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Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Mean Girls (2024) – Pros and Cons Maleah Gossai Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Over the last decade, many have pointed out that Hollywood has been doing more reboots and sequels than ever before. These criticisms came out at a time of Disney live-action remakes of classic animated films and sequels upon sequels to movies that either didn’t need it or had several sequels already. These criticisms have only proven truer with this year’s release of Mean Girls , a screen adaptation of the Broadway musical based on the 2004 movie. Mean Girls (2024) hasn’t just been critiqued for being a reboot of a cult classic, however. No, the criticisms go much deeper than that. The film, despite being a musical, was not at all marketed like one, leading many to believe that it was a cheap, cash-grabby remake rather than an adaptation of a Broadway show. This, along with claims of the actors not doing the characters justice and of the film just being bad, left a sour taste in the mouths of many viewers. However, today I’ll delve deep into the pros and cons of the film, at least from my perspective, to evaluate if these complaints are justified or if people were just desperate for a reason to hate the movie. Pro : The movie brings the musical to more people. As any musical fan knows all too well, seeing shows live on Broadway is, unfortunately, expensive . Many who wish to see a show will likely not due to the high price of tickets, which can be at least a hundred dollars a person. So, the release of a film adaptation of Mean Girls the Musical provides many aspiring theater kids with the opportunity to experience the musical for a fraction of the price. While yes, movie tickets have gotten much more expensive in recent years due to inflation, many who can’t afford Broadway tickets can still afford movie tickets, and with the movie recently hitting streaming, this brings the experience of Mean Girls in the comfort of one’s home, providing those who maybe can’t fork over the hundreds of dollars for a trip to Times Square with the chance to watch the Tony-nominated musical. Con : The songs in the movie fall flat. There’s a reason the movie was marketed without any mention of the songs: it’s because they’re not exactly the best. The songs from the new movie lack the same emotion, depth, or even just the composition as the ones from the original Broadway cast recording, and it shows. Take the song “Stupid with Love” as an example. It’s a song by our main protagonist Cady Heron about how she may be intelligent but simply cannot understand love and how it works as she navigates feelings for Aaron Samuels, the movie’s love interest. In the musical, actress Erika Henningsen sings the song with emotion, matching the song’s peppy and bright instrumentals with her vocals. However, in the movie, actress Angourie Rice, while her singing is pleasant, sings with less tone variety, making her iteration of the character seem much less enthusiastic than Henningsen’s. The song “World Burn” has this issue, too. The song, sung by our main antagonist, Regina George, is meant to convey how Regina feels after she realizes she’s been conned by Cady and as she begins framing Cady for having written the infamous Burn Book. In the original cast recording, actress Taylor Louderman sings the song with rage in her voice, exactly conveying how Regina felt in the moment, and the backing vocals reading out the terrible things written in the Burn Book make the song one of the best in the musical. In the movie, actress Renee Rapp does an excellent job as Regina, but the backing vocals and instrumental fall short of doing what made the original so great. Pro : The movie incorporates more diversity through its new cast. The original Mean Girls wasn’t exactly the most diverse movie. Sure, it was the early 2000s and diversity was not as good as it is now, but it still could’ve done better. This issue is somewhat adjusted in the 2024 adaptation, with three of our main characters – Janis, Karen, and Damian – being actors of color. Karen, now Karen Shetty rather than Karen Smith, is played by Indian actress Avantika Vandanapu. Janis, now Janis Sarkisian instead of Janis Ian, is played by Hawaiian actress Auli’I Cravalho. Damian, now Damian Hubbard rather than Damian Leigh, is played by Black actor Jaquel Spivey. While sure, nothing can ever truly “fix” the original film’s diversity issue, and yes, Hollywood should be funding original films with characters of color rather than rebooting films and casting actors of color in them, this more diverse cast is a welcomed change from the original film and gives people of various backgrounds a chance to see themselves in a movie as classic as Mean Girls . Con : It’s far, far too soon to reboot a cult classic. The original Mean Girls is having its 20th anniversary this year in October. However, while 20 years is a long time (especially since this movie is older than I am), it feels way too soon to shove the original to the side in favor of the new movie, especially one as ingrained in pop culture as Mean Girls is. The movie is a classic, there’s no denying it, and while the new movie can stand on its own as an adaptation of the musical, it just feels like a cheap attempt at making money based on existing intellectual property (IP), which, unfortunately, it is. Maybe if it had been worked on for longer, if it had been given a few more years for the original movie to become an “old movie,” it would’ve been more successful as a reboot. The original Mean Girls has never been an “irrelevant” franchise, as its sheer status as a classic 2000s teen flick has been enough to cement in the minds of adults and teens. If the movie had been pushed back a few years to a 2029 release date for the film’s 25th anniversary, maybe it could have been an excellent, critically acclaimed musical adaptation that pays respect and homage to the original. As it stands, the movie falls into the same category as Disney live-action remakes: a film created in order to capitalize on the success of the preexisting IP of a beloved franchise. That’s not to discredit the movie’s quality in any way, of course, but the film has that air of “Hollywood cash grab” to it that unfortunately can’t be canceled out by its uniqueness as a musical reboot rather than just a remake. Final Verdict: It’s a good movie; it’s just a product of Hollywood’s current state. As someone who checks all the boxes for this movie’s target audience, I can safely say I liked this movie. It’s no cult classic, of course, that status still belongs to the original, and while the music isn’t on the same level as the original musical’s, it’s still a fun, enjoyable watch. Much of the criticism was unfounded, likely caused by the fact that people couldn’t handle that they rebooted Mean Girls at all, but in most cases like this, the internet often blows things out of proportion. Sure, it’s a cash-grabby reboot greenlit by Hollywood execs in order to squeeze a quick buck out of one of the most beloved 2000s movies out there, but it’s a good cash grab that makes for a good time, especially when watched with friends or loved ones. The internet isn’t always to be trusted, and this case is no exception. Mean Girls (2024) is an entertaining movie that will surely entertain fans of original and new fans alike. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Mariah Carey’s Is “Defrosting” Max Ching Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Image provided by The Independent When December was rolling around the corner, so was Christmas, and it isn’t Christmas without holiday music. There are many great songs to listen to during December, some being “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” and more. However, the song that most people joke around about during the holidays, is undoubtedly, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a song written by Mariah Carey intended to celebrate Christmas. However, in the last couple of years, this song has been played in public places more frequently as the holidays came around the corner. This created a meme on the internet, about how Mariah Carey suddenly becomes incredibly relevant again when December rolls around, or as it is usually referred to as, “defrosting.” As of today, it is unclear who created this joke; however, two Twitter accounts that are named, “erod47”, and “aphextw1nk_” made the earliest known form of this meme. These tweets are stated as “Mariah Carey is slowly defrosting for Christmas as we speak,” and “Christmas is in the shops, and I can almost hear Micheal Bublé and Mariah Carey defrosting.” More reposts of this joke were made on Twitter in October 2017, and November 2017; however, they did not spread the joke to go viral. This meme finally gained some sort of traction in October 2018, when Twitter user, “Bailey_Hunter24” tweeted the joke, and it got 13,280 reposts and 58,100 likes. This post then started a trend about Mariah Carey, which lasted into November and then became an annual trend every year, specifically during October and November. Each year the trend became increasingly popular, with some memes about Mariah on Twitter gaining thousands of likes and reposts. One meme posted on October 26, 2021, by user, “_niazzzz_” got over 88,800 retweets and 439,200 likes in one week. In the same year, videos and images inspired by the joke went viral. One video made by Twitter user, “HoshizoraOW,” posted on October 30, 2021, gained over 310,500 views, 10,700 retweets, and 30,600 likes in 3 days. A repost of this Tweet the very next day earned more than 1.9 million views, 51,900 retweets, and 260,900 likes in only 2 days. This meme was now thriving so much to the point where Mariah herself acknowledged it. On November 1st of this year, Mariah uploaded a video on YouTube titled, “IT’S TIME!!!” where multiple people in Halloween costumes were using hair dryers to free Mariah from a block of ice, with Mariah performing, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” when she is freed. However, all good things must come to an end. Just like how there are memes of Mariah defrosting, there are also memes of Mariah, “going back into hibernation” until the next Christmas comes. Some examples of these memes are about Mariah going into the sea until next Christmas, along with memes about Mariah being sealed into a crystal after Christmas, and memes about Mariah quite literally going into hibernation, like a bear. That was how all the memes about Mariah Carey were made, how they became popular, and how even Mariah herself made jokes about this silly internet trend. SOURCE: Mariah Carey Defrosting | Know Your Meme BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Documents Found in Joe Biden’s Homes By Cael Javier Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Reuters In the U.S., the Presidential Records Act controls all the rules on presidential records and classified files of the White House. It established that presidential records are the property of the U.S. government. They must be preserved and are not the president’s private property. Before this law was passed, presidents who were leaving office just took their documents with them when they left the White House. It was considered their personal property. With this law, the records became the property of the U.S. government, and the National Archives oversee them. The law applies to the president, vice president, and some portions of the Executive Office of the President, including the National Security Council and Council of Economic Advisers. It lays out the requirements for maintaining and securing the information during and after a presidency. Starting in November 2022, documents started turning up at Joe Biden’s former D.C. house. On November 2nd, Biden’s lawyers found classified documents in an office that Biden used after he left the vice presidency. A few days later, the National Archives inspector-general contacted a prosecutor at the Justice Department to let them know that classified documents were found at the office. The FBI then began an assessment to get better knowledge of whether the information was mishandled. On November 14th, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Chicago U.S. Attorney John Lausch Jr. to conduct an initial investigation. The FBI conducted a search of the former Biden office. It is unsure whether any new records were recovered. The search was mutual, and a warrant was not needed. About a month later, more documents were found in Biden’s garage in Delaware. On December 20th, Biden’s personal counsel informed Lausch about this information. On January 9th, 2023, the White House revealed that a small number of classified documents were found on November 2nd in a locked closet in Biden’s former office. The next day, Biden stated that he was shocked the documents were found and that he did not know what they consisted of. The White House then revealed that more documents were found in Joe Biden’s house in Wilmington, Delaware. Garland appointed the former justice official Robert Hur as special counsel to further investigate the handling of the documents. On January 20th, the FBI conducted a thorough search of Biden’s home in Wilmington, and they found six more classified items. This search did not require a warrant. On February 1st, the FBI searched Biden’s home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Biden’s lawyers reported that there were not any classified records recovered. The investigators took materials and handwritten notes that might be related to Biden’s time as vice president. There are still updates on this situation today. The documents should be kept safe with the U.S. government and the National Archives. Joe Biden has not faced accusations of destroying documents, unlike Donald Trump. Trump has been accused of destroying documents while in office. If he were convicted of destroying documents, he would not be eligible to run for president again. Biden’s case is different. The Act requires evidence that his actions were unlawful. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Pep Rally of '24 and Senior Year Cross Country Season Manal Layachi Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Mother of Manal Layachi Senior year has arrived A bittersweet and joyful time Back to a routine Living the dream Homecoming flies by Having the time of my life Pep rally gets me pumped I cannot wait to run and jump As my coach calls out the names of my teammates, He forgets to call mine, But I know he is playing and I have to wait As the only senior on the team, I feel special like a queen When my coach calls my name I run across the turf and accept all of the fame As I run under the tunnel made by my teammates, I feel amazing and great My confidence increases and I celebrate I have been doing cross country for four years Although there will be tears when I graduate, there will also be cheers As I run every day and receive my senior banner, I remember all of my athletic accomplishments without regrets as I am a master I know I did my best and got faster. BACK TO TOP

North Star Halloween Costume Contest Vote for your favorite costume and photo! The Art Department The Art Department The Art Department The Haunted Maze- Art Club and Art Honor Society Jen ATC and Sam Jen ATC Hot Dogs Alexa D'Andrea and Amelia Muscatelli- Pink and Yellow Princesses Mrs. Meringolo's Class Alexa D'Andrea- Pink Princess Jayda Rutledge- "Joe Cool" Marcus Chiu and Aleeza Dhillon- Wild West Abigail Reichbach and Samantha Defalco- Plum Pudding and Strawberry Shortcake Arianna Hack- Tinker Bell The Art Department The Math Department- Party Animals Fiona from "Adventure Time"- Quinn O'Connor Sophia Reese- Founding Fathers The Math Department- Party Animals Elaine Ching, Melody Chen, Jack Voss VOTE

Navrosedip Kundlas POLARIS EDITOR IN CHIEF Hi Everyone! I’m Navrosedip Kundlas and I am the editor of POLARIS. I write poetry, short stories, and am currently writing a book! Besides the North Star, I am a member of various clubs and hold two other officer positions. I play sports all three seasons: XC, Winter Track and Field, and Badminton. I look forward to inspiring others to reach their creative side for the best few years! Echoes of You Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Familial Ties Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Spring Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Shifts Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More A Fresh Start Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Farmingdale Bus Accident Sahar Ali, Javier Cael, and Navrosedip Kundlas News Read More Precious Gems By Navrosedip Kundlas Fiction, Polaris Read More Nature's Elegance By Navrosedip Kundlas Fiction, Polaris Read More Athlete Spotlight: Kevin Beltran By Navrosedip Kundlas and Matteo Somma Sports Read More Rabbit Proof Fence By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Whispers of the Ocean Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Stressful Minds Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Inspirations Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More In Honor of Gina Pellettiere Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Precious Memories Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Emily Dickson By Navrosedip Kundlas Fiction, Polaris Read More Petals By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris, Fiction Read More Nature’s Gentle Touch By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris, Fiction Read More The Danger of a Single Story By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Winter Track By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More

Cody Sung FEATURE SECTION AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SECTION EDITOR Hi, I’m Cody! I edit the featured and science sections of North Star. When I’m not editing or writing articles about the latest scientific discoveries or generally interesting stories, you can find me working on my homework, being at clubs after school, or relaxing with my friends and playing video games with them online. If you have any questions, feel free to email us, the North Star team! Thank You! Cody Sung Feature Read More Valley Stream Central High School District’s Health Department Violations Cody Sung Feature Read More Bridges Cody Sung Feature Read More North Drama Club Glows in “Radium Girls” Cody Sung News Read More Valley Stream 2023 District Science Symposium Cody Sung News Read More The Fifth Ocean By Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More The Rise of Pickleball By Cody Sung Sports Read More What Happened to DART? By Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More A New Benefit for Poop By Cody Sung News Read More The Story of Wordle By Cody Sung Feature Read More Cody's Words of Advice Cody Sung News Read More Don’t Drink and Drive: The Simulator Cody Sung Feature Read More Hofstra University: The Place to Be Cody Sung Feature Read More NASA Got Its First Asteroid Sample Cody Sung Feature, Science & Technology Read More Hair Ice Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More Interview with Mr. Moniaci By Cody Sung Feature Read More Cody's Trivia Corner By Cody Sung Feature Read More Halloween Poem By Cody Sung Polaris Read More Two New North Clubs By Cody Sung News Read More The Pig: A New Organ Donor By Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More

North's Art Honor Society donates 10+ portraits to the children in Syria through their partnership with the Memory project. Scroll below to view some. ARTWORK CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW ARTWORK MEMORY PROJECT LOAD MORE GALLERY LOAD MORE

ALL ARTICLES NEWS ART & CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA FEATURE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY POLARIS EDITORIAL SPORTS ADVICE Sophomore English Class: 2A, or Not 2A, That is the Question Editorial Noa Cordova March 13, 2024 READ MORE The Art of Table Tennis Sports Manal Layachi March 13, 2024 READ MORE "Flowers" Polaris Elaine Ching March 13, 2024 READ MORE P.S. I Love You Day: “Purple Day” News Noa Cordova March 13, 2024 READ MORE Royal Polaris Annie Diep March 13, 2024 READ MORE Choice and Voting Editorial Jasmine Roberts March 13, 2024 READ MORE Athlete Spotlight: Naomi Gonzalez (Interview) Sports Rehmat Kaur March 13, 2024 READ MORE "Red Light" Polaris Elaine Ching March 13, 2024 READ MORE Snowball Dance News, Feature Max Ching March 13, 2024 READ MORE 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 ... 71

North's Art Honor Society donates 10+ portraits to the children in Syria through their partnership with the Memory project. Scroll below to view some. ARTWORK CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW ARTWORK MEMORY PROJECT LOAD MORE GALLERY LOAD MORE