Read about Michael Jordan.
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When Michael Jordan, one of the greatest players in NBA history, came back this season, all the people who love basketball were excited. But they were also a little anxious about Jordan's second return. After all, he was 38 years old. People all wanted to know if he could play as well as 3 years ago. Maybe we could learn something from some of his matches:
Wizards vs Hawks: Jordan scored 23 points and led the Wizards to the largest margin of victory of the season.
Wizards vs 76ers: Jordan scored 30 and scored the Wizards' last 14 points in the second quarter. Although Allen Iverson did quite well--he scored 40, Jordan's teammates stopped the other four of Iverson's teammates. And the 76ers lost the game.
Wizards vs Bucks: Jordan scored 31, but his young teammates went 5 minutes 41 seconds without letting him touch the ball, so they lost. People said that the Wizards would have no chance without Jordan on the floor.
Wizards vs Boston Celtics: Jordan scored 21, but the Wizards lost. What surprised the Boston businessmen was that hotels and restaurants were full just because Jordan was there.
Wizards vs Knicks: The Wizards lost. Jordan scored 19. The defining moment of the match was that Jordan missed a 3-pointer.
If you had watched the games above, you would have the same feeling as me that Jordan seemed younger than a 38-year-old man and he just enjoyed the game. His great effort made the Wizards a completely different team. If the Wizards keep going, they will be a story in the making, just as Jordan said.
But Jordan's teammates may feel great pressure playing with Jordan. They had some problems with Jordan. When the Wizards competed with the Bucks, they went a very long time without letting Jordan touch the ball. Jordan should find a way to fix it.
Though I like basketball very much, I still feel that Jordan shouldn't have come back. He represents the past of the NBA but not its future. The young players, like Kobe, are the future. If Jordan keeps playing on the ground, the young will have no chance to improve themselves. And it's bad for the young and the team they belong to. It also could be a very sad thing that people watch a superstar in their hearts falling onto the ground.
by Tom Lin
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Mission Impossible
We should admit that this is a great movie. Ethan Hunt is the most attractive part of the movie. Tom Cruise showed his talented skill in building a persecuted hero. His handsome face sure is the first choice for a movie like this and especially his eyes--the deep and glittering blue eyes with sharpness inside, and also, his perfectly-shaped body. Despite that he is not tall enough among Westerners, all that he showed in this movie was capability and vigor. Girls must be screaming when seeing that he hung from the ceiling, showing the well-built muscles and the perfect counterbalance.
Of course, the success of the movie should not be contributed all to Tom Cruise. Others also did excellent job at their own positions: the experienced and shrewd head--Jim; the fascinating, French-flavored wife--Klarra; and all the faithful fellows. Although the job for each of them was so little in comparison with Tom, they did their best.
Some people may think that the movie was so confusing that they at first could hardly even know what was going on. However, once every detail was understood and could be linked to each other, the audience would be taken aback--I've heard a lot of people say "I finally got it! I didn't think it was him!"
Although the movie is successful, there is still one point that I think should be fixed. That is, in the secret room where Ethan stole the disk, why wasn't such a well-protected room well-monitored? I mean, there is no monitor there. People put several blocks in the doorway, whey didn't they pay more attention to the top of the room? I think that is a faux pas indeed.
by Dora Shen
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Mission Impossible
The movie Mission: Impossible is a movie about spies. The main character Ethan, played by Tom Cruise, is a lucky person who was not killed by a spy. While his partners were all killed because of the spy among them.
In my opinion, the plot arranged by the director is very good. There are some plot-confusion points which attract viewers to find out during later viewing. Some breathtaking plots even make viewers hold their brath and become involved in the movie. That is the success of the screenwriter and director. And the soundtrack matches the plot very well. The words said by the characters show their characteristic well, especially Ethan Hunt. Besides, his action is very brave. Though it is a movie of spies, including blood killing, there is also love in it. Ethan was upset at his friends' deaths and decided to get revenge for them. And Clare loved Ethan and died for him. Where hatred exists, love is also there.
Generally speaking, Mission: Impossible is a wonderful movie. But the set in the movie, I think, sometimes makes viewers not believe it is real. The special effects also have this problem. It seems that the people in the movie have super power. Is Ethan so lucky? In the end, the situation was very dangerous and nothing happened to him. He is still alive.
by Angel Lu
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Batteries Not Included
Compared with other sci-fi films, Batteries Not Included is more entertaining. Lovely UFOs have been personalized. They seem to be the characters' pets in the movie.
The movie describes two UFOs which come to the earth, and they are lacking in batteries. Fortunately, they find power in an old building (the protagonists' building), and they can use the power to renovate broken things. This is just what Faye and Frank need. Their cafe has been destroyed by some bad guys who want to drive them out of the old building. When they're in desperation, the couple of UFOs help them.
Excellent casting makes the movie active. Jessica Tandy's (Faye) act appeals to audiences, and receives humorous effects. Faye is an old lady who has lost her memory. She always treats the bad guy as her dead son. She sounds like a fool, but it just moves the audiences.
The idea of making UFOs be friends of human beings is good. It reflects that humans want to have magic power to defeat sinister things. The director uses special effects very well. Those lovely UFOs look like several small people. They have their own language, and they can fly very fast. They can even have babies. But it is also absurd, because it's unbelievable, and they are just duplications of human beings. The writer has no new ideas.
by Dorene Zheng
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Batteries Not Included
There are no such special effects as used in Titanic or digital effects as in Star Wars. Just the simple robots which everybody can fix in the toy shop and a small broken building among the skyscrapers. However, I was touched.
The audience has often warmed to the weak protagonists fighting against the evil side and winning at last. This group of people living in the small building is exactly that. An old couple opened Cafe Riley. The wife was a little dull-witted woman because of age. Although there was still a hurt in her heart--her son Bobby's death. An artist, a pregnant young woman and a black man who was the boxing winner in the past are their neighbors.
One day, all of them were annoyed by a rogue sent by a big corporation to force them to move out of the building. Facing the ruins, helpers in the cafe were gone, the girlfriend of the artist was gone...No one knew what they could do. Fortunately, the magic robot couple came in, they fixed everything and brought their family.
The artist was inclined to discover the secret of these living robots. What is his aim, to win the Nobel Prize? The love between the pregnant young woman Marisa and him confused us. Does their combination connect with our topic? It is not necessary to add a romantic story in every movie, Hollywood. About the former boxing winner, Harry Noble, we can only say "What a pity!" The screenwriter required exaggerating genuineness to earn more tears from audiences, so Harry's expression always looked like a baby. All of their acting was failed with the exception of the rogue. His embarrassment caused by old woman Faye and his boss impressed us.
After all, comparing with veterans like the old couple, the other actors seemed worthless. They all became an adornment to connect the robots with our old couple--the symbol of the real ordinary people: strong in the mind but weak in the body, kind in the heart but no power in the hand, and always keeping valuable memory in their daily life. Their victory at the end of the movie encouraged us.
by Tian Tian
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Snowing in the sky Spirit starts to fly Rising at the height Leaving from my sight. by Victor Bian |
Stand in the snow. See people below. Just say hello To people you know. by Cathy Zhang |
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It is now snowing, Candles are flickering. Trees have been decorated. Santa is awaited. by Sean Zhu |
Boys play in the snow, Girls dance in the row. People dress in colorful, Christmas is wonderful. by Shania Hong |
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See world below Covered by snow Falling to ground It can be found All becomes white Shining with light Singing at night Faces are bright by Virginia Wang |
Jingle bells ringing, Child follows singing. Santa rides the sleigh. What a happy day. by Jessie Jiang |
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Under the starry sky, What a lovely night! Riding on my dear sleigh, I go along the lane! Breathing the chill air, Bells ring to my ear. Wind, wind, do you know I am hurrying home. How delighted it be, Together with your family. However far I go away, I'll come back today. Under the starry sky, It is Christmas night. Riding on my dear sleigh, I go along the lane. by Jean Guo |
Riding in the sleigh I feel so happy. What a nice day. I move and stay. No writing and philosophy, The most is living. Running in the snow, And lying in snow. Living is so happy. I relax myself, Thinking or staying, Sitting and breathing. I want to know Why I am so happy. Merry Christmas. Living is so happy. by Shawn Yang |
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Read about Michael Jordan.
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This page was last edited February 7, 2002.