differ. The best example is the cat. While we see things from the human’s standpoint, the cat is just this pudgy comical fur ball. But when we see him from the borrower’s point of view, the cat becomes threatening and the depiction is certainly believable. The cat is not the only thing that is imposing to the borrowers. The entire human world is a big dangerous place. Counters are like cliffs and jars are like prisons to them. Even the ticking of a clock is loud and ominous. However, even in this world of danger, there is plenty of beauty such as giant flower patches and rain drops on leaves. Sure, it is not as pretty as some of Miyazaki’s films, but it looks quite good in its own right. The depiction of how the borrowers use human goods is also impressive. The audience was treated to Home Alone-levels of ingenuity. The most impressive examples are the decorations in the Borrower’s home. This also brings me to the attention to detail. Most of the movie is from the Borrower’s standpoint, so the little things (no pun intended) are incredibly important. The animators realized this, and we see every little drop of water and every blade of glass. The voice acting is not as impressive. In previous anime films that Disney distributes here the US, the voice cast is a collection of recognizable voice actors. This film does not have that same star power behind the voices and almost exclusively uses television actors Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, and cast members from Disney Channel original TV shows. Both Poehler and Burnett do fantastic jobs as Arriety’s mother and the slightly crazed housekeeper respectively. Arriety’s father, Pod is voiced by Will Arnett. His voice is monotone and un-emotive and was sometimes a chore to listen to and that really shouldn’t happen. Shawn was voiced by David Henrie, who is best known for playing Justin Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. The character of Shawn is supposed to be 12. Henrie is 22, the days of him sounding like a 12-year-old are long, long gone. Within the context of the film, the story does a good job displaying the world of Arriety in its entire splendor. The ending is rather bitter sweet, which is refreshing in this vanilla-ized entertainment world. That being said, there is an undeniable sweetness to this film. It is a feel-good movie in the same vein as Toy Story or The Incredibles. There is tension, conflict, and everything one would hope for in a family movie storyline. While most of the characters are entertaining and fun, but the best character was Arriety. She has far more depth moves the story along most of the time. Something I need to account for is that I am writing for a largely high school audience. I am not going to sit here and pretend that our school is like a Norman Rockwell painting and all the movie viewing audience here wants to see is a film that’s “fun for the whole family.” Some of you want something edgy and there is none of that here. This is a very tame film, perhaps the most family friendly movie I’ve reviewed and I know there is a portion of you who do not want that. I have to give The Secret World of Arriety two different recommendations. As an anime fan talking to other anime fans: go watch this. Studio Ghibli is still going strong, and it will likely be quite some time until the next movie, From Up on Poppy Hill reaches our shores. As a film critic talking to a general audience, this is a family movie, a really good family movie. It should be enjoyed as such. Coming Next Issue Prom Update SLC Improvements New Dance Class My March Madness Bracket Assemblies by Patrick Yee by Francesca Bennett by Alec Segel by Armani Lee by Ethan Rosenberg All About