![Standing center stage, senior Ananya Akula conducts the Phoenix Chorale. “[Conducting and teaching] is really fun,” Akula said. “Music education is what I want to do.” On the day of the choir assessment, Akula found out that she received the President’s Music Scholarship – a full ride to the University of Miami Frost School of Music.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ananya-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Fatima Qaderi grew into the person she wanted to become when she was younger and continues to work towards growing more confident in using her voice when it matters. “I didnt get treated the way I wanted to be treated, and I realized that it wasnt just them treating me the wrong way, it was me treating me the wrong way,” Qaderi said. “I forced them to like to look at me in a way where Im someone who needs to be respected; they cant just disregard me, they cant just look over me because I have a different opinion, because Im a woman, because Im Afghan, because Im Muslim, or whatever. It just took going through different experiences to figure out how [I wanted to] be heard.” Photo courtesy of Fatima Qaderi.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_3870.jpeg)
![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-1200x800.jpg)
![Held up by a group of cheerleaders, flyer sophomore Leyu Yonas poses as part of a stunt, also supported by flyer junior Shayne Mitchell behind her. (Left) Prior to the pink out football game on Oct. 13, the athletes practiced in the aux gym from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Right) On Oct. 19, the cheerleaders competed in their District Championships at Woodgrove High School. “We definitely put all our effort on the mat [at Districts], and it showed,” Mitchell said. Left: Photo by Nadia Shirr. Right: Photo by Steve Prakope via Victor O’Neill Studios.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/feature-image-1200x823.png)
![Sophomore Xavier Smith (6), the Phoenix quarterback, runs the ball as his teammates help hold up the defense. “My [offensive] line collapses, so I just [have to run], and its a good way to get first downs because [Tuscarora’s] defense was really good,” Smith said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5383-1200x897.jpg)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-1200x662.jpg)
![Gracing stages, football games, and even the big screen, Taylor Swifts popularity doesn’t seem to be declining anytime soon as she’s been almost everywhere on social media, and just this December, [Swift] won TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year award. This brought along magnificent pictures of Swift, articles praising her, and some controversy between Swifites (Swifts most devoted fans), and other people on whether or not she should have won this award.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/taylor-swift-person-of-the-year-1-1094x1200.png)
“Tall Girl 2” Does Better Than “Tall Girl”
“Tall Girl 2” received higher positive feedback than the original “Tall Girl,” but it could have improved with more focus on Kimmy (Clara Wilsey)’s character development.
Jodi (Ava Michelle) explores her life through new eyes, she starts to see how others around her are accepting her for who she is. Jodi realizes being tall doesn’t get in the way of life unless you let it. She deals with personal problems that are later helped to be resolved by an unsuspecting friend.
March 10, 2022
Released on Feb. 11, “Tall Girl 2” made the “Top 10” on Netflix within the first week of release. It received 57% from Rotten Tomatoes, better than the original, which received only 38%. However, most of the reviews were not in support of the movie, and the movie did not last long on Netflix’s top 10.
“Tall Girl 2” follows Jodi Kreyman (Ava Michelle) as she continues to embrace herself by trying to fit in despite her height. Jodi has accepted she is tall, but she is now just trying to be more “normal” and tries out for the school play, causing relationship problems with her boyfriend Jack Dunkleman (Griffin Gluck).“Tall Girl 2” touches on the coming-of-age struggles of relationships, friendship, mental health, forgiveness, and expanding your comfort zone.
The movie had a better storyline than the original; however, it failed to focus on a titular selling point: the problems that come with being a tall female. Some of those problems included shoes, clothes, friends, dating, and fitting in — literally.
While there was relationship drama and romantic conflicts, the storyline jumped back and forth between the main points and other side stories. The main storyline followed Jodi as she tried out for the school play, while discovering a sense of normality in her “new” life.
With the struggles of being a rookie actor, Jodi makes new friends, leading audiences onto another romantic trope. The addition of this new trope took away from the main storyline and theme of the movie. This made the movie confusing and a little annoying to watch, focusing more on her friendship and relationship problems than her getting the lead in the spring musical. Jodi grants her more attention and increases her popularity, and the fact that the tallest girl at school made it to the play interests the other characters.
This attention attracts the popular girl, Kimmy (Clara Wilsey) and she starts to get jealous. Throughout the movie, however, Kimmy is trying to become a better person, as she has the right motivation and support from her friend. By the end, Kimmy has managed to put her past behind her and even helped Jodi with her anxiety. A look into Kimmy’s life would have shown the audience why this character is the way she is. This would allow the audience to understand why she has the sudden urge to want to be nicer to others, especially Jodi.
In short, this movie wasn’t all that good. It was better than the first, but it failed to keep the attention of the audience the whole time. Even though it had exciting parts, like the problems in her friendships, the conflicts failed and the audience focused on what the story was trying to convey.
We’re awarding it 6/10 stars due to the lack of engaging features and failure to keep to the same storyline. “Tall Girl 2” is definitely for kids below the age of 10, but may not have much interest to kids that are ages 14 or older.
“Tall Girl 2” is currently streaming on Netflix.
