By Lily Forster – Entertainment Editor

The movie “Red Notice” is a 2021 American action comedy film written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber. It stars Dwayne Johnson as an FBI agent who reluctantly teams up with a renowned art thief (Ryan Reynolds) in order to catch an even more notorious criminal (Gal Gadot). 

In this movie, in the world of international crime, an Interpol agent attempts to hunt down and capture the world’s most wanted art thief. It’s an action-packed entertaining movie that is full of suspense from the beginning to the end. It’s a great time-passing action-heist movie.

Some major strengths of this movie is that the plot made it super clear to understand what was going on. There were not too many points where viewers could have been confused. The storyline kept me gripped for the entire film, the protagonists (Johnson and Reynolds) have enough depth to make their characters worth watching. 

Some weak points of this movie is that the plot is fairly predictable. The movie was extremely cliche with plot twists viewers could see coming from a mile away. The actors’ talents were just not worth this film. The ending wasn’t very good either, it ended off showing no character growth and a pointless storyline.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Kaitlyn Goldberg – News Editor

The Netflix drama “Maid” follows a single mother from Washington who leaves her abusive relationship and struggles with poverty and the broken government assistance system.  

The show’s lead is Alex Russell, a 24-year-old young mother to a 3-year-old daughter, Maddy, who leaves her emotionally abusive and alcoholic boyfriend, Sean, and starts a new life without him. Her mother, Paula Langley, is a hippie who suffers from undiagnosed bipolar disorder and lives in a trailer with her boyfriend.  

Alex had found a job being a maid from “Value Maids” which would make her take a ferry to an island and clean houses for the rich. She had also moved into a shelter for women who had been victims of domestic violence. 

Alex’s passion is writing and she receives a full scholarship to Missoula State University in Montana. She had to turn it down because she found out she was pregnant with Maddy. While going through all of her hardships she wrote about her experiences, helping her express her frustration and pain that had come along with what she was going through. 

A memorable moment in the show is, when in the shelter, Alex meets a woman named Danielle. They become friends after Danielle helps Alex stand up to one of the women she cleaned for after she did not pay her. They become close, but then sadly Danielle leaves the shelter, and goes back to her abusive boyfriend, which upsets Alex.

A more upsetting moment that happened in the show is when it turns out that Paula’s now-husband, Basil, is a con artist and was selling out Paula’s childhood home. This causes Paula to break down and try and break into her old home and causes Alex to go back to Sean after seeing how he helped her mom and her. 

An exciting moment that happens in the show is when Alex reapplies for college at Missoula State University in Montana. She gets accepted back and applies for full custody of Maddy.  Sean first wants to fight it, but after a bad time at the park with Maddy, he lets Alex have full custody and move to Montana with Maddy so Alex can live out her dreams of being a writer. 

Overall, this show does a great job of showcasing the struggles of homelessness, poverty, and the flaws of the government assistance system. It is a powerful show with complex, moving characters.  

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Truman Martin – Entertainment Editor

“Clash Royale” is a mobile game that was released by Supercell on March 2, 2016. It is a strategy game that puts two people against each other in a battle for crowns. Basically, the player has to defend their two princess towers and their king tower from the other player, while also trying to attack the other player’s towers. It’s a lot like chess, only with a lot more pieces that can do a bunch of different things. 

Ever since “Clash Royale” came out, it has taken schools by storm. There is a clan feature, which lets players create a group with their friends where they can trade and battle each other. 

Trading is cool because if someone needs a specific card to be able to upgrade it, they can bargain with their friends. Battling is also very useful because players can test out different decks and setups without having to worry about their rank falling. 

The game is a great way to settle real life problems as well. If two people are in an argument they can just 1V1 and settle it in the game. It’s so satisfying to three-crown someone, which means the player has destroyed all of the other’s towers. It’s also nerve racking when the game goes into sudden death, which means the next tower destroyed decides the game regardless. 

The only thing downside to the game is that sometimes, when entering a game, the player gets set up against someone who is at such a high level that it isn’t even worth playing that game. 

Overall, “Clash Royale” is a great game and a great way to procrastinate and kill time.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Olivia Augustine – News Editor

The movie “Mother’s Day” was produced by Brandt Anderson, Howard Burd, Diamond Mark, Disalle Wayne Rice, and Mike Karz. It first premiered on April 29, 2016. 

“Mother’s Day” is about a few mothers who go through events that change their lives the week leading up Mother’s day. 

This movie stars Jennifer Aniston as Sandy, Kate Hudson as Jesse, Julia Roberts as Miranda Collins, Jason Sudeikis as Bradley, Timothy Olyphant as Henry and Shay Mitchell as Tina. The mothers (Sandy, Jesse, and Miranda) go through events that impact their life in good and bad ways the week leading up to Mothers day. 

A memorable scene from Mother’s Day is when Tina calls Sandy because she needs her help when Sandy’s son Mikey has an asthma attack and Tina isn’t sure what to do. Tina finds Mikey’s inhaler, but it’s empty and she starts to get scared, so she called Sandy to help her. Sandy told her where a spare inhaler was and told her to take Mikey to the freezer. Henry then came home and took Mikey to the hospital. Sandy met them there and Mikey was very happy to see her. 

Another memorable scene is when Jesse and her mother make up. They had been in a fight and hadn’t talked to each other in years. Jesse’s sister called her mom on Skype and made Jesse talk to her. As a surprise Jesse’s mom and dad came to visit her, but her mom decided to leave early after finding out her kids told her lies about their lives. Her mom then made a last minute decision to stay because she knew that she wanted to become close with Jesse again. 

Comparing “Mother’s Day” to “Valentine’s Day” they both have a bunch of stories that overlap as the movie goes on. In “Mother’s Day” Sandy’s story overlaps with Jesse’s and Bradley’s story. Sandy is best friends with Jesse and Sandy meets Bradley at the supermarket and meets him again at the hospital. In “Valentine’s Day” Captain Kate Hazeltine’s story overlaps with Holden’s story. His story overlaps with Sean Jackson. His story overlaps with Kara Monahan. Her story overlaps with Kelvin Moore. Captain Kate Hazeltine meets Holden on the plane ride back to their homes. Holden is on his way home to be with Sean Jackson. Sean Jackon’s agent is Kara Monahan. Kara met Kelvin while at a press event for Sean. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

“Retro Bowl” is an 11-on-11 American football game on for mobile devices that is a lot of fun to play. Players manage and play as the team of their choice or a randomized team. Instead of managing a full roster, users only manage their best players which caps at 10 players. Users go through seasons, each including 18 weeks and playoff games which depends on how well they do during the regular season.

In “Retro Bowl,” users only play offense and special teams, so it’s important to get star players on offense. When getting players, users have to keep in mind the salary cap, their contract, and the condition of the player. The players have moods, and if the player is too upset with the team they will leave in the offseason. A strong point in the game is that users can keep playing no matter what, unlike some other games where there needs to be a certain amount of energy to keep playing. Another strong point is that it is a fast-paced game, so it never gets boring.

Another strength is that there aren’t as many controls. The players automatically move toward the end zone, so all users have to do is swipe up or down to dodge the defenders. That makes the game easier. The game gets increasingly harder after every season. One weakness is that there is a player morale rating, and it is hard to keep morale high which makes it hard for your players to play well together. Another downside is that a lot of wide receivers have a hard time catching the ball even in the open space. This game is recommended for people who like football. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Lily Forster – Entertainment Editor 

“Instant Family” is a 2018 American family comedy-drama film starring Mark Wahlberg (Pete) and Rose Byrne (Ellie) as parents who adopt three siblings – Lizzy, Juan, and Lita – played by Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz.

When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child, but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight. Now, Pete and Ellie must try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hope of becoming a family.

The plot of this movie is heartfelt and touching and will have viewers filled with all different emotions.

There are so many major strengths in this movie. First, all the actors did an amazing job portraying the characters. Second, this movie shows the strength of family and is full of love. It’s definitely worth watching and spreads a positive message. This movie had the strength of being very realistic.

One weak point of this movie is the language. It’s a very family-oriented movie and for the movie to have that much profanity is a little disappointing. This is a movie that’s worth watching but preferably not with your children.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Gabe Garnett – Sports Editor 

When it comes to music, Kanye West has run the industry for the past decade, with many highs and lows. On August 29, “Donda” was released to the public after three release parties and an initial release date of August 6.

With 27 songs and 31 features with artists like Lil Baby, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, Roddy Ricch, Baby Keem, and more, “Donda” is stacked. 

“Donda” was made in a style where the first part of the album is Kayne rapping and then the rest of the album is him in a church style singing and gospel. The album has no profanity. The most popular song on the album is “Hurricane” with Lil Baby and The Weeknd, Currently, the song is at 133 million streams on Spotify. 

So did the album live up to the hype? With 775 million total streams and 357 million streams in its first week, the album surpassed all expectations. But in the eye of the public it really didn’t do that well. Rolling Stone called the album an “overlong mess” and The Guardian called it an “misfiring lyricism from a diminished figure.”

One weak point in the album was just how long the project was – an hour and 49 minutes of music. A strong point of the album would be that Kanye created it around his mother’s passing and that it was created for her. 

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars 

By Kaitlyn Goldberg – News Editor

The coming-of-age series on Netflix, “Atypical,” sheds light on the Autism spectrum, and features a family of four dealing with many challenges that come with one of their members being on the spectrum. 

The show’s lead is Sam Gardner, an 18-year-old on the Autism spectrum, dealing with life as a senior in high school and then leading into his college years.  He struggles with crowds, being around loud noises, and  change – and that affects his everyday life and his family at times.  

The family consists of Casey, Sam’s younger sister, and Elsa and Doug, the kids’ parents.  Casey likes to tease Sam and make fun of him but is always there for him when he needs her and when kids would make fun of Sam she would always stand up for him and truly cares for him. There is also Zahid, Sam’s best friend who he works with at a tech store called Techtropolis. Zahid is always there for Sam and constantly is giving him advice, especially about girls.  

Sam’s greatest passion is Antarctica and penguins. He knows all about the different types of penguins and Antarctica. It is the thing in life that can help sooth Sam and calm him down when something happens in his life that gets him stressed out or upset.

A memorable moment in the show is when Sam gets his first girlfriend, Paige, and he learns what it’s like to be in a relationship. She really helps Sam break out of his shell and brings him a new perspective on life and what it’s like to love. 

A more upsetting moment in the show is when Elsa and Doug separate because of their arguing and dishonesty towards each other.  This really takes a toll on the family and their dynamic.  Casey and Sam are extremely hurt from it, especially Casey now has a resentment towards Elsa because of events that occurred that caused the separation.  

Another exciting moment in the show is when Sam goes to college.  It is a turning point in the show and shows Sam learning to be independent and making friends, which is initially hard for Elsa who is hesitant about him going to college because she is scared he won’t be able to handle it and doesn’t want him to get made fun of.  

Sam also goes to a therapist, Julia, who has also helped him get through stressful times.  Things did get awkward when he wanted a girlfriend and started having feelings for her.  This caused him to stop seeing his Julia because both Elsa and Julia agreed it was inappropriate and not right anymore for Sam to see her.  This caused Sam to join an Autism support group so he can talk to other people like him.  

Overall, there aren’t really many flaws in this show.  It’s sweet but also sad at times.  It does a great job at showing a glimpse into what life can be like on the spectrum and has great characters to go along with it. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Truman Martin – Entertainment Editor

“Certified Lover Boy” is Drake’s sixth studio album and was released September 3. Upon release, the album reached number one on the Billboard Top 100, and got an equivalent of 613,000 sales in the first week of its release. 

“Champaign Poetry,” is an almost six minute track that opens the album. Thankfully, there is a beat switch to keep the song from becoming repetitive. The second song, “Papi’s Home,” is another strong track with a cool sample. “Girls Want Girls (with Lil Baby)” is also a pretty good track, and you get just what you’d expect from a Lil Baby verse. “In The Bible (with Lil Durk & Giveon)” was an okay track, but “Love All (with JAY-Z) is definitely one of the best tracks on the album. JAY-Z’s verse is amazing, and the hook is unique and cool. 

The album kind of falters a bit with “Fair Trade (with Travis Scott),” which felt like a filler track. Both Travis Scott and Drake don’t feel very fresh on this song. The album picks right back up with “Way 2 Sexy (with Future & Young Thug)” which is a turn up track. “TSU,” the next track, is another five minute song with a beat switch towards the end, but the two parts of the song don’t go very well with each other. The next track, “N 2 Deep” is my personal favorite track on the album. The first half of the track is very melodic, but then the beat switches and Future’s feature is amazing here. Track ten is “Pipe Down,” which is another pretty good track.

The rest of the album is pretty hit-or-miss to me. There are some good ones like “Knife Talk (with 21 Savage ft. Project Pat)” and “You Only Live Twice (with Lil Wayne & Rick Ross),” but they are surrounded by tracks that just feel recycled from the previous tracks of the album. The last track, “The Remorse,” is a very strong ending to the album though. It’s just a plain rap track from Drake, and the piano sample is cool.

“Certified Lover Boy” has some of Drake’s best work, but it really falls off towards the middle with lots of filler. There is a really amazing 11-track album in these 21 tracks, though. Anything he puts out is hyped up and called “Album of the Year,” but there are some definite weak points. The album had solid (yet sometimes repetitive) production, with some really good features. Overall, it’s a pretty good album.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 

By Olivia Augustine – News Editor  

The movie “The Duff” is based on the book “The Duff” by Kody Keplinger. It first premiered on February 20, 2015.

“The Duff” is about a girl named Bianca who has been labeled as the Duff(designated ugly fat friend) of her friend group. After Bianca found out that she had been labeled the duff she unfriended her two best friends, Jess and Casey, and enlisted the help of her neighbor Wesley to become more popular. 

This movie stars Mae Whitman as Bianca, Robbie Amell as Wesley, Bella Thorne as Madison, Bianca Santos as Casey and Skyler Samuels as Jess. Bianca tries to change herself after being labeled the Duff. She wants to feel like she fits in and asks her neighbor Wesley to help her. 

A memorable scene from “The Duff” is when Bianca told her best friends, Jess and Casey, that she didn’t want to be friends with them anymore. Bianca also unfollowed both of them on all social media platforms. Bianca explained to them that she had been labeled the Duff of their friend group and that she was mad that they didn’t tell her that. Bianca assumed that they knew, when they didn’t. They liked being friends with Bianca for who she was. Bianca walked away from them like she didn’t care that she unfriended them, but she was just upset over the fact that they didn’t tell her that she was the Duff of the friend group, when they didn’t know. 

This movie shows that you don’t have to change yourself to be liked by others and to feel that you fit in. Bianca wanted to change her appearance and attitude so that people at her high school would like her better and wouldn’t think of her as a Duff. Madison was making it very hard for Bianca to become popular after she posted a video of Bianca while she was at the mall. The whole school made fun of Bianca for it and Bianca had a hard time trying to be happy around school, especially since she didn’t have Jess and Casey as her friends anymore. 

Comparing “The Duff” to “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” they both send positive messages to teen girls. In “The Duff” Madison sees Bianca at the mall with Wesley and posts a video of Bianca and Wesley together which makes Bianca mad. In “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” Gen sees Lara Jean with Peter while on the ski trip and posts it on the internet making Lara Jean mad at Gen and Peter. In both of these movies Bianca and Lara Jean have to overcome what the mean girls (Madison and Gen) did to them. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Sydney Simpson – Editor-in-Chief 

The final James Bond movie, “No Time to Die,” starring Daniel Craig, hit theaters earlier this month on October 8. This is Craig’s fifth and final 007 movie, as “No Time to Die” (which received a Rotten Tomatoes review of 84%) is set to be the finale to the 25 movie franchise. Beginning in 1963 with the release of “Dr. No” starring Sean Connery, the films have won an impressive five Academy Awards in their 58 years. The newest movie follows Bond as he is pulled out of his peaceful retirement by an old CIA friend, Felix Leiter, and helps to save the world yet again. 

Bond had left active service and was no longer a double 0; he was living a tranquil, calm life in Jamaica enjoying his retirement. Despite his efforts to stay off the grid, however, the theft of a weapon that can target a specific person through DNA brought Bond back into the scene where he worked with old friends Felix, Q, and Moneypenny. Bond also worked alongside a new character, Normi (his replacement at M16 as 007) played by Lashana Lynch. On this mission he was forced to not only reconnect with old friends, but with old relationships and old enemies as well. This movie is a direct sequel to the last James Bond film, “Spectre”, and has allusions to “Casino Royale” as Bond visits the grave of Vesper, his true love from that movie, in the beginning of this film.

“No Time to Die” is a fantastic wrap up of the film series, and pulls all the loose ends together. It is heart wrenching, dramatic, shocking, and intense all at once. Bond’s reconnection with Madeline Swann and his finally experiencing a family causes the audience to feel for him even more, and makes the decisions that he has to make seem that much more heavy. This is possibly Bond’s toughest mission, with such a complex, dangerous, and modernized weapon in the hands of a new villain. His origin story and his coincidental connection with Bond and Swann make the film that much more riveting and shocking. Furthermore, although this film has ties with the other 007 movies, viewers do not have to be an avid James Bond fan in order to watch and enjoy this thrilling film. Even with no prior knowledge of the character, one can appreciate Bond’s history as a 007 agent through the background information provided throughout the film in creative, non boring ways. “No Time to Die” may not be appropriate for all viewers, however, due to the amount of violence and discussion of more adult topics. 

All in all,  “No Time to Die” was an incredible final adventure of James Bond, effectively wrapping up the series of films while being able to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Photo courtesy IMDB

By Truman Martin – Entertainment Editor 

“Halloweentown” is a Disney Channel Original Movie that was released on October 17, 1998, and directed by Duwayne Dunham.

The movie is about three siblings – Marnie (Kimberly Brown), Dylan (Joey Zimmerman), and Sophie Piper (Emily Roeske) – who learn that their grandmother is a witch. When they follow her back to Halloweentown, they learn about an evil force that is trying to take over. The group then tries to find the ingredients to activate Merlin’s Wand before it’s too late. 

For anyone that grew up on Disney Channel Original Movies, this is a classic. A lot of people have a lot of nostalgia for this movie, and it’s clear why. It’s just a fun, family-friendly movie about Halloween.

Now, most Disney Channel Original Movies follow a pretty clear-cut formula, and this is no exception. The main character(s) are rebelling against their parents for some reason, and now they have to go on some wacky adventure to learn a lesson. Most of these movies are also really corny, but Halloweentown is an exception. It is just a great movie.

Of course, some of the weak points are covered up by the nostalgia, but there aren’t really many to begin with. The acting is pretty much what people would expect from any Disney Channel Original Movie, but in a way that makes it better. It’s just a fun, lighthearted movie that kids can enjoy.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

(Some information courtesy imdb.com)

By Truman Martin – Staff Reporter

“Harmony House” is the second album of Austin-based artist Dayglow, also known as Sloane Struble. He has gained recognition for recording, mixing, and mastering his first album, “Fuzzybrain” in his bedroom, and he did the same thing with this album. The album explores more about Sloane as a person and how he deals with becoming an adult. 

Dayglow’s sophomore effort features a different sound from his first. The sound of this album has more of an 80’s influence with the use of synths throughout the album. The first track, “Something,” is a good opener for the album. What’s cool about this first track, and the album in general, is that it has a melody that is repeated in different ways throughout the album. At one point it is played on piano, then on guitar, and by the end of the album Sloane sings the melody. The use of this melody, and the smooth transitions between songs, strings each song together to make the album feel like one smooth song instead of just a collection of songs. 

Another strong point in the album are the lyrics. Specifically in the song “Strangers,” Sloane talks about moving to a new place. In the song, he says “What do I do / when everything feels new / but all I want is to feel my age?” After finding success from his debut album, Sloane moved to Los Angeles. This song is about him being homesick but still trying to find his way in a new situation away from his family. 

One weak point of the album is the song “Balcony.” It’s not particularly catchy or memorable, and the chorus really sounds like a generic Bedroom Pop chorus. Other than that, though, the album is pretty enjoyable. 

The best tracks on the album are “Woah Man,” “December,” and “Moving Out.” Dayglow takes his music in a fresh direction from the genre he began in, and he did it pretty successfully.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

(Some information courtesy genius.com)

By Shane Cepalia – Staff Reporter

Ever since its opening in 2017, Dogtown has been putting its own spin on American classics such as hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, and shakes. The small stand located on New Haven Avenue is attracting dozens of customers at noon everyday for their excellent roster of hot dogs and burgers.

Even though Dogtown is just a shack, it has plenty of outdoor seating in the form of picnic tables, benches, and even logs. The ‘Doghouse” as they call it, is themed to the 1970s skater culture. Black and white walls with a checkered pattern wrapping around the front and the logo painted on either side of the building. The front door is plastered with stickers as well as the bench adjacent to it made completely out of old skateboards, plenty of neon lights are also on the front windows to bring home the aesthetic.

The staff inside are always friendly and very laid back. But they work fast and get the food out as soon as possible. They have very large menus above the counter with all their signature hot dogs, burgers, and shakes, with their prices. They also sell canned soda and bottled water as drinks. The prices were definitely fair, especially for the quality food and fast service offered.

I personally like the Zephyr Dog, a hot dog topped with Chili, American Cheese, Grilled Onions, and Hot Pepper Relish. The hot dog was cooked well and fit the bun perfectly, which was very fresh and stable. The toppings were also fresh and really complemented the taste of the hot dog. They never overpowered the dog and it seems like they were measured out in a way to get the taste to blend perfectly. The chili and the cheese were both nice and hot. Dogtown has a very large array of options, so there’s something for everyone. You can also customize your own hot dog as a “Freestyle Dog”.

The only downside to Dogtown is that they are only open during lunch hours (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) This can make it hard to get there during the weekdays. If they expanded their hours to 6 I could definitely see them getting more business.

For the quality food, great service, cleanliness, aesthetic, and fair prices, Dogtown is a real hidden gem. It has something for everyone and is a shining example of a thriving small business. I would absolutely recommend checking this place out.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Gemard Guery – Staff Reporter

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is an American original miniseries on Disney+ created by Malcolm Spellman.  

The series takes place in 2023 after everyone comes back from Thanos’ snap.  A group of superhumans who believe that the world was better during the “blip” because humanitarian issues such as homelessness, and poverty weren’t as big of a problem.  When people were snapped away, people on the lower side of society were able to move up and enjoyed their newfound power.

The group which is named The Flag Smashers wanted a world unified without borders and was willing to do so under any circumstances even if it meant killing or kidnapping world leaders.

The show follows Sam Wilson, who is already struggling with taking his new title as Captain America, and Bucky Barnes, who is struggling with issues from his past life as a brainwashed assassin.  

The show is amazing. It is both funny and suspenseful. The frenemy (friend and enemy) relationship between Wilson and Barnes makes it incredibly fun and hard to look away from. The show addresses some current issues like racism as Wilson contemplates whether or not the world will accept a black Captain America. It is a great show for young adults because it is both humorous, but also takes a more serious tone as well. 

There are not many weak points in the show.  Some moments felt a bit unnecessary and didn’t really need to be there, but the extra detail helped build suspense.  The show gets very violent at times, but that’s to be expected from a superhero show.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars  

By Kaitlyn Goldberg – Staff Reporter

The show “Schitt’s Creek” follows the formerly wealthy family the Roses who lose all their money because of their business manager who was convicted of fraud and took all their assets and are left to live in a town they once bought as a joke for their son called Schitt’s Creek. The show was created by father and son Dan and Eugene Levy who play father and son on the show as well.   

The Rose family consists of father Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) who once owned a video store company called Rose Video, mother Moira Rose a former soap star, son David Rose, a former NYC art gallery-ist, and Alexis Rose a socialite. There is also Roland Schitt the mayor of the town, Jocelyn Schitt his wife, Stevie Budd the front desk receptionist at the motel, Twyla Sands, the waitress at the local Cafe Tropical   and Ted Mullens Alexis’ on and off love interest throughout the show.  

At the start of the show, the family is extremely self-absorbed, snobby and not in touch with the average life that most people live. They want nothing more than to leave the town and never come back. They even got really close to  selling the town but that fell through and they were forced to stay, which in the long run worked out for the best.  

As the seasons progress, so do the characters. They become more in touch with the real world and with each other. The family used to be very distant with each other and not know anything about each other. The show follows these dynamics and struggles with a comedic lens, with witty, sarcastic humor from all the characters. 

A very memorable part of the show is Alexis’ stories about her past life going to foreign countries, getting kidnapped, and also the way that she speaks. She always brings up her past and how she would be held hostage on yachts and clubs and always says it so nonchalantly which makes it humorous. Another part of the show that makes it as good as it is is the evolving sibling relationship between David and Alexis. While they bicker and fight a lot throughout the show they became much more close and seem to care more for each other. 

The show doesn’t have anything that they could’ve made better.  All of the characters evolved from their past life and they all did it with lots of humor and love. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ben Rossi – Staff Reporter

After almost three years of hype and anticipation, J. Cole returned with his sixth studio album, “The Off-Season.”  Leading up to this LP, J.Cole has had one of the best runs of his career with his Lewis Street EP in July of 2020, the single “i n t e r l u d e,” and his mind-blowing LA Leakers freestyle, which has gone viral in the past few days.  With all of this coming together, many people wondered whether J. Cole would be able to create his magnum opus.

Things open up with the triumphant “9 5 s o u t h,” and for an intro, it really can’t get much better. On the second song, “a m a r i,” Cole taps into his melodic side to create a more mainstream song. This isn’t exactly Cole’s strong spot and hardcore fans may get frustrated as Cole sacrifices his rhyme schemes to focus more on vocal patterns.  Fortunately the album picks right back up with the song “my. l i f e,” which had surprise features from singer Morray, and rapper 21 Savage.  

After settling the energy built up through the first five tracks, the tone was very clearly going to shift and the track “1 0 0 . m i l,” does just that. This is definitely my least favorite track mainly because of the muddied up voice mixed with horribly used autotune. Thankfully, the track “ p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l,” brings the album right back on track with a surprise feature from Lil Baby, who outperforms J. Cole in his own song. The album finishes very average with scattered uses of autotune fitting terribly with J. Coles style definitely hurts the album’s overall rating. For example, on the final track “h u n g e r . o n . h i l l . s i d e”, the instrumental as well as the structure of the song are amazing but are plagued by J. Cole buttering up his voice with auto tune.

“The Off-Season” was not the masterpiece that many hyped it up to be however that does not mean it is all bad. The album had amazing production, great atmosphere, and some of Cole’s best songs ever. Overall, while the album may not have lived up to the hype it is still a fun and enjoyable album.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

By Lily Forster – Staff Reporter

The story of “Abduction” revolves around Nathan Harper, played by Taylor Lautner. For many years, Nathan has had the uneasy feeling that life with his family isn’t quite what it seems. He claims that something has always been off and says, “I feel like a stranger in my own life.” 

Nathan Harper’s fears and senses come true when he finds a picture of himself at a young age on a missing-persons website. Giving him proof that the people he’s called mom and dad his whole life, are not his real biological parents. As he comes close to uncovering his true identity, Nathan becomes the target of assassins, forcing him to be on the run with his neighbor, Karen, played by Lily Collins, the only person he can now trust.

The plot of this movie is on point and the twists in this movie are incredible. This movie is an action thriller that will have people staring at their TVs begging for no interruptions. This movie hooks viewers in. 

There are many major strengths in this movie. First, all the actors did an amazing job. For being a story about a 17-year-old boy who is going through a lot of change in his life, you can see that so clearly throughout the whole movie. The biggest strength of this movie is how the character development of the protagonist is so strong.

One weak point of this movie was that the movie was not very realistic. Even though movies are usually crazy made up stories, this plot just wouldn’t really happen in the world these days. The plot also wasn’t as clear as it could have been; they did not tell the viewer who Nathan and Karen were exactly running from, they just knew they were the targets. Even at the end of the movie, the reasoning behind it all never came out clearly and confidently.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Olivia Augustine – Staff Reporter

“Lemonade Mouth” was created by Mark Peter Hughes. It first premiered on April 15, 2011 on Disney Channel. This movie won the Popstar Award for Favorite TV Movie in 2011. 

“Lemonade Mouth” is about 5 high school students who meet in detention and start a band. They got the name of their band from the lemonade machine that is outside of the detention room. The movie takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico.            

This movie starred Bridget Mendler as Olivia, Hayley Kiyoko as Stella, Adam Hicks as Wen, Naomi Scott as Mohini “Mo”, and Blake Michael as Charlie. Together they form a band called “Lemonade Mouth” after meeting in detention and try to get through high school without being disliked by the whole school. 

This movie shows that friendship is important. Olivia, Stella, Wen, Mo, and Charlie all weren’t close friends before meeting in detention, but once they did meet they formed a friendship that will last forever. 

A memorable scene from “Lemonade Mouth” is when Olivia, Stella, Wen, Mo, and Charlie are all either sick or hurt and aren’t able to play for the school. The audience stepped up and started singing their song “Determinate.” They were shocked and happy that people liked them after getting all the hate from the other band at the school they go to and the principal. 

Another memorable scene from “Lemonade Mouth” is when they are at the pizza place. Mo is singing “She’s So Gone,” one of their songs. Mo dances around the restaurant and the audience joins in with her. Mo’s ex-boyfriend shows up and leaves after a few minutes because he is still mad at her for joining the band. He is in the other band at the school. The audience loved them and they thought that everything would continue to go well. 

One day after school, they all go to Olivia’s house to check up on her after her cat died. They all talk about the problems that are going on in their lives, Olivia hardly talks about her problem. After her mom died, her dad got into some trouble and is in prison. Olivia could have told them more so they would have known how to help her. They all didn’t really comment on each other’s problems. They all should have given a little bit of detail about their problems so they would know how to help each other. 

Comparing “Lemonade Mouth” to “Let it Shine,” they are both movies about singing and friendship. “Let it Shine” is about two friends, Cyrus and Kris, who have a chance to work with Roxie (a famous singer and former friend) to become famous singers. Cyrus entered the song into the competition, but Roxie thought it was Kris, so Cyrus and Kris worked together to keep Roxie from knowing the truth. Both movies have good soundtracks. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

(Photo courtesy of disney.fandom.com)

By Rachel McKay – Staff Reporter

“Steven Universe” is a cartoon created by Rebecca Sugar. It was started in November 2013 by Cartoon Network, and has since garnered massive success.

The show follows the story of Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems. The Crystal Gems are a group of beings from space, which are gems, crystals, or rocks given a form. The Crystal Gems consists of Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst. Steven is the son of the former leader of the Crystal Gems, Rose Quartz, who gave up her gem to give birth to Steven.

In the show, Steven and the Crystal Gems protect humanity from monsters. Throughout the story, Steven explores his relationships with those close to him. He grows and learns about the world and space as a whole as him and the Crystal Gems are faced with various challenges, facing many difficult situations and gaining new allies and enemies.

“Steven Universe” is a great show because of the clear development characters go through and the compelling storyline. It teaches the audience lessons in love, growth, and understanding. This is also combined with an impressive balance of lighthearted humor and highly emotional moments. 

One of the core themes of the show is exploring how people change over time, which is very well executed as Steven takes the viewer along while he learns more about himself and others. Furthermore, each of the main characters go through major growth, which is spurred by real, convincing, and relatable events and feelings. All the characters learn about love and connections, which is clearly guided by a very cohesive storyline. The plot and characters are intricately intertwined in a near perfect way, demonstrating the important themes of the show.

Another important aspect of the show is how well combined the different tones are. There are many lighthearted and happy moments, especially in the beginning, but there are also a lot of very serious and impactful events. The scenes with happy tones are uplifting and have great humor, and the highly emotional scenes hammer home the themes of the show and evoke an emotional response from the viewer. 

There are a few flaws of the show, however they are very minor compared to the rest of the show. The most noteworthy flaw is poor pacing in some parts. There are some events in the show that are a little rushed, however those are not common and are easily outmatched with the timing used in much of the show. 

Overall, “Steven Universe” does an excellent job in teaching the audience valuable lessons while being engaging and highly enjoyable to watch. This is achieved through in depth characters, well thought out storyline, and incredibly impactful important themes.  

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Rachel McKay – Staff Reporter

“If I Stay” is a book published in 2009 and written by Gayle Forman. The book is targeted towards young adults, and has a theme of loss and tragedy.

The story follows a 17-year-old girl named Mia, who gets into a major car accident that sends her into a coma. While in a coma, she sees the world outside of her own body. She witnesses everything going on around her, however she cannot interact with anything as her physical body is still unconscious. The story is told through a sequence of flashbacks and small events as she tries to decide to stay alive or to pass away.

There are many things in this book that are very well done. The impact of the emotions characters face is powerful and realistic, and truly tugs at the heartstrings of the reader. There are also several scenes described in amazing detail, feeling very intricate yet natural to understand. The characters and their relationships feel genuine, and the reader feels emotions along with them.

However, while there are aspects of this book that are quite beautiful, there are also parts that are not. 

Though this book has vivid descriptions in certain scenes, many of the events in this book feel somewhat flat. The vast majority of events in this book are very emotionally heavy, however it is because of the focus on emotion that rest tends to fade into the background.

Furthermore, the way the story is told is mainly through isolated events or flashbacks. They do get somewhat connected at the end, however there are still many moments that end up becoming unimportant. Many of those scenes are less captivating than the others, however they still can be good. Still, telling a story mainly through flashbacks can be confusing or repetitive. 

Connected to that, much of the book is filled with ramblings. While this is not necessarily bad, it can subtract from the meaning of the book. It makes it feel irrelevant or boring at certain points, though that boredom does not happen particularly frequently. 

Overall, this book makes an interesting read. For those who enjoy emotional stories, this book would likely be enjoyable. For those who prefer more cohesive, in depth storylines and character development, this book may not be as captivating. Although the writing can be less entertaining in certain scenes, there are still moments that are well written and fascinating.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Brenda Grunow – Staff Reporter 

The book, “The Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins is very entertaining at first glance but also a very thought-provoking book about society and its views on topics like world hunger, governmental power, and the entertainment industry.

The book follows the main character, Katniss Everdine through her difficult life in her home, District 12, where she lives day by day trying to provide for her family by herself from the young age of eleven. This changes when the “reaping” takes place in their town square. The “reaping” is a tradition in the districts where they pick a boy and a girl from each district surrounding the capital to fight in “The Hunger Games” in reminder that the Capital, their form of government, is in complete power over them and should never be crossed. The book follows the games and walks the reader through the process of what the “tributes” go through while preparing and fighting for their lives. 

This book really went in-depth and showed what the characters were going through and thinking throughout the book. The setting is creative it was very well-written.People who read the book will definitely want to re-read it and will not be able to put the book down. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Truman Martin – Staff Reporter

Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” was released on March 18 on HBO Max. Snyder was the initial director of the original “Justice League,” which came out back in 2017,  but Joss Whedon took over direction in the middle of filming. The movie cost $70 million to make, and it made $650 million worldwide. The story is about Batman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Superman going up against Steppenwolf, the main villain of the film. This time around, Snyder made a four-hour long epic and divided it up into six parts and an epilogue.

This film is very divisive among fans. A lot of people love it, and a lot of people think it wasn’t that much better than the first one (which was very bad). The movie is not very good at all. Compared to other movies like the Christopher Nolan Batman movies and The Joker, this movie is very campy. The script is very cringy at times, and most of the characters are very bland. Also, probably the most striking thing about this movie is the excessive use of slow motion. If Snyder sped up all of the slow motion to regular speed and just shortened some scenes, this movie would be a solid two hours. It feels like they forgot to edit down a lot of scenes. 

Now, despite this movie’s many failures, it does do some things better than the original. One of these things is the further development of Cyborg and The Flash as characters. Cyborg’s story is very well developed, and The Flash nearly saves the movie from being just as bad as the original. The Flash is a very likable character and brings all of the bland characters to life for a split second. 

Overall, Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” is much better than the original, but is still lacking in many places.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

(Some information courtesy of rottentomatoes.com)

By Tyanna Xavier – Social Media Editor 

After months of not knowing whether prom would occur for the seniors at Jonathan Law, it is finally happening on May 12.

Thanks to the hard work of the Student Council, school administrators, Senior Class Advisor Mrs. Francisco, and the members of the Prom Committee, prom is back on and students are ready to walk the runway. 

Prom is one of the most important school dances for any school because it is every student’s chance to dress to impress – and if you need fashion help, you came to the right place.

—

Ladies – This is the moment that you have been waiting for since last year, so now it’s time wear something bold and beautiful. If you’re more of a simple girl, you can always make a statement by wearing bold jewelry such as long, dangling earrings with your simple dress and rings that match your earrings.

Rule #1: Your jewelry must always match. Do not wear gold and silver together. 

Gentlemen – Now is the time to take your date and show them what you are really made of all with your look. Some men might want to go for the classic tuxedo look (black and white suit). In my opinion, that is too simple. If you want to impress yourself and your date, it is always nice to pick a color outside of the box such as a navy blue suit, army green, burgundy, or even a nice salmon color.

Rule #2: Do please match your date. If your date is wearing a red dress and you are wearing a green suit that is a fashion no-no for all occasions. 

For the ladies who love to go all out, Rule #3 is meant for you. Do not go spray tanning before prom. If you are wearing a lightly colored dress that can also be wrapped around your necks such as a halter dress or a turtle neck dress, dresses like this can easily rub on your spray tan and possibly stain your dress. If you really feel like you need a tan to compliment your dress, you can always try tinted lotions that do not rub on dresses as they dry quickly. 

Rule #4: Gentlemen – do not wear an oversized suit. The most common place where a men’s suit is oversized is the pants. It is always better to get a slim-fit pair of pants. That way, the bottom of the pants aren’t baggy at the bottom and they will be cut right at the ankle. This will make the suit look very fitted and polished.  

Rule #5: Choose a hairstyle that compliments your dress. If your dress is very sparkly, it is always beautiful to curl your hair and place it over the shoulder, and then use three designed bobby pins on the other side to give a very chic look to your dress. If your dress has a unique back design or opening, wear your hair up in a beautiful bun or ponytail with some strands of polished curls out to show those features of your dress. If your dress has a simpler design, you can curl your hair; however, try to tease it underneath to give it more volume. 

Ladies and gentlemen: follow these five rules and you will be a bombshell for the prom!

By Hanna Broderick – Entertainment Editor

Melbourne psych-rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard released their 17th studio album “LW” on February 25.

“LW” is a nine-track album and a seamless continuation of 2020’s “KG” as all of the songs were recorded together with the same microtonal and experimental style. Songs from both albums featured the guitar that was built for King Gizzard’s first album of 2017, “Flying Microtonal Banana.”

The first three tracks were released as singles in the time between November 2020’s “KG” and February 2021’s “LW.” Track one, “If Not Now, Then When?” presents a funky beat which is then complimented by the dreamlike melody of track 2, “O.N.E.” Then in a very ‘Gizzard-like’ fashion, this is interrupted on track 3, “Pleura.” The song is dark, gory and the drumming is definitely the highlight of this track.

The album continues to use Turkish influences throughout which adds to the kind of universe that the band creates through their music. The layered acoustic sounds in “Static Electricity” adds such a magic to the album while carrying through the Turkish/Microtonal feel of the duo albums.

“East West Link” is a song to show how the band feels about the proposed highway to be built in Melbourne. Lines, “We can build a road / We can cut a tree / We can shoot a bird / Nobody will see” adds to King Gizzard’s prior messages about the way we treat our planet.

The over eight minute closer “K.G.L.W.” which is the same track title name KG opened with that also connects the dots for a looping double record if played together and a nod back to the continuous tracking found on Nonagon Infinity. This track really closes out the album in the best way possible, with the classic dark tone of many of their songs and with the instrumentals to back it up fans can’t help but want to bop their head. 

As a whole, the album has some good tracks but out of their 17 studio albums they’ve released over the past 10 years, it’s not anything incredible considering some of their prior albums. In the end, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is a real band experimenting with electricity to make music for people to enjoy across the world.

By Gabe Garnett –  Staff Reporter

The new Netflix series “We Are: The Brooklyn Saints” is a football series that shows what it is like to be a young football player in the inner city in Brooklyn. 

Like “Friday Night Lights,” The Brooklyn Saints” is a heart-warming story. Released on January 29, the Netflix series shows what some young kids have to go through while playing football in Brooklyn. We meet coach Edwin Gawuala, who is one of the main coaches that inspires the kids and allows them to learn about what the real world has in store for them. He says to them before every game, “It’s me and you vs the world.” He looks to inspire the kids in any way he can; he is like an emotional cheerleader, always yelling and jumping getting the kids hyped up.

The show starts off by talking about how the word saint means “God’s people” and how the goal isn’t to win games. The main goal of this community football team is to save a life every year by taking the kids off the streets away from the bad parts of Brooklyn and allowing them to go play football. The kids range from 7 to 13 years old. The series shows more of the younger kids playing instead of the older kids, but viewers do learn about a young man named Kenan who is having trouble picking between a really good football high school or a good engineering school known for its robotics. A speaker is brought in to talk to him and the speaker tells him, “Use football, don’t let football use you.”

Later in the series, viewers learn more about the young kids, how football is impacting their lives and what it is doing to help them succeed in life. One kid viewers learn about the most is D-Lo, a 9-year-old who is moving up into the bigger leagues for football next year. His father, Coach Vick, is arrested in one of the episodes for a minor traffic charge in the middle of practice and that takes a toll of D-Lo. One of the coaches says to the team, “D-Lo makes sure he carries y’all so I need y’all to make sure y’all carry D-Lo today.” In the fourth episode, D-Lo gets hurt in one of the games and is taken out, but after a sort time he chooses to go back in, and even though they didn’t win, “D-Lo didn’t give up and that’s all that matters,” Coach Gawuala says.

Overall, the show was very entertaining to watch. Watching the young kids go through the season was worth it. If viewers like football, they will love the show, but even if they don’t like football, the show really teaches people life lessons and things they can keep with them for the rest of their lives.

By Olivia Augustine – Staff Reporter

“Pretty Little Liars” was created by I. Marlene King and aired from 2010-2017. This show is based off of the book series “Pretty Little Liars” by Sara Shepard. This show has won many Teen Choice Awards. 

“Pretty Little Liars” is a TV show about a group of friends who live in Rosewood, Pennsylvania. This group of friends is tormented by someone named “A” after their friend Alison DiLaurentis goes missing and is found dead, and they are trying to find out why. 

This show starred Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery, Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin, Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings, Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields, and Sasha Pieterse as Alison DiLaurentis. Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily spend most of their time uncovering the secrets Alison left behind. Alison left behind a lot of secrets that they didn’t know about. With each secret they uncover they pin the blame of Alison’s death on the people that the secret was about. 

Each season “A” is a different person, but they don’t know that until they all get a text message from “A”  after the person they thought was “A” was in jail. “A” finds out all of the secrets before they do and sends them text messages saying that they will tell their parents a secret that they know about them. 

A memorable scene from “Pretty Little Liars” is when Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily are standing outside of the church after Alison’s funeral and “A” texts them for the first time. They are shocked and all look around after reading the text. That is just the beginning of what “A” does to them. 

Another memorable scene is when Mona, Spencer, and Toby are at the lodge waiting for Aria, Hanna, and Emily, so they can all find out who “Red Coat” is. “Red Coat” is the leader of the “A Team.” They all want to know who she is and why she is tormenting them. The lodge is set on fire and Mona and Hanna saw Alison pull them out. They had assumed that Mona knew who “Red Coat” was, but she didn’t. Now Mona has to be careful because “Red Coat” is sending her “A” text messages.  

A less exciting point in the show is when Aria, Hanna, Spencer, Emily, Alison, and Mona are kidnapped and locked in a real life dollhouse. This episode was creepy because Mona was missing and then they got kidnapped and found Mona in the dollhouse, where they were also trapped. These girls were scared for their lives. They had no idea who kidnapped them and there was no way to escape without being caught. They had to work together to keep each other safe and alive. 

Comparing “Pretty Little Liars” and “Riverdale” these shows are very similar. These shows are both thrillers. In “Riverdale” Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead try to find out who is tormenting people in the town they live in. Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily are trying to find out who killed Alison and who is tormenting them. Both friends groups work together to find out who is behind the damage that is caused. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

(Some information courtesy of TVinsider.com)

By Truman Martin – Staff Reporter

“Wandavision” is the newest installment in the Marvel cinematic universe, but this time, it’s a sitcom. The show debuted on Disney+ on January 15. The show follows Avengers Wanda Maximoff and Vision in an old-fashioned sitcom with a twist: every episode is a time period later than the last, starting in a 1950’s black-and-white style. But everything is not as it seems in their world, and an underlying mystery starts to unfold as the show progresses. 

“Wandavision” lets the audience know right away that it is very self-aware. There’s lots of tongue-and-cheek acting with corny jokes, but not so much to the point where it makes watching unbearable. When Wanda makes things float around, the string holding the objects up is almost visible. The show can be likened to other classic sitcoms like “The Brady Bunch” and “Leave it to Beaver.” Although, being a show about superheroes, it is also a lot like the other Marvel movies. The show also has mid-episode commercials that give the audience a little bit of information pertaining to the underlying story. Some memorable scenes were moments where the show became self-aware and started to break the 4th wall. These moments give the show an unsettling undertone that keeps the audience guessing what will happen next.

There aren’t many weak points in the show, but there is one that other problems stem from. Each episode of the show is 30 minutes long, making the show a fast watch. The problem with this is that each episode is released once a week, so the 30 minutes goes by really fast. Then, waiting for another episode feels really annoying. This method of releasing episodes wouldn’t be as bad if the show were released 10 or 15 years ago, when there weren’t streaming services like Netflix that promote binge-watching. Disney + has so far released two shows: “The Mandalorian” and “Wandavision,” both having 30-minute-long episodes. A possible improvement for the future would be either to make the episodes an hour long (like most shows are doing right now), or to release the entire show at once. 

Overall, “Wandavision” is a fun and different story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but is a little hindered by its short episodes and weekly releases. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Some information courtesy https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/wandavision

By Rachel Mckay – Staff Reporter

The book series “Penryn and the End of Days” is a trilogy which consists of “Angelfall,” “World After,” and “End of Days.” The series was written by Susan Ee, starting in May 2011 and ending in May 2015.

The main premise of the series is that there is an apocalypse after angels came to Earth and threw the world into chaos. The series follows the protagonist, Penryn, as she does her best to survive and protect those she cares about. 

The book series begins with Penryn’s disabled sister being taken by angels. Her initial goal is only to get her sister back, however, early on she finds an angel with his wings removed and left for dead by other angels. The two of them make a hesitant and begrudging agreement to work with each other in order to achieve their own separate goals. Penryn wants to find her sister, and the angel, Raffie, wants to get his wings back. 

Over the course of the story, the plot becomes more complicated as new allies and enemies are found. These alliances and enemies guide the story in an effective manner, allowing for a plot that is easy to follow and interesting. 

These books have a compelling plot matched with unique and captivating characters. The plot is also done in a way where even the smallest details are all connected and contribute to the story.

The intricate way the different events build upon each other is engaging and keeps the reader wanting to know more. Plot points that seemed irrelevant or unimportant often end up coming into play later on. In addition, there is a lot of well hidden foreshadowing that can only be picked up on while rereading. 

Although some of the characters are not as interesting as others, many of them are extremely detailed and realistic. They have a wide range of personalities, backgrounds, and skill sets that do a lot to add to the story. Of the large group of main and secondary characters, few of them are done poorly or are not interesting enough. So, even though not all of the characters are interesting, the vast majority of them are fascinating and are relatable or realistic in some way.

Overall, this book series is a great read for anyone who loves apocalypse stories, unique characters, and an engaging and developing plot.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ava Korkmaz – Staff Reporter

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of the greatest holiday movies ever made. It was directed by Director Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Visionary Tim Burton. It also shows Actor Chris Saradon as the speaking voice and American Composer Danny Elfman as the singing voice of Jack Skellington. One of the other famous people in the movie is Actor Paul Reubens, who also was in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” (1985) and “Batman Returns” (1992).

It took a lot of time to create a stop-motion movie – Jack Skellington had over four hundred heads. The animators for the movie wanted to capture every emotion that a human would have. This first song that they recorded was “What’s This?” the song for when Jack goes into Christmas town. This was also the first scene of the movie that they completed.

The directors were worried that children would not like the movie, but its re-release was a hit in 2006. The movie was so great that on the soundtrack, Disney decided to add artists like Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, Marilyn Manson, Fiona Apple, and She Wants Revenge. The original demo tapes that were created by Elfman during the original movie, were also added to the disc.

One of the best lines that are in the movie is “Curiosity killed the cat, you know.” This was the scene when Sally was more curious than all the Halloween town residents about Jack’s whereabouts. She goes in the mad scientist’s lair to ask him. He does not tell her where because he also does not know.

Another one of the best lines is, “Kidnap the Sandy Claws, beat him with a stick. Lock him up for 50 years, see what makes him tick!” This is the scene where Lock, Shock, and Barrel kidnap Santa Claus so that Jack could dress up like him and go into the real world and scare kids on Christmas. This is also the scene where they got the Easter Bunny mixed up with Santa.

Nevertheless, this movie will always be a part of our lives, as it truly is a classic Christmas movie. It is very funny, people can always watch with their family and friends, and it is truly what Christmas is all about. This will always be a holiday favorite, and will be in the hearts of moviegoers forever.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Rachel Mckay – Staff Reporter

The movie “Coraline” is a film produced in February 2009 by Laika Studios. It is based on the book Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

The movie starts with the protagonist, Coraline, moving into a new house. In the beginning, she is simply exploring the house and surrounding property, as well as meeting the other characters. It also serves to show her dissatisfaction with her new house. 

At first, the main problem Coraline faces is her sadness at leaving her friends and annoyance with her strange neighbors. The movie spends time letting the viewer know just how weird the characters are, however does not reveal too much about the storyline. 

There is also a great build up to the dramatic climax. It gives the viewer enough time to understand the world and learn more about Coraline, but it doesn’t drag on. It also leads up to the climax without the viewer even realizing. 

The plot begins to darken after she discovers a door that leads to what seems like a perfect alternate reality. It is clear that this door leads to a world where everything is better, particularly her parents. From there, the story continues to warp as Coraline learns more about what is going on.

The movie does an excellent job of maintaining a sense of mystery and the feeling that something is wrong, without telling the viewer what it is. In addition, there is a lot of hidden foreshadowing that can only be caught rewatching the movie. Many small details that could go unnoticed hint at the much darker truth of the story. 

All of this makes Coraline a movie that anyone can become invested in, and can be watched time and time again. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Gemard Guery – Staff Reporter

Since its premiere on Nickelodeon 15 years ago, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” has become one of the most loved shows on television and has become one of the greatest shows of all time.

The show takes place in a world made up of four nations: the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribes, the Air Nomads, and the Fire Nation.  Certain members of the four nations (known as benders) have the ability to bend one of the four elements which usually corresponds with the nation they were born and raised in.  One individual known as the Avatar has the ability to bend all four elements with a new Avatar being reborn into a new nation after the previous Avatar’s death.  However, this individual is tasked with making sure the world stays in balance at all times and stopping anyone or anything that can cause imbalance.

But as the Fire Nation began a war to take control of the world, the Avatar vanishes and nobody sees or hears him for a hundred years, giving the Fire Nation the opportunity to conquer the other three nations and allowing them to kill anyone who stood in their way including all the Air Nomads to prevent the next Avatar from foiling their plans.

When two siblings from the Southern Water Tribe find the Avatar, a young immature Airbender named Aang.  The Fire Nation begins to go after him.  When Aang realizes that he has lost his entire culture to the vicious Fire Nation, he quickly finds his destiny.  Aang must master all four elements, defeat the fire nation, and save the world.  If he succeeds, the world can recover from the scar left by the Fire Nation.  If he fails, there will be no world to save.

This show is amazing. It gets very emotional at times and, honestly, hard to look away from.  It has one of the best character development that was done perfectly.  The show embraces the different cultures of the world with the four nations.  Each of the nations represented a different culture in the real world.  The show is also very relevant, a lot of the issues we see in the show happen all around the world today.  Avatar is funny and really encapsulates a little boy with imagination and humor, but with a huge responsibility.  Simply put, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is the perfect combination between a sweet humorous kids show and a more serious show for young adults. Absolutely thrilling!

There are practically no weak points in the show.  The only weak point is one of the most beloved main characters in the show was introduced long after the first few main characters made their appearances, but this is no way “ruined” the show.  It was great for the plot and even led to a very unexpected twist that helped them out immensely.

Rating: 10 out of 5 stars

By Lily Forster – Staff Reporter

The story of “Peppermint” revolves around Riley North, played by Jennifer Garner, a grieving mom who loses her daughter and husband in a gang-related shooting and goes on a campaign of targeted revenge. The title “Peppermint” refers to the flavor of ice-cream that her daughter was eating when she was murdered.

Five years after Riley North’s husband and daughter are killed in a senseless act of violence, Riley comes back from self-imposed exile to seek revenge against those responsible and the system that let them go free. According to the actress herself, the movie “Peppermint” is entirely fictional. This action/thriller movie is absolutely incredible.

This movie has an amazing plot and the amount of revenge that went on throughout the entire movie was outstanding. The choice of Jennifer Garner as the lead role in this movie was an amazing choice because of the other acting roles she has been in. No one had ever expected her to do something like this movie and people are so surprised on how she absolutely killed it. The acting in this movie was incredible within each major character.  

This storyline is chilling and emotional at first but then it gets quite crazy. A major strength is that viewers get so interested, they just want to keep watching to see what happens. This movie is the type that can just be watched and is easy to understand and go along with without brain power. It is simply just an entertaining movie and there were lots of twists and turns that keep viewers interested and wanting to know what’s going to happen next. But the biggest strength of the movie was 100% the ending…viewers will have to watch it to find out!

This movie did have a lot of visuals though. There was a decent amount of blood shown throughout this movie because there was quite a lot of violence. So if those types of visuals affect you: warning, there are some points where it’s pretty intense. But besides that and as a result, there aren’t too many crazy scenes.  

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Shane Cepalia – Staff Reporter

The 2012 film “21 Jump Street” is a comedy/action film based on a former television series with the same name.

The plot is based around two cops, Schmidt (played by Jonah Hill) and Jenko (played by Channing Tatum). These two are fresh out of high school and have recently graduated from the police academy. A mistake in their first arrest forces them to either join an undercover division or get fired. They are assigned to an undercover operation where they need to infiltrate a high school’s drug ring powered by their new classmates.

Throughout the movie, viewers get many relatable comedic references to modern day high schools and the students that attend them. The film also shines light on how awkward high school can be especially when students are forced to fit in. Jenko and Schmidt are both assigned classes to fit their interests, but a mix up in their schedules reverses the roles and the two are required to attend each other’s classes to add to the vulnerability and confusion.

All the while they have to “infiltrate the dealers, find the supplier” as commanded by their Captain played by none other than Ice Cube. Their assignment requires them to get a sample of the drug “HFS” and in a deal gone wrong, they are required to take the substance and almost overdose. Once they are in with the dealer, they have to take down the supplier at a drug deal on prom night, which goes south and ends up resulting in a firefight as well as a car chase scene.

“21 Jump Street’s” biggest pro is its comedic value and relatability, especially towards a teenage audience. The pain of moving back in with one’s parents and doing high school over as adults is real, and viewers can see it in this movie. The movie has a good balance of comedy to action. All of the jokes and bits nicely lined up and sometimes progressed the story, like when they got their first arrest and proceeded to mock the suspect as well as fire live rounds into the air in a crowded park as a way of celebrating.

However, the film doesn’t do very well with realism. That first arrest scene probably would have led to them being fired or even detained, and it’s not plausible that Jenko would have blended in as well as he did when he’s half a foot taller than the average senior. The film also shows the officers committing more violations in order to catch the suppliers including but not limited to: hijacking three cars, engaging in a limousine chase on busy roads, as well as a shootout from the sunroof, punching a student that provoked them, taking the substance itself, holding a party with alcohol and marijuana stolen from evidence lockers in an attempt to blend in, etc.

However, the pros heavily outweigh the cons in this movie, and it made for a very humorous movie. Even if it isn’t based in reality, some of those unrealistic moments triggered the funniest scenes. The film was very nicely paced and balanced, and that plus the comedic value made it a great movie.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Olivia Augustine – Staff Reporter

The award winning show “The Office” created by Greg Daniels, Ricky Gervais, and Stephen Merchant ran from 2005-2013. This show has won many awards including a Golden Globe for Best Television Series in 2010. 

“The Office” is a TV show about a group of co-workers who work at a paper company called Dunder Mifflin in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This mockumentary follows the lives of the manager and the employees he manages. 

This show starred Steve Carell as Regional Manager Michael Scott, Rainn Wilson as paper salesman Dwight Schrute, Jenna Fischer as Receptionist Pam Beesley, and John Krasinski as paper salesman Jim Halpert. As the seasons went on in the show Jim and Dwight would prank each other in the office causing some co-workers to laugh and others to get annoyed. Also as the seasons went on the relationships and friendships between some co-workers grew closer. 

A well-known line from “The Office” is “That’s what she said,” by Michael Scott. Michael adds this line into most of his conversations making the person he is talking to mad. People watching the show may find this funny. People may also find that line and Michael annoying because he doesn’t spend a lot of time doing his job. Instead he spends a lot of time walking around the office and talking with his employees. A hilarious quote from “The Office” is “Fact bears eat beets. Bears, beets Battlestar Galactica”, and “Identity theft is not a joke Jim.” Jim decided to prank Dwight by dressing up as him and Dwight found it flattering until Jim pulled out a suitcase that had a bobblehead in it. Dwight has a bobblehead on his desk. Dwight then thought Jim was trying to become him, which made this scene more hilarious. 

A less exciting point in the show is when Michael hits Meredith with his car in the parking lot outside of the office building, and Michael thought it was okay, but it wasn’t. Michael acted like hitting Meredith with his car was ok, especially when Meredith found out at the hospital that she also had rabies. Michael thought he saved her life. Michael’s guilt eventually causes him to organize a 5K run for Meredith. 

Comparing “The Office” and “Friends” they both show friendship. In “The Office,” Dwight and Pam become really good friends. Dwight is always there for Pam when she needed him and Dwight was never mean to Pam and Pam is always there for Dwight. In the show “Friends” Joey and Rachel are good friends. Joey is always there to make Rachel laugh and Rachel is always there for Joey when he needs someone there.

A memorable scene from the show is when Jim confesses to Pam that he loves her, which took him two seasons. Another memorable scene is when Michael comes to Dwight’s wedding after leaving Scranton, Pennsylvania about three years ago. 

“The Office” is expected to leave Netflix as of January 1, 2021. This show can be found on the channels NBC and comedy central. As of January 1, 2021, “The Office” will be on NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

(Some information courtesy of imdb.com and hollywoodreporter.com)

By Kaitlyn Goldberg – Staff Reporter

The CBS crime drama “Criminal Minds” follows the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI in Quantico, Virginia as they use the art of behavioral profiling to hunt down serial killers. The team is unique because they use not only evidence to solve the crimes, but using behavior to get into the mind of the criminal (hence the name of the show “Criminal Minds”)

In Season One, the team consists of Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner, Jason Gideon, Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, Elle Greenaway, Jennifer Jaureau who is the communications liaison and technical analyst Penelope Garcia.  The show consists of 15 seasons and the three team members who continuously stayed throughout the entire series and they are Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) a genius with an IQ of 187 who can read 20,000 words per minute; Jennifer Jaurau (Aj Cook), a communications liaison eventually turned profiler; and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), the FBI’s technical analyst and also has a special relationship with profiler Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore) The other cast members overtime eventually leave the show being replaced by other characters. 

As the seasons progress viewers see the character development of each character as they all go through things to change them. For example, Spencer Reid went through some traumatic events during the course of his time at the BAU which made him go from being completely awkward and antisocial to being more social, outgoing and all around a stronger person.  Another good thing about  the show is that it’s not like any other crime show where they use evidence, they use the killers behavior from the crime scenes and how these people were murdered and that is what ultimately gets them to find the killers. That’s what makes it so interesting because viewers get to see what makes the bad guys do what they do and how the team solves it in such a unique interesting way that is not portrayed on most other crime shows.

The only thing  in the show that could’ve been better is that there are some plot holes. Some things that happened to the characters would get dropped and never spoken of again that the show could’ve made into something much bigger that would’ve been very interesting to watch  Overall, what makes the show good is the unique plot and way of looking at serial crimes and it is definitely worth watching. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Giuliana Aguilar – Staff Reporter

“Evermore” is Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album. The album is a sister album to her previous album released summer 2020, “Folklore”. The album features 15 new songs and the deluxe physical edition has 2 bonus songs. The Track listing is; “Willow”, “Champagne Problems”, “Gold Rush”, “Tis the Damn Season”, “Tolerate It”, “No Body, No Crime”, “Happiness”, “Dorothea”, “Coney Island”, “Ivy, “Cowboy like Me”, “Long Story Short”, “Majorie”, “Closure”, and “Evermore”. The two additional songs are “Right Where You Left Me” and “It’s Time to Go”.

The album is primarily alternative rock along with some chamber rock. Since Taylor left her previous label she is allowed more freedom to do what she wants with “Evermore”. The listener should be able to easily tell she is no longer trying to make radio hits, she already gained her status as an icon so in this album she focuses more on storytelling and creating pretty music. “Evermore” revolves around the different kinds of flaws in romantic relationships. The album is made for Taylor’s perspective in a bunch of different narratives. There are features on the album from American bands “Bon Iver”, “Haim”, and “The National’.” 

“To put it plainly, we just couldn’t stop writing songs,” Swift said. “To try and put it more poetically, it feels like we were standing on the edge of the folklorian woods and had a choice: to turn and go back or to travel further into the forest of this music, we chose to wander deeper in.”

A song that got a lot of people intrigued with finding the meaning is “Champagne Problems.” The song is about a relationship and Taylor sings from the perspective of the person who turns down a proposal. Verse one suggests that the man knew his relationship wasn’t working. The chorus describes the rejection and how the man was just left standing with a ring and a broken heart. Verse two tells that the man told his family despite knowing the relationship wasn’t going well, which made the rejection more awkward. In the second chorus Taylor dives deeper into the rejection. In the bridge, Taylor talks about the way his friends received the message with the lyrics such as “How evergreen, our group of friends/Don’t think we’ll say that word again” and “She would’ve made such a lovely bride/What a shame…they said.”

Taylor jokes that she lives in a madhouse which draws a parallel to the song “Mad Woman” on the “Folklore” album.  She again says sometimes there is no answer for the rejection and promises that he will find the right one for him that will mend the broken pieces that she created. In the last chorus, chorus three, Taylor parallels the first chorus but this time she imagines it as if the guy found the right girl who will say yes.

“Nobody No Crime” is a song that is similar to a murder mystery. The song is a country pop rock track about the disappearance of a woman named Esta, and her friends’ efforts to avenge her death. The lyrics “And I noticed when I passed by his house/His truck has got some brand new tires” infers that Taylor originally slashed his tires. Slashing tires is a common way to take revenge on a cheating lover just like in Carrie Underwood’s single, “Before He Cheats”, where she sings that she slashed a hole in all four tires of her cheating boyfriend’s truck. Taylor using these lyrics shows how deeply she wants revenge and she makes that her narrative. 

Something good fans realize in “Evermore” is that there is more variety and experimentation of sounds in this album, especially when compared to “Folklore” which just has an indie inspired sound. Also, every song has its own themes and tells a different story.  

Something that was  is songs that are forgetful such as “Happiness” and “Dorothea” which have a cliche Piano sound and are pretty but not mesmerizing or standing out so listeners remember them like others.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ben Rossi – Staff Reporter

The holiday movie “Home Alone 2:Lost In New York” directed by Chris Columbus and starring Macaulay Culkin, is the sequel to the 1990 film “Home Alone.” Although the first film gets more of the fame “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York” serves as a perfect sequel to the first film and is just as funny and iconic. 

When his family goes on a vacation to Florida, 12-year-old Kevin McCallister gets lost in an airport and accidentally boards a plane to New York City.  When the plane lands Kevin soon realizes that he has made a huge mistake and is stuck alone in New York City. Left alone in a big city with his dad’s credit cards and his Talkboy voice recorder Kevin finds himself tangled up with the same bandits from the first film who plan to rob Duncan’s Toy Chest. Duncan’s Toy Chest is a toy store that plans to donate their earnings to the local orphanage. Kevin is forced to use his wits and clever traps to save the toy store and prevent the robbers from taking away Christmas for those in need.

“Home Alone 2: Lost In New York” is a family movie that brings laughs to any viewer. For example, Kevin decides to use his dad’s credit card to stay at a very fancy hotel where he buys tons of room service and rides in limos. Kevin also goes to several iconic tourist attractions in New York City such as the Twin Towers, Times Square, and Central Park.  While this movie is mostly a comedy it ends with a heartwarming reunion between Kevin and his family.

This film shows how family is the most important thing in life and that no matter what happens your family will always be there for you.  This is shown throughout the film because Kevin starts out very happy to be alone and enjoys not having parents to tell him what to do.  This changes towards the end of the film because Kevin realizes that even though his family may annoy him they love him and without them he is nothing.  Kevin is seen towards the end of the film in Rockefeller Center where he is very sad until his mom shows up and he runs to her with joy.

“Home Alone 2: Lost In New York” is the perfect sequel and gives viewers laughs while teaching them to love and cherish their time with family.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Alaina McCarvill – Staff Reporter

“The Grinch Musical!” offered holiday entertainment thanks to NBC’s 2020 adaptation of the 2007 stage production. Starring Tony Award nominee Matthew Morrison as the lead, “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical” aired Wednesday, December 9, at 8 p.m. Joining Morrison on stage were Tony Award-winner Denis O’Hare playing Old Max, the Grinch’s loving canine companion, as well as Booboo Stewart (“Descendants 3”) as Young Max. Newcomer Amelia Minto (soon to be seen in “The Lost Girls”) played Whoville’s favorite child, Cindy-Lou Who, and the musical featured popular songs like “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas.” Julia Knowles directed the event, working off staging by Max Webster, while Simon Nye adapted the script and Peter Bingemann served as set designer. 

Staged at the Troubadour Theater in London, the presentation was playful, colorful and visually inventive, from the storybook backgrounds to having Morrison’s Grinch break the fourth wall early on, demonstrating his cruelty by insulting the home audience’s ugly couches. The songs have been described as unmemorable, other than the few cribbed from the original animated classic. And even with a whole lot of commercials padding out the two hours, the show felt bloated and flat, with a scant sense of the magic in all the fluff employed to flesh out the Grinch’s journey. It felt that the plot was expected to be assumed without context by viewers. The classic story was taken and just expanded with extra songs. 

The show, of course, felt aimed heavily at the younger part of a family audience, with the hope that parents would be happy to share a theatrical-style experience with them, especially now.

Morrison clearly threw his all into vamping things up, but the performance seemed a bit forced and veered too far from the live action movie. Amelia Minto, the tyke cast as Cindy-Lou Who, also exhibited a fine voice.

Although the show was not well received, the cast was very talented and the costumes were perfect for the show. In any sense this performance could have still entertained a younger audience and possibly convince young people to be further immersed into the arts. It is difficult to recreate a classic and it was not a complete flop, but the portrayal was disappointing for fans of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

By Truman Martin – Staff Reporter

“A Christmas Story” is a 1983 movie based on the book by Jean Shepherd. The movie is set in 1940’s Indiana where Ralphie Parker and his family live. The movie is narrated by Jean Shepherd who is supposed to play an older version of Ralphie later in life. Throughout the movie, Ralphie tries to get his parents (and Santa) to buy him a Red Ryder BB Gun that he saw in a store window. The movie follows the family all the way to Christmas Day, showing what Ralphie does at school with his friends and how he deals with bullies. The movie made $20.7 million in the box office, and it was directed by Bob Clark.

This Christmas movie is probably one of the best Christmas movies ever made. There are so many strong points in this movie, it’s hard to count. First off, the movie is hilarious. The lightheartedness that the narrator brings is very good. The way he gets into the mind of a child while he narrates the story is incredible, and it makes people really relate to Ralphie. Speaking of which, this movie is super relatable to pretty much everyone. Everyone has had a thing they wanted for Christmas, but their parents were skeptical. Also, everyone has had a Christmas where not everything really worked out.  It is not as magical as other Christmas movies, but that’s what sets it apart from all of the other Christmas movies. It doesn’t need to be magical. 

The movie’s pacing is good; there aren’t really any slow points in the movie. There are little flashbacks/daydreams that help with the pacing and add another comedy element to the film. There are many iconic things in the movie, like Flick sticking his tongue to the pole, Ralphie’s bunny suit, and when Ralphie says “Oh Fudge” (only he didn’t say fudge). The movie really cleverly tells the story of a pretty ordinary family. Also, there don’t seem to be any weak points to the movie. 

Now, everyone has their own opinions for the best Christmas movie ever made, whether it be “Elf,” “Home Alone,” or whatever else, but this movie holds a special place in many people’s hearts and they can deeply relate to different characters. Kids can relate to Ralphie and his friends, and adults can relate to Ralphie’s parents. All of the actors do a really good job portraying the characters from the book. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, definitely a Christmas classic.

(Some information courtesy rottentomatoes.com)

By Jess Owens – News Editor 

The animated movie “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a 1965 television special and was the first TV special based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz. The movie was produced by Lee Mendelson and directed by Bill Melendez. 

The program debuted on CBS on December 9, 1965, and it remains a Christmas classic to this day.

Depressed at the commercialism he sees around him, Charlie Brown tries to find a deeper meaning to Christmas. His friend Lucy suggests that he becomes the director of the school Christmas pageant. He accepts but it becomes a struggle for him.

Charlie doesn’t want to let commercialism ruin his Christmas so he attempts to restore the proper spirit with a pitiful, little fir Christmas tree to show his cast that the “sad” tree will still work in the play, even though it is not what the others originally wanted.

Charlie uses the little tree to show his cast that they don’t need the type of Christmas that they see on commercials and that all they need is their loved ones around them. The story is meant to show them that there’s more to the holiday than just presents and money.

One of the most admirable things in the movie is that Charlie started off hating Christmas but came to love it when he learned what it was truly about. Another admirable thing about the movie is that it was people around him that helped him realize the true meaning of Christmas.

This is a great movie for kids being that it teaches them it is not about what presents they get but about what they can do for other people to spread Christmas cheer during the happiest time of the year.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Mia Cerrato – Entertainment Editor

The 2004 film “The Polar Express” is a holiday classic inspired by the 1985 children’s book of the same name that anyone can enjoy.

The story follows a boy named Chris, or “Hero Boy,” on Christmas Eve, as he spots a train on the route to the North Pole outside his window. A conductor steps out of the train and waves from him to come outside. He tells Chris the train is headed towards the North Pole. He accepts the invite, despite his skepticism of Santa and his workshop. Chris finds himself aboard the train with other kids. They soon become friends and venture on a journey to meet Santa and watch the preparation for Christmas.

“The Polar Express” is a family- friendly movie that tells a story that praises childhood curiosity and celebrates imagination. The look of the movie portrays this through the cross between live action and artwork. It makes the film catch people’s eyes and make each scene feel life-like. A scene that is truly memorable is the train emerging from in front of Chris. The way the snow falls and the lights from the train shine is captivating. Another scene that is unforgettable is when hot chocolate is served on the trail. The waiters serve it along with an acrobatic song and dance. 

However, this Christmas movie is not everyone’s taste. The life-like animation can be eerie and creepy. It has such a heartwarming message yet the animation seems a little cold and mysterious. One scene/character that just seems very cryptic is the hobo that lives on top of the Polar Express. He rides it whenever he wants for free. He doesn’t believe in Santa Claus or Christmas and always tells Chris his negative opinions on the holidays. Chris is the only one who can see him throughout the whole movie. 

“The Polar Express” is a film that is perfect for the holiday season and shows the joy of Christmas. 

By Stephanie Caron – Editor-in-Chief 

The award winning moving “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” directed by Stephen Chbosky, follows a socially awkward high school freshman on his journey of making friends and dealing with depression. 

The 2012 movie was based off of the 1999 book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” written by Stephen Chbosky was the talk of coming of age movie category. Despite the release in 2012, the movie is as popular as ever.

With popular actress and actors: Emma Watson playing Samantha Button, Logan Lerman playing Charlie Kelmeckis, and Ezra Miller playing Patrick Stewart, we follow Charlie as he meets two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who take him under their wing after they find out Charlie lost his best friend to suicide the prior year and had no friends. 

The movie is a chilling reality to the hardships of high school. Moments throughout the movie are light-hearted and joyful but we also see the side of Charlie that he keeps to himself. We see his eternal struggle with flashbacks of his late Aunt Helen who died on his birthday years prior. 

Becoming close to Sam and Patrick introduced Charlie to a whole group of people who were like him, misfits. The movie shows how much of a difference friends can make in someone’s life. It was not until Charlie had lied to one of his friends in the group about his true feelings when his mental health took a major decline. Later it blew up in his face when the tight-knit friend group were playing truth or dare, and the seniors wanted nothing to do with him. 

Though the beginning of the movie was light-hearted and joked around about Charlie’s struggles with his mental health, once he had broken his friends trust the movie takes a dramatic turn. We see Charlie unravel, his depression and PTSD get worse and worse. He finally felt like he belonged somewhere, but now he was alone all over again. 

This movie is beautifully made, and the casting choices were incredible. Everyone should take the time to watch “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” because it shines light on a “taboo” topic that most coming of age movies do not always talk about. It is educational, emotional, and funny. This movie not only can connect to high school students who might be struggling with similar problems but many adults find this movie connects to them as well. 

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” changed the coming-of-age movie category and continues to leave a positive impact on those who can relate to Charlie in any way. It is a memorable film that deserves the hype it receives. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

By Alexis Broderick – Social Media Editor-in-Chief

The classic movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” was released in 2000. The reclusive green Grinch (Jim Carrey) decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville.

Reluctantly joined by his hapless dog, Max, the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the Whos. However, the bitter grump finds a hitch in his plans when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou Who. 

The Grinch thinks that Christmas is all about the gifts, decorations and food. He steals all these things from the Whos and is surprised to find that they still sing and smile. They continue to have a great attitude even while the Grinch is trying to steal Christmas. 

The Grinch then learns that the Christmas spirit is more than the things that can be bought and is something inside everyone. His heart grows three sizes during the movie representing his love for Christmas and just being a better “Grinch” in general. 

The Grinch disliked Christmas because his shoes were too tight, his head wasn’t screwed on right, and his heart was two sizes too small. 

The Grinch who stole Christmas has a reason for growing up to be so bitter. As a child, he was picked on for being green and having hair all over his body and a beard.

One of the most admirable things in the movie is when the Grinch’s heart starts growing back to the size it needed to be. Another admirable thing is when everyone in Whoville didn’t let the Grinch steal Christmas and enjoyed the holiday season as much as they could. 

The only thing that young viewers may dislike about this movie is how scary the Grinch can be in certain parts of the movie. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ethan Harrigan – Sports Editor

The holiday movie “Home Alone,” starring Macaulay Culkin and directed by Chris Colombus, is a classic comedy everyone should watch around Christmas time. It was released in 1990 and still stands as a popular movie, appropriate and funny for all ages. “Home Alone” is the first of five films and arguably the best of the series. 

The movie follows 8-year-old Kevin McCallister as he uses his wit to foil two bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) attempting to break into his house. During the holiday, his family makes the trip to Paris but when they arrive they realize they have forgotten Kevin at home after his mother (Catherine O’Hara) sent him to sleep in the attic the night before. Left alone with no parents, Kevin has to get by on his own, making his own food, doing his laundry and shopping by himself. He is having fun with his mischief but is surprised when he sees local thieves making the rounds in his neighborhood. Seeing that they want to steal from his house while everyone is away, Kevin sets traps and uses trickery to deter the bandits.

“Home Alone” is a family comedy that you can watch alone or with others. It has many memorable moments like Kevin’s antics going shopping while he is home alone, when he uses a recorded TV sound to scare off the robbers, and when he uses countless traps he placed in his house to incapacitate the villains in funny ways. Kevin also manages to help a misunderstood Old Man Marley (Roberts Blossom) build up the courage to reconnect with his family. While in a large part humor, the movie ends with a wholesome reunion for the family for the holiday.

The film teaches you the importance of family, showing the viewer how Kevin is initially happy at the prospect of having them out of the house but at the end is grateful for their return. Old Man Marley is also portrayed as sad not being able to be with his family for the holiday but when given the confidence to reach out to them he fixes his derailed spirit.

“Home Alone” is a great movie for the Christmas season with an emphasis on the importance of family while still being a hilarious watch. It is a memorable film that everyone can enjoy watching together during the holiday.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Gillian Rees – News Editor

The classic holiday movie “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” released in 1998, stars a young Jonathan Taylor Thomas, (who viewers may also know as the voice of young Simba in the beloved “Lion King” movie), and is a film that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Directed by Arlene Stanford, who also directed the beloved Disney Channel movie “Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” has the classic Scrooge undertone in the story of a college boy without Christmas spirit who then faces challenges and situations throughout the movie which makes him realize how important it is. 

The movie follows Jake Wilkinson (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), a college student who would rather avoid having to go home for Christmas, since his father (Gary Cole) remarried relatively too soon after his mothers death. Not only does his family have an issue with his reluctance to return home, but so does Allie (Jessica Biel), Jake’s girlfriend.  

It’s only when Jake’s father bribes him with a promise to receive a Porsche if he can manage to return home by 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, that he makes an effort to go home, and agrees to bring Allie along with him because she grew up in the same town as Jake. 

Everything is seemingly sidetracked when his nemesis Eddie, a fellow college student that is too fond of Allie, manages to have Jake finding himself stranded in the middle of a desert with nothing but only a Santa suit glued to him. Eddie then takes off with Allie, who thinks she’s been stood up, and leaves Jake facing a hectic adventure not only to satisfy his family, get home by 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, receive a Porsche and to save his relationship spiraling with Allie. All in the spirit of Christmas, of course.  

One of the most admirable things about this movie is that throughout the film Jake becomes less selfish and realizes the bigger picture of how important family and relationships are.  He learns that sometimes you have to give things up for other people for the greater good. In other words, he gains the Christmas spirit. 

The only thing that viewers may dislike about this movie is that it does not stand out from other Christmas movies. The story theme is pretty recognizable. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Lucas Greifzu – Sports Editor

The holiday classic “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” starring Chevy Chase is a classic Christmas movie that everyone should see. It was released in 1989, and while it isn’t as popular as some other Christmas and holiday movies, it is still worth watching. It is the third of the National Lampoon’s movies, and it topped the box office in its third and 4th week. The movie was directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik.

The movie follows Clark Griswold and his family as they try to have their first big family Christmas. The movie opens with Griswold and his family driving to the woods to get the family Christmas tree. However, when they find the tree, they realize that they forgot the saw, so they dig up the entire tree. When they get back to the house with it the tree is too large for the house, and when he takes the rope off of it the tree breaks through the windows, and breaks things inside the house. These unfortunate incidents and slapstick humor keep taking place throughout the movie. But, in the end they all come together as a family, and have Christmas together.

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is a funny, family-friendly, and heartwarming movie that teaches us to persevere even when seemingly everything goes wrong. Watching everything go wrong in this movie is what makes this movie hilarious. From 25,000 lights not working, to the turkey exploding on the dinner table, and a SWAT team storming the house after one of the family members was suspected of kidnapping Griswold’s boss. This plus a great cast that really brings the holiday spirit to light in the movie. However, watching them together as a family at the end is what makes this movie truly special.

However, there is a trade off in this movie. With all of the humor, and the funny scenes, there is an element of inappropriateness with this movie. The movie might not be suitable for people of all ages. There is some inappropriate language, and some slightly inappropriate humor in the movie. However, for people of the correct ages it does add to the humor that is in this movie. But, the dry humor and slapstick comedy is what sets this movie apart from other Christmas and holiday movies.

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is a holiday classic and shows everyone what the true meaning of Christmas is. It shows us that coming together as a family and spending time with each other is more important than anything else during the holiday season.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Sydney Simpson – News Editor

The holiday classic “Elf” starring Will Ferrell is a Christmas staple in some households. Since its release in 2003, the family comedy has been quite popular, hitting box office records upon its release and airing on AMC’s “countdown to Christmas” each and every year. The movie was directed by Jon Favreau, who has also directed many popular movies such as the newest rendition of “The Lion King” (2019). Favreau truly captured the real meaning of Christmas in this funny yet heartwarming story of a human elf trying to find his dad. 

The movie follows Buddy the Christmas Elf (Ferrell) as he goes on a journey from the North Pole all the way to New York to find his real dad. Buddy grew up raised as an Elf, but he was significantly larger than all the other elves and also did not possess the same amount of skill when it came to toymaking. The elves, along with Santa, felt that it was time to tell Buddy that he was in fact human, and that his father lived in New York by the name of Walter Hobbs (James Caan). Hobbs is not portrayed as a particularly nice man, always at work, not spending time with his family, and at first disregarding Buddy as crazy. The movie shows the viewers Buddy’s journey to finding his family, finding love, and even saving the holiday. Although there are many ups and downs in his adjustment to New York and his new family’s adjustment to him, the movie doesn’t fail to put a smile on the viewer’s face as Buddy and his family save Christmas. 

“Elf” is heartwarming, funny, and family friendly all in one, making it the perfect movie for the holidays. Watching Buddy win over his family and show both his dad and his love interest the true meaning of Christmas evokes a feeling of joy in viewers. He showed Walter Hobbs the importance of family, of love, and of laughter, effectively bringing his dad off of Santa’s naughty list. Hobbs’ transformation throughout the movie was a genius move by the director, creating a theme that family and love are what really make a person happy. Buddy was also able to bring joy into the life of his love interest Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), who wasn’t into the Christmas spirit previous to meeting the eccentric Elf. “The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear,” said Buddy. 

The movie is also hilarious, with scenes of Buddy pouring syrup onto pasta, getting scared of the radiator, and even getting into a fight with a fake department store Santa. He decorated a whole department store with elaborate lego designs and lite brite’s overnight, and also pelted kids with snowballs with extreme accuracy after he and his brother were ambushed by bullies. This funny factor to Buddy’s odd behavior brings viewers in, grasping their attention and keeping them interested. It is what sets this classic apart from boring old Hallmark movies. “Elf” is also family friendly, a movie the whole family can enjoy. It does have many different plots occurring at the same time, however, which can be confusing for younger viewers. Buddy is building his relationship with his family whilst he is also doing so with Jovie, all while adjusting to New York and saving Christmas. Further, parents may not want to have their children watch “Elf” due to the scene where Buddy exposes a department store Santa for being fake. Some parents may feel like this ruins the experience for their kids of getting to visit Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas. 

All in all, “Elf” is one of the best holiday classics to watch as a family this winter season because it shows all the aspects of a good holiday movie and really drives home the point that Christmas is more about love and family than it is about giving. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Hanna Broderick – Editorial Editor 

Australian rock band “King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard” released their 16th studio album and marks 10 years as an active band.

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard was formed in 2010 in Melbourne, Victoria. The band consists of Stu Mackenzie (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, flute), Ambrose Kenny-Smith (vocals, harmonica, keyboards), Cook “Cookie” Craig (guitar, bass, vocals), Joey Walker (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals), Lucas Harwood (bass, keyboards), and Michael “Cavs” Cavanagh (drums, percussion). The band is most well known for their psych rock but explores multiple genres.

Their album K.G. was released Friday, November 20, along with a live album from their show in San Francisco back in 2016. Because of lockdown, this has been a long time for King Gizzard since they have released a studio album.

Whether it’s “Straws in the Wind” where Ambrose Kenny Smith’s vocals sound a lot like a Cat Power feature or the psychedelic shuffle of “Honey” the band isn’t limited to their Saharan influences like they have been on previous albums. The best thing about this album is that they don’t prohibit themselves from experimenting with their sounds.

The live in San Francisco album has a lot of fan favorites such as “Gamma Knife” and “Trapdoor” and it’s nice to hear live music especially because of the lockdown.

The most admirable part of King Gizzard is their bravery. Most artists don’t have the guts to step out their comfort zone but King Gizzard really shows how beneficial experimentation and allowing yourself to just play music and not worry can be.

By Hanna Broderick – Editorial Editor

Fox premiered the show, “Scream Queens” on September 22, 2015. It was written by Ryan Murphy who
directed “Glee” and “American Horror Story.”

The first season of the show follows the sorority Kappa Kappa Tau, and their run from a serial killer who
dresses as the school mascot. It is set on the fictional college campus of Wallace University. The plot
surrounds the idea of toxic sorority culture and the lack of true sister-ship. Kappa Kappa Tau is run by
house president Chanel #1 (Chanel Oberlin) played by Emma Roberts, who has her ‘minions’ named
after her.

The Chanels are played by other well known actresses. Chanel #2 is played by Ariana Grande, and Chanel #3 is played by Carrie Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd. Throughout the two seasons of the show many more Chanels are recruited, going all the way to #11.

During the second season, the Chanels and former sister Zeyday are reconnected, all working as med
students at the fictional C.U.R.E. Institute which is run by their former dean at Wallace University, Kathy
Munsch. Once again, the group is being terrorized by another serial killer, the Green Meanie. The cast
once again has to find a way to stop the murderer who is picking off nurses and patients one-by-one.
This season features many other well known actors including, Taylor Laugtner and John Stamos.

The show is completely ridiculous and yet somehow, hilarious. It does a great job of overacting in a way
that adds to the humor. Many of the sorority members and frat members that are introduced in the
show have the type of self involved idiocy that wouldn’t work in other types of shows.

“Scream Queens” is a fun watch. There are so many twists and turns and viewers find it easy to fall in love with many of the characters, and it should give them a good laugh.