The Plank - Opinions
Opinion: “SOMA” sends subtle psychological scares
“SOMA” is a survival horror game developed and published by Frictional Games, the very same studio that created the acclaimed “Amnesia” game/series. The base gameplay of “SOMA” holds many similarities to its predecessors in the “Amnesia” series, with stealth and puzzle solving being the main mechanics needed to progress.
Opinion: “IGOR” mixes amazing talent with deeper meaning
On May 17, 2019, Tyler, the Creator released his fifth studio album titled “IGOR.” The album won Tyler the first Grammy of his career: Best Rap Album of 2020. His fourth album, “Flower Boy,” fell short after being nominated but not selected for Best Rap Album at the 2018 Grammys, so winning was a huge accomplishment for Tyler.
On “IGOR,” Tyler branched out from what people thought rap was and introduced a heavy R&B influence to his experimental rapping. Tyler utilized a wide array of sounds from psychedelic synths to distorted bass, providing an experience that fans of many different genres could appreciate.
Car show featured cool cars, awesome automobiles
On Tuesday, April 25, Jesuit High School Sacramento hosted its
annual car show, which allowed students to see and appreciate
some exotic, classic, and beautifully built cars.
Opinion: The “Tetris” movie lines up just right
“Tetris” is a biographical thriller about the history of the
videogame by the same name. It was released on March 15,
2023 and was directed by Jon S. Baird and written by Noah
Pink.
“The Last of Us” is a great show for zombie-lovers to remember.
“The Last of Us” is a TV adaptation made by HBO of its video game counterpart developed by Naughty Dog. Both the game and the show follow the main characters, Joel and Ellie, in a horror-action adventure in a post-apocalyptic world.
Kendrick Lamar’s discography reveals a transcendent talent
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, more popularly known as Kendrick Lamar,
son of Paula Oliver and Kenny Duckworth was born on June 17,
1987, in Compton, California, a city known for its prominent
presence in the west-coast rap scene as well as its rampant gang
violence and crime.
Smash Bros: The Ultimate Fighting Game!
“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” (SSBU) is very popular at Jesuit
High School Sacramento, and for a good reason. Adherents have
been seen playing this game during lunch, community periods, and
even in the morning on days with a late school start. I, too, am
a fan of the “Super Smash Bros” franchise and decided to delve
deeper into the game’s history and give an overall rating and
opinion.
Opinion: Cornell University, go (other) Big Red!
Cornell University is a private Ivy League school located in
Ithaca, New York that is well known for its Computer Science,
Medical, and Hotel Management programs. Cornell is also famous
for being the second largest school in the Ivy League with 15,000
undergraduate students.
Opinion: MF DOOM’s presence still looms large
New York rapper Daniel Dumile, aka MF DOOM, is one of the
greatest and most influential hip hop artists of all time. MF
DOOM tragically passed away on Oct. 31, 2020, at the age of 49.
Despite his passing, his presence and musical influence are still
felt in pop culture to this day.
Opinion: Georgetown University offers historic campus, Catholic education
Georgetown University is a private Jesuit institution and
research university located in Washington, D.C. It offers the
opportunity for Jesuit High School Sacramento students to
continue their Jesuit education in the nation’s capital, with
access to a multitude of internships and a beautiful campus.
Don’t Worry Darling displays dazzling performances
Psychological thriller film “Don’t Worry Darling” hit theaters on
Sept. 23, 2022. The movie was directed by Olivia Wilde and
written by Katie Silberman, and features a star-studded cast
including Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, and Gemma
Chan.
“Final Letters” Learning from the past to change the present
On Friday, Nov. 4, Jesuit Drama held the Opening Night Gala and
Performance of the fall play “Final Letters,” a company-created
production based off of the Yad Vashem Archive’s “Final Letters.”
This solemn yet educational production presents emotional letters
written by Jewish victims of the Holocaust while under Nazi
oppression.
Jesuit hosts first in person Back to School Night in three years
Jesuit High School Sacramento’s Back to School Night is on
Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. This marks the first in person Back
to School Night in three years. The event looks to reunite
parents and teachers and to showcase a student’s life at
Jesuit.
Review: ‘The Witcher’ season 2 makes massive improvements
On Dec. 17, 2021 the second season of Netflix’s “The Witcher” was released, and it is remarkably different from the first season. The second season is based off of the short story “A Grain of Truth,” the second novel in the “Witcher” series “Blood of Elves,” and the beginning of the third novel “Time of Contempt.”
Review: ‘Severance’ is an intense, mind-bending sci-fi thriller
On Feb. 18, 2022, the intense sci-fi thriller “Severance” aired its first episode on Apple TV+. The show’s season finale was released on April 8, and was created, written, and produced by Dan Erikson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
Review: ‘Ambulance’ has a sour emotional core
Michael Bay strikes again. His newest action thriller film
“Ambulance” stars Eiza González, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Jake
Gyllenhaal.
Review: ‘Uncharted’ Underwhelms Expectations
On Feb. 18, 2022, “Uncharted” was released in theaters. The film
stars Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, Mark Wahlberg as Victor
“Sully” Sullivan, and Sophia Taylor Ali as Chloe Frazer. It
opened to overwhelmingly negative critical reviews, and
underwhelming box office results, making only 51 million dollars
in its opening weekend and one of very few movies to make less
than a 1 thousand dollar-per-theater average.
Review: ‘The Stanley Parable’ re-released with hours of new content
Developed by Crows Crows Crows, the critically acclaimed video
game, “The Stanley Parable,” originally launched in 2013. Lauded
for its wit, humor, and commentary about the nature of choice in
video games, “The Stanley Parable” has now been re-released in
2022 with hours of new content under the moniker “The Stanley
Parable: Ultra Deluxe.”
Opinion: Struggles of Growing Up Black
Growing up as a young Black man trying to navigate this world is
hard. From a young age, I was taught survival skills that I will
have to live with for the rest of my life.
Review: Spotty first season of ‘The Witcher’ disappoints
On Dec. 20, 2019, Netflix released the first season of the long
awaited “The Witcher” series, starring Henry Cavill. Now with the
release of the second season, I figured it was time to look back
on the first season.