We all know the words, “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?” We are the generation that grew up on the classic Disney fairy tales. “Mirror Mirror” brings the Snow White legend back to the big screen, with a fresh and funny live action retelling of the story. It is a film for the whole family that successfully charms its viewers. Although the film has its few necessary dark (dark magic, that is) moments, it maintains a light and airy feel throughout. I still can’t help but crack at least the slightest of smiles when I think back on it.
Having recovered from the last Chinese restaurant I visited, it is now time to visit another option in the great search for a good, reliable Chinese place. Hong Kong restaurant, in the Raley's shopping center, has been an object of interest to those who visit Mel's cafe on the other side of the grocery store. Its placement in opposition has forced Mel's to change its menu somewhat, possibly creating greater diversity of Asian cuisine in our fair city. Curious about whether this new contender deserved its place as competition, I decided to go and check it out.
Since its founding in 2006, The Prodigy has been dedicated to serving the campus and community and providing the truth. As the paper continues to grow, we have been continuously invested in providing the best product that we can.
The thin line between partying and overdose is an unfortunate reality that health professionals, law enforcement, school administrators, parents, and students must come to terms with. Despite strict policies, alcohol and drug consumption occurs daily on college campuses nationwide. Recently, an overdose tragedy at UC Berkeley resulted in a complicated lawsuit. So the question remains, how can we prevent situations like this at UC Merced?
“21 Jump Street” is a comedy with the currently popular “bro-mance” theme woven in, while including a revival of the four-year-long crime drama series. At its best, “Jump Street” elicits quite a few hearty laughs in the audience, even from the most cynical of us (myself included). At its worst, it is just another blundering buddy/cop comedy that we have seen so much of in the past few years. Still, the film is an adaptation at heart. As such, it stays true to the major hallmarks of the original series.
Western academia will have us believe that the “peculiar institution” is both ancient and extinct, like the dinosaurs. With careful consideration we will find that this is not so.
An unprecedented blend of real-life heroism and original filmmaking gives Act of Valor an unusual pre-viewing boost and forces audience members to enter the theatre with an open mind, unsure of exactly what will unfold on the screen. The film has been heavily promoted as a movie starring real life Navy SEALs, giving birth to a new corner in the war time/action genre.
Good Chinese food, especially in the Central Valley, is a rare and precious resource. When an excellent restaurant is found, one should love and coo over it, going there as often as reasonably possible in order to support it. However, in the hunt for that wonderful establishment, one must unfortunately search through other, lesser restaurants. Such a lesser Chinese food place is New China, a small cafe at 1513 W. Main St.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) –commonly referred to as “drones”– have been used in military operations across the globe to provide vital intelligence, and even perform aerial “predator missile” strikes. In addition to providing surveillance of the United States border, there are other non-military applications, including search and rescue, livestock monitoring, and wildfire mapping, just to name a few. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t allow the use of unmanned aerial systems in U.S. airspace without a special certificate; however, that is changing.
This Means Waris an upbeat flick torn between too many genres to count. The super-bright color palette is designed for high spirits. The film spotlights the best of buddy pictures, romantic comedies, spy capers and what girls talk about when they think you aren’t listening. Somehow, despite the all-over-the-place assembly, director McG makes it work, and manages to use the haphazardness of the script to his advantage.
One cuisine that Merced has never lacked is Thai food; there are currently eight restaurants that serve Thai cuisine operating here. Some are of much higher quality than others, of course, and it seems that every UCM student has his or her favorite. The more obscure ones are often overlooked even when they have quite a lot to offer. Such is the case with Thai Star Restaurant, tucked away on Alexander Avenue, just off of G. Street.
On Tuesday the 7, the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that California's notorious Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. The case, Perry v. Brown, had reached the Court of Appeals because Prop 8 supporters were unhappy with Judge Walker's original decision against them, in federal District Court. Gay marriage proponents supported the original decision, and now this affirmation of it – promising to fight all the way to the Supreme Court if their opposition forces them to.
Things could not get more interesting in the Republican Primaries these days. It is so good it is like watching professional wrestling when you were a kid.
Before hip-hop became the multi-billion dollar industry it is today, it started out as the voice of the voiceless. Rap music has since evolved and ascended from the underground, as hip-hop culture spreads to urban and suburban communities worldwide. Not everyone follows hip-hop, but for many, it has become as mainstream as Pepsi.
Indian food is scarce in the Central Valley. This is a fact with which most people who live here must come to terms if they are to survive. Fans of this cuisine must take regular trips to the major cities of the coast. Merced is no exception to this, even if it has fared better than most towns: there is one Indian food restaurant available here.
The recently revived Hammer Film Productions falls gracefully back into the gothic form that made the company legendary. The Woman in Black is a chilling ghost story based on a 1983 horror fiction novel by Susan Hill, which bears the same title. Director James Watkins might just snag a title as the new champion of the thriller genre and, as such, pays abundant homage to the hallmark of the jumpy horror flick. The giant Victorian mansion, in which much of the film takes place, is the epitome of the “haunted house.” If there is a floorboard nearby, it creaks. If there is a rusty doorknob in sight, it rattles. Of course, it all must be emphasized by dim, flickering candles, which offer the only source of light throughout the eternally night-encased house.
Almost as sure as Christmas, the Girl Scout cookies season comes around and reminds us of one of few things left that’s wholesome and true. It’s about that time when the sudden talk of Thin Mints consumes the soul and we succumb, or easily volunteer, to purchase the wares of these little entrepreneurs in uniform.
As almost any student at UC Merced can tell you, caffeine is an absolute necessity in the life of a university student. Jokes about coffee IV drips and late nights spent studying and writing essays mirror the reality of students who spend much of their time focused on performing to the best of their ability. Many students find themselves studying inside chain coffee shops, sitting at tables and downing cup after cup for hours.
When we think of an action film promising us a fast and thrilling pace with a lady in the lead, we picture Angelina Jolie and Kate Beckinsale in extremely tight leather carrying automatic weapons. Granted it’s not a picture that keeps in sync with reality, but reality is not sexy and mind blowing. Reality does not sell tickets.
Following the death of North Korea’s beloved leader, Kim Jung-il, age 69, and subsequent 10 day national mourning period, the communist nation may breathe a sigh of relief as Kim Jung-un has ascended to power.
Hollywood has dared to show multiple proofs of a lacking sense of originality. Not only is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo an adaptation of a novel, but it is also a remake of a foreign film. Fear not, intelligent adult movie-goers! This film does not depict another paranormal romance or magical school, nor does it give another nauseating or depressing Sparks version of “love conquers all.” Instead, we are offered an unflinching and impeccably accurate adaptation.
The Occupy Movement, which started on Wall Street about two months ago, has not received fair coverage by the mainstream media. However, video and photographs, which capture some unjustifiable actions by police, have been widely circulated on the Internet. Irrespective of your personal opinion about the demonstrations and goals of the Occupy Movement, nobody can justify the unprovoked attacks on non-violent protestors. Aside from the incident in Oakland, the recent police responses at UC Berkley and UC Davis have garnered perhaps the most attention yet.
As the end of the fall semester approaches, finals are coming back to Merced. Every semester it means a time to study, eat, sleep, and study some more. The many aspects that come with preparing for them include, bad habits, study skills, and the preparation.
Global capitalism-- supported and directed by global financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund-- has created many opportunities for employment around the world.
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