Entertainment

Issue 5 brings you four more great articles full of scrumpdiddilyumptious...ness... that we hope you will enjoy!

First up we have Monte Kyle's article all about the recent big-hit movie entitled 300 . This article discusses the plot of the movie as well as the controversy revolving around it. Next we have two articles written by Co-Z , Rock fans, Rejoice and Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Review . In Rock fans, Rejoice, Co-Z talks about the upcoming Rock hits that will hopefully allow rock to rise again in popularity. Then, in the Pokemon review, he discusses both the pros and cons of the new releases of Pokemon: Diamond and Pokemon: Pearl, and how they are similar as well as different from the previous Pokemon games. Finally we have an article by Richman99 about the episode of American Idol where the judges of the show, Ryan Seacrest, and Carrie Underwood went to go help out and give charity to the impovershed people of Africa and the USA. The name of this article is Idol Gives Back, named after the name of the episode.

Well, that pretty much sums up the Entertainment Section. We hope you find the articles...well...entertaining!

- Hothead73

300 - By: Monte Kyle

Hype Over 300

The newest rated R thriller is definitely stirring up a lot of attention. It instantly became one of the top grossing rated R movies of all time, and for a very good reason. The movie is loosely based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" and tells the story of the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.

In this battle, King Leonidas of Sparta leads 300 of his finest soldiers against the massive advancing Persian army, led by self-proclaimed god, Xerxes. As the story goes, the heavily outnumbered Spartans held off the Persian army at the mountain pass in Thermopylae, in a famous last stand that lasted for three days, until they were all killed. Responding to the claim that the Persian archers were so numerous that their arrows darkened the sky, a Spartan warrior famously said, "That's good news. We'll fight in the shade."

The movie contains stunning imagery, so it is definitely a beautiful experience. The rock solid carnage in this movie is phenomenal and will definitely leave the audience awestruck. The thundering soundtrack is also sure to blow its viewers away. This adrenaline rush of a movie also contains some subtle humor, which adds even more to the viewer's interest.

However, 300 has received its rating for a reason, because of heavy violence and some sexual content. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you take caution when seeing this movie.

300 as Propaganda?

Unfortunately, part of the attention this movie has been attracting isn't very positive. Iran officials have accused its makers of using it as propaganda against them (Iran descended from Persia). In this movie, several Persians are brutally killed, and Iran believes it is some kind of declaration of war against them by the United States. The movie has also been banned in Iran.

Despite the controversy that is being aroused, one must stop to think before jumping to conclusions, lest you look irrational. Several factors were added to enhance the movie for entertainment purposes, nothing further. It does not claim to be historically accurate either. Bear that in mind when taking a stance on the problem. In order to be best informed about the topic, it would be a good idea to read the graphic novel and watch the movie in order to form your opinion.

And I leave you with that. The movie awaits you.

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Rock Fans, Rejoice - By: Co-Z

The future looks brighter for fans of rock n' roll.

First, there's Chinese Democracy, the next Guns N' Roses album. It's been in production for 13 years, however, and hasn't been released. This album was planned for release in 2000, but has been delayed. It's expected to be released later this year or next year. This is getting more likely, because about ten demos from the project have been leaked on the internet.

Then there's Velvet Revolver. Consisting of three former Guns N Roses members, this hard rock super band made its first album in 2004. Three singles came from it, and all three did pretty good on the mainstream charts. Libertad, the working second album, should be out by July, and the single 'She Builds Quick Machines' has already been released.

Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds is an uncommonly known band from the world of GNR. Izzy Stradlin quit GNR in 1991 for various reasons. I suggest checking out the upcoming album 'MIAMI' which should be released in late May or June.

Now we have Rush, with the new album Snakes And Arrows, released May 1st. Rush is well known as a progressive rock band, and represents their genre well. The single 'Far Cry' came out in March, and showed that Rush has made a good come back.



Bon Jovi plans to release Lost Highway, a new album, in June. Although it will be a rock album, there is a country sound in some of it, which might not please rock fans. Still, it'll be worth looking into if you like Bon Jovi.



Ozzy Osbourne's new album, Black Rain, is bringing back a good taste of metal. The single 'I Don't Wanna Stop Now' has reached #4 on the mainstream rock charts. One interesting fact- this is the first album Ozzy made without the influence of drugs.



And at the end of the year, Metallica will release a ninth album, which is currently untitled. It's obviously going to be metal, but newer material from Metallica is usually appealing to hard rock fans.

One somewhat minor thing is a Rage Against The Machine reunion. The band decided to get back together for three shows this year. However, it could be major if the band wants to make another album. The same applies to Van Halen. VH reunited with David Lee Roth, and although there are no plans for another album, it might come up along the road.

With all these new albums- more than I've listed- we can expect rock to rise in the future. Good music can return. More and more people of our generation seem to take interests in older music (as well as older culture- 70's fashion has returned to haunt us). Keep waiting, rockers, and we might take back the radio.

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Pokemon Diamond And Pearl Review - By: Co-Z

The long awaited 4th generation of Pokemon arrived in America on April 22nd. Diamond and Pearl, the titles of these games, were already released in Japan last September. The anticipation has been high since then, and much like the previous Pokemon games, Diamond and Pearl became international hits.

I'd have to say gameplay is the reason older people play Pokemon- behind all of those tiny electric mice that children adore, there's a fun RPG. I remember back when I was a kid. I was six, and my best friend introduced me to Pokemon. I loved the show. Everyone did. Most boys below the age of nine enjoy Pokemon's successful anime. So then I decided to play Pokemon Yellow. I sucked at it- I laugh at the fact that I didn't know how to save. Then when I got blue version, I got good at it and beat it when I was seven. When I was nine I stopped watching the TV show frequently, so I turned my focus more over to the game.

As you can tell, you're hearing this review from a veteran of the game series. Anyways, Gold and Silver hit stores in 2000, and with large improvements, they were especially fun for Pokemon gamers. Most Pokemon players consider these a classic, and rank these as the best gamers in the series. Three years later came Ruby and Sapphire. I loved these, and they had A LOT of improvements, but it still didn't beat the earlier games. Here we are now at Diamond and Pearl. So, how has the game changed?

Updates

I asked for original Pokemon. Something we haven't seen. And what do I get? Electric mouse number five, AKA Pachirisu.

Gamefreak and Nintendo: What the Hell is this? Another clone of Pikachu? We got the same, boring Pokemon we know from earlier. The developers can't find more poison Pokemon? That's easy! Take Ariados, a poison spider made in 2000, and replace it with a poison scorpion! Doesn't seem that much like a clone, does it? Look at the box art. Palkia (Pearl) looks like Groudon. Dialga (Diamond) looks like a mix between a few other older Pokemon. The new Pokemon are lame and boring.

Aside from that, there's a new style of Pokemon contests, like using a touch screen to dress up your Pokemon and make it dance! Wow, I'm poking a screen to win a dance contest! Contests are easier than they were on Ruby and Sapphire.

Battling is consistent. I am indifferent about new items and moves. They aren't exactly clones, but don't really change how we battle either. I'll still use older moves, because I'm unfamiliar with all of this new stuff.

The update that changes things is the Game Trade Station (GTS). There's also wifi trading and battling with friends, but because of the strict friend code system, you can't meet any new friends. Wi-fi friends doesn't change too much, you'll just be able to play with real life friends more often and get to play Pokemon with your internet homies. But the GTS changes a lot. Basically, you put in a Pokemon and specify what you want, or search for what you want and see what you could trade for that. You can leave a Pokemon in the GTS even when you don't play, since it's on an internet server or something. The problem is that you can't broaden your offer. All you can do is put in one at a time and only ask for a specific Pokemon. To actually succeed with online trading, you'll need to make auctions on any Pokemon forum you can find.

But there's not much to do online. No random online battling. That SUCKS. If I want a random battle with no friends around, I can't get it. This hinders the replay value of the game. And you don't need to 'catch 'em all' either. You just need to encounter every Pokemon. Now it's 'gotta see 'em all'. It used to be an achievement to complete the Pokedex, but now it means nothing. The only thing that's harder about Diamond and Pearl is the Elite Four, which is still easy if you have the right levels.

Gameplay

The Updates section here sums up a lot of it. If you've played an earlier Pokemon RPG, you know how it goes. Catch Pokemon, fight NPCs, level up, get all 8 badges, beat the Elite Four, save the world from Team *insert name* and complete your Pokedex. It's a fun RPG, but these versions are so easy that the replay value is ruined.

Graphics and Sound
The graphics have improved a bit. Generally, it's only in the outer world. You'll notice that as you pass buildings, the angle of view changes a bit, which adds a 3-D feel. At first it made me dizzy, but eh, I got used to it. Sound... I haven't noticed a difference in this from Ruby and Sapphire. Overall, this is less than the DS's capibilites.

Story
Again, you're a Pokemon trainer aiming to be the Pokemon master, and you're only 12 years old. The same plot, with a new region. And, as always, we have a new team we must defeat. This time it's 'Team Galactic'. They remind me of the Beatles.

Team Galactic wants to create a new universe where their leader is the ruler of all- a perfect universe to them. So how does this make them the Beatles? During the ten years the Beatles existed, they gave messages of peace and making a better world. It's very likely that if the Beatlemania lasted longer, they'd do something this insane. Look at their haircuts! This is a reason why the end of the Beatles was a good thing.

Apparently Team Galactic has always just been 'some group of weirdos'. So if they're starting to do evil things, why do they still have office buildings in major cities with sings that say 'Team Galactic'? And how can a 12 year old defeat them? If they can afford these fancy things, they can afford arms, right? Pull out the AK-47 and shoot the stupid kid! Just because their Pokemans beat your Pokemans doesn't mean your plans are ruined!

Scores

Gameplay: 8/10
Replay Value: 6/10
Graphics and Sound: 7/10
Story: 4/10
Updates: 5/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Idol Gives Back - By: Richman99

Source: American Idol

American Idol, one of the most watched television shows in America, had a very special two-day television event called Idol Gives Back to raise money for those facing poverty. Ryan Seacrest, the host of the show, had shown many clips in each episode of the month of their journeys to impoverished areas in Africa and the United States. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Carrie Underwood, and Ryan Seacrest have all donated their time and effort to travel to these areas, discussing poverty and diseases.

Ryan and Simon made their way to an impoverished area of Africa, where they witnesses terrible conditions. They met orphans, whose parents died due to AIDS and these orphans were infected with HIV as well. Ryan and Simon also met with families fighting against malaria, a disease caused by mosquito bites. On the show, the viewers were asked to donate at least two dollars for a pack of tablets that could help save children who were infected with HIV and ten dollars for a mosquito net, to prevent malaria. During the show, they showed clips of many kids living in the state of Kentucky, USA who had very little education, and clips of African kids without parents, struggling for their life. Another thing that made this night special was that many famous singers performed inspiration songs at Disney World including Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban, and many others.

Carrie Underwood, the winner of the third season of American Idol, went to Africa as well. She sang to the kids to entertain them and help relieve help their pain. Paula and Randy travelled to New Orleans, USA, where they saw the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. People who had everything were now living in dirty trailers. Their neighborhoods were filled with violence and drug abuse. They also went to child care centers that would take care of the children if their parents worked late. The children played sports to get the kids happier. Idol Gives Back was a very touching episode.

Idol Gives Back was offered ten cents for every single vote until $50 million. That episode received seventy million votes! They earned five million dollars just from the votes. From the donations from viewers at home, they raised $60 million! Now, one last surprise was left on that night, when the results were being announced, no one was voted off! Instead, the votes from this week are going to be transferred to next week, and 2 people will be voted off next week.

Thanks to all the people that donated and voted, many people in Africa and America who were facing poverty will be helped. Idol Gives Back was a huge success for raising money.

For more information and ways you can support Idol Gives Back click here.

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