Viggo Mortenson plays Aragorn - the protagonist, and hero, of the last film - with fervent potency and feeling. Aragorn’s inner king, along with his love for his friends and need to protect them, is on full display throughout the entire movie. In the multiple powerful battles shown, he leads armies that no one thought would win and fights with ardor and fire, both literally and metaphorically. In my opinion, the most extraordinary scene was when Aragorn,   by Gimli and Legolas, enters the City of the Dead, and when told by the King of the Dead that the dead do not suffer the living to pass, Aragorn affirms, with all his might, “You will suffer me!”

One aspect of the movie that I cannot appreciate enough is the music. Minas Tirith, Minas Morgul, and Into The West are all so beautifully constructed, with strong low brass and elegant woodwinds, paired with rumbling percussion and serenading vocals that puncture you straight in the heart. The music adds to the emotion of a scene, whether it be the French horns resounding as Anduril is reforged, or the trumpets playing out as horses with heroes on their backs fly across plains to battle. Doug Adams remarks, “The Fellowship theme, after forming then breaking, must draw itself to a newfound level of heroic focus as the Company reaches Mount Doom. The Elves’ themes must bestow their final melodic gifts upon Middle-earth before receding into the West. Isengard’s metallic fury must meet its wrenching demise, but not before scraps of its rhythmic and melodic gestures migrate to Sauron’s domain and join with Mordor’s twisted themes, which are consolidating into their own terrible apotheosis...Each character theme, each cultural style, every motif associated with the precepts of Tolkien’s work must reach the destination set before it in the previous two scores” (Adams, www.howardshore.com). Not only did Shore reach that destination, but he surpassed it.

Considering the dynamic characters and epic music, I rate it a 300 out of a possible ten. I have and will continue to recommend it to friends, and hope that they actually watch it and become a fan themselves.

Adams, Doug. “Howardshore.com » The Return of the King – Live to Projection.” Howardshore.com, 2017, www.howardshore.com/works/concerts/the-return-of-the-king-live-to-projection/.

            There is a lot in the movie that I really like. One of these things is that they don’t use the intro where Uncle Ben dies. This is a really nice change after all of the times that they started with that. Another good thing is that the actor that plays Spider man is good at playing Spider man and is very convincing. The call backs to Captain America: Civil War are good to, because it is shown as Peter vlogging the entire past movie he was in. The plot is good too because it shows how he grows up through the movie and knows what a hero is all about. According to Owen Gleiberman, “We've never seen a character as mythical as Spider-Man portrayed in such a user-friendly, sanded-down, After School Special way.

             There are somethings that I didn’t really like about the movie, although it is very limited. There is a love side story, but not with MJ. The love story is with a girl named Liz who at the end doesn’t like him and it hints that MJ likes Peter. I don’t like the motive of the villain as well. He turns bad because he lost a contract and his job. 

             Overall I give this movie a 95% out of 100% because it was a good reboot that had its own style of opening and I like a lot of the plot points. I would recommend my friends and anyone that likes Spider Man to watch this movie before the new one comes out called Spider Man: Away From Home.

        Something that makes movies as good as they are is the music that accompanies it. Michael Giacchino did an amazing job with making the soundtrack the icing on the cake. The way that the music matches the feeling of when the viewer sees Paris for the first time is impeccable. Giacchino passionately writes, “The core of the film is usually something very emotional and something that feels really real that you can relate to…” (Giacchino). When the composer himself is truly into the music, it creates a real masterpiece. 

        Not only is the music what makes Ratatouille special, but the story. Remy is the ideal relate able character that in a sense, is everyone watching. He has a goal, to be an amazing chef, and works at it and eventually becomes a chef known all over Paris. Every person has some version of a goal, but in real life it’s a lot harder to obtain. Remy provides that fun glimpse of hope for everyone to keep working towards their own life ambitions. While being a comedy and children's movie, it is a parallel of an adult’s hard working life. 

       I would rate Ratatouille a 5 star movie for all that its done to impact me. Ever since it came out in 2007 when I was three, it has been a family favorite and always the go-to movie for family movie night. I would want all my friends to experience the same joy and happiness I do when I watch Ratatouille, so I’d definitely recommend it. If you’re looking for a great watch on any type of night, pick Ratatouille. 

Works Cited

“Michael Giacchino Quote.” A-Z Quotes, www.azquotes.com/quote/1281508.

Nathan, Ian. “Ratatouille.” Empire, Empire, 21 July 2016, www.empireonline.com/movies/ratatouille/review/.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was hearing the main character, Cadence, show her perspective. Another review stated, “Cadence narrates the novel, but she doesn't use the polite, restrained style that you'd expect from such an expensively educated aristocrat. The characters are not well-rounded or beautifully drawn; the descriptions are not lush or elegant. The prose is fractured, disordered, messy. This is the voice of a girl who has been broken and is trying to put the pieces back together” (Lacey). I agree with this statement  because Cadence explained in detail all of the problems and pains in her life, which was surprising considering her “perfect” family. Showing these things from her honest perspective has helped me connect to her and understand how she is feeling. 

This paragraph contains big spoilers, so skip it if you haven’t read the book. I thought that the ending of this book was very interesting and surprising. I really liked that there is some debate over what the ending really is. Some readers believe that the ending is supernatural, while others believe the events in the book were in Cadence’s imagination I personally believe that it could be either one of these, or a little bit of both. One of the only things that I didn’t like about the book is the fact that the 4 main characters were called the “liars”. I felt like this was never really explained and didn’t make a ton of sense in the story. 

In conclusion, I would rate this book 4.5 stars because I really liked the story line and I enjoyed the writing style. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend because I think it is a very interesting and engaging read.

Lacey, Josh. “We Were Liars by E Lockhart Review – Cunning, Clever and Absolutely Gripping.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 5 July 2014,    www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jul/05/we-were-liars-e-lockhart-review-cunning-clever-absolutely-gripping. 

I was looking forward to seeing this movie with my family, but it was hard to watch because there were so many things I disliked about it. One of the main things that I did not like about this movie was that everytime they were trapped in a room, they had to complete almost the same challenges to get out. Also, you would get to know one of the characters and just as you start to like them, they die. For example, just as they started getting into Amanda’s life story, and she started bonding with Zoey, she was killed by the escape room. Since that happened near the beginning of the movie, it kind of set a weird tone for the rest of the movie. The last thing that kind of ruined the whole mood was near the end when it jumped to 6 months in the future. There were some things that were still left kind of unclear, but then it hinted at there being a second movie to tie up the loose ends. 

Although this movie was pretty bad, there were still some aspects of it that I did enjoy. For one, all the characters had pretty enjoyable personalities. And two, I liked the conflict between some characters and the bond between some characters. For example, Ben was kind of the odd-man-out at the beginning of the movie because of his job and behavior, but by the end of the movie, he was really close with Zoey and he had improved his lifestyle. And, because all of the people were competing for survival, there were some fights and people battling each other. All of the characters went through kind of a personality change, that is if they weren’t killed off first.

To wrap up this review, I would say that I rate it 2 out of 5 stars. I would not recommend it to anyone unless they want to waste 2 hours of their life watching a cheesy “horror” movie. Even the ads for this movie were better than the movie itself. 

O'Conor, Anthony. "Escape Room (2019)." Rotten Tomatoes, www.rottentomatoes.com/m/escape_room_2019. 

              Thor: Ragnarok is one of the most successful marvel films so far. It reached 854 million USD in the box office and it landed an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. With magnificent performances from actors Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, and Tessa Thompson Thor: Ragnarok was a hit. It brought to life a new side of Thor that has never been seen in the previous movies. Michael Ordona states , “The Marvel Cinematic Universe's most audacious entry so far, Thor's third stand-alone movie goes there with wild, bold choices -- and it succeeds, epically, on many levels.” (Common Sense Media). The entire dynamic of Ragnarok was a drastic change from the first two movies in the trilogy. Some say that before Thor: Ragnarok, Thor was the same played out character in every movie. Ragnarok not only gave Thor a new haircut but a refreshing, more comedic persona. 

              Most of the changes are credited to director, Taika Waititi, who is new the the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Waititi’s directing style is energetic and slightly unconventional. He gives a sense of lightheartedness while also finding time for the serious moments. As an extra feature Waititi added himself into the film as Korg, the alien leader of a small rebellion. Waititi’s signature touch makes Thor: Ragnarok a thrilling roller coaster of fantastic fun. 

               Not only was the acting and directing fantastic, but the CGI moments were quite stunning as well. From characters to scenery a good amount of Thor: Ragnarok required CGI to come to life. CGI is a complicated computer process that the artist of Thor: Ragnarok have successfully used to add stunning visuals to this cinematic masterpiece.

            One of the many messages in Thor: Ragnarok is personal growth. Through the years Thor has faced trials and tribulations. He’s faced the loss of loved ones and he has faced trying battles. In Thor: Ragnarok the fight seems like something Thor might not be able to win. In this film Thor discovers his true identity and sheds his old preconceptions of himself to reveal an even more powerful god. Much like Thor, Loki faces his own dilemma of morality. He can either help his brother and his people or try to charm his way out of trouble for his own personal gain. As the god of mischief this is a challenging decision for Loki. In the movie Thor confronts Loki about his behavior, “See Loki, life is about... It's about growth, it's about change, but you seem to just want to stay the same. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you'll always be the god of mischief, but you could be more.”(Thor:Ragnarok). Thor:Ragnarok is a breathtaking film, and it deserves to be adored by the masses. 

“Thor: Ragnarok.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt3501632/characters/nm1089991.

“Thor: Ragnarok (2017).” Fandango, Fandango, www.fandango.com/thor-ragnarok-2017-199155/movie-reviews.

Ordona, Michael. “Thor: Ragnarok - Movie Review.” Common Sense Media: Ratings, Reviews, and Advice, Common Sense Media, 19 Oct. 2017, www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/thor-ragnarok.

Pfeffer knows how to trigger your emotions, from chaos to despair to hope. Extreme conditions and plot means that all your feelings are raised to their maximum level. As a reader, you will feel pure dread when food starts to run low, or anger when the family will fight about what’s best for whom, or joy when they find out that not all hope is lost.

Pfeffer also knows how to illustrate all the drama-- whether it’s the changing climate or the family feuds-- without romanticizing the situation. Everything is written to the point and as it truly is, which reflects that, in their world, you cannot make the deadly conditions anything less than they are. These factors create an exceptional story and experience you can’t forget.

I give Life As We Knew It four out of five stars and would recommend it to readers thirteen through eighteen. I would also recommend it to those who enjoy a more simplistic writing style than other YA novels. Teenreads states, “You will read it in one sitting, fighting back tears as you bite your nails.” (Teenreads.com).

Webber, Carlie. “Life As We Knew It.” Teenreads. 6 Feb. 2019. <https://www.teenreads.com/reviews/life-as-we-knew-it>

          One part I really liked in the movie was the part where it showed the animals going to the serum that landed on Earth and they all took it in and they all grew in size and it showed all the animals in a huge size and I was really excited to see what happened next and how George was planning on terminating the other giant predators. Honestly, I really don't think that there are any bad things about this movie, it is a very good movie. 

          Many critics agree with what I have to say on this movie but some disagree and say that this isn’t some of Dwayne Johnson’s best work and I will most definitely disagree with that, in fact, I believe that it is probably some of his best work. “Seeing the big guy grin and flex his muscles during action stunts, featuring spotty CGI, is probably enough for fans. But this one is definitely from the beloved star's bottom shelf.” - Peter Travers from The Rolling Stone. 

          In conclusion I would 100 percent rate this movie a 5/5 because it has such a good plot and story that I love this movie. I would definitely recommend it to a friend and really anyone who enjoys action movies, science fiction, or anything really. I feel like it has such a good plot and story that anyone who watches it will love it so I recommend it to everyone, even if it is outside your genre of movies.

     One thing I loved the most about this movie is that anyone can relate to it. There’s so many life lessons portrayed in the movie that if feels like they were specifically directed at you. “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” does a nice job on giving the audience a visual representation of what relationships are really like in our generation. It gives us the idea of love being like a Cinderella story, full of happiness and despair. The director did a magnificent job on surprising the audience throughout the whole movie. It felt like going on a Easter egg hunt, every decision was full of surprises that led on to the next decision. The end of the movie has to be my favorite favorite part due to the fact that love is so unexpected, and can cause true happiness in someone. Without any doubt, this movie had tears pouring down my face. 
     Not only did this movie make me cry, it also left me impressed at how good the acting was. It made me feel as if the story took place at my high school. Out of all the romance movies I’ve watched, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” is my absolute favorite. I would totally recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys unexpected love stories like I do. This movie truly receive 5 stars for portraying a love story that had everyone talking for weeks. I’d hope they’d make a second part to this movie because I’d want to see what Lara Jeans and Peters relationship is now as they’re truly in love with each other. 

Works Cited:

"To All the Boys I've Loved Before." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2019.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3846674/plotsummary

The actors in this movie were phenomenal, with Malorie (Sandra Bullock) the main character going through horrible and mysterious endeavors to get to a safe home that will protect her kids, Girl (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Boy (Julian Edwards). The story begins with Malorie taking a trip to the hospital for an ultrasound, after hearing of an epidemic of a multitude of mysterious suicides in Russia they did not believe this would make its way to the states. Malorie and Jessica(Sarah Paulson) are left to find shelter when Jessica takes in first hand what they are dealing with and she comes to a tragic end with a flipped car and a fast truck. Malorie is taken in with Tom (Trevante Rhodes) and Lucy (Rosa Salazar) to a home nearby, taken in by Greg (BD Wong), Douglas (John Malkovich). They lived with other survivors such as Charlie (Lil Rel Howery), Felix (Colson Baker or Machine Gun Kelly), Cheryl (Jacki Weaver), and couple that lasted 30 seconds(uncredited) the group lasts a night before getting a new pregnant visitor, Olympia (Danielle Macdonald). Which creates the problem, how are they gonna feed all of these mouths? They start to experiment on how to get past the demons, one experiment led to the death of Greg. Which leads them to the discovery that even through a camera the demons are effective. They start to figure out ways on how to get supplies, by using a car with GPS to get to a local food store. But led to the death of everyone’s favorite character Charlie. They soon discover that the demons do not have a suicidal effect on the mentally insane, instead they attack anyone wearing a blindfold, or anyone who hasn’t turned. Which makes the next visitor so much worse, Gary (Tom Hollander) who had supposedly escaped from these insane and made his way to the house. They let him in and let him stay which was a mistake, Gary killed everyone but Malorie, Tom, Boy and Girl. Girl was Olympias daughter, but Olympia met a terrible demise jumping out of a closed window. Tom and Malorie raise her as their own. For years they live scared, but semi-normal lives. They get word of a safe place up river from where they are, until marauders come in with guns, they try and make them take off their blindfolds, but Tom takes them all on saving Malorie and the kids, but taking his own life in the process. Was truly the saddest moment in the movie. Malorie takes the kids up river with many problems along the way, but in the end they make it, for a more serene ending to calm your heart after all of the events that just happened.“The film has definitely showcased its capability of being memorable through today's social media "meme-worthy" barrage. But it shouldn't go unnoticed how the aura of its ambiguity keeps Bird Box intimate and perilous throughout, especially with a strong and brilliant lead in Sandra Bullock. ⅘.” (Bernabe) This film was famed by many social media posts over Snapchat and Instagram.

Works cited: Brody, Richard, et al. “Bird Box (2018).” Safe Haven (2013) - Rotten Tomatoes, 2018, www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bird_box. 

I think my favorite part of the movie is the way Tarantino played with time and chronology. It’s in my opinion one of the ways the movie stays so interesting and gripping the whole 2 and a half hours. For example, the very first scene of the movie is completed at the very end. This makes an especially suspenseful build up to the ending in which all the stories intertwine in a marvelous work of chronological trickery. This type of directing style really makes the viewer feel proud after tying the events up in their head after the movie, and is why I seriously love this film

In conclusion, I’d give Pulp Fiction 5/5 stars for its impressive dialogue and story-telling. It’s the perfect blend of comedy, violence and suspense all tied together with the shock-value of impossibly contrasting scenarios. This movie is for everyone who enjoys crime, thriller,and everything in between. A true masterpiece that I would describe as a “must-watch,” considering the amount of iconic and famous lines and scenes that have fabulously made their way into pop culture. The directing style and story elements are sure to leave the viewer with a different outlook as to what makes a good film a good film.

I really enjoyed the film for multiple reasons. As I do enjoy many classic superhero films, Unbreakable is very different and focus’ more on the story, not fighting. The main character, David Dunn, is very average. He is a middle aged man, with a kid in grade or middle school, he has a wife, a home in a suburban area, and goes to work. There is nothing very special about him. This relates somewhat to a comic book where an average man gets superpowers and being like a comic book but not having one-liners and big fights is a big part of the movie, which is something I find interesting and I enjoy. 

There was not many things I disliked about the movie. One thing that I was a little disappointed on was the ending. The ending is sudden, abrupt, and a little unsatisfying. But on the other hand it’s not a classic superhero movie with explosions and fight scenes so I didn’t necessarily not like it. Another thing is that the movie can be a bit slow at times. Again this is on purpose but I’m trying to find things I don’t like so I’m nit-picking. 

According to Colby Bryant on Rotten Tomatoes: “(It won't) appeal to all... (but) for those interested in understanding the psychology of what makes heroes and villains tick, there are few films I could recommend higher.”

In conclusion, the movie would get 4 out of 5 stars from me. I truly love this movie. I would not however, recommend this movie to everyone. Many people do like the movie and enjoy it but many also find it boring and uninteresting, which is understandable. Some of my friends would enjoy Unbreakable but many of my friends would find it slow and dull. So even though to me it is a great movie it’s not a great movie to everyone.

-Christopher Badowski

Sources cited:

Bryant, Colby R. “Review – Unbreakable (2000).” Colbybryant.com, 18 Jan. 2019, colbybryant.com/2019/01/16/review-unbreakable-2000/.

    

  Shakou is a restaurant that is always bustling with people so making a reservation is the best way to go. Once you get there you will be greeted with various purple and black walls, along with extremely loud, Japanese music blaring over everything (obviously one of my least favorite parts of the experience). Don’t let that turn you away though because what waits ahead is incredible. Once seated, a waiter or waitress is quick to come to take your order, even if it is packed, making the experience even better. 

   

  First of all, there are drinks. Obviously, I can’t order alcohol so I wouldn’t know what to recommend if you were interested in that sort of thing, but the one thing that I always get while there is Ramune. Ramune is a Japanese soda that comes in a ton of flavors and adds an extra sense of importance to the meal since I don’t get to have it every day. I would definitely either strawberry or orange since the original flavor tastes just like regular sprite. Next would be the meal itself. Shakou has thousands of things that you could order and the amount, along with the price tag, can be pretty intimidating. Just take a second to look at the options, find things that you really like, and go for it. So far, there is no piece of food that I haven’t liked at Shakou.  Even when my mother ordered the Braised Short, which I was expecting to not be as good since this place was mainly known for sushi right? Wrong. The meat was so soft and tender that it immediately melted in my mouth and the flavor was like none other that I had tasted. To this day, I believe it is the best piece of meat I have ever tasted. For my father and I, this place is even more of a treasure. I mean sure my whole family enjoys this place but it became special for my dad and I because we were the first ones to find this place. Our usual order includes 2 or 3 sushi rolls and one unagi (eel) sashimi. A couple of my favorites include the black widow and the dragon fire. The black widow roll is one I only found a while ago but is my favorite roll to get. I adore this because of the rich flavors it provides. From the fresh unagi in the roll to the soft scallop sitting on top of it along with tobiko (kind of like caviar but different kind of fishes) and sweet unagi sauce covering the top, what’s not to love? The one thing that can be a deal breaker for a lot of people is the price. A lot of the meals come in at over 15 dollars, making a meal for four come to $100 or more, but it is definitely worth it. 

    Overall I would definitely rate this 5 stars out of 5! I would definitely recommend anyone going here and ordering what I suggested or whatever else looks good on the menu. Of course, if you’re wary of price, I suggest bringing one other person or two instead of a whole party, but as Anthony Bourdain once said: “Anyone who's a chef, who loves food, ultimately knows that all that matters is: ‘Is it good?’”.

Why? Because of it’s foods. McDonald's foods has probably one of the biggest variety in it’s menu. With so many sandwiches to choose from, to chicken to beef, and so many other delicious premium sandwiches you could also get. Other great, hot items include, nuggets, tenders, promotional items, lemonade, tea, dairy, salads, and so much more. Not only does McDonald's give you the variety, but you get many options of said item. Hard to believe, the ice cream is not dairy, but Mrs. Babowice loves to share a cone with her dog,”Nothing’s better on a hot summer night.” Large or small? 4, 6, 10, 20, or 40 nuggets? Dine in or take out? Once you get said food, Dine-in is almost always the better choice to eat. 

With it’s great atmosphere, eating alone or with friends makes the experience great no matter the latter. However, the drive thru also allows for speedy accquriance for said McDonald's item. Not mentioning the Mobile ordering feature found in the McDonald's app, or Uber eats. These two convenient options are for people who are in a rush or who can’t leave their house at the moment. In the past couple of years, McDonald’s food has gotten a pit more pricey, but still mostly is cheap. Although, this could be for a number of reasons, such as inflation, taxes, business decisions, and or improvement of items. But, as my dad once taught me, honest work gives you honest money. However, if you feel classy enough, McDonald's has big tasty premium sandwiches. These premium sandwiches are if you want to experience what a real restaurant is. 

Now let’s talk meat. McDonald's meat. The McChicken, invented in 1980, and was a huge flop, with years of changes, discontinuation and continuation, until it found its home in the dollar menu. The McChicken is a simple chicken sandwich, with it’s creamy mayonnaise covering the crisp small pieces of lettuce, which go end to end with the hot, spicy crispy chicken patty. Despite not being spicy at all, I cannot say this sandwich will not make you thirsty. Another chicken menu item, is the Chicken McNuggets. McDonald's nuggets are probably the most customizable thing in the menu, allowing you to choose which sauce you want, or no sauce at all. The popular option being the 20 meaty Chicken Nugget meal combo with crisp, oily fries and a beverage to go along with it. McDonald’s meal combos reinforce the idea to include the main food item, and two different sides from salads to fries which can be chosen by the valued customer. The McDonald's Big Mac, however, is on a whole ‘nother ball park. The Big Mac, being of a large size of course, is meant for those who love a big American burger. This classic burger, invented in 1967, comprises of two beef patties, lettuce sneakily sprinkled on the top layer and the bottom layer, three separate layered buns, the Big Mac Sauce, which mask the watery slices of pickles peppered inside and drip of the edges the sandwich. Of course, you would have to be some sandwich professional to not make a mess while eating the McDonald's Big Mac. From the Alaskan seas however, comes the McDonald's Filet-o-Fish, and the Double Filet-o-Fish. The latter of course, just being the Filet-o-fish with two patties instead of one. The Filet-o-Fish includes one large fish patty, warm, creamy, tartar sauce, and one large slice of cheese slapped on the bottom. This warm sandwich is great when in cold situations or the cold season in general, and just brings a lot of comfort with how soft it is. Definitely a go-to for young toddlers who haven’t fully developed their teeth yet. 

 Just like the tops of a toasted sesame bun, McDonald's is one of the greatest, flavorful, inexpensive restaurants in the United States. And hopefully, I have helped guide your choice as to what you could want from the restaurant from describing the items.

The story revolves around a veteran who has been placed in the hospital after an injury that resulted in losing his limbs, jaw, sight, and hearing. There are flashbacks sprinkled throughout the book and is used as a good way to develop the characters and feel as if you’re experiencing the tales that are important to the story and character. It most importantly helps you understand what the character has lost. A great deal of the plot revolves around joe remembering his past life and what he's lost due to the war. While in this state he questions morality, justification, and motives. This poses an interesting question and challenges the readers views.

An example of something that makes the reader question their views is when the character thinks to himself, “did anybody ever come back from the dead any single one of the millions who got killed did any one of them ever come back and say by god i'm glad i'm dead because death is always better than dishonor?” He goes on to state that fighting for liberty and freedom is the reason that people go to war, but that they don’t always understand death or the price they may pay. He believed in that moment that war is not always worth fighting for, because of the personal loss of those who died. He goes on to state that liberty and freedom is worthless if your not alive to experience it. This is the main reason why this book used to be banned in the united states, due to the controversial topics and fear it would stop people from enrolling into the military. I would rate this book 9 out of 10, because of the interesting plot and storytelling and I would also recommend this book for anyone who wants to spend a couple of hours reading an original and interesting story.

Silent companions focuses on the story of Elsie Bainbridge, a woman who is newly married, newly pregnant, and newly widowed. Upon the death of her husband Rupert, Elsie inherits an old family residence of his, the Bridge, fully prepped with a staff of 3. However the nearest town resents her and is a decent distance away, and the entire place is relatively miserable. On one occasion while exploring the house with her groom’s cousin they come across a locked garret door. After several spread out attempts, the door finally pops open to reveal… absolutely nothing. The room is old breaking, and full of random junk. However, the two women find a few curiosities including two diary records of Anne Bainbridge and one of the companions. 

Elsie doesn’t think much of the companion at first until Sara points out the fact that the girl on the form looks frighteningly like Elsie. Sarah then brings the girl to display, and over time more of the eerie figures start to appear around the Bridge. Turns out the companions are haunted and taking over the place. The book is written to reflect 3 different time settings and perspectives: The time Elsie spent in the Bainbridge estate, the present time she spends in St. Josephs Hospital for the Insane post traumatic accident, and through the diary entries from Rupert’s ancestor Anne Bainbridge, who was murdered under suspicion of witchcraft in the 1600’s.

Overall, this book would probably earn a 4-star rating rating from me. It kind of felt like a few characters came off very plain, just written in as easy 🤬 targets. Towards the end of the book author Laura Purcell, depicting the emotions of Elsie after numerous deaths, wrote “Death, once conceived, was rapacious. It took all with it.” The quote itself is generally true, but especially in the case of the novel.

     This touching story teaches an important lesson to impressionable children who would be watching this show. It tells a story of love, acceptance, and equality. A beautiful princess can fall in love with an ugly ogre, and you can love yourself no matter how you look. It also teaches that misfits don’t have to be pushed around. They are allowed to fight back and be equal, and shouldn’t be treated less because of their looks or past. It also has a very diverse set of characters.

The casting choices couldn’t have been more perfect. Mike Myers, who voices Shrek, couldn’t have been more perfect for the role. His sassy and sarcastic attitude has won him roles in many shows, such as Cat in The Hat (2003), Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), and many, many more.  Eddie Murphy, who voices Donkey, is also known for his roles in Dr. Dolittle (1998), Mulan (1998), and the Haunted Mansion (2003). The list goes on and on! These voice actors bring the characters to life and make this show a hit!

    Most importantly, this movie is highly entertaining! Every aspect of it, from the great writing and easy-to-follow plot, to the beautiful animation and wonderful message shows that this is truly one of the best films ever made. “It doesn’t take long to figure out that Shrek is not going to be your ordinary animated fairy tale”, says David Ansen from Newsweek. He couldn’t be any more correct. I would rate this movie 10/10 and I would absolutely recommend everyone should watch this brilliant show.

          Even though it may have been wildly franchised all across the country, each Culver’s feels like a little slice of a home on the farmland. You feel like you’re at home, in a relaxing atmosphere where you might eat with family. Wood accents on tables and countertops combined with artistic paintings of the country help reinforce this theme. That’s not to say that Culver’s doesn’t have modern elements. Their electronic menu made it easy to see the specials along with the whole catalogue all at once. Speaking of the menu, Culver’s has quite a large selection. Indeed, this isn’t your average McDonald’s menu. Culvers covers all of its bases, from typical sandwiches to seafood dinners. For a quick-service restaurant, Culver’s does have quite good variety. Another impressive part of their selection is the fresh frozen custard. Culver’s flaunts this product everywhere, and it takes up nearly half of their menu space. The restaurant features many different ways to enjoy the dessert, from shakes to their own “concrete mixers,” blended with toppings until it’s thick as, well, concrete. Speaking of toppings, Culver’s sports a massive array of them. Anything you could possibly want, within reason, is there. They have delicious fresh fruit and crunchy candy bars, all with the purpose of giving the consumer the most power over their creation.

         The main star of Culver’s food is the Butterburger, a freshly-seared burger made to order with any topping you want. This delicious burger has definitely earned its spot. Unlike most fast-food burgers, the Butterburger is cooked with a special searing technique that gives it a hearty steak flavour. And, I can’t say I disagree. Every burger I’ve had at Culver’s has a one-of-a-kind flavour that you just can’t get at any McDonald’s or Burger King. The toppings they offer are nothing out of the ordinary, although some may be disappointed that you have to buy a ‘deluxe’ version at a slightly higher price in order for fresh lettuce and tomato. For those who don’t want the traditional burger, Culver’s also offers a few variations. They have a mushroom-swiss burger, a pretzel pub haus burger, and a few different burgers on sourdough bread. Each of these sandwiches has a unique flavor and definitely shouldn’t be underestimated. Culver’s also has some other sandwiches, from the usual crispy and grilled chicken, all the way to pork tenderloin and beef pot roast. For sure, you won’t find a menu like it at any other fast-food place. More of my favorites on the menu are the dinners. As of now, Culver’s has four different options: breaded cod, fried shrimp, pot roast, and chopped steak. Each one is a good option for anyone looking to eat big, which you will. Each dinner comes with an entree, roll, and two sides. Speaking of sides, Culver’s also has a large selection compared to the average quick-service restaurants. With their traditional, delicious fries, you can’t go wrong. Of course it doesn’t end there. Culver’s has onion rings, fresh green beans, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and more. The crown jewel of the restaurant, however, is the cheese curds. Each bite fills your mouth with a delicious explosion of Wisconsin cheddar, leaving you hungry for more. If you don’t try the cheese curds at Culver’s, you’re doing something wrong.

          In conclusion, Culver’s is a true diamond in the rough that is the midwest. While it doesn’t set any new industry standards, it has a large menu for such a simple quick-service restaurant, and everything you can eat there will definitely surprise you in terms of quality. Culver’s as a franchise is going to, luckily, keep growing with the high success rates they seem to be having. If you are in the mood for a quick bite, and don’t want to stoop down to the low levels of fast food, Culver’s is a perfect option for you. I would give Culver’s 4/5 Butterburgers, and a side of cheese curds. Happy eating!

Works Cited

Hometown News Group, Tierney King. “Craig Culver Recalls Culver's Origins.” Hometown News LP, 31 Jan. 2013, www.hngnews.com/sun_prairie_star/news/business/article_3292530a-6bc0-11e2-b536-0019bb30f31a.html.