America Has Never Seemed More Horrifying by Felipe Becerril Castillo

Watching a television series that flows smoothly, attracts the viewers undivided attention, and frightens, seems near impossible, but thanks to the marvelously choreographed American Horror Story, that is all achievable by the push of some buttons. American Horror Story is a television program that has graced its viewers with its presence since 2011, with horrifying, but illustrious stories that are changed every season and it currently contributes quality television to the entertainment world. American Horror Story is not the most popular television series in the U.S. and it continues to receive numerous amounts of criticism; however it deserves much more praise and viewers for its perfectly synchronized and well-thought storyline that is sure to keep any viewer from detaching his attention from the television and completely captivate them.

            To commence, American Horror Story is an anthology series that began in 2011 and is currently on its fourth season. The show has a different narrative and cast each season and every storyline is crammed with popularized horror topics from the United States, ranging from extraterrestrial beings to undead corpses, or zombies. The first season of the show, titled Murder House, focuses on the Harmon’s, a family that moves into a beautiful and affordable house that has a significant history of homicides and crimes and eventually the house and its undetected inhabitants begin to unravel their true character and threaten the Harmon family’s safety. The second season of the show, titled Asylum, is about Briarcliff Manor, a facility for the mentally insane that follows the stories of its faculty and patients and brings a wide array of horror topics that range from Satanism to Nazi experimentation. The third season of the show is called Coven, the season follows a coven of witches in New Orleans that must fight for their survival as a race and are confronted with enemies that include: voodoo practitioners, witch hunters, and witches in their own group. The fourth season of the show titled Freak Show, follows on of the last surviving freak shows in America and its struggle for survival and acceptance into a society that condemns them for their abnormalities. The wide array of topics presented in every individual season demonstrates that AHS is a superb television series that deserves at least one hour of any persons undivided attention. It also substantiates the claim that the producers and writers for AHS are ingenious and extremely creative, because they seem to never fail at creating new and interesting storylines.

            The first category to consider when criticizing AHS is the acting that it contains and, more importantly the synchronization of the cast that AHS includes. The cast is extremely talented and well-organized, it even includes critically acclaimed actors like Jessica Lange, who never fails to showcase her brilliance and talent through a multitude of characters. It also has many actors that can superbly portray the role of a disturbed person, which is impeccable for the type of atmosphere and environment that AHS creates. Furthermore, the cast is near perfection, because each TV persona somehow manages to compliment the rest of the cast through their magnificent acting. Also many of the characters have terrorizing and disturbing scenes that are sure to intimidate any great actor, so the actors have to be able to record those scenes without seeming too awkward or unnatural, which they have been capable of achieving up to the most current episode. For all these reasons AHS as garnered an abundance of awards and nominations from prestigious award shows, such as the Golden Globe Awards and the Emmy’s. To conclude, the acting in AHS is one of the many reasons why it is such a great anthology series and why it deserves much more attention than it presently receives.

            Another imperative aspect that the show demonstrates is its excellent storylines and how well the storyline is able to flow throughout the series. The creators of AHS are somehow able to include up to 5 horror topics into just twelve episodes without making it seem too jumbled or out-of-place. This completely amazes its viewers, because in season 2 of AHS the creators were able to include Nazi experimentation, aliens, demonic possession, serial killers, and mutated humans. This was accomplished very expertly and it constantly left viewers at the edge of their seats, but it did receive some complaints from people who declared that it was too much for an individual season and that it left AHS creators with fewer topics to incorporate in future seasons. Furthermore, many of the seasons bring up interesting topics and themes that provide many viewers with harsh realities that were once not fully realize. For example, Freak Show is able to perfectly demonstrate how American society in the 1960’s was incredibly judgmental and narrow-minded when it came to people that had physical abnormalities. Another thing I have noticed is that not many television series can incorporate more than one storyline, because it just ends up becoming a huge mess that is not easily understood. Supernatural, for example, has numerous amounts of storylines, and is extremely hard to explain to any person who does not watch the series, mainly because of all the themes incorporated over its ten seasons. Also Supernatural is not as terrifying as American Horror Story, although both shows are categorized as horror shows. In conclusion, the creators of American Horror Story are able to incorporate many topics into one season of the show and can generate an outstanding storyline that attracts an array of viewers and a larger audience.

            Another criteria I will be suing to evaluate this anthology series is how well the producers and creators were able to incorporate new types of scenes and how departed the producers stayed from their previous shows. The producer of AHS is Ryan Murphy and he is known for an abundance of other television series that include: Glee, Nip/Tuck, and Popular. Although I really enjoy watching Glee because of the musical numbers that appear in each show, I do not like that Ryan Murphy has been incorporating a musical number for every episode of American Horror Story: Freak Show, as of late. I feel this particular way because I believe that he should be making his shows unique and incomparable to each other and by recycling old ideas into his new series it gives me the feeling that he is not trying his best. Nonetheless, I still enjoy watching American Horror Story and I still believe that the producers and creators do an excellent job at creating new scenes.

             As a result, American Horror Story is an excellent television series that has received many loyal fans and continues to grow both in popularity and brilliance. The series is already on its fourth season and has been renewed for its fifth season because of its increasing popularity and how climatic every individual season is. However you will find many opinions that certain seasons are not as exceptional as others, or that the recent AHS seasons have ben unattractive to people and are losing the spark that originally drew them in, but I disagree because AHS never fails with its disturbing brilliance and dramatic scenes that seem to captivate me at every moment. Ultimately American Horror Story is an incredible show that deserves more praise for its storyline, acting, and cast.

Minecraft from Square One: The Quality of Minecraft by Kevin Nunez

The only way to surpass reality is within a virtual environment that is only limited by the abilities and creativity of the players or the rules established within the virtual game by the creators themselves. The gaming industry has and continues to advance at a relatively accelerated pace, but as it does so, it only slowly removes a few limitations within every new game released and grants players more freedom. Every video-game-player has at one point stumbled upon some restriction while traveling through a game, perhaps a door that cannot be opened, an opening which is blocked by an invisible barrier, and in almost every case, the inability to alter the virtual setting itself. Minecraft is the only game which I have encountered that allows the player to overcome the limitations of a video-game and even take advantage of them.

Minecraft is a game, which consists entirely of blocks or cubes, where the player must survive in a simulated world with seven different biomes by removing and placing the blocks that make up that same world with limited resources. The first alpha version of Minecraft (rated E for Everyone) was released April of 2009, but was officially released on November 11, 2011, available only for the PC and was created by Markus Persson, founder of Mojang (The Amazingly Unlikely). As Minecraft progressed, regular updates were added to the game correcting the defects that it contained, and so did the players’ creativity within the game. A second game mode was introduced to Minecraft soon after, creative mode, which granted the players infinite resources and the ability to fly as well. Soon after, Minecraft was released for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3, and is currently available for the Playstation 4, Xbox One, Playstation Vita, and Android and Apple devices as well. Minecraft is well known primarily because of the immense freedom that the players have over creating new things or altering the virtual environment within the game, but also exceeds in user-friendliness, special features, game modes, graphics, and availability on other consoles.

To begin with, the controls for Minecraft are relatively simple and easy to grasp, especially because a guide is implemented within the game, and explanations of what objects or resources are and do is offered within an in-game accessible menu. Most of the controls for the incomparable video-game are shown at all times on the bottom left corner and do not act as an obstacle in most of the consoles. Since the setting of Minecraft is made up of individual blocks, there is a small, white cross at the center of the screen that helps players identify exactly to which block they are pointing at and the game is in first person. Unlike most games, the cursor or sight is either not present or is obtrusive, meaning that it often times can interfere with the gameplay due to its size, shape or color and a third person view is not very user-friendly. The only control in Minecraft that I had difficulty locating on the Playstation 3 version was the control to run, which is activated by double-tapping the L3 analog stick upward, but is very easy to use. As for the computer version, most of the controls are controlled by the mouse, and the controls for the Pocket Edition of Minecraft for Android and Apple devices, are mainly driven by the touch-screen ability of the cell-phones. Left click or tap to place a block, right click or hold to remove a block.

One of the most astounding aspects of Minecraft, but incomparable to the freedom granted to the players, is its features. By features, the criterion refers to bonus or extra content within a game that extends the games’ story or original boundaries. In this case, when a player first enters the world of Minecraft, they are placed randomly in any of the seven biomes available which are a desert, jungle, forest, swap, plain, a snowy area or a mushroom island. In each of the biomes specific plants, trees, animals, and weather patterns are implemented. The seven biomes constitute the originally intended setting; however, in Minecraft the players are able to build portals to other dimensions. Currently there are only two, The Nether, which most would compare to hell, and The End, which is where a dragon awaits and when defeated, the game supposedly ends. Although most game endings finalize the gameplay in perhaps a story or campaign mode, Minecraft ends with a strange dialog between a “mysterious force” and the player, but the voice of the player is obviously not their own but rather a typed script, and with the respawning of the player back into the normal world. The Nether and The End both offer a different setting in which the player can choose to play in, thus altering the difficulty of the video-game and keeping the players attached to Minecraft.

Along with the features of Minecraft come its game modes. Originally Minecraft was intended to be a survival mode type of game where the players would be set in an environment with limited resources in which they would construct houses, buildings, farms or systems to survive. It is extremely similar to the way the real world functions, if the player needs to build a wooden house, they chop down a tree; if they need stone, they mine stone; if they need food, they harvest crops or slaughter animals. In addition, within the survival game mode of Minecraft (excluding creatures from the Nether and the End), zombies, skeleton archers, large spiders, and creepers (green quadrupedal creatures that explode when they get too close to the player) spawn at night or in caves and attack the player(s). In addition to this, cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and fish are also part of survival mode. However, by setting the difficulty of the game to peaceful, the aggressive mobs will not spawn, while normal animals will continue to do so. The difficulty levels are peaceful, easy, normal and hard. The harder the difficulty, the more damage the creatures cause the player. Creative mode on the other hand, is basically the very same concept except that the player cannot sustain damage, and all resources are implemented into the players’ inventory with and unlimited supply. Minecraft also supports multi-playing in either of the two game modes.

As stated before, Minecraft is made only out of squares, cubes or blocks. The players’ hands are rectangular, pigs are square, the wood is cubed, even the string of fishing polls are made of smaller blocks, but the graphics are very high. Despite the fact that the majority of the objects appear as pixilated; Minecraft can even be played in 4K or ultra-high resolution. The default layout of the appearance of the blocks can also be changed according to the players’ standards. For example, in the default layout all blocks are made of smaller blocks, but if the player would like to see the blocks a bit smoother, he or she can do so by changing the block style.

Once again, Minecraft gains the upper hand above nearly all video-games due to its wide availability on many different consoles. Minecraft is available on eight different devices, while a standard disk video-game can only be read by one console. This allowed the rapid growth of the games popularity since many people where able to play the same game as another with a different console, which allowed them to share ideas since the controls and appliances are relatively the same. The only disadvantage is that the most updated version of Minecraft is available on the PC, which can easily be updated frequently, while the game on other consoles can take months to update because of the preparations needed due to different service providers or companies.

Finally, the most overwhelming characteristic of Minecraft is the power granted to the player to create unimaginable structures, mechanisms, designs, components, even inventions within the virtual world. The one element that allows all of this to be possible is a resource within the game called redstone. Redstone is a mineral that can transfer signals through, above, under or around blocks that activate certain mechanisms by acting like a pulse of electricity, and the players of Minecraft took advantage of this and their ability to alter the setting block by block, designing extremely complex to relatively simple mechanisms. Up to this date, players within Minecraft have created working calculators, real-time clocks, functioning automatic tic-tack-toe games, circuit boards, re-playable full songs, automatic slaughterhouses, automatic farms, defense mechanisms, hard drives capable of storing one bit of data, all within a video-game. Inside of Minecraft grew a science. Advanced players looked at the specific details and conditions set within the game and took advantage of them in order to create tremendous contraptions. For example, players figured out that a zombie spawns within one-hundred-twenty-six blocks from the player and can survive a fall of 23 blocks, but not 24 because it would lose all of its life. So they built a platform 170 blocks from the ground so that the zombies would only spawn on the platform, made a water canal that pushed the zombies down a hole and made them fall 23 blocks into contained area where the players could kill them with a simple tap and collect whatever they left behind. For many, Minecraft may be but another game, but for thousands of others, it is an endless puzzle that truly tests their creativity and critical thinking.

Despite the complexity of the advanced features of Minecraft, the original story mode is very simple. Each player, as did I, started by spawning on a single square in a random biome observing the strangeness of the blocks, wandering until stumbling upon a pig, hitting it and then watching it run around in circles. But now, I have the ability to build retracting bridges, automatic harvesting farms, and invisible doors, all of my own design. Every player, as did I, started changing the world of Minecraft from square one. 

Review on the LG G3 Phone: A phone worth the buck by Jose Fonseca

The Korean Company, LG Electronics, has launched its newest flagship device on May 27, 2014, called the LG G3, to challenge Samsung and Apple’s latest devices. The successor to the LG G2 is packed with many new improvements and added features like a beautiful Quad HD screen, a spectacular camera, and a stunning phone design. That is not to mention the other design change that fixes the problems of the past device, such as the addition of a micro SD slot and detachable battery. LG Electronic always finishes in third place, but surely, this smartphone contains all the elements to be claimed the smartphone of the year.

            The overall design of the LG G3 is top notch, but could be improved compared to most of the smartphones on the market today. It includes an all-plastic back plate that impersonates a brushed aluminum design, which reduces the premium feel matched to an all-aluminum IPhone 6. The LG G3 is different from most smartphones because its buttons are located on the rear of the phone, below the 13-megapixel camera. Although it takes a while to get used to the buttons, they are intelligently placed where the fingers tend to stay on the phone. The best design feature of this phone would be the extremely thin bezels, which gives more room for the crisp and clear screen. Not forgetting to mention, the LG G3 has a removable back plate and an expandable memory up to 128 gigabytes of storage.

            LG has tweaked and improved a number of key features on the LG G3, but none of the feature stands out more than the Quad HD screen. It is the first global smartphone to include a QHD screen in a portable device. Other companies like Samsung offer 440ppi (pixels per inch) of sharpness, whereas the G3 has 538ppi, which is equivalent to high-end glossy art books. Dr. Ram Chan Woo, head of smartphone planning for LG, stated, “That the idea was you need pixels to fill in the space between lines, to make something that sorts out the dead space” (Beavis, "LG G3 review"). The Quad HD screen display life-like colors that just pop out of the screen. The screen is vivid for browsing the internet. Zooming into words is clear and cannot see a single pixel. Looking at pictures is just as vibrant as if you are looking through a pane of glass. Watching high-end video at 4k is overwhelming and is just as sharp as other phones and it cannot be mimicked anywhere else. It feels like the QHD screen is great to look at because LG knows how to make an amazing display, rather that offering a next level of sharpness that blows everyone away.

            One of the most frustrating features of the LG G2 was the slow graphic interface. It was difficult to navigate and cluttered to the point that there was an endless amount of scrolling down through junk mail to see a text message. The interface on the LG G3 has been redesigned and can easily distinguish the differences made to the new interface. LG Electronics has learned from their competitors and decided to take a few tips from them. LG went for a minimalistic look by changing the icons to flat tiles and using a mute color pallet of their own. It is faster to use and adds many fun transitions to fully customize the device. The height of the keyboard can be customized accordingly for the consumers that have large hands. For those that are actively fit, it contains a pedometer to count your steps and calculates the calories lost. This software can be beneficial to lose a few pounds.

            The battery of the phone is one of the areas that took a step down because it does not last longer than other phones on the market. The average time use on the LG G3 is about 20 hours of use including watching movies and making phone calls. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4, on the other hand, lasts about 30 hours on a single charge and that should be the average time a phone should last. Plan to purchase an extra battery or a travel charger to use on the road or trip. The reason the 3000mAh (Mille-Amps per Hour) battery is not as powerful is because of the QHD screen which is a power hog. LG Electronics should consider improving the battery or find a solution to lower the power consumption of the screen.

            The 13-megapixel camera is one of the most brilliant cameras seen on a cellphone since the creation of the television. It records and snaps pictures in 4k, which is the best quality, so far, in the photography world. The camera just absorbs the colors and replicates them in fine detail with little to no blemishes. It also includes a wide-angle “selfie” camera for those days when you get your outfit right. It handles pictures in low light situations with ease and does not create static pictures. The LG G3 combines science fiction with reality to make the infrared laser for faster focusing on whatever you are taking a picture of. The infrared laser makes this the fastest auto focusing camera in the world. To top it all off, the dual tone flash is good to improve the skin tone in dark conditions.

            The LG G3 offers the whole package in an affordable price and tops most of the competition out there. The LG G3 seems to have all the elements to put the competition to sleep.  Just like its predecessor, it will be sure to win the heart of many consumers that want power and precision out of a phone. The LG G3 is very impressive and does not joke around with its hardware. I would recommend this phone to those that want an overall breathtaking screen and professional camera.

The Rise of a Hero by Alma Uriarte

Big Hero Six, a movie that appears to be a movie about robots and high-tech suits, is not what it appears to be. In all honesty, it is a heart moving story that had an impact on many that watched it. Big Hero Six was a much anticipated movie, which had many on the edge of their seats. This action packed animated comedy caused many laughs and a few tears, it set out to break records, with an interesting plot and characters with distinct personalities that reflect off one another. The characters were sometimes the exact opposite of one another making it much more enjoyable, they continuously encouraged one another adding to the overall effect of the movie. The story doesn’t fall flat but makes sure that the next part is unpredicted, keeping everyone waiting to see what happens next. Not only did this movie appeal to kids but also teenagers and adults alike.

            Big Hero Six premiered on November 7, 2014, with midnight premieres the previous nihgt. It’s the story about Hiro Hamada, a 14 year old genius, and how he deals with a series of shocking events. This story starts off in the underground bot fights of San Fransokyo, where Hiro spends his time fighting with his own creation of a bot. Tadashi, Hiro’s older brother, directs and inspires his younger brother to apply to San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, in hopes for his brother to use his brain in a way that might help others. When tragedy befalls Hiro, he finds comfort in Baymax, a big huggable robot and the only connection to his older brother. Baymax was created to help people in distress by Tadashi. After Baymax’s unexpected arrival, Hiro and Baymax form a true strong bond that cannot be broken, they face many adventures and they each learn from each other. Together, along with a few other friends, they form the big hero six, a group of superheros. As a team they face an unexpected danger. Hiro learns that being a real hero isn’t what he thought it to be, not only does he learn that heroes make brave decisions, putting others needs before their own, he also learns that his idea of finding happiness doesn’t have to involve the suffering of another. Throughout his discovery, slowly, all the missing pieces start falling into place leading to an unforeseen ending.

            This film had very high expectations following the extremely successful Disney’s Frozen. Created by the team that made the #1 ranking movies Wreck-it-Ralph and Frozen, Big Hero Six was anticipated to reach such rank upon its release on its opening weekend. Both these stories had moving plots creating the high expectations of many who watched Frozen and Wreck-It-Ralph. Frozen had many parts that were unexpected, sad, and or incredibly interesting, Big Hero Six had to have that too in order to meet its expectations. To make sure this story remained original, several startling twists were involved in the story to keep the audience on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happened next. This movie did not disappoint, and also reached its expected goal opening weekend. As expected, this movie not only had a story to warm hearts while also created joyous atmosphere but also showed how the character developed into the hero he was intended to be from the beginning.

            The story had a message, which was somewhat easy to grasp and could apply to many. Its effectiveness is what needs to be evaluated. The message is that certain traits and characteristics are what make someone a hero, not high-tech super suits. What the movie is trying to get across to the audience is that anyone can be a hero, they just have to understand what it is that makes a hero. This message is clearly expressed through Hiro, who in the beginning, is misguided in his beliefs, allowing him to confuse what a hero does and what actions based on revenge accomplish. It takes his friends and more importantly Baymax to make him realize what he is doing wrong. His actions then change resembling the actions of his older brother, this is when he and the audience realize what the actions of a true hero are. The message is then made clear and is quite effective on developing the character into a hero that the movie needs. The rise of Hiro into a hero shows how much the character developed from the beginning and effectively states the message, anyone can be a hero.

707 Horsepower, End of Discussion by Jesus Benitez

The Dodge Challenger made its debut in 1970 when it was released in the fall of 1969. In comparison to the other concurrent muscle cars in that time period, among those the Plymouth Barracuda, Ford Mustang, and Chevy Camaro, the Challenger’s wheel base was two inches longer which created more interior space. The Car was obtainable as a two door hardtop or convertible, with a variety of engine sizes including the 426 cubic inch Hemi and 440 cubic inch eight cylinder. Dodge challengers were built for speed as they were equipped with Chrysler’s TorqueFlite automatic transmission or a three- or four-speed manual. The widened body and sleek design were very appealing, but even the paint screamed “ performance” as the Plum Crazy and Hemi Orange colors were very attractive, the bumblebee stripes furthermore increased the attractiveness of the car. The challenger was produced until 1984, and then reintroduced, restyled, and remanufactured in 2008, but there has never been a Challenger such as the 2015 Street & Racing Technology (SRT) Hellcat.

            The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is the most powerful car ever produced in the history of Chrysler. The Hellcat stores a 6.2 liter supercharged hemi engine under its hood that produces an outrageous 707 horsepower and 650 feet of torque, all pure muscle power. Inside the engine there were many components modified to improve the performance of the challenger. For example, the engine block had to be specially engineered to withstand extreme conditions and for greater durability, along with the block, the aluminum heads were specially modified to increase the amount of air that is induced into the combustion chambers. In addition the sturdy reinforced pistons and rods are unique to the Hellcat engine and cannot be seen elsewhere. Aside from the other internal parts the crankshaft has been designed to power the enormous supercharger that forces air into the engine. Many internal modifications allow for such an immense amount of power to be at the tires of any one single car.

            The handling of the SRT Challenger is magnificent in comparison to that of other current day modern muscle cars. Taking into mind that muscle cars are not well known for their handling qualities, but for their overwhelming outputs of torque and Horsepower. The gas charged shock absorbers along with other suspension components allow for a swifter more enjoyable ride. Yet the massive six piston front and four piston rear Brembo breaks allow for the necessary force needed to stop 707 horsepower inside this beast of a car.

            The interior and exterior of the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT are similar yet indistinct to those attributes of the Challengers that existed in the 1970’s. The challenger comes with seats wrapped in Nappa or Laguna leather, alongside heated seats, classic gauges, a touch display center console, and impeccable aluminum trimming that ensures maximum comfort inside the car. On the exterior it’s another story, the body of the hellcat maintains its originality by keeping its wide body and sleek looks similar to those of the 70’s yet the new 20 inch wheel that come stock when the car give it a more extravagant look. More over there is now a various selection of color to implement onto the Hellcat and furthermore develop its stylish, modern, yet original look. Engineers also spent a lot of time designing the body for a maximum amount of aerodynamics that will aid the car in reaching high speeds at faster rates.

Today modern day muscle cars are categorized, rated, and evaluated in 3 major categories. The power of a car or engine is determined in Horsepower and torque, horsepower being 550 foot pounds per second and torque being the measure of the turning force on an object. Performance is based on the handling, braking, and other smaller components that allow for better performance overall and allow maximum performance and a smoother ride. Lastly the drive train, these are the other major components on the car other than engine, this includes the transmission, tires, chassis, and other components that improve the acceleration and speed of a car.

            In comparison to other modern day muscle cars the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is outstanding. Another high performance muscle car like the Mustang GT500 produced by Ford Motor Company carries a 5.8 liter engine that is also supercharged. Although the Mustang only produces 662 horsepower and 631 feet of torque, it has degraded brakes compared to those of the Hellcat. In addition the overwhelmingly luxurious interior of the Hellcat surpasses that of the Mustangs, and the Challenger’s looks can simply not be beaten.

            Overall the 2015 SRT Challenger Hellcat surpasses the standards of the current muscle cars. The outrageous 707 horsepower that the whining supercharged engine delivers are well worth its value. The upgraded power train, handling, interior and exterior all compliment the vintage look of the classic Challenger while delivering one of the most innovative and highly engineered automobiles of our time. 

Into the Darkness: A Review of the New Movie Interstellar by Alisha M. Medearis

Have you ever wondered what is like to be in space, floating in the zero gravity, exploring different galaxies and planets, or going inside a black hole or what the Earth looks like from afar? In the new movie Interstellar which premiered October 26, 2014 directed by Cristopher Nolan who was aided by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema presents audiences with this experience as well breathtaking views of outer space in which they created through satellite projections, as no green screens were used; the producers wanted the audience to feel as if they were there experiencing the action along with the characters. What made this story so wonderfully put together was its scientific accuracy, visual effects, and brilliant performances from the cast.

The story written by director Christopher Nolan and his brother Johnathan Nolan, portrays a future earth in which a second dustbowl has occurred and resources are quickly running out. As the end of mankind seems to be nearing NASA sends Dr. Brand (Anne Hathaway) and former NASA pilot Cooper (Mathew McConaughey) to explore three planets which could potentially become a new home for man-kind. The movie beautifully crafted provides viewers with stunning images of space and science while keeping it all understandable for the average person. The story is one that tells of betrayal, hope, intellect and the never ending question of what do we do when Earth can no longer sustain the human population. This movie is a perfect blend between action and drama that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat.

The most acclaimed attribute to the movie is its scientific accuracy. Too many movies portray what the production crew thinks looks good however, Nolan was careful not to make this mistake and consulted Theoretical Physicist Kip Thorne; as well as being a consultant her work inspired the film and she co-produced it along with Nolan and his wife. Nolan and Thorne wanted the ideas on relativity, which the story revolves around, to be as realistic as possible and based much of the movie on Einstein’s equations of general relativity and gravity. When creating a wormhole and a black hole Thorne collaborated with 30 visual effects artists and contributed her own research on theoretical equations and gravitational lensing to create views as realistic as possible. Thorne was determined to only use scientific based scenes and not those conjured up by a screen writer’s imaginative mind.

The visual effects that were portrayed aided to the popularity of the movie as well. The visual effects artists worked diligently to create effects that were realistic as well engaging and thought provoking. Every single scene in the movie enticed the audience and kept them fully entertained while keeping the realistic feel of everything. There was not a scene where the average person could not comprehend what it was they were looking at.  Every twist, turn, explosion and planet looked as realistic as possible providing the viewer with a sense of wonder and imagination of what it would be like to explore the deep, dark, depths that make up outer space.

In addition to beautiful shots, the cast did a wonderful job of depicting the story and giving it a perfect sense of emotion without over doing it. Most notably is the acting jobs of McConaughey, Foy, and Chastain. The actors provided a sense of reality and question, provoking thoughts of what we would do if this really did happen. Often performances from big time actors take away from the realistic feel of the movie, however, this was not an issue in Interstellar and was beautifully acted and created.

Aside from a wonderful cast, brilliant visual effects, and a great sense of accuracy, the story itself was just wonderfully written. The Script writers Johnathan and Christopher Nolan wrote an enticing and interesting story portraying the depths of space. The characters were well developed as was the story line and script which efficiently contributed to the portrayal of the themes present in the movie and the continuous sense of wonder and curiosity that is experienced by the viewer. This movie enjoyed by many and bringing in good reviews by critics, is one that many will love for years to come. I would rate this movie five stars as it was extraordinarily crafted and put together, there was never a dull moment in this film and every scene keeps the viewer fully engaged. 

Comeback In The Desert by Ismael Alvarado

The Arizona Diamondbacks headed into the 2014 Major League Baseball season with
hopes of being crowned the champions of the NL West division for the first time since a magical
2011 season. After watching their bitter rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, celebrate winning the
the 2013 division title by jumping into the infamous pool in Chase Field, the Diamondbacks
were determined to not let this occur again. It did not happen again, however, not because they
themselves won the title, but because the Dodgers would win the title elsewhere. The 2014
season was a long, grueling, and woeful one for the Arizona Diamondbacks. It will be
remembered as a season of injury, bad play, and overall tough times. Fans saw their team’s stars, Paul Goldschmidt and Patrick Corbin, fall to season­ending injuries. Ultimately, the Diamondbacks would wind up with the worst record in baseball when the season concluded. But this was all in 2014, 2015 is a year of hope and a fresh start for a team that has new management that is retooling this offseason, will have its stars healthy again and also cusps the treasured number one pick in the following year’s first­year player draft.

Injury was a common word that was heard in the Diamondback news in 2014, as a matter
of fact, injuries agonized the team before the season had even started. Patrick Corbin, considered
to be one of the best young pitchers in all of baseball, suffered season­ending elbow surgery.
Midway through the season, Paul Goldschmidt, a feared powerful slugger, was hit by a pitch that
ended his season. Many other players on the roster would either have their season ended by an
injury or would have to play through one. These injuries forced the club to promote
inexperienced, young players to the club. As a result, the team struggled with these new players,
but out of this emerged promising, exciting players like David Peralta, and Ender Inciarte, both
of whom gained consideration for the Rookie of the Year award. Fans can look forward to seeing
the young talent and seasoned veterans merge together in the quest to bring the division title to
Arizona.

The number one selection in every sport’s draft is always a big occasion. Not only do the
Diamondbacks have the number one selection, but they have the opportunity to select a franchise
player. Players that can be the face of the entire sport, in fact. This possibility can bring a whole
new dynamic of life and energy into the team. Not to mention many more fans would be
attracted to the ballpark to see an exciting talent tear up the field. This draft selection is going to
do very well for the fans, team, and the whole entire organization.

Overall, the 2015 season will be one in which the Diamondbacks will have to establish
themselves as a top team again. After having the worst record in all of baseball, the team will
widely be considered a laughingstock. The new manager A.J, Hinch has his work cut out for him
in shaping this ballclub into the dynamic, disciplined squad they were before. Before, the team
was playing bland and unentertaining baseball. The team would constantly be outplayed on a
daily basis, this made fans grow tired of consistently watching their team lose. Hopefully the
new manager will bring a grit to the team that it desperately needs if it has any hopes of winning
in the division which by the way is home to the defending World Series champions, and the team
with the highest payroll in all of baseball, those teams are the San Fransisco Giants and the
dreaded Los Angeles Dodgers respectively.

In conclusion, 2015 is a blank page for the Arizona Diamondbacks. They have no
expectations from anyone other than their fans. They can be determined as underdogs headed
into the new season. The only thing that can be done meanwhile for fans is endure the cold
winter and wait for springtime to arrive. All the waiting will be rewarded by watching the
Diamondbacks claim the division title. Winning the title will be no simple task, as this team will
truly need to perform in order to win, but with their star talent coming back, they are in a prime
position to do so. But for now, the team must focus on retooling and rebuilding in order to tackle
the long marathon that is the major league baseball season.