Burnout 2: Point of Impact

Summary

The beginning of the game is a driver’s training, which shows players how to drive and play the game. Then, the game offers a large selection of fast-paced races, chases, and crash courses. Players learn how to boost, which is the turbo charge shown on the lower left side of the screen with a meter. Players also learn how to manage burnouts, which is when you lose all turbo power. This training prepares players to play the game. The purpose of the game is to drive as fast and as recklessly as possible. Players then play a series of courses before engaging in a head-to-head race against a car. Then, a chase session begins. Points are accumulated by how many things players collide with.

Critical Evaluation

The game’s special effects and graphics are excellent. The variety of scenes and courses is wide and interesting. However, players complain that while some races offer exciting episodes of drifts and close-car traffic jams, the game lacks opportunities for jump and crash sequences. Players are allowed to customize their car’s color, but the ability to custom tune and modify car parts is lacking, and as a result, many of the cars’ driving performance are alike. Sound effects, such as changing gears, hitting turbo, and crashing, are realistic. The background music parallels the intensity of the driving. There are many ways the game could be improved, but for players seeking the thrill of driving fast and crashing cars, Burnout 2 is an entertaining game to play.

 

Burnout 2 is available at many libraries for play or checkout.

 

Genre

Video Game

Action

Why did I include this title?

I found an article about the New York Public Library (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/22/books/22games.html), and how this game was being played in the lobby on Friday afternoons. What?! The NYPL? With the lions in the front? Yes. And it has received positive attention. It is a positive way to get young adult patrons into the library and to see the library making an attempt to reach them.

Clueless

Heckerling, Amy. Clueless. Paramount Pictures, 1995. PG-13. DVD. 97mins. ASIN: B002A9X9DE

Plot Summary

In Beverly Hills, rich high school student Cher, played by Alicia Silverstone, gets everything she wants. In an attempt to renegotiate her report card grades, she plays matchmaker with two of her teachers so they will be happier and grade easier. It works, and the success goes to her head. Next, she sets her eyes on making over the unpopular new girl, Tai, played by Brittany Murphy. Meanwhile, she and her ex-stepbrother Josh verbally spar over what’s important. A series of high school relationship ups and downs, Tai’s brush with death, and Cher’s failed drivers test ensues, and Tai’s popularity seems to be surpassing Cher’s. When Tai tells Cher that she has a crush on Josh, Cher is confused about her own feelings for him. She finally realizes that she loves him when she goes shopping to clear her head. To impress Josh, Cher does volunteer work, and he is impressed by her new selflessness. In the end, everyone is with who they should be with.

Evaluation
The setting is Beverly Hills, which serves as the perfect backdrop for Cher who has always gotten everything she wants. She lives in a multi-million dollar mansion and goes to high school where she believes she can negotiate her grades. Cher’s narration throughout the movie represent the time and place. Valspeak, otherwise known as Valley girl speak, surfer slang, skateboarding slang, and California English, is a dialect that originated in the 1970’s and became widely heard in California. An example is during Cher’s narration when she says, “Okay, so you're probably going, ‘Is this like a Noxzema commercial or what?’ But seriously, I actually have a way normal life for a teenage girl.” Words such as “like,” “going,” “totally,” and “way” are common words in Valspeak, and Clueless does an excellent job using the dialect as a way to characterize Cher, Tai, Dionne, and the others. Josh’s “granola” persona balances out Cher’s Valley girl. While her outward appearance is superficial, the audience can relate to her inner intelligence. The plot loosely focuses on Cher’s attempt to make-over a “clueless” transfer student, but in the process, she realizes she needs a make-over of her own. She has been “clueless” herself, and she realizes the value of love and of caring for others.

Readers Annotation

Sweet, spoiled, Cher plays matchmaker and makeover artist at her Beverly Hills high school. Popular, yet seemingly vapid, Cher learns about what love is when she finally realizes how clueless she’s been.

Information about the Director
Please refer to the link for Fast Times at Ridgemont High for information about the director, Amy Heckerling.

Genre
Comedy; Drama; Romance; Teen movie

Curriculum Ties
English/ Language Arts; this film is loosely based on Jane Austen’s novel, Emma

Why Included?
The Valley girl talk is hilarious and makes the audience realize just how ridiculous is sounds to say “like” all the time. Because this movie has so many parallels to the novel Emma, it’s even more interesting. It makes the story and lessons of Emma more relatable to a younger generation. This is, like, a fun movie to watch.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Heckerling, Amy. Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Universal Studios, 1982. R. DVD. 90mins. ASIN: B00029RTCG

Plot Summary

Fast Times at Ridgemont High tells the story of a group of high school students during the course of a school year. The lives of Stacy Hamilton, her older brother Brad, Linda Barrett, Mark “Rat” Ratner, Mike Damone, and surfer stoner Jeff Spicoli intertwine in adventures of love and hooking up, after-school jobs, football games, and pranks. Stacy and Linda are friends at the pizza place, and Stacy enlists her help and advice as she becomes sexually active and later becomes pregnant after having awkward sex in a pool changing room with a classmate, Mike Damone. Spicoli continually annoys his history teacher, Mr. Hand, who eventually gets back at him on prom night by arriving at his house and administering a surprise exam, the outcome of which will determine whether Spicoli, who is often high on marijuana, will graduate. Brad’s life seems to be crumbling as one job experience after another ends badly and his girlfriend breaks up with him to see other people before they go to college. Stacy and Brad develop a sibling bond when he talks to her after she has an abortion, which she and Damone agreed was the correct thing to do. He had promised to pay for half, but he was unable to obtain the money; Linda makes him pay in other ways. Eventually, Brad’s life turns around as he thwarts a robber’s attempt and becomes a local hero, and Stacy and Mark begin to develop a relationship. At the end of the movie, the credits begin rolling with the characters’ futures inscribed.

Evaluation
A classic high school movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High details the adventures of kids in a Southern California high school. In fact, writer Cameron Crowe spent a year undercover at a Southern California high school before writing the script. His characters can be found in any high school. Spicoli is the quintessential example of the surfer stoner dude, played by Sean Penn in one of his first roles. Innocent Stacy fumbles with love and sex as she begins dating, and her more sexually-experienced older friend tries mentors her. Dating, sex, jobs, cars, friends, football, and school provide the setting and conflicts these teens encounter. They face the traumas of being a teenager in high school with awkwardness and humiliation, and the audience can appreciate and relate to the experience. The end result is a very entertaining movie with unforgettable characters.

Readers Annotation

Students at Ridgemont High try to muddle through the school year as problems seem to occur left and right. After a series of unfortunate yet humorous events, they start summer older, if not wiser.

Information about the Director
Amy Heckerling was born May 7, 1954. She attended New York University, where she studied film and TV, and then received a Masters Degree in Film from The American Film Institute. It wasn’t until 1982 that she received attention. That was the year she made Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In 1987, she got the idea for another movie, Look Who’s Talking, when she was pregnant, and made that movie in 1989. Then, in 1994, she wrote the movie Clueless.

Amy has been married and divorced twice, and she has one daughter, Mollie Israel. She is an environmentalist and helps environmental charities whenever she can. Information about Amy Heckerling was found at imdb.com.

Genre
Comedy; Drama; Romance; Teen movie

Curriculum Ties
Sex education, teen pregnancy

Why Included?
Who can forget Spicoli ordering a pizza to be delivered during history class? When I was a kid, my parents did not let me see this movie. I understand why, now, and even when I did see it for the first time, I didn’t understand all of it. What was Spicoli doing in the van when it was all smoked up? I wanted to include this movie because it is one of the most famous high school movies and also my cousin is in it. He’s the guy at the cash register with the irate customer when Judge Reinhold’s character, Brad, gets in trouble and fired.

Juno

Reitman, Jason. Juno. 20^th Century Fox, 2007. PG. DVD. 96mins. ASIN: B000YABYLA 

Plot Summary

In Minnesota, sixteen-year-old Juno MacGuff and her best friend, Paulie Bleeker, have one sexual encounter in a chair in the Fall, when school starts. They like each other, but they don’t consider themselves exclusively in a relationship, much less parents. When Juno is at the abortion clinic, she decides she cannot go through with it and chooses to have the baby and give it up for adoption instead. When she tells her parents, they are supportive of her decision. Juno searches the local Pennysaver and finds an adoptive couple in the suburbs, Mark and Vanessa Loring. Mark and Juno become close as they bond over horror movies and music. Juno continues to attend high school as her belly continues to grow, and she takes it all in stride as she has always marched to the beat of her own drummer. Paulie is clearly in love with her, but is too passive to tell her while she maintains an indifferent toward him until he asks someone else to the prom. Meanwhile, as her friendship with Mark deepens, problems develop between Mark and Vanessa, who seems to want a baby more than he does. When the baby boy is born, he is ultimately in the hands of someone who loves him.

Evaluation
Juno received four 2008 Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Ellen Page, and Best Original Screenplay for Diablo Cody, which she won. There was much talk about the movie being pro-life and anti-abortion propaganda, while many others saw it as pro-choice. Ellen Page herself commented, “What I get most frustrated at is when people call it a pro-life movie, which is just absurd... The most important thing is the choice is there, and the film completely demonstrates that.” The character of Juno shows this throughout the movie in all her decisions. Likewise, Juno has been labeled feminist because of its portrayal of the main character as an intelligent and confident teenage girl. The dialogue and actions support this assertion, as Juno’s wit is sharp and original. The setting takes place over three seasons beginning at the beginning of high school, which mirrors the three trimesters of pregnancy. Furthermore, Juno’s struggle with adulthood provides the audience with an opportunity to question their own values and decisions in their lives.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_%28film%29)

Readers Annotation

Offbeat, sixteen-year-old Juno sleeps with her best friend, Paulie, only once but gets pregnant. When she decides to place the baby with an adoptive couple, she learns about true love and friendship.

Information about the Director
Director Jason Reitman, who also directed Up in the Air and Thank You For Smoking, is known for making comedy films that touch on serious subjects that have highly subjective narration by the main characters. His films usually contain a theme of some kind of generational gap between older and younger characters, and his films often center around characters who are self-confident but who also begin to rethink their lives.

He was born October 19, 1977 in Montreal, Quebec, he is the son of director Ivan Reitman. He graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood, CA in 1995 and then graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) with a major in English. He frequents STK, a steakhouse restaurant in Los Angeles.

Information for Jason Reitman was found at imdb.com.

Genre
Comedy; Drama; Romance; Teen movie

Curriculum Ties
Sex education, teen pregnancy

Why Included?
This movie is hilarious. Juno is such a strong female character who defies stereotypes. This movie is an example of how an unplanned teen pregnancy can be handled in a pragmatic way that ends with love all around.

Skrillex-Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites

Skrillex, (2010). Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites [CD]. Big Beats Records/Atlantic. 43:50mins. ASIN: B004GGM444

Summary

Skrillex, known as Sonny Moore, has recently won a Grammy Award 2012 nomination for Best New Artist. This album’s playlist has nine songs: “Rock ‘n’ Roll (Will Take You to the Mountain),” “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” “Kill Everybody,” “All I Ask of You (featuring Penny),” “Scatta (featuring Foreign Beggars & Bare Noize),” “With You, Friends (Long Drive),” and then two remixes of “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” as well as one of “Kill Everybody.” This is the first Skrillex release on Big Beat Records, in conjunction with fellow electronic revolutionary Deadmau5’s freshly minted Mau5trap record label. (http://www.skrillex.com/bio/)

Critical Evaluation

 

Dubstep is a genre of electronic music gaining fast popularity. In iTunes, a review written by Unmedicated Eddie explains: “Skrillex has it down. This is purposeful, dutiful music with an avant-garde twist—it does its job (it’s absolutely dance music) but at the same time it carries a strong sense of menace and a bass that flies at you and knocks you unconscious like a meteor to the forehead. But it’s this album’s philosophy that gives it its character. Sonny Boy’s brand of music is the soundtrack to a new revolution that’s as rock ‘n roll as any, and he knows it” (December 2010). Skrillex is making its place on the music scene. Its collaborations with other music artists is being enjoyed by fans and widening its audience. According to the artist’s website, Skrillex is part of a new generation of artists that refuse to be restricted by preconceived notions or outside expectations. “Genre has never been important to me,” he insists. “I’ve never thought about music that way.” (http://www.skrillex.com/bio/)

 

Genre

Music

Electronic

Dubstep

Dance

DJ

Why did I include this title?

I had not heard of dubstep music or of Skrillex, but when I heard about them from some teenagers and saw they were nominated for a Grammy, I had to check them out. I’m glad I did. While I have not purchased this album from iTunes because I want to see if my library has the CD, I plan to download some songs into my iPod. I’m interested to see what becomes of this genre of music.

A Walk to Remember

Shankman, Adam. A Walk to Remember. Warner Home Video, 2002. PG. DVD. 101mins. ASIN: B00005JKW0

Plot Summary
In a small town in North Carolina, a group of popular high school kids do a prank on another student, but it results with the boy severely injured and in the hospital. Landon Carter has no future plans, and when he is held responsible, his punishment is after-school community service, which includes starring in the school play. During this time, he meets Jamie Sullivan, the reverend’s daughter, and develops strong feelings for her despite their apparent differences. He is popular bad boy; she is shy good girl. As they spend more and more time together, they fall in love. However, when Jamie tells him she is ill, it breaks his heart. Determined to do everything he can for her and to love her as much as possible in her short time left, he helps her fulfill the dreams she has on her list of things she wants to do in her life. One of them is to get married in the small church where her parents were married. Jamie affects Landon’s life in such a positive way that his future path is made clear.

Evaluation
This film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’s novel of the same name is a classic bad boy meets good girl tale. Jamie is played by singer Mandy Moore, who brings emotion to scenes with her heart-filled lyrics and sweet voice. The character of Jamie is strong. She is an outsider at school, not fitting in because she is smart, nice, and wears out-dated clothes, and she’s often laughed at. However, she has self-esteem and confidence, and when she stands up for herself, she begins to earn Landon’s respect. Despite his mistreatment of her in the beginning, she is forgiving and kind. When Landon begins to change, we can’t help but think about the value of forgiveness. The romantic plot might be corny at times, but the effect is a sweet love story that also teaches valuable lessons. Live each day to its fullest because our time is limited. Be loving, patient, and kind. It’s never too late to change your live.

Readers Annotation

Bad boy Landon has no direction in life. That all changes when he meets good girl Jamie, who shows him more than just how to fulfill his community service requirement.

 
Information about the Director
Adam Shankman was born November 27, 1964 in Los Angeles, CA. He attended Palisades High School in Los Angeles. He is a film director, dancer, actor, and choreographer. Interestingly, he did not begin dancing until he was 18. He auditioned for dance programs all over the country and was accepted to NYU, North Carolina, and Julliard, which he attended but dropped out to dance in musical theater.

He has worked as a choreographer for the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and directed the movie musical Hairspray. He is currently a judge on the FOX reality show So You Think You Can Dance.

His movies often include dancing and singing and characters doing community service.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Shankman

Genre

Teen Movie; Drama; Romance

Curriculum Ties
Illnesses and diseases, religion

Why did I include this movie?
This movie is such a sweet love story. I enjoy this example of the power of forgiveness, patience, and love. If I see it as I am scrolling through the channels on TV, it always sucks me in. Even though it is a love story, we don’t get the happily ever after ending we usually see. I like that reality.

Testing & Education Reference Center Online Database

URL

http://www.nelnetsolutions.com/terc/

Summary

Testing & Education Reference Center is offered by the school district to high school students. It is an online bank offered through the library and available to students at home. It contains test preparation questions to help students achieve their academic and career goals. Through its homepage, students can easily select from tabs and drop down menus between High School Tools, College Prep Tools, Career Tools, Grad School Tools, and International Tools. Selecting High School Tools will provide students with available links to select for Test Prep such as Academic Skills Questions Banks, AP exams, California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), and the GED. The College Prep Tools include test preparation for the ACT, CLEP, and SAT, among others. The Career Tools includes information for learning how to build a resume and preparing for certification exams for popular careers such as firefighting, law enforcement, teaching, air traffic control, accounting, and nursing. The Graduate School Tools allow students to prepare for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT and MAT, and provides them with information about how to find the right school for them. Students are also able to search for scholarships. The International Tools provides students with online practice tests and ebooks for the TOEFL, TOEIC, and U.S. Citizenship.

Evaluation

This online bank of test preparation is an excellent tool to help students practice high-stakes tests and find areas of weakness to help them improve. For example, the Academic Skills Question Bank offers passage-based reading questions and mixed topics such as analysis of inferences, author’s purpose, and conclusions. Other topics include literary elements, main ideas and specific details, and vocabulary. While these questions are not specifically linked to any state’s particular standards, the content matter is consistent with grade-level curriculum. Furthermore, the questions are presented in a way that will familiarize students with how the real tests will look. The pages of directions before the test provide much information about the test itself and how to take it; many students might not want to read all that information and would rather just jump right into answering the questions. During the test, students can exit at any time and resume later. Other helpful resources are also available and provide information about test-taking strategies, word of the day, and how to beat test stress. Once tests are completed, students are able to see their areas of achievement and where they need improvement. This is an expensive website; the local high school pays $1650 for access to it. However, with so many test-help tools providing resources to students at varying educational levels, Testing & Education Reference Center is a valuable database.

Why I Included it

This database is excellent! When testing season begins in the Spring, my students have often asked me if I knew of any practice tests they could take. I did not, but I do now. The immediate feedback is invaluable. I think test prep with this database should be part of study skills classes and students should be introduced to it as soon as possible.