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The Power of Having a Hobby

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Op-Ed Post: How do we really feel?

By 12th-Grader Melina Brodeur 

Bedazzling is one of my guilty pleasures. It takes many, many hours for me to finish a project, but placing down each little rhinestone is relaxing and allows me to get off my phone for a few hours. Bedazzling for me is not just decorating things with rhinestones, but a creative outlet that allows me to reduce my stress and anxiety. When I feel I am unable to focus on homework, do my reading, or even be able to study for a test, I decide instead to take some time to give myself a second to slow down, and focus on my thoughts while doing something I find extremely rewarding. I started bedazzling because I had watched a TikTok video of a girl explaining how much she enjoyed it.

I found it so satisfying to take something simple, like a water bottle, lip gloss, or even a phone case, and transform that plain item into something unique. Hobbies like bedazzling can bring back creativity into your life in a world full of social media. Instead of spending money on buying items that are manufactured and that everyone has, now you can create a unique item that is only yours, and even customize the colors, the patterns, and even the designs. Gluing down the rhinestones is extremely relaxing and takes a lot of patience and focus. If I ever need a break from homework, social media, or studying, I know I can rely on bedazzling to be able to ease my stress. There’s even research to support the idea (Mercy, 2023). According to the American Psychological Association, creative activities can decrease stress through expressive activities that involve concentration and imagination. They say having a hobby that involves using your hands, like doing crafts, can create a calming effect. 

Hobbies don’t have to be major like building a treehouse (although if you wanted, it would be cool); just do something that feels personal to you, give yourself a chance to slow down, focus, and enjoy yourself, and maybe you’ll figure out that this creativity will be the main component to you being able to pull through the rest of the year. So go find something you enjoy doing.

Melina bedazzled fragrance bottles and a mini Vaseline using rhinestones and adhesive.  Photo by author.

My Favorite Musical – Mary Poppins

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Written by 7th-Grade Blogger Reagan Kaminsky

Everyone has a favorite musical, and whether it’s Hamilton, Newsies or The Sound of Music, there’s always one that just sticks. For me, however, I can’t think of just one. I have done Musical Theater since the age of 7. I have been in countless productions, and it’s impossible to choose a favorite. Still, the first lead I ever played will always have a special place in my heart. In winter of last year, I was fortunate enough to be cast as Jane Banks in a production of Mary Poppins at the Palm Canyon Theatre. 

Let’s go back to the beginning– when I auditioned. I was attending the Palm Canyon Theatre Summer Camp, when the director expressed that she wanted me to audition. I prepared a monologue and went to my audition, and let’s just say I was terrified. I waited and waited. Then, finally, I heard back from the director. I got the role! 

Then, the first day of rehearsals came. I met the cast and did a read-through, and it was starting to feel a bit more real. After countless hours of practicing choreography and harmony, before I knew it, Tech Week had begun. Tech Week is the last week of rehearsals when we begin to add lights, sound, and set. I pushed through the week of rehearsals, and then it was finally here–Opening Night. Before we knew it, the curtain dropped, and we got through the first show with ease. Weeks went by, and next thing I knew, it was Closing Night. As the final curtain drew down, let’s just say we were all devastated that the production came to a close. 

Reagan (Right) poses with her co-stars in the finale of Mary Poppins. Photo Credit: Palm Canyon Theatre

In the end, acting in Mary Poppins was the most incredible and memorable experience. From perfect harmonies to barfing backstage, that show had it all. I may not have a favorite musical, but Mary Poppins will always hold a special place in my heart.

Androcles and the Lion: Behind the Scenes, Inside Looks, and Personal Reviews

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An Inside Look and Personal Review By Blogger Sami Alnabelsi 

The PVS Theater Department presented Androcles and The Lion right before the Winter Break. I went to this performance, and here is my honest reaction. 

Let’s start with the technical aspects. Before the shows begin, there is tech week. To help understand exactly what it is, I interviewed the mastermind of it all, Mr. Gomez–the theater arts teacher. He explained that “During tech week actors practice the play with the added technical aspects. Music, lights, props and so much else is added into rehearsal. Tech people finish building sets and paint stages and make adjustments to suit the actors’ needs. It is the culmination of work over months and months.” 

Back to the review. The sound and lighting design was great and looked professionally done. The set looked to be very thought out and was a collaboration of the Theater Department and the Art Department. There were also very clever “homemade” sound effects whenever something interesting happened. 

Now onto the actual show. Even though I didn’t know the whole story prior to watching, I understood a lot of it. This show was presented in a comedic way, which captured my friends’ and my attention. 

Now onto the backstage. I conducted an interview and was given input on the show and how it went. Actor Emerson Dunn noted that “nerves were high, but excitement levels were even higher.” She also gave specific details saying, “Lina and I were hopping up and down in place to satisfy the urge to move; Chase was swaying nervously on his feet; all the while Reagan still looked like she was about to throw up.” 

To conclude, this performance was great. There is another play scheduled for sometime in the second semester. Make sure to check it out. 

A Behind-the-Scenes Look by PVS Player Emmy Kaminsky

Although our Palm Valley School theater department may put on a great show, there is so much chaos and effort that goes into it behind the scenes (and lots of fun too.) It took months for us to put together this show, Androcles and the Lion, and it was quite the process. From the first read-through to our final show, it was an amazing yet chaotic experience. 

From the beginning of the process the cast could already tell how much fun we would have putting on this production. Our early theater classes allowed us to get a feel for what we were in for, but even after that nobody could have expected the joy that came along with this show. 

Fast forward to tech week #1 (once we were finally starting to know our lines), we were really starting to get into character and connect with our fellow cast members. After school we would all head to the bathroom and do our makeup while singing Hamilton songs at the top of our lungs. Eventually Mr. Gomez had to get us to wind down to start the run through. This continued for the whole two weeks, with constant notes from Mr. Gomez to make the show as magical as possible. 

Then, it was time for the faculty preview. The nerves were kicking in. We realized, “Oh wow, this is really happening!” That show was a huge success. We continued performing for the whole weekend, and although we may have put on a great production behind the scenes, it was quite chaotic. From me forgetting my cues to tomatoes spilling all over my backpack, everything possible went wrong at some point. As a cast, we powered through these mistakes and kept the show running. We had a matinee, and no more than 20 people were in the audience for that show, but we still performed at our best as they deserve to have the same show everyone else gets. 

The most fun I had during this show was definitely on Saturday, when we had two shows, so we all hung out at school for the entirety of the day. In between shows we ate pizza, slept, watched movies, and just got to spend one final day together as a cast and make the most of it. While we were all watching movies and eating, Nevan decided to call his friend “Pete 4k” and run around the whole school chanting, and surprisingly didn’t lose his voice to play the old man in our show, Pantalone. The whole cast has agreed that his red onesie makes him look like a life-sized elf on the shelf! Then we performed our final show, packed up our stuff, and said “Arrivederci!” 

As I’m sure you can see, a lot went into this production and making it so everyone could have a good time (especially the cast.) We are all looking forward to another show in the spring, this time a musical! (Psst. It’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.)

Emerson Dunn, 8th Grader, starred as Androcles. Photo Credit: PVS Facebook.

Another Behind-the-Scenes Look by PVS Actor Emerson Dunn

The backstage of the school show Androcles and the Lion is not always as it seems to the crowd. Even though the show may look like it’s going off without a hitch onstage, backstage is always chaotic but exciting. Whether it’s Nevan saying something diabolical, or Emmy barely making her cues, there is always something going on. On opening night, when our cast performed their show, nerves were high, but excitement levels were even higher. As the audience took their seats, our frazzled actors began the intense mental preparations for the long night ahead. Both of the Kaminsky sisters were seen yelling about how they were going to throw up and wanted to go home; Lina and Greenlee were sitting outside FaceTiming another actress friend, while Nevan and Chase were sitting on their phones, cool as cucumbers. All the while, I lay face down on the floor, tired, hungry, excited, nervous, and hungry once more. While the time for places drew closer, nerves soared higher, and as the saying goes, “Nerves are contagious.” I can confirm that as I walked backstage before the show, past all the worried actors, a sudden wave of uncertainty and insecurity set over me. When the time for places came, our group of strolling players took their spots. As our opening music came on, we strolled out to the start of a new show. After the first scene, I walked offstage and immediately noticed how much calmer I was. It’s like my body knew; even after just five minutes on stage, I was calmer, the urge to move, gone, and my head clear. The opening show went very well and the audience loved it. I didn’t accidentally throw my feather duster off stage; no one forgot their cues, and someone’s costume only fell off once! After the final bows, we ran out to greet the audience and thank them for coming. We ended up getting many, many compliments for our amazing performing skills, and, overall, the show went well. Despite the absolute chaos that happened behind the scenes, we made it through our first real performance of the show that we had worked so hard to perfect. 

Reagan Kaminsky, 7th Grader, played Isabella, one of the “lovers” in the play. Photo Credit: PVS FaceBook.

And, One More Review from Junior Rylie Conway

I went to see Androcles and the Lion with both Olivia and Louisa, and it was pretty funny. It had its corny moments, but I thought it was great. My favorite characters were definitely the funniest with both Nevan’s and Zoey’s characters having some great moments. Some of my favorite moments included when Nevan threw a fit on the ground about his money, when Chase did his rap song, when Zoey had the scene where her imagination became real life, and when Emerson threw her broom backstage and Nevan screamed “Ow!” It was overall a really comedic play, and I’m glad I went.

The Art in Writing 

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Feature Post under The Bird on Fire’s Art Live! theme

By 8th-Grade Blogger Soleil Antle

Art comes in many different forms: painting, sculpture, drawing, etc. The Oxford English Dictionary states it’s the “expression . . . of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power” (arthistoryproject.com). There are so many artistic outlets, but there is something special about the art of writing. Through writing you can express yourself, explain logical facts, connect with your readers. I interviewed family friend Nancy Pedri, the Head of the Memorial University English Department. She recently published her comic book Town: St. John’s in Comics. She has published past works such as A Concise Dictionary of Comics. I asked her about writing and art. These were her responses. 

Soleil: What does writing mean to you?

Nancy: I try to write about three hours every day because writing is an activity that helps me relax. Writing is a way to discover what excites me, allowing me to create as I learn about and explore my thinking. I am mostly an academic writer, but although most people think of academic writing as not being creative, I feel it is very much a creative writing practice. All manipulation of language is creative. Getting information of any kind across to a reader and holding their attention is a creative act. Writing is a joy for me. I have edited some creative projects, like Town: St. John’s in Comics. These projects bring people together to explore a shared interest. In these instances, writing builds community. Writing opens your mind, and if you find the courage to explore what is in your mind and put it on paper, you will come out of the experience a changed person. 

Soleil: How do you feel you connect your emotions to your writing? 

Nancy: I choose to write on topics that interest me and that I feel make a difference in people’s lives, such as displaced people, violence, mental and physical illness, and media. When I write about these and other topics, I tend to examine questions of truth and authenticity (which is all about belief and honesty and not facts), how emotions and mental states are expressed in writing (in the study of narrative this is called focalization), and how readers are made to experience empathy for the characters they are reading about. Emotional engagement is at the core of all of these questions. It is not that I am emotional – although sometimes I do get emotional about my writing. Rather, I explore the emotions in writing. 

Soleil: What inspired you to write your recently published book? What is the background behind it? 

Nancy: I have a few recently published books. My two academic books, Experiencing Visual Storyworlds: Focalization in Comics and A Concise Dictionary of Comics (both published in 2022), were inspired by different needs. The first is co-authored and responds to a claim that our shared postdoctoral supervisor made about visual narratology (visual storytelling). The other was inspired by a colleague and now friend who, with me, agreed that the language we use to write about comics required more standardization so that readers and writers could gain knowledge from the academic work they were reading. 

My most recent book, Town: St. John’s in Comics, grew out of my absolute love for my city, St. John’s. It is a collection of eight short comic stories, each one about a particular St. John’s neighbourhood. These stories draw readers into the vibe of our city, its old streets and crooked homes. It is a book that speaks of home and of place. A book that helps you gain access to the oldest settled city of North America. And, it’s a book that speaks to the people of this city and to those who come through it on cruise ships or on vacations. 

There are few books on St. John’s in particular, and making one in the comics medium made sense to me. . . . Those who read it won’t forget those beautiful images and those engaging stories. 

Soleil: What do you think the “art of writing” means?

Nancy: The art of writing is a misnomer for me. I approach writing as a skill that can be learned and that requires much practice to perfect. . . .

Soleil: How do you think emotions are best expressed in writing?

Nancy: I feel emotions are best expressed through characters. If you can get the character’s thinking and feelings onto the page, readers will experience emotions. It isn’t an easy thing to do. Some may think plot is key to writing, but I feel character is, precisely because they grant you access to mental states: feelings, emotions, desires. Characters are the heart and soul of every good story for me. 

After talking with Nancy, I can see that she is very passionate about writing, and it is a joy for her at the end of a long day. She expresses writing as more of a “skill” than an “art” which is a very unique perspective that I wouldn’t have thought of myself. It’s one of the wonderful things about the brain. People look at the same thing and see something different which is fascinating. Writing is something Nancy connects with, something she feels and I think that people should embrace their emotions through writing. 

Soleil and sister Cleo celebrate Christmas with Antle family friends Nancy and Marko in 2017.

The Art of Music

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Part of thebirdonfire.org feature series on Art Live!

By Sami Alnabelsi and Mason Conway

Art is something that can be looked at, or listened to. It provides a feeling whether that be happy, sad, angry, or a mix of all. Not anyone can do art; art takes skill and persistence that takes years to perfect–making art isn’t easy; in fact, it’s quite challenging. The challenge applies to making music. It takes skill and hard work to make an audience feel a variety of emotions. 

Music is a very complex form of art that includes so many different styles and artists. Music has existed for tens of thousands of years, evolving and developing new ways to express emotions. Here we conduct surveys to figure out what types of music people in our Palm Valley School community like best. 

For me, Sami, my favorite style of music is a mix of everything, while Mason’s style is rap, and his favorite artist is Kanye West. But, what does our survey prove? We asked PVS students who their favorite music artist was, what specific music genre they liked best, and why?

Millie Flemings from 8th grade said she liked the music artist Tyler the Creator. She also liked RNB and hip hop. Millie says she likes this artist and these genres of music because she finds them very pleasing to the ear, there’s a good mix of vocals, and overall everything is well mixed. 

Gabe Rodriguez Portugues, a senior, says his favorite singer is Prince. Gabe’s favorite style of music is vaporwave–an electronic music subgenre and visual art style because it encompasses many different genres, and often samples music from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, so it gives Gabe a nostalgic feel. 

Fellow blogger Sarah Alnabelsi said that she liked Katy Perry and felt the best style or genre of music was rap. When we asked her why, she said that the rhythm in the music was something she really liked. 

Logan Lackey from the 6th grade says his favorite band is the Eagles. And his favorite genre is rap because it rhymes. 

Lastly, 7th-grader Roman Mathews says that his favorite music artist is Tupac, and if he had to choose a genre of music it would be hip hop as he enjoys the melody of the music. 

Where do we find our favorite music? Spotify. Photo Credit: Sami Alnabelsi.

To conclude, Palm Valley School is home to many peoples’ unique and interesting favorite artists and genres. Music is expressed in so many ways–whether it be at a party in the summer listening to some hip hop, or walking downtown having earbuds playing rap, or even a rainy day inside your house listening to jazz. The possibilities are endless. Song can literally be the background music of our lives. Daniel Bagheri of 7th grade says when he walks his dog he listens to some jazz and happy tunes. Music can dictate how we feel, or represent it.

Mr. Jue’s Journey as an Art Teacher

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Part of thebirdonfire.org feature series on Art Live!

By Middle-School Bloggers Sarah Alnabelsi and Morgan Richardson

Our art teacher Mr. Jue this year joined the PVS community. Inspired by our art topic in Blog class, we decided to learn more about our new faculty member Mr. Zack Jue. After all, I, Morgan, have taken part in his art class for almost a full semester. Mr. Jue teaches lower, middle, and high-school students. We each interviewed Mr. Jue about his experiences and journey that led him to be an art teacher at PVS.

Mr. Jue’s education led him through a path in art. “I took Art and Psychology at Claremont Graduate University,” said Mr. Jue. This key decision increased his knowledge of the arts. Mr. Jue tends to lean towards the region of “Lowbrow art” as well as 3D sculptures and street art. Lowbrow, as Mr. Jue explained, is “what people tend to call cartoonists and people who aren’t considered fancy.” 

Mr. Jue had a childhood full of art: “My mom is an art teacher, and my uncle was a relatively popular Chicano artist.” Mr. Jue’s sister also has a similar passion for art. She currently teaches at College of the Desert and paints realistic abstract portraits. Mr. Jue was inspired by many artists growing up and continues to be inspired. When naming his favorite artists, Mr. Jue includes, “David Cho” and “Doze Green from reading his magazine, Juxtapoz.”

After graduating from College of the Desert, Mr. Jue went on to California State University San Bernardino to earn a Bachelors in Psychology. He continued his education at Claremont University where he obtained a Masters degree in Fine Art (pvs.org). Mr. Jue had many career paths to choose from. He decided to pursue his art path. And here he is, sharing his art passion with the people at Palm Valley School. “This is home to me,” he says. Mr. Jue wants to give back to his “community.”  He adds, “I feel I have to.” Why is art his contribution? What was his path to art? Mr. Jue said, “I went to high school, graduated early and then went to college and took art classes for easy A’s.” Then, he added, “I fell into it” and loved art.

Photo Credit: Morgan Richardson and Sarah Alnabelsi

The Favorite Things Museum

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Blog Staff has set out to log some of Palm Valley School’s favorite things. It’s what we talk about, think about, dream of, hoard, share, give to one another. 6th-grade Mark shares here his favorite things.

A Google Drawing created by Middle-School Blogger Mark Huber

In the parallel universe of pigs, there is a house that belongs to the pig version of Mark Huber. You’ll see that Pig Mark has created an addition to his house, and that addition is a relatively small museum of all of Mark’s favorite things. The Google Drawing below is a picture of Pig Mark and his brother, Pig David, in the museum studying the things in it.

The paint bucket and paintbrush representing the color green were copied from a Google Slides presentation that thanked Human Mark’s dad for bringing his Chromebook to school when he had forgotten it at home. The two pigs studying the things in the museum, Pig Mark (left) and Pig David (right) are the two main characters in any fictional story Human Mark writes, Pig Mark being the mainest character of the two.

A Vampire’s Suite

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It’s Modernism Week here in the desert. So, the Blogging Staff has given thought to Architecture. Soleil (because we can’t always explain where Soleil’s mind goes) designs in verse a dream house for a . . . vampire. It might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but the macabre-minded will find it gangrene and cozy.

By Middle-School Blogger-Poet Soleil Antle 

My raging heart of murder–destruction,

self pity, and loneliness long for a home:

Dark colors and intense textures;  

A big black castle house, blood-sucking turrets;

Ash stains on the floors, a blood red carpet;

Arched door frames filled with bugs,

Ceilings up high, with chandeliers of rust; 

Eight open caskets for lounging comfort,

Gut-stained floors with a dome-shaped mural,

A resting place for my fangs,

A blazing untamed fire pit,

A hole so deep only death is an option,

Shelves of books written about gangrene and pain,

Skull-embedded comforters, pillows of teeth;

Eyeballs at the breakfast table, a nice sweet treat.

The sun comes out and suffocates me;

May my bats rest in peace.

The Concept of the Quentin Tarantino Movie

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Photo Credit: IMDb.com

By 8th-Grader Jack Edelstein

If you were to ask me what my favorite movie genre is, I would say action. If you were to then ask me who’s my favorite director in the action genre, I would say Quentin Tarantino. Quentin Tarantino or Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director. Quentin Tarantino is known for his “stylized neo-noir violence, razor-sharp dialogue, and fascination with film and pop culture” (Britannica.com). Here are the movies that I think represent the Tarantino directing style. 

Reservoir Dogs

Tarantino has been in show business since his debut in 1992 with his blockbuster Reservoir Dogs. Reservoir Dogs is about a gang of crooks committing a jewelry store heist, and it goes terribly wrong. In my opinion, I do not think it is his best, but it is definitely worth watching. It was a great way to start a career of becoming a topnotch director.

Photo Credit: IMDb.com

Pulp Fiction

Then, two years later, 1994, Tarantino released an absolute classic, Pulp Fiction. Some argue it’s his best movie–it isn’t, but it’s definitely close. Pulp Fiction is, to sum it up shortly,  “The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine[d] in four tales of violence and redemption” (IMDb.com). Pulp Fiction is in my top 10 favorite movies of all time, and it is a great example of the distinct and famed Tarantino directing method described by Britannica–neo-noir violent scenes and quick get-to-the-point dialogue. 

Photo Credit: IMDb.com

Inglourious Basterds

Then in 2009, Tarantino made my second favorite of his films, Inglourious Basterds. Inglourious Basterds is about, according to IMDb.com, “Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers”  and “a theatre owner’s vengeful plans for the same.” This movie is really great. It shows the noir of Tarantino’s films. We see Aldo Raine and his crew sneaking into a Nazi Theatre; we get trademark Tarantino funny and interesting dialogue; and we witness the Tarantino brutal and famous violence. The stars of this movie are Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine, Daine Kruger as Bridget, and Christopher Waltz as Hans Landa, who is an exemplary villain. This is a perfect movie for historical fiction lovers.

Photo Credit: IMDb.com

Django Unchained

Then in 2012, Tarantino released an absolute masterpiece of cinema film making, Django Unchained. Django Unchained is summarized by IMDb.com as follows: “With the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.” In four words–This. Movie. Is. Amazing. What makes this movie so great is that it isn’t a slow and boring Western; Tarantino gives us fight scenes and battles that show the iconic “neo-noir” style of Tarantino, as well as its comical dialogue (especially between Django and Dr. King Schultz). And, its actors–Leonardo DiCapro (Calvin Candie), Samuel L. Jackson (Stephen), Jamie Foxx (Django), and the consistently amazing Christopher Waltz (Dr. King Schultz)–are exemplary. With fast brutal fights and humorous dialogue, this is the perfect example of a Tarantino movie. 

Photo Credit:IMDb.com

Words from Mr. Griffin

I asked PVS Film Connoisseur, Mr. Griffin, about his thoughts on Quentin Tarantino and the concepts and elements of his films. He said…

“I’m a great admirer of Quentin Tarantino. He has been extraordinarily influential on the craft of filmmaking: it’s hard to imagine movies (and television) today without the impact of his style, which at one time was considered controversial and revolutionary. Every major director nominated for an Oscar this year would surely admit to a Tarantino influence. Accelerated action sequences, non-linear and fractured narratives, startlingly brutal violence wedded to a romantic visual panache, deeply ironic and wryly humorous undertones, super-fast dialogue filled with pop-culture references conveyed through rapid-fire crosscutting – all of these are recognized hallmarks of the Tarantino style. He brought to his work an encyclopedic knowledge of world cinema and a glee in upsetting the Hollywood apple cart with stories challenging in their violence and brutality and innovative in their subjects as well as their technique. He took on some of the most iconic American movie making genres – crime thriller (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill), gumshoe detective movie (Pulp Fiction), Blaxploitation film (Jackie Brown), World War II Nazi drama (Inglourious Basterds), Western (The Hateful Eight) – and turned them on their heads, reinventing and revitalizing these old cinema styles in the process. He took the well-worn “solitary cowpoke in the Old West ”concept, combined its DNA with that of the chain-gang movies of the 40s and 50s, and produced one of the most powerfully anti-racist films of the 2000s, Django Unchained. He was deeply influenced by Korean and Chinese movie making long before the films of those countries became commonly known to American audiences. Tarantino is the Bad Boy of American cinema – his methods and techniques remain controversial, but he’s arguably had as much if not more impact on filmmakers and audiences alike as any other director of the last 40 years.” — Mr. Griffin

If you couldn’t tell, Tarantino is my favorite director. If you do watch a Tarantino movie, let us know in the comments.