Story by Adam Kwoh Associate News Editor Photo Courtesy of Edward Donnelly Contributor South Pasadena is commonly regarded as the typical American suburb with its quaint aesthetic and populace of kid-raising, dog-loving families. However, on Friday nights, the small town’s quiet culture is transformed by its underground community of rock. Little Silver Hearts prides itself on […]
Aaron McGruder’s superb storytelling in ‘The Boondocks’ crafts a meaningful and relevant portrayal of society
Story by Jayden EdenStaff Photographer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator Good storytelling itself is an arduous task. The ability to balance humor, seriousness, and character development and establish a connection between characters and the audience is special. Incorporating and referencing real events, though, whether it be about our culture, our society, or our government, is a polarizing, […]
Atlantis is brilliant and Jason Momoa delivers, but ‘Aquaman’ barely stays afloat
Story by Matthew TsaiStaff Writer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator 3/5 starsThe DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has struggled to find its footing, with the majority of its films rated poorly by critics and underperforming at the box office. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe churns out successful movies with ease, the DCEU has turned away from Batman and Superman […]
Full of more appropriate comedy, ‘Once Upon a Deadpool’ takes a fairytale spin on its predecessor
Story by Kimberly HseuhStaff Writer Illustration by Elaine YangDesign Editor In late December, families take time off work and finally unite with their loved ones, celebrating the wonderful holiday season with Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, eggnog, and too much of Jingle Bells. In Once Upon a Deadpool, the wholesomeness of these activities works to provide the perfect satirical platform […]
SPHS and SPMS choirs unite and display vocal range in winter concert
Story by Luyang ZhangStaff Writer After a full semester of practice, the South Pasadena Middle and High school choirs showcased their vocal talent at a combined winter concert on December 12th in the South Pasadena Middle School auditorium. Throughout the program, the middle and high school groups performed songs of a wide range of genres, […]
SPHS dance students explore the power of harmony in annual Winter Concert
Story by Aanji Sin Staff Writer Photo by Tony Chen Staff Photographer The SPHS Dance Program held the opening night of their annual Winter Concert on Thursday, December 6, and Friday, December 7, in the SPHS auditorium. The event featured Dance II and III as well as members of Color Guard. Directed by dance teacher Courtney Cheyne, […]
Shannon Purser shines, but ‘Sierra Burgess’ is a letdown
Story by Dominic Marziali Staff Writer Illustration by Kate Rogers Design Editor 3/5 stars SPHS students found themselves gawking at a strolling Shannon Purser in the spring of 2016-2017 when the star was filming pieces of Sierra Burgess is a Loser on campus. Purser, most notably Barb of Stranger Things, appears as Sierra in the new […]
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: the perfect modern fairytale
Story by Aanji Sin Staff Writer Illustration by David Sohn Staff Illustrator 4.5/5 stars Over the past six months, Netflix queues, Hulu lineups, and illuminated marquees have been saturated by the rom-com genre; Crazy Rich Asians, Insatiable, and Sierra Burgess Is A Loser are just a few examples. However, all of these movies share the plight of […]
SPHS Club Profile: Sports for Society
Story by Matthew Tsai Staff Writer A typical family can spend up to $500 a week for a sports camp; with California’s poverty rate at 20%, few parents are able to fork over the money for their children to participate in the activities they love. Four juniors, Preston Sharkey, Evan Kowal, Tianhao Wei, and David Newhall, […]
Bradfest animates the nineteenth hole, offering an evening of non-stop tunes at the Arroyo
Written by Dominic Marziali Staff Writer Photos by Tony Chen Staff Photographer South Pas has more than its fair share of festivals. The Eclectic Music Festival, Summer Arts Crawl, and Festival of Balloons are just a few that occur within the 3.1 square miles of our small town, highlighting the abundance of local artistic and musical talent. […]
Crazy Rich Asians ticks all the boxes, supplying an ideal mix of humor, romance, and diversity
Written by Matthew Tsai Staff Writer Illustration By Talulla Chow Graphic Designer 4/5 stars In 2013, Kevin Kwan’s novel Crazy Rich Asians received rave reviews and quickly became an international bestseller. Five years later, a film adaption of the romantic-comedy has been released on the silver screen. Similar to what the cultural phenomenon Black Panther has done for […]
Lost Parrot Café: a coffeehouse of history and community
Story by Aanji Sin Staff Writer Photo by Alicia Alderete Photography Editor South Pasadena has its fair share of coffeehouses. Starbucks, Coffee Bean, and Kaldi are to name just a few cafés around the city, and the newest coffeehouse addition has proven to be just as successful as cafés of its kind. The Lost Parrot Café has […]
Tiger: Beyond L.A. – Xinjiang, China
Story and Photos by Christine Mao Staff Writer I braced myself as I stepped off the plane, expecting to be blasted by humidity and heat, but instead a cool, gentle breeze sailed past me. Xinjiang, China was expected to be unbearably hot in the summer, but I suppose my family and I got lucky and managed […]
Angelenos flock to KCRW headquarters for Summer Nights festival
Story and Photos by Cat Flores Staff Writer KCRW hosted its first “Summer Nights” event at its headquarters based on the campus of Santa Monica City College media and design center on Saturday, August 4th, offering a lineup of emerging artists and DJs, street food, and various activities to Angelenos. The National Public Radio (NPR) broadcasting […]
CGI saves Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom from mediocrity
Story by Kimberly Hsueh Staff Writer Illustration by Nicholas Forman Staff Illustrator 3.5/5 stars With a predictable storyline, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is another movie featuring prehistoric dinosaurs in the twenty-first century. Regardless, the visual effects greatly elevate the film, providing a thrill for its adrenaline-junkie fan base. Universal Pictures’ highly anticipated sequel to the Jurassic World […]
Tiger: Beyond L.A. – Copenhagen, Denmark
Story and Photos by Madeleine Yoo Staff Writer The sun burst through my hotel window at a painfully early 3:00 a.m. Summer days in Copenhagen begin then, and last until the sun sets at 11:00 p.m. I winced at the light and flipped onto my stomach, to the annoyance of my sister. When I woke up […]