Page 12 • minaj shocks the world • nintendo releases game El Gato • monday,Culture september 15, 2014 • Los Gatos High School • www.elgatonews.com Movies premiere Nicki Minaj causes controversy by Sean Clark I love it.” by Antonia Salisbury Culture Editor However, the authenticity of Minaj’s Opinion Editor Ever since Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé intentions have been questioned, given the The blockbuster scene this summer was filled with selections from all major casually blew up the internet on Aug. 3 contradictory lyrics at the end of Anaconda. genres and production companies. From comedies, like 22 Jump Street and What with their remixed version of Beyoncé’s The final lyrics of the song attack skinny If, to the dramas Hellion and Boyhood, the variety of movies released this summer song, Flawless, Nicki Minaj has been women, trying to boost the self esteem of appealed to a wide range of audiences. The most popular movie genre this summer dominating headlines and music charts. curvy women. Many people have critiqued was action/adventure with the top five grossing blockbusters in this category. The day after the Flawless Remix Minaj as hypocritical because she tried to This summer’s fifth highest grossing movie was The Amazing Spider-Man 2. was released, Minaj dropped another make a body positive song that ended up As the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man, this film focuses on New York’s greatest song, Anaconda. The cover art for the attacking and making fun of skinny women. superhero, Spider-Man, as he struggles to save the city from ultimate destruction. single caused much controversy as the In the context of the song, Nicki Minaj Based on the Marvel comic, the movie is perfect for fans of the original series and photograph is primarily focused on curses out skinny women with a laugh, anyone who loves a good superhero action plot. her behind. Anaconda’s cover art has making it clear that these lines are meant Categorized as a drama/ now become a meme due to its nudity. to be a joke. action film, Maleficent stood Photoshopped renditions of the cover This situation seems similar to the out among the rest of the top art have become an extremely popular one caused by Meghan Trainor’s All About action films this summer and twitter trend. That Bass. Trainor is another plus size pop was the fourth highest gross- photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons On Aug. 22, Minaj released a video star who made a body positive song that ing movie in the box office. for her song Anaconda that ended up includes demeaning lyrics towards skinny A twist on the classic Disney being even more controversial than the single’s women. Trainor follows up these offensive lines with princess movie, Maleficent cover art. The video conquered Miley Cyrus’ record “No I’m just playing… every inch of you is perfect is about an evil fairy who for most views in 24 hours with 19.6 million from the bottom to the top.” This line, along with curses a young princess, only views on YouTube. It is a full four minutes and 49 Minaj’s laugh, is intended to negate the artists’ to realize later on that the seconds of curvy women promiscuously dancing criticisms of skinny women. princess may be the only saviour of the land. By telling the around in a way that emphasizes their derrières. After Anaconda peaked at second place story from the evil fairy’s perspective, the film creates an interesting twist on Drake, a famous rapper, makes a cameo as the on Billboard’s Hot 100 music chart, Minaj the average fairytale. only male in the entire video. continued to stir the pot at this year’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, the third-highest grossing box office movie this Nicki Minaj explained the intentions she had MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 24. summer, was a hit. In the movie, the X-Men send Wolverine back into the past in when making the Anaconda music video in Minaj performed Anaconda and another an attempt to defeat a group of robots, the Sentinels, in hopes of saving all human an interview with ABC News, saying successful single, Bang Bang, along and mutant creatures in the “I wanted to reinstate something. with Ariana Grande and Jessie J, who future. As the seventh movie Because of the shift in pop culture, even are featured in the song. Minaj ended of the Marvel X-Men series, hip-hop men are really glorifying the less her night at the Video Music Awards this was the most popular curvy body. I wanted to say, ‘Hey ladies, S. Clark by announcing her highly anticipated X-Men movie to date. you’re beautiful.’ Hopefully, this changes album The Pink Print, which is scheduled The number two block- things and maybe it won’t change things, but to be released later this year. buster of the summer was Transformers: Age of Extinc- tion. Transformers is based on the saga of two warring Legion of Honor showcases art robots armies: the Autobots by Kelsey Fleming Using vibrant colors and dynamic versus the Decepticons. In this News Editor patterns, Matisse created engaging adaptation of the original plot, the main characters are a mechanic and his family From Nov. 9, 2013, to Sept. 7, works of art that, to this day, who aid the transformers in fighting a hit man from another universe. This movie 2014, the Legion of Honor show- entrance and mesmerize onlookers. is a must-see for anyone interested in action movies even if they have yet to see cased the art work of the legendary The Matisse exhibition artwork the three preceding movies of the French artist Henri Matisse (1869- originated from the collection of Transformers series. 1954). Captivating and exquisite, Matisse’s work at the San Francisco The highest grossing movie the art exhibition featured 23 paint- Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) this summer was Guardians of the ings, drawings, and bronze stat- and the Fine Arts Museums of San Galaxy. As another Marvel-based ues. Through a variety of mediums, Francisco. movie, the plot is highly intricate Matisse exemplified the twentieth In the next few months, both and full of action. In the movie, a century age of Fauvism and paved the the Legion of Honor and the de man named Peter Quill discovers a path for the future of impressionism Young museum will feature an powerful orb after being abducted and modern art. array of art exhibitions. Through by a group of space pirates. He soon The art showing featured several Oct. 12, there will be an art show- realizes that the orb is a priceless of Matisse’s most famous paintings, ing called Modernism from the artifact and is widely coveted across including By the Sea, The Conver- National Gallery of Art: The Robert the galaxy. The rest of the plot sation, and Young Woman in Pink. and Jane Meyerhoff Collection at follows Peter’s adventures as he is Elegant and mesmerizing, the exhibi- the de Young museum. Through hunted by Ronan the Accuser, whose tion traced four decades of Matisse’s Oct. 5, there will be an art showing goal is to obtain the orb. People K. Fleming career. From his early years of still life called The Poetry Parmigianino’s lined up outside of box offices on paintings to his colorful, intricate works of the 1920s and “Schiava Turca” at the Legion of Honor, and through Oct. 12, Aug. 1 to see the film and were 1930s, the exhibition depicted his decades of development there will be a showing of Matisse and the Artist Book at the intrigued by the original plot and as an artistic mastermind. Legion of Honor. For more information regarding upcoming stunning graphics. photos courtesy Wikimedia Commons As one of art’s most influential figureheads, Matisse is de Young museum and Legion of Honor art showings and often regarded as a leader of the revolutionary modern artists. exhibitions, visit www.famsf.org. Depression robs the world of legendary comedian by Charlotte Pla problem and furthermore worsened even traveled to war zones on comedy tours to entertain American Humor Editor his depression. Williams had been in troops. On many accounts, Williams personally met American soldiers The death of Robin Williams, and out of rehab many times in his and left an everlasting impression of “positivity no matter what the comedic genius, shocked the world last few years and had made brief, circumstance,” soldiers have said. He was a good hearted man devoted this past August. Robin Williams comical references to his alcoholic to getting a laugh out of his audience no matter who it may be. struggled with depression and, more tendencies in many interviews. Other Robin Williams was a husband, a father, a motivational figure, a recently, Parkinson’s disease before than digs at his own bad habits, comedian and a wonderful actor. He moved people all around the world he tragically took his own life on the Williams was a bright comedian with and never failed to uplift even the lowest of spirits and bring smiles morning of Aug. 11. a gift in improvisational acting and to people’s faces with his talent. Williams is commonly associated speaking. with his roles as a mentoring teacher Alongside alcoholism, Williams in Dead Poets Society, the animated was said to have money problems genie in Aladdin, a drag-housekeeper towards the end of his life. The can- in Mrs. Doubtfire, Theodore Roosevelt cellation of The Crazy Ones, a role he in Night at the Museum, and many admitted to taking because “there other characters throughout his lifetime. are bills to pay,” contributed to the lack of a steady income. He then Many people believe that the recent cancellation of the TV show, was forced to take on roles he did not want just to get a paycheck The Crazy Ones, Williams’ latest project, may have contributed to his and pay his bills. In addition to the show’s cancellation, Williams depression and downward spiral, but close friends and family have dif- had undergone two divorces which he called “ripping your heart out ferent ideas. Apparently, Williams had suffered from his issues since he through your wallet” and “expensive.” Williams even had to sell his was younger. He grew up as an only child, so he was used to spending ranch in Napa because he could not afford it anymore. Motive leads time alone and entertaining himself, which many believe fueled his friends, family, and supporters to believe that Williams’s recent money talent in acting and improv. Williams’ close friends and coworkers have problems may have contributed to his depression and eventual suicide. said that later in his life he became more concerned with not being Despite his personal and internal struggles, Williams never failed to able to make people laugh like he used to, which initiated his drinking impress on the screen or on stage at one of his comedy shows. Williams photos courtesy Wikimedia Commons