th e
Viewpoint
Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Road Stafford, VA 22556
STUDENT NEWS Magazine MVHS VOLUME 9 ISSUE 3 January | February
Senior Jakob Lyman pushes off the wall at swim practice. Check out page 12 and 13 for more on the swim team.
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The Viewpoint JANUARY 2015 VOLUME IX ISSUE III
Why I love/hate journalism In my first year of journalism, our class learned about Bob Woodward and Howard Bernstein, and how they used journalism to expose Watergate and the wrong doings of Richard Nixon's administration. Through ethical journalism, they made a difference, with Nixon eventually being forced to resign. I believe in the power of the media, and while it remains to be seen as to whether or not an article that I published in the October issue will make a difference in the county’s education budget, I am satisfied by how I went about voicing my opinion and challenging the belief held by the board of supervisors. Whether voicing my opinion on local funding or analysing a much larger issue, I would definitely challenge beliefs in a rational, ethical way again. I value journalism at Mountain View greatly because of the outlet that it has given me to voice my opinions, and how it has made me mature as a writer and a young adult. To be honest, it can get to be a bit overwhelming, so overwhelming, in fact, that I quit during junior year. While it did relieve my workload, as soon as the first issue of The Viewpoint came out that I hadn’t worked on, I regretted the decision immediately. I was no longer a part of that. I could no longer look at the award-winning publication and feel the pride that I had felt my freshman and sophomore years. As soon as I had my meeting with my counselor to schedule my senior year, I knew that I would return to The Viewpoint. Since I’ve taken journalism as a freshman, I have watched myself and the publication grow and mature. Coming in as a freshman, I didn’t know how to talk to people. Whatsoever. The very thought of talking to anyone, let alone interviewing people, made me sweat. To a certain degree, it still does but talking to people is something that you absolutely do need in “real life” after you graduate. Many complain about how high school doesn’t adequately prepare them for the real world, but I can confidently say that journalism has prepared me. Forget the interview aspect, The Viewpoint is
Editor in Chief
funded entirely by advertisements, and the only way to get those advertisements is by talking to businesses. Yeah, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s worth it. Learning how to interact with people outside of my circle of friends is so invaluable, it helped me get a job and it’s helped me become a better soccer referee, among other things. My fellow writers and I haven’t been the only thing about this magazine to change. When I started as a freshman, the magazine wasn’t even a magazine. It was a newspaper, called “The Voice”. There was no Twitter, no Instagram account, none of those. We didn’t even have color on most pages. Looking back, it’s amazing how much the publication has evolved within a short four years. It’s cliche, but you can be the change you want to see with this magazine. As someone who is graduating in a short few months, I am both excited and worried about the future of the magazine after the other seniors and I leave. I’m excited because of the unending potential this magazine has, I’m worried because the staff numbers will be dwindling after we graduate. If you’re an underclassmen that wants to try new things, or enjoy writing, take Journalism I next year. I won’t sugar coat it; Journalism I can seem quite boring at times, but once you start writing, once you start contributing, it’s absolutely worth it in more ways than one.
Megan Clark
Assistant Editor in Chief
Sami Toal
Social Media Editor
Erinn Black
Copy Editor
Josh Guillemette Photography Editor
Cory Haley
Business Manager
Sarah Yakulis Adviser
Trisha Strahl The Viewpoint is a cross-section of the news and opinions of the student body of Mountain View High School. It is a forum of expression published by aPrintis. Letters to the editor are welcome and should be submitted to rooms 303 or 307
Paul King staff writer
Staff Writers
Feature figure of the month by Emily Johnson Also, in order to go to regionals, the athlete must place in the top five or have a time in that event that meets the time cut. In order to go to states, the athlete must place in the top six at regionals or again, meet the time cut. Sell competes in the 100 back, 100 fly, and 200 free events. Sell said that her favorite event is the 100 back and is also the event she believes she performs best in. Sell devotes a lot of time to her swim team outside of school, the Rays. Sell said that they practice for three and a half hours everyday. She also said, “I love it. That’s where all of my best friends are.”
Senior Katie Sell prepar es for a bac stoke start kat the state meet. Her swim team competes in three day meets going from Friday through Sunday. The team also travels all the way to Florida to compete in Junior Nationals. Sell said, “I love swimming.” In October she committed to swim in college at the University of William and Mary. Sell said “I really loved the team and coaches. I fell in love with the school and I committed.”
Erinn Black
Senior Katie Sell began swimming when she was just 5-years old and has been swimming since then. She started on a swim team in Stafford called the Rays. Once Sell got to Mountain View, she joined the swim team during her freshman year and has continued throughout her high school career. Sell said, “High school swim is a lot of fun. It’s less pressure.” Since then, Sell has become an accomplished swimmer. She has competed in conference meets, regional meets, and states. Sell explained that in the 5A district, one athlete may only participate in two events at regionals.
Hailey Bullis, Alex Harrington, Emily Johnson, Dekker Jordan, Paul King, Morgan Ocetnick, Lee Penninger, Austin Venable, Nico Villarreal, Sarah Yakulis Front Cover Erinn Black 2014 Virginia High School League State Championship First Place Award Winner 2013, 2014 Free Lance-Star Best Over All Newspaper 2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2011, 2010 and 2009 Virginia High School League First Place Award Winner Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556
There’s more content online! Go to issuu.com and search for The Viewpoint to find our EXTRA edition and online versions of our publication. january|february 2015 q the viewpoint q
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Left: Junior Jacob Pollock sinks a 3-pointer. Right: Junior Trevor Watkins receives two points for a takedown.
Both photos by Erinn Black
at a glance...
A cross section of the sports and clubs at Mountain View High School Boys’ basketball
Boys’ basketball team went into its 2014 season as the 2013-14 conference runner ups, conference tournament finalists and 5A region quarter- finalists. This season, they came close to beating Massaponax and Brooke Point but fell 52-43 and 50-44. They earned the first win of their season against Stafford 41-36. Since then they have continued to practice and improve. They now hold a record of 4-10 as of their second win against the Stafford Indians. There is still plenty of season left to play; they still have to play two out-of-region games against Riverbend and Colonial Beach and five region games finishing their season at North Stafford. Junior Jacob Pollock said, “We do 5-on-5 drills in practice,” in order to prepare the team for game time situations. Now the team is looking to finish their season strong. Pollock also said, “Hopefully we go to regionals.” -Emily Johnson
Political discourse club
Political Discourse is where students can get together in John Verzosa’s room to talk freely about politics or world problems. The club members are able to choose the topic they want to talk about and speak their thoughts about the chosen political view or world problem, these topics can vary from ISIL to Ferguson. The club works in as an informal Oxford style debate, where a judge announces the chosen topic, but the club is open in the way the members
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prepare or learn about a chosen topic. John Verzosa, the teacher sponsor, said, “We try to have enough structure to keep everyone civil, but not so much structure that it becomes like another high school or another class assignment. This is the design, this is what the students wanted, and they wanted a forum where they could express their opinions in a structured, respectful manner.” The club is held in room 223, presidents of the club are Lillian Bramble and Caleb Heffern. The club takes place after school on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:15. -Hailey Bullis
Wrestling records
The wrestling team is on a winning streak with a current record of 21-0 for the season. The first place titles began at the 10 Team Trojan Duals Tournament where sophomore Joe Altorfer was nominated Outstanding Wrestler for the lower weight class. The team traveled to the 16 team Musselman Duals Tournament in West Virginia clenching their second consecutive first place title as a team. Junior Trevor Watkins was nominated Outstanding Wrestler for the middle weight class. Watkins currently holds the team record for most wins at 32 and most pins at 22. At the Mount Mat Madness Tournament in Maryland, the seventh toughest tournament in the country, the team placed seventh out of 32 teams. Senior Junior Beltran placed 5th, senior Justin Farris placed 7th, sophomore Michael Chang placed 5th, junior Trevor Watkins placed second and Senior Jae Yi placed 4th. The next tournament, the LCA Invitational in Virginia where varsity placed third out of 32 teams. January’s schedule consisted of the second annual 10 Team Mountain View Duals Tournament where the team placed first for the second year in a row. Senior Junior Beltran was nominated his 2nd
consecutive Outstanding Wrestler award for the lower weight class. Head coach Frank DeBerry has his mind fixed on achieving what last year’s team almost did- a team state title. “It’s too hard to pick just one thing that is the hardest about wrestling,” said Coach DeBerry, “our sport is the toughest of all sports.” The team is consistently training to ‘OUTWORK EVERYBODY’ which is their motto for the season and plan to finish the season with the first Mountain View state wrestling title in history. -Erinn Black
Girls’ basketball
With a winning record, the girls’ basketball team wants to capitalize on their high winning percentage. “We want to go all the way,” said Roshelle Norris. “Get some rings and go to championships,” added Erica McCarter. Head coach Ben Sargent is pushing his team in practice so they can win. “Their practices are more intense; they practice and push themselves to make themselves better and simulate what game type or situations are to get everybody more involved. They practice a little bit more so intensity is better, and try to get more playing time on the court so we can be more aggressive when it comes time for games,” said coach Sargent. Winning teams need to have a strong relationship on and off the court, and the players believe that’s something they have. “Strong communication on and off the court is very important and It’s a key on how we play during the game,” said Alexis Davis. Coach Sargent has high expectations for his team. “I want to see the team to win our conference, since that’s never been done before in our school’s history.” -Callie Walker
Clubs to be thinking about Want to join a club? Here are some clubs taking place at Mountain View High School. by Hailey Bullis *Photos provided by Hailey Bullis*
Japanese Media Club The Japanese Media Club focuses on Japanese media. The club was created for those who genuinely enjoy anime and have a interest for Japanese culture.
French Club French club focuses on the French culture. In this club they learn more about the culture of France than an average French class. Along with culture the club celebrates holidays such as St. Nicolas Day and Mardi Gras.
Drama Club Drama Club performs plays such as “Blow by Blow” and the play “Wicked.” The club has jobs for members ranging from acting to setting up the lights and props used during the plays.
Ping Pong Club The Ping Pong Club takes place after school. The members place the ping pong tables in the school hall to play. The club currently has 15 members and has both competitive and non-competitive games.
Old Timers Club The Old Timers Club brings back vintage ideas like old slang. Members practice hobbies that have more or less fallen out of style such as knitting and swing dancing.
A Capella A capella focuses on singing and performing without instruments. The club has been around for eight to 10 years, but this year is the first year they will compete. january | february 2015 q the viewpoint q 5
Teen Jobs
Many students want money, so how do students around Mountain View earn it? by Austin Venable One of the privileges of turning sixteen is the ability to pursue an after-school job without restriction. Jobs provide students with the ability to go to Moe’s or drive a car, and although the job market of today may be competitive, that hasn’t stopped some students. Some would argue that an after-school job for high school students is too cumbersome and not efficient, but others disagree. “It can be difficult balancing the two, because when I get home from work I’m usually very tired. I usually control it by putting my phone or any distractions away when I get home and just getting my work done so afterwards I can have free time, “ said senior Lydia Wanless. One of the many perks of having a job is the skills you can learn. Depending on your job type, you may learn to count change accurately, interact with people in a fun manner, make a car shine, do a sales pitch, and so much more. “’I’ve learned unique skills with excel and word on making spreadsheets for my boss,” said senior Kayleigh Yingling. All of these skills help one to grow and become a more independent person. The financial benefits are also obvious. At a time when most people at this age don’t have any bills to pay besides gas or insurance, a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck may last a long time. No longer will there be a need to wait for the holidays or your birthday, as there will be a steady stream of money coming in. “My job does give me more freedom because I can use my money how I want and I don’t need to rely on my parents to lend me money anymore,” said junior Lindsey Hughes. Plus, there is always the chance of a great social interaction. “I remember one day I was working the first window, and I was handing the customer her change back, and I apologized for my cold hands and she said cold hands, warm heart,” said Wanless. “All the customers that come in are usually horseback riders or interested in horses which helps me form connections with them since I’m also a horseback rider,“ said senior Kayla Barker. Social interactions like these are another one of the countless benefits of having a job. Thinking about looking for a job? “Do something you enjoy, so you don’t dread going to work every day,” senior Gretchen Geisler said.
Kayleigh Yingling Senior Honda administrator $8/hr
Gretchen Geisler Senior Outback hostess $10/hr
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Lindsey Hughes Junior Kings Dominion airbrush artist $7.25/hr plus commison for each item sold
Kayla Barker Senior Bits and Pearls Equestrian Tack Boutique sales associate $7.25/hr
Lydia Wanless Senior McDonald’s cashier $7.25/hr
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Is it too much? Are all the expectations placed on high school students attainable or is it too much to manage? by Sarah Yakulis
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There are many websites that give tips about creating the perfect application to get accepted into your dream school. You need to have challenging classes, good grades and impressive test scores. Colleges also want involvement in many clubs and it really helps if you play a sport. Community service is a must as well. You should also have a good job in addition to all this. Oh, and on top of all that, make sure you have a social life as well to keep worried parents off of your back. With only 24 hours in a day, can someone participate in all those events and still have time to get enough sleep and keep their mental health in check? Teenage years are said to be the best of your life. Traditionally, life as a teenager was carefree and bounding with freedom. But more and more people are feeling the pressure of trying to maintain a seemingly perfect life. Are these expectations even attainable? How can people manage maintaining a fantastic GPA, while also lettering in a sport, having a job and doing a ton of other activities that seem essential to a good future? Taylor Braney is a senior. He is the student leader of Students Helping Honduras and a captain of the cross country and track teams. He is also a member of FBLA, National Honors Society, National Business Honors Society, Spanish Club, Spanish Honors Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. In addition, he is a full IB student and has the highest GPA out of all the boys in his senior class. Braney said, “I never expected to take on as much as I have, but something I learned is that when you find your passions, life is always better when you’re busy. I am happier stressed and chasing my dreams than never trying.” Juliana Jones is a junior who truly understands how managing many activities can be difficult. Jones is the vice president of the junior class, secretary of Mountain View’s International Thespian Society, a captain of the Improv Team and the historian of the French Club. She is also a member of the Drama Club, in the Jazz Choir and takes IB courses. Furthermore, Jones works as an actress for the George Washington Foundation, hosts a foreign exchange student, takes vocal coaching and enjoys rock climbing. Jones shared with us that managing everything can be tough. “I don’t always do the best job of managing it all, typically I prioritize. I organize my activities by which are the most critical things that have to be done, to the least. I pretty much do a mental priority square.” Jones says the stress only really comes when something has slipped her mind entireley. Whether you’re an IB student, president of a club, play an active role in the community or you’re just getting by, school can be tough. Expectations can be high and time can seem to never be bountiful enough. Whether you feel as if you’re completely drowning in the seemingly endless list of to-dos or if luckily your head is still above water, try to find the best in everyday. Remember, it’s only four years.
shoes & more shoes by Megan Clark
Junior Lindsey Hughes makes shoes,
and it all started her freshman year when she bought a pair of white Vans. “I didn’t know what to do with them,” Hughes said. She began to look online for ideas to brighten up her plain shoes. At that point, she stumbled upon a pair of shoes decorated with permanent markers. Those shoes inspired her to create art on shoes. Hughes makes really cool shoes, and people have noticed. Hughes gets requests from her classmates and friends to design shoes for them. She has made over a dozen pairs of shoes with varying subject matter on them including shows and comics such as “Gravity Falls”, “Naruto”, “Adventure Time”, “Attack on Titan”, and various others. About once a month, Hughes finds herself painting custom shoes for someone. First, Hughes uses pencil marks to outline shapes, then she goes over it. Hughes uses fabric paint and airbrushing to create designs. Hughes said, “It takes a lot of time.” Each pair of shoes averages eight hours a pair. Hughes said, “Usually they give me a show name and I go from there. I love to see what they look like when they are done.” While creating her shoes is time consuming, Hughes said she likes everything else about it, “I like to be creative, and I like to see people surprised.” The work she has done has encouraged her future plans for college and beyond. Hughes said, “I’d like to make the shoes into a business one day.” Additionally, Hughes hopes to continue her passion in the Virginia Commonwealth University Animation program, and one day become an animator for Walt Disney.
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january | february 2015 q the viewpoint q9
Adventure like no other Senior Shawna Mumma describes her experiences as an exchange student in Germany. by Lee Penninger All photos provided by Shawna Mumma
I
Senior Shawna Mumma in Marbur, Germany.
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n Dec. 2013, senior Shawna Mumma sent in an application to an organization called Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) and eagerly awaited news of her application. CBYX is a student exchange program started in 1983 to exchange students in the United States and Germany. The program takes 250 students from each nation with the United States being broken up into five districts from which 50 students are selected. In March 2014, she found out she was a semifinalist. After a final interview in Richmond, she found out she made it into the program. She was ecstatic due to trying the year before and not making it into the program. In regards to the process and how she found out about it, Mumma said, “(My family and I) had landed in Washington D.C. after a family trip to Ireland. On the shuttle back to our car, we saw a pair of girls by themselves. We asked what they were doing and they said they just got back from a trip from Germany sponsored by an organization called Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange. So I said I wanted to do it. It’s free if you get in so what’s the harm in applying?” Once she got in to the program and went through the introductions, Shawna touched down in Germany on July 17, 2014. From there, she participated in rigorous language training and learning about German culture at a boarding school called Schloss Wittgenstein in Bad Laasphe. This experience, Mumma said, “was the hardest part of the transition work-wise.” On Aug. 16, she was in her new home where she would be spending the next 10 months in the town of Bad Sooden-Allendorf. She is currently living with her host parents, Olga and Walter Eckhardt. She also has two host siblings that Mumma rarely gets to see because they study at a university. She also has a new school. She now goes to Rhenanus Gymnasium. Mumma said her school day consists of, “. . . walking to school at 7:50 (a.m.) with my friend from down the street. I have three classes a day and instead of like how Americans go to different teachers throughout the day, the teachers come to the students who stay in the same classroom. Another thing is that there are no substitute teachers. If your teacher is sick or anything, you just don’t have class which is nice in a way.” Mumma also discussed some barriers she has had to overcome, aside from the obvious language barrier. Mumma said, “German was hard to learn. It’s a hard language with a lot of grammar rules. Plus my host parents speak no English so I have to speak German to them. As well as that there are some funny MTV-esque stereotypes that Germans hold about Americans like cheerleaders and jocks ruling schools. But there are funnier positive stereotypes like how Americans are friendlier. I’ve had friends tell me, ‘We don’t really do the hug thing,’ but I do because I’m American! Probably the hardest thing was learning a whole new family dynamic. I’ve learned what is expected of me, what I have to do, what they do, and how we are all expected to do it.” In her school, Mumma participates in basketball and chorus. When the weather is nice she enjoys bike rides, hiking in the beautiful countryside, and when the weather gets better, gardening with her host family. One downside of this trip is that the Stafford County Public School system will not transfer her credits. Instead of graduating with the class of 2015, which she was on track with to graduate with before she left, she will have to complete high school with the class of 2016. However, Mumma said, “Despite that I still wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. When I get back, nothing will ever be the same. Getting back with my family and friends is going to be great.” Shawna reflects on the lessons she has already learned on her fantastic trip so far. Mumma said, “Life should always be an adventure no matter where you are. I’ve learned that because I have so little time here, I’ve been trying to fill it with adventure. But I’ve also realized that when I come home, despite having my ‘old, boring’ life, I can still fill it with adventure.” Shawna at Schloss (castle) Rothestein looking out at the valley she lives in.
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"Well, not being able to breathe complicates things" Senior Ryan Scott along with other top performers on the swim team speak out about why swimming is harder than it looks. by Erinn Black Er inn Bla ck
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2015
Some athletes can train rigorously in the weight room, set after set, rep after rep, building maximum strength to make the best tackle of the season or fastest pin on record. Some athletes can run for hours straight, sprint after sprint, circuit after circuit, preparing for their 3.1 mile event or 90 minute match on the pitch. Fit as can be and can take on any physical activity, right? Curve ball: what if water became a factor? What if a football player or track runner was thrown into the pool and told to swim a 500 yard freestyle for time? This is the biggest, most frustrating confusion widespread for “land” athletes. Why can they make it through the most tedious work outs, demanding hours of repeats or energy draining practices, yet are gasping for air after the second lap in the pool? The answer is: swimming is unnatural to land-based humans and H2O is much harder to perform in than just O2- unless you are amphibian. “There is a key difference between recreational and competitive swimming,” junior Ashley Pearson said. “In track, a person specializes in a few events, however, in swimming, everyone does every event, so versatility is necessary.” Pearson holds six different swim records combined from her clubteam and high school team, including her 400 free relay record which broke an undefeated time that was held for over a decade. Nominated as male MVP swimmer, senior Ryan Scott said, “When you practice almost every day, you can feel your power in the water when you pull, however, just missing one or two days can cause you to lose your feeling of the water, which really puts you back. You won’t lose the feeling of how to shoot a basketball or kick a soccer ball over a day or two, but missing a day of swim feels like missing a week.” The commitment to swim is unlike any other sport. “I’m on the NCAP team,” junior Annalee Johnson said, “and we have nine practices a week so I don’t have a lot of free time.” Johnson is a scholastic all-American swimmer and has cuts in her National 100 breast, Junior National in 200 breast, three NCSA times and two NCSA bonus cuts. She has been a finalist in the YMCA Longcourse Championship, Senior Championship, Virginia High School State competition and Virginia Eastern Age Group Zone. Johnson has won the swimming award of excellence for four consecutive years and all-area honorable mention for two years. Leading male swimmer junior Alex Harrington discusses why swimming is a mentally driven sport. “The biggest battle you will face is fighting past that feeling of pure exhaustion,” Harrington said, “Once your past that the adrenaline kicks in.” He points out how swimming is one of few sports that involves using almost every muscle in the body simultaneously. As a freshman, Harrington was nominated Freshman of The Year and has lettered in varsity the past two
"The only thing that makes any sport easy is enjoying what you do, " Harrington said. "When you love your sport, it makes getting through the challenges easier." Senior Katie Sell agreed with Harrington’s years.
statement and plans on competing at the collegiate level. “Swimming means a lot to me because it’s not just a sport,” Sell said. “ It’s a lifestyle.” Sell has competed in the NCSA Junior Nationals in Orlando and has qualified for states the past three years. She holds the high school record in the 50 free, 100 back and 100 fly. Sell will be swimming for the College of William and Mary come the next school year. The team drives their success of their motto ‘Refuse To Lose’ with and added on ‘Don’t Drown’ by varsity head coach Lauren Puglia. Puglia and assistant coach Kati Frost both competed at the collegiate level in swim and have been coaching the Wildcats for two to three years. Through the rigor and demands of swimming, the coaches emphasize the importance of enjoying the time in the water. “We encourage our swimmers to do their best and have fun,” Puglia said. “ The one part of swimming that is most important is mentally committing to being the best you can be.” The girl’s team currently holds a record of 6-0 and the boys with a team record of 3-3. The team is looking forward to competing in the 5A Conference as well as regional meet and are working towards building their state team.
january | february 2015 q the viewpoint q13
A view of the reviews Is “The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies” a movie that your average person would enjoy? In short, yes, your average moviegoer will be amused by the series of flashy lights that dance across the screen. If people consider themselves to be an above average moviegoer and prefers their movie to have a plot and to make sense within itself, then that person might be very disappointed by this movie. This movie starts with the climax of the last movie and makes a valiant, if vain, effort to build a new plot from scratch to justify the next two hours of run time. As the title may suggest to the observant reader, the movie concerns itself with a battle of some kind. Now, by concerns I mean it is almost completely made up of the battle, to the point it becomes rather worrying. It honestly felt as though all anyone cared about was shoving as much sub-par CGI (computer-generated imagery) into the audiences faces as possible rather than giving us a satisfying ending to this trilogy. The whole experience felt as though one had been put into a really fast car and told it can only be driven at a minimum of 100 mph. At first it was exciting, but
By Dekker Jordan
Thehobbit.com
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
then the rush wore off and we, the unwitting passengers, began to notice that the seats were lawn chairs and the dash was made of plywood. The good news for this movie is that it has just enough positive aspects about it that we can’t spend the entire time beating it up. First of all, the acting of Martin Freeman continues to impress, and honestly his acting was my favorite part of the movie. Thankfully, the acting of the rest of the cast was solid, and no one stood out as vomit-inducing to be worth picking on. Of course, good acting is not solely going to keep me from throwing this
I can’t remember what happened to it. It might not have been mentioned ever again after the battle began. Thankfully, most of the other points from the story are at least referenced. Now, the movie has grossed about 720 million worldwide so far since its release. If you have lots of time to kill (it is 169 minutes long) then go see it. It’s a good way to waste a good few hours. No, the movie won’t wow you, but as a series of amusing flashy lights dancing across screen, it manages to keep you from falling asleep.
By Nico Villarreal
peoplemagazine.com
Into the Woods
movie in the bin of my memory. The movie manages to make loads of dudes hitting each other with pointy sticks entertaining. The final battle, which takes up the entire second part of the movie, is at least varied enough to at least produce some built up suspense. The battle also manages to wrap up all of those little sub-plots that have popped up over the course of the series; well, almost all. There is this whole thing about the Arkenstone, which if you’ve been watching the trilogy up to this point you know is very important. It was so important, in fact,
“Into the Woods” was a movie I What I didn’t know going into the originally loathed to see. The trailers theatre with my family was that “Into looked like nothing extraordinary, the Woods” isn’t just a live action and with the sheer amount of fairy Disney fairy tale like the annoying tale adaptations in the last two years I “Enchanted” and the nonsensical expected nothing but rehashed ideas, “Maleficent;” it’s a film adaptation of characters and plots. a Broadway musical that’s a combinaWhen the credits rolled, I was left tion of several fairy tales. The movie’s completely blown away. Broadway roots really shine through, 14 q the viewpoint q january | february 2015
since at no time did I feel that I was watching a Disney movie with a couple songs thrown in. It felt like I was watching a Broadway musical. While I admit I’m a bit impartial to musicals, with “Psych: The Musical” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” having far more favor in my eyes than they probably deserve, “Into the Woods” is deserving of all the praise I can heap on it. The story follows the characters of four famous fairy tales:“Cinderella,” “Jack and the Bean Stalk,” “Rapunzel” and “Little Red Riding Hood” as well as a baker and his wife who had been cursed by a vengeful witch. Each of the main characters go into the woods on their own mission, and the story is mostly told through their interactions and songs. Every character is interesting and memorable. Every song is catchy, enthralling, and moves the character and plot forward. Every actor gives a compelling performance. The story is careful not to linger on anything too long, and the mashup of different fairy tales never feels awkward like you expect it might. These characters feel both like their fairy tale archetypes, and also like a
bunch of people who happen to live by the woods. But it’s the themes of the story that are probably the most powerful part of the movie, and these themes become most evident in the second act. If the movie had stopped after the first act, it would have still been an extremely fun movie, but it’s the second act that makes it brilliant. With its themes, and often its songs, the movie tells us that we’re never alone, that people make mistakes and that we should forgive them, that children have to learn though their own experiences, but that you should also be careful what stories you tell children (a theme that’s especially powerful coming from Disney, either way you look at it). By the end of the movie, you’ll probably be inclined to believe them. There are only a few small nitpicks I can make. For example, sometimes the Witch, played by Meryl Streep, sang her songs so loud and grandly that it was hard to make out the words. But, as it stands, “Into the Woods” is a fantastically funny, clever, and moving movie that takes the story’s Broadway soul and adds great visuals on film.
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january | february 2015 q the viewpoint q15
VIEWPOINT FOOD REVIEW
New places to chow down around town
It’s a new year with new places to eat.
Ellie Pharo
by Sami Toal
Cornbread and Caviar
Cornbread and Caviar
Benny Vitali’s
Cornbread and Caviar is located This hopping new pizzeria is located on the southern side of Stafford, off in downtown Fredericksburg on Caroof Route 17 in the Celebrate Virginia line Street and sits across from Sammy Shopping Center, next to Fitness 1440 T’s and is directly next to J. Brian’s Tap and Giant. Room. The location, to say the least, is Typically known as an ideal college undesirable. The restaurant sits on the town eatery with its dirt-cheap but edge of a cluster of businesses, between gigantic slices, expect the place to be a bustling gym and nothingness. busy. However, while the place may be iniThe place is right among the most tially hard to find, this does ensure that popular restaurants downtown and there will always be plenty of parking entices you in with an almost palpable spaces available. amount of energy and excitement, When initially entering the eatery, I similar to the feeling you get standing in was delightfully surprised. I was expectline at Carl’s Ice Cream. ing a tacky atmosphere, but instead was The place is small, with only a few met with an overall display of wholebooths and hardly anywhere to set-up some, classy and welcoming, but not camp, so plan to either eat fast, or grab overbearing service. some pizza to go. Their interior epitomizes the finest The place is adequate for a lunch date points of southern culture, with finely or a night out, as it is open from 11 AM crafted wooden tables, cabin-like decore to 2 AM on the weekend. and soft blue painted walls that resemThe pizza is classic. It’s by no means ble grandma’s kitchen. like the fancy artichoke or MediterWhile the place is undoubtedly nice, ranean pizza found up the street at it is still comfortable, perfectly suitable Castiglia’s, but it’s also a lot cheaper, and for a family outing or a date night. for the size, it’s worth the wait. Like the name suggests, the lunch The slices are literally bigger than and dinner menu is mainly full of large your head and require two paper plates portions of southern comfort food, such to rest it on for serving. as fried chicken, pulled pork, and of The cheese is nicely browned, and course, cornbread and caviar. However, while the menu is simple, with only the these dishes are prepared with elegance options of cheese, pepperoni, sausage, reflecting both fine dining and southern and a few daily specials such as red cuisine. roasted pepper that change daily, it’s all So how does it all taste? Good. The you really need. food is downright good. The cornbread The pizza isn’t absurdly greasy nor is more cake-like than bread-like but still absurdly expensive. Most importantly, it delicious and satisfying. satisfies the taste buds. The pizza really Overall, it’s a good place to eat for any is perfect, and aside from the massive occasion and is very much like a nicer wait common during the dinner or and pricier version of Cracker Barrel. lunch rush, so is Benny’s. 16 q the viewpoint q january | february 2015
Umi
This Japanese restaurant sits right off of Garrisonville Road and is pretty hard to miss right next to the Chick-Fil-A. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Umi is authentic. The simple decor and layout puts a large emphasis on the food, as the most capturing view is the sushi chief carefully preparing the colorful fish and sometimes odd-looking sushi rolls behind the counter. The waitresses can be a little standoffish, but usually they’re a quiet kind of nice and simply take your order with accuracy and overall do their job, which is perfect if you’re not in the mood for small talk or desire an intimate meal. The menu is extensive, with plenty of options. If you’re not feeling one of their many sushi rolls, there are sufficient options including soups, salads and bentos. The pricing is really reasonable and you get a fulfilling amount of sushi, too. You can spend $12 for three sushi rolls and $8.50 for two sushi rolls during their lunch special. Compared to Wegman’s sushi, which usually charges around $6 upwards per sushi roll, you’re getting a lot more bang for your buck. While I’ve found everything to be delicious, the sushi rolls are what make the trip worth it. Whether you’re an “I’llhave-a-California-Roll” kind of person or an “I’ll-take-the-raw-eel-with-cream cheese” kind of person, they have it all, and it’s all good. In fact, the food tastes extremely fresh, and while it may or may not be right out of the ocean, it is at least made to order, as you can watch the sushi chief prepare it right in front of you as you dine in.
Signature Dish: Cornbread Price: $5 for a bowl of soup and a side of corn bread
Benny Vitali’s Signature Dish: slice of pizza Price: $5 for pizza with toppings and $4 for plain cheese
Umi Signature Dish: sushi roll Price: $8.50 for two rolls and a side of soup or salad (lunch special)