8 The Falcon • Friday, March 13, 2020 A&E

By ANNIKA PARKNews Editor

A Japanese paper-folding art form, origami is a common pastime that has become a part of American culture.

After paper was invented in China in 105 C.E., it was introduced to Japan by monks in the sixth century. When paper folding first became an art skill, it was reserved for ceremonial purposes and the elite.

For example, there is a tradition of creating origami butterflies to decorate the bottles of sake (a fermented rice beverage) at Japanese wedding receptions.

However, the practice of origami quickly spread once paper became more affordable. The first book about origami was published in 1797 and was written by Akisato Rito, titled Sembazuru Orikata (translated: Thousand Crane Folding). The book describes the legend of the 1,000 paper cranes and the wish that will be granted to the person who makes them.

As origami became more widespread, it began being taught to children. Used as a teaching tool due to its mathematical

properties, kindergarteners learned how to fold different origami creations.

Paper-folding was also practiced in Europe, due to the influence of the Moors. This influence is also evident in the esteemed practice of napkin folding in Europe.

Origami has evolved greatly today. Cutting and gluing are now generally accepted in the craft, as are a variety of papers such as scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, and more.

One of the greatest origamists of the modern world, Akira Yoshizawa, is considered to be the grandmaster of origami. It is estimated that he created over 50,000 models during his lifetime. Y o s h i z a w a created the w e t - f o l d i n g o r i g a m i t e c h n i q u e , w h e r e one sprays paper w i t h water to create m o r e pronounced and r o u n d e d folds.

W h a t began as

a craft only reserved for

the wealthy and religious, origami has now become a popular art form accessible to anyone.

By ADELA LUNAManaging Editor

At just 26 years old, Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalía has quickly risen to fame, enticing audiences with her contemporary interpretations of Flamenco, a renowned Latin music and dance style. Having recently won Best Latin Urban Album at the 2020 Grammys, Rosalía has been receiving abundant recognition and attention for her music.

At 16 years old, Rosalía began her career as a singer, but needed vocal cord surgery for singing too often with improper technique.

Although unfortunate, the experience was formative for Rosalía, as it made her pay attention to the intricate details in music, contributing to her unique music style.

“For a whole year, I was in rehabilitation, just listening to music,” Rosalía said in an interview with Billboard Magazine. “I learned how to really listen.”

Despite her early start in the music industry, Rosalía only rose to fame after she independently released her single “Malamente” in May of 2018. Since the release, Rosalía’s career trajectory has skyrocketed.

“There is no one I can remember who has come out this fast— in any language,” her agent, Samantha Kirby Yoh, said in an interview with

The New York Times. Thus far, Rosalía has collaborated

with several artists such as J. Balvin, Ozuna, and James Blake. Her collaboration with J. Balvin on the song “Con Altura” was

one of Rosalía’s biggest successes, the song’s music video receiving over one billion views.

One of Rosalía’s most outstanding accomplishments is her performance at the Music Television Music Video Awards, as she was the third Latin female artist to ever perform on the show

(after Shakira and Jennifer Lopez).In addition to her singing

career, Rosalía is also a professional Flamenco dancer. She started dancing

at 21 years old and likes to incorporate her skills into her live performances. As she continues to create more albums,

Rosalía is still processing her fame and how fast her career has moved.

“It’s jarring. [...] Everyone around me has maximum respect for my vision. [...] I’m so happy I can make the music I want at any moment,” she said in an interview with Billboard Magazine.

Clearly, Rosalía’s career has just begun, and she cannot wait to further her stance in the music industry.

By JULIANA MERIDAOpinion Editor

Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) senior Catherine Carothers demonstrates the incredible work ethic of a performing arts student. Known for her responsibility and dedication towards theater and singing, Carothers continues to showcase her many skills to students around her.

From a young age, Carothers has been involved with acting. As a child, she participated in annual musicals associated with her church. Since then, she has also been involved with acting and singing, including joining choir in middle school.

Carothers joined the CVHS drama department in her freshman year, describing it as the best decision she has made. As one of five freshman in Ensemble that year, Carothers has worked her way into the top drama group, Falcon Players.

“I really found a home there… It’s a huge life skill to have, being comfortable in front of an audience,” Carothers said.

Her older sister, Carolyn Carothers, has been a driving force in her acting pursuits. As a freshman, she saw her senior sister perform in The Phantom of the Opera, which she describes as the moment that inspired her to aim for lead roles in musicals.

Carothers’ numerous roles includes this year’s spring musical, The Fantasticks, where she played the lead female role, Luisa.

Carothers’ monologue as Luisa has been one of her favorite moments on stage. On the opening night of The Fantasticks, as it was the first time she performed in front of an audience, she was able to modify the role to best entertain the audience. Receiving such a positive reaction impacted Carothers and gave her a sense of pride in the work she was putting forth.

Of the main cast this year, Carothers was one of two seniors performing.

“There’s a sense of leadership. I lead a lot of the warm ups because I’ve done this before, [and] it’s my last year,” Carothers said.

Carothers has also been in The International Thespian Society, an honor roll for drama students, since her sophomore year of high school. Being part of the club has encouraged Carothers in her continued involvement with theater.

“It’s really nice to have [done drama] and [stuck] with it all four years,” Carothers said.

Aside from performing in musicals, Carothers has also been on the CVHS ComedySportz High School League team all throughout highschool.

As a senior, Carothers is a varsity coach and a referee. The experiences onstage have given her the ability to truly connect with her audience.

In addition to her involvement on stage as an actress, Carothers also joined choir as a senior, participating in Charismatics. It has been an impactful experience for her.

“It’s been so much fun, we really are a family in choir,” she said.

From acting, to singing, to improv, Carothers’ aptitude in captivating an audience have definitively made her a memorable performer at CVHS.

By KARIS KIMOnline Editor

The Falcon • Friday, March 13, 2020A&E 9

By NICOLE ROESLERStaff Writer

Five years after the release of Brahms: The Boy, director William Brent Bell produced the sequel The Boy 2. Upon entering the theatre, viewers who were content with the first movie awaited an equally humourous and thrilling sequel; however, such was not the case.

Hitting box offices on Feb. 21, the PG-13 horror movie earned an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes and has been subject to heavy criticism regarding its inconsistency with the first movie’s plot.

In The Boy, an American nanny found herself working in the mansion of an English family who had lost their son in a devastating fire. To compensate for their loss, they adopted a porcelain doll that served as a look-alike for their deceased son and took care of it as if it were their own offspring. The audience eventually becomes aware that Brahms survived the fire and has been living within the walls of the mansion since.

The audience would assume that the storyline of the non-supernatural doll would remain consistent with the first movie. However, desiring a fresh start, Bell created a new reality where the doll is possessed and finds its way into the life of an emotionally distraught family many years later.

In their attempt to distance themselves from a dramatic experience in the city, Jude (Christopher Convery), the son of the young couple, comes across a half-buried doll in the woods outside of the original mansion that was seen in the first movie. The possessed doll is Brahms, who has been physically reconstructed.

As a result of a life-threatening episode in their old home, Jude undergoes selective mutism and embraces his new porcelain companion despite its extremely frightening appearance. Jude’s parents, Liza (Katie Holmes) and Sean (Owain Yeoman) agree to keep Brahms when they see that Jude has begun to talk, although only to the doll.

Viewers are then taken through a confusing plotline that seems to be leading one way, only to spin in a different direction. Liza’s post-traumatic-stress-induced hallucinations leave the audience questioning the validity of her narration of the story.

It takes the flipping-over of a dinner table, many misplaced objects, murderous drawings, and countless other occurrences for the two naive parents to snap out of the horror movie-obliviousness that is to be expected of these films, and become aware (far too late, of course) that Brahms is in fact causing more harm than good.

In an attempt to rid themselves of the evil-spirited doll, Liza and Sean consult their family therapist to no avail, ultimately finding themselves face-to-face with their seemingly indestructible enemy.

With plans to kill anyone who stands in the way of a lifetime spent with Jude, Brahms finds himself with a smashed porcelain skull once more after a folly attempt by Sean to destroy him.

Bell ends the movie with yet another twist, toying with the idea of a possible trilogy in the future.

Despite its harsh reviews, as of Feb. 23, Brahms: The Boy 2 has earned a total of $8.1 million against the movie’s initial budget of $10 million.

If you are seeking a classic thriller film with sufficient jump scares, then the teen-friendly slasher, Brahms: The Boy 2, is the film to see.

The Evolution of Comic Books

For decades, one of the staples of American entertainment has been the comic book industry. However, behind the popular characters and flashy colors, there lies a rich history with almost as many twists and turns as a comic itself.

Originating from newspaper comic strips, investors in the 1930s saw a profit in compiling this child-friendly art form into booklets. In 1938, Action Comics No. 1 brought Superman into the world, forever changing the industry.

Following Superman’s debut, comics took off rapidly, mostly featuring the superhero trend. In 1941, Marvel Comics released its sixth issue, featuring the soon-to-be legend, Stan Lee.

Lee started writing about the already-upcoming hero, Captain America, defining who the hero is today. The author also invented numerous superheroes of his own, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and Black Panther.

“From 1938 to 1950— a period historians refer to as comics’ ‘Golden Age’— comic books flourished without any direct competition,” Alex Abad-Santos, a writer for Vox, commented.

In addition, the expansion of female heroes in pop culture grew with figures such as the Woman in Red (1940) and Wonder Woman (1941).

Despite this surge in popularity, comics soon began to die out. They were viewed as childish and were criticized by some conservative politicians who labeled them as “bad influences.”

In reaction to this, the Comic Codes were established, severely censoring many of the more “vulgar” aspects of the artform, such as slang and profanity, disrespect for authority, and graphic monsters. The Comic Codes even limited the representation of minority groups within comics.

Comics received a brief renaissance during the 1970s and 1980s. As games such as “Dungeons & Dragons” came out, some comic book authors tried to mimic the sword and sorcery style, but found little success.

During this same time, the Comic Codes met their end as authors rebelled and comic book shops popped up left and right.

However, with the rise of the internet at the end of the twentieth century, and thus the explosion of online comics, the standard comic book has faded into obscurity.

Seen now as a trinket to collect or as a nostalgic aspect of the past, the physical comic book has disappeared from mainstream media. However, the creativity found in the authors, illustrators, and their stories have found new life on internet platforms that more people have access to than ever before.

By CONNOR EUBANKBuisness Manager

Available in more than 100 countries, Apple TV+ has gained attention since its introduction to the market on Nov. 1, 2019.

Apple TV+ is a subscription streaming service created by Apple. Like Netflix and Hulu, Apple TV+ includes original content, such as TV series, movies, and documentaries. The company also promised that a new, original piece would be released every month.

Similar to typical streaming services, the purchase of Apple TV+ promises no advertisemnts, on-demand services, and downloadable content. Apple TV+ also boasts 4k picture quality and Dolby Atmos sound.

Although it shares many common features with the other subscription streaming sites, Apple TV+ includes some unique aspects, such as Apple’s Family Sharing Program, which allows subscribers to share their subscriptions with up to five members. With the purchase of any Apple device, customers can receive a year of free Apple TV+. In addition, with the student plan, students can also receive Apple TV+ at a discounted price. Unlike most big-name streaming services, Apple TV+ costs only $4.99 a month,

providing a more affordable price to a wider audience. With the release of the Apple TV+, the Apple TV

app has also been given upgrades. The new version of the app allows users to bundle existing streaming services, like Hulu and Amazon Prime, and pay-TV services like Charter Spectrum and DIRECTV NOW. Apple TV+ is accessible through the apple TV app. This access connects Apple TV+ to various smart TV’s including Roku and Fire TV.

Despite its short time in the consumer market, Apple TV+ has plans to expand in this upcoming year.

“Other future entertainments are said to include a reboot of Amazing Stories, supervised by Steven Spielberg; a version of A Christmas Carol with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds; and a crime show starring Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul,” Jeffrey M. Anderson, f r e e l a n c e contributor to Tech Hive, said.

With news of its future plans, Apple TV + shows a promising outlook in its impact in the subscription s t r e a m i n g business.