8 Arts & Entertainment First Student Film Festival Science Artists Shine in Yields Talented Filmmaking Whitney Youth Insights At Bronx Science Program Photo credits: Sofie credits: Somoroff Photo Photo credit: whitney.org credit: Photo Artwork by Emiliano Skillay By JULIA DONHEISER Scene from the winning short film Behind the hard facts and numbers lies a hidden interest among Bronx Science stu- dents: art. Literary publications such as Dynamo are well known throughout the school, By MAYA GOODWIN but now students are reaching beyond the Bronx Science community and delving into the realm of iconic American artwork at the Whitney Museum of American Art. This year marks the debut of the Student Film Festival, a showcase of student cinema- The showcasing of students’ work is commonplace at the Upper East Side mu- tography that, with any luck ,will replay each spring for years to come. seum, which features artists ranging from Edward Hopper to Jackson Pollock. And the winner was: See Like Me, a touching narrative of life from a child’s in- Through its rigorous Youth Insights program, the Whitney offers high school students nocent, hopeful perspective. The four-and-a-half minute movie, made by Sofie Somoroff a chance to dabble in the world of visual arts with mentorship by a featured artist. ‘14 and chosen by a panel of judges on the S.O., tells the story of a child who is trying to Alumnus Emiliano Skillay, currently attending the University of Chicago, participat- connect with his emotionally distant mother. ed in the program for two years after his A.P. United States History teacher, Ms. Steiker, As this year is the first Student Film Festival, it did not generate as many entries as referred him to the program. Emiliano was interested in art from a young age, but it was hoped for, according to Julia Lauer ‘16, an S.O. member who helped organize the competi- only after participating that he realized, “There are a million things happening at once in tion. Of the films submitted there were “fan videos, a dance video, and a couple of comedic museums- from advertising to curatorial decisions within exhibits, to the performance videos about daily struggles at Bronx Science.,” Lauer said. and presentation of artwork, to how an artist interacts and communicates with a museum.” Minnie Mangafas ‘15 entered short Harry Potter and Star Wars fan videos. Sam Maeglin Under the mentorship of renown photographer LaTory Ruby Frazier, Emil- ‘14 and Roni Pitowsky ‘15 together submitted a funny film about waiting for the BX10 iano was introduced to photography that provided commentary on government, bus. big-business industry, and monopolies aimed at social justice. “ She walked Somoroff submitted several films, but Lauer stated that the winning one was chosen us through her own ideas, which helped us to contextualize her work,” ex- because, “not only was it beautifully filmed, but the concept behind the video was just as plains Emiliano. “She taught me how to take effective photos and present them.” beautiful. It looked professionally done. The way she evoked emotion in so little words Junior Simon Stroh, who participated in both the writers and artists program, agreed that, was truly representative of how deserving she was of her title as winner.” “It was an educational experience that opened my eyes to the analytical aspects of art.” This year, the judging and submissions were all done online. However, the S.O plans Once students graduate from the Youth Insights program, they are in- to expand the festival in the coming years so that it can become an annual event in the au- vited back to youth-based events such as movie screenings, art shows, and ditorium, a festive way to end the school year, replete with snacks and plentiful, elaborate holiday parties. Students’ artwork and information about the program can films. be found at www.whitney.org/education/teens. With paintbrushes and pen- Will there be a red carpet and if so, what will everyone wear? cils in hand, Bronx Science students are making their mark in the art world. Godzilla Review: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly By KSHITIZ SHARMA By LOUISA ORESKES Godzilla has been a popular icon since Edwards was also smart Godzilla’s 60th anniversary update activity increasing near the plant and warns his, and sometimes her, inception in 1956. enough to select an amaz- fell short of the dedicated fans expecta- the higher ups to shut the mother down be- He recently got another shot at a live action ing cast to breathe life into tions and largely exists to fulfill your fore things take a turn for the worst, but reboot this May, and it, was, awesome. the film’s emotional core. typical big-budget summer action he’s too late. Drama ensues and the events The feeling of waiting for Godzilla to ap- Everyone in the ensemble, flick. With such an exciting, action following turn Joe from scientist extraordi- pear, which happens to be more than an hour from Bryan Cranston to Ju- packed trailer, it’s a bummer that naire to a conspiracy theorist kook. into the movie, was familiar to any Godzilla liette Binoche, an incredible Godzilla is a bust. Flash-forward, his son Ford (Aaron fan but no one was ready for the largest and authenticity and rawness into The movie starts well Taylor- Johnson), is a Navy-bomb tech most realistic avatar of the Kaiju ever created. the narrative and its charac- enough, with the ex- living with his wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) In the screenplay by Dave Callaham ters. Instead, this cast deftly citing tensions and his young son. Ford travels back to and Max Borenstein, they focus upon a hu- creates people who ground s u r r o u n d i n g Japan to see his dad and talk some sense man reaction to the events of the movie. this larger-than-life story an explosion at into him. They then return to their ruined Bryan Cranston stars as Joseph Brody, who in a way that demands a nuclear power Japanese home near the accident site to get makes a strange discovery, branding him your attention, and will plant. Joe Brody some of Joe’s data. It’s then that something the protagonist of the film, not Godzilla. He leave you drooling. (Bryan Cran- awakens at the site and Joe is proven to realizes that it’s not earthquakes that were In my opinion, Godzilla ston) is a not be such a kook! It’s not Godzilla; he’s shaking the ground beneath them. Yet he is represents Edwards r e s p e c t e d off in the ocean somewhere and doesn’t repeatedly ignored, dismissed as a broken old thumbing his nose at Hol- American sci- make a screen appearance until nearly an man by everyone. Even his soldier son, Ford lywood’s conventional- entist living in hour into the movie. It’s Godzilla’s foe, (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), doesn’t believe him. ism by turning a once Japan with his the MUTO’s, a pair of gigantic termites, If it wasn’t such a frightening matter Brody disreputable genre wife (Juliette somewhat resembling the hood ornaments would probably have the last laugh when a film into pop art Bincohe) and of a Jaguar car M.U.T.O. (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial that demands our son. He The computerized imagery of Godzilla Organism) hatches and starts terrorizing the attention, if only n o t i c e s is impressive and even mezmerizing as world. But no one is a match for the king because of the wit, s e i s - Godzilla goes head to head with the MU- himself. Godzilla soon appears and there is a talent, and time that its m i c TO’s above the streets of San Francisco. fight that gave me that Man of Steel feeling. militia of technicians put into Sadly, the screenplay suffers in the shad- Clever camera angles keep us focused each frame. The long shots of the ows and the plot is convoluted and boring. on the danger to the humans while always kaiju grappling in ruined cities are Still, it’s fun to see the fat old dinosaur kick emphasizing the astonishing scale of these gloomily magnificent. In short, some monster enemy butt. beasts.The visual effects are stupendous. But this Godzilla is a must-see. .