Spring 22016 December 014
The Scarlet Quill
Scarlet Quill
The
Elmwood Park Memorial High School
EP Gym Gets a Face-‐lift
What’s Inside?
By Daniel Altamar Staff Writer The gym unveiling ceremony, which took place Dec. 9, went off without a hitch! Original to the building, the cracked bleachers, dented floor and ripped wall mats had seen better days. It had also seen its athletic program astonish crowds while breaking history. From the back-‐to-‐back games in 2013 where Andre Frasier lead the boys basketball team to the semi-‐finals, to Victoria Stec and Juliana Romero setting school volleyball records for assists and kills, the gym has held its own. However, it was noticed by many that it was in major need of an upgrade. This past year, Athletic Director Jillian Torrento set out to create an atmosphere that would inspire future Crusaders. The district has seen an influx of students who have gone to neighboring private schools because of their athletic facilities and programs. The main goal is for the students and the community to show a sense of pride in the direction in which EP athletics is headed. During the ceremony, the booster club (which supports the athletic department) sold fan gear. Such items included shirts, wristbands and license plate frames. All donations from that night will assist in funding a new scoreboard, official’s table and a sound system. The Future Alumni Club was also presented with a plaque, honoring their contributions to the school. A great event that was added to the ceremony was the alumni basketball game. Many past basketball players such as Steve Herget, Brad Forestieri, and Andre Frasier, all of whom are still are involved in the game, lit up the floor. The game, being comprised of two 10-‐minute quarters, was a close one throughout. However, the younger alumnus pulled out the victory with a 6-‐point margin. The administration would like to thank everybody who came out to support the school and hopes to see many of those same faces at future sporting events to come.
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Review of the Senior Holiday Banquet in NYC
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New clubs are sprouting up at EPMHS and drawing in big crowds
Student blog about p. 4 working at a florist shop p.5
Book reviews by our very own bibliophile
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Holiday movie previews
Want to read about the autumn and winter holidays in Spanish? Go to p. 5 and 6! Gym photos by Alex Kazias and Victoria Cseuscik.
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Spring 2016
December 2014
No “Grinches” at Senior Banquet By Erikka Chowdhury Staff Writer Dec. 11 was an enchanted experience for the seniors of EP, when they travelled to New York City to see Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” musical at the Madison Square Garden. The senior banquet was planned and organized by the Senior Class Advisor, Mrs. Veronica Alfonso. The fun-filled day was filled with enigmatic magic and grace. The seniors were uplifted with joy and felt like the expense was totally worthwhile. The total cost for the banquet was only $100, which included the price of the ticket, transportation, and the lavish dinner at The Victoria restaurant. “The show was amazing! I really enjoyed it and I loved the lunch we had,” said senior Ariana Velez. “My favorite part of the lunch was that we were all eating together.” It was a delightful day for seniors because they were able to discover the glorious and spellbinding classic of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” live on stage. In this play, Max the dog acts as the narrator.
He vividly describes the Grinch as having a heart, which is “two sizes too small,” because of his intense disdain towards the joyous celebrations associated with Christmas. Senior Sabrina Iudici was seen dancing in her seat while watching the hit songs being performed on stage. Iudici exclaimed, “My favorite song was “Welcome Christmas,” because I was able to Nullam see mostac ofipsum the castgravida members dancing energetically and joyously with placerat suscipit. each other!sem I sincerely admire the vibrant togetherness of all the cast members.” Furthermore, the Broadway adaptation of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has received an intense amount of critical acclaim and has successfully stolen the hearts of many young audience members. Finally, the banquet was a very delightful experience for the seniors of EP. Hopefully, these students will be able to cherish this experience for a lifetime.
THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR By Claudia Smagacz Staff Writer It's that time of year again: it's Christmas time. The time where we decorate our houses with lights and put up our Christmas tree. This is the season that requires the most preparation. People need to get their Christmas shopping done, wrap the presents and put them under their Christmas tree. When Christmas comes, everyone comes together, enjoys a meal, and opens presents. This is what Christmas is all about. It's not just about the presents, but being together as a group and sharing good times that people had with each other. The second day that people enjoy is New Year's Eve. It's the day where everything is closed and people get ready for the new year. They buy their hats and noisemakers. They have a get together and they wait until the ball at Rockefeller Center drops and everyone blows their noisemakers and everyone shouts “Happy New Year!” A new year comes and people think about what they want their new year's resolution to be. It's what people want to do for themselves, not for someone else. This is a chance to turn over a new leaf. It's a change that you want to m ake in yourself. 2
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THE CLUB SCENE: New Clubs Draw in Crowds EQUAL BUT NO LONGER SEPARATE By Aleen Takvorian Staff Writer Because we live in a world of change, sometimes we change with the world. In this current and ever-‐changing "modern" era, there are aspects that society now views as acceptable. Although everyone might not have a common outlook, EPHS is hopping on the bandwagon of change and introducing the very first Gender Sexuality Alliance. The focus and purpose of this club is to "provide an accepting and open-‐minded environment to all of its Original members" as well as "promote artwork by tolerance and acceptance to Fatima not only our peers in school, Shahid but to everyone else in the world." Freshman Kierstin McIlwrath voiced her opinion, stating, "I think it's completely amazing that we have it, it shows how much bigger the LGBT community is getting, and how acceptable it's becoming. It's refreshing that schools are getting involved, trying to help and support students that are part of the LGBT+ like me. It's a good feeling knowing that I can be who I am here at school, and not be scared of being ridiculed for being bisexual/pansexual.” The club was approved in December, to be run by Mr. Thomas Carlock. “Knowing that our school actually cares about those students is amazing,” McIlwrath continued. “It can help students who are scared/confused on how to come out to their family/parents. It's good to know we have extra support somewhere else." One of the many benefits of this club is that the diversity and acceptance of EPHS will prosper and continue to change for the better and become a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. For a small thought to keep in mind for this quickly approaching new
year, change is not always for the worse, but for the bigger and b etter to come.
EAST MEETS WEST IN THE ANIME CLUB
By Cynthia Carmenaty Staff Writer New and exciting clubs have been added this school year. Anime Club is a student favorite club with more than 70 members. Anime is Japanese cartoons that have English subtitles, and are very popular around the world. The club is run by math teacher Mr. Matt Borchers, and it meets in the media center on Thursdays to watch entertaining shows. “I am thrilled to be able to bring this club to our school. In college, I was in a similar club and was able to meet new people and make new friends throughout the grade levels,” explained Borchers. “I think having the club will allow students to discover on their own why anime is so massively popular in Japan.” Currently they are watching The Devil is a Part-‐Timer, Silver Spoon and Gargantia. Fellow anime club members Carley Gardenia, Nicole Appel, and Iassic Nutt have described the club as a very welcoming community. The club is a way of meeting new and different people who have similar interests, and it is a place where no one is an outcast. “Many students are watching anime on their own and the club is an outlet to discuss shows that other students may not be aware of,” Borchers continued. “Based on the recurring turnout each week, it’s clear that watching each episode together is a lot more fun and engaging when you have a friend next to you.” Members Alexandra Trohem and Sofia Hernandez have described the club as being "radical" and "awesome!" The Anime club is a treasure to the students who can unite together with one common interest. 3
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Spring 2016 December 2014
NO TIME TO STOP AND SMELL sample of the student blogs created in THE ROSES A Mrs. Cristina Keesser’s Journalism class. By Therese Sheridan Staff Blogger "You work at a florist? That's so cute!" These are words that make me cringe. I remember a time where I believed in lies such as these. The truth is, working at a flower shop does not mean I'm sniffing flowers for hours (hehe that rhymes). In fact, it involves nonstop physical labor. If you don't believe me check out the scars on my hands or the permanent stains on my work clothes. One of my least favorite tasks is cleaning the fridge where the flowers are kept. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, cleaning does not mean simply sweeping. I have to give every bucket of flowers in the fridge a fresh cut and a new bucket of water. There are at least 70 buckets in the fridge and in those buckets anywhere from 10-‐30 stems of flowers. All of these have to be cut with a knife. Some flowers like roses need to be examined and cut stem by stem. This can get rather monotonous and bloody due to the evil thorns. This job does not only involve labor, but also knowledge of all the flowers. Some need a certain size bucket, a certain amount of water, a particular cutting angle, or a different measurement of floral life powder. Once flowers are put into a new bucket, the bucket is dumped and stacked into a dirty pile. This tall, dirty pile then has to be taken downstairs to be bleached and cleaned one by one. Once all of this is done I finally sweep up all the leaves and petals that fall on the floor and carry them in a garbage container the size of a bathtub outside to the dumpster. Despite how tiring this job can be for me, I do get to have fun. My boss and coworkers are very understanding and caring people who love to sing and blast music as they work. So, as long as it's not Valentine's Day it is a very positive atmosphere. Although I hate cleaning the fridge, I do I get to take some flowers home for free. Every now and then, especially on holidays, I even get to make my own arrangements and take them home. So I may have scars all over my hands and stains on my clothes, however at the end of the day I get to crash at home smelling like flowers and feeling accomplished.
December Warner’s Corner: Digital Footprints Recently I attended a workshop about student assessments and had the pleasure to hear Dr. Bill Daggett from the International Center for Educational Leadership speak about a variety of topics. I was looking forward to hearing important new information about 21st Century formative assessments and the implementation of PARCC this spring. Instead, what I heard was something far more interesting, but very alarming for today’s students. Dr. Daggett explained that over the past few months, he has had several meetings with university presidents and college admission officers. Through these meetings, he has learned that many major universities have created a new aspect of their admissions office – “Social Media Department.” Its job will be d edicated to researching the digital profiles of prospective students. Thus, a student’s opportunity for admission will not only be related to grades, test scores and service, but the contents of their Instagram, et al! Therefore, it has never been more important for students to be responsible digital citizens and think twice before they post anything. As a rule, if you h ave any d oubt as to how your content will be perceived – leave it out! 4
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The Marvelous, the Cliché, and the "How Did You Get Published?"
By Briona Diaz Staff Writer/ Bibliophile The Marvelous: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars *CONTAINS A SMALL SPOILER* So friends, this month I decided to dedicate December to the wonderfully messed up genres of dystopia and post-‐apocalyptic. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. May I start by saying it was amazing?! "After the 1st Wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th Wave, just one rule applies: trust no one." If that didn't just draw you in like moths to a flame, I can't help you, sorry. Our main main character is Cassiopeia Sullivan, Cassie for short; Cassie was cleverly named, Cassiopeia is a constellation and this book is dealing with aliens, so +5 points for Yancey. Also, there are A LOT of other main characters, so many that I cannot list them all. To march on, Mr. Rick brilliantly strings his words together, leaving me to wonder "How could I not love this book?" I only have five points, which are all important, so read them, then read this perfect example of YA SCI-‐FI. 1) Yancey writes through the mind of female teenager perfectly and realistically. I mean really, Cassie is going through an ALIEN INVASION! I'm beyond thrilled with the fact that she isn't worried about her hair or looks, but rather is concerned with surviving today and making it to tomorrow and rescuing her brother, Sammy. 2) The characters weren't all dropped in the beginning of the novel; they came and went sporadically. Also, there is a surplus amount of character development -‐which makes me want to scream out of happiness-‐ and there are multiple different character POVs, which adds a nice effect of communal panic, terror, bravery and striving to survive each day. The only thing in which I did not like about the constant change in POVs is the likeness of all of the characters; I wish they each had their own, distinct voice. 3) On the topic of characters, Ringer -‐who comes in toward the middle of the book-‐ is a kick-‐butt, top-‐of-‐her-‐
class soldier and a hardcore, not putting up with your "demeaning, sexist, pseudo-‐macho remarks" feminist! It's about time YA SCI-‐FI has a strong, independent feminist helping to save the world. Strong female characters are a beautiful revolution in YA literature. 4) It's not the cliché "it's up to these teenagers to save the world. *in a deep, manly narration voice*" All children become soldiers in the fight for humanity. The cause is the future's (being the youth) future. 5) The ending is awesome and explosive and has laser-‐ thingies and (did I mention this before?) ALIENS!!!! The aliens who have been living inside humans for years, waiting to initiate the Waves; there is also a delicious alien plot-‐twist! Is it weird to say that I love aliens? Fellow readers, I leave you with this, three final things: 1. Wait until you find out what "The 5th Wave" means (it will leave you shouting "that's messed up!" 2. Where in the world is Evan Walker? 3: (see picture)
The "How Did You Get Published": Unwind by Neal Shusterman Star Rating: 0 out of 5 stars (And I'm being generous) Ugh, how do I even begin to describe this horrible, brain-‐cell-‐murdering book? My brother for his Summer Reading Assignment chose to read this book, so being the open-‐minded Bibliophile that I am, I decided to give it a shot this month despite all of the negatives I have heard about it. Well, curiosity killed the cat. SEE BOOK p. 7 5
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Spring 2016
December 2014
DIAS FESTIVOS EN ESPANOL! Mr. Richard McNeil’s Spanish classes write about the traditions of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas – as they are celebrated in Latin America. Cont. p. 7 Los Días de los Muertos y Halloween Por Daniella Giraldo Frecuentemente, los Días de los Muertos y Halloween son días festivos que están comparados. El festivo de Halloween es el 31 de octubre y empezó en Irlanda. Los Días de los Muertos duran dos d ías, los primeros dos días de noviembre y esta tradición empezó en México.Aunque los dos días festivos son muy diferentes también hay semejanzas entre los dos. Por ejemplo, en las dos celebraciones los niños recogen varios dulces. También, la gente se disfraza para los dos eventos. En los Días de los Muertos se disfrazan d e las calaveras y esqueletos y se pintan la cara. En el Halloween se disfrazan de cualquier cosa que decidan (brujas, monstruos, hadas, diablos, etc.).Para los dos festivos hay símbolos que representan cada festivo. Por ejemplo, para los Días de los Muertos, las calaveras representan el festivo. El Halloween está simbolizado por una variedad de monstruos y otros espantos. Los Días de los Muertos es diferente en el sentido que se celebran los Días para recordar a los miembros de la familia y amigos que están muertos. Pero se celebra el Halloween más simplemente como u na diversión entre los q ue todavía están vivos. Los Días de los Muertos es más personal y íntimo y refleja la relación que todavía existe entre los vivos y los muertos aun después de la muerte. El Día de Acción de Gracias/Thanksgiving Por Samantha Lauret Al principio, el Día de Acción de Gracias no se reconocía como una celebración sino como una costumbre entre los indios Wampanoag. Constantemente los nativos le daban gracias a su creador (o Dios) por los maravillosos regalos que recibían de su parte. Por ejemplo, conducían ceremonias de agradecimiento por la cosecha d e este año y pedían ayuda para tener la esperanza de tener las próximas cosechas en la primavera en un buen estado. Además, h acían estas ceremonias para que el futuro de ellos les fuera exitoso, no solo durante la cosecha sino también durante el nacimiento de u n niño. Para resumir, dar gracias fue el enfoque para las ceremonias que llevaban los indios Wampanoag. Cuando llegaron los peregrinos a América del Norte en busca de una vida mejor, se encontraron con los indios Wampanoag. Necesitaban de su ayuda, ya que su vida en Inglaterra era totalmente diferente al estilo de vida que obtuvieron en América. Con el tiempo, lograron compartir ideas y costumbres y de allí surgió la celebración q ue se conoce hoy por el Día de Acción de Gracias. En 1621 comenzaron esta celebración por primera vez y había una participación de 90 indios Wampanoag y 53 peregrinos. Esta celebración duró por tres días, donde pudieron disfrutar de su cosecha en el Nuevo Mundo.
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NOVEMBER: STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Andrea Romano -‐ Grade 12 Humza Yousef -‐ Grade 11 Alexis Wright -‐ Grade 10 Aaron Hassan -‐ Grade 9 Este año se celebrara el Día de Acción de Gracias el 27 de noviembre ya que es el cuarto jueves del mes. En este día, bastantes familias se reúnen en una mesa y oran a su Dios para darle las gracias por sus provisiones. Normalmente, se sirve pavo con cualquier relleno y acompañado con la salsa de arándanos, papas, batatas y maíz (típicamente en forma de pan). Además, para el postre, se come un delicioso p astel d e calabaza. También, se conduce u n desfile en la Ciudad de Nueva York que incluye presentaciones musicales y personas famosas y a muchos le encantan ver el juego de fútbol americano.
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BOOK, cont. from p. 5 you are writing a dystopia/post-‐apocalyptic novel, you need to write in first person so that the reader can feel what the characters are feeling; your characters that they were just signed off by their PARENTS to be LEGALLY MURDERED!!! Please, do not read this book. If you see it, runaway; because along with its promoting of legal murder of youth, it will kill your brain cells. Also, how did the Board of Education approve of this book, obviously they didn't read it; moreover, B.O.E., there is no "overall message" besides to not trust anyone, especially your parents because they are waiting to kill you, and that deception is everywhere.
First off, I didn't even finish this book; I could not force myself to go past page 39. Sorry Neal, your writing is just that bad. There are a few MAJOR things wrong with this book. For example, the lack of much needed world building. I mean really, it's a dystopia/post-‐apocalyptic book! How could you not world build? This whole society and concept would NEVER work in our society; this concept would be laughed at. "The Bill of Life: The Second Civil War, also know as "The Heartland War," was a long and bloody conflict fought over a single issue...The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively "abort" a child...on the condition that the child's life doesn't "technically" end. The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called "unwinding" Unwinding is now a common and accepted practice in society." This is not even the first page. This whole concept is trying to satisfy the pro-‐abortion and anti-‐abortion armies. I get the idea, but it is beyond the point of idiotic. Abortion is seen as murder of a fetus, right? Well, by now allowing them to live until 13 and then choosing to "unwind" them, is called MURDER!!! This whole concept is basically saying "Hey, I'm going to allow this unwanted child of mine to grow up and develop feelings and aspiration and pretend that I loved them for their entire existence, then I'm going to legally kill them; but don't worry, "unwinding" is just taking apart their body and storing their body parts in containers, in a huge storage facility full of dead, unloved children!" There are three main characters: Connor, Lev and Risa. You might as well as call them Gary Stu #1, Gary Stu #2 and Mary Sue. Connor, thank God, found the signed "Triplicate" (the three sheets of paper stapled together that equals his death) and vacation tickets; his parents were going to go on a vacation the day after they murdered their son!!! But here's the catch, he wasn't suppose to know; therefore, he runs away because he is smart. Lev's parents threw him a PARTY to celebrate his unwinding. Risa is a ward of the state, and "cleverly", her last name is Ward. (Ew, cliché.) To continue talking about the 3 MCs, the story is not written in first person!!! Neal,
La Navidad en España, cont. From p. 6
Por Samantha Lauret En España, la Navidad es bien popular y es muy larga. Empieza el 8 de diciembre y termina el 7 de enero. Al principio, en el día 8 de diciembre, la festividad publica, Inmaculada, marca el primer día de las celebraciones religiosas de la Navidad. Después de 15 días, en el 21 de diciembre, se prepara hogueras para marcar el solsticio de invierno. Al día siguiente, los habitantes de España participan en una lotería en donde tratan de ganar el primer premio, El Gordo. Este dinero es entonces dividido entre la comunicad. Dos día después, la Nochebuena, reúne la familia para comer la cena juntas. Normalmente, se come camarón, cordero asado con turrón, mariscos, pavo trufado y polvorones. De tomar, se provee cava o un champan catalán. Durante esta ocasión, los niños reciben regalitos de parte de Santa Claus. El 28 de diciembre, el Día de los Santos Inocentes, los jóvenes hacen bromas uno al otro y encienden hogueros. Se juega un juego en donde uno actúa como alcalde que ordene a al público (el resto de los jóvenes) a que haga tareas cívicas como barrer las calles. Tres d ías después, durante la Nochebuena, a las doce de la noche, se come doce uvas, como cada carrera en el reloj. Esto se hace para obtener la b uena suerte para el próximo año. Al próximo día, se descansa para que cuando el 5 de enero llegue, las procesiones de dulces se puedan llevar a cabo. Por último, al día siguiente, los niños esperan a los tres reyes, especialmente Baltasar. Éste pasea arribe de un burro y deja los regalos grandes con los pequeñuelos. Hacen este viaje todo el día y visitan a los niños en el hospital. Todo se acabo el día 7 de enero. 7
December 2014
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November Teacher of the Month: Carmen Cueto!! Quill: What subject/content area do you teach? CC: I teach Spanish levels I & II Quill: How many years have you taught in EP? In your career? CC: I have been teaching for 14 years; 13 years in Elmwood Park. Quill: What is your favorite part about teaching? CC: My favorite part about teaching is that my days are never boring! My students' enthusiasm keeps me energized, and they make me smile even through the most frustrating moments. Quill: What are the greatest challenges you face in your job? CC: My greatest challenges that I face in my job is making sure that I leave a lasting impression on my students. I hope that I can shape and guide them to be successful in whatever they choose to do. Quill: What is your most memorable moment in teaching? CC: Choosing a memorable moment in teaching is difficult since I have many. Through out my years of teaching, I have kept letters and drawings from previous students. I take them out from time to time to remind me why I became a teacher in the first place. Attending their graduation, and hearing about their success stories years later, has to be one of the most memorable moments in my teaching career. Quill: What advice would you like to give to the students of EP? CC: The advice I would like to give my students of EP is to always give your best in whatever you choose to do. Follow your dreams, and remember that it doesn't matter where you get your education, but what you do with it is more important. Quill: Any interesting hobbies or talents outside of school? CC: Some of my hobbies and talents outside of school are traveling, visiting November’s Contributing museums, reading, Reporters: drawing, painting, crafts and spending Daniel Altamar time with family and friends. Briona Diaz
The Scarlet Quill 375 River Dr. Elmwood Park, NJ
Erikka Chowdhury Anthony Gadaleta Claudia Smagacz Fatima Shahid Aleen Takvorian Cynthia Carmenaty Therese Sheridan Daniella Giraldo Samantha Lauret INTERESTED IN JOINING? SEE MS. MICHELS IN ROOM 306 OR E-‐MAIL
[email protected] .
Mrs. Sue Pace’s two Spanish II classes were studying the history of the "Coat of Arms." They were put in groups to create a "Coat of Arms" for EP Memorial High School. After polling several teachers, this was the winner!
WINTER MOVIE PREVIEWS By Anthony Gadaleta Staff Writer The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies (Dec. 17) ~Having reclaimed Erebor and a vast treasure from the dragon Smaug, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) sacrifices friendship and honor in his search for the Arkenstone, despite Smaug's fiery wrath and Bilbo's (Martin Freeman) desperate attempts to make him see reason. Meanwhile, Sauron sends forth legions of Orcs in a sneak attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As the ultimate fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance, the races of Men, Elves and Dwarves must decide whether to unite or die. Annie (December 19th) ~ Ever since her parents left her as a baby, little Annie (Quvenzhané Wallis) has led a hard-‐knock life with her mean foster-‐mother, Miss Hannigan. However, that all changes when hard-‐nosed billionaire and mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) takes her in on the recommendation of his advisers (Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale). Stacks believes that he's Annie's guardian angel, but the plucky youngster's confidence and sunny outlook may mean that Annie will save Will instead. Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb (December 19th) ~ Larry (Ben Stiller) sets out on an epic quest to save the museum's magic from disappearing forever.