Tag Archives: tv

My 2023 NBA Playoffs Prediction

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With one week left before the NBA Playoffs start in 2023, my excitement is through the roof. I can’t wait to see many different teams in the playoffs. This year, there are so many different things to watch for. However, I would like to first start off by establishing that I am a Golden State Warriors fan, so I may be a bit biased toward Steph Curry and my Warriors. 

With the regular season dwindling down and the play-in tournament having not taken place yet, I can’t state much about the matchups, but I will describe some topics I am certainly looking forward to.

Initially, before addressing the playoff teams, I would like to talk about how disappointing the Mavericks were this season (I’m sorry Mavs fans). Coming into the season, they had big expectations due to their appearance in the Western Conference Finals the year before. The Dallas Mavericks saw Jalen Brunson leave for the New York Knicks in the offseason. However, they were still staying afloat, drifting around the 4-6 seed range in the Western Conference until February. In February, a few days before the trade deadline, the Mavs traded for superstar point guard Kyrie Irving, with hopes that he would be able to take their team to the NBA Finals alongside Luka Doncic. However, this experiment failed, with the Mavs losing the majority of their games with Luka and Kyrie together and ultimately resulting in them falling outside the required seeding (1-10) to compete in the postseason. Nonetheless, the Mavs still have an incredibly bright future and I can definitely see them going far in the postseason next year, as long as they do well in free agency by adding some bench depth and defense. Even adding an older big man like Dwight Howard or Demarcus Cousins can do wonders for them.

With last year’s Western Conference Finals Runner up eliminated from postseason contention, the West is wide open for other teams to have a chance. The Denver Nuggets, a team that has been really good for a few years now, along with their two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, may see some playoff success this year as they have been able to snatch the one seed. The Memphis Grizzlies, the second seed in the West, are also going to see their chance to go further in the playoffs. The three-seeded Sacramento Kings have had an amazing year, ending their sixteen-season playoff drought. However, their lack of experience and the fact that they will either play the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, or the defending champion Golden State Warriors have me thinking that they’ll have a first-round exit. Those three teams who are in competition for the sixth seed have five superstars combined along with really good supporting players.

Despite all of this, the Western team to watch in my opinion is the Phoenix Suns. They have a star-studded super team with Kevin Durant at the helm. This team went to the NBA Finals in 2021 before losing in six games without Kevin Durant, so the addition of Kevin Durant has me scared for their potential. If the healthy Phoenix Suns play your team, watch out. You might be in for some heartbreak. 

The Golden State Warriors, my team, have had an up-and-down season. They started out struggling, even going 4-7 throughout their first eleven games. Then, Stephen Curry, the team’s superstar, and a generational talent, got injured twice throughout the season, missing a handful of games. However, as of recently, the Warriors have been playing inspired basketball and I’m excited to see how my team will do in the postseason. 

The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers are two star-studded teams that both started the season with a lot of losses, but have found themselves throughout the last one and a half months of the regular season and climbed the standings. 

Now, moving to the East, I believe there are only three teams to pay attention to in the Eastern Conference. No disrespect to any of the other teams in the Eastern Conference, but these three teams are powerhouses that will be tough to defeat in a seven-game series. These teams are the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers, also the 1-3 seeds in their conference. The Milwaukee Bucks won the championship in 2021 and their team is only getting better every year, so I can definitely see them going deep in the postseason this year. Next up is the Boston Celtics, who went to the NBA Finals last season before losing to my Warriors. This Boston team is centered around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but they also have last year’s Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Smart along with some great supporting pieces like Malcolm Brogdon, Derrick White, Robert Williams III, and Al Horford. When they are at their best, they can be really difficult to beat. My last contender in the East has to be Philadelphia. They have struggled in the playoffs every year, usually losing in the first or second round, so I can’t necessarily trust that this is their year. Regardless of their previous struggles, this is a team with Joel Embiid, who is the MVP in my opinion, along with James Harden. If they will eventually win a championship together in Philly, I feel like this can be their best chance. 

With the NBA Playoffs starting next weekend, I’m incredibly excited to see how it plays out. Of course, I’m hopeful that my Golden State Warriors can do their thing and get another championship, going back-to-back. However, we must wait and see. On April 15, the NBA Playoffs will begin and I highly advise you to tune in if you have an interest in watching some amazing talent leave it all on the floor for a chance to win the 2023 NBA Championship. 

Movies to Watch

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Lots of us enjoy watching movies, but sometimes we can’t find any movies that we are interested in. If you feel like that, don’t worry because these are some great movies that you can watch! These are all movies that I really enjoyed. I really loved watching these because they were entertaining, made me laugh or they taught me something. I hope that you will be able to find something new to watch off of this list. 

These movies are not ranked or in order. 

The Hobbit: This movie is proof of heart over height. Even though it is just a movie, it really shows that willpower is more important than being tall or big. Bilbo Baggins, a tiny hobbit, who is only a couple feet tall and way shorter than a dwarf or a man, is the main character in the movie series. Bilbo and his dwarf friends work to take back their mountain and kingdom that Smaug the Dragon took from them. There are 3 movies about this adventure. They are called “An Unexpected Journey”, “The Desolation of Smaug”, and “The Battle of the Five Armies”. 

Lord of the Rings Series: As a sequel to the Hobbit, this movie series is about destroying the one ring that controls them all. Bilbo leaves the ring for Frodo, and Frodo leaves on a mission with his friends and fellow hobbits to get to Mount Doom and destroy the evil behind the ring. This is a great movie series that combines fantasy and adventure, and it also sneaks in lessons about friendship and loyalty. The 3 parts to this movie are “The Fellowship of the Ring” , “The Two Towers”, and “The Return of the King”. 

The War With Grandpa: When a widowed grandpa unwillingly moves into his daughter’s home to live with them, they give him  his grandson Peter’s room. Peter, who wants his room back, plans revenge. Peter and his grandpa agree on a prank war. This movie is super hilarious. 

Instant Family: When a couple decides to adopt children, they probably don’t expect it to be as hard as it is in this movie. Ellie and Pete Wagner decide to adopt a teen named Lizzy, but her 2 siblings come as a package with her. Elizabeth, Juan, and Lita are the 3 foster children. First, there needs to be a trial period to see if the children and the foster parents are a good fit for each other. The kids don’t approve of the parent candidates much. Are they going to like each other and form a family unit or keep annoying each other until this trial period ends? 

The Pink Panther (2006): You might know the Pink Panther short episodes, but this is a long movie filled with hilarious scenes from the one and only Detective Clouseau. When the soccer coach is shot dead at the match with a poisonous dart , Detective Clouseau and Ponton work to discover the answer to the question: Who killed him? Clouseau’s clumsy and silly actions cause bad relations with the other detectives, but they keep searching for the murderer and the thief who stole the Pink Panther ring. I loved this movie because of the humor and comedy that takes place, especially with Detective Clouseau. 

The Last Dance ( Michael Jordan Documentary): This documentary series has 10 one-hour episodes with Michael Jordan reliving his basketball achievements and explaining them. These moments that Michael Jordan talks about include the Playoffs against the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons who were known for their rough and physical play style and it also includes his best plays and moments in the NBA Finals against Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz. If you are a basketball or a sports fan, you will love this documentary. This documentary came out on April 19, 2020. 

Tom and Jerry (The Movie):  The perfect comedy for a family! If you have watched the adventures of Tom and Jerry cartoon episodes, you’re gonna love this movie! A combination of real people and cartoon animals, this movie does a great job of blending different worlds. 

-Mert A.

These titles (and more!) are available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library

Why Avatar: The Last Airbender Deserves All the Hype it Gets

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February 21, 2005.

The day that the legendary TV show Avatar:The Last Airbender (A:TLA) debuted on Nickelodeon. Now, you might be thinking, what’s so cool about a kid’s cartoon show? But, from it’s beautiful cultural representation to how it introduces mature themes in a lighthearted way, I can say with 100% certainty that A:TLA has forever made its mark as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

I’m sure that all of us have heard the iconic intro of A:TLA one way or another:

“Water. Earth. Fire. Air.

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.

A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang, and although his airbending skills are great, he still has a lot to learn before he’s ready to save anyone.

But I believe Aang can save the world.”

To provide a brief summary, this TV show takes place in a world divided into four different nations that are based on elements of the world: Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. In this universe, there are people who are called Benders, who are able to control and manipulate the element of their respective nation. And as you probably read from the opening, the Avatar is a person who is able to control all 4 elements. Aang, who is an airbender and happens to be the last one of his kind, is discovered in an iceberg (along with his amazing sky bison, Appa) by Katara, a waterbender, and her brother Sokka, who are members of the Southern Water Tribe. The Water Tribes take inspiration from Inuit, Yupik, and Sirenik Eskimos (which can be seen in their attire and their living conditions), and waterbending is a clear parallel to the Chinese martial art Tai Chi!

Because Aang was discovered to be alive, since it was widely believed that the Avatar had died (because Aang was trapped in that iceberg for 100 years), Zuko, the prince of the Fire Nation, along with his wise Uncle Iroh are on the hunt to find the Avatar and reclaim Zuko’s honor. To provide some background, during the time when Aang was in the iceberg, the Hundred-Year War raged on, allowing the Fire Nation to take over many parts of the world. The Fire Nation is a very well done portrayal of real-life imperialism, and firebending takes inspiration from the Northern Shaolin martial art.

Along the way, they encounter many different types of people, including a talented earthbender named Toph, a skilled warrior named Suki, and Azula, Zuko’s younger sister who is a firebending prodigy and a manipulative mastermind, along with her two friends, Mai and Ty Lee.

Of course, the things that I have described in this review is only a brief summary of this show and only scratches the surface of what this show has to offer. It explores how to live with the loss of loved ones, with Katara losing her mother to the Fire Nation, understanding inner turmoils when deciding your identity, which is shown in Zuko’s beautiful character arc, and even dealing with other historical events, such as underground brainwashing and corrupt governments. Yet, despite the various themes and dark occurrences that this show goes in-depth about, A:TLA still manages to capture the attention of viewers from all ages, while still having a detailed, well-written plot intertwined with the illustration of various cultures. I really cannot stress enough how much I love this show, and being able to rewatch it on Netflix after years and years of not remembering it was an amazing experience for me. So please, if you haven’t seen this show, I am urging you to watch it, and I hope that you too can embark on this journey as Team Avatar works together to save the world!!

Yip yip!

-Juianne T.

TV Review: Fresh Off the Boat

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Fresh Off The Boat is by far my favorite television show to watch. It is so funny and at least for me, very relatable. It also stars Constance Wu who is one of my favorite actresses. Every episode of this show is always something new but yet extremely funny and relatable in a new way. It is also a very family friendly tv show, unlike many recent shows so, it is something that everybody can watch and enjoy.

This show is about a Chinese family who moves from Washington D.C’s Chinatown to Orlando where, they know nothing about the culture. The mother in the show, Jessica Huang, is like your typical Asian mother and as the show progresses, you get to see how she immerses herself in this new culture. The sons Eddie, Emery, and Evan all have extremely different personalities and each act like the different types of kids that you see growing up.

There are five seasons of this show, but as it has gone on, it feels like it has lost some of the Asian culture that made it so enjoyable in the first place. It is still a really good show but, the first season is by far the best with each subsequent season seeming to progressive farther and farther away from the representation of Asian culture that was the basis of the show when it first started. Though, after having watched the new episodes that are coming out in season five, it seems that the show is starting to go back in the direction of Asian culture that made it so relatable in the first place.

The best part of this entire show, is the grandmother, who only speaks Chinese but yet is the funniest character in the show. She is just so unlike any other character I have ever seen represented in media. She is so superstitious while extremely American at the same time which makes her my favorite character.

Overall, this show is great and is perfect for families to watch. I love it, and would recommend anybody who just wants to watch something comedic to watch it.

-Ava G.

Voltron: Legendary Defender, Rebooted and Rewarding

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voltronNetflix’s new animated series, Voltron: Legendary Defender, takes the much-beloved 80’s cartoon Voltron: Defender of the Universe and rebuilds the world of space battles, robotic lions, and strong friendships in a new take on the classic sci-fi adventure. With its second season having been recently released on Jan. 20th, fans have jumped at the chance to devour the new set of 13 episodes and now eagerly await more.

Our story centers around five humans from Earth – Shiro, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Keith – that discover a giant blue robotic lion that’s been sitting dormant in the desert. Once they’re inside, the lion activates and flies the five heroes into space – yes, a flying lion spaceship – where they meet two aliens named Coran and Allura. They are from the planet Altea, which was destroyed by the Galra Empire thousands of years ago. The Galra Empire has been continuing its tyrannical takeover ever since, and the universe needs Voltron to save it. What is Voltron, you ask? Coran and Allura explain to the five heroes that the blue lion they uncovered is one of five robotic lions that, when piloted, can combine into a massive, human-shaped robot of great power named Voltron. Sounds ridiculous, right?

Despite the absurdity of the idea, this show executes it so well. The action is intense, the alien civilizations wildly creative, and the animation a far leap ahead of its 80’s counterpart. The characters are developed and getting deeper as the show goes on, and the plot is fast-paced and entertaining. I saw the first season when it first released early in 2016, and the year long wait for Season 2 was worth it. The creators of the show, Joaquin Dos Santos and Lauren Montgomery, stay true enough to the original but have updated it in many, much-needed ways. They pay attention to their ever-growing fanbase and deliver quality episodes that continue to appease and surprise.

The characters are all individually enjoyable and have great dynamics together. Shiro leads the group as the paladin, or pilot, of the Black Lion and acts as the head of the group, as opposed to Keith doing so in the original series. Keith now pilots the Red Lion as its impulsive, ready-to-fight paladin. Lance is the flirtatious jokester and sharpshooter paladin of the Blue Lion. Hunk is the food-loving engineer and pilot of the Yellow Lion. Pidge, who is now a girl as opposed to her male 80’s counterpart, is a tech genius and the youngest of the group, piloting the Green Lion. Allura is the princess of Altea, and Coran is her advisor.

Not only have these characters been fully-fleshed out with backstories (although we’re still waiting on Lance’s and Hunk’s backstories) and motivations, but the new Voltron has made an effort to diversify its cast. Allura, Hunk, Shiro, and Lance are all people of color now, and Pidge’s gender change has brought a second female into the limelight. I for one am incredibly happy to see this push for diversity. The dialogue is conversational and natural, and the tone switches appropriately from light-hearted and goofy to serious and heartfelt when called for. In the newest season, the concept of prejudice is brought up and addressed exceptionally well. It’s progressive, and I love it.

Of course, the past 30 years have led to much better quality animation, leaving Netflix’s version with a style reminiscent of the popular Avatar: The Last Airbender. Voltron mixes CGI into the mainly 2D show in order to make the lions, Voltron, and fight scenes stand out. The character animation is exaggerated for comedy and detailed for intensity, switching it up depending on what the story calls for.

Voltron: Legendary Defender deserves a watch; go and see Season 1’s first episode, which is pretty plot-heavy, and you’ll have a good sense of the show’s dynamic. I applaud Netflix’s approach to this classic and anticipate next year’s season!

-Abby F., 12th grade

 

Stranger Things: A New Netflix Phenomenon

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Once a new TV show permeates every form of social media, I take it as a sign I should get around to watching it – both to join the chaotic mess of fans and to avoid the ever-growing list of spoilers. Stranger Things, Netflix’s new original TV series, has taken the world by storm, and after watching the entire first season in two nights, I have been fully swept away in its winds of success.

Stranger Things is an eight chapter story about young boy, Will Byers, who goes mysteriously missing after a game of D&D with his quirky gang of friends. The town goes on high alert trying to find the boy, while a strange and, quite frankly, disgusting monster lurks in the shadows and awaits its next victim. The only one who has any semblance of understanding as to why the monster is stalking the small town is Eleven, a girl of few words and many powers. As Sheriff Hopper traces what he believes to be Will’s tracks to the suspicious government organization in town, Eleven teams up with Mike, Dustin, and Lucas to search for Will on their own.

The show walks the line between horror and sci-fi, using the rural town of Hawkins, Indiana as a setting for a supernatural hotspot, including an alternate dimension, telekinetic powers, and the monster that’s been nicknamed “The Demagorgon.” The pacing can feel slow at times, but it gives the show lots of room for character development and raw emotion.

The actors give stunning performances that truly convey their characters’ internal struggles, whether it be a desperate mother grasping at supernatural straws to find her son or a lab experiment runaway hiding from her manipulative “Papa.” The show’s comedic relief, which is mainly circumstantial and dialogue-related, is found mostly among the group of middle schoolers Mike, Dustin, and Lucas as they search for Will and coax Eleven into helping. They’re nerds, scientists, and adventurers-in-the-making, and I fell in love with them immediately. Eleven’s reactions to everyday phenomena always got me to crack a smile, too.

However, the show’s comedic moments are few and far between. A large portion of the show is suspenseful and emotional. Stranger Things‘ main theme would have to be trust and faith. The boys must earn Eleven’s trust in order to gain her help, and Eleven must earn their trust so that they won’t suspect her of being the “Lando” in their story, as Dustin would say. Joyce Byers, Will’s mother, needs someone to trust her as she tries not to lose faith in the supernatural signs her son sends her. The show relies heavily on its characters and their relationships with one another, whether it be family, friends, or even lovers. Fear and desperation can bring together the unlikeliest of people, and Stranger Things has more than enough fear and desperation to provide these opportunities.

The directors, the Duffer Brothers, have brought about a new pop culture sensation that is steadily increasing in popularity. If horror, sci-fi, and supernatural are your buzz words for a good show, Stranger Things is right up your alley. I enjoyed every minute of this series, and I eagerly anticipate Season 2 (coming next year).

-Abby F.

Pokemon VS Digimon

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Many people can argue that Pokemon or Digimon is better. In reality, Pokemon had better ratings and Digimon ceased to exist. I love them both, and wish that Digimon could be back. Both of these games/tv shows had a similar idea about raising these animals into strong ones, and fight with them. They are both really fun to play/watch. Now I will compare these two.

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Pokemon has had may movies and its own series. It started out in 1995 and is still active. The animated series came out in 1997 and is still currently running. It has over 900 episodes! The video games all start out as a new trainer who becomes a trainer, and has to become the best in order to will all his/her badges and beat the elite four. The game itself can now be on the 3 DS, and has been for Game Boy Advanced and the DS. Pokemon is such a fun game that my generation grew up watching and playing. After a while it can be addicting, but it’s extremely fun!

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It’s a shame that Digimon didn’t last long. The series was from 1999- 2003. Sadly I wasn’t old enough to watch Cartoon Network at the time. Once I grew a little older, I watched the old episodes on YouTube, and it was amazing! I was sad to find out that Digimon couldn’t keep up with Pokemon, so the gave in. I honestly prefer Digimon, not because of its plot, but because that it’s a harder and more challenging game than Pokemon. I recommend everyone to play Digimon

Which game do you prefer?

-Kayla H.