![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Review: Oz the Great and Powerful – 3/5 stars
March 18, 2013
You’ve got The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked, and now Oz the Great and Powerful. What makes L. Frank Baum’s century old fantasyland of Oz so intriguing? It’s uncertain, but originality definitely isn’t it.
Filled with witches, flying monkeys, and talking dolls, Disney’s newest feature film, Oz, has captivated thousands with its spell, locking itself in as the number one box office movie for the second weekend in a row.
The story of Oz serves as a prequel to the well-known novel and movie, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It follows carnival magician Oscar “Oz” Diggs (James Franco) as he attempts to redeem himself in the new colorful world he’s been blown into by a tornado. Right off the bat, Digg’s journey seems to be following the same familiar current as Dorothy’s.
Unlike in the 1930s classic though, Oz has well-crafted characters who actually go through deep self-reflection and personality change before the end of the film. While maintaining its family friendly appeal, Oz also has some darker moments that are oddly refreshing. For example, Franco embodies an arrogant, greedy, and womanizing (don’t worry, Disney kept it PG) con-man who struggles to fall out of sinful habit.
It is also nicely surprising to see director Sam Raimi present Mila Kunis’ character Theodora initially as a damsel in distress and then show her deterioration into a wicked witch. Disney is usually known for sugar-coating reality, so it is unexpected, disconcerting, and even pleasant to see that “happily ever after” is not always true.
What Oz lacks, however, is any distant form of original plot. Good guy fights bad guy, good guy beats bad guy, and good guy has some sort of talking animal companion. 2D viewers beware: you’ll end up counting the kernels at the bottom of your popcorn bag. The only thing keeping you awake through it all are the startling 3D effects of monkey tails and fire coming straight at you.
It is clear that Oz the Great and Powerful was an attempt to capitalize on the fascination with Oz that came with the success of popular musical Wicked. If you have a free afternoon, it may be worth it to marvel at Academy award winner Scott Stokdyk’s visual effects or laugh at Franco’s devil may care persona.
