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Taelyr Vecchione

I attend San Diego State University where I am working on my Bachelors degree in English. After I graduate I plan on working for a Publishing Company where I can work with books and writers. Writing is my passion and my dream and I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.

Kingsman The Secret Service Movie Review

Worth the theatre prices!

I came into the theatre expecting to see an average, but cool, spy movie; and I got it, plus more. This movie is like a funny, and to me more exciting version of James Bond.

Kingsman is a secret service of gentlemen no one knows about it and it is kept all under wraps. The son of one of the agents killed in the start of the movie, has a job interview (if you can call it that) to become one of the Kingsman agents after having a tough life without his father. While doing this month’s long interview he makes friends and enemies. All while his mentor is trying to take down a billionaire “philanthropist” from destroying the earth.

This movie had it all, and I for one will be buying the DVD when it comes out. This film had the perfect amount of witty banter and cheekiness to keep you laughing and entertained. I enjoyed the jokes and the relationship between all the characters very much.

The plot does seem a little simple, but have no fear, there are a few little (and big) twists to keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat.

The violence in this film was also surprising. I expected to see punches being thrown, maybe a bloody lip and a black eye here and there, but there was much more. There were people being shot, impaled, and exploded. While this was surprising it didn’t take away from the movie at all.

Not to mention the way the fighting scenes were shot. The camera work was great, and it felt like you were actually in the fight. In a lot of movies you can tell that it isn’t the actor, and its clearly the stunt double, but not in this. The stunt doubles also did a great job.

Overall I loved this film. The perfect amount of fighting, humor, love, and inspiration a good story need. It will entertain viewers from all ages and is definitely a movie that you need to see.

The Loft: Movie Review

Big actors with bad acting

The Loft is a psychological thriller about five married men who secretly share a downtown penthouse where they cheat on their wives. One morning they find a dead women in the bed of their loft that no one seems to know. They start to suspect each other, because only they had access to the loft. Then they start to suspect they are being set up, but by who? The movie starts at the end and continues with a series of flashbacks from the first day they get their loft, until the day before they find the women.

It was an interesting way to tell the story, but a little cliché. You know, the crime drama that starts in an interrogation room then flashes back “one year earlier”. One of the biggest disappointments in this film was the acting. With such a top notch cast, you would think the film would be impressive. Eric Stonestreet, James Marsden, and Karl Urban did nothing to elevate the film. Their acting definitely was not a high light of this film. The plot wasn’t very exciting either. The film has been done three times in less than ten years, you would think that would be a hint. The only good thing about this plot is there are a few twists and turns, so it definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. But in a psychological thriller you would expect twists and turns, so it wasn’t a surprise.

One thing that did stand out was the cinematography. Some of the camera shots were beautiful and there were some interesting and odd shots that were some of the best parts of the film. Overall I would say wait until it comes out on DVD, if even then. If you want to watch this movie, don’t expect to be impressed. Just pay attention towards the end, because that’s when the twists happen, and that is the only interesting part of this movie.

Chanel West Coast Interview

Chanel West Coast talks about her career, music, and her personal life.

Chanel West Coast, born Chelsea “Chanel” Dudley, is a popular TV personality and rapper. She is best known for her appearances in Rob Dyrdeks Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness. She has also appeared on Nick Cannon Presents: Wild n’ Out and voices a character on Wild Grinders. Chanel has also appeared in Maxim magazine.

She has also been an aspiring rapper for a lot of her life and has pursued her dream, making it a reality. Chanel signed with Lil Wayne’s popular rap label, Young Money Records, in 2012 and has been working hard on her music ever since. Chanel went on tour in 2013 and has been working on her first album with Young Money that will debut in December of this year.

College News talked to Chanel about her music and personal life. 

CN: Are you planning on continuing to star on Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness?

CWC: Yes definitely, I plan to stay on the show for as long as I can balance doing both of them.

CN: Have you always wanted to be a rapper?

CWC: Yes, I mean since I was a little girl I have always wanted to do music first and foremost. Not necessarily rapping, rapping is something I started doing when I was like about twelve years old but um once I started rapping ever since I started that’s pretty much what I had my mind set on so yeah I have been wanting to do music my whole life basically.

CN: Who is your favorite artist to work with?

CWC: My favorite artist to work with so far, man that’s really tough to say because I have actually been blessed to work with a lot of really dope people in a short amount of time. But I would say one of the coolest people thus far is definitely Snoop. He is like one of the funniest coolest people ever and to be on a song with such a legend is like, there’s no words to describe it so he is definitely one of the coolest people to work with.

CN: What is your favorite part of performing and being on tour?

CWC: My favorite part of performing is seeing people in the crowd singing my lyrics, um that’s a really cool feeling. Actually I have been performing all my life, since I was a little girl in hip-hop dancing, drill team, cheerleading. I was in several talent shows and competitions growing up, so I’ve always loved performing and it’s a lot when you’re performing and you see people singing your lyrics as opposed to just watching you dance to a song. So that’s really the best feeling for me. Seeing people singing along to my lyrics and just really appreciating my music and just being fans. You know to see that, that’s the best most rewarding feeling.

CN: Who is your role model, or idol, in music and why?

CWC: I would say that I have two main role models as far as music goes. As far as rapping, Tupac was my biggest inspiration, that’s the artist that I listened to that really inspired me to start rapping. And as far as a female icon that I have always looked up to since I was a little girl is definitely Gwen Stefani. I think that is pretty much my biggest idol, I’ve always looked up to her since she was in No Doubt and then when she went on to being a solo artist doing kind of like more hip-hop music. I just think that she has such a unique style and theres really nobody like her and that’s one of the main reasons I idolize Gwen Stefani. 

CN: Who is your fashion icon?

CWC: Fashion icon is also Gwen Stefani. I think that she’s just really different and I think that, you know no matter what she wears, it’s still her. It’s really like she’s got her own thing you know what I mean? I wanna be the same way as an artist, I want to have that style where like no matter what I wear you kind of see me and you’re like oh, that’s Chanel West Coast.

CN: Do you have any current love interests?

CWC: Love interests? Well other then music. I would say that music is my number one love interest, always. But, um, I do have a love interest in my life but I like to keep that very personal and not talk about those things. But I think people will figure out those things lurking on Instagram on their own so I will just let people figure out things on their own.

CN: What do you do beside music and working on Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness?

CWC: Man, to be completely honest, my life is music and my TV shows. For the past five years that has pretty much been my life. You know when I do get down time I like to just, you know, do stuff like kick it with my friends. I am a Cali girl, I love to go to Venice beach and go to the beach with my girls. I obviously love to shop, go to Melrose and Rodeo stuff like that. So when I do get down time I like to do stuff like that. But I would say for the most part, my life is pretty much music.

CN: Where do you see yourself in the future? 5-10 years?

CWC: In five or ten years I would really like to see myself as a successful music artist, you know, maybe at that point I got a few albums out that have done really well, won a few awards. I would also like to get into the film world. I would like to start getting into acting, eventually maybe even getting into producing because I have a lot of cool ideas for movies and stuff. So that’s another thing I would really like to get into after my music career takes off.

CN: What do you want to say to your fans and all those people who have supported you?

CWC: Oh man, I just want to tell my fans that I love them. Honestly I don’t know where I would be without my fans. It’s like if I have a bad day I go on Twitter and see a fan say something sweet to me and make nice compliments about my music or my laugh. And that can totally change your mood and cheer you up. So my fans are everything to me and I love them.

Chanel is getting ready for the drop of her new album and the continuation of the shows that she stars in. For more new music from Chanel you can check out new content she releases every week for #WestCoastWednesday on her social media.

Nightcrawler Movie Review

Movie review of Nightcrawler staring Jake Gyllenhaal (Spoiler Alert)

Nightcrawler is a new film that was released recently staring Jake Gyllenhaal that hit theatres this month. It is a thriller that will be sure to stick with you. There are many things about this film that stand out and make it a good film.

Nightcrawler is the story of Lou Bloom, a financially unstable man who lives in LA. He is stealing copper, metal, and even man hole covers to make ends meet. One night he happens upon a horrible car accident where he meets a man who video tapes accidents or crimes and sells them to news channels. Bloom dives into this world and thrives, becoming the go to guy for obtaining these videos. Bloom eventually hires an assistant to help with these jobs. As the movie goes on you can tell that an already unstable Lou Bloom is becoming more and more unstable.

He begins manipulating evidence and crimes so he can get better videos. He causes accidents, hides criminals, and lies to anyone and everyone, which eventually leads to the death of his partner. He also causes the horrific car crash of the rival team that shoots videos. The smooth talking Bloom gets out of any chargers and at the end of the film hires even more people to work for his company. The film starts out a little slow, and one can even get bored and want to leave the theatre or turn the film off, but I urge you not to. As the film goes on you become enthralled and it takes you through a range of emotions that are sure to leave a mark.

Jake Gyllenhaal does an excellent job in this film, but it I also have mixed feelings about it; that’s what makes it so great. Gyllenhaal lost weight for this movie to create a skinny and creepy looking man. Gyllenhall definitely pulls this off; in fact he is so creepy it almost makes the viewer hate the movie. You can’t stand Lou Bloom, and that’s what makes Gyllenhaals performance so memorable. His character has you on the edge of your seat and have you shocked at what he does and how he acts. The music choice is also good. At the beginning the film the music is slower and quieter, but as it goes on it speeds up and gets louder, bringing you in more and more. The plot is outstanding, the story is a memorable one and takes twists and turns that only Gyllenhaal can pull off with his great performance.

Overall this is a great film to see. All the elements like the plot, the music, and the filming are alright. But what makes it great is the creepy yet astounding performance by Jake Gyllenhaal. Be prepared to be shocked, creeped out, but come away knowing you just watched a good movie.

College Success with Finals

College success and tips for the end of the year finals

Brace yourselves, finals week is fast approaching. Whether you are ready or not it will be here with a vengeance. So its time to prepare yourselves, because you can never get started too early; trust me. It’s a stressful time, as we all know, and it could even be the determining factor in your final grade for the course. Here are some great tips to get you ready for finals and ace that test.

1) Utilize that planner and follow your schedule! You should have one already filled with your homework for the semester, so now use it for planning times to study before your test. Make sure to fill it with all of your homework and your activities, that way you know when you have free time to study.

2) Make a study guide. Some professor’s give you study guides to follow and fill out, don’t neglect this or procrastinate. This is a free pass to doing well on the test. So fill out that study guide with detail and precision. If they don’t give you one go over those notes and make your own! Look and see what are main points, and pull those out.

3) Google Docs are your friend. So many people have gone digital, with Facebook to Instagram, so use this technological advance to your advantage. If you don’t have time for a study group with some of your class mates you can use Google Docs. Send out the link to all of your class mates so you can all utilize a study guide and help each other out.

4) Make a friend, or even a few, to study with. Chances are there may be a question or two that you don’t know, so you want a friend to help you out with that question, and vice versa.

5) Don’t cram! Cramming doesn’t work, don’t kid yourself. The best way to study is over a period of days before the exam, not two hours. You definitely should review the material right before your test, but don’t try to learn it all on the walk across campus.

6) Use those Office Hours! Your professor has taken time out of his or her day to sit in a small cramped room for your benefit! They are there to help you, they want to help you, so take advantage of this. Chances are if you come in and really want help or ask good questions, they will remember you and be glad you came in. And hey, maybe they are grading your paper and your less than a point away from an A in the class, they might remember you came into their office and asked for helped and tried and bump you up a bit. You never know! Hopefully these help you out. Finals are a tough and stressful time, but if you follow these tips I guarantee you will make your life much easier. Good luck!

Improving Your Resume in College

How to improve your resume while in College

A resume is a very important item to have in the working industry and College is a very important time to build your resume. College is that awkward time where you aren’t sure what to put on your resume, is high school activities and awards still a smart thing to put on your resume? Well for your first year or two out of high school, yes that is a good idea. But if you are applying for a career in say the publishing industry or working for a business firm, they may not be too impressed that you won MVP of your Varsity Volleyball team.

Here are some tips and things to take advantage of while you are in college so you can build your resume, and give you a leg up on your competition.

1) Join a club or an organization. College clubs and organizations can be very prestigious and impressive on a resume. Your University has plenty of organizations that you can join, from a Greek org to Associated Students. Make sure to take advantage of all the opportunities these clubs have to offer.

2) Hold a chair or board position in your organization. If you are a person in power or one that has responsibilities, it will jump off the page. Being president of your club or even a small position like public relations, can only help you and make you stand out. Employers are looking for people who are accomplished and have shown that they do well with responsibilities.

3) Hold a job or be in a club for over a year. Employers do not want to know if you worked at a movie theatre for five months. Only put information on your resume that helps you and makes you stand out, and staying at a job or belonging to an organization for over a year will make you stand out.

4) Get close with a Professor or Administrator. Getting close with a professor or administrator can be useful in a number of ways. Your professor has been through exactly what you are going through, use their advice and knowledge. They can possibly even help you with your career or give you advice, especially if they are in the field that you are in. If your professor is willing you can also ask them to write a letter of recommendation that will help you immensely when you are applying for jobs and using your new and improved resume.

If you use these tips you can build your resume while you are in college and it will help you when you graduate and go into the career you have always wanted.
 

Lucy Movie Review

Don’t waste your money; wait for it to come out on DVD.

Lucy, played by Scarlett Johansson, is a kidnapped woman who is used to smuggle a new type of drug, CPH4, out of the country and into Europe. During her captivity the bag breaks and she absorbs this new drug. As she absorbs the drug she gains more and more brain capacity, going from 10% to eventually 100%, and is able to control the world around her as well as time. As she takes out her vengeance out on those who have wronged her, she also seeks out a doctor, played by Morgan Freeman, to share her knowledge with. As she finally reaches 100% brain capacity she disappears and leaves the world with all of the knowledge she has gained.

Now this movie was supposed to be the hit of the summer, but I can tell you it does not come even close. Although the movie has great special effects and very cool aesthetics through the movie, that is all masked by the questionable and cheesy writing. There are very cheesy lines through the entire movie, as well as cheesy plot points that had nothing to do with the main story line. It leaves you asking yourself, why did we need to know that? Or why did we need to see that?

Scarlett Johansson’s acting also took away from the movie. Lucy is supposed to be this average girl who turns into this super human with unparalleled brain capacity, but her performance reminds me more of an emotionless robot. She kills anyone without a second thought, innocent or not. But she does not kill the one person responsible for her life turned tragedy, Mr. Jang, which leaves the viewer asking yet again, why? This eventually comes back to haunt Lucy and everyone around her as Mr. Jang seeks his own vengeance.

There are also random image points at the beginning of the film that are basically allusions to what is about to happen that seems almost pointless and only occurs for the first quarter of the movie. At the beginning Lucy is lured in to Mr. Jangs building, which is a trap, and we see in image of a mouse about to get snapped by a mouse trap. Not sure if that was needed, the audience isn’t stupid, we don’t need to be told what is about to happen. That’s what music choice or acting is supposed to convey.

Lucy, although somewhat entertaining, is not a movie you should spend a lot of money on. Wait for it to come out on Netflix or DVD.

Sorority Recruitment: What You Need to Know for Rush Week

Going through Sorority recruitment can be a stressful and nerve racking experience, but it can also be one of the greatest experiences of your college life. Going through recruitment is an exciting time, you meet the great women who are going through the recruitment process with you but you are also introduced to the Greek women on your campus.

The fall semester is coming up, which means recruitment is right around the corner. For the freshman going into the University this means making a decision whether or not to join a sorority. If you do decide to go through recruitment, there are some things that every woman rushing should know. These are some pointers that will help you have a fun and enjoyable recruitment.

1) Utilize your Rho Chi. Your Rho Chi is your mentor through the process of recruitment. They are women who are already in one of the sororities on campus but have temporarily left to help you out with recruitment. They have been through both sides of recruitment and have had a lot of experience. Don’t be afraid to talk to them about anything! They will help you with questions or concerns.

2) The sororities have been preparing for recruitment for weeks, be respectful. These women have taken time out of their lives to prepare for recruitment and make sure that your experience is wonderful and enjoyable. Be respectful of that. Even if you don’t like a house, or a girl, make sure to still show them respect.

3) Relax; they are just as nervous as you are. Some of these girls are on the other side of recruitment for the very first time. They are nervous just like you, and all these women went through recruitment just like you, so they know exactly how you feel.

4) Dress cute but dress how you want to dress. Through recruitment week you will have a dress code. It starts very casual and ends formal. Although there is a code on how you need to dress, you should still dress how you want. On a day you need to wear a dress, wear one, but wear one that you love and would normally wear. You shouldn’t dress differently because someone told you too.

5) Be yourself and be honest. You want to be yourself when you are meeting all of the women. These girls are there to talk to you and find out who you are and if you would fit in well with them. If you aren’t truly being yourself then the women won’t be able to know who you really are and it will be hard to find a good fit in one of the houses.

6) Preference Night is important! This is the last day or recruitment. You will be meeting a woman whom you have already met through the process. This is the final step in joining one of the houses. You will have a more serious and calm day then what you have experienced before. The sororities tend to be more open and tell you more about their houses. This is the day that not only you but the houses will decide if you are right for each other.

8) Bid Day! When you get a bid this is the start of a new chapter in your life. If you choose to accept the bid a sorority gives you, you will join the house and become a new member. Don’t be shy. These women are going to welcome you in with open arms and can’t wait to get to know you. These are your new sisters and you will spend a lot of your college career with them. So don’t be shy and enjoy the first day in your new home.

Recruitment week is a great experience for many college women. These are just some key points that will help you make the most out of your experience. Ultimately it is up to you to decide if you want to go through recruitment and if it is right for you.

College Success while Living off of Campus

Commuting to your University, while nice, is a lot harder than living in the dorms or just down the block. When you lived in the dorms it’s just a light walk to get to your class, everything was less than a mile away, you had a meal plan and nothing to worry about outside of the college area.

Living off of campus is an entirely different story. There is much more to worry about; getting up that extra hour early to get there, traffic, parking, picking the right classes, money for gas, making it to campus, and meeting up with people for group projects. It’s a lot harder than those who live on campus realize. There are, however, little things you can do to make your college commuting life much easier. It will help not only take the stress off of you but take the stress off of those very important grades.

1) Wake up when the alarm goes off and head to class. Commuters dread the drive to campus and the hunt for parking. I know, it’s a pain, but if you don’t go to class you will never be successful.

2) Make sure to leave on time. Commuting to class every morning is a pain, we know, but it is very important to get to your class on time and prepared.

3) Find an area that always has parking. Parking can be extremely stressful, especially towards the midterm and finals part of the semester. There is usually always a parking structure or lot that students don’t go to, mostly because it is very far away, make that your go to spot. A little walk is good for you!

4) Try to schedule your classes all on the same days with very little breaks. If you have all your classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays it makes commuting much easier. Not only will you be more inclined to go to class but you also have more days to focus on all your school work and study. And plus, you will save money on gas.

5) Do homework on your breaks, don’t go home! Sometimes when you have that hour or two long break it’s hard to just sit around campus. All you can think about is how comfy your bed is and if you go home you won’t have to pay the outrageous 8 dollars for a salad. But this is a big problem for commuters. Find a quiet and comfortable area in a building on campus, or a Starbucks, or a hallway of your library and make that your area. You will feel more comfortable, focused on your homework, and less likely to go home.

6) Take advantage of organizations on campus. Living off of campus can change your college experience. Make sure to join some sort of club or organization on campus. It will not only help you make friends and get more involved but it will also make you better-rounded and it looks great on a resume.

Hopefully these will help you with your commuting college experience and help you have a successful college career.

Tips for College Success

We all know how hard college can be sometimes; studying, midterms, papers, projects, and finals. Sometimes all the classes you take seem to all have the same due dates and it can be extremely stressful. Some of you have jobs, one or even two that you have to think about as well. It can feel like life is piling up and school can sometimes be put on the back burner, and no one truly wants that.

There are tips that can help make life easier and your life in college successful, which will lead to even greater success after your graduation.

  1. Use a Planner

Planners will make your life ten times easier. As soon as you get your syllabus from your professor write down all of the tests dates and when papers or projects are due. That way you have all the due dates from day one. Also, make sure to write down all of your homework, even if you think you will remember, you never know what will come up so having a reminder helps. You can also put down the dates and times you work, that way you can plan ahead for time to study.

  1. Make a Friend in Every Class

We all have a sick day or a day when you sleep through your alarm and miss class. Missing class is never good, so if you make a friend they can fill you in on any material that was missed and even share their notes. Having friends in the same class can also make studying and those dreaded group projects much easier.

  1. Go to Office Hours

The professor has office hours to help you. It is a privilege that should be taken advantage of. Talking to your professor will not only help you with your work you do in that class but also allow the professor to get one on one time with you and get to know you. They can help you with other things then just your final paper. If you have a professor who is an expert in Shakespeare, and that’s what you want to emphasize in, then you have a great resource right there, take advantage of it.

  1. Don’t Skip Class

Thinking you don’t need to go to class is a myth. You will always miss something important and usually the professor will notice when you are not there. If you don’t go to class the professor will be less likely to help you if it is needed. You’re there to learn, take advantage of it.

  1. Use Resources

Your University has many resources that you should use. There are computer labs, tutors, a library, and your bookstore that has plenty of books and study devices like Sparknotes charts to help you study. Use these!

  1. Make Friends with Students who have the same Major

This is very important and something that can help you over all of the years you attend college. As you get further into your college career, you will notice that your classes will get smaller and you will see more and more familiar faces. Making friends with people who have your same major will help you feel more comfortable in your classes. If you already know a couple people in a new class it already takes pressure off of you on the first day.

These simple tips will help you with college and ensure that you will have a better chance at success. College is a time to grow and learn. These tips will not only help with success in college but success afterward when you go into your career.