By Kaylanii Albert – Staff Reporter

“The Polar Express” is a 2004 animated film that is based off of a 1985 children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. The movie was directed by Robert Zemeckis who is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. The Polar Express was the first movie ever to be filmed entirely with motion capture technology. It holds the Guinness World Record as the first all-motion capture film. The train in the movie is modeled after the Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive, located in Owosso, Michigan.

“The Polar Express” is about a boy who questions whether he thinks Santa Claus is real or not. On Christmas Eve he boards a magical train going to the North Pole that appears outside of his house. Along the way he meets other children and they go on an adventure together to the North Pole. It challenges their beliefs and shifts their thinking of Santa Claus by the end of their trip. It explores the themes of wonder, faith, and the magic of Christmas.

The Polar Express has a very strong and interesting plot carried throughout the movie and is very well-written. For being the first movie to be entirely filmed with motion capture technology, it was very well animated. A majority of the people who watched the “Polar Express” love it and rewatch it every year for the holidays. It’s so interesting and really gets people into the holiday spirit in time for Christmas. It’s perfect for any age and some may even argue, is the best Christmas movie ever.

A few downsides is that some scenes can be a bit stiff, especially with facial expressions that don’t look exactly natural. The pacing is slow in certain scenes, which make it hard for younger kids to stay focused on the movie. The characters seem like they aren’t deeply developed in a way, so it gets tough to connect with them emotionally. The movie also has somewhat a dark tone at times, which gets unsettling for younger kids. Lastly, the ending leaves some viewers unsure whether the adventure was real or just a dream.

“The Polar Express” is a great Christmas movie fit for all ages with an interesting plot, but there are some flaws. There is always room to improve even for a great movie like “The Polar Express.”

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Edited by – TM

By Aleah James – Staff Reporter

The Weeknd is a popular R&B artist. Born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, he grew up in a difficult environment in Scarborough, Toronto. Abel was raised by his mother and grandmother after his Ethiopian immigrant parents separated. He dropped out of high school at age 17, left home, and began a lifestyle focusing on chasing what he desired, which was a career in music. He adopted the stage name “The Weeknd.” He decided to drop the “e” off to avoid trademark issues. His career took off after releasing his first mixtape, “House of Balloons” which received co-signs from singer Drake, which led to a record deal and international fame. 

The songs in this album are about late nights, heartbreak, and craving connection while pushing everyone away. It’s messy on purpose. His voice is soft and smooth, but the lyrics hit hard – he’s not sugarcoating anything. Songs like “Wicked Games” and “The Morning” pull you into his world where everything feels cool on the outside but kind of hollow underneath. That contrast is what makes it feel so real.

The beats go from echoey and spacey to  chaotic. It samples parts like a rock band here, a weird sound effect there – and it somehow blends into this soundtrack for anyone who’s ever stayed up too late overthinking everything.

Even now, “House of Balloons” still holds up. It shaped a whole generation of R&B artists who leaned into their emotions instead of hiding them. And it made The Weeknd a name to remember – before the Super Bowl performances, before the Grammys, and the pop hits. This was the raw beginning.

By Joey Amaro – Staff Reporter

Drake’s 2025 single “What Did I Miss?” is the lead track to his upcoming album “Iceman.” Released at the end of his beef with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar, the song shows Drake having mixed feelings. Questioning friendships, loyalty, and fame’s effect. Produced by Tay Keith and FNZ, the song blends R&B beats with added percussion, showing a darker, more reflective era in his music.

The theme of “What Did I Miss?” revolves around betrayal . Drake questions how his relationships changed while he was handling his fame. The repetitive lyric “What did I miss?” becomes confusing sometimes. Tone-wise, the song goes back and forth between him feeling sad and feeling tough. It shows that Drake is hurt because people he trusted let him down, but he’s also proud and confident that he’s still standing strong.

The song’s biggest strength lies in its precision. The music in the song sounds dark and serious, which matches Drake’s mixed-up feelings. The beat has deep drums and cool sounds that make it exciting to listen to. The chorus sticks in your head, but also feels a little sad. Compared to other rappers like J. Cole or Travis Scott, Drake still mixes singing and rapping really well. He shows his feelings but also sounds confident and cool.

Even though the song is powerful, it covers the same topics Drake often raps about like, betrayal, loyalty, and loneliness. Longtime fans might be hoping for a fresh point of view. Drake could make the song stronger by adding more personal details or showing deeper emotions beyond the usual themes of fame and conflict.

“What Did I Miss?” shows Drake’s lyrics and feelings, and is a relevant reflection of his state of mind.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ryan Woods – Staff Reporter

“Top Gun: Maverick,” which was released on May 27, 2022, is Tom Cruise’s highest-grossing film, earning $1.4 billion at the global box office. It also earned an Academy Award for Best Sound, a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Cinematography, and a People’s Choice Award. 

The director of “Top Gun: Maverick” is Joseph Kosinski, and some of the main actors are Cruise as Pete Mitchell, Miles Teller as Bradley Bradshaw, Val Kilmer as Tom Kazansky, Glen Powell as Jake “Hangman” Seresin, and Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin. 

The movie follows Capt. Pete Mitchell, who was one of the Navy’s best aviators, becomes a test pilot and tries his hardest not to be promoted in rank. After testing a jet and flying at Mach 9, he is brought back to the Navy to teach the best of the best to complete a near-impossible mission. But something is stopping Pete from giving his best to these students; Pete’s former wingman, “Goose,” died in a fatal crash, and Pete is now Goose’s son’s teacher. The journey is a grueling and mental and physical challenge.

There are few weak spots in this movie but the biggest is the highly predictable ending. There are also many new characters and the directors didn’t bring back any of the characters from the old movie. There are many more strong points than weak points, though, including the amazing cinematography and the nostalgia that the movie brings.

Overall, “Top Gun: Maverick” is a must-watch, inspirational movie.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Lillian-Mae Haney – Staff Reporter

Modern Baseball is an indie rock and emo band from Philadelphia, started by college friends Brendan Lukens and Jake Ewald. They began making music while they were still in school, writing songs that felt personal and kind of awkward in a relatable way. Their sound mixes pop-punk energy with honest, sometimes self-deprecating lyrics about relationships, mental health, and growing up. What makes Modern Baseball stand out is how real they sound. They’re not trying too hard to impress anyone.

Their debut album, “Sports,” captures what it feels like to grow up and not have everything figured out. The record is full of songs about heartbreak, insecurity, and trying to find confidence in who you are. Each track feels like a personal diary entry written by someone just trying to understand life. The songs “The Weekend” and “Cooke” stand out most, each showing a different side of the band.

One of the biggest strengths of “Sports” is its honesty. The lyrics feel like conversations with a close friend. In “The Weekend”, Lukens sings, “You’ve got a smile that could light this town,” before admitting his own insecurity. “Tears Over…” is witty and self-aware, with the line, “You’re taking your time to make sure you don’t get caught up in me,” capturing the awkwardness of one-sided affection. Even slower songs like “Cooke” show emotional depth, as Ewald sings softly, “I’ve been waiting for the world to burn, so I can call you and tell you it’s all right.” The mix of humor, emotion, and honesty makes this album special.

Despite its emotional impact, “Sports” can sometimes feel repetitive. Many of the songs follow a similar tempo and rhythm, which makes a few of them blend together. The rough production also makes the sound less polished, but that raw, DIY quality gives the album its charm. A bit more musical variety could make the album even more dynamic and help highlight the band’s best moments.

Overall, “Sports” is an incredible debut that captures the messy, confusing, and emotional parts of growing up. Its lyrics are honest and relatable, and its sound perfectly matches the imperfections of real life. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Cameron Graf – Staff Reporter

Shane Boose, known as “Sombr,” has begun to gain fame in the music industry. He’s best known for his single called “Back to Friends.” The song is about a romantic relationship that’s starting to shift into a platonic relationship. It’s about the connection between the people that has now faded into a friendship. It shows the struggle with boundaries and expectations. That’s just one of his songs, but some of them have a similar vibe. His songs are all about yearning for someone, even if the connection isn’t there. His music is for a specific group of people, so listeners may or may not like the lyrics. He’s been writing music since he was 14, and kids at school used to belittle him, saying he would never get anywhere with his music. He has never given up and looks at how far he’s come. 

His album “I Barely Knew Her” is a new release and the first album he’s produced. It has 10 songs, and they mainly are about how Sombr needs to let go of who this woman was and how he didn’t know who she really was. He didn’t know her, and she turned out to be a totally different person. The album consists of some of his popular singles like “We Never Even Dated,” “Back to Friends,” and “Undressed.”

Sombr is an amazing artist and a writer. The way he portrays his emotions, word choices, and how he really feels is phenomenal. He also makes videos and has a pretty big platform and a bunch of supporters. He’s an open person and takes criticism from fans, but is learning to deal with it. His fans say his music is like a connection, and they see him as a normal person with feelings too.

Although Sombr has been getting some backlash recently with the way his concerts are. People over the age of 25 have been complaining about the validation that he’s been seeking from a younger audience. They mentioned “brain rot” in the jokes he was making, but had adult dancers at his concerts. Sombr is a newer artist, and this is completely new to him, so growth is needed. His music should not take away from who he is, and credit is needed. His music helps people feel heard and understood. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Delaney Morrin – Staff Reporter

“Mamma Mia!” has been a classic for over a decade. The hit movie was released on July 18, 2008. “Mamma Mia!” is considered a Jukebox Musical Movie, featuring songs from the band ABBA. Before it was a movie, the Jukebox Musical version of “Mamma Mia!” premiered in London’s West End on April 6, 1999, and eventually opened on Broadway on October 18, 2001. A sequel to the movie was released on July 20, 2018, almost exactly 10 years after the original movie was released.

The movie kicks off with one of the main characters, Sophie, who is played by Amanda Seyfried, sending invitations to her wedding to three men. One of those three men is her father, but Sophie doesn’t know, and neither does her mom, Donna, who is played by Meryl Streep. Throughout the movie, Sophie is accompanied by her bridesmaids, Ali and Lisa, who are played by Ashley Lilley and Rachel McDowall, while Donna is accompanied by her friends, Tanya and Rosie, who are played by Christine Baranski and Julie Walters. Donna and her friends have an all-female band, Donna and the Dynamos. Sophie, Ali, and Lisa are best friends just like Donna, Tanya, and Rosie.

When the three men, Sam, Bill, and Harry, who are played by Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and Stellan Skarsgård, arrive at the island, Sophie attempts to hide them from Donna until she spots them in the hotel she owns. She begins by singing “Mamma Mia!” about the three dads and how she’s missed them for years. Donna finally meets them when she accidentally falls into the room where the three dads are staying. Donna is mortified and decides to tell them to leave and to go back on Bill’s boat. This moment perfectly captures the stress and shock that Donna felt in the moment.

The three dads attempt to leave the island, just like Donna asked, until Sophie finds their boat in the water. Sophie swims to the boat and convinces them not to leave. The three dads tell Sophie about their lives and experiences with her mom by singing “Our Last Summer.” After convincing the dads to stay on the island, Sophie’s fiance, Sky, played by Dominic Cooper, finds out that Sophie invited the dads and feels betrayed. He questions her reason for the wedding by questioning “Is that what this whole big white wedding is about? You finding your dad?” Sky is losing his trust for Sophie and decides to let her figure her family problems out on her own. 

At Sophie’s bachelorette party, Donna and the Dynamos crash the party and perform as a surprise for Sophie. They play “Super Trouper” which lifts up Sophie’s mood during the party. During her performance, Donna spots the three men watching from behind the audience. Donna wasn’t expecting to see them, since she thought they left on Bill’s boat. She is very upset about the situation, which makes Sophie confess to her mom that she invited them. That night, Sophie has separate conversations with her potential dads, and they all express that they are willing to be her father and walk her down the aisle tomorrow. Sophie is even more unsure which one is her dad after their conversations. 

The day of the wedding, Sophie talks to her mom to end the tension. Sophie asks her mom to give her away instead of the dads, which brings Sophie and Donna much closer after the events that took place days before. Donna helps Sophie get ready for the wedding by singing “Slipping Through My Fingers.”, which creates a perfectly emotional and nostalgic scene, which leads us to Sophie and Sky’s wedding. 

Overall, “Mamma Mia!” is a fun, heartfelt classic that is perfect for any movie night with family or friends.

By Tiana Rosiak – Staff Reporter

HBO began airing the seven-episode second season of their show, “The Last Of Us” on April 13. The series is based on the popular video game of the same name, and the second season focuses on the 2020 installment, “The Last Of Us Part II”. 

The new season focuses directly on the aftermath of the previous season with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) relationship as the main focus point. However, it begins with showcasing a strained relationship between the two, something that wasn’t shown in the finale of season one. Just like its predecessor, the second season focuses on themes of loss and dealing with death through the perspective of someone directly affected. The season, though, does heavily focus on relationships, specifically between protagonist Ellie and new addition Dina (Isabela Merced). 

One of the hardest things the season had to accomplish was translating the plot to screen, but they fail to do so and even when tweaking it. An adaptation is not a recreation, and the show doesn’t try to be the exact same as the game, but that’s where they fail. There are almost no similarities between the game and show other than the name. Plot lines are changed, characters don’t get the same edge they once had, timelines are switched. Rather than taking time to develop previously undeveloped characters like Jesse (Young Mazino), they add nothing and make supporting characters boring to watch. Pacing has also been one of their biggest let downs. Trying to fit a unique and layered story into less than ten hour long episodes is almost impossible to accomplish, even if they succeeded at doing it previously. Although its main plot takes place in Seattle, the viewers don’t get to see it until half of the episodes have aired, and even then, the tone and feeling the post-apocalyptic city once had in the games has been erased. Rather than the action viewers were promised, they are instead greeted by one fight scene and 55 minutes of dialogue that gets characters nowhere.

The stronger points of the season, however, revolve around music and added scenes. A lot of the music in the game, whether covers or by the original artist, were kept in the show. Featuring songs such as “Take On Me” and “Future Days” are important as they are significant to characters. The series also adds scenes that were sometimes needed. In the show, there was more focus on Issac (Jeffrey Wright), an antagonist, that they didn’t have in the game. Putting more emphasis on him and showcasing his backstory helps set him up as a villain rather than just introducing him as “bad”. The acting is another stand out in the season. Due to the emotional and hard topics, there’s always the chance that the execution can bring it down, but they don’t have this problem this season. Rather, the acting at times helped improve scenes that weren’t so great in the first place.

In general, adapting a beloved video game is a tough thing for anyone to accomplish. The creators attempted to do well, but missed heavily in their execution. Even the things that brought last season up couldn’t help the disappointment that is season two.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

By Calder Costantini – Staff Reporter

“Dexter” is a crime drama television series that aired on Showtime from 2006 to 2013 and was added to Paramount+ and Netflix in December 2024. The show is based on Jeff Lindsay’s novel “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” and developed by James Manos, Jr. There are eight seasons, plus three additional prequel and sequel seasons, named “Dexter: Original Sin” which follows Dexter as a teenager to put context to his crude ways. Next, there is “Dexter: New Blood,” following Dexter’s life after the original series. Finally, Paramount+ recently released “Dexter: Resurrection,” tailing Dexter’s action-packed life chronologically after “Dexter: New Blood.”

Dexter Morgan is a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Homicide in Miami, Florida. The show follows Dexter, who appears to be a quiet, intelligent, and socially awkward professional. Secretly, however, he is a serial killer who targets other murderers and people who have escaped justice, taught a moral code introduced to him by his adoptive father, Harry Morgan. Throughout the series, Dexter struggles to balance his two polar opposite personalities. The show blends crime investigation, dark humor, and psychological horror.

The reason “Dexter” stands out from other shows is that Dexter has a very interesting moral scheme within all of his relationships, and to put it simply, the idea of a serial killer who targets other killers and criminals is fascinating. The production is done so well that it makes audiences empathize with a serial killer who is psychologically captivating. The reason this series is so fascinating is that it makes you question the comparison between good and evil and the control of your own surroundings. Another strong point could include the outstanding acting in the show. Michael C. Hall, who plays Dexter Morgan, is perfect for Dexter. His mannerisms and subtle yet suspicious life fit write into how Dexter should be played. Hall manages to humanize a character who is morally built to be impossible to relate to anyone. Another good spin on the show is Dexter’s inner monologue. Throughout the whole series, we can hear Dexter’s thrilling and brilliant thoughts to get himself out of the deepest of situations. The monologue adds another layer to his moral compass and values as a person. The tone in which Dexter narrates this monologue can be chilling and sometimes even humorous.

The supporting cast of this series is also jaw-dropping. An actor like Jennifer Carpenter, who plays Dexter’s foul-mouthed and ambitious sister, Debra Morgan, is the perfect actor for what her role is. Debra is nothing like Dexter; she also works in the justice system as a uniform cop and soon-to-be lieutenant. She stops at nothing to arrest people who try to escape justice, and she is one of the smartest but short-tempered people in the show. Another great actor throughout the show is Julie Benz, who plays Rita Bennett, an average woman whom Dexter dates and marries. Rita has two kids, Astor and Cody, whom she had with her ex-husband. Julie Benz does a great job of making Rita the perfect stressed-out mother of two kids, who just tries to get by. Rita brings a normalcy to the show’s dark tone. Especially at the beginning of the show, Rita was a big part of humanizing Dexter and generating an audience to relate to Dexter. 

Although the production of this show is sensational, many people believe that the show gets repetitive. Through almost every episode, Dexter will find and kill a person who fits his code, and this tends to get very repetitive for some viewers. Many people also say that after Season 4, the villains get worse and the show gets more bland.

Overall, this show is one of the highest-rated and thrilling shows ever on television It is the perfect mix of horror, comedy, and drama, and the production knows exactly how to execute it. Michael C. Hall’s Hall ofFame performance in this show earned him many awards, including 5 Emmy nominations, a Golden Globe in 2010, as well as three more nominations for a Golden Globe in 2008, 2009, and 2012. Including 15+ more awards that Hall and the collective cast have won. Many people consider this one of the best shows ever aired on television – for good reason.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Evelyn Rossi – Staff Reporter 

LE SSERAFIM is a five-member K-Pop group under HYBE Entertainment, “SPAGHETTI”, their first single album. This album features the Title Track “SPAGHETTI”, which features J-Hope of BTS, and the B-side “Pearlies (My oyster is the world)”, along with remixes. Released on October 24, the album’s genre is ‘Korean Dance’ or ‘K-Pop’, and it has garnered attention for its unique sound and music video visuals. 

Ever since their debut in 2022, LE SERRAFIM have been known for their bold and experimental music. Consisting of 5 members: Sakura, Yunjin, Eunchae, Chaewon, and Kazuha, LE SSERAFIM were formed by Source Music, a Sub-Level of HYBE – the entertainment company responsible for global superstar groups like BTS, KATSEYE, and NewJeans. So far, LE SSERAFIM has had a very successful career, winning numerous awards, and many of their songs and choreographies have gone viral on social media, outside of K-pop fan spaces. 

Title Track “SPAGHETTI” has been widely accepted as a hit, as have many of the group’s songs. The song opens with an airy and somewhat serene first verse, but then dives into an intense chorus with playful lyrics. These lyrics about ‘spaghetti’ are actually a metaphor for their fame and accomplishments as a group. This can be seen in lyrics like, “This is a hot spot 숨 쉬듯 찾는 니 밥상 / 단골이 된 넌 fall in love / 참을 수 없는 맛 / 우린 in the kitchen. Cookin’ it up what you’re craving / 나의 입맛대로 saucin’ / And now the world’s gone mad (This is a hot spot / Your favorite dish, like a hot pot / You taste it once, and fall in love / And now, you can’t go back / My girls in the kitchen / We’re cookin’ it up, what you’re cravin’ / I flick my wrist, yeah I’m saucin’ / And now the world’s gone mad).” In these lyrics, we can decipher the metaphor to see that they are singing about how their music is easy to love, and largely loved by the “world.” E SSERAFIM has been proven right, as many have professed their love for J-Hope’s verse along with the catchy chorus, claiming the song is very memorable.  

The B-side “Pearlies (My oyster is the world)”, the title reinterpreting the idiom “The world is my oyster”, which is actually the title of another one of LE SSERAFIM’s B-sides. This song presents deeper lyrics, but still sticks to an upbeat feel. The song was written by LE SSERAFIM’s own Huh Hynjin, in which she discusses the girl group’s love for their fans (fandom): FEARNOTs. Netizens have even said that they prefer “Pearlies (My oyster is the world)” to “SPAGHETTI”. 

However, with widespread love will also come hate and criticism. Listeners have said that they find “SPAGHETTI” to be a “fun” track – a light-hearted way of saying the song may seem dumb, or take a few listens before one might actually “get” or enjoy the song. Some have compared the song to KATSEYE’s “Gnarly”, as they both share sportive and slight lyrics. This is ironic, considering “SPAGHETTI” is a “dish the haters” type of song. 

All in all, LE SSERAFIM’s new album “SPAGHETTI” has been seen as a huge success for them, as fans all over have found themselves replaying this hit. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Alexandra Oliveira – Staff Reporter

Tate McRae released her third studio album, “So Close To What,” in February. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. There are 15 songs on the album and the lead single “It’s OK I’m OK” debuted at #20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, which was a new high for McRae at the time. The album consists of both upbeat songs like “Miss Possessive” and “Revolving Door” as well as slower songs like “Nostolgia”. The album has a variety of songs which makes it easy for anyone to resonate with them.

“So Close To What” explores themes of self-discovery and love from a more mature perspective. It’s an upbeat dance-pop record that shows the complexities of growing up, relationships, and finding one’s identity. While the album has fun beats it also contains vulnerable lyrics about love, jealousy, and navigating fame. The album title, as McRae explained, captures the feeling of driving without a clear destination, representing the constant pursuit of purpose in her career and life. There are three music videos for songs on the album including “Revolving Door”, “Sports Car”, and “2 Hands”. The album marks a transition from her earlier work, balancing her deep lyrics with a more pop sound.

McRae’s song, “Siren Sounds” is about being in a toxic, self-destructive relationship that everyone can see is failing, but the couple chooses to stay together, “dancing to the siren sounds” of the chaos. The song uses the metaphor “burning house” to represent their relationship, and the title refers to the “siren song”- an alluring but dangerous call that pulls them in despite the danger.

McRae’s song, “Revolving Door” uses the metaphor of a revolving door to describe the longing and frustration of a toxic, back-and-forth relationship. A powerful line from the song is “I keep coming back like a revolving door / Say I couldn’t want you less, but I just want you more”.

With the many popular female pop artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and Gracie Abrams McRae did an amazing job finding her own style. The only weak point is that since the songs are so popular like “Sports Car” they are played everywhere which could get boring. Overall the album has catchy lyrics and fun beats that make listeners want to get up and dance. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Molly Lynch and Ava Grippo – Advocate Editors

The latest “Superman” movie, released earlier this year, received mixed reviews. Some fans thoroughly enjoyed its optimism and strong performances by the actors, while others found the plot overly complex and inconsistent.

“Superman” was directed by James Gunn and cast were David Corenswet as Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luther, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Maria Gabriela de Faria as The Engineer, and Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher. 

This “Superman” adaptation follows Clark Kent/Superman as a startling truth is revealed to the world, and turns everyone against him. Lex Luther uses everything in his power to try to take him down. But Superman does not let this decide who he is and who he isn’t. He fights to prove to himself and others who he truly is. 

Lex Luther is a mastermind who desires to kill Superman. He has built a team and utilizes advanced technology to achieve his goals. And that is making an end to Superman. Nicholas Hoult does a great job at playing Luther and really making you despise him and his intentions. 

In this adaptation, Clark and Lois already have a semblance of a romantic relationship. The movie follows the two of them as they grow and realize their true feelings for one another. The movie lacks the development and deep connection that the two of them share in other adaptations, such as Smallville and Superman and Lois, where you get a better understanding of their relationship and how they came to be. 

Superman’s character was written well, showcasing what kind of hero he is and what makes him the same as everyone else, even if he is from another planet. Another thing that the movie lacks is the screentime of him as Clark Kent. There were only a few short scenes showcasing him as Clark. The movie was more focused on Superman than it was on Clark Kent. Both identities are important to the story, so the lack of seeing Kal-El as Clark Kent was disappointing. 

The movie felt very lackluster and included scenes that did not add anything to the overall plot. While watching, it was hard to follow along at times when side plots would come up out of nowhere. Lots of aspects of the plot, mostly ones that involved Lex Luthor, were not explained well and left many viewers confused. More explanation was needed for it to feel complete and leave no plot holes. 

“Superman” did a great job on exploring the hero side of Clark Kent: Superman, and its portrayal of the iconic villain Lex Luthor was well written and acted. The movie contained several action scenes and plot twists that kept you entertained. 

Even so, this movie did not live up to other “Superman” adaptations, as it left viewers with undeveloped characters and many questions. 

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor 

“The Long Walk,” a movie adaption of Richard Bachman’s Stephen King novel came out on September 12 and was directed by Francis Lawrence. Ray Garraty, the main protagonist, is played by Cooper Hoffman. Other notable characters were Peter Vires (David Jonsson), Hank Olson (Ben Wang), Billy Stebbins (Garrett Wareing), Gary Barkovitch (Charlie Plummer) Arthur (Tut Nyout), Collie Parker (Joshua Odjick) and lastly, The Major (Mark Hamill). 

The movie’s story follows 50 boys who signed up and then drafted to compete in the yearly Long Walk. The Long Walk is when boys around the country are chosen to walk and keep a pace of three miles per hour. If you fall under that limit, you get a warning; three warnings and you get your ticket, which consists of a gun shot to your head. The winner of the walk is granted one wish for the rest of your life, and a grand amount of money.

The movie follows Ray Garraty as he attempts to survive the long walk. Garraty joins the long walk with a plan if he wins and is determined to follow through.  He meets Peter McVries, Hank Olson, and Arthur. Together, the four of them bond and create a group, acting as friends and motivation to one another. 

Other notable characters include Stebbins, who keeps to himself, Barkovitch, who rubs the others the wrong way, and Collie Parker, who becomes friends with the main four. 

The Major acts as the protagonist and is written as a man with no backstory, only crooked intentions. “You walk as long as you can. But sometimes the body won’t listen. For some, your heart will stop. For others, your brain. And the blood will flow…suddenly. There’s one winner and no finish line,” The Major says. 

Unfortunately, The movie falls short when it comes to explaining the lore behind the Long Walk. Not much is said about the origins or why they wanted to compete. The movie would have been better if there were more backstory and explanation about the characters and plot. 

The movie does a good job keeping viewers on their toes with many warnings and gruesome deaths, along with a few different plot twists. There’s suspense when one of the boys gets their first ticket and horror in the ugly ways they die. 

There’s heartfelt moments throughout the movie as the characters repeatedly try to save one another. “Just walk with me a little longer,” Garraty says to McVries. 

The book differs in a few aspects from the novel, which could make fans of the book disappointed with the movie, or happy with the changes. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Adrian Vitale — Social Media Editor

“FC26” – the newest game in the FIFA series by EA Sports – was released worldwide on September 26.

The gameplay is currently much smoother than in previous editions. The game features three frequently played modes: Pro Clubs, Career Mode, and Ultimate Team. Ultimate Team may be the most popular game mode in any “FC/FIFA” title to date. Gameplay has improved this year, while still revolving around the same core premise as previous installments – you play matches with your personally built team, featuring both new and legendary players. Team chemistry continues to depend on club and nationality. Just like in past versions, the gameplay foundation remains the same, but it now feels smoother, with a wider variety of play styles being effective, unlike earlier games where only one style of play could keep you competitive.

Another game mode that has recently grown in popularity is Pro Clubs. In this mode, you create your own character and upgrade stats such as shooting, passing, defending, physicality, and pace. You can take your created player to compete on a team with other people – often your friends. The mode offers several ways to play, including league matches, where your team competes against others within your division.

The final mode, Career Mode, has been more of an acquired taste, with a smaller but loyal player base. Some fans return to each new installment primarily for this mode. It’s a solid experience that allows you to manage your own player — train them, choose their transfers, and play through matches with professional teams.

Overall, “FC26” has proven to be a strong improvement over previous installments in the franchise.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Connor Ryan and Dylan Gaillard – Advocate Editors

“NBA 2K26” is the latest basketball game in the “2K” series, and it has definitely been a solid addition. It has realistic gameplay, improved graphics, and a few new features to the table, but they haven’t changed the game completely.

Most importantly, the graphics this year are much improved from “NBA 2K25.” The movement and shot meters this year are visually much cleaner and with no delay. Lighting this year is also great in all game modes.

There are many game modes in “NBA 2K26” but the most played one is MyCareer. Behind it is MyTeam where you try and get players to build a team of NBA stars and compete vs other teams of NBA stars. There is a game mode that is played now where you can play with teams 5v5 against your friends and online. 

The worst part about the game so far is the MyCareer game mode builds. Users this year are making 7’4″ builds which can do almost everything in the game. They can shoot almost over any build in the game besides another 7’4″ player. They can dribble, shoot, pass, and make dunks and layups. Their rebounding isn’t the best to be 7-feet-tall but it definitely gets the job done. The area it is most broken in is the 3s game mode in MyCareer. They can set screens for the point guard then either roll to the rim or pop to the three point line. Even with defenders jumping with their hands up it’s still almost impossible to even get the littlest bit of contest with the tall jump shot of the 7’4″ player.

Lastly, the best part of the game so far is definitely the shooting this year. Last year, they made it so it is literally impossible to go 7/7 shooting. This was called RNG shooting and they decided to remove it this year making it so you can now go 7/7. The one problem they have run into with this is the people who use cheats. The cheat that you can use in 2K is called Zen. All you have to do is tap a button and then the shot will go in with it being great tempo every time.

Overall, “NBA 2K26” has been a blast for gamers around the world and is easily the best “2K” in the last few years. They just have to fix the contests on bigs and somehow ban the “Zenners.”

By Logan Thomas – Entertainment Editor

The recently-released comedy “Happy Gilmore 2” is a sequel to the 1996 original film “Happy Gilmore.” It stars Adam Sandler and is directed by Kyle Newacheck. The movie is based on the original film and has somewhat of the same plot. It follows a character named Happy Gilmore as he tries to make a comeback to the golf world after many years in retirement, and tries to stop the cheating Maxi League.

The movie starts with an older Happy Gilmore now dealing with the consequences of the past. The reason for Gilmore’s return to golf is to raise money for his daughter’s expensive ballet school. Without Shooter McGavin to compete against this time around, a new rival comes into play. This new rival is called the Maxi League, which plays a whole new style of golf that nobody wants. There are also many cameos included that make this film great.

“Happy Gilmore 2” had several strengths. First off, this movie is very nostalgic. There are many iconic moments and characters like Shooter McGavin and Chubbs’s son. The film also includes lots of humor with jokes from the original and new jokes from new characters. The biggest strong point of this movie is the number of cameos involved, which included professional golfers Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and John Daly. These characters also play big roles, while being on the team to stop the Maxi League from continuing. There were also many hilarious and iconic jokes said by these players that make this film all come together.

On the other hand, there are a few weak points in the film. “Happy Gilmore 2” had too many flashbacks that made the movie difficult to follow. Some people might like this. The plot of the movie was not the best either and pales in comparison to the original.

Overall, “Happy Gilmore 2” is a great sequel. People who enjoy watching the original will love the jokes and comedy scenes referring back to the original. In the end, this would be a great movie to watch with a bowl of popcorn by your side.

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

“Sunrise on the Reaping” is a dystopian novel and the newest addition to the “Hunger Games” series written by Suzanne Collins. The novel came out on March 18. “Sunrise on the Reaping” is a prequel to the “Hunger Games” series that follows the beloved character Haymitch Abernathy. 

The novel follows Haymitch’s game during the 50th quarter quell. He is one of four tributes reaped from District 12 to participate in the yearly hunger games.  Haymitch lives with his mother and brother, and is in a relationship with a girl named Lenore Dove, also from District 12, who he is madly in love with. Haymitch says, “The two things I love best – wasting time and being with my girl, Lenore Dove”. The story starts off on Reaping Day, which also happens to be Haymitch’s birthday. Haymitch is headstrong, and knows what he wants. He is not afraid to stand up for his girl. He takes good care of his siblings and helps his mother, much like Katniss did in the original trilogy. 

The other tributes reaped were Maysilee, a wealthy girl from District 12 whose family owns a candy shop; Wyatt, who is an oddsmaker; and Louella, Haymitch’s neighbor. The four of them start off the wrong foot, but as the story goes on, they learn to come together and trust one another. 

Collins does a great job at making you fall in love with the characters. Maysilee is sassy and endearing, making Haymitch second guess what he originally thought of her. Wyatt is a smart, caring guy who proves himself to be extremely loyal. Louella is a sweet, loving girl. Haymitch’s relationship with each of them entices readers, helping them fall in love with all four of the District 12 tributes. 

As readers follow Haymitch’s story, they get a better insight into what happened during his games. Haymitch is determined to write his own poster and stand up to the capitol. “They will not use my tears for their entertainment,” Haymitch says. Collins does a fabulous job keeping the readers on edge and invested in the story with gruesome deaths and plot twists. Haymitch’s story is a heartbreaking one, leaving no room for happiness. 

“Sunrise On The Reaping” does a great job showing Haymitch’s journey and how he went from a boy just trying his best to take care of his family to becoming the drunken mentor we first met in “The Hunger Games.”

By Amilio Venditti & Brady O’Neil – Staff Reporters

For over a decade, “Minecraft” has captured the imaginations of millions of players with its blocky landscapes and limitless creations. Now, Minecraft has left the game itself and hopped onto the big screen. The movie, directed by Jared Hess and written by Chris Bowman, stars Jason Momoa as Garett Garrison, Jack Black as Steve, Danielle Brooks as Dawn, Emma Myers as Nataile, and Sebastian Hansen as Henry. In the film, four misfits are pulled through a portal into a Minecraft world and must embark on a quest back to the real world with the help of Steve, the guide.

The Minecraft movie has been a box office hit. On opening weekend, it debuted by making a record-breaking $157 million domestically. In global earnings, as of April 29, the movie has grossed $818.5 million worldwide, making it the top-grossing film of 2025 so far. One standout moment from the film features Jack Black’s character, Steve, yelling “Chicken jockey!” The phrase quickly became a viral meme. TikTok was flooded with videos of fans shouting the line. When “Chicken Jockey” appeared on screen in one theater, the audience’s reaction was crazy. Popcorn flew everywhere while everyone was jumping up and down. Leaving the theater was absolutely disgusting, with food and drink everywhere. On top of that, some moviegoers brought some real chickens into the theater as well as real fireworks, which caused mayhem. Many attendees pulled out their phones to record the moment, posting it on TikTok or Instagram with hashtags like #ChickenJockey and #MinecraftMovie. 

Overall, “Minecraft” was a really enjoyable movie from start to finish and truly lived up to expectations. The community surrounding the film did an excellent job hyping up the film as well. The creators of the film purposely made the trailers subpar, and cast actors who fans didn’t feel would do a good job at correctly portraying the characters in the game. But this ended up being a blessing in disguise. The fans of the game created that hype, and combined their love for the game and clips in the film to make a rare and enjoyable theatre experience. The graphics team also did an amazing job of taking features from the game and incorporating them into the movie. The movie looked like a real “Minecraft” world.

“Minecraft” was a perfect reenactment and depiction of the game. It will fulfill many people’s childhood dream, being able to watch their favorite video game on the big screen.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Aaryan Doshi – Staff Reporter

“Big Daddy” is a funny and heartfelt comedy movie starring Adam Sandler as Sonny Koufax, a lazy 32-year-old man who doesn’t want to grow up. He spends most of his time sleeping in, avoiding real work, and hanging out with his goofy friends. One day, his life suddenly changed when a 5-year-old boy named Julian was dropped off at his apartment. The child was supposed to be left with Sonny’s roommate, but Sonny decides to take care of him to impress his ex-girlfriend and prove that he’s responsible. As the story goes on, Sonny tries to be a parent in his own strange way, letting Julian do whatever he wants at first, but eventually learning what it means to really care for someone else. Their bond grows stronger throughout the movie, and it leads to both funny and emotional moments.

Big Daddy was released in the summer of 1999 and became one of the biggest hits of that year. It was directed by Dennis Dugan, who has worked with Adam Sandler on many movies like Happy Gilmore and Grown Ups. This movie came out during a time when Sandler was becoming very popular for his goofy comedy style, and Big Daddy helped show that he could also handle more serious roles with emotional moments. The character of Julian is played by real-life twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse, who were only six years old when the movie was made. Viewers might recognize them from Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. 

One of the strongest parts of “Big Daddy” is how funny many of the scenes are. There are lots of laugh-out-loud scenes, like when Sonny lets Julian choose his own name (“Frankenstein”), dress himself in wild costumes, or learn life lessons from TV instead of school. These moments are silly but fun to watch. At the same time, the movie shows a more serious side as Sonny begins to really care about Julian. He goes from being irresponsible and selfish to becoming someone who truly wants to be a good father figure. 

Adam Sandler’s performance is also a highlight. He’s known for being loud and goofy, but in this movie, he shows a more emotional side. Viewers can tell that he genuinely cares about Julian, and their bond feels real. The film also teaches some nice life lessons about growing up, taking responsibility, and how love can come from unexpected places.

Even though Big Daddy has a lot of great moments, it’s not perfect. Some of the humor might feel too immature or over-the-top, especially if viewers don’t like potty jokes or silly behavior. A few scenes might make some viewers roll their eyes instead of laugh. Also, the story is a bit predictable. People can probably guess how it will end after watching the first half. It follows a familiar formula of someone learning to grow up through an unexpected situation.

Another weak point is that some of the side characters aren’t developed very well. For example, Sonny’s friends and ex-girlfriend don’t have much depth, and they mostly serve as background or comic relief. While they add a few laughs, they don’t really make the story stronger. Still, the focus is mostly on Sonny and Julian, and their story is the heart of the movie.

Overall, Big Daddy is a fun and heartfelt movie that shows how someone can change for the better when they care about someone else. It’s a mix of comedy, emotion, and life lessons that make it enjoyable for teens and adults alike. Adam Sandler brings a great mix of humor and heart, and the chemistry between him and young Julian is what makes the movie so special. Even though it has a few flaws, like some immature jokes and a predictable plot, it’s still a very entertaining movie that leaves viewers smiling by the end. If viewers in the mood for a comedy with a little bit of heart, “Big Daddy” is definitely worth a watch.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Logan Thomas – Staff Reporter

The film “Hustle” is a sports drama movie released in 2022 starring Adam Sandler. It was directed by Jeremiah Zagar and was produced by LeBron James. It follows the story of a basketball scout for the Philadelphia 76ers trying to make a statement with a great player. Sandler, who is well-known for his comedy, plays a serious role in this film.

The movie follows the story of Stanley Sugarman, played by Adam Sandler. Stanley is always tired of traveling around the world and just wants to become a coach instead. After traveling to Spain, he finds a young and talented player named Bo Cruz. Bo is capable of making any move he wants in the court while being lengthy and agile. Stanley brings Bo under his wing after lots of convincing. Stanley wants to bring him to the NBA. The movie shows their struggles and challenges along the way, and how their relationships change throughout their training. 

There are multiple strong points about this film. One of them is the acting part. Adam Sandler did a great job playing the serious role. Juancho Hernangómez, a real NBA player who played Bo Cruz, is very good at acting. The movie feels real and emotional, especially during the training scenes and setbacks. Another great aspect of the movie is that they included real active NBA players. They included Anthony Edwards playing Kermit Wilts, Trae Young playing himself, and many others. Those players are some of the top players in the league currently, and that is why the movie felt so real and active.

Even though the movie was fantastic and entertaining, the movie has some weak points. Unfortunately, it relies very heavily on basketball knowledge. If viewers don’t know much about the sport, some scenes would be confusing and not exciting. Another issue is that there are too many scenes with cameos of NBA players. It is great that they get them involved, but putting famous players’ cameos in a movie can get a bit boring and not entertaining. 

Overall, “Hustle” is a great movie for people who love the game of basketball and inspirational stories. It shows how hard it is to succeed, but also shows how powerful it is to believe. Sandler plays a fantastic role in the film and portrays a great message for young players. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Aiden Ramos – Staff Reporter 

The new season of “Invincible” has finally been released, and it does not disappoint. It picks up right where Season 1 left off, with Mark Grayson wrestling with the emotional devastation of his father’s betrayal and attempting to discover what sort of hero he wishes to become. The show continues to be full of gory fights, surprising plot twists, and poignant character moments that set it apart from other superhero epics, on TV and in comics.

Perhaps the highlight of the season is that it gets a perfect balance between action and emotion. The fight scenes are no more gory and bloody than they have ever been, with focus on the savage power of characters and their skill. The real emotional heart of the show, though, is the complicated family dynamics and how Mark, his mother Debbie, and the people who surround him handle everything that has happened. That character development brings depth to the show, and what happens can connect on a different level with the audience. There are also some great new characters being added, along with huge reveals that will surely keep viewers hooked and eagerly waiting for every episode.

The animation this season looks even better, making action sequences appear smoother and more cinematic, which makes for a better viewing experience overall. Voice work is also superb, with Steven Yeun (Mark) and Sandra Oh (Debbie) bringing a lot of emotion to their characters, making them feel real and alive. The only minor complaint is that some of the episodes do feel a little slower in terms of pacing, but the payoff is always worth it.

Overall, “Invincible” Season 2 is just as great as the first, if not greater. It’s still one of the best superhero shows out there, with jaw-dropping moments, emotional depth, and action-packed fight scenes. If viewers loved Season 1, they’ll love this one just the same, as it builds on the themes and storylines that made the first season so well-liked while introducing new elements that keep the story fresh and surprising.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Connor Ryan – Staff Reporter

The recently-released “MLB The Show 25” is more of the same good baseball action, but it doesn’t make the great leap forward that fans were likely hoping for. While the graphics and animations continue to improve, some aspects of the gameplay – hitting, especially – have  taken a step backward. Series veterans will still find plenty to love, but the issues with the game are bound to annoy some.

Visually, “MLB The Show 25” is as beautiful as ever. Movement of the players is smooth, stadiums are complete with minute details, and lighting and shadows progress naturally throughout the duration of games. Jersey mannerisms and fans’ reactions are impressive, as each game ends up resembling a real broadcast. Player models for stars are excellent, but some of the less popular players still don’t get the same treatment.

Gameplay has long been the series’ strength, and while fielding and pitching remain solid, hitting is less this year. The exit velocities are slower, and even well-timed swings tend to make weak contact. The power on perfect swings also seems inconsistent, making it more difficult to string together some offense. This element makes hitting less satisfying and more frustrating because hard-hit balls do not always receive the results that they should. While timing and strategy are still crucial components, the unpredictability of hitting mechanics makes the offensive side of the game difficult. 

Franchise Mode and Road to the Show have many changes. Franchise Mode is a mode in the game where users play as the coach and players. The goal is to try to win the World Series managing that team and playing as the players. Road to the Show has huge changes. They added both high school and college baseball to the game, and they also added the type of bat you use wood or metal. They both received massive changes. Diamond Dynasty is still a major focus, with plenty of customization, but grinding for top players remains a time-consuming task unless users are willing to spend money.

Overall, “MLB The Show 25” is still the best baseball game, but it doesn’t take the franchise to new levels. The graphics and animations continue to impress, and pitching and fielding are refined, but the frustrating hitting mechanics knock it down a bit. Fans of the series will likely still enjoy it, but absent significant improvements, it may not feel like a must-buy for those seeking a significant upgrade.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Aaryan Doshi – Staff Reporter

“Dumb and Dumber” is a comedy released in 1994. It was directed by Peter Farrelly and stars Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. The movie quickly became a favorite because of its silly humor and funny characters. Jim Carrey was already known for his comedy, and this movie made him even more popular. It has remained a classic for people who love goofy, lighthearted films.

The movie is about two best friends, Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels), who aren’t very smart but have big hearts. They take a road trip to return a briefcase to a woman Lloyd likes. Along the way, they get into a lot of crazy situations and accidentally get involved in a crime without realizing it. Their journey is full of mistakes, misunderstandings, and ridiculous moments that make the movie entertaining. The story is simple, but it leads to a lot of funny moments that keep the audience engaged.

One of the best things about Dumb and Dumber is how funny it is. Jim Carrey is amazing at making silly faces and acting in a way that makes people laugh. Jeff Daniels, who usually does serious roles, is just as funny and works really well with Carrey. Their friendship makes the movie fun to watch. The movie’s jokes are silly and lighthearted. It doesn’t try to be too serious, which makes it great for just relaxing and having a good laugh. The scenes are full of crazy situations, and there are a lot of lines that people still quote today. The fast pace of the movie also keeps it exciting, with new funny things happening all the time. Another strong point is how memorable the movie is. Even years after watching it, people remember the jokes, the funny moments, and the goofy characters. The film has become one of those comedies that people can watch over and over again and still find funny.

Even though the movie is hilarious, some people might not like its over-the-top humor. Some of the jokes might feel a little old-fashioned today. If the movie were made now, they might change a few things to make it feel more modern. Also, some of the characters don’t have much development. While that’s not a big deal in a comedy, it would have been nice to see a little more personality from some of the side characters. The villains, for example, are mostly there to move the story forward and don’t have much depth. Another small issue is that some of the humor relies on secondhand embarrassment, which might not be enjoyable for everyone. Some scenes make audiences cringe because of how clueless the characters are, but that’s also what makes the movie so unique and funny.

“Dumb and Dumber” is a super funny movie that is great if people just want to laugh and not take things too seriously. Carrey and Daniels are perfect together, and their goofy friendship makes the movie special. “Dumb and Dumber” is a comedy classic that still holds up today. It’s the kind of movie that makes people forget about their worries and just enjoy a good laugh.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Logan Thomas – Staff Reporter

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is a comedy film directed by John Hughes. It was filmed in 1986 and became an iconic movie for high school students. Starring Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller, the film captures the rebellious spirit of a high school student and his need to break free from the classroom. John Hughes, the director known for portraying teenage life in films, shows up in many films including “Sixteen Candles” and more. With its humor and action scenes, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” remains a classic in American film. 

The film follows Ferris Bueller, a clever high school senior who fakes a sickness to skip school and enjoy a day of adventure in Chicago. Alongside his best friend Cameron, played by Alan Ruck, and his girlfriend Sloane, portrayed by Mia Sara, Ferris goes on a trip of fun activities and antics, including dining at an upscale restaurant to joining a city parade and eventually signing in. In the meantime, his sister Jeanie, played by Jennifer Grey, and his Principal, Mr. Rooney, played by Jeffrey Jone, is determined to catch Ferris in the act of skipping school while still going through with comedic jokes and funny actions from the actors. 

One of the strong points of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is that the main character, Ferris, is very engaging and comedic, which grabs the viewer’s attention. Another strong point is that Ferris directly talks to the viewers which adds a unique and humorous part to the storytelling. Additionally, the setting of Chicago provides a cool background with memorable scenes at iconic locations like Wrigley Field. The other cast members, particularly Alan Ruck, who plays scared and emotional Cameron, add more comedy and uptight scenes, balancing comedic scenes with uptight scenes.

While the film is very well-liked, some viewers may find certain characters underwhelming. Compared to Ferris and Cameron, Sloane lacks many traits that fully develop her character and the film.  To add on, the exaggeration of Principal Rooney’s relentless journey of Ferris tends to feel very repetitive. Otherwise, the film stands strong.

Overall, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is a delightful and entertaining film that captures the viewer’s eye. Its dialogue and memorable scenes ensure the appeal of the audience.  Despite minor weaknesses, this film is one for the books. Whether watched for the first time or watched for the third time, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” remains a great teen comedy that continues to appeal to audiences worldwide.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Vaughn Kraynak – Staff Reporter

“The Other Guys” is a hilarious action-comedy film directed by Adam McKay and released in 2010. Iconic actors Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star in the movie alongside Dwayne Johnson, Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton. The movie combines smart and witty humor with intense action to create a unique and exciting story. It was a quick success due to it’s blend of a cop thriller and genius comedic timing. 

“The Other Guys” is about two cops, Allen and Terry, who are forced to work desk jobs after messing up big cases early in their careers and are banned from working on patrol. After accidentally discovering a huge financial crime scheme, they get the opportunity to prove themselves as real cops. The movie follows Allen and Terry’s journey as their friendship blossoms through the hardships of the dangerous case they unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of. The movie integrates humor into the action scenes as Allen and Terry attempt to redeem themselves. 

One of the best aspects of the movie is the hysterical cast, led by comedy staples Ferrell and Wahlberg. The film is able to perfectly mix the comedic moments with the action packed scenes to keep the audience engaged and laughing at all times. The take on the infamous “buddy cop” genre of movies works amazingly well, with Allen taking shots from Terry throughout the story but ultimately finds himself as the hero. The movie also brings out a surprising and heartwarming theme of personal growth from caring for your friends. 

Although “The Other Guys” is packed full of great action and comedy, the plot becomes easily predictable and some storylines feel like they are forgotten about halfway through the movie. Also, some jokes feel forced during non-comedic scenes and other jokes just become extremely repetitive. The movie has some awesome laugh-out-loud moments but a few jokes don’t land as well as others and feel sort of flat. Even though the comedy isn’t perfect, it definitely cannot be considered bad when Ferrell and Wahlberg are the ones delivering the jokes. 

“The Other Guys” is a great film if you are looking for a comedy movie that can also fulfill your needs for awesome action scenes. Wahlberg and Ferrell really bring the movie to it’s best potential due to their perfect comedic timing and representations of their characters. Even if the story can be predictable at some points, the movie can still surprise viewers at other times and is an entertaining watch. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Logan Thomas – Staff Reporter

“Red Notice” is an action-comedy film directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber which stars Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. The movie contains scenes of high-stakes heists, chase sequences, and comedy. 

In the film, John Hartley, an FBI profiler, switched to the bad side to work with wanted art thieves, Nolan Booth and The Bishop. Booth and Hartley were eventually caught and sent to a high-security prison. Both of them worked together to escape. Booth, Hartley, and The Bishop all wanted one thing. But it was almost impossible to get it. They all were going after the third egg of Cleopatra. The egg was covered in gold and diamonds. At first, Booth and Hartley were not on the same team as the Bishop. But once they worked together they got the egg and were successful. After all this, the FBI was still never able to catch them.

This film had many strong points that made it enjoyable to watch. Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot bring their signature styles to the film. Dwayne Johnson’s heroic acting, Ryan Reynolds’ comedic timing, and Gal Gadot’s charm create a fun and dynamic film that is entertaining to watch. In the film, there are many action scenes that get the viewer’s attention. 

The scenes consist of thrilling chase scenes, heists, and fighting. There were also exotic locations including caves and hideouts that were thrilling to see. In the film, there were also scenic views of the ocean and ancient buildings. 

Even though the film excels in action and comedy, the plot of the movie is not always easy to follow. There are multiple scenes that are quite confusing. Sometimes viewers are also able to predict what is going to happen. There are multiple times in the movie where there are familiar heists and scenes. The chemistry between the actors felt off throughout the movie as well; it seems like there are forced scenes and jokes that have been repeated.

Overall, this action comedy film is very entertaining to watch with many scenes that are quite enjoyable. If you want a movie that is filled with funny jokes and action scenes you have come to the right spot. Overall, this film is an amazing watch with a bowl of popcorn in your lap.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Aaryan Doshi – Staff Reporter

“The Out-Laws” is a 2023 action-comedy film directed by Tyler Spindel and produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions. Starring Adam Devine, Pierce Brosnan, Ellen Barkin, and Nina Dobrev. The film blends action, humor, and family chaos into an entertaining ride. With its mix of heist elements and laugh-out-loud moments, “The Out-Laws” quickly became a fan favorite on Netflix.

The movie is about Owen Browning, a nerdy bank manager who is about to marry his fiancée, Parker. Everything seems perfect until his bank gets robbed by a group known as the Ghost Bandits. The timing is suspicious because it happens right after he meets Parker’s parents, Billy and Lilly McDermott, who seem a little too mysterious. Owen starts putting the pieces together and begins to wonder, could his future in-laws actually be the bank robbers? As he tries to find out the truth, he gets pulled into a crazy journey full of surprises, action, and hilarious moments.

One of the best aspects of “The Out-Laws” is its successful blend of action and comedy. Owen’s awkward and clumsy personality leads to many funny situations, especially when he interacts with Billy and Lilly, who are incredibly cool and confident. Their interactions are hilarious, and the jokes keep coming throughout the movie. The action scenes are also very exciting, featuring car chases, explosions, and intense moments that make the film enjoyable to watch. Although it’s an action movie, it maintains a lighthearted tone, making it easy to appreciate. Additionally, the relationship between Owen and his future in-laws adds a nice touch, demonstrating that even the most unconventional families can share strong bonds.

While “The Out-Laws” is undeniably entertaining, some of the humor may feel a bit predictable or over-the-top for certain people. The film leans heavily on comedy, which, while effective, might not appeal to those who prefer more subtle or clever humor. Additionally, the plot is fairly straightforward, and some parts are easy to predict. However, these minor flaws do not take away from the overall fun experience.

In the end, “The Out-Laws” is a great choice if you want a movie that’s funny, exciting, and full of action. It may not have the most surprising story, but it makes up for it with great humor and fun characters. If movie-goers are looking for something to make them laugh and keep them entertained, “The Out-Laws” is a great pick.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Brady O’Neil – Staff Reporter

“MLB The Show ’24” is the latest baseball game in the series, and it’s definitely a solid addition. It brings realistic gameplay, improved graphics, and a few new features to the table, but it doesn’t exactly change the game in a huge way. Fans of baseball and the series will enjoy it, but it may feel a little too familiar for some.

The graphics in this year’s game are really impressive. Player animations look super smooth, and the stadiums are full of little details that make them feel alive. From fans waving in the stands to the shadows changing as the game goes on, it all looks like a real baseball game. Even the way players’ jerseys move looks realistic, which is a nice touch. The faces of most players look spot-on, though a few less popular ones don’t look as well animated as others.

The gameplay is where “MLB: The Show” always shines, and it’s no different here. Hitting and pitching feel great, and fielding seems better this year, especially with diving plays and animations being smoother. The game rewards timing and strategy, which makes every at-bat and pitch feel important. The different difficulty options also make it easy for beginners to pick up while still being challenging for experienced players.

Modes like Franchise and Road to the Show are back, and they’re still fun, but they don’t feel all that different from last year. Franchise Mode lets you take control of a team and manage everything from trades to lineups, while Road to the Show lets you create a player and take them through their career. Both are still good but could use some fresh ideas. Diamond Dynasty is where a lot of people spend their time, and it’s fun to build a dream team, but grinding for top players takes a lot of time unless you’re willing to spend real money.

Overall, “MLB The Show ’24” does a lot of things right but doesn’t do much to stand out compared to last year’s game. It’s still the best baseball game out there and worth playing, but it might not feel like a huge step forward. For baseball fans, though, it’s hard to beat.

By Aiden Ramos and Christian Galligan – Staff Reporters 

The new “Fortnite OG” mode launched on December 6 and has sent waves of excitement through the gaming community. Designed to recreate the original Chapter 1 experience, this mode reintroduces iconic locations, the classic loot pool, and nostalgic gameplay elements while incorporating modern features that enhance the overall experience.  

Players are transported back to beloved locations like Pleasant Park, Salty Springs, Retail Row, and Anarchy Acres, each bringing back memories for longtime fans and players. The simpler aesthetics of the graphics perfectly echo the original game, yet subtle modern improvements keep the visuals sharp and immersive. Weapon sounds, like the satisfying crack of the pump shotgun or the burst of the assault rifle, evoke a powerful sense of nostalgia, immersing players in the charm of early “Fortnite.” 

However, as many non-players see it, this isn’t just a walk down memory lane. Modern mechanics like sprinting, sliding, mantling, and healing while moving have been seamlessly integrated, offering smoother and more tactical, and much more understandable gameplay. Features such as Reboot Vans and visual indicators for sniper scopes strike a balance between preserving the essence of Chapter 1 and meeting current player expectations. This combination ensures that “Fortnite OG” isn’t just a nostalgic experience but also a competitive one that caters to both veterans and new players.  

Despite its many strengths, “Fortnite OG” isn’t without its frustrations, much like the original game. The loot pool, while faithful to the original, feels overly scarce. Common and uncommon weapons dominate the battlefield, making higher-rarity loot a rare find. Additionally, the absence of mini-shields limits healing options. With only big pots and slurp juices available, players often find themselves vulnerable during critical moments. While this mirrors the challenges of the original gameplay, it can occasionally detract from the fun, particularly for players accustomed to the variety and availability of modern Fortnite loot.  

“Fortnite OG” delivers the magic of its early days while embracing the quality-of-life improvements developed over the years. Blending nostalgia with modern mechanics creates an experience that feels both familiar and fresh. The challenges presented by the limited loot pool add a layer of difficulty that may frustrate some but also heighten the intensity of matches. For longtime fans, “Fortnite OG” is a thrilling return to where it all began. For newer players, it’s a unique opportunity for them to experience the roots of this cultural phenomenon.  

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

“Truly Devious” is a mystery YA novel written by Marueen Johnson and published on January 16th, 2018. “Truly Devious” is the first book in the series. The story follows the main character, Stevie Bell, who gets accepted into Ellingham Academy, a boarding school in the Vermont mountains. Years ago, there was a kidnapping and murder of the school’s founder’s wife and child. Ever since Stevie discovered the case, she has been obsessed with solving it. 

When Stevie is accepted, she’s beyond thrilled, as this is her chance to really solve the case. When she arrives, she meets her new house members, Janelle, Nate, Hayes, David and Ellie. The five of them couldn’t be more different. 

“Truly Devious” is quite descriptive, not lacking in any details of the scenes. The story follows a more plot driven storyline, but even so, falling in love with the characters is quite possible. Janelle is a kind, outgoing girl whose talent is building things. Nate, an introverted writer. Hayes, an egotistical actor. David, a wild video game creator, and Ellie, the funky artist. 

This book has many character relationships to root for. Stevie and Janelle grow into best friends. The two of them are always there for one another, always supportive. Stevie and Nate create a bond through their share of social anxiety and Stevie and David can’t help but be attracted to one another. 

When one of the students at Ellingham is murdered, Stevie’s desire to solve cases intensifies. Stevie wants to find the truth, and figure out, is this murder connected to the ones in the past? 

Stevie is portrayed as a true crime fanatic, but through her layers, she deals with ongoing panic attacks and anxiety. She doesn’t let anything get in her way of investing the truth, though. Stevie is not afraid to take risks to fill her desires. She had always wanted to be a part of an investigation, but she’s not sure being a part of one lives up to what she dreamed of. 

Stevie’s thoughts include, “That was something they taught you in anxiety therapy – the thoughts may come, but you don’t have to chase them all. It was sort of the opposite of good detective work, in which you had to follow every lead.”

Throughout the stories, there are flashbacks to the time of the first crime, where readers get an inside look of what happened and how the characters felt. The book is a mix between the past and present, both keeping readers on their toes about the past and current mystery. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

“Wayne” is a comedy TV show that first aired on January 16, 2019 on YouTube Premium. The show was created by Shawn Simmoms and produced by John Ryan and Daniel Hank and stars Mark McKenna and Ciara Bravo as the main characters, Wayne and Del. 

The show consists of 10 episodes and follows Wayne, a troubled 16-year-old whose plan is to travel to Florida to find the car that his father had kept for him until his mother took it with her as she left. Del, Wayne’s new crush, joins him on this adventure. 

When the two head off, Del’s father and brothers claim that she was kidnapped by Wayne, causing the three of them to head off to Florida to find them. Del’s family aren’t the only ones after the two kids. Two other groups head down to Florida in search of Wayne: Police Sergeant Stephen Geller, along with his partner, Wayne’s best friend, and principal team up together in pursuit. 

Wayne is not a typical main male character. He’s quiet, but loud with his actions. Throughout the show, he carries an “I don’t care” attitude, but really has a heart of gold. 

There are many prime examples of this, such as when he is at a store, picking up tampons for Del, he witnesses a man harassing his girlfriend. Wayne responds to this by smashing the man’s bike with a baseball bat. Del matches Wayne’s determination and impulsiveness. 

The two of them are not afraid to go after what they want, even if it is done with questionable actions. 

“Hey..do you wanna cut some snakes in half with a shovel?” Del asks Wayne.

“..Yes” replies Wayne. 

Wayne and Del’s journey is a chaotic one as they travel south. Along the way they meet many people, for good and bad. They two get caught up in mess after mess. Watching the two fall in love over the course of their adventures is the core of the series. Between getting separated and beaten up, the two always find a way back to each other. 

One of the most romantic scenes in the series is when Del meets these two girls that invite her to their school dance. Wayne originally says he will not go, and leaves, but after some thinking and realizing how much he cares about Del, he dresses up in the suit the girls had picked for him and shows up at the school, busts some moves, and asks Del to dance with him. 

Wayne does a great job keeping viewers hooked in the story and wondering what Wayne and Del will get tangled in next. It’s funny, enticing, and dramatic. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Brady O’Neil – Staff Reporter

Netflix’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” tells the story of two brothers who made headlines in 1989 for killing their parents in their Hollywood mansion. Created by Ryan Murphy, the show explores whether the brothers were driven by years of sexual and verbal abuse, or killed their parents for the sole purpose of gaining their inheritance. 

In the series, Lyle and Erik Menendez, played by Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch, aren’t portrayed as just heartless killers. Instead, Murphy explores whether the brothers acted out of revenge after years of alleged abuse by their father. The brothers claim that José Menendez was physically and sexually abusive, leading them to believe that they had no other way out. This changes how we view them and adds to their personalities, making them seem like victims and violators. However, because the accusations were made after Kitty and Jose were killed, it makes it much more difficult to believe that the brothers didn’t kill their parents for the money. 

One of the best parts of the series is how it shows the media interest that came with the case. Back in the 1990s, this was one of the first murder trials that was broadcast on TV, which turned the Menendez brothers into household names. Journalists and the public couldn’t get enough of the drama, and the series captures that with scenes showing reporters camping outside the courthouse and debates on TV about whether the brothers were innocent victims or cold-blooded killers. It also brings up how the media can influence people’s views on high-profile cases, sometimes making it hard to see the full truth. This can be seen at the end of the first trial, where an overflow of outside influences caused a mistrial.

Despite its interesting story, others argue that “Monsters” crosses the line and adds unproven details to the story, like an alleged relationship between the brothers. This feels like it was included there to spike viewer interest, which has upset some people who think this part isn’t true. However, the series does bring awareness to male abuse, a topic that’s rarely discussed in the same way as female abuse. Murphy also uses flashbacks and intense close-up shots, especially in scenes where Erik opens up about his trauma. Even if the show sometimes goes overboard with the drama, the series was very interesting and is a must-watch.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Logan Thomas – Staff Reporter 

The comedy film “Grown Ups” was released on June 25, 2010. The star of the movie, Adam Sandler, plays the role of Lenny, a very rich man with three kids who married a fashion model. This movie is a household favorite for many people and has many funny scenes that will leave viewers giggling.

The movie involves five childhood friends named Lenny, Eric, Kurt, Marcus, and Rob, who reunite after their childhood basketball coach passes away. They decide to go off on a boys trip with their spouses and have a fun weekend together, feeling nostalgic about the experience. Lenny and his family have to leave for his wife’s fashion show but they decide to skip that and stay at the Lake. All the grown-ups have a great weekend away from their homes.

“Grown Ups” is full of hilarious scenes, including when Eric goes on a rope swing and bangs into a tree, killing a bird. There were also many surprising parts. When Lenny was a kid, he never missed a basketball shot from a certain spot, they revisit the childhood memory and he still ends up making the shot.. “Grown Ups” included great flashbacks  from their childhood to the present day. During the movie, many scenes included jokes that were delivered in a way that viewers had to understand the context of the movie to realize that they were jokes. 

As good as “Grown Ups” was, there were some elements that could be improved. For example, “Grown Ups” doesn’t go into detail about the coach that died. Viewers should be able to see what his life was like before he died because this is how the movie started. The producers could have added a flashback to before he died or flashbacks from the five friends. The coach’s relationship with the guys could have been added as well.

All in all, “Grown Ups” is a great movie to watch that gets audiences in a humorous mood. Those who don’t want to watch a horror movie or an adventure movie should watch “Grown Ups.” This is a great movie to watch with a bowl of popcorn and some candy by your side with your friends.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Aiden Ramos – Staff Reporter 

The first half of Season 4 of Netflix’s “Outer Banks,” released on October 10, brings the Pogues back to the Outer Banks after their incredible discovery of El Dorado’s treasure. With hopes for a quieter life, they set up “Poguelandia 2.0,” planning to live together and establish a small business in their coastal home. However, as financial pressures build up, their dreams of peace fade, and the allure of another legendary treasure pulls them back into the high-stakes world of treasure hunting. This time, the quest is even more intriguing, they’re offered a lead on Blackbeard’s treasure, a fabled fortune with a temptation that seems irresistible.

The cast’s chemistry remains a highlight in Season 4. The bond among the Pogues feels more grounded and authentic, reflecting the deep ties they’ve built over seasons of shared trials and victories. John B, Sarah, JJ, Kiara, and Pope are all back, and their relationships add emotional weight to the adventure, making their struggles and victories feel even more meaningful. The series also does an excellent job showcasing the stunning scenery of the Outer Banks and other dive locations, which enhances the sense of real adventure and immerses viewers in the journey. The underwater sequences, particularly during JJ and Kiara’s tense dive where they encounter an unexpected guest, add a thrilling quality to the show. This moment becomes a standout scene, raising the stakes and keeping viewers on edge.

The addition of Blackbeard’s treasure introduces a fresh layer of intrigue. Unlike their previous quests, this treasure comes with a storied past that deepens the plot, offering both historical fascination and a dangerous allure. The mystery surrounding Blackbeard’s lost fortune raises the tension and adds a supernatural edge.

While Season 4 maintains a strong momentum, it’s not without its flaws. Some plot elements can feel repetitive, especially the familiar pattern of the Pogues attempting to settle down, only to be drawn back into treasure hunting by circumstances beyond their control. This cycle, while central to the series, risks feeling predictable for long-time viewers. Additionally, a few new antagonists introduced this season don’t quite live up to the more compelling villains of previous seasons. Their motivations feel underdeveloped, which lessens their impact and reduces the stakes in some scenes. The show’s fast pace, while exciting, sometimes sacrifices character development, leaving certain emotional moments feeling rushed. Spending a bit more time on the characters’ personal growth and dilemmas could have given the season complexity.

“Outer Banks” Season 4 delivers another thrilling, adventure-filled installment that balances suspense, loyalty, and the allure of the unknown. Fans will enjoy the blend of high-energy scenes, unexpected twists, and the unwavering bonds among the Pogues.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Aaryan Doshi – Staff Reporter

“Happy Gilmore,” released in 1996 and directed by Dennis Dugan, is a classic sports comedy starring Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, a hot-tempered, unsuccessful hockey player with a surprising talent for golf. The movie begins with Gilmore’s struggle to succeed in hockey, where his lack of skill and explosive temper prevent him from making it as a professional. However, when his grandmother’s house faces foreclosure due to unpaid taxes, Gilmore realizes he quickly needs to earn money to save her home. By chance, he discovers that his aggressive hockey slapshot translates into an incredible and unique golf swing.

The story follows Gilmore’s journey as he battles his way through various golf tournaments, all in pursuit of the prize money he needs. His loud personality, crude behavior, and unusual style create a significant culture clash in the world of professional golf. As he gains popularity among fans for his wild antics and incredible power on the course, he also earns a powerful enemy, Shooter McGavin, an arrogant golfer who despises Gilmore’s newfound success. Determined to remove Gilmore from the sport, Shooter becomes his main rival, and the two face off. 

The movie’s appeal lies in its creative mix of sports and comedy. Sandler’s humor and high-energy style bring a fun, unconventional perspective to golf, a sport that’s typically seen as serious and slow-paced. Happy Gilmore is rough around the edges and has a short fuse, his genuine love for his grandma and determination to save her home make him more likable. Watching him navigate the golf world while trying to hold his own against other professionals is both ridiculous and entertaining. The heart of the story comes from Gilmore’s motivation, which is saving his grandma’s home.

Though Happy Gilmore is beloved for its humor, it has some weak points that may not appeal to all viewers. The film leans heavily on crude jokes, slapstick comedy, and exaggerated physical humor, which some might find repetitive or immature. The story follows a somewhat predictable underdog sports movie formula, making the plot easy to anticipate. Shooter McGavin, while an effective enemy for Gilmore, is somewhat one-dimensional and cartoonish. The over-the-top nature of some scenes, from Gilmore’s incredible golfing abilities to his explosive reactions, makes the movie feel like a series of funny skits.

Ultimately, “Happy Gilmore” is a memorable comedy that turns a typical sports movie into something unconventional. Sandler’s performance and the mix of humor and heart make it a rewatchable film. The movie’s simple charm, combined with a feel-good story about unlikely success, appeals to fans of lighthearted comedies. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

“The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” released on September 26 and was published by Nintendo. The game is a new spin on the Zelda title as it is the first game in the series where users play as Princess Zelda.

Instead of fighting with a sword in the game, players obtain the Tri rod from the spirit Tri which allows them to create echoes. Echoes are recreations of objects and monsters found around Hyrule. As players travel through Hyrule, they will encounter rifts that plague the world. Rifts are a mysterious portal to the still world that will swallow everything that they touch. With some help from the companion Tri, players can mend the rifts to save Hyrule.

With the new Echoes feature it allows for more strategy in the game. Each echo is limited depending on how hard it was to obtain and what it can do. With each rift players close, the more Tri’s power can become available to use. Players can then create either stronger echoes or make more weaker echoes. Using echoes requires strategy and some puzzle solving depending on each situation. Each adventure will be unique in the way players decide to go about doing things with echoes.

Players don’t just get the Tri rod in the game; they can also obtain the sword of might. The sword of might allows the player to go into sword fighter mode and use a sword, shield, arrows, and bombs like in previous games. Sword fighter mode can only be used for limited amounts of time. Players can upgrade sword fighter mode by collecting might crystals around Hyrule. This will allow players to stay in sword fighter form for longer and increase damage dealt in this mode.

One downside to the game is that the world is too small. There are not a whole lot of places to visit in the open world of the game. It feels like it takes a few minutes to get from one end of the map to the other, unlike “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” where there are a lot of different places to visit. While the map does feel small, dungeons certainly make up for it as they take a decent amount of time to complete.

Overall, the game makes a great addition to the “Legend of Zelda” franchise with its new game mechanics and finally being able to play as Zelda. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

“EA Sports: College Football 25” was released officially for consoles on July 19. The game is the first college football game to be released since “NCAA Football 2014” in 2013.

The game has a multitude of game modes to choose from. Play Now is a game mode used to play a game of college football. This game mode can be played with friends both online cross platform included or users can play together on the same console. Players pick their teams, select the settings they want to use, and enjoy.

Road to Glory is a game mode where players can make a custom character and play through their time in college football. Characters can be a middle linebacker, cornerback, halfback, receiver, or quarterback. The character the player creates will also start with a certain level of skill. Once a player has completed character creation, they choose which college they want to attend. Each week, users have energy to do various activities such as keeping grades up or building a character’s fame. Players should put some energy into each one and not put all of their eggs in one basket. Additionally, players are able to transfer their characters to “Madden 25” after they’ve graduated from college. 

Dynasty is a game mode where players become the coach of their own college football team. This game mode features an online mode (not compatible with cross-platform), so users are able to create their own league with friends. In this game mode, the biggest priority is recruiting talent for one’s team so that the team can become better off than it was before. Depending on how well the team performs each week, players will earn EXP to improve their coaching styles such as tactician, recruitment, or motivator. 

Road to College Football Playoffs is a head to head game mode. There are 10 teams if players win against eight of them, they are put into the College football playoffs. Each team is a different tier – the better the team, the higher tier the team will be. If users play as a lower tier team and win, they can earn more ranked points. Playing as a higher tier team will earn less points playing against lower tier schools.

Lastly, College Football Ultimate Team is an online game mode where the goal is to create the best team possible by purchasing or earning packs of players to use to make the ultimate team. There is a wide variety of players that users can win from packs. Challenges which can be used to earn points can vary in difficulty which can result in different amounts of points being earned or even exclusive rewards.

The game boasts lots of variety in its gameplay and designs. Each college has its own unique intro to the football game that will be played depending on the college. If a team is the visitor, the opposing crowd can interfere with their screen. The screen can shake and even make users forget their play calls. 

The only negative about the game is it’s not innovative enough. EA took the most basic ideas and put them into the game. The game is essentially a Madden game with college teams. It feels like sports video games have stagnated when it comes to innovation while the game has good graphics and mechanics it lacks any real growth when it comes to differences in previous games. Besides the graphics, who’s playing, and how high the players overall are not a lot changes when it comes to how the game is played. There’s always been a Play Now, Custom Character, Dynasty Mode, and Ultimate Team in “Madden.”

Overall, the game is a step in the right direction for EA as “College Football 25” shows some growth from previous “Madden” games.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

“Clown In A Cornfield” is a young adult horror novel. It is the first book in the trilogy written by Adam Cesare, followed by “Clown In A Cornfield: Frendo Lives” and “Clown In A Cornfield: The Church of Frendo.” The novel was published on August 2, 2020. The story follows Quinn, a teenage girl moving to Kettle Springs, a run-down town with a clown as the mascot. 

Cesare writes about the setting, “Philly ate its rot, was constantly demolishing the old to make way for the new. Looking at these houses, Quinn was struck with the feeling that Kettle Springs had left its best days behind. The town had given up.”

Quinn’s father recently received an offer to be the town’s new resident doctor. Quickly after moving, Quinn is able to meet several new friends. One night at an annual party the kids throw, a group of killer clowns dressed up as the town’s mascot, Frendo, make it their goal to murder the kids the night of the party. 

The story follows Quinn and her newfound friends – Cole, Janet, Matt and Ronnie, along with her new neighbor, Rust – as they try to survive the murderous clowns with machetes. 

The novel is essentially a 1990s slasher film in the form of a book. There are also elements of humor, betrayal, and romance wrapped up into one 300-page novel. 

Cesare does a great job keeping readers entertained as they follow Quinn and other characters’ points of view through the night of horror. The story keeps people reading, one unexpected event after another. 

One thing that the book could have done better is fleshing out the characters. The book relied heavily on the plot. Although the characters did portray backstories and emotions and have distinct personalities, they were pretty one-dimensional. The characters include:

Quinn, the strong, independent new girl who says, “Yeah, Well, I’ve decided a change will do me good.” 

Cole, the troubled boy: “He’s pretty cute, for an arsonist.”

Janet, the tough girl: “Quinn had met girls like Janet before. Ameatur lawyers.” 

Ronnie, the princess: “She had blond ringlets and a side ponytail. Chewing gum snapping. White jeans and a T-shirt so tight it might’ve been body paint. She looked how Quinn had expected the popular girls in Kettle Springs to look” 

Matt, the jock: “Quinn sniffed and realized that she could no longer smell Janet’s perfume. Because Matt stank of booze”

The book was incredibly fast-paced, which had a positive effect on the story, but it also made it more difficult to develop the characters. The characters do each have their special moment in the story, where they get to either have their breakthrough or hero moment. 

Fans of slasher films will definitely love “Clown In A Cornfield.”

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

“That’s Not My Name” is a YA thriller written by Megan Lally and published on December 26, 2023. The book follows a teenage boy trying to solve the mystery of his missing girlfriend while being the main suspect in the case. Meanwhile, a girl is found on the side of the road with no memory.

The book is told from two points of view. Drew, whose girlfriend, Lola, has recently gone missing, is on a search with his cousin and his girlfriend’s best friend to find out where she went. Together, the three of them follow any leads they can get their hands on without attracting more attention to Drew. 

“I need Lola to call,” Drew says. “All these weeks later, I still expect to see her name on my screen every time it rings. With every ping of a text message, I think it’s her. And every time it’s not, I feel it all over again – the suffocating loop of hope turns to dread.”

The second point of view follows Mary, the girl found in the woods who is brought in by a man who claims to be her father. Her story follows her as she gets adjusted to her ‘new’ old life with no memories. 

“How can my own father not know what I’m allergic to?” Mary thinks.

Lally does a great job keeping readers on their toes with both points of views, wondering what happened to Drew’s girlfriend (and is this guy really Mary’s father?) The characters are well written with depth and personality. 

Drew is a teenage boy who will do anything to figure out what happened to Lola. He is determined to find her and prove his innocence to the entire town who has painted him as the boyfriend who hurt his own girlfriend. 

“Worst of all: Would she still be here now if I didn’t do what I did,” Drew wonders.

Mary is curious and confused as she navigates her life with no memories. She stays strong throughout the novel even as things get more and more suspicious. 

This book rivals other YA mystery novels such as “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” with an intense plot that does a fabulous job of keeping the readers enticed in the story with twists and turns, where they feel the need to keep reading to figure out the truth. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Molly Lynch – News Editor

Sabrina Carpenter released her highly anticipated sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet,” in August. 

“Short n’ Sweet” debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, making it the third biggest first-week debut in the United States in 2024. There are 12 songs on the album and the lead single “Espresso” hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and has around 1.2 billion streams. The album consists of both more mellow and easygoing songs like “Sharpest Tool” and “Dumb and Poetic” as well as more upbeat songs like “Taste” and “Please Please Please.” The album has a variety of songs which makes it easy for anyone to resonate with them. 

“Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste” have music videos with the songs. Fans are anticipating more music videos with other songs on this album. “Please Please Please” stars Carpenter as well as Barry Keoghan, her boyfriend. “Taste” stars Carpenter as well as Jenna Ortega. 

Carpenter’s song, “Please Please Please” is about relationship insecurities and falling in love with someone who doesn’t make good decisions. Throughout the song, Carpenter pleads for the person she is in love saying, “Please, Please, Please, don’t prove I’m right,” and “Please, Please, Please, don’t bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice.” These lyrics explain that her love interest is doing things that upset her and she is pleading for them to not prove her right and to not make her cry. 

Carpenter’s song, “Taste” is about the lasting influence one has on an ex after a breakup. The first lyric of the song “Oh, I leave quite an impression, five feet to be exact” explains how she leaves an impression on her ex despite her height. Fans speculate that this song is about an alleged love triangle between Carpenter, Shawn Mendez, and Camila Cabello. 

Out of the many new albums released in 2024, Carpenter did an amazing job standing her ground against artists like Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, etc who also had albums released around the same time. Many would argue that “Espresso” was the song of the summer due to the fact that it was being played everywhere, which is my only weak point I could find about the album. The song is great, but after a few months it is still continuing to be played on the radio and in stores. It has had its time and should be put to rest.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Julia Ryan – Staff Reporter

Taylor Swift announced her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on February 4 at the Grammys, after she won Best Pop Vocal Album for “Midnights.” On April 19, the album was released at midnight with 15 songs. But, this was not the end of the album because she also dropped a surprise double album at 2 a.m. called, “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.”  Swifts calls herself the chairman of, “The Tortured Poets Department,” and believes that once we have spoken our saddest story we can be free of it; Then all that’s left behind is the tortured poetry. The album genre consists of a synth-pop sound, with rock and folk styling. Her music and storytelling reflects everything that she has gone through within the past two years, while on tour and re-releasing many of her previous albums. Swift’s storytelling comes into play as many of these songs on the album are about her ex boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn, her short lived relationship with Matt Healy and Travis Kelce, her current boyfriend. From the second this album was dropped Taylor Swift’s fans, also known as Swifites, have been continuing to analyze her lyrics and the poetry among it all. 

Track number one on the album is called, “Fortnight.” It is currently the first track to be announced as a single that has a collaboration and music video with Post Malone. The lyrics in the song repeatedly come back to, “I love you, it’s ruining my life.” In this exact lyric Swift leaves nothing to the imagination by expressing exactly how she feels. The music video she directed and produced is an accurate representation of what she pictured as the song’s message. The music video takes place in a mental hospital/insane asylum where she is dressed as Clara Bow. Throughout this music video and the track from “The Anthology,” “Clara Bow,” Swift draws parallels between her and Bow’s respective careers and highly publicized lives in the spotlight. Another collaboration on the album is, “Florida!!! Featuring Florence + The Machine.” This song is unlike any other on the album because it is not about a former boyfriend or exciting new one, it is a message about escape. If you could guess it, Taylor Swift meant for that escape to be Florida and continues on in the chorus where Swift and Florence Welch belt, “Florida/ Is one h*ll of a drug/ Florida/ Can I use you up?”

“So Long, London,” was one of the most anticipated songs on the album and it did not disappoint. Joe Alwyn, from Swift’s previous 6 year relationship, was from London. Fans went wild when they first heard about the title to this track because he was her muse for many years especially when writing the album and song, “Lover.” The lyrics towards the end of the song are, “For so long, London, had a good run, a moment of warm sun, but I’m not the one.” Ultimately Swift gave up on the relationship after she knew she wasn’t the one and no longer felt the joy she felt when she was writing her song, “London Boy” on the album, “Lover.” Not only did Swift write about Alwyn, but she wrote about Matt Healy and her interesting relationship with him. Fans were surprised that there were a lot of songs about him, but it was blatantly obvious when many of her lyrics were gravitating towards him. In the song, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” Swift wrote, “And I don’t miss what we had, but could someone give, a message to the smallest man who ever lived.” As Swift talks about Matt Healy and the small man he is, she gives insight on how the short lived relationship, that many people had thought fizzled out on its own, clearly had more to the story within the lyrics in this song. 

Travis Kelce was the subject of two songs on the album: “The Alchemy,” and “The Anthology” track “So High School.” “The Alchemy” is a representation of the chemistry between Swift and Kelce and how they could not deny that there was something between them. Their relationship was rumored to start sometime around after Kelce attended her concert and tried to give her his number on a friendship bracelet after the show. Their “Love Story, ” is so entertaining, that some might say they are the real life Grabriella Montez and Troy Bolton. Expressed in the lyrics, “You know how to ball, I know Aristotle,” Swift compares how different this relationship is for her and how she feels so giddy around him, like she is back in high school. The mix between moods and emotions on this album is something that no other album has done.  

Other songs on the album are rumored to be about her fans, showbiz, her career, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and her childhood.  In, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me,” Taylor touches upon her career and how showbiz has changed her in many ways. This connects with the song, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” where it is believed that she is talking about how she had to go on and perform for her fans during her famous world record breaking tour, “Eras Tour,” after having ended things with Joe. It is no secret that Swift’s severely famous lifestyle isn’t easy but through her songwriting she has the ability to let it all out and leave it in the past. Although many people tend to gravitate towards her pop albums it still contains many great hits. The folk styling is just like her albums, “Folklore,” and “Evermore.” Many people say it is a long lost cousin to the album, “Midnights.” Either way Swift has a way of reaching large audiences of more than just Swifities because she is able to resonate experiences with others. Between the entire 31 songs on the album there is a good mix between sad and upbeat songs. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Staff Reporter

“Daisy Jones & The Six” is a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who is also popular for her works “Malibu Rising” and “The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo.” The book was released in 2019, and became a miniseries in 2023.

“Daisy Jones & The Six” is about a band of seven members. Billy Dunne and Daisy Jones, the songwriters and singers, Karen Sirko, the pianist, Graham Dunne and Eddie Roundtree the guitarists, and Warren Rhodes, the drummer. The book follows the band through their rise to fame and success. The book contains a whole lot of drama that keeps readers turning the pages. 

The band starts off with Billy, Graham, Warren and Eddie as the members of the band, Karen joining during their first tour, and Daisy joining in on their second, changing the whole course of the band. Daisy and Billy had this intense connection from the start. Their voices blended perfectly together when they sang, and when they worked together to write songs, great ones were produced. 

“Daisy Jones & The Six” is a page-turner. It is written in an interview format, which is unique in itself. A journalist is asking the band to share the drama that went on during their success. Romantic relationships and Friendships were challenged throughout the book. It shows how the band went from being best friends, to slowly falling apart. Billy and Graham’s sibling bond, Billy’s loyalty to his family, Eddie’s loyalty to Billy, Karen and Grahams feelings for each other, was all tested several times throughout the story. 

During their second album, called Aurora, also a song in the album, was featured in both the book and miniseries. The song was one of their biggest hits. The song starts off with “You found me in flames/Its daylights of change/Baby, all that stuff is done/You’re my morning sun.”

The book does a great job creating music. The story is loosely based off of Fleetwood Mac, the songs in the show sounding quite like them. The vibe and beats are similar. The songs feel as if they could have been songs released by an actual band, and enjoyed by all. They are catchy, sweet, and fun. You can really tell how the characters are feeling through the lyrics. 

The characters in the book are also complex and interesting. Each one had a story. Billy was someone who likes things his way, who after missing the birth of his kid while in rehab for alcoholism and drug use, he works hard to not relapse and be a good father. Graham tries his best to be there for his brother and the band, even if personal issues come in the way. Eddie, who is fed up with Billy, tries his best to stay calm and work with him. Daisy, who’s just as stubborn as Billy, tries to work with him and the band, working through her own issues of self-worth. 

This book is a character-driven story, full of drama that keeps readers entertained. If you like a fun ride, “Daisy Jones & The Six” is for you. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Alexia Poloski – Staff Reporter

Olivia Rodrigo released the pop-rock album “Guts” in September 2023. “Guts” is Rodrigo’s second studio album following her massive debut album “Sour.” 

“Guts” was predicted to be a radio hit ever since it was first announced in June 2023. The album includes 12 songs and spans 39 minutes. There is also one bonus song, “Obsessed,” that comes with the physical record if fans purchase it. 

“’Guts’ is another instant classic,” Rolling Stone Magazine said. “It includes some of her most ambitious, intimate and messy lyrics yet.”

The singles on “Guts” include “Vampire,” “Bad Idea, Right?,” and “Get Him Back.” While all of these songs are singles, they are all extremely different from one another. “Vampire” is a timeless ballad that captures Olivia’s real and raw emotions after a break up. “Bad Idea, Right?” is a classic radio hit with catchy lyrics and an upbeat melody. “Get Him Back” could also be considered a classic radio hit but it also has a very “campy” feel that makes the song all the more relatable.

The “Guts” album is most widely known for its punk rock ballads but it also has a number of heartfelt, slower, and melancholy songs as well. These songs include “Lacy,” “Making The Bed,” “Logical,” “The Grudge,” and “Teenage Dream.” “Lacy” touches on themes such as jealousy and desire. “The Grudge” is considered a fan favorite and speaks on a relationship that hurt way more than it hurt the other person – which a lot of young adults find relatable. 

While the “Guts” album was mainly produced by Olivia Rodrigo herself, it also featured work from co-producer Dan Nigro. Nigro also helped with the production of Olivia’s first studio album, “Sour”.

Songs featuring a music video include “Get Him Back,” “Vampire,” and“ Bad Idea, Right?” However, fans are anticipating more music videos in the near future.

While fans anticipated Olivia’s second album they were worried it would not live up to her first. However fans and the general public have quickly come to realize that the two albums serve two completely different purposes. As Teen Magazine writes, “Sour was so authentic and relatable to anyone going through a deep breakup. Whereas Guts was about every teenager’s life, heartbreak stereotypes and just life in general.”

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Staff Reporter 

Remember that show about the boy with no belly button? “Kyle XY,” a sci-fi series released in 2006, was about a teenage boy who was found alone and naked in the middle of the street with no memory. The Tragers, a middle class family, took him in and the lost boy quickly found a home.  

“My birth was unconventional at best,” Kyle says. “My first memory was waking up in the forest. Like a newborn baby, I had no idea who I was or what was happening. My eyes weren’t sure what they were seeing. Every sight, sound and feeling was unfamiliar. Every species is born with instincts that ultimately create a balance with nature. Every species except the one I was born into.”

The cast consists of Matt Dallas, who plays Kyle; April Matson and Jean-Luc Bilodeau, who play Kyle’s new siblings, Josh and Lori; and Marguerite Maclntyre and Bruce Thomas, who play Kyle’s new adoptive parents. The show ran for three seasons with 44 episodes total. 

The mystery of where Kyle came from is explored throughout the show, with each episode revealing new clues that lead up to the big reveal. Kyle has no bellybutton, super smarts, polarity manipulation, holographic memory, superhuman senses, strength and durability, can manipulate his body electricity, and can heal injuries and diseases. 

The show gives you a look into Kyle’s minds and thoughts as he adjusts to his new life and the mysteries surrounding him. Kyle is determined to find out the truth of who he is. 

Kyle XY is full of drama, family, romance and mystery. Characters bonds are memorable, such as Kyle and Amanda, who’s dynamic has you rooting for them throughout the show. Josh, and his girlfriend Andy’s relationship is one that everyone desires. Kyle and his bromance with a character named Declen should be a friendship that people strive for. The family bonds with Kyle, Josh, and Lori warms the heart. The family and romance drama really keeps viewers entertained throughout the show. Even with the show bringing on quite a load of second hand embarrassment, it still manages to fill viewers with joy. 

“Life is a journey, and the road we travel has twists and turns which sometimes leads us to unexpected places and unexpected people,” Kyle says. “The road we travel is unpredictable, sometimes it’s smooth and sometimes it’s filled with bumps. But if we’re lucky, we find people to travel with us. Our journey is really a search, a yearning for love and connection,  and sometimes it leads us back home.” 

Don’t miss out of this sci-fi series just because it’s old and may seem a little odd. Want to find out the secret of Kyle’s past and why he has all these abilities? Hulu has you covered with an all three seasons! 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Zack Sulkis – Social Media Editor-In-Chief

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign dropped their long awaited collaboration album “Vultures 1” by surprise on February 9. This is the first of three editions the duo is going to release and if Volumes 2 and 3 end up sounding anything like Volume 1, they are going to have three instant classics on their hands.

“Vultures 1” demonstrates a sound that’s both experimental yet very signature to Kanye West. The album has some striking similarities to some of Ye’s past work like “Yeezus” and “Life of Pablo.”

“Vultures 1” feels like a much needed return for Kanye West, leaving the clean era of albums like “Jesus is King” and “Donda” behind and going back to his gritty ways with hard hitting beats and iconic features.

The best example of this is on the song “CARNIVAL.” “CARNIVAL” is a song by the duo that additionally features Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid and is truly a masterpiece. “CARNIVAL” is a fast-paced, hard-hitting song that shares similarities to Travis Scott’s “FE!N” which was released last year which also featured Playboi Carti. The song has a chanting chorus with multiple fast verses that give off the vibe of some of Kanye’s earlier work on albums like “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” where so many artists are featured that every rapper has one verse and they switch from one person to another, dropping iconic lines one after another. 

Other notable songs include “BURN,” “PAPERWORK,” “PAID,” “VULTURES,” “BACK TO ME,” and “KING.” All the songs feature very unique sampling, most notably with “BACK TO ME” having audio samples from the 90s comedy Dogma which make up the majority of the chorus. 

Kanye West is a very controversial rapper who is always making headlines for many different reasons. His wild persona and unhinged behavior had many outlets writing off the album before it even released but that didn’t seem to phase Kanye. 

In the song “KING,” Kanye raps, “Still the king, still the/They thought headlines was my kryptonite/Still the king, still the king.” 

Although Ty Dolla $ign is one of two in the duo, it’s obvious the whole center of attention on this album is being given to Kanye, for better or for worse.

At the end of the day, love him or hate him, it’s impossible to stop Kanye from doing what he loves and making iconic art. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

By Ava Grippo – Staff Reporter

The new Percy Jackson adaptation is better than the movies – by a landslide. 

The first episode of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” was released on December 18, 2023. The show was long awaited by fans. The first season consists of eight episodes that span from 30 to 45 minutes. Walker Scobell plays the iconic demi-god Percy Jackson, alongside Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri, who play Percy’s closest friends, Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood. 

The series kicks off as if straight from the novels, with the iconic speech from Percy: “Look, I didn’t want to be a half blood. If you’re reading this because you think it might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life. Being a half-blood is dangerous.”

The show follows a 12-year-old boy named…Percy Jackson. He discovers he is a half blood and the forbidden son of Poseidon. He is sent on a quest to retrieve Zues missing lightning bolt and return it to the king of the gods. The eight episodes follow his journey through fighting a minotaur, adjusting to Camp Half Blood, a sanctuary for all demigods, coming face to face with medusa, battling the mother of all monsters, encountering Ares, confronting the god of the underworld, encountering Ares once again, and finally returning the lighting bolt to Zues, bringing Percy, Annabeth and Grover on one chaotic adventure. 

The Percy Jackson TV show follows the storyline of the books much more than the movies ever did. Even with the few changes that were made, the TV show still left fans satisfied with what was given. The differences were thought out and nicely done, while the movies felt all over the place and felt completely different from the original story they were trying to portray. The movies followed a completely inaccurate plot and the character did not honor the ones shown in the books. 

The new adaptation did well in developing the relationships between Percy, Annabeth and Grover, as well as the situation between the gods, portraying the depths written in the books. Although the show did feel as if it was a little fast paced at times, it was still able to hit all the important plot points and scenes that were needed. 

The important and most memorable scenes from the books – Percy’s battle with Ares; and the Betrayal of Luke, the son of Hermes who took Percy in when he arrived at Camp Half Blood – were both written well. The show did a good job of bringing the beloved characters to the screen and giving the watchers an entertaining story which the movies had failed to do. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

“Retro Bowl College” is a brand new sequel to the beloved “Retro Bowl.” The game came out in September of 2023 and was developed by New Star Games. In the game, you play as the manager of a college football team your goal is to rise through the ranks and become a top of the line coach. When playing the game, there is a lobby where you can manage your facilities, coaches, and players. From there, you can play against other teams to progress through the season. If you win enough regular season games, you can play in the postseason which offers extra benefits if you can win.

With a new title comes several additional features. There are more teams, players stick around for a maximum of four years, and your scholarship budget for new recruits is based on what your former players decide to do.

Some of the biggest strengths of “Retro Bowl College” are what make it different from “Retro Bowl,” including the fact that you don’t need draft picks to get new players. Instead, it’s the amount of money donated by the alumni of your football program. Another strength is there are definitive rankings so you can see where your team ranks among either the major or minor leagues.

Some weaknesses of “Retro Bowl College” are you only have a player for three to four years depending on when you want them to go for the NFL Draft. Another weakness is that if you want to increase your scholarship fund cap, you need to spend 100 coach credits. This takes many seasons to build up as the maximum coaching credits you can earn after a game is three. You can also use it for more affordable upgrades such as training and rehab facilities to help players stay healthy and improve or the stadium so that the fanbase will dislike you less if you lose.  

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Zack Sulkis – Social Media Editor-In-Chief

Drake recently released his eighth studio album, “For All the Dogs,” where he showed why he will always be on top of the music industry. “For All The Dogs” is 82 minutes of rap music with a wider variety of sounds ranging from fast-paced, hard-hitting songs like “Daylight” to softer, fast-paced rap on songs like “Virginia Beach” and “Calling For You (feat. 21 Savage.)”

The album features an R&B sound on songs like “Amen (feat. Teezo Touchdown),” “Slime You Out (feat. SZA),” and “Bahamas Promises.” The album has many different artists featured including Teezo Touchdown, 21 Savage, J. Cole, Yeat, SZA, PartyNextDoor, Chief Keef, Bad Bunny, Sexyy Red, and Lil Yachty.

The feature however that has gotten the most attention has been his collaboration with J. Cole. The song got so much attention due to Cole’s feature becoming his first song to go #1, and this song would later go on to be Drake’s 13th #1 song. 

Drake having 13 #1 songs is significant because it ties him with Michael Jackson who Drake references on the album. Drake raps, “I’m one away from Michael” “Beat it, what? Beat it, what? Beat it, what?” 

“For All The Dogs” also got a lot of attention on the song “Daylight” due to it having a feature from Drake’s son Adonis who is just six years old. Adonis went on to release his own song entitled “My Man Freestyle.”

On November 17, Drake released “For All The Dogs – Scary Hours Edition,” an extended version of “For All The Dogs.” This extended version features six more songs with one including another J. Cole feature. 

The best song on the extended version is definitely “You Broke My Heart.” “I put careers on shelves like Amazon Distribution Center help, Really hate to call lil’ broski for the dirty work, I’d rather do it by myself,” Drake raps. 

Overall, the album is very good with many songs fans would want to add to their playlist however there are a few songs that are not necessary and needed. “Gently (feat. Bad Bunny)” is a prime example of this. This song that does not fit the theme of the rest of the album whatsoever and Drake’s fake accent in the song’s intro can only be described as cringy and uncomfortable.

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

By Logan Mullarkey – Staff Reporter

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” was released on October 20 for the PlayStation 5, and broke records by selling 2.5 million copies in 24 hours, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation game in history. It is currently the third best-selling game on the PlayStation 5.

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” takes place 10 months after the previous game, “Spider-Man: Miles Morales.” The game starts off with Peter Parker and introduces the basics of the game while fighting one of Spider-Man’s villains, Sandman. Throughout the story, there are a variety of characters that can be chosen such as Peter Parker, Miles Morales (Spider-Man), Mary Jane Watson, and even one of the main antagonists Venom. Within the story, there are other missions and side quests to stop crimes around New York. 

At the beginning of the story, Harry Osborn is introduced who is a returning friend who went away with an undiagnosed sickness to heal. He comes into the story as a surprise, showing up at Peter’s aunt’s house. Later in the story, it turns out that a symbiote (alien) named Venom was healing him while being attached to him. But while Venom was attached it was giving Harry inhuman strength and powers which he uses to help Peter fight crime shortly after. 

Around the middle of the story a main antagonist is introduced, Kraven The Hunter. Kraven’s goal is to find a worthy opponent to duel with to end his life, so he hunts all of Spider-Man’s villains for an opponent. While Spider-Man was dealing with Kraven, he ended up getting very badly damaged and could die if not healed. To save his life, Harry gives him the symbiote to heal him, which works. Now that Peter has the symbiote he feels stronger and better. But he doesn’t know that it is slowly corrupting him, turning him away from his friends, and even almost killing Miles. But Kraven finally finds his worthy opponent which is Harry when he has the symbiote. He gets Peter to rip it off, and it crawls right back into Harry, which Kraven wanted, and he ends up dying because of it.

There are many positives to “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,” which is why it’s the fastest-selling game in Playstation history. It has a fantastic storyline and plot. Many fans love how it’s able to change the suits that Spider-Man wears within the game, both Peter and Miles. Fans also thought it was amazing how they switched between Peter and Miles for certain missions for both characters. There is also lots of character development noticed from both protagonists and sometimes antagonists as well. The game broke video game history and left fans very happy.

Although there are many great aspects of the game, there is one weak point that fans pointed out. Some fans were upset that they changed the antagonists a bit. It ended up working it out, but many fans agree that the original was better with a news reporter named Eddie Brock being Venom instead of Harry. Harry was supposed to be a Green Goblin who is one of Spider-Man’s main rivals. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ava Grippo – Staff Reporter

“The Naturals” is a book series written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, who is well known for writing “The Inheritance Games” series. The Naturals series consists of four books, “The Naturals,” “’Killer Instincts,” “All In,” and “Bad Blood.” “The Naturals” was released on November 5, 2013. The cover was designed by Abby Kuperstock. 

“The Naturals” follows Cassie Hobbes, a seventeen year old girl who was recruited into a special FBI program for her expert profiler ability, meaning she can figure out a great amount about someone, and their likely actions and decisions just by looking at them. Cassie meets the other members of the special program, Michael Townsend, who can cleverly read emotions, Lia Zhang, a human lie detector, Sloane Tavish, who specializes in numbers and statistics, and Dean Redding, an expert profiler, just like Cassie. Together, the 5 of them assist the FBI with criminal cases. 

Barnes does a great job with the development and lore of the characters, giving each one a distinct personality and reasonable trauma to what influenced them to be who they are. The characters are deep, and complex, making them each highly interesting and compelling. The book also does a great job with keeping you on your toes with the mystery and the question ‘What will happen next?’, causing you to be very engaged in the story. 

The Goodreads reviews of The Naturals are excellent, but the book is much overshadowed by the author’s other book series, “The Inheritance Games.” The Naturals is a book that should be recommended to every book lover, especially if you enjoy crime, mystery or young adult books. 

“The Naturals” does a much better job in developing characters and complex emotions than “The Inheritance Games” does. The mystery is much more enticing and interesting. The plot and development seems to be done with more thought and planning. The book’s characters and mystery surpass other popular young adult mystery books such as “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” with the characters’ personalities and influences, making it feel much deeper than “A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder.”

“The Naturals” is packed with heartfelt scenes. Barnes writes, “Sloane slipped an arm around my waist, ‘There are fourteen varieties of hugs’ she said, ‘This is one of them’”. The book is also filled with humor. Barnes jokes, “‘My inner Boy Scout had to try’, If this guy had an inner Boy Scout, I had an inner flamingo”. 

This is a book that anyone will be sure to enjoy. When going to the bookstore, instead of picking up the more well known ‘The Inheritance Games’, take a look at the “The Naturals” and give it a read. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars