The Student News Site of Los Angeles Valley College

The Valley Star
Ad Fontes Media has tracked the accuracy and slant of information sources.
The Search For Accurate News Takes Some Digging
A Google map of Los Angeles shows varying air quality levels from Oct. 9
Studies Say a Breath of Fresh Air Leads to Good Grades
A dealer in downtown Los Angeles distributes nitrous oxide balloons to buyers.
Whippets Stir Up Health Concerns
LACCD Maneuvers Around State Cuts
A protestor wearing a kippah holds a Palestinian flag high at a pro-Palestine march in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday.
Students Still Wrestle with Gazan Conflict
The Student News Site of Los Angeles Valley College

The Valley Star
The Student News Site of Los Angeles Valley College

The Valley Star
Kaia Mann

Kaia Mann, Editor-in-Chief

Kaia Mann is a second-year journalism student, who began her role at the Valley Star as Opinion Editor in Spring 2024 and advanced to Editor-in-Chief by Fall 2024. Kaia has appeared as a panelist for iHeartRadio Studio 640 podcast where she has contributed as a student journalist. She is passionate about writing breaking news stories and covering all things media and entertainment.

All content by Kaia Mann
Op-Ed: How True is True Crime?

Op-Ed: How True is True Crime?

Kaia Mann
November 25, 2024

LACCD Maneuvers Around State Cuts

Kaia Mann
October 10, 2024
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” aimed for nostalgia but is plagued by plot holes and an overcrowded cast, losing the original spirit of Tim Burton’s 1988 film. This newest installment into the world of perverted demons and gothic teenagers follows the now grown up Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) returning to her original home with her wacky stepmother, Delia (Catherine O’Hara), and estranged daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega). Lydia is troubled by visions of her old foe, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), but it is not until she has to save her daughter from the underworld that she summons him to finish the business they started 30 years prior.  The plot of “Beetlejuice” defies easy summary. Many of the film’s scenes introduce unexplained characters that obscure the already confusing narrative.  A seemingly major aspect of the film, Beetlejucie’s ex-wife, Delores (Monica Bellucci) is positioned as a key storyline that falls flat. While it is great to see Delores sensually staple herself back together and steal the souls of evil men, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is simply battling too many storylines. The movie ends as one big mess, albeit a mess that has some creative and stunning art design. Anytime the film takes a trip down to the bureaucratic yet campy underworld, the true strengths of the movie shine, and so does the colorful lighting, putting an end to the gray and lifeless trend of Hollywood blockbusters.  The character designs of the “recently deceased,” whether they be half eaten, drowned or blown up, provide the movie with the essence of the original. Danny Elfman’s score adds to this, returning viewers to the world of the strange and unusual. A cornerstone of the original “Beetlejuice” was its unique visuals that blended stop motion, CGI and practical effects. The haunted suburbian vibe mixed with the off-the-wall and irreverent performance by Keaton turned it into a cult classic. One particular scene in the 2024 film that stands out as an ode to the original involves a mix of classic animation and claymation to depict an outrageous character death. Although “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” avoids coming across as a mere cash grab, in many ways it feels too modern, missing the charm of the first. What saves the movie from disaster, meeting the fate many other sequels have before, is the all-star cast. O’Hara is a force of comedic power, coming in swinging and never letting up, and Ryder and Keaton fall right back into what audiences loved about Lydia and Beetlejuice the first go-around. As for the newcomers, Ortega stands out, fitting right into the mix, adding yet another Burton classic to her repertoire. Yet, with too many storylines converging into a lackluster final act, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” ends up underutilizing these great characters.  While any sequel set three decades later is not free of logistical problems, it seems like someone needed to tell Burton to scale it down. Or rather question if it is a movie that really needed to be made in the first place.  

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ has Been Wrongly Summoned

Kaia Mann
October 1, 2024
The 6.7 Northridge earthquake of 1994 toppled over 100 of the bookshelves in Valley College’s Library. This photo was recovered from the first Valley Star paper following the quake, published Feb. 10 1994.

Increased Seismic Activity Rattles Californians

Kaia Mann
September 27, 2024

Chancellor Steps Down

Kaia Mann
September 16, 2024
A sign on Theatre 68’s box office window reads, “Valley Theatre and Dance, please enter through the back.”

Valley Theatre Ditches Monarch Hall for Theatre 68

Kaia Mann
September 16, 2024
The district recently hired Amoroso Construction to complete the construction project by the end of the school year.

The VACC Resets its Timeline

Kaia Mann
September 16, 2024
View from original campus looking at the unfinished VACC.

The VACC Serves as a Stark Reminder of Unmet Promises

Kaia Mann
May 20, 2024
(L-R) Eren Hughes, Kevin Valdez, Kian Carrithers, Camila Rodrigues, Braeden Day, Kanam Romberger, Murphy Wright, Geovani Sorto, and Raul Castaneda from John Burroughs High School watch Return student Joshua Kubizne showcase a prototype that was built in 3 weeks.

Valley’s MEC Program Opens its Doors to the Future of Engineering and Tech

Kaia Mann
May 10, 2024
Fed Up and Under-fed with the Cafeteria Hours

Fed Up and Under-fed with the Cafeteria Hours

Kaia Mann
May 3, 2024
Hundreds of people show up at UCLA to protest the war in Gaza; both from the pro-Palestine side and pro-Israel side. Photo taken at UCLA’s Dickson Plaza on Sunday, April 28, 2024.

College Protests Ignite Nationwide

Kaia Mann
May 3, 2024
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