In theaters: May 7

Starring: Robert Downey Jr.

With news of Tony Stark’s true identity as Iron Man, the United States Government demands Stark hand over the powerful suit. Meanwhile, Justin Hammer, Stark’s rival, assists the government in duplicating the suit. To top it all off, Whiplash, a dangerous foe, emerges in order to take revenge on the Stark family once and for all. Hammer and Whiplash unite with one common goal: to destroy Iron Man.

Toy Story 3

In theaters: June 18

Starring: Tom Hanks and Tim Allen

Leaving for college, Andy decides to dump Woody, Buzz, and the rest of their toy-box friends in a day-care center. Excited for the new adventure, the toys keep positive attitudes as they explore their new surroundings and meet new toys. However, not long after their arrival, the toys determine to find a way home and reunite with Andy.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

In theaters: June 30

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner

Bella Swan, now reunited with her vampire love, finds herself torn between the love she feels for Edward and the strong friendship with Jacob. She must choose between the two, a decision that could initiate the conflict between vampire and werewolf. Meanwhile, Seattle is haunted by mysterious mass murders and a vampire who seeks revenge.

Web exclusives:

Splice

In theaters: June 4

Starring: Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley

Elsa and Clive, two young genius scientists, specialize in splicing together DNA from different animals to create new hybrids.  The daring couple decides to conduct a dangerous experiment — splicing together human and animal DNA to create an unknown organism.  They create the amazing creature named “Dren.”  Dren impresses the couple with both physical and intellectual developments; however, he also becomes their worst nightmare.

The A-Team

In theaters: June 11

Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Sharlto Copley

Based off the 1983 TV show, The A-Team follows four brave former Special Forces soldiers as they try to escape being captured for a crime they did not commit.  Each soldier possesses a unique talent essential to clearing his name and finding the true culprit.

Salt

In theaters: July 23

Starring: Angelina Jolie

This movie tells the story of Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer accused of being a Russian Spy and ultimately has her loyalty tested.  She uses her years of experience and skills to escape capture and prove her innocence.  As her hunt unfolds, the truth behind her identity is revealed, answering the question: “Who is Salt?”

Many BV students started watching the show during the first season and have followed it until now, season six.

Sophomore Amanda Penn is one of those loyal Lost fans.  

“I like how you never know what’s coming next,” Penn said. “You actually have to think about everything that’s happening to understand it.” 

Senior Hunter Kennon also appreciates the mysterious aspect of the show. 

“I like the way Lost always keeps you guessing,” he said. “One moment you think you have everything figured out and the next you’re staring at the screen in disbelief, trying to register what just happened.”

Kennon said the depth of the story is what has kept him watching.  

“The way that all of the storylines and character backstories are interconnected helps to keep your head spinning,” he said. 

Kennon didn’t start watching Lost until season two. 

“Shortly after I started watching, I bought season one on DVD and became truly hooked,” he said. “I eventually got the rest of my family hooked, too.” 

Students who didn’t watch the show’s early seasons find it confusing and hard to follow.

“I’ve seen like five minutes of a couple episodes, but not the whole thing,” sophomore McKenzie Nicholis said. “The show is just so hard to follow. I don’t understand how people can watch it.”

Penn said to fully understand the plot, viewers should start by watching season one.  

“You have to watch from the first season to the last to understand,” Penn said. “If you still don’t get it then you can ask someone. You can also watch the show before and it explains what happened at the bottom of the screen.”

Nicholis said the different components of Lost are hard to put together.

“I don’t understand how the writers make everything fit together,” she said. “It’s just so weird.”

Kennon said that the show is entertaining to all types of viewers. 

“You can enjoy Lost on a lot of different levels,” he said. “Sure, there are people who know every detail about the show and can quote episode names on demand, but I don’t think those super-fans make up the majority of viewers. I think a lot of people just sit down and watch to be entertained.”

Kennon enjoys hearing other viewers’ predictions about the show. 

“The plot of the show is very deep and filled with allusions,” he said.”So fans toss around a ton of theories, which are entertaining to read and keep up with.” 

With Lost’s final season coming to a close, viewers will have to find other shows to watch in its place.  

“I’m so depressed that the show’s ending,” Penn said. “I’ll probably start watching V.” 

While Kennon doesn’t know what shows he will watch when Lost is over, he is sad and will miss the show. 

“I am disappointed that this is the last season,” he said. “But I’m also glad that they’re not dragging the show on forever and ruining it in the process.”

Lost airs on the ABC network on Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

The iPad is a tablet computer which the user can carry around with them. Users can browse the Internet, play games from the App store or read an e-newspaper, just like a normal laptop. Except users won’t be able to multi-task, make phone calls or take pictures.  

While calling it an oversized iPod touch is too general, the iPad didn’t live up to its potential. Don’t start calling me an Apple hater, or a Windows lover yet, just hear me out. I own an iPhone; it is one of the few products that lives up to all the hype Apple gets.

On the iPhone owners can use an App while talking to a friend, listen to music while reading the newspaper and upload photos straight to the Internet. With the iPad users cannot do more then one task at a time, a big letdown considering their phone that costs less is able to multitask easily. 

If I spent $499 on any laptop, Mac or PC, I should be able to do everything a mobile computer can do. Why would Apple release their revolutionary product without all of the same capabilities?

Some users argue the size of an iPad is more compact, when really it is not much smaller in size. Coming in at 9.56” x 7.47”, it is not something that will be able to fit in a pocket. 

It will take up some space in a backpack or purse, not much better than an average laptop’s size.

If purchasing an iPad just to have a simple tablet computer to browse news with, listen to music or play games on, I suppose the price is justifiable. However, I prefer to get more than one thing done at a time. 

I’d rather spend my money on a laptop. 

While I enjoy the iPad and the features it has, it doesn’t live up to its hype or its $499 price tag.

Where: Broadway from 33rd to 43rd Street

When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

What: This world-famous parade will have a “going green” theme this year. The parade is always a classic event to go to on St. Patrick’s day and a fun time. Viewers will find some of the greatest floats in Kansas City, the most outrageous crowd and more people out of their minds then you can count. This parade is a crazy, fun experience for anyone who goes and an exceptional “people-watching” event.

Flannigan’s Right Hook concert

Where: Llywelyn’s Pub, 151st Street and Metcalf Avenue

When: 4 p.m.

What: A Kansas City Irish rock band will perform what gets classified as “Celtic Rock.” Flannigans Right Hand is one of the bands that always represents this genre. Their music is traditionally performed in Ireland, but they sometimes incorporate the rap-and-rock environment of Kansas City. Their playlist for concerts include many classic Irish Ballads, U.S. country songs or even a little bit of U2.

Eddie Delahunt concert

Where: Mike Kelly’s Westsider, Mo.

When: Right after the Parade

What: A one-man Irish rock musician, Eddie Delahunt is a soulful Irish singer-songwriter and musician in the folk tradition. He is known as the best Irish performer and singer in Kansas City by his fans, and they have a good reason to say so. Most say if you only buy one Irish CD, or go to any Irish concert, he is the guy to see. He combines acoustics with Irish classics to make a sound of music most never hear of. This will surely be a packed house beginning immediately after the parade.  This is sure to be a good concert to go and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your friends.

by Chris Roche

A few video clips from the Elton John and Billy Joel concert Saturday, Feb. 27 at Sprint Center.

by Stephanie Roche

The product, which will be available in 60 to 90 days, will allow the consumer to watch movies, TV shows, games, read books and listen to music almost anywhere.

The iPad will cost $499 for a 16-gigabyte model and $599 for a 32 gigabyte model.

It can run on AT&T’s 3G service, or can be used with Wi-Fi. AT&T will charge $29.99 a month for unlimited use and $14.99 for up to 250 megabytes.

The iPad has a 9.7 inch wide screen, weighs 1.5 pounds and is 0.5 inches thick.  

According to Apple’s Web site, the Multi-Touch screen on the iPad is similar to that of an iPhone, but is completely re-engineered for the larger surface.  

With this new device, Apple will start competing with Amazon’s Kindle and other e-readers from Sony and Barnes & Noble.

by Emily Brown

Glee, the new hit FOX show about a struggling musical performance club, finished its fall season on Dec. 9.  

However, students don’t need to wait until April to get their Glee fix. Thanks to juniors Kelly Urso and Garrett Woods and senior Dalton Homolka, Blue Valley now has its own Glee Club.

In late September, these choir members decided to organize all students interested in Glee Club.

“It seemed like it would be fun to do something outside of school and give some kids who aren’t in choir a chance to sing,” Woods said.

Junior member Steven Stinson agreed more kids get a chance to sing outside of school.

“It’s also fun to get to sing outside of the classroom,” Stinson said.  “It’s not for a grade and you get to pick the music.”

The club’s first goal was a Christmas performance in December.  Members picked songs they wanted to sing and brought their own sheet music.  Woods and the other singers worked together to choose people or groups of people (like duos or quartets) to sing certain songs.

They rehearsed twice a week as the show neared so all members could attend at least one.

It wasn’t easy for Glee to get organized and prepare for a show in barely two months. The club does not have any adult leadership or influence; they function completely independent of the school.

“It’s just us,” Woods said.  “It is kind of challenging because reading sheet music and picking the parts out is hard.  We don’t really have any adult help at all.”

However, it helps that Woods likes the challenge of putting the music together and making a performance out of it.

Glee performed twice last semester. They held their Christmas show at a member’s church on a snowy night in early December.  After much work, stress and nerves the show was successful.

“I was really apprehensive about the Christmas show, but it came out really, really good,” Woods said.  “It was cool to see what we put together by ourselves as students without any help.”

In December, Glee also organized a special performance with a few members at an AIDS house downtown.  Senior Jessica Mussatto’s mom volunteers at the house and had Jessica ask Glee to perform a Christmas show for the people living and working in the house.  

“I think they liked it a lot,” Stinson said.  “We got to hang out and talk to people after.  It was really fun.”

However, the show wasn’t all fun and games; it also had a humbling side.

“It was honestly kind of sad,” Stinson said.  “I mean, we knew a lot of those people weren’t going to be living for much longer so it was really depressing.  But it felt good to be doing things for other people.”

Glee is always open to performance requests at any location. 

However, since most of the group’s members are participating in the musical, the club will not be as active until after the show.  Instead they will spend time looking for music and planning for the rest of the year.

The founders have many hopes for the second semester of Glee.  

Students at Blue Valley West started a Glee Club this year as well and Woods hopes to organize a joint show with both clubs.

“The club’s anticipated to grow,” Woods said.  “So I am hoping at least 20 people for second semester.  We also want to put a show together with the West club at the end of the year because that would be big and really cool.”

Students are encouraged to join Glee at any time and participation in choir is not necessary.  Interested students should talk to Woods or Homolka.

by Katie Louis

Scott and Stang have been members of the Chambers show choir since sophomore year.

Both developed a strong passion for singing at a very young age.

Dance was a large part of Scott’s life throughout her childhood. She attended a few different dance programs but found a home with Miller-Marley School of Dance and Voice, continuing to dance with that company today.

“When I am dancing I can release every type of emotion I have,” Scott said. “When it’s a good day or a bad day I can express how I feel with all my motions.”

As for Stang, he started dancing his freshman year when Chambers director Marsha Moeller suggested dance class for him.

Scott and Stang agree one of the greatest aspects of Chambers is the positive and fun atmosphere in the classroom.

“With the people in the classroom, you just know its going to be fun,” Stang said.

Scott enjoys spending time and growing every day with her peers in Chambers.

“It is great being able to share your interests with other people,” Scott said. “In high school it’s hard to find people that enjoy what you do, especially when everyone is trying to figure out what they personally love to do.”

For Scott, Chambers helped her grow as a person and taught her many qualities that will help with her future career goals.

“It has helped me become a better leader and helps me with understanding people and using their different ideas,” Scott said. “Also, Chambers helped my ability to sing and dance at the same time. I have always done them, just not together.” 

Stang joined Chambers for some experience of the performing world but gained much more.

“I benefited in many ways as a performer and as a person with the people I was around every day,” Stang said.

Moeller witnesses both Stang’s and Scott’s passion and dedication every day in class. 

“They model the level of performance that is needed,” Moeller said. “They are both natural leaders and set a very high standard for the classroom.”

Both seniors receive a lot of support from friends and their families.

“My parents have always helped me with dance and voice lessons,” Stang said. “They always work to make me better than I am now.”

Scott appreciates all the love and support given from her family and friends.

“My mom has always been my biggest supporter,” Scott said. “She has really just always been the one there. My friends are also great supporters. They come and see my shows.”

Oklahoma City University offered Scott a scholarship, which she accepted with plans to major in dance performance.

“My future goal is to end up on Broadway, somehow, someway, be living in New York and to become a Rockette,” Scott said.

Stang received a scholarship to Wichita State through its musical theater program. 

However, he still has five more auditions and will later decide where he will be attending. 

by Jordan Huesers

Tim Burton adds his own twist to the Disney classic Alice in Wonderland. In this story Alice (Mia Wosikowska) falls back into the hole she visited as a child to complete her true quest — to stop the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and help out her friends in Wonderland. Johnny Depp stars as The Mad Hatter in his seventh collaboration with Burton.

Iron Man 2 – May 7th

Iron Man 2 continues the story of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a billionaire inventor who created the Iron Man suit to help fight evil in the world. Stark faces pressure from the government, press and public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to give up his inventions, he forges an alliance with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) to help the world against powerful new enemies.

Twilight Saga: Eclipse – June 30th

This movie is a sure sell-out in theaters as it continues telling the story of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and her conflict of choosing her true love for Edward (Robert Pattinson) or Jacob (Taylor Lautner). She also has to deal with a female vampire Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) who wants revenge on Edward for killing her boyfriend.  

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 – Nov. 19th

As Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) power continues to grow, he now controls the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) decide to follow through and finish Dumbledore’s original plan by finding the rest of the horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. There is little hope for the three as they embark on a journey more extreme than in any other Harry Potter movie. 

by Chris Roche

Hennerberg, Ben and Matt play trombone. Wallraff plays bassoon, Cauffield plays tuba and Douglas plays clarinet.

“It felt really good,” Matt said. “There’s a lot of good people in the state of Kansas.”

The students perform in Wichita Feb. 25-27.

by Maegan Kabel