By Owen Paiva – Entertainment Editor

Very few television shows have become phenomenons. For every good show, there seems to be five bad ones. Then a very special one came around.

Described as a Stephen King book directed by Steven Spielberg, and the ultimate tribute to the eighties, the Duffer Brothers directed a masterpiece when they created “Stranger Things.” Winona Ryder delivers one of the best performances of her career, newcomers such as Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard and Caleb McLaughlin give performances better than any child actors, and David Harbour and Gaten Matarazzo steal the show.

“Stranger Things” is one of the best-cast shows that viewers have ever seen, and the mystery is very effective and engaging. This show is a joy to binge. Netflix has really produced a gem with “Stranger Things”.

Will Byers (Schnapp) goes missing in the town of Hawkins, Illinois, and his friends Dustin (Matarazzo), Lucas (McLaughlin), and Mike (Wolfhard) search to find him. Joyce (Ryder), Will’s mother, goes hysterical since her son has gone missing. She turns to Chief Hopper (Harbour) to help find him. This while a mysterious girl (Brown) shows up at a local restaurant, and a shady government agency works in the shadows. Will’s disappearance uncovers an even greater mystery which threatens the town of Hawkins, and only the few who uncover the truth can find Will and stop the mystery.

The show has been very popular, with the accurate portrayal of ’80s life, and a mystery which is slowly unraveled. Season 1 is an eight-episode affair, and does an amazing job developing almost every character. Proper development is given to the trio of friends trying to save Will, Will’s mother and brother, Chief Hopper, Mike’s sister and her crush, as well as the mysterious girl. The show really has great pacing, with almost every episode hooking the viewer, and the danger feels real.

Viewers really connect to the main characters, especially since they are given enough screen time to grow.  A part of the show many viewers thought highly of were the child actors, since that was a reason this show took so long to be picked up. Executives did not want child leads in a show not meant for kids, however Netflix gave the Duffer Brothers a chance, and a chance that was hit right out of the park. These performances are really professional, especially Brown’s as she does not have a lot of lines, but makes up for it through her facial expressions and body languages. The last two episodes were some of the best in any show for such a long time. It really feels like a race against the clock, and when viewers reach that point, they will understand.

The show does not have too many weaknesses, but it is not without issue. The first viewing of the first episode can drag a little. Most viewers were not truly hooked until the second episode, but the first episode introduced the world. Another area of issue was handling the character of Nancy’s best friend Barb. Some fans were a little disappointed with her arc, and some continuity errors, but it does not hurt the show in the long run.

It is really hard to keep things vague in this review, but the story is better experienced fresh. Certain viewers complained about having some parts spoiled, and that it took away from the show. Anyone who enjoys Stephen King books, movies based on King books (especially “Stand by Me”, based on his book, “The Body”), or Steven Spielberg movies like “E.T.”, needs need to watch this show. Spielberg is one of this generation’s best directors, and he captures the magic and spirit of his movies in this love letter to ’80s sci-fi movies.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Arielle Eighmy & Nia Cordero – Staff Reporters

“Black Mass” takes place in South Boston during the 1970s and 1980s. This movie stars Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, and Joel Edgerton. Depp, who plays James Whitey Bulger, is the leader of an Irish mob called “Winter Hill”. In the movie Bulger finds himself in dark waters and comes across an opportunity to form an alliance with the FBI and former childhood friend, John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) to take down a mutual enemy, the Italian mob, known as the Angiulo family. Forming this alliance grants Bulger and the rest of the Winter Hill gang immunity from the government.

Depp portrays Bulger, a real-life organized crime lord in Boston and does a phenomenal job. Bulger is a controlling, manipulative man with a reputation of being violent without hesitation, Striking fear through the streets of Boston. Depp’s realistic fits of anger make the viewer feel as if they are also in fear of Bulger. Depp is known for his good acting and directing. He also stars in films such as “Pirates of the “Caribbean” and “Alice in Wonderland”.

Connolly plays Edgerton, an FBI agent who decides to join forces with Bulger and his gang. Connolly and Bulger formed a strong relationship at a young age growing up close by. With a bond already formed, Connolly reaches out to his long time friend, Bulger, looking to help him. Edgerton does a great job in playing this role. He is comical, sincere and edgy. His character adds comic relief to this intense film.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays the part of William Bulger, the brother of Whitey Bulger. In the movie, Will is a leader in the Massachusetts Senate, and is oblivious to his brother’s alliance and crime. Bill adds an innocent feel to the movie and shows the diversity between two brothers going down separate paths.

Dakota Johnson, who plays Whitey’s long time girlfriend and mother of his son,  Lindsey, also stars in the movie “Fifty Shades Of Gray.”  In “Black Mass,” Dakota portrays a sweet and caring mother and girlfriend, the complete opposite of Bulger, but both shared an equal love for their son Douglas, who becomes very ill. This brought out another side to Bulger and adds more sympathy to the film, showing that even the bad guys have feelings.

This movie had many highlights, it leaves viewers in suspense and wanting to know what is going to happen next. The foreshadowing in the movie keeps viewers guessing, and on the edge of their seat. It is full of laughs, tears and action which draws viewers in. The actors and actresses all play their roles perfectly and bring the film together with their emotions.

There are also some weak points to the film, however. The movie is based off of a true story and could have portrayed more of the events that happened in real life. Also, the Italian mob was the focus of Whitey and the FBI’s plan but were not shown or made as important as they should have been.

“Black Mass” is a movie for those who like action, suspense, twists, and turns. This movie would also be good for people who are interested in real-life crime stories. It is a dark and intense film, with a real storyline of events to follow. Towards the end of the film, actual pictures of the men in the Winter Hill gang are showed and gives the viewers an insight on how the men acted towards each other. Overall, “Black Mass” is interesting and has all the components to keep a viewer on the edge of their seat.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Amanda Downs – Staff Reporter

Recently Gwen Stefani, the lead singer of the band No Doubt, has partnered up with Urban Decay, a well-known makeup brand. The line is called Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani and features a range of products from lip liners to eye shadow pallets.

Urban Decay is known for their quality makeup and highly-pigmented eye shadow palettes and have a big following. Their brand is sold in stores such and Ulta, Sephora and Macy’s. This collection is a limited edition and there have been many positive reviews sao far.  

The whole collection features an eye shadow palette, a blush palette, a brow pallette, and a few lipstick and eyeliner shades. The colors in the eye shadow pallet can be seen as bland, the pallet is made of mostly neutrals colors with some electric blue, pink and gold shades. It has mostly shimmer shadows with some beautiful matte ones. The pallet offers many new shadows by the brand and their staple “blackout,” which most people can say is the blackest and most pigmented black on the market.

The lipstick comes in six shades and are a mix of matte and glossy. The colors range from a rich ruby red, a deep fuchsia and tone down to a sheer nude. They are long wearing and creamy. The lip liners are made to go with the lipsticks and are the same colors. Many people love the lip liners as much as the lipstick.

The blush pallet that is part of the collection gives users an option of six unique shades. The pallet includes a highlight shade, a bronzer and four different pink blush shades.

The brow box comes in one shade bathwater blonde, which has a dark blonde and light blonde shade. The perk about this brow box is that it comes with two mini angled brushes to shape your brows and a mini pair of tweezers.

The disadvantage to this great collection is the price. Although Urban Decay is prestige makeup, everything in the set is pricey. The lipstick is the cheapest part of the collection at $18, and the lip liner costs more than the actual lipstick at $20. The prices are comparable to other brand names like Too Faced and Smashbox, but there are cheaper drug store brands that could do the same job.

The eye shadow pallet is priced at $58, but doesn’t have as many color options if you’re trying to go for a dramatic look.  Many prefer the company’s well known naked pallets priced at $54, which isn’t much better price-wise, but they have a greater variety of colors. If you feel like splurging on some nice quality makeup, this collection seems worth it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Isabela Roldan – Staff Reporter

Ever wonder what goes on at home when you leave your pets alone?

The question we’ve all been curious about will finally be answered with the upcoming release of “The Secret Life of Pets.”

Director Chris Renaud who is most popularly known for his smash hits, “Despicable Me”,”The Lorax,” and “The Minions,” hopes to hit it big with yet another family fun animation.

Once humans leave their homes to pursue the day of work and school, pets follow by starting their daily routines which include hanging out with each other, talking about their owners, and practicing adorable tricks and looks to be rewarded better snacks.

This 3D film will be released on July 8.

The movie follows the life of a pampered terrier named Max, living in a New York apartment. This pooch struggles to deal with being neglected after his beloved owner, Katie, adopts a massive mutt named Duke, who battles to be the new center of attention.

The two dogs must put their rivalry aside when they find themselves stranded on the street and pursued by a rabbit mastermind named Snowball who has an evil plan in mind. The seemingly adorable hare and his army of abandoned animals, self-named the “Flushed Pets,” seek to retaliate against happy critters and their owners in an act of revenge.

The creatures of Max’s apartment complex venture off into the city in an attempt to find their neighbors, all while being wrapped up in the “Flushed Pets” evil arrangement.

The film will include a plethora of well-known comedy actors including Kevin Hart as Snowball, Louis C.K. as Max, Eric Stonestreet as Duke, and Ellie Kemper as Katie.

“The Secret Life of Pets” will also include well-known comedy co-stars such as Jenny Slate who plays Gidget, a spunky pomeranian, Steve Coogan as an interrogating alley cat, and Bobby Moynihan as Mel, a dopey pug.

“I think the balance between really capturing the physical behavior of these pets and making them look and seem like our pets, and then making them just a bit more human, and enhancing their personalities and their motivations more is always satisfying,” Slate said.

Director Chris Renaud is also partnering up with Yarrow Cheney as co-director in order to perfect the film.

“The good thing about having a co-director is, these movies take so long, that it’s nice to have a collaborator who you can bounce ideas off of, and he can have ideas that help moments, and have someone to have a conversation with and develop the film with,” Renaud said.

“The Secret Life of Pets” will have pet lovers across the nation laughing at the silly antics of animals and leave them wondering what their pets are really doing at that exact moment while they’re enjoying the film.

By Ann Reed – Staff Reporter

YouTuber Troye Sivan reminds listeners what “YOUTH” is like with his debut album “Blue Neighborhood.”

Originally from South-Africa, this raised Australian is no stranger to success in the entertainment industry. Troye Sivan is a triple threat; earning success as an actor, singer, and YouTuber, all before even turning 21. The now twenty year old got his first taste of fame at the mere age of fourteen, when he played James in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”,  going on to star in the “Spud” movie franchise, (mostly popular in South Africa) that same year. His YouTube career began in 2007 when he began posting videos of himself singing. It wasn’t until 2014 that he started posting Vlogs, grossing over 4 million subscribers since then.  His debut album “Blue Neighborhood” sold around 65,000 copies in the first week.

“Blue Neighborhood” is screaming with emotion from the second play is pressed to the second the last note is sung. Listening to this album is like having a window directly into Sivan’s soul, seeing him as both an artist and human in the purest form. Opening up on topics ranging from inner conflicts to toxic relationships, “Blue Neighborhood” tells the listener every aspect of Sivan’s life.  Nothing is off limits with lyrics like “This voice inside has been eating at me, trying to replace the love that I fake, with what we both need”, and “So if I’m losing a piece of me maybe I don’t want heaven”, (both from Sivan’s song titled “HEAVEN”). Sivan’s immense vulnerability  helps the listener connect to him as an artist, making them feel as if they was reading an entry from Sivan’s diary. This kind of connection is one that causes the listener to want to listen to this album over and over again, and enjoy it more every time.

The song that epitomizes this album as a whole has to be Sivan’s fourth single, entitled “YOUTH”. This song is a roller coaster, ranging from slow to fast tempo within seconds, reminding the listener of what it was like to be young and sporadic. The phrase “What if” is repeated a total of nine times throughout the song, making up most of the structure of the verses. This phrase instills in the reader the possibilities associated with youth itself. Being young is all about the “what if’s” in life, for you have your entire life in the palms of your hands. You can do and be whatever you want, a feeling often lost with age. Sivan is here to reignite the flame of possibility in listener of all ages, and reignite he does.

With emotion so raw, the fact that Sivan backed up his beautiful lyrics with such overproduced tracks is a little disappointing. While the lyrics are gorgeous, their emotion become muffled with loud electric keyboards and overwhelming bass lines.  Those aspects take away from the meaning of the song, leaving the listener yearning for more out of Sivan. If the artist was to release an acoustic version of this album however, it would be without flaw.

This album is perfect for music lovers who are looking for a soundtrack to their upcoming summer. This album is eccentric, unpredictable, and raw, perfectly epitomizing the “YOUTH” Sivan vocalizes so well.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Nisali Fernando – Staff Reporter

From mesmerizing falsettos to mind-bending musicality, Zayn Malik proves his worth in the world of music.

Zayn Malik released his debut album, “Mind of Mine” on March 25. “MoM” allows listeners a walk through his mind and it’s a sort of jumbled yet, organized mess. He manages to compress a story of love, lust, heartbreak, and carelessness into 18 well-crafted songs (included in the Deluxe version) Over the course of a year, Malik has managed to compose, arrange, and release an album that sets the bar incredibly high for pop music. Yet the 23 year old Brit is no stranger to the world of music, having only a year prior been a member of the boyband, One Direction.

When Malik left One Direction, speaking behalf on every One Direction fan in the world, there was a lot of crying. A lot of crying and a lot of anger. He was a driving force in the boyband and one cursory Facebook post later, he was gone. “After 5 incredible years, Zayn Malik has decided to leave One Direction…” In the months following this break Malik revealed those years weren’t all that incredible. He exposed the truth behind the censorship of the band’s ability and spoke out on his unhappiness in the group; which led to even more crying. Many fans have been unable to forgive Malik for his departure, but it’s obvious Malik will never apologize for his choice.“MoM” offers a sense of closure to fans and an invitation to join him on his new journey. It’s obvious Zayn is happy, and the 1d boys are too. The world of music has changed since March 25, but there’s no reason to cry anymore over Malik; it’s all jubilance as listeners delve into “Mind of Mine”

“Pillowtalk,” the first single off the album, was released on January 29. The track itself is quite self-explanatory, Malik dives head first into this world of maturity and sexuality, and listeners are left aghast. He uses his newfound freedom to his best ability, and presents the artistry that survives in “the bed all day.” His vocals cut like glass through an intense synth beat, and the somewhat repetitive lyrics make the song unforgettable. Malik’s vocal ability cannot be contested, and the effortless blend of RnB and techno are unlike anything he’s ever released. He croons, “It’s our paradise and it’s our war zone,” and listeners cannot help but feel at ease. The track may be littered with mature/explicit language, but it managed to debut at Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 (25 songs have done so in the past). According to Billboard, “Pillowtalk also opens atop the Digital Songs and Streaming Songs charts, with 267,000 first-week U.S. downloads sold and 22.3 million U.S. streams.”

“Intermission: Flower” is definitely one of the best tracks off of the album, and it’s not even in English. Malik recounts a tale of unrequited love entirely in Urdu, “Until the flower of this love has blossomed, this heart won’t be at peace. Give me your heart…” Somehow the English translation isn’t as transcendent, but he shatters the expectations of transition music in an album.  Supported only by a sitar, Malik’s vocals carry the track to another level.

“She”  is one of the more fast-tempo tracks of the album. Malik combines RnB and dance perfectly, and leaves listeners bopping their heads. The track isn’t meant to be emotional or open to interpretation, he sings about a back and forth romance. A sort of, ‘should I stay or should I go,’ situation with a girl who, “wants somebody to love, to hold her. She wants somebody to love, in the right way. She wants somebody to love, to kiss her.” The track isn’t innovative lyrically, but the laid back vibe of the song invites listeners to let loose and dance.

“Bordersz” is a soulful, sultry track about intimacy in a relationship. Malik asks his partner to, “break down all of our walls.” He confronts the boundaries and insecurities in their relationship and says, “right now I wanna see it all. I don’t wanna cool off, so let’s cross the lines we lost.” He serenades listeners with his soothing voice demands, “all of you.” (Hopefully consensual)

“Fool For You,” starts as a soft, silky piano ballad and transforms into a full fledged power ballad backed by powerful guitar chords. Malik stuns listeners with his vocal range, the track is overwhelmed with riffs.  Every lyric has a stunning vibrato and it’s obvious that Malik will never hold back again. He belts, “Cause I’m a fool for you and the things you do. I’m a fool for you and the things, the things you do,” and there’s nothing left to do but sway alongside his harmonious voice.

“Befour” is one of the more easy-going tracks of the album. The mid-tempo, percussive track addresses the hate towards Malik. Electronic, drum music floods the track as he claims, “So say what you wanna say, what you want, shame is you won’t say that to my face.” He understands the consequences of leaving One Direction, but refuses to apologize for it. He is no stranger to the world of music and public scrutiny but for the first time in his life he is allowed to be unapologetically himself.

Some say his abrasive nature is off-putting. Malik rushes into this sense of maturity and sophistication. He incorporates sex and obscene language into his music without blinking an eye. For those who know him as the quiet, shy boy from One Direction, this bad-boy, uncensored Malik is a little overwhelming. (According to my mother, a diehard Malik supporter, “the cursing and F-bombs are just too much.” He seems desperate to do whatever’s possible to get away from the “boyband” image.)

Yet behind this “badboy” persona and inappropriate language, Malik’s talent still shines through. There is no arguing Zayn Malik has one of the most unique, well-rounded voices of this generation. From the momentous crescendos in “Wrong” to the impressive ragas (a type of riff/vibrato specific to South Asian music) in “It’s You,” Malik exceeds expectation for “Mind of Mine”. He has a long way to go to rebrand himself away from “that kid who left that boyband.” If that means cursing or singing about sex, (probably every song on the radio) it’s a small price to pay to be able to see Malik reach his true potential.

Zayn Malik may no longer be part of One Direction, but his career is headed in the right one.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Vishal Manglani – Staff Reporter

Rihanna is starting to blow up in the hip hop and R&B industry with the release of her new album “ANTI”. Before this, she has been featured in hit songs such as “FourFiveSeconds” with Kanye and Paul McCartney. Recently, she has topped charts with multiple songs off the album “ANTI”

Rihanna has shown her success through her new songs “Desperado,” “Work,” and “Needed Me,” which are all in the Billboard Top 5.

Rihanna’s traditional style is rhythmic and melodic. Her songs like “Umbrella,” released in 2007, are prime examples of the basis of her music. This melodic tone has stayed persistent as she advanced through her career.

However, she has modernized the style of her music in her new album. Her rhythm is now matched by heavy beats and her soul tone has morphed into one that matches today’s popular artist’s style such as Fetty Wap. Her songs are about love and being dominant. This has been her focal point through the years of her career.

On the album, Rihanna transitions from a slow and mellow tone to a fast and modern tone.

Rihanna’s most popular song of the album is “Work” featuring Drake. The song is infused with rasta and R&B tones and lyrics. The song is about love and how she would cherish a loved one with a second chance.

However, she has more mellow songs in “ANTI” such as “Close to You” which has a slow pace with a elegant piano tone throughout. The song is about love for someone and dedication to keep them safe whether they need it or not.

Rihanna sings with soul in a majority of her songs. The most prominent one is “Higher”. In songs like these, she displays the power of her voice and hides the mellow tone of the music. She transitions from this tone in the next song, “Never Ending” where she sings with a fast pace and over a guitar instead of a mellow piano. She reaches a modern tone in the song “Same Ol’ Mistakes” where the music transitions from instruments to beats and her voice becomes more rhythmic.

Rihanna shows an impressive use of tone and tempo in the album. In the song “Needed me” she shows an impressive display of the reaches of her voice. She reaches high pitches and a repeating tempo. Not only does she reach a variety of tones, but she is powerful when going to new heights in her music.

Rihanna’s music is only becoming more and more popular. The increase in her success and modernization of her tone will lead to more songs to be released that top charts around the country.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

By Tyler Chavez – Staff Reporter

“How about we make a film where animals have their own society and there are no humans?” The trope has been beaten to death. There are hundreds of films, cartoons, and comics where the entire premise falls on animals having their own society. And yet, we haven’t gotten sick of it. Not many are good, but it always manages to crawl back into our media. So what sets Disney’s “Zootopia” apart from the others? Why has this film received so much critical and commercial success despite having such a simple premise? Is it just the Disney touch, or does Zootopia have some deep story and message to tell us?

Starring Ginnifer Goodwin (“Once Upon a Time”, “Big Love”, “He’s Just Not That Into You”) as Judy Hopps, Jason Bateman (“Horrible Bosses” “Arrested Development” “Paul”) as Nick Wilde, and Idris Elba (“Thor”, “Beasts of No Nation”, “Luther”) as Chief Bogo, “Zootopia” tells the story of a young, bunny officer named Judy Hopps. Hopps is special because she is the first bunny officer in the city of Zootopia. But once on the job, she discovers all that glitters is not golden and is stuck as a meter maid. It’s not until she meets a wise-cracking, con artist fox named Nick Wilde that she uncovers a conspiracy concerning the city’s carnivore population. The two go off on a crazy adventure to discover what is causing the carnivores to go “wild” and attack others.

Right from the start viewers will notice how amazing this film looks. The city of Zootopia is gleaming, bright, colorful, and filled with life. The animals are cute and the size differences add diversity and a more realistic look. Those larger, heavier creatures like the rhinos move slower and tower over the faster, smaller animals. Indeed, the layout of the city also reflects this. Beyond the urban zone are regions for cold, deserts, rain forests, and even a section just for rodents that is part of a good chase scene. The layout of the city is well-thought and detailed. It’s not just animals of similar sizes living in a uniform sized city, it’s animals of natural, realistic shapes and sizes in a city that compensates for the various sizes with its architecture.

The humor in this film is also done extremely well. Animal gags are easy to do but that also makes them hard to master; but “Zootopia” delivers a number of different jokes with animal gags and smart writing. The scene with the sloths running the DMV is still hilarious and laugh out loud funny despite being shown countless times in trailers. Typically, scenes shown in trailers do not have the same effect in the movie, but that scene still cracks me up. The writing also shines through to add more laughs. Instead of depending on just animal puns and such, the writing is smart, well delivered, and funny.

The bigger attraction about the film is its message. “Zootopia” delivers an honest, home-hitting message on anti-racism and our modern society. In this world, carnivores no longer hunt down herbivores (what they eat now is never answered), but some animals still hold old preconceptions about their fellow creatures. Carnivores are seen as savage, wild, and unpredictable dangers. Small animals are seen as weak and timid. Even more so, once some carnivores are caught attacking, the majority herbivore population become scared and retaliated by having mass arrests of carnivores, firing them, not trusting them, and pinning them all as savages. The message also adds a layer of complexity to the characters, particularly Nick Wilde. Nick was attacked and bullied because he is a carnivore, and that abuse led to him choosing and living the life he does. It can also be seen in the herbivores once they gain up on carnivores. We see how they still hold onto old prejudices and discriminate against carnivores because they fear for their safety. It’s not hard to tell that this message is supposed to represent what we as a society are facing today: racial prejudices still creeping in, blaming an entire culture for the acts of a few, and mass arrests of a minority population. The metaphor is not subtle, but it’s so effective and so powerful.

Watching “Zootopia” and realizing the metaphor actually made me emotional. Seeing a message about modern racism told so powerfully and so straight to the point was amazing to me. One major criticism of modern children’s films is that none of them have messages or morals. They’re just jokes, no story, no lesson to learn, just jokes. “Zootopia” shuts that stereotype down. The message it has is one that we all need to be reminded of today. And this is just the surface without dwelling into the metaphors for police brutality and profiling and drug addiction.  

While the message of this film carries it a long way, the plot does leave something to be desired. The biggest problem is the obvious plot hole. This is a society where carnivores and herbivores live equally, but the question of what carnivores now eat is never brought up. Is it synthetic meat? Have they switched to a different diet? This question could have been a central point of the plot, and it’s a very important detail to leave out, but it is instead tossed aside and not even used for a joke. This isn’t enough to really bring down the film and its quality, but it was still an annoying detail that stayed in the back of my mind throughout the film.

“Zootopia” is a film that can truly be liked by anyone. Children will appreciate the bright visuals, cute characters, visual gags, and the thrilling story. Also, children will pick up on the metaphor this movie tells. Kids are smarter than people think; they’re aware of things going on in the world around them and they absorb the media they watch. Adults will still get a kick out of the social commentary, deep, relatable story, and funny writing. “Zootopia” has already beaten “Frozen” with an astonishing $73.7 million opening weekend. The film still has that Disney charm, while proving that the studio can tell a modern story with a modern message. Only Disney can create an animated film with such a powerful, relevant message. If this is the future of Disney and animated kids films, than the future is very bright.

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Owen Paiva – Staff Reporter

With Season 11 just wrapping up and Seasons 1-10 streaming on Netflix, “Always Sunny” is a spectacle to behold. Often called “The Next Seinfeld”, it is over ten years old, yet people are unaware of its existence. A mix of sitcom and dark comedy, it is the tale of four friends who own Paddy’s Irish Pub in Philadelphia. Season 1 was produced at a much lower production value, but Fox ,and in particular, Danny DeVito saw enough in the show to fund it. This was a big break for Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton and especially Charlie Day. Charlie Day steals the show as Charlie Kelly, the bumbling fool with a heart of gold. The show centers on the various situations the “Gang” get into, whether it be trying to be a band, increase the attendance at the pub, or taking a vacation to the Jersey Shore.

The show’s main strength is character development, viewers really get to see each member of the “Gang” get flushed out, and the chemistry between certain people. The chemistry between McElhenney’s Mac, Day’s Kelly, and DeVito’s Frank is amazing. Highlights of the relationship include forming the band “Chemical Toilet” ,  and especially in the Season 2 premier which is when Frank is introduced. When the whole gang is together or broken up into smaller groups, hilarity ensues. This is on display in many episodes, with my 3 personal favorites being season 4’s “The Nightman Cometh” and Season 7’s “The gang go to the Jersey Shore” and “CharDee MacDennis, The Game of Games”. I won’t say too much about these episodes, but “The Nightman Cometh” calls back to an earlier episode, and how it expands on what was introduced was hysterical.

The show’s main weakness is not a glaring issue, but is a matter of who is watching it. Some people do not like dark comedy, poking fun of “Taboo Issues” or any offensive content, and this is how the show could not appeal to certain people.  The show is not offensive just be offensive like “Family Guy”, instead having good writing and storytelling, and incorporating the dark comedy as humor. With 8.8/10’s on IMDB and TV.com, and a 96/100 for critics and a 94/100 for audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, then the “weakness” does not even affect critics.

The show gets better and better with each season, viewers wonder “How will they top it this time?” Then they see an episode where recurring villains take the gang hostage, or a sequel to a previous episode, and their mind is blown.

When fans watch all the seasons, they see the characters and the production quality develop. They find out who their favorite is, probably Charlie, and they understand why these people are the way they are.

If people need a show to laugh at after a long day of school or work, or just a new show to binge, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is worth watching.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Valeria Araujo – News Editor

The world’s not-so-favorite Assassin is back in the TOG sequel “Crown of Midnight” with a new title to add to her collection: King’s Champion.

Celaena Sardothien has been through hell and back since her arrival to the Glass Castle. And the new game she’s playing with the King’s most wanted is leading her to an even greater risk than before. Instead of killing the people on the King’s hitlist Celaena has given them a choice; flee or die.

She keeps her vigilante nightlife a secret from everyone including her best friend Nehemia. With no true loyalty to the king, besides the check he slices, Celaena is stuck between a rock and a hard place when her friends start questioning her allegiance.

But is she the only one with secrets to hide?

Things become difficult for Celaena to hide when a new group of rebels lurks in the shadows. While continuing her duties to the king, Celaena is also busy with discovering secrets in through the castle library and her trusty informants about the rebellion. Little does she know that while she’s gallivanting the streets searching for clues they end up being right under her nose and one tragic night brings everything to light.

With intense action and heartwarming relationships, the second book in the throne of glass series leaves nothing to be desired. Maas has perfected the art of toying with readers emotions in a positively torturous way. After tying up some loose ends from the first novel, the second book explores many new and intriguing plots that are sure to make any reader waiting at the edge of their seats.

Love triangles are not only selfish but disorienting so one thing all readers can all look forward to is the blooming romance between Chaol and Celaena. After ending her short relationship with the Crowned Prince Dorian, things were not looking too good in the love department for Celaena. That is until Chaol finally takes a leap of faith and express his feelings for Celaena.

The reader also gets to see new sides of some beloved characters. Nehemia, who was always a rebel sympathizer, reveals the length she is willing to go to protect her people and her friends. Chaol continues to go through intense inner turmoil to figure out where his loyalty lies and who he can trust. Dorian develops new abilities that were thought impossible that could hurt those he holds dear. There are many problems to fix and only 400 pages to fix them in.

Readers also get to explore more of the dark side of the king unlike in the first book where the king’s point of view was only shown in a couple pages near the end. Readers are also introduced to the side of Celaena that has stayed with her since her days as a full-time assassin. While becoming more immersed into Celaena and her story readers can finally enjoy and understand the intensity that is her personality. Although she has matured slightly, some of her decisions and actions are still quite vulgar which leads to fatal consequences.

As Celaena and her friends continue to face the impossible, fans and readers alike continue to follow them through to the end. With only a few predictable plot twists here and there. the second installment of the “Throne of Glass” series undoubtedly kept up with the hype and readers of high fantasy will appreciate it for all its worth.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Danielle Tancredi – Staff Reporter

The new original Netflix series, “Fuller House”  is a continuation of  the ‘90s sitcom, “Full House.” The first episode picks up 20 years later with D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure), who is recently widowed with her three sons: Jackson (Michael Campion), Max (Elias Harger), and baby Tommy (Dashiel and Fox Messit).

Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) is planning to move out from the family home he’s been sharing with D.J, while D.J’s younger sister Stephanie, (Jodie Sweetin) and D.J’s best friend Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) along with her teenage daughter Ramona (Soni Nicole Bringas) decide to move in and help support her. To make the house even fuller, Uncle Jesse (John Stamos), Uncle Joey (Dave Coulier), Becky (Lori Loughlin), and Steve (Scott Weinger) visit as well. The only original “Full House” members missing were the Olsen twins,who throughout the season, were sporadically mentioned. Overall, the opening of the continuation will give “Full House” fans excitement as well as nostalgia.

“Fuller House” takes on a very similar storyline to the original show in which Danny Tanner gets the support of Jesse, Joey, and Becky in raising his daughters after losing his wife. The first episode contained so much reflection on episodes from “Full House” that there was no room for the new show’s originality or character development. Therefore, it’s easy to say that this continuation would definitely be admired by viewers who loved the original series and couldn’t stand all the reruns.

Even though “Fuller House” tends to revisit the sitcom that started it all, the new show does have differences to it. The season is more focused on the lives of D.J., Kimmy, and Stephanie as they lead their own stories. Romance also gets included when Kimmy is involved in her complicated past relationship with soon-to-be ex husband Fernando, and when D.J. has to make a decision between her first love Steve and her business partner Matt (John Brotherton).

The four kids, including D.J.’s sons and Kimmy’s daughter, are put on to balance out the show with new characters. On the other hand, Danny, Joey, and Jesse seem to just represent their original characters and aren’t mainly focused on during the season. But in its defense, it was a better choice to just focus on the two youngest generations.

“Fuller House” gives a new set of characters, but is still the same cheesy sitcom as “Full House” was. So, basically, “Fuller House” suites it’s super fans more than any other type of audience. While the season has its new storyline, it still pays tribute to “Full House” with its references and catchphrases. Even though there is hope with the “Full House” fan base, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this Netflix sequel series doesn’t last after Season Two.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

By Brianna Arnold – Staff Reporter

Grey’s Anatomy, a Netflix series, returned on February 11 for Season 12.

Director Shonda Rhimes is a genius. She created the world of these surgeons back in 2003, when she was working from home as a newly single mom of an adopted daughter. Once she got the show off the ground, she gathered a team of writers who believed in her characters. These writers were so respected that their writers’ blog was almost as successful as the show.

There are new cast members and characters introduced every season which makes the show always interesting to watch.

Grey’s is a show that will make viewers cry every week. Sometimes, there’s nothing like a good cry to unwind after a long week, and Grey’s provides just that. Almost inevitably, a patient dies or is near death, but it makes for great television when one of the surgeons pulls through with a miraculous save in the final six minutes of the show.

The surgeons at this hospital put as much passion into each other as they do their work on the operating tables. Rhimes and her team created relationships, marriages, and betrayal weekly on the show.

Grey’s is known as the “never ending series,” there are 12-drama packed seasons making people not be able to stop watching it. It appeals to women, men, and teenagers that want to watch a drama-filled show.

Rhimes is known to tell stories that mirror real life more than Hollywood. Grey’s Anatomy features gay marriage, blended families, moral conflict, secret children and much more.

Viewer’s eyes are glued to the screen knowing that their favorite character’s entire life could change at any moment. On Grey’s, this happens all the time; no patient is safe, no relationship is safe, and no surgeon is safe.

Rhimes ends every season of Grey’s Anatomy with a bang. Fans have already seen the agony of watching their favorites doctors deal with plane crashes and major, sudden deaths. This is a great show for viewers to get invested in and it’s never too late to start watching how exciting Grey’s can get.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Isabela Roldan – Staff Reporter

Something strange in your neighborhood? Who you gonna call…that’s right, Ghostbusters, with their long awaited comeback.

This old classic is getting revamped in this 2016 girl-power twist, including some of today’s funniest and most well-known actors. The film is expected to be released on July 15, a week sooner than initially thought. Since the feature is a reboot instead of a direct sequel, the 2016 version will include completely new characters and will be based off an entirely new plot.

When Manhattan gets invaded by spirits, two former ghost novel authors team up with two other unlikely women to save the world and ultimately defeat a manipulative demon, Rowan, who can posses humans.

Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates are a pair of lowly authors who write about the reality of ghosts. Gilbert later lands a job, teaching at Columbia University, which doesn’t last long.

When her past ghost book comes back to haunt her, she becomes the laughing stock of the University and in turn loses her job. Erin rekindles her relationship with Abby in order to put their brains together and come up with a solution to clear the phantom infestation.

Yates and Gilbert recruit Jillian Holtzman, a nuclear engineer, and Patty Tolan, a New York subway worker, to complete the task.

Director Paul Feig had talked of a new Ghostbuster idea in 2014, which displayed strong female roles. This would soon prove to be true after revealing his plans to The Hollywood Reporter. Feig has become a well known comedy director of “Bridesmaids,” “The Heat,” “The Office,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “Arrested Development.” Fans will surely not be disappointed with his newest upcoming comedy.

After asking one of the original Ghostbusters, Bill Murray, of his opinion on the new spin-off, Murray proved to be pleased with the idea.

“I’m fine with it, I would go to that movie, and they’d probably have better outfits too,” Murray said.

Murray also gave suggestions for the casting, which included stars like Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Emma Stone, and Amy Poehler. Likewise, Dan Aykroyd, another former Ghostbuster, shared similar excitement for the new cast and plot.

“The Aykroyd family is delighted by this inheritance of the Ghostbusters torch by these most magnificent women in comedy,” Aykroyd said. “My great grandfather, Dr. Sam Aykroyd, the original Ghostbuster, was a man who empowered women in his day and this is a beautiful development in the legacy of our family business.”

On January 27, Feig shared the set casting list which included Melissa McCarthy as Abby Yates, Kristen Wiig as Erin Gilbert, and Chris Hemsworth as Kevin the receptionist. The movie will also guest star celebrities, Bill Murray, Ozzy Osbourne, and many more.

The gender roles have been completely switched in this new take, with Chris Hemsworth playing the team’s receptionist, replacing the original stereotypical woman.

Some fans have already shown a lot of disagreement and negativity towards the film’s decision to include female leading roles, while others are excited for this feminist promotion.

This supernatural restart of “Ghostbusters” is sure to attract fans worldwide, while also broadening the appeal by promoting girl-power throughout the movie.

After the Ghostbusters are through, you won’t be afraid of no ghost.  

By Mindy Le – Staff Reporter

“Blackfish” is an American documentary about the controversy surrounding captive Orca whales, mainly focusing on SeaWorld’s Orca “Tilikum.” Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite provides interviews with former SeaWorld trainers and countless news stories. “Blackfish” was created to essentiality “expose” SeaWorld. The film informs viewers on the treatment of aquatic mammals and the devastating impact captivity can have.

The film opens with a series of 911 calls reporting attacks at SeaWorld. In 1983, near Iceland a young male orca later named Tilikum was taken from his mother and sent to a small Canadian resort. Tilikum was friendly and eager to learn but the trainer at the time used methods that involved punishment.

Six years into his stay at the resort Tilikum had attacked and killed his trainer. Eleven months later, SeaWorld bought Tilikum and he was transferred to their park in Florida. While at SeaWorld, Tilikum caused multiple injuries and two more deaths, including expert trainer Dawn Brancheau. Tilikum now spends his days in a small tank in isolation.

There is a lot of suspicion surrounding the treatment of animals at Seaworld. Orcas at the park have collapsed dorsal fins due to poor diet, but employees claim that it is normal for even wild orca. Yet, studies show less than 0.1% of wild orcas suffer from collapsed fins..

When Tilikum first arrived at SeaWorld parks it was reported that management failed to inform trainers of his violent behavior. After every attack, SeaWorld management would claim trainer error. But the former trainers would watch the tapes and see that in fact there was no error made.

Since the 2013 premiere, “Blackfish” has been picked up by Magnolia Pictures and CNN. This film impacted and opened America’s eyes. The controversy surrounding  “Blackfish” and SeaWorld caused Southwest Airlines to end their 26-year partnership with the park. According to SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. reports, there was an 84% drop in net income. SeaWorld’s income fell below $6 million compared to the $37 million earned the year previously.

People believe that the attacks are due to the physiological harm of captivity. These mammals are forced to swim in small tanks, punished using food deprivation, and isolated from others.  In the wild, Orcas live with their family and are used to swimming miles a day. There are no recorded deaths caused by Orcas in the wild, while, in captivity there are already three from one killer whale alone.

Orcas are highly intelligent and emotional animals. From the minute they are born they do not leave their mother’s side. They have family values similar to that of humans. In 2010, an MRI was conducted on an Orca, it revealed that they have a part of the brain that humans do not. It is possible this means that Orcas have emotions that are more complex and can possibly outrank humans.

Overall, “Blackfish” is a powerful documentary that supports its claims with compelling evidence. Even people who normally do not enjoy documentaries will be touched. This award-winning film is heartbreaking, sympathetic, dark, and  thought-provoking. Audiences will no doubt have a newfound appreciation for these magnificent animals and will be left with a different outlook on life.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Amanda Downs – Staff Reporter

Hoodie Allen released his new album “Happy Camper” at the end of January.

The album has 10 tracks on it and features many different artists such as Blackbear and Kyle.

Hoodie is an independent artist and isn’t signed to any big music labels. Because of this, he is allowed to do things differently than most artists. Many of his albums can be found on iTunes, but he also gives the option for free download on his website, which is considerate for fans who cannot afford to purchase his albums.

“Happy Camper” is available for free download on his website, SoundCloud, and YouTube. He also gives has the option to purchase the album on iTunes for those who can help support him.

Hoodie’s style is pop-rap and his newest album “Happy Camper” rose to 28 on the Billboard’s Top 200 albums.

His music and lyrics are very unique. Just like on his older albums in his songs he makes references to movies and tv shows. Hoodies lyrics are catchy and relatable like in “Intro to anxiety” where he wrote, “Sometimes I let my ego get the best of me. Sometimes I wonder why my stress is stressing me.”

This album further shows his creativity with his witty lyrics such as, “I’ll go back to my future just to get to my past. But knowing me, my DeLorean would probably crash.”

Hoodie Allen has written all of his songs, but this album was pretty different from his older music. The tracks on the album range from chill to upbeat. “Champagne and Pools,” featuring Blackbear, is a fan favorite. The whole album flows very nicely from the starting track “Intro To Anxiety” to the last track, “King To Me.”

Although the album was great it seems like it was released too soon. Hoodie’s tracks on “Happy Camper” just don’t compare to his other albums such as “All-American” or even “Crew Cuts.”

In “Happy Camper” Hoodie is singing more than rapping which is a bit disappointing. His single on the album, “Are U Having Any Fun?” is repetitive and somewhat boring.  The chorus is catchy but its lyrics get tiring after a while, “Fun, fun, fun (Hey) Are you having any fun? (Are you having any fun?) Fun, fun, fun.”

Hoodie Allen is a great artist and very enjoyable to listen to, but this wasn’t his best album. Fans of artists like Sammy Adams, G-Eazy, or Mac Miller would enjoy Hoodie’s album.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Nisali Fernando – Staff Reporter

Most people run the other way when they hear “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it,” but in this instance it is the bizarre yet fitting title for The 1975’s new album.

The band released their sophomore album on February 26. The album is a transcendent walk through the human spectrum of emotion, draped in pastel pink. Listeners follow frontman, Matty Healy, 26, through his life after the whirlwind fame of becoming a popstar. Aside from their eccentric frontman, the band also includes, George Daniel (drums), Adam Hann (guitar), and Ross MacDonald (bass). The four men, with the release of “I like it when you sleep..” have pioneered a breakthrough retro/cosmic sound to the world of alternative music. The band from Manchester has taken the world by storm since their debut in 2013. Hit singles such as “Settle Down”, “Girls”, “Chocolate”, and “Robbers” overtook the charts, and prove that The 1975 are a force to be reckoned with.

Through social media, Healy released a comic strip on June 1st, cryptically describing the details of a “new” band. The comic included, “ We can’t simply go on forever – always staying the same, never evolving.” Enter, “I like it when you sleep…” a revamped version of The 1975. The band formerly known for its black and white aesthetic morphed into one of neon lights and pastel colors. This new and improved band managed to skate to the top of the tracks, earning No. 1 album in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. “I like it when you sleep” also earned number one on the Billboard Top 200, according to Billboard, “The set earned 108,000 equivalent album units in the week ending March 3, according to Nielsen Music. It sold 98,000 in pure album sales.”

The album may be a mouthful, but the 17 tracks (included in the Deluxe version) speak for themselves. Each track compliments each other, starting where the other left off or smoothly transitioning between songs. “Please Be Naked” and “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it” fulfill the techno/ethereal aspect of the band and manage to set the bar higher for what is expected for musical interludes.  

Healy’s lyrical genius is obvious in the first single off the album. “Love Me” is an eloquent attack of our media-obsessed, narcissistic world. In the song it’s obvious he is still coming to terms with his own stardom and visibility in the media according to, “next thing you’ll find, you’re reading about yourself on a plane, fame, what a shame!” As the song progresses, Healy’s attempts to portray the superficiality that exists between celebrities, “You look famous, let’s be friends and portray we possess something important, and do the things we’d like.” Dueling guitar riffs pour out of the speakers, and a smooth head bopping backbeat set the song apart from anything The 1975 have ever done. The song sort of sounds like it was mixed in a garage, back in the 80s whilst a disco ball shone on the band and people said things like “groovy.” The music video peaked at almost 7 million views since its release, and features Healy clad in nothing but leather pants, blue eyeshadow, and pink lipstick dancing wildly behind flashing colored lights.

“UGH!” is ironically one of the more fast-paced tracks of the album. Mostly due to the fact that the bubbly, retro music disguises Healy’s obvious reference to drug usage. He claims, “the kick won’t last for long, but the song only lasts three minutes, and I know it’s wrong, but give me one.” Healy’s clever lyrics distract from the obvious misuse of the “simple diuretic that prevents the empathetic.” Healy pushes boundaries by writing beautiful, bouncy melodies for topics that are usually ignored or considered taboo.

“Change of Heart” sounds as if someone pressed play on an electric keyboard and manipulated one of the beats and created a charismatic yet heartbreaking ballad. The synth heavy track details what it’s like to fall out of love with someone, to have a change of heart.

“She’s American” is a fast-paced guitar-fueled track that comments on American stereotypes and the naivety of American girls who have fallen in love with The 1975. “If she says I’ve got to fix my teeth then she’s so American (she’s American) if she likes it cause we just don’t eat and we’re socially relevant, she’s American” whilst the song does come off as snarky, Healy succeeds again in proving there’s more than meets the eye (to American girls). Healy heeds warning to whirlwind romances, he croons, “don’t fall in love with the moment,and think you’re in love with the girl.”

“Somebody Else” is one of the more somber songs of the album, almost as if listeners are along for the ride in Healy’s subconscious as he recovers from losing a love. “I don’t want your body, but I hate to think about you with somebody else our love has gone cold you’re intertwining your soul with somebody else” is backed by a pulsing synth beat and harmonious organ chords. The track is a progressive love ballad, because listeners can cry whilst dancing to the infectious beat.

“She Lays Down” closes the album and is a complete 360. Healy stands alone, accompanied by an acoustic guitar crooning lyrics of his mother’s post-natal depression. The song is similar to a folk track and leaves listeners feeling warm and safe as they come to a close of their musical journey.

The “New 1975” introduces a completely different sound for listeners. The entirety of this album is sort of alien to anything Healy has ever put out there, almost as if he’s trying too hard to stand out in the ever changing music industry. Hit singles from the album like “Love Me” and “The Sound” are undeniably pop, though Healy has jokingly claimed in the past that The 1975 is not a pop band, these singles prove otherwise.  Listeners who have signed up for the black and white, angsty The 1975, are left unfulfilled by the retro track.

Maybe the old The 1975 is dead, but they have evolved into a band that is capable of creating breathtaking music. The 1975 succeed in telling a story about self-worth and heartbreak. Listeners evolve alongside the band, and feel as though maybe not everyone is not against them. Through the release of this album, Healy proves that his band is capable of more than just angsty tracks. Healy pushes the boundaries of “alternative” music and uses his charming lyrics and sharp accent to leave listeners in awe.

Healy and his band are the revolutionary minds of the music industry, and though their new album is weird, it’s the wonderful type of weird that is expected from The 1975.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Owen Paiva – Staff Reporter

While he may not be the most well known Marvel character, the Merc with a Mouth has built up a sizable following. Go to any conventions and there will be people dressed up as Deadpool. Deadpool is a unique character as he frequently breaks the fourth wall (talks directly to the audience) and is aware he is a fictional character. He is a mercenary, but his power is a healing factor. He is able to grow back body parts, survive gunshots, etc. His humor and wit, may not be a superpower, but it is one of his strengths. Deadpool is one of the funniest characters, who is as quick with a joke as he is with his weapons. The movie portrays the origin of Deadpool, but is not as boring as standard origin specials. He gets his powers, and is out for vengeance. Going into the film, viewers should expect to be entertained as they follow Deadpool on his mission.

This is a rare gem where the writing, acting, and directing is all brilliant. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick crafted the script with care, understanding the strengths of the character and having a field day with it. The focus of the movie is more on the character of Deadpool himself, and this only helps it. Ryan Reynolds was born to play this role. This is a rare perfect match; maybe Harrison Ford as Han Solo could be a close second, but other than that, no casting choice has been so spot on. Reynolds wanted to get this movie made and pushed for it. Tim Miller also shined on his directorial debut, laying out the movie in a way that breaks away from the norm.

The supporting cast was also great with T.J. Miller as Weasel, Deadpool’s best friend and bar owner. He played off Deadpool so well, with one particular sequence after Deadpool gains his power. Morena Baccarin is also a great supporting character, that you grow to care for. Deadpool is in the X-Men universe, and two X-Men feature. Colossus, in the best movie portrayal yet, is the straight man, and Deadpool plays this so well. Newcomer, Negasonic Teenage Warhead is another gem, especially her conversations with Deadpool.

This movie has a lot going for it. The jokes hit more often than not, Deadpool is the star of the show, and does not fail to disappoint. The jokes start from the opening credits, all the way to the end. The supporting cast is fantastic, and the relationships feel natural. Deadpool references other movies and pop culture, but does it in a genius way. The soundtrack is also amazing, with one joke particularly playing off of this.  Most origin stories start off boring, but the first sequence of “Deadpool” thrills with action and laughs.

The movie suffers from having a low budget compared to other superhero films. It did the best it could with $58 million. The villain is not particularly notable, and his main cohort, Angel Dust, is also not too notable, causing some of the action scenes to suffer. One particular scene seemed a little floaty. This is not too distracting, but hopefully a bigger budget will be on the cards for the sequel.

This movie was at the forefront of the debate of can R-rated movies be profitable. $619.3 million later proves that it can. R-rated movies, especially comic adaptations can be profitable and really good. Rumors are swirling with the next Wolverine movie, that it will be R-rated. Certain characters like Wolverine will benefit from this, since they have the ability to do more with it. This is a very good move for the studios because now they will be more willing to make these R-rated features. There even was this conversation over “Star Wars” as director Matthew Vaughn was offered the director’s role, but turned it down due to the studio not allowing it to be R-rated. This also stirred up rumors that some of the anthology films, mainly the Han Solo and Boba Fett movies could be R-rated, and have a darker tone. “Deadpool” opened the door for more R-rated movies that follow.

“Deadpool” was worth every penny and was extremely entertaining. With a 8.5/10 rating on IMDB and a 84% (Certified Fresh) rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 93% of the audience liking it, “Deadpool” has the ratings to stand on.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ann Reed – Staff Reporter

Kelsea Ballerini is getting a taste of fame and success for “The First Time” with her debut album.

With country music roots dating back to her birth in Mascot, Tennessee, 22-year-old Kelsea Ballerini is no stranger to this industry. Ballerini wrote her first song for her mom at just twelve years old, and moved to Nashville to pursue music three years later. After attending Lipscomb University for two years, Ballerini signed with Black River Entertainment and began her professional music career. Her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It,” reached number one on Billboard’s Country airplay, making her the first solo country artist to do so since Carrie Underwood did it with “Jesus Take the Wheel.” Her debut album, entitled “The First Time,” debuted at number 31 on the Billboard 200, and has sold over a hundred thousand copies as of January 2016.

“The First Time” is just as carefree and fun as you would imagine from a 22 year old songstress, perfectly capturing the essence of being young, in love, and curious of the world. Each of the 12 tracks feature a hopeful hint to them, even the more gloomy ones. The album’s namesake track, titled “The First Time” as well, tells the story of a relationship that kept hurting even after it was over. The bridge explains, “Even when you don’t have me, you can still be the one to hurt me.” Lyrics like this convey a meaning that is anything but carefree. However, the soaring guitar and percussion backing up the vocals lift the listener up, creating a conflicting message. The instrumental seems to be telling the listener that even though Ballerini was stuck in this endless heartbreak loop, there was a looming light at the end of the tunnel.

However, the album deems to be true to the name in other aspects, making it very clear that this is Ballerini’s “First Time” making an album. Several of the songs are as generic as possible, with lyrics like “Captured my attention make my heart stop and listen when you look my way.” Lyrics like these are the epitome of teen loves song, leaving the listener wishing for more creativity, or artistry out of Ballerini, who is clearly playing it safe to gain a sturdy fan base. But modern fans crave more out of music then generic lyrics about a boy looking at a girl; they crave meaning. It is slightly disappointing to see cheesy songs like “Yeah Boy”on the same record as songs like “Peter Pan” because listeners begin to expect more from the artist. Hopefully, Ballerini will grow as an artist before her next album, because if she does, listeners can expect great things.

“The First Time” is a perfect album for anyone looking for music to blast in the car with all the windows down as they enjoy the fresh spring air. This album is fun, and slightly cheesy, which everybody craves every once in awhile, making a perfect record to ring in the warm weather. If listeners are looking for anything more then that, they might want to search elsewhere.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Ian Hugo – Sports Editor

Picasso, Escobar, or the Apostle? Kanye West brings out all three personas on his latest album, “The Life of Pablo.”

West debuted the album, acronymized as T.L.O.P., on February 11 in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd in conjunction with his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line drop before officially releasing it exclusively on Tidal February 14.

West’s seventh studio LP, T.L.O.P. consists of 18 tracks and is chock full of ingenious samples only the mind of West could concoct and numerous collaborations with other high-profile artists such as Chance the Rapper, Rihanna, Chris Brown, and The Weeknd, to name a few.

‘Ye described T.L.O.P. as “a gospel album with a whole lot of cursing on it,” in a radio interview prior to its release, and upon hearing the opening track, “Ultralight Beam,” skeptics who thought West was just trying to drum up the album’s anticipation might be surprised.

“Ultralight Beam” opens up with a prayer, proclaiming that “We don’t want no devils in the house, we want the Lord!” before West and R&B singer The-Dream begin crooning about “keeping the faith” and how “this is a God dream.”

This is West’s only real place on the track, before it opens up to a booming gospel choir rendition and the real highlight of the song, fellow Chicago native Chance the Rapper’s verse. Filled with biblical allusions, intricate wordplay, and split-second changes in cadence, many listeners consider this the best track on the album thanks to this gem of a verse from the young Acid Rapper.

The next track, “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1,” finds West musing about a lover, from how they met, to the bad parts, to just wanting to reconcile. The track features a Pastoral opening, before Kid Cudi delivers a beautiful verse, reaffirming Ye’s love for his girl.

“Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1” seamlessly transitions to “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 2,” in which West delivers a jarring verse discussing his personal demons, such as his father issues and finding time for both his family and his work, before Desiigner, the latest signing to West’s GOOD Music and Atlanta rapper Future’s vocal doppelganger, spits two verses from his breakout single “Panda.”

Possibly the most controversial song on T.L.O.P., “Famous” opens up with what can only be described as a misogynistic jab towards Taylor Swift, who West has been in on-and-off conflict with since the 2009 VMAs, as ‘Ye lyrically saunters around the track.

With Rihanna singing an absolutely mesmerizing intro and hook, West shrugs off fame, proclaiming he doesn’t need to be famous, particularly the fame he gained from the VMA incident that defined him to a wider audience outside of hip-hop, to accomplish his goals. The bridge right before the outro contains arguably the best sample on the entire album, sampling Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam” and creating a wonderfully carefree feel on an otherwise controversial track.

“Feedback,” the fifth track on T.L.O.P., is where West brings out his Pablo Escobar persona. Catalyzed by the infectious hook, “Ayy, y’all heard about the good news? Y’all sleeping on me, huh? Had a good snooze?” West brags about his money, fame, and genius.

The track switches from high-energy boasting during verse four, in which West delivers some bone-resonating lyrics in which he resigns to the fact that he “shouldn’t even bother” with all the gossiping bloggers. Punctuated with an anecdotal outro where West proclaims himself “the ghetto Oprah,” “Feedback” is definitely one of the stronger songs on the first half of the album.

“Lowlights,” a track with no vocals from West, instead delivers listeners a testimony of faith to God shrouded in anonymity (the vocalist is unknown), which builds up to T.L.O.P.’s next track, “Highlights.” West tweeted this the day T.L.O.P. debuted as to why he chose to add “Lowlights” to the album: “I put Lowlights on my album just thinking about all the moms driving they kids to school then going to work…”

“Highlights” gives listeners West’s first collaboration with Young Thug to go public, in which Thugger and West belt out “Tell my mama, tell my mama, that I only want my whole life to only be highlights,” and “We only makin’ the highlights,” respectively. West sucker punches Ray J in the first line of the introductory verse, highlights his 21 Grammys and superstar family, delves into a bit of religion, and closes the track by posing a question to all the females in his gym.

“Freestyle 4” is arguably the track that goes the hardest on T.L.O.P. With West introducing the track as “rap god” material, he goes all out over a strings sample, accented by an instrumental “woop” sound. ‘Ye’s protégé Desiigner is back for the second and final time on T.L.O.P. for a short hook that will all in all leave the listener out of breath after the craziest minute and fifty nine seconds on the entire album.

On “I Love Kanye,” West recites his most common criticisms satirically, such as his rudeness towards media and frequent bad moods, giving listeners a look at how ridiculous and silly these complaints actually are. Kanye goes on to say how there’s neither an “old, sweet Kanye” or a “new, bad mood Kanye,” because he invented Kanye. Overall, a pleasant bit of comic relief that actually serves a purpose, highlighting West’s supposed identity crisis with fans, before heading over to the second half of the album.

“Waves,” the track which holds the same name as T.L.O.P.’s previous and third title (West went from “So Help Me God” to “Swish” to “Waves” in the creative naming process before settling on calling the album “The Life Of Pablo”), is absolutely breathtaking. West has a couple solid verses, but the real star on this track is Chris Brown, who harmonizes the chorus beautifully.

West originally planned to not include the song on the final cut of the album, which led to a little Twitter banter between West and Chance the Rapper. On February 13 West tweeted a photo of the T.L.O.P. album with the phrase “BLAME CHANCE” plastered all over, before Chance replied the next day saying he fought for “Waves” to be included on the album, which led to its official release being delayed a few days, but that he stood behind his decision.

“FML” is a track in which West discusses the troubles he’s faced staying faithful to his lady. West pours out his feeling on this track, which he states lyrically in the song, and thus reveals his soul. West goes on to discuss antidepressants and a specific episode in which him and his lady raised their voices before he got “the last laugh in the end.”

A truly dark and sinister sounding track, “FML” would be nowhere near as impressive without The Weeknd’s vocal talents, during which he makes a point saying that he can’t let them (haters, critics, etc.) get to him, and that even when he messes up (The Weeknd and West are one on this track) he’s the only one that can mention it. The eery outro reinforces the sound of this track, as Kanye croons “They don’t want to see me love you.”

“Real Friends,” which leaked on Soundcloud prior to T.L.O.P.’s release, is a track that carries an immense amount of meaning. Here, West steps back and takes a look at his life, which includes being a father, husband, and an artist. West apologizes for not making time for family, “When was the last time I remembered a birthday? When was the last time I wasn’t in a hurry?” but also laments the fact that he can no longer find his “real friends,” something Ty Dolla $ign lends West a hand with, playing the fake friend.

From “Real Friends”: West: “I couldn’t tell you how old your daughter was, Couldn’t tell you how old your son is, I got my own Jr. on the way, dawg, Plus I already got one kid.” Dolla $ign: “Couldn’t tell you much about the fam though, I just showed up for the yams [money, fruits of West’s labor] though.”

West released the next track, “Wolves,” way back in February 2015. However, he reworked the track, which opens with instrumentals resembling the howling of a wolf at the moon, by cutting out Vic Mensa and Sia’s verses from the original version and adding new verses of his own and an outro by the mysterious Frank Ocean to complete the eeriness of the track.

West alludes to his relationship with Kim Kardashian prior to marriage in the hook before reflecting on his recent behavior and his parents’ reactions to such behavior. ‘Ye then introduces us to a modern day nativity scene, Kimye-style, proclaiming himself and Kim Joseph and Mary before likening his children to Jesus . Frank Ocean finishes off this track in a way only he can do, creating not only sensation on an auditory level, but on a visceral level as well.

“Siiiiiiiiilver Surffffeeeeer Intermission,” a phone conversation between fellow rappers Max B and French Montana, serves more as a point on the album than as a track. Wiz Khalifa started beefing with Kanye in late January after West changed the name of the album to “Waves,” saying that Kanye was “taking the wave” from Max B. However, Max B came back with this phone call, assuring Kanye that everything was all good in his book.

“30 Hours” is a ballad to a love long lost. Here, Kanye looks back on a failed relationship and all he did to make it work. However, every time he did something for her and expected something good in return, she let him down: “I’m drivin’ with no winter tires in December, Skrrt skrrt skrrt like a private school for women, Then I get there and all the Popeye’s is finished, girl, You don’t love me, you just pretendin’.”

The outro, which features Andre 3000 of Outkast’s vocals, consists of about three minutes of West rambling about his anger when he found out his girl was cheating, some hypothetical lyrical experimentation in the booth, his own personal love for bonus tracks, and an iPhone call with Gabe that will forever cause listeners to check their phones.

Possibly the most anticipated track on this album, “No More Parties in LA” gives listeners West’s first collaboration with esteemed lyricist Kendrick Lamar. On this track, which opens with an intoxicating sample blend, West and Lamar lead listeners on a six minute lyrical journey over a whimsical beat, sharing with each other their Hollywood stories and what fame has brought them, and more importantly, their lifestyles so far. Arguably two of the best in the game right now, Kendrick and Kanye’s collaboration makes “No More Parties in LA” an instant classic.

Likely to be West’s most oft-criticized track on T.L.O.P., “Facts” gives us Kanye touting his Adidas Yeezy’s over anything Nike, more specifically, Jumpman. Reworked by Charlie Heat from the original version released on Soundcloud, West opens up with the same ear-grabbing hook post-sample, “Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman,” mimicking Drake’s hook in his and Future’s fall hit, “Jumpman.”

While some of Kanye’s purported “facts” on this track are just plain false and some lyrics just plain ridiculous (“I give ‘em grey poupon on a DJ Mustard, ah!”), this track is still hard hitting, something you can throw on at a party that everyone can jump around and go wild to, similar to West’s “Black Skinhead” off his 2013 album, “Yeezus.”

West closes out this album strong with “Fade” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and the young Post Malone, a highly anticipated track whose instrumental was strewn all over the web prior to T.L.O.P.’s official release. A combination of four samples, “Fade” doesn’t really contain any “traditional” verses. However, this doesn’t stop it from dominating the back half of T.L.O.P.

Listening to “Fade,” it’s easy to get lost in atmosphere it creates. Before you know it, Post Malone’s voice appears as if out of a fog to bemoan all the ridiculousness he’s had to deal with in the past year. While the lyrics of “Fade” suggest love slipping away between partners, on a primal level it’s much simpler to just lose yourself in the instrumental and the feeling it brings with it. Before you know it, the track and “The Life Of Pablo” itself has faded away.

One of the prime gripes critics have had with T.L.O.P. is how disorganized it is. It’s as if Kanye looked through his symbolic sewing basket of music, found pieces that could never conventionally work together, threw them together and plopped them down in front of the listener, i.e. the public.

This project is similar to West’s Yeezy Season fashion endeavors. While to the untrained eye, his clothing may look like something a zombie in a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland might wear, in reality, it’s art. Because to see art, one must look for the beauty inside. That’s why his clothing line, and more importantly “The Life Of Pablo,” is beautiful. Because West hands it to you, pieces spilling out from every which way, and challenges you to figure out what to do with it. He challenges you what to make of it.

“The Life Of Pablo” is in stark contrast with “Yeezus,” the album West released in 2013 prior to T.L.O.P. Listening to “Yeezus,” one can tell that West spent countless hours in the lab with producer Rick Rubin, fine tuning and cutting the record to perfection, creating the futuristic, laser-like sound the album is well known for.

However, this does not mean that West threw together T.L.O.P. in a month and let it loose upon the world to wreak whatever havoc it may. Recording for this album started way back in 2013, with work on “No More Parties in LA” starting an astounding six years ago back in 2010, when West was working on his fifth studio album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”

To label “The Life Of Pablo” a failure on West’s part and as having no artistic value would not only be a travesty, it would be unfair. While maybe not some of West’s best work (although some may be inclined to argue that it is), T.L.O.P. shows America the direction in which Mr. West is heading, and that’s towards making modern masterpieces.

Similar to modern art, T.L.O.P. must be viewed (or heard) in the correct manner, or else one may not be able to fully grasp and comprehend what is in front of them.

Come on, West even called himself Michelangelo last fall. Now if that isn’t foreshadowing, Yeezus save us all.

If you were one of the many waiting for T.L.O.P. to drop on iTunes or Spotify, bad news. Back on February 15, West tweeted: “My album will never never never be on Apple. And it will never be for sale… You can only get it on Tidal.”

If splashing $9.99 a month is your type of thing, go for TIDAL. Otherwise, you can stream the album for free on West’s official website, www.kanyewest.com.

(It is also worth noting that “The Life Of Pablo” was illegally downloaded an astounding 500,000 times a mere one day after its official release.)

The things we do for Kanye. Or rather, the things Kanye makes us do.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ann Reed – Staff Reporter

From successful actress to pop superstar, Hailee Steinfeld is redefining the meaning of teen success.

The LA-born nineteen year old, (who got her start as early on as eight years old), has acting credits in movies ranging from “True Grit” to ¨Pitch Perfect 2¨, becoming a household name along the way. However, this success wasn’t good enough for Steinfeld, causing her to make the leap into the music industry with her lead single titled ¨Love Myself¨. The single dominated the charts for weeks on end,and it´s music video has earned over sixty-four million views. Her debut EP, titled ¨HAIZ¨, provides a peek into what to expect from her upcoming album.

The EP is the mixture of pop with indie, almost the equivalent to Lorde and Taylor Swift making an EP together. The theme consistent among the four songs on the EP is established as  “changing the way celebrities are perceived”. With “Love Myself”, Steinfeld shatters the ideal that celebrities always need to be in love, with lyrics like, “Gonna love myself, no, I don’t need anybody else”. Steinfeld shows listeners that she doesn’t need to rely on others to be happy or successful, which is a breath of fresh air amongst the present-day pop music industry. Steinfeld then goes on to shatter the ideal that all celebrities love to party with “Hell Nos and Headphones”. This edgy piece details Steinfeld’s experiences in the Hollywood party scene with lyrics such as ”Seems like everybody here Is speaking different languages, With that green prescription file, Blowing up their faces”. Steinfeld’s honest lyrics give listeners a window into what it’s really like being a teen in Hollywood, while showing that it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. Steinfeld’s honestly paired with the fun beats come together to form music we’ve all been longing for.

While the EP shows great range in terms of genres used, it lacks when it comes to fluidity. While the themes of the songs remain constant, the sound is changed drastically from track to track. “Love Myself”, is the epitome of a fun pop song, with an upbeat tempo and edgy drum beat. However, “Hell nos and Headphones,” sounds as if it is made by a completely different artist. With an artist so early on in her career, the first EP is meant to set the tone for what kind of music we can expect from her in the future. By switching between genres so drastically and sporadically throughout the EP, Steinfeld is leaving the listener confused as to what may come next. What the listener needs from Steinfeld was clarity into what kind of artist she plans to be, clarity that failed to be established in this EP.

While a release date has yet to be announced, Steinfeld’s almost seamless transition from actress to musician makes her album definitely one to look out for.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

“The Boy” is about a young woman named Greta who comes the England to take the position of a live-in nanny. Running away from a troubled past leads her to the Heelshires. Their son, Brahms, is no ordinary boy; in fact, he’s not a boy at all. He’s a doll.

Putting aside the peculiarities of the family, Greta stays to take care of the doll while accepting their money because she can’t even fathom going back home to face all she’s left.

The movie while it claims itself as a part of the horror genre, is not scary so much as intensely creepy. Besides a few jump scares, the film had no elements to make it a horror movie. If mild apprehension is what viewers are looking for, this is not the movie for them.

With music that threatens of something menacing close by, it is only the suddenness of the change in volume that’ll provide true fear. On screen, Greta experiences the little tricks, like moving clothes around and making phone calls that prove Brahms may still be with them.

However, despite its lack of terror, the movie did have  a certain amount of shock and twists that will surprise all audience members. It was a risk that may not have been the best one to make. Instead of connecting all the dots and finally finding out why all the strange happenings have been going on, the surprises make the plot more confusing, bringing questions instead of answers.

Lauren Cohen plays Greta, the nanny who is running from a troubled past. Cohen stars in “The Walking Dead” and plays her role well despite the movie. She was probably one of the highlights; the audience could follow her from the girl who was insanely creeped out by the family who nurtured a doll to where she began to accept that Brahms may not be gone.

Rupert Evans plays Malcolm, the local grocer who brings the Heelshires their groceries every week. Evans also starred in “Hellboy” and “Agora” which helped him prepare for his role. Malcolm provided a different view of the Heelshires and he seemed to be the only sane person in the entire movie.

While “The Boy” looked promising in trailers, the on-screen version is a disappointment. In the horror movie genre, this film falls flat.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

By Amanda Downs – Staff Reporter

FOX recently aired a live televised performance of the well-known musical “Grease.”

The live performance ran somewhat flawlessly for a whole three hours, with few mistakes other than some sound issues. The musical featured many famous performers, and besides a few changes, was spot on from the original 1978 movie.

The movie featured Julianne Hough and Aaron Tveit as Sandy and Danny. Hough is known for her performances in “Footloose” and “Safe Haven” where she also played the starring role. She has also been seen in other movies and also on “Dancing with the Stars.” Tveit was in “Les Misérables” where he played Enjolras. He also is seen in many TV shows such as “Gossip Girl” and “Graceland.”

FOX put together a star-studded and very talented cast, including Vanessa Hudgens, who played Rizzo, Keke Palmer, who played the role of Marty, and Carlos Pena Vega, who played Kenickie. Also in the cast were Mario Lopez and Carly Rae Jepsen.

They even had one member from the original “Grease” cast. Didi Conn, who played Frenchy, came back and performed as Vi, the  waitress at the diner.

The vocals were spectacular, especially for being performed live. Although in the “Greased Lightnin’” Kenickie’s mic was a bit too low, it was hard to hear him sing.  Jordan Fisher who played Doody, one of the T Bird’s solo of “Those Magic Changes” was just incredible.

The whole live broadcast went unhinged, from the quick costume changes, to the camera angles and switching from set to set. The production used 21 sets on 14 stages and spread out over 20 acres.

To get the cast from one set to another they used golf carts  to get them around quickly so they wouldn’t miss their next queue.

The live performance also had a live audience that in some scenes were used as extras. In the final carnival scene, the audience definitely added to the performance and gave the cast amazing energy.

The similarities to the original film are almost spot on, from the script to the costume changes, although some bits were added or taken away.

The lyrics to some songs were changed to make more family friendly like in,“Greased Lightnin’,” “Freddy My Love,” and “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee.”

The writers also added some scenes that featured characters like Patty Simcox, Eugene, Principal McGee and Blanche more than they were featured in the original.

Overall, veryone did a great job in making this live performance a success.

 

By Colleen Rice – Staff Reporter

This classic love story “Endless Love” hit theaters on February 14, 2014. Shana Feste, who also directed “You’re Not You,” impressively re-made the original 1981 heart-throbbing romance movie.

The movie starts off at a high school graduation, where Jade Butterfield, played by Gabriella Wilde, a shy girl, becomes enthralled with David Elliot, played by Alex Pettyfer, who is a working-class boy with a troubled past.

With the death of her older brother sophomore year, Jade closes herself off from her peers to focus on her family and school. Her strict and loving father expects the world from Jade as she follows in his footsteps of becoming a doctor.

On the other hand, David has a tough family past but looks forward to one day take over his father’s Auto Body business. Opposites attract as the two graduates run into each other at a restaurant where David works as a valet.

Though Jade and David quickly fall in love, Jade’s father, played by Bruce Greenwood, strongly disapproves of the relationship, while David’s father played by Robert Patrick, supports but warns David about the consequences. However, their parents’ disapproval only makes the  teens love grow stronger.

Alex Pettyfer who plays David Elliott, is an english actor and model who stars in a range of different movies. “Endless Love” is his most recent movie but he was also in “Magic Mike” in 2012, “I Am Number Four” in 2011, and “Beastly.”

Gabriella Wilde, also known as Gabriella Calthorpe, is an English model and actress who has appeared in the films, “The Three Musketeers”, “Carrie,” and “Endless Love.”

One exciting part of this movie was when the two teenagers and their friends all broke into the local zoo, playing on the merry go round and sneaking into the elephant pen. This scene created a lot of suspense for the audience and kept them on the edge of the seat, wondering if the teens would get caught.

The ending scenes could have been more dramatic but, compared to the original “Endless Love,” the acting was much more believable and real in the 2014 remake.

This movie is good for anyone who loves romance movies and epic love stories because “Endless Love” was full of action and passion. This movie will relate to anyone that wants to find their true love and hopes to have a summer romance one day.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Emma Saley – Staff Reporter

When “Interstellar” was released in 2014, it became an instant hit, setting an IMAX worldwide opening record. It received praise for both its visual effects, which it won an Oscar for, and for the performances of actors Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway.

In “Interstellar”, which is set in the near future, the fate of mankind is at stake as Earth’s crops start to die off, and dust storms sweep across the world.

When Cooper, a former NASA astronaut, and his daughter Murph stumble upon a top-secret NASA building, Cooper is presented with the impossible choice to either stay on Earth with his family as humanity dies off, or go on a mission to find a new home for mankind.

This mission means not only leaving Earth, but the galaxy as well, as the plan includes entering a wormhole found on Saturn to travel to a galaxy light years away with 12 planets that may possibly be fit for humans to live.

Cooper is persuaded to go on the NASA mission, and leaves his family and Murph  behind indefinitely, not knowing how old his children will be, or if anyone will still be alive when he returns, due to time passing much slower in the new galaxy than it does on Earth.

Once aboard, the team is tasked with the mission to find a way to navigate around Gargantua, a super-massive black hole, to reach the possibly habitable planets, and decide which one will be humanity’s future home.

“Interstellar” keeps everyone in its audience intrigued, and wondering what will happen next as Cooper and his team transcend space and time. The audience is left wanting more after every scene, desperate with hope to see Cooper return back home and reunite with his family.

While Cooper is on his mission, he is sent videos of his family, providing him comfort as he is able to see his family again, and giving him pain at the same time as he sees all the milestones he has missed while away.

The visual effects used make the viewer feel as though they are right there in space with Cooper, as does the cast’s performance.

McConaughey shines as Cooper, making the audience feel the pain and agony he feels when realizing the mistake he made by leaving his family behind.

With a very limited amount of time on their hands, the crew has to find a way to save the human race from extinction.

“Interstellar” is filled with plot twists and unexpected revelations, surprising its audience at every possible moment, and it’s cast and crew truly excel all standards to produce one of the best films of the year.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Vishal Manglani – Staff Reporter

Macklemore has been on the hip hop charts for a number of years now. What started as a career soon became a passion and has led to his most recent song “White Privilege”

Macklemore’s first success came in his song “Thrift Shop.” This song was rather senseless, but his later songs became more and more meaningful. Songs such as “Same Love” as well as his most recent song convey a revolutionary and moving message.

Macklemore’s first songs were your average rap songs with no direct meaning to the public whatsoever. Macklemore’s new songs convey messages about gay marriage, love, culture, and with his most recent song, black rights. These messages always move people and create a wave of cultural reformation.

Macklemore’s “White Privilege” is an intimidating eight minutes long. However, each second of the song is incredibly enticing and meaningful. His main message in the song is how we cannot say we have justice or peace while there are still people being killed. Along with this, he targets Elvis, Iggy Azalea, and Miley Cyrus for stealing and ruining black culture, while at the same time, not having any incentive to save black lives.

In the song, Macklemore prides himself for his mature and meaningful rapping. He includes feedback from parents about how his music isn’t senseless like other rappers who sing about drugs and women. He follows this with the statement that Society is too easily offended, and cares more about being “called racist” rather than “racism.” He prides himself for trying to help save black lives. He concludes saying how white supremacy is nothing but the origin of our country. It does not define society or culture.

“White Privilege” is not only revolutionary because of it’s groundbreaking message. He uses a very modest and dramatic rhythm to stress the importance of his message and the society’s crisis. For example, he keeps the music very contained and humble as he discusses the importance of saving black lives.

Along with this, Macklemore’s tone was very serious throughout the song. This helped the reader to hear him and his message how it was intended to be heard: serious and clear. His voice is not a rapping tone; it is more similar to a rhythmic lecture.

We should expect to see more moving songs from Macklemore. His songs are becoming increasingly significant and appealing to the public.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Megan Grabowski – Staff Reporter

Imagine having to choose between two people you love.

Writer, Nicholas Sparks, and director, Nick Cassavetes, pull us in to experience a classic love story about a boy and a girl who lose touch for seven years. Nicholas Sparks also wrote the famous novels and movies, “The Last Song,” “Safe Haven,” and “The Longest Ride,” that attracted us to the theaters.

“The Notebook” is sure to catch the attention of viewers with an all-star cast. Rachel McAdams, also starring in “Mean Girls,” plays Allie Hamilton, while Ryan Gosling, also starring in “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” plays Noah Calhoun.

The movie is narrated by nursing home resident, Duke, who reads a romance story for an old woman with dementia and memory loss. The story starts off in a 1940s, South Carolina setting with mill worker, Noah, trying to get rich girl, Allie, to fall in love with him. Allie refuses to go on a date at first, but eventually she gives in and the two teenagers fall madly in love. They spend every minute together, even though Allie’s parents don’t approve of Noah, since he’s from a much lower class.

However, at the end of the summer, Allie’s family moves out of town and Noah enlists in the army during World War II. The couple is broken up for seven years, with no contact, except for the 365 letters Noah wrote to Allie, that Allie never received. In the meantime, Allie falls in love with another man, Lon Hammond. As they are about to get married, fate brings Noah and Allie back together.

The plot thickens when Allie finds out about the 365 letters Noah wrote her and when she is forced to choose between her teenage love or her wealthy fiance.

“The Notebook” is definitely the perfect movie if you are looking for a romantic, drama filled story, that is sure to make you cry.

“I read the script and bawled my eyes out,” McAdams said.

The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat and you feel as if you want to make Allie’s big decision (between the two men) for her.

With that being said, the only downside to the movie is that the end is somewhat predictable. However, the whole story is amazing and worth the watch, even if you are able to predict the ending. “The Notebook” is definitely a fantastic movie for anyone who loves romance and drama with a few plot twists.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Owen Paiva – Staff Reporter

While many were too busy seeing “Fifty Shades of Grey” last January, some moviegoers saw a different trailer. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was an action-packed spy adventure that many people wrote off as a cookie cutter spy movie. However, those who saw it were pleasantly surprised. What they got was a action-comedy that was up there with the great “Bonds” in hilarity. With Taron Egerton and Sophie Cookson in their first major roles, they did not fail to impress. Acting Legends Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson steal the show, and Jackson in particular is comedy gold as the maniacal villain Valentine with his plan to “save Earth.”

Taron Egerton plays “Eggsy,” a streetwise teen who excelled in school and Royal Marines training, but left it all because of his abusive step-dad. His dad’s necklace, which allows the person one favor from the Kingsman, gets him out of jail after a car theft. This introduces him to Colin Firth’s character Harry “Galahad” Hart. He picks Eggsy as his potential recruit for the open position of “Lancelot.” As Eggsy goes through his training, Hart uncovers Richmond Valentine, a programming mogul, has an evil plan, and disguises it to the normal masses. This comes after a string of prominent people disappear. After this training, a new Kingsman is picked, however they have little time to save the world after this.

This movie took inspiration from the older “Bond” movies, mainly the Roger Moore movie. That makes it an enjoyable treat, as it is not as serious as the more recent Bond movies, yet still has amazing action scenes. One scene in particular takes the action over the top into the best scene in the movie, all while accompanied by the song, Free Bird. The action is enjoyable, the comedy is executed well, and the plot may seem like just another Bond movie, but that is what makes it memorable.

The strongest part of this movie was the dialogue. Galahad and Valentine’s conversations were hysterical, yet still helped the plot. Eggsy and Galahad’s conversation were personal, very authentic, and the banter between the two helped provide humor to serious scenes.

The characters have great chemistry on screen especially Eggsy and Galahad. This is a very enjoyable master/student relationship, and Galahad is a father figure to Eggsy. The relationship felt so authentic. When compared to Obi-Wan and Anakin in the Star Wars prequels, which was a very forced chemistry, it shows how important on screen chemistry is for cinema. Also Valentine seems like he was ripped out of a Bond Movie. He is a tech mogul, who talks with a lisp and has a weak stomach to blood and violence. The setup alone makes you laugh every time the character is on screen.

The movie had a few weaknesses. They did not develop Eggsy and Roxy, a fellow recruit, too well personality wise. This is not too terrible as it is leaving this to the sequel, with it rumored to be based mainly on Eggsy. People also had negative opinions on the more adult themes, especially the last scene of the movie.

“Kingsman” was a thrilling adventure which the dials all turned up to 11 for the second half. It may have a 75% rating on IMDB or a 7.8/10 on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is better than these ratings. It entertained throughout.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Isabela Roldan – Staff Reporter

The Netflix-streamed, American web series “Making a Murderer” has stirred up much controversy recently over the decisions of the Steven Avery case of 2005 and whether or not the American justice system is still reliable.

The 10-episode series follows the story of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin resident falsely convicted of homicide, who later was re-convicted of a new murder he claims he also did not commit.

The Manitowoc county junker served 18 years in prison for sexual assault and the attempted murder of Penny Beernsten. He was later exonerated in 2003, after DNA testing had been implemented, proving that he had not committed the crimes he was accused of.

Two years after being freed, he was convicted of the murder of photographer, Teresa Halbach, after being the last person seen with the woman. With the town already suspicious from his previous incarceration, it seemed that no one was on his side.

Although evidence was found in his residence, including the burnt remains of Teresa in Avery’s backyard burn pit and her car keys in his trailer, attorneys Dean Strang and Jerry Buting argue the evidence was planted by local authorities in an attempt to frame Avery.

Avery’s nephew, Brendan Dassey, was also convicted of partaking in the murder after investigators squeezed a confession out of the easily influenced 16-year-old. Brendan argued that the confessions were not true and that he told the lies solely because the investigators made him say what they wanted to hear.

Directors Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos filmed the documentary over the course of 10 years, first for a simple film school project.

“What we hope to achieve by sharing this story with as many people as we can is to engage Americans and get people to feel responsibility and understand their own agency here,” Ricciardi said.

Making a Murderer is comparable to the Hulu series, The Jinx, which also follows the case of a potential murderer.

This exhilarating series is one that anyone could watch and form a strong opinion from. The series includes live footage of the interrogations performed during the case, along with footage of the court cases. These inputs allow viewers to follow the case exactly, and develop verified opinions about who they really think is to blame.

A petition to the White House to free Avery gathered over 128,000 signatures over the course of the series release. Obama responded stating he has no authority to act in a state case.

“I am really innocent of this case and that is the truth! The truth will set me free!” Avery says.

Can you decide who “made” the murderer? The 18 years of maddening imprisonment, or the Manitowoc County Police Department?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Tyler Chavez – Staff Reporter

The past few years have seen a few constants in Hollywood: survival movies and Leonardo DiCaprio’s inability to win an Oscar. When you combine those elements, and the directing of Oscar winner Alejandro Inarritu, you end up with a film like “The Revenant”. The movie tells the story of Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Aviator”, “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “The Great Gatsby”) as he is left for dead by his troop of fur trappers following a bear mauling. What’s amazing is that this is actually a true story. Hugh Glass was actually left for dead and had to travel hundreds of miles in a frozen western U.S. in the 1820s. The film also stars Tom Hardy (“Mad Max: Fury Road”, “Inception”, “The Dark Knight Rises”) as Glass’ adversary Larry Fitzgerald, and Will Poulter (“The Maze Runner”, “We’re the Millers”) as Bridger, a young member of the fur trapping troop. With a talented cast, beautiful directing, and great cinematography, “The Revenant” presents a film experience that no other film matched this year.

The movie starts in 1823, following a group of fur trappers preparing to move on in the frozen American west. However, they are attacked by a group of Arikara Native Americans trying to find their chief’s kidnapped daughter. Ambushed, they are forced to leave much of their furs, and men, and escape onto boats. The surviving members attempt to make it to Fort Kiowa for safety. But after Hugh Glass is mauled by a bear, the party decides to move on and leave him with Larry Fitzgerald and Bridger. But, Fitzgerald convinces Bridger to leave Glass. When he wakes up, Glass finds himself alone and unable to walk. He now must somehow manage to return to Fort Kiowa and prove that he is alive.

The first thing you will notice about this film is how beautiful it is. The frozen, unsettled western U.S. is vast, cold, lonely, and menacing; which is perfect for a survival story. Especially for one such as “The Revenant”. Inarritu chose to use only natural lighting, fearing that CGI would make the film worse. His decision paid off as the natural landscape is beautiful and makes the story more gritty. The brutal cold winters are also presented through the amazing cinematography. For example, the first raid by the Arikara Native Americans is done in one continuous shot. The entire scene is done in one gorgeous take that encaptures the brutal attack and the desperation to get away. One-shot scenes are perfect for action movies because everything is so fluid and you know that there are no tricks to the fighting. The movie uses other long shots to build drama, intensity, and to show you just how beautiful the wilderness is. The combination of the gorgeous scenery and Inarritu’s genius directing creates a film that wonderfully reflects the mood of the film with its cold, lonely, bitter, and harsh cinematography.

The acting is also a huge contributor to the success of the film. As we all know, Leonardo DiCaprio is an extremely talented actor, and his portrayal of Hugh Glass is no different. What’s interesting is that Glass is an unusual type of character for DiCaprio to play. Usually, we see him as a fast-talking, smart aleck who is on his way to fortune and greatness. But his role as Glass is completely different. He’s on the verge of death, he’s broken and beaten, and he’s struggling to survive. This is a role that is far from typical for DiCaprio, and yet he still manages to nail it. His desire to survive and the struggle to even move is felt and adds a sense of urgency and life that is needed for a film such as this.

Tom Hardy also delivers a great performance as the cold-hearted Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, just like Glass, is just trying to survive, leading him to abandon Glass. Hardy is used to playing rugged survivalists as he did in “Mad Max: Fury Road”. The performances of DiCaprio and Hardy on opposite sides bring experience and skill to a film that relies heavily on body language to tell its story.

While the performances of the actors is great, there is one problem with it: the dialogue. Not that the writing is bad or cheesy, but that it’s not entirely necessary. Everyone in the movie has this rough, mix of southern and western accent that makes it difficult to understand what they’re saying. On top of this, they’re often whispering or speaking softly, making it even harder to make out what they’re trying to say. The only time the viewer really needed to hear what was being said was when Fitzgerald and the other party members were debating what to do with the practically dead Glass. Since much of the film depended on the actions of the actors and their body language, the movie could have had no dialogue, and still would be able to tell a great story. The majority of DiCaprio’s scenes have him alone, with no dialogue, and viewers will still be encaptured by what was going on and in a way.

“The Revenant” has already been met with a lot of praise, and is nominated for multiple Academy Awards, and it’s clear to see why. The beautiful cinematography and brilliant directing combined with powerful performances by the lead actors present a large, gritty movie with a survival story to tell. Fans of DiCaprio will appreciate his new kind of role, and fans of action movies will love the harsh survival elements that make the film fun to watch. On top of this, the beautiful nature shots and expert shooting makes the film captivating and will draw viewers in for a long ride. “The Revenant” delivers an awesome film that is sure to run away with awards at the Oscars.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Maeve Rourke – Staff Reporter

“The Newsroom” has proven to be one of the greatest shows on-demand.

“The Newsroom” is a political drama series that originally aired on HBO in 2012, and concluded after three seasons. It was recently added to Amazon Prime, and its view numbers exploded. The series also received two nominations at the 70th Golden Globe Awards, for Best Television Series – Drama and Best Actor – Television Series Drama.

The series is set behind the scenes at the fictional Atlantis Cable News (ACN) and revolves around anchor Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels), his new executive producer MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer), and newsroom staff. The series tracks the staff’s unrealistic mission to do the news in an ethical and reasonable way while tackling corporate, and commercial obstacles, and their own personal entanglements.

The series starts off with background on Will McAvoy, who comes back from a mandatory leave due to his public tirade about America’s shortcomings.  Daniels’ rant was one of the opening scenes in the pilot, and immediately showed his strong opinions, and his outspoken personality.

“The Newsroom” has many unique qualities. For example, episodes are written around actual recent news events, such as Osama Bin Laden’s assassination, and the wars in the Middle East.  The show portrays the staff trying to uncover stories as they happen and reporting them in moral ways. They are trying to appeal to both their audience and their superiors, making it difficult to report the truth. This show also boils down everything that is wrong with America and puts out a simple answer to solving our problems.

The series also follows the personal hardships and interactions between the staff members which keeps the plot interesting. Watching the relationships between staff members, and how some crack under the pressure of their jobs keeps you on the edge of your seat. Each character has their own strong personality and draws the audience into the show.

Additionally, the cast is full of amazing actors. Daniels, for example, excels in his role, and portrays his character perfectly. This show provides a great opportunity to show his effortless acting.

On the other hand, there are some lulls in the series where the drama drags on, or not much happens. The episodes are also about 55 minutes long, which is hard to sit through if you are not very interested. Also, the first few episodes could be confusing due to the fact that they dive right into the drama and love triangles before allowing the audience to remember each character’s name.  The pace of the show can become too quick at times and important details can be easily forgotten.

Overall, “The Newsroom” consists of brilliant writing, excellent characters and cast, and fluid directing.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Nisali Fernando – Staff Reporter

 

Panic! at the Disco released their fifth album, “Death of a Bachelor” on January 15th. The album follows the band’s frontman and founder, Brendon Urie, through the turmoil of moving on. The aforementioned bachelor is Urie himself, the album serves as his redemption arc. Urie paints the scenes of wild, booze filled nights followed by regret and sorrow, and finally resolves, if not apologizes for his past digressions. Listeners find themselves maturing alongside Urie, while his marriage did serve as the spark for this album, the album’s theme of redemption and change resonates with everyone.

The release of “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” in 2005, kickstarted the band’s fame. Following that success the band has released “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out”, “Pretty. Odd”, and “Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die”.  Panic! at the Disco is not the same band it was in 2004. Following the departure of drummer, Spencer Smith in 2015, Urie is the only remaining member of the punk, alternative band. The release of “Death of a Bachelor”, leaves past success in the dust. The album skated to number one on the Billboard Top 200, and according to Billboard, “Death of a Bachelor also earns Panic! at the Disco its best sales week yet for an album, as it sold 169,000 in pure album sales.” This album represents a new era of Panic!, one created solely by Urie, composed and arranged by the frontman.  

There are 12 songs on the alternative track, and each one follows Urie through a different part of his life, taking fans on a fast-paced journey, whether or not they’ve signed up for one.

“Hallelujah” is the first single off the album and was released on April 15th, 2015. The knock-off gospel track, is not one that should be played at church. Urie disguises his ulterior motives with devout lyrics such as, “All you sinners stand up sing hallelujah (hallelujah), show praise with your body stand up sing hallelujah (hallelujah).” The up-tempo track is also sprinkled with crescendos and aggressive drum solos.

“Victorious” and “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time” follow the feel good vibe of the album. “Victorious” portrays a winner, someone down on their luck then given a chance at well-deserved success. The repetitive chorus, “tonight we are victorious, champagne pouring over us, all my friends we’re glorious, tonight we are victorious,” motivates listeners to get up and dance, and conquer anything in their way. “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time” illustrates Urie’s wild side, the lyrics paint a wild night filled with, “champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things inbetween.” In the bridge, Urie recounts memories in a haze,  “I lost a bet to a guy with a chiffon skirt, but I make these high heels work.” Wild west themed guitar riffs, precise synth beats, and rigorous drum solos flood the track and leave listeners hyped up and with a “hell of a feeling.”

Urie channels the legendary Frank Sinatra in the mid-tempo, swing dance track that is “Death of a Bachelor”. Urie croons lyrics of sorrow and loneliness and is accompanied by a romantic swell of trumpets and saxophones. He introduces synth to this classic ballad of heartbreak and turns this track into one for the record books. Urie brings theater to his music, “Death of a Bachelor” is sung so dramatically it’s almost as if listeners have been transported to a Broadway stage. Harmonious high notes and sharp crescendos litter the song and introduce a modern interpretation of a legend.

“Crazy=Genius” previews Urie’s insecurities and ingenious when it comes to music. The track is a modern version of Benny Goodman’s “Sing Sing Sing.” Brass compliments the 20’s swing vibe and Urie manages to leave listeners tapping their feet once again.

“Impossible Year” concludes the album. The ornery lyrics and powerful piano chords prove Urie’s musical growth. His sophistication and sadness indulge the track, and his musical ability shine through.

Unlike past Panic! albums, “Death of a Bachelor” showcases a completely different side of the band. Urie is the only remaining member of the band and diehard fans can agree this new sound is nothing like the one established in 2005. The sad, emo sound has morphed into an eclectic synth-heavy, jazz sound. Compared to “Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die” (released in 2014) the new album is a complete 360. It may seem as if Urie is trying too hard to be an entire band, overcompensating for the obvious lack of depth. There are no longer any complimentary guitar riffs or any background vocals, the album is 100% Brendon Urie. For those who signed up for Panic!, Urie is considered a compromise.

Yet this compromise proves to be a triumph. After losing four members, most people quit while they’re ahead. Urie honors the band he founded and proves that while the band may not be what people signed on for, what he can bring to the table is worth a listen. Urie to much surprise was able to successfully portray what it’s like to grow up. To make mistakes, to live recklessly, to move on, and to finally be happy. While the entire album is full of emotion, first time listeners may want to take it slow with the more up-tempo tracks, before divulging in the melancholy ballads.

Creativity and talent consume the energetic frontman and that much is obvious throughout “Death Of a Bachelor” Urie proves to be a success story, and while the album is dubbed “Death Of a Bachelor” the revival of his career is evident.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Valeria Araujo – News Editor

In the first book of the four-part series, “Throne of Glass,” the reader finds out that Celaena Sardothein, the main character, is not an average 18-year-old girl.

Unless being an assassin is considered ordinary.

However, her job profession is not the only peculiar thing in the high fantasy series. The world of Erilea which used to be a world full of magic was conquered by a vicious King who wiped it from all shown surfaces. Nations are torn apart as hushed rebellion spreads throughout the continent. When Celaena starts to learn more about her world, the ancient secrets it holds being to unravel and unknown evils decide to come out and play. And it’s up to Celaena to save life as they know it from long forgotten dangers.

But things don’t start of this way. After being betrayed by a fellow assassin, Celaena is sent to a prison in Endovier. She is brutalized as she mines for salt for an entire year (even though most people only last a month) before the Crowned Prince of Adarlan summons her to give her a offer she cannot refuse. To gain her freedom, she must participate in a competition against 23 other diverse criminals for the title of the King’s Champion. If she wins, she would be freed after four years as serving as the King’s Champion, which entails crossing out the names of the King’s personal hit list for good.

“High Fantasy” novels usually leave a lot to be desired, but Sarah J. Maas does a great job of engaging the reader through out the entire novel. She immediately grasps the readers attention in the very first sentence: “After a year of slavery in the salt mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword-point.” By giving a small taste of background on Celaena’s previous endeavors the curious reader would want to know more about how she end up there and what got her in chains the first time around. Possibly the most unique part of the book is that although it is all written in third person, the reader gets to experience many other perspectives other than just Celaeana’s which helps move the story along immensely. As the story progresses and the reader learns more about Erilea, and as they encounter the many plot twist and lovely characters, it slowly becomes a “cannot be put down” book. It’s action-packed and keeps the reader guessing the entire time.

Unfortunately, some of the plot twist are actually extremely predictable. One of the biggest plot twists is completely obvious throughout the entire book. When it comes to the big reveal it falls flat because most people have all ready figured it out in the first few chapters. There are also some tacky tropes like the over done love-triangle that leaves many readers frustrated because these types of tropes never end well. Celaena as a character in general is also kind of a hard pill to swallow. She is quite full of herself at times which might come to bite her in the other books. Even though Celaena might be an annoying main character, at times, it makes her more real because not every hero is always a kind, selfless person in the beginning and this also shows that even the most unlikely people can be heroes which will make the reader continue to route for her in the journey she takes through out the novel.

Sarah J. Maas  truly saves the novel by giving the reader amazing characters like Nehemia Ytger, the dethroned princess of Eyllwe; Chaol Westfall, the stoic captain of the Guard; and the spirit of Eleana Havilliard, the first princess of Terrasen. These are all very different people with completely different roles to play but they are all lovable in their own way.

Readers of the series “The Hunger Games” and “Game of Thrones” might be drawn to the throne of glass series because of its similar settings and/or character arcs because all of these series, more or less, have fantasy aspects to them. The “Game of Thrones” and the “Throne of Glass” series are set in a very old time period because there is still a working monarchy and yet “The Hunger Games” series is a dystopian novel and shares the rule oppressive governments – and also knows a thing or two about murderous competitions – which many young adult readers are extremely drawn recently. Great books will always transport the reader to another dimension and the world of Erilea is one that should definitely be explored.

Rate 4.75 stars out of 5

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

“Star Wars” is the fifth highest grossing film series in the world and has a huge fanbase. The first “Star Wars” movie, “Episode IV: A New Hope,” was released in 1977. The films in order are IV, V, VI, I, II, II, and now VII.

In the latest installment, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” fans will follow new characters alongside old ones in a fight against The First Order. The movie has already broken box office records, making $40 million alone on its opening night and $610 million worldwide in less than a week. It is expected to gross $2 billion worldwide, joining “Avatar” and “Titanic” as the only other movies ever to accomplish such a feat.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” takes place 30 years after viewers saw Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo defeat Darth Vader. The movie opens up with a scene of the Rebel camp where crucial information regarding the location of Luke Skywalker has been found. Here a new villain is introduced, and he appears to have a lot of connections to Darth Vader: the black suit with the cape, a similarly styled helmet, and a voice altering device. With this threat imminent the Rebel group leader hides the information in a droid, BB8.

The droid stumbles upon a scavenger named Rey and immediately takes a liking to her. Rey reluctantly takes BB8 with her, and because of this, she ends up meeting Finn. Finn is running from the First Order, and when he runs into Rey with the droid, he can’t make himself walk away. Together, they embark on a journey with the First Order high on their tails.

The special effects in the movie allow the audience to feel as if they are actually flying across the galaxy. From one planet to the next, from alien to alien, the quality is extremely life-like, making the full immersion into the movie that much easier.

New director JJ Abrams brought forth his own style to the movie. George Lucas, the director of Episodes I-VI, was more focused on big surprises and darkness, as shown by his superb storytelling and what is regarded as the greatest cinematic reveal in history. Abrams has a lighter side, incorporating more humor, one liners, and sarcastic androids.

On the screen, viewers see Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher as Princess (or General as she is now known) Leia, and Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. The newcomers include Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, John Boyega, who plays Finn, and Adam Driver, who plays Ren.

The blend of new and old worked well for the movie, creating just the right amount of nostalgia mixed with excitement for what was to come. Old movies favorites like C3PO, R2D2, and the Millennium Falcon return to the screen alongside new favorites such as BB8.

The plot, while fast-moving, was easy to follow. The movie was packed with action sequences and almost constant battles, but still the characters were able to develop at the same time. The fighting, which escalated as the movie went on, was intense and well-done.

An evil villain dueling with himself, a normal girl with exceptional capabilities, a man on the run – all in the middle of a war. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is an epic space-adventure, filled with action and humor that results in a quality film for old and new fans alike.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Brendan Felag – Staff Reporter

Curren$y is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was one of the original members of Young Money Entertainment, a label found by Lil Wayne. Curren$y built the foundation of his following on a legendary run of mix tapes that began in 2008.

With three projects already out this year – “Even More Saturday Night Car Tunes,” ”Cathedral,” and “Pilot Talk III” – Curren$y just released his fourth album, entitled “Canal Street Confidential.” Curren$y continues to give the fans what they want. “Canal Street Confidential” comes with 13 tracks and features guest appearances from Future, Lloyd, K Camp, Ty Dolla Sign, Corner Boy P, Fiend, Lil Wayne, and August Alsina.

The first track, “Drive By,” features Future, and while the two may not have a whole lot in common, the track scans as one of the better moments of the album. Another quality track on the album is “Everywhere,” which has a beat that intertwines with the tone of Curren$y’s voice. The song is about keeping your priorities straight and not giving your money away. Wiz Khalifa brings focus to the album on “Winning,” where Khalifa and Curren$y reflect back on their humble beginnings. The track is particularly effective when Curren$y tells the story of the broke artists and how they chose the right path to be successful. 

The album does have some drawback, however. Even though Curren$y is known to be a laid back rapper, he tends to be too laid back at times. The songs tend to sound pretty similar and the vocals can end up to be looked at as lazy and bland. In some of Curren$y’s older music, he was known for having jazz and soul-based hooks and that’s what really lacks in “Canal Street Confidential.” Even though Curren$y’s prime years are closing out, he should look to revive something more upbeat in his lyrics for him to reach a larger audience.  

Rate: 2.5 out of 5 stars

By Jesse Dacosta – Staff Reporter

Kendrick Lamar and Jermaine Cole shook the Internet on November 27 by dropping a collaborative track called, “Black Friday.” Kendrick rapped over Cole’s “Tale Of 2 Citiez’ instrumental and Cole rapped over Kendrick’s “Alright” beat. This is the first single off their upcoming album which will be released in February under TDE and Dreamville Records. Rumors were circulated about the album, but this track confirmed the two MCs will be dropping a duo album.

Kendrick Lamar’s prior projects lead to high hopes for this album. From his 2010 mixtape “Overly Dedicated,” followed by “Section 80” in 2011, it was apparent early in his career that Lamar was a force to reckoned with. He brought back the roots of rap and wasn’t talking about the typical subjects in rap like money, cars, and relationships. His critically acclaimed debut album in 2012, “Good Kid, Maad City,” went platinum and had a great message that everyone could relate to.

Growing up in Compton, Lamar’s friends were doing illegal things, like selling and using drugs, trying to fit in, and he was conflicted just like everyone else. The album showed how Lamar found himself. His most recent release, 2014’s “A Butterfly” touched on pressing social issues such as racism and inequality. He also talk about the importance of loving who you are and staying true to yourself while also making radio hits.

Cole career hasn’t been as consistent as Lamar’s; however, he shows a lot of promise. He released a series of mix tapes in 2007 but none stood out until his 2010 project, “Friday Night Lights.” That album proved Cole was a versatile artist who could sing and rap. After some sub-par projects in between, he released his best project to date in 2014. “Forest Hills Drive” had flawless production along with some great verses. The whole album is about Cole’s teenage years living with his mom. The album doesn’t feature anyone, yet went platinum, which is a bold statement.

Lamar’s verse on the track was insane to say the least, using great wordplay. For almost four minutes, he is rapping with no chorus, throwing the traditional 16 bar verse out the window. His high energy goes perfectly with the high energy beat. He wasn’t kidding when he said the song had “career-damaging verses”.

Cole starts the verse with a diss to Drake and Future, most likely due to the fact they dropped a collaborative album earlier this year. Cole brings his own element to this instrumental. Rather than just rapping, he makes a chorus showing his versatile songwriting abilities. Cole proved that he could keep up with Lamar with his short but sweet verses.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Ann Reed – Staff Reporter

Little Mix are bringing girl bands back with the release of their third album, “Get Weird.”

The British girl-band Little Mix got their start in 2011 when it’s four members, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson, all auditioned for “The X-Factor” as solo artists. Following their individual eliminations in the first bootcamp challenge, the judges decided to give the girls another chance by putting them together and entering them in the group category. The girls joined separate bands at first, but after those individual bands failed to make it through the judges houses, the judges formed another band now known as Little Mix. Little Mix eventually became the first band ever to win “The X-Factor,” earning them a record deal with Simon Cowell’s record label, “Syco”. After their first two albums, “DNA” and “Salute,” sold well in the U.K, they searched and eventually found their first huge U.S hit with their third album titled “Get Weird.”

With this album, Little Mix has gone for an 80’s pop vibe, pulling it off beautifully. The girls make sure that every song fits the theme by using funky beats paired with fun dance lyrics. “Get Weird” serves as a time machine back to the 80’s, bringing the reader to a more lively time. The song that coincides with the theme the most is “Weird People.” The track features a beat lead by an electric keyboard with empowering lyrics such as, “And now I step out of the crowd and I party on the other side (Oh, the other side)/And ain’t no uptight sucker gonna tell me how to live my life (I’m living my life”) and “We’re gonna get weird all night/I said now let’s get weird all night.” This song, along with the whole album, is bound to make anyone want to dance, which is essentially what the 80’s was all about.

“Get Weird” also shows a more mature side to Little Mix, which is a refreshing change from their first two albums. While “DNA” and “Salute” seem almost too catchy for them to be meaningful, “Get Weird” shows a truer side to the girls. In songs like “Secret Love Song Part 2” and “The End,” focus more on the emotion in the song opposed to the production of them. With a simple piano backing, “Secret Love Song Part 2” puts all eyes on the stellar vocals and raw emotion, with lyrics like, “Every second, every thought, I’m in so deep/But I’ll never show it on my face/But we know this, we got a love that is homeless.”

With there only being 16 songs on the deluxe album, the listener will never want it to end and will expect more. “Get Weird” is perfect for any pop lover looking for fun tracks to work out to or sad songs to mess with their emotions. Afterall, doesn’t everybody have to “Get Weird” every now and then?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Isabela Roldan – Staff Reporter

Combine a creepy forest, a pretty female lead, supernatural horror, along with inspiration from true events and you have the means for a perfect thriller film.

Director Jason Zada has high hopes for his first major full-length film, “The Forest,” which will be released on January 8, 2016.

The movie is set in the Japanese mountains of Aokigahara, also named the Suicide Forest, where a young woman by the name of Sara goes in search of uncovering the mystery of her twin sister’s sudden disappearance. Going against the advice of others to not “stray from the path,” Sara enters the forest determined, only to be confronted by the exasperated souls that target anyone who enters.

Film star Natalie Dormer more commonly known for playing the roles of Margaery Tyrell in “Game of Thrones” and Cressida in “The Hunger Games,” will be starring as the main protagonist, Sara Price.

Dormer will be accompanied by her co-star Taylor Kinney who starred in movies such as “The Other Woman” and “Rock the Kasbah,” in order to fill the role of the expatriate, Aiden.

“It’s very exciting watching this film come together and working with all of the immensely talented people that have joined us,” Zada said.

The movie’s trailer previews just a few of the supernatural happenings done upon Sara, including  whispering of her name and hallucinations of her being pulled into the earth by tree roots.

While the movie’s main plot of a girl in search of her missing sister is false, the haunted forest of Aokigahara is, in fact, real.

“’The Forest’ will be a cinematic journey to a dark and terrifying place and I’m happy to be on that journey with Jason Zada, David Goyer, David Linde, and Tory Metzger,” said Peter Schlessel, CEO of Focus Features. “The supernatural scares of the ‘The Forest’ will be something that will genuinely thrill audiences.”

Zada has already made a name for himself in directing many commercials, short films, and apps including “Elf Yourself” and the Emmy award winning app “Take This Lollipop,” a scary, interactive Facebook app which opened the eyes of millions of people as to how much personal information they share online.

After viewing the movie’s set images, it is easy to tell that Zada has a knack for focusing on the aesthetics of the land, and hiding the mysteries within it just enough to make the viewer yearn to know what lies beneath it.

“It was important to me the capture the authenticity of the location and Japan,” Zada said. “The ability to help create real characters that come to life over the course of 90-plus minutes was a fun transition from shorter form content that I’ve done in the past.”

“The Forest” will leave horror fans on the edges of their seats. The only question left is, do viewers dare to explore the forest?

(Some information courtesy jasonzada.com and fastcocreate.com)

By Catie Rice – Staff Reporter

The action-packed boxing thriller “Southpaw” hit theaters everywhere July 24. Antoine Fuqua, who also directs “The Equalizer,” impressively directs this edge-of-the-seat film.

The movie starts off with Billy “The Great” Hope, who is played by Jake Gyllenhaal, as the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion. He lives a great life with a loving wife and daughter and a long, undefeated career.

However, at the height of his career, Billy goes through the worst time of his life when an accident involving his wife takes her life. His life begins to crumble. With no money, a custody battle against the state for his daughter, and the onset of depression, Hope soon finds an unlikely savior in Tick Willis. Willis, played by Forest Whitaker, was a former fighter, but now trains the city’s toughest amateur boxers. With his future on the line, Hope fights to get his life back together.

Jake Gyllenhaal, who has also starred in “Nightcrawler,” “Everest,” and “Enemy,” successfully plays the role of Billy Hope. Gyllenhaal was invested in his role, making him the best fit for this character which made the movie very emotional and interesting. The boxing scenes of the movie were action- packed and made the viewers sit on the edge of their seat.

“I knew nothing about boxing when I started, really, and I knew that in order for me to pull it off in any way, I was just gonna have to learn how to do it — and when I set my mind to something, I just won’t stop until I do it,” Gyllenhaal said.

The big boxing scenes were impressively re-enacted. In one match, Gyllenhaal takes several hard hits, including an injury to his eye that worries his wife. Gyllenhaal did all his own fight scenes and rounds were recorded in the full three-minute intervals.

Hope’s wife, Maureen, played by Rachel McAdams, was only in the movie for a short time but added to the movie’s drama. McAdams has previously starred in “The Notebook” and the classic  “Mean Girls,” both of which help her play this role really well. As the loving wife that tragically dies in the arms of her husband, she creates many emotions for the viewers.

Although there was a powerful and intense climax where Hope starts to find his bearings once again, the ending felt rushed. You follow Hope through his training, working like he never has before to regain his former title and feel rushed into the final scenes.

This movie created a roller coaster of emotions for moviegoers and they won’t be able to take their eyes off the screen. This film appeals to anyone who likes action-packed movies.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

(Some information courtesy hollywoodreporter.com)

By Maeve Rourke – Staff Reporter

The new movie “Krampus” brings a scary and evil spin to Christmas.

This movie blends satirical humor about the unpleasant elements of the modern Christmas season with a scary tale.

The main character, a young boy named Max (portrayed by Emjay Anthony) has a dysfunctional family that clashes over the holidays and decides to turn his back on Christmas. Little does he know, his lack of festive spirit has spawned Krampus: an evil monster that has the intent of taking, opposed to Santa Claus who gives.

The movies starts off with with Max’s Aunt Linda (Allison Tolman) and Uncle Howard (David Koechner) visiting, and his miserable Aunt Dorothy (Conchata Ferrell), who immediately starts complaining to his stressed parents, Tom (Adam Scott) and Sarah (Toni Collette).

After Max ripped up his letter to Santa, a freakish blizzard blows through the neighborhood, cutting off all electricity and phone/Internet access. The chaos begins with a delivery man arriving with ominous packages, and when Max’s older sister, Beth (Stefania LaVie Owen), decides to visit her boyfriend, she never returns.

This movie has experienced skepticism due to its unusual take on Christmas. Despite the skeptics the film has drawn a huge curious audience.  The movie pulled in $6 million on its premier date and was estimated to make another $15 million last weekend.

In addition to the unique plot, “Krampus” contains many well-known actors. Comedians Adam Scott and David Koechner play a big role in the movie. Also, Emmy nominee Conchata Ferrell, best known as Berta the housekeeper in “Two and a Half Men”, stars in this film.

Although this movie has an unusual plot and well-known actors, it is hard to take the movie seriously. A big chunk of the movie includes cheesy build-up to the reveal of Krampus, and contains very little scenes that are actually scary.

Most of the scenes include cliché aspects of a horror movie. Much of the movie includes dark lighting, odd camera angles, and long quiet pauses with creepy christmas music playing in the background.

For example, when the monster, “Krampus”, finally does attack the family, it is usually in dark in enclosed spaces, and the camera is shoved in the actors’ faces while they try to do their best impression of someone being chased.

“Krampus” tries to portray the importance of family, and what christmas is truly about. It is hard to actually get a moral out of the movie when it isn’t very serious until it nears the ending.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

By Nisali Fernando – Staff Reporter

One Direction released their fifth and final album on November 13. “Made In The A.M.” represents the resilience of the British-Irish four piece. Unlike past releases, MITAM follows members Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, and Niall Horan through a loss. This “loss” being the departure of member Zayn Malik. Malik’s time in the band boiled down to a cursory goodbye on social media. As expected, the fans were left in the dark about the aftermath following this sudden change. Yet aside from all the smoke and mirrors, One Direction released a surprisingly honest and vulnerable album.

“MITAM” itself offers a more well-rounded view of the pop turned rock boy band. The album itself is littered with lyrics deep enough to be printed on a wall sign and hung up in a home. The use of full orchestras and synthesizers push fans into a new cornucopia of sound. It makes the same boys who gained popularity singing “What Makes You Beautiful” seem like a distant memory.

The band got their start on the X-Factor UK, they lost and placed third in the overall competition but that wasn’t the end of One Direction.  They’ve released four other albums; “Up All Night” “Take Me Home” “Midnight Memories” and “FOUR” and with this current release it boils down to five albums in five years. While most groups would consider this task overwhelming, the growth and maturity between albums is apparent.

The pop album has 13 songs on the standard version and 17 on the deluxe version. Songs “Temporary Fix” “Walking In The Wind” “Wolves” and “A.M” are featured on the deluxe version

“Drag Me Down”, the first single off of the album, was released on July 31st with no warning. It debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and broke the record on Spotify for most streamed track in one day, earning 4.75 million global streams. The mid-tempo track is peppered with reggae influences similar to the band Magic! and closes with strong riffs from Styles.

The album opens with “Hey Angel” a song that draws influence from another popular british band from the 80s. The repetitive hook, “Oh I wish could be more like you, do you wish you could be more like me?,” eerily reminds listeners of the Beatles. It is a distinctively British-pop track and leaves listeners feeling nostalgic once the song is over.

“End of the Day” opens with a strong percussive line, the chorus is previewed with three percussive beats that allow for a beat drop that is unlike 1D’s original sound. Tomlinson finishes the song by belting a high note followed by a unique guitar riff.

“Never Enough” the most unique and eclectic track on the album opens with a war cry. The lyrics are artfully spoken and to most sound like gibberish. The fast-paced track sounds like a modern “Hooked on A Feeling,” but with trumpets.

“If I Could Fly” speaks of long distance love and leaves the listener crying over a love so strong it survives any obstacles. Lyrics such as, “ For your eyes only, I show you my heart. For when you’re lonely and forget who you are. I’m missing half of me when we’re apart.” strikes a literal chord with anyone who’s ever been in love.

“What a Feeling,” which is influenced heavily by Fleetwood Mac, has a synth-heavy, retro sound. The song talks on love at first sight and the feeling of letting love overtake you. Imagine a roller rink on 80s night, colors and sharp,disco music fill a listener’s senses as the song progresses.

While the album and the band itself have taken leaps towards developing a new sound. One Direction continues to play it safe with the songs they choose to release as singles. “Drag Me Down” which introduces a throbbing bass line and intricate guitar riffs still manages to be reduced down to another basic pop track. “Perfect” while a unique track in its own right, lyrics like “Baby I’m perfect, Baby I’m perfect for you” seem repetitive and vague. One Direction recently announced “Infinity” as their next single, essentially copping out and picking a pop-driven song to be played on the radio. While there’s nothing wrong with pop music, songs that show a different side of 1D slowly die out, unheard of by those who choose to only judge One Direction for their pop, bubbly exterior.

While 1D does rarely change it up, they are always identifiable. Regardless of the hatred one may feel for artificial boybands crying about the same old heartbreak. Their music sells. One Direction isn’t for everyone, but if a well-rounded, musically adept album still doesn’t sound appealing, that is 100% okay. There will always be 8-12 year old girls who cry over the love ballads sung by an endearing British beauty. There will always be fans “directioners” as they’re called, who feel a fierce loyalty to their boys, and will support their endeavors.

A song like “History,” dubbed “ a love letter to the fans,” embodies five years of friendship. A sort of parting gift and a sincere thank you for all the fans have done before embarking on their 18-month hiatus. And as of Monday, December 14th, One Direction changed their final single release from “Made In The A.M.” from “Infinity” to “History” due to overwhelming fan support for the folk track.

Though the album may be called “Made In The A.M.,” people will find themselves listening to the album for years to come.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Owen Paiva – Staff Reporter

The beloved animated band, Gorillaz, was the brainchild of Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl comic artist Jamie Hewlett. For those who do not know, Gorillaz is a virtual band made up of (from left to right) bassist and band leader Murdoc Niccals, lead singer and synth/keyboardist 2-D, guitarist Noodle, and drummer Russel Hobbs. Gorillaz was created in Blur’s hiatus as a way for Albarn to experiment with different genres of music. “Demon Days,” the band’s second and most successful album, was released in 2005.  Albarn and Hewlett teamed up with producer Danger Mouse, half of Gnarls Barkley, to produce a alternative rock/hip-hop album. Albarn described each song as battling with a personal demon. He drew inspiration from his train ride from Beijing to Mongolia with nothing but deserts and dead trees, thinking that one day the world will be like this.

The best part of the album is that each song has its own meaning and flavor. “Dirty Harry” is a commentary on the Iraqi war and is a reflection of Albarn’s anti-war beliefs, coming from a soldier’s point of view but seems like a very upbeat song, “El Mañana” is a false translation that means “The Mourning” in its context and is a melancholic ballad about dealing with the loss of a loved one.  “DARE” a seemingly bright and happy song is about a person on their path to absolution (the theme of the album) and their battle with urges to give in to their past bad self.  “Fire Coming Out of a Monkey’s Head” is another anti-war ballad, this one is about the consequences and ignorance of both sides in the war. The album ends with a two part orchestral ballad “Don’t Get Lost in Heaven/Demon Days” which take all the parts from the album and sum them up perfectly. The album’s ability to tell a story, while mixing alternative rock and hip-hop is its biggest strength.

The album was Gorillaz big breakthrough to the United States, going 2X Platinum as well as 5X Platinum in the UK. The album had won multiple awards including a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for “Feel Good Inc” and an MTV award for best group. The album blended the hip-hop/alternative vibes from their eponymous debut album from 2001, with elements from Blur’s Britpop and pop vibes. The album’s message and storytelling earned it acclaim, and provided a tonal touchstone for the decade. The album holds up well today compared to other pieces of the early to mid 2000’s.

The lyrical content should be highlighted for certain songs, but “Feel Good Inc.” is the strongest on the album. It addresses the media’s dumbing down of everything, and about breaking away from that. The verse with strong lines like, “And all I wanna hear is the message beep., My dreams, they’ve got to kiss me ’cause I don’t get sleep, no” captures the media’s effect powerfully and the sweet, acoustic chorus is the highlight of the song, capturing the essence of escapism. This song is a perfect representation of the album and the group at its strongest.

The album’s only notable weakness lies in the preference of the listener. This album has some experimental songs with B-sides like “Fire Coming Out of a Monkey’s Head” and “Every Planet We Reach Is Dead”. These songs are the two good B-Sides but some of the other are not notable, and not memorable.  Some people do not want to listen to tracks that are more experimental and out there.

This album stands well after a decade, and re-listening to this album should make Gorillaz fans excited for the upcoming album as it is rumored to have a similar sound to Demon Days, with more guitar compared to the more electronic sounds of “Plastic Beach.”

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

By Tyler Chavez – Staff Reporter

The first “Rocky” film came out 39 years ago. Since then, five additional films have helped establish the film franchise as one of the most beloved in American cinema. The story of a young boxer from Philadelphia established the modern underdog story in film, and launched Sylvester Stallone to stardom for the rest of his career. Enter “Creed”, the newest installment in the franchise (the first since 2006’s “Rocky Balboa”), that attempts to not only live up to the expectations of the first “Rocky” films, but also stand as its own great film. Starring Michael B. Jordan (“Chronicle”, “Fantastic Four”, “Fruitvale Station”), Sylvester Stallone (“The Expendables”, “Rambo”, “Spy-Kids 3D: Game Over”), and directed by Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”), “Creed” sets out to tell an underdog story we know very well by now, but also to make its mark on the “Rocky” franchise.

The film starts with Mary Anne Creed (played by Phylicia Rashad), the widow of champion Apollo Creed from the first three Rocky films, adopting a young Adonis Johnson, Apollo’s illegitimate son. Years later, we see Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) grown up, and boxing in Mexico, just like his father. But Adonis wants to pursue boxing full time, and decides to move from California, to Philadelphia to train under the great Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). While hesitant at first, Balboa agrees to train Adonis, after the young boxer reveals that he is Apollo’s son.

Michael B. Jordan, while not fantastic, does a very good job as Adonis. In almost every scene, you can see the hunger and desire he has to be great and achieve his goal. He also does a very good job of capturing how haunted Adonis is by his father. Even though he never met Apollo, he has resentment of him, and has to live with the comparisons to his father. This is a young man who is hurting, but will never admit it. This movie is a good move for Michael B. Jordan seeing as his last film, Fantastic Four, failed spectacularly at the box office.

However, Stallone really steals the show. His Rocky is older, alone, and weaker. He is not pathetic, but it is still sad to see him like this. Rocky is now more of a local legend, living quietly and running an Italian restaurant. However, Rocky still has a heart of gold. His comedic comments bring life into the film. The classic “old master becomes teacher” arc is handled perfectly, and the relationship between Rocky and Adonis is great. They both help each other in their own ways. I fully expect Stallone to get a couple award nominations for this performance.

The cinematography is also handled very well in this movie. Primarily during the boxing fights, the use of circling shots, and rising sound with every punch builds intensity and sets the atmosphere perfectly. Seeing these punches land hurts and adds a visual intensity that any boxing film needs.

Even though Michael B. Jordan does a good job as Adonis, Adonis himself can be a hard character to root for. It is not impossible to root for Adonis and he is not totally unlikeable since he does get some good character development later on, but he doesn’t truly admit his flaws or see the error of his ways and his pride and over-masculinity often get him into trouble.

Many of his opponents say the same thing, that he was born with a silver spoon and is not a proven fighter. And, well, they’re right. Adonis comes from money because of Apollo, and left his financially secure job where he was just promoted to chase some ego-fueled dream. And we only see him fight twice before he is asked to fight the pound-for-pound best boxer in the world. The entire idea of him suddenly being ready to take on this opponent is unrealistic. Instead of showing us Adonis working up through the boxing world, we only get some good old fashioned training montages.

Adonis is not the only character to weigh this movie down. The film’s main female lead and Adonis’ love interest, Bianca (played by Tessa Thompson of Selma and Dear White People) and the film’s antagonist, Ricky Conlan (played by actual boxer Tony Bellew) are given the short hand of the stick. What could be good, interesting characters are left unattended to and underdeveloped.

Bianca, unfortunately, is treated like many other love interests in boxing films. She is left to just stay by Adonis’ side and support him, which is a shame because she has the potential to be a good character. Bianca is an aspiring singer/musician who also has progressive hearing loss. Instead of touching on this story of a musician who is losing her hearing, the detail is tossed to the side. In fact, we learn very little about Bianca in the film as a whole. She is underdeveloped, and that lets the film down.

Ricky Conlan gets a similar treatment. The best pound-for-pound boxer in the world is about to go to jail for seven years, and wants one last fight with the son of Apollo before he leaves. But, he is not a total bad guy. He is not doing this for his ego, but instead, is trying to leave a roof for his kids to stay under. And yet, we see little of this, or Conlan at all. He is respectable and a decent guy, but as a character, he too is left underdeveloped and unappreciated.

In a way, the story of Adonis represents what “Creed” is all about. Both are trying to step out of the shadow of their predecessors, and prove that they can stand on their own as greats. They are not relying on their connections, but accept them to strengthen themselves and be better. Fans of the first “Rocky” film will enjoy this, as “Creed” follows a similar path, and seeing Stallone reprise his role as Rocky will warm their hearts. And to those who did not see the previous entries, they will find a well- written, well directed, uplifting underdog story. “Creed” accomplishes what it set out to do, and is a great film that may see some award nominations.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

“Mockingjay Part 2,” the epic conclusion to “The Hunger Games,” takes viewers straight back into the world of Panem. After the recovery of Peeta and the other victors from the Capitol, Katniss has to deal with the fact that Peeta is now hijacked and is no longer the innocent and kind baker who loved her while she is finally getting ready for the war to take down President Snow.

The war between the districts has finally commenced and is pitting district against district. Feeling restless, Katniss asks Coin to be put into the action, and is sent to District Two to take down the Capitol’s main source of weapons. There Katniss is shot and presumed dead by the capitol.

Katniss is part of the Star Squad, the platoon was sent out to provide footage of the Mockingjay in action, but miles behind any real action yet still deadly. Some people may find this aspect of the movie boring because Katniss is only trying to fight in a war when she’s basically just pretending. While the bombs and dangers are real threats, this is true. Katniss doesn’t fight in the war but she does try.

Katniss is no longer reluctant to go out and fight in this war. She is tired from being a pawn used in everyone else’s game and she decides to do something about it. Anxious to be part of the fight and to help, Katniss and Gale head out – until their plans get sidetracked by personal added to their squad. Entering the war zone in the Capitol, Katniss seems to find her footing and loses multiple men on a suicide mission to kill Snow.

The scenes in the sewer were the most suspenseful of the entire movie, using the dark and the quiet to rattle nerves. The mutts were horrifying and well implemented to look real. The special effects were pretty well done, incorporated in a way that wasn’t overbearing but still managing to portray the way the Capitol had over-the-top luxury and Hunger Games violence. The only thing that really stuck out from the movie was the fact that Katniss’ hair was down for a majority of it.

One of the movie’s shortcomings is that it felt rushed. The scenes seemed to jump from one to the next constantly disrupting the flow that would have been established. They didn’t dwell in anything, or let anything really sink in, just quickly moved on to get to the next scene. It took away a lot from the feelings that were supposed to be portrayed. When Finnick and Annie get married, Katniss dances with Prim and the scene seems to flit across the scene and to the next. It seemed the directors were trying too hard to fit the scene in.

Once the rebels take the Capitol and have Snow in their custody, Katniss asks to take the shot to end the war. Her decision will shock everyone (assuming you have not read the book). The remaining parts of the movie settle back on Katniss moving back home, and moving on from the war. The last scene of the movie ties the whole storyline together with a quote directly from the book, wrapping the series up nicely.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

Halsey released her first full-length album on August 28. “Badlands” takes listeners on a tour through the mind of the young artist and brings them through the ups and downs of her life. It’s not so much an album about feelings as it is a state of mind. Halsey takes people through what she thinks is the desolate wasteland that is her mind.

All her life, Halsey has been surrounded by music. Growing up, her parents would play various types of music that she has told interviewers has influenced her own music style. As a teenager, Halsey was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has struggled to come to terms with what that has meant to her life. She doesn’t let it cripple her; instead, Halsey writes honestly about its effect on her life.

Halsey started out her music career by posting YouTube videos and her big break came when she put her song “Ghost” on Soundcloud.

Halsey previously released an EP, “Room 93,” that included five songs. The success of these songs officially put Halsey on the map and helped her write “Badlands.” The indie pop album has 11 songs on the standard version and 16 on the deluxe version. The deluxe version features the songs “Hurricane,” “Colors Pt. 2,” “Strange Love,” “Gasoline,” and “I Walk the Line.”

Halsey has been quoted saying this album is an “angry female record.” That description of her album is almost spot on. Each song she wrote for this album has an edgy feeling and a mix of different sounds inspired by other artists that Halsey makes her own.

The album starts off with “Castle,” which has hard beats. “Hold Me Down” is inspired by a need to inspire people to never let anyone tell them they can’t do anything. Halsey sings about “clinging to a little bit of spine” which emphasizes her sticking to her own needs and not letting anyone step on her.

“New Americana” one of the more popular songs on the album. This song is about being diverse in America and about embracing things that are different and accepting them. It’s not a song that is as superficial as one might think upon first listen. The song “Drive” is softer and mellows out the setlist for a few minutes. “Hurricane” is about independence. A girl falls for a guy and he thinks he’s going to devastate her by leaving, but she turns around and says that she doesn’t belong to anyone. It’s meant as a message for girls and guys everywhere to be independent. “Roman Holiday” is more wistful with a solid beat and a strong vibe.

“Ghost” is Halsey’s first original song that she had released. Halsey mentions in the commentary for “Room 93” that she wanted her sound to be “church-y, scary, shimmery” that and is what she based the rest of her music on. She rereleased the song on this album because of its success on the EP.

“Colors” is about loving the idea of a person and the way that affects other people. Halsey sings, “You were red and you liked me because I was blue, but you touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky then you decided purple just wasn’t for you,” which talks about the way people can change you and then not like what they did to you. The song “Colors Pt. 2” is a series of rhythms and sounds that are rocky and confusing. She uses the chorus and a verse from “Colors” as the only words she sings.

“Strange Love” has a rhythm that can now associated with the album. She writes about her freedom to not say anything to press about her relationships, but that she will because it’s what she’s good at writing about. “Coming Down” is softer than the previous tracks, once again slowing down the pace of the album.

“Haunting” is a track about wanting someone to stay with you, to keep haunting you.

“Gasoline” is about Halsey’s bipolar disorder and how she doesn’t feel human. She is blunt and passionate and the upbeat tempo. She sings, “Are you high enough without the Mary Jane like me? Do you tear yourself apart to entertain like me? Do the people whisper about you on the train like me? Saying that ‘you shouldn’t waste your pretty face’ like me?’” Like “Gasoline,” “Control” has a fast tempo and blunt tone. She says, “I’m bigger than my body I’m colder than this home. I’m meaner than my demons I’m bigger than these bones.” Halsey struggles with her bipolar disorder, and is still figuring things out.

Ending the album is “Young God.” Halsey calls this song “trippy” and it certainly fits that description with its swaying cords and the promiscuity. “I Walk the Line” is a cover of “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash, but it sounds much different. Where Cash’s song is accentuated by a banjo and is slow-paced, Halsey’s version is very sultry.

This album has gained Halsey immense popularity and earned her a nomination for MTV Europe Awards’ “Artist on the Rise” for 2015. She is also featured on Justin Bieber’s new album “Purpose,” which has already been a huge hit.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Brendan Felag – Staff Reporter

“At.Long.Last” by A$AP Rocky was released on May 26. This album consists of 18 songs, lasting a duration of an hour and eight minutes. A$AP Rocky is an east coast rapper from Harlem, New York. He began his career in 2007 by joining a group of rappers and beatmakers called The A$AP MOB. One of the more familiar names from the group is A$AP Ferg, who is having the similar success that A$AP Rocky is experiencing. The type of hip hop that A$AP Rocky brings to the table is more of a psychedelic  and slow vibe, which makes his sound original and creative.

“At.Long.Last” starts off with “Holy Ghost,” a track that talks about Rocky’s relationship with God and how without Him, he wouldn’t be where he is in his career. This song brings a mellow distorted guitar beat that leads into an uplifting chorus that creates a church choir feel to it.

Next up on the list is another mellowed out song called “Canal St.” This track talks about A$AP’s struggles before he found success and was homeless roaming from Chinatown, Harlem, and Queens. Once that plays out “Fine Whine” comes on with its drained out, dark, beat. The basis of the song is about broken relationships with both Rocky, Future and both of the women that were very prevalent in their lives.

After that follows up with “Jukebox Joints” which is one of the better songs on the album with it’s soothing melody which come from samples of an Indonesian song by Rasela, titled “Doa Untuk Kasih” with some bars that go hard from Rocky and Kanye West who is featured on this track.

This album has a lot of featured artists that really bring this to life. These artists include Joe Fox, Bones, Future, M.I.A., Schoolboy Q, Kanye West, Juicy J, UGK,James Fauntleroy, Lil Wayne, Rod Stewart, Miguel, Mark Ronson, Mos Def, A-Cyde and A$AP Yams. And new, up and coming rapper Bones, has a feature as well. Bones brings the dark tone to this sound which brings in it’s culture in “Canal St.”. Lil wayne and Kanye West each had a eye-opening set of lyrics with Lil Wayne in “M’s” and Kanye in “Jukebox Joints.” Each feature packed the punch that was needed in each song.

In an interview with London radio broadcasters, Rocky says that the energy of London has influenced this album “100%.” A$AP Rocky also mentions that because he wanted to make so heartfelt, he went clean for the whole time that he was writing this album.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Jesse Dacosta – Staff Reporter

Mr. Mac’s Canteen has been a landmark in Milford for years. The original location is in Monroe. After seeing the success of the first business, the owners decided to open the restaurant in Milford. Mr. Mac’s has always been involved in the community by sponsoring baseball teams and hosting charity events.

Mr. Mac’s isn’t ordinary fast food, hence their slogan: “A unique experience in fast food.” 

The high quality of the food is what sets Mr. Mac’s apart from chain restaurants. The award- winning chili is so spicy, some employees give a warning to the customers who order it. They are known for their all-day breakfast and their delicious hot dogs and cheeseburgers, both of which taste even better with the chilli.

The sides are just as good as the main courses at Mr. Mac’s. The mac and cheese wedges are so crispy, and the mozzarella sticks just ooze out cheese. The wavy french fries have the classic baseball game taste, and the onion rings are a great alternative. There’s even pea soup and clam chowder.

Usually the seafood from a fastfood place might be a risky choice, but there’s nothing to worry about at Mr. Mac’s. There are various platters and combinations including, scallops, stuffed clams, shrimp and lango. The fish doesn’t have that strong fish taste, and is surprisingly crispy.

There are so many different milkshake flavors, it’s hard to choose just one. The shakes are so perfectly thick, that sometimes it doesn’t come out the straw. Blue raspberry isn’t exactly the most traditional shake flavor, but it’s surprisingly one of the best.

They even have an assortment of concessions to buy at the counter like baked goods alongside gum and candy. The muffins sold are also really good, especially blueberry, and the giant cookies are the size of a basketball.  

Mr. Mac’s also has kids meals that come with a kids drink, cheeseburger or hot dog, an order of fries, and even a toy.

The prices are cheap at Mr. Mac’s, but they do not accept cards, so bring cash. There is an ATM inside as well.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Vishal Manglani – Staff Reporter

The potential future of hip hop may lay in the hands of upcoming songwriter, rapper, and Jonathan Law senior Bobby Phong, also known as B-Phong. What started as a hobby became a career leading him to his own gigs and recent release of his first album, “B to G.”

Phong’s first song “Rigamortis” sparked his rapping career in February 2015, and is currently his most popular song. His song became popular amongst high school students in Milford.

Phong’s first songs were the typical rap songs that display his life story, and the battle against certain stereotypes that he endured. However, as his music advanced, Phong developed deep personal meaning, and discussed issues such as suicide and hatred. This aspect of his music makes his songs isolated from rappers, such as Fetty Wap and Lil Wayne who both sing strictly about their reign. Instead, Phong’s music resembles the messages portrayed by the Old School rappers, such as 2 Pac and Biggie Smalls, who preach peace. What makes Phong’s music unique is that he portrays these personal messages in the tempo and pitch of modern rap.

Phong’s newer songs are growing at a faster rate and receive more positive feedback than any of his other songs. His growth in his songs resemble those of the modern rapper, J-Cole’s early stages of stardom. B-Phong’s “Rigamortis” received over 1,000 views in nine months. Phong’s newer songs such as  “No Regrets” received nearly a thousand views in just one week. He also received more likes and approval than he did when he first started out.

The first song in the album, “Rigamortis” is a remix of Kendrick Lamar’s “Rigamortis.” The song is about his battle against asian stereotypes as he explains in the song with its rhythmic lyrics. For example, he uses the lines, “Asians just play piano and loving the mathematics” to describe stereotypes he has faced. He later says, “survival of the fittest,” implying he that triumphed over the societal bias.

The beats that B-Phong chose to fit his lyrics match perfectly. He rhymes and matches his tempo with that of the beat. He keeps his rhythm constant to match the beat at it’s drum beat. Phong’s song “97 Til’ Infinity” was the best example of his ability to adapt his music to the beat. In this song, Phong puts stress on the words that fall on the song’s heavy drum beat. This creates a head-bobbing effect on the audience.

On Phong’s earlier work, his passion sometimes got the best of him. He tended to get so passionate about his subject, that he would yell what he was singing and lose the rhythm hs current music has. In phong’s later songs, his voice quality and pitch quality bettered from new technology.

Aside from Phong’s music, his music videos are impeccably professional and have very vivid quality. Being a high school student, his budget was very limited, but the end result is very impressive.

Phong’s  popularity is constantly rising as well as his music quality. If the pattern continues, the rap industry may have a new name.

Overall, Phong’s album “B to G” is a rare look inside his mind. Fans can find B-Phong’s music on YouTube on his channel “B PHONG”. You can also find his music on Soundcloud under the artist “B PHONG.”

By Arielle Eighmy – Staff Reporter

Imagine never growing older.

Director Lee Toland Krieger, lets the audience experience it along with Adaline. He also directed “The Vicious Kind,” and “Celeste & Jesse Forever.” This is the case for Blake Lively, star of the hit television series “Gossip Girl,” and movie “The Age of Adaline,” released in April. Lively’s inability to age and to keep it as best a secret as she can is intriguing and will leave viewers wondering what will happen next. 

The movie starts off with Lively’s character (Adaline Bowman) who is at the time 29 years old and suddenly gets into a car crash that should have been fatal only to make a miraculous recovery. Her survival, however, leaves her at the same age for nearly nine decades. This causes her to constantly change her name and relocate to various regions of the world so no one will ever know her secret that she has been hiding.

After settling into her new residence, shortly after she meets a charming young man by the name of Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman). Adaline is weary at first of Ellis and questions whether or not to move somewhere else once again.

But as Ellis’ attraction for Adaline grows, she chose to stay. Throughout the film Adaline struggles to mask her identity and ensure her timeless secret stays safe, but as her and Ellis’ love grows stronger, Adaline must decide whether or not her lust for Ellis runs more heavily than her desire to keep the secret safe.

This film captivates audiences with a passion for science fiction and an endless need to watch romance films. Although many critics gave mixed reviews on the film, most thought this was one of Lively’s better performances as an actress.

“The Age of Adaline,” is a must watch movie with honorable performances by Blake Lively (Adaline Bowman) and Michiel Huisman (Ellis Jones).Blake Lively is supposed to be playing a role of a young lady with no distinct interior life, but as a person Blake is very different: she possesses natural beauty and poise.

The build up to the moment when Adaline realizes she can’t age is slow and the movie lacks in keeping it interesting. However, once she figures out her predicament, the movie really starts rolling out. The plot picks up and the audience will find themselves intrigued. “The Age of Adaline” is a good movie for anyone in the mood for a good love story.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5    

By Owen Paiva – Staff Reporter

Following the Punk era in Britain, Britpop took over the airwaves. Championing this movement was Blur, lead by frontman Damon Albarn. After dominating the 90’s with songs like “Country House” and “Girls and Boys”, the band’s last release was an album in 2003 called “Think Tank”. The band went on hiatus following guitarist Graham Coxon’s departure. In 2009, Blur went on a reunion tour, causing fans to hope for a new album. Four years later on a tour of Southeast Asia, Blur found themselves with a week off after a cancelled appearance. In this time, Blur recorded “The Magic Whip” and on April 24 it was released.

This album takes inspiration from Asian and African Music, as well as homages to previous songs. “Lonesome Street” has the energetic guitar and vibe that would make it feel right at home in their “Parklife” album. “Thought I Was a Spaceman” is a homage to David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and the character of Major Tom. “Ong Ong” is a nice homage to the discoesque vibe of “Girls and Boys” The whole album may seem on the surface to seem like an extension of Albarn’s solo album, “Everyday Robots”, but this actually shows the importance of the Blur’s band-dynamic to prevent the melancholic sound of Albarn from going to complete dreariness. This sets it apart from a lot of Blur’s previous work, while keeping some of the same vibes. This originality really makes the album stand out, and its distinct sound carries it.

The album suffers from not having multiple stand out songs like most other albums. “Lonesome Street” is the main single that is probably the best song on the album. It is the most Blur track, and feels like the older albums, giving it a nostalgic feel. “There are Too Many of Us” is the only other song that works as a single, with its electronic feel and melodic vocals.  Every other track feels like a B-Side, but that is not a bad thing, it just restricts radio airplay.

The critical acclaim of this album is mainly linked to its powerful lyrical content, and unique sound. The song “There are Too Many of Us” speaks about the growing problems of overpopulation and the lack of urgency at a solution with lyrics like “‘Cause there are too many of us, In tiny houses here and there. Just passing out somewhere But you won’t care.” While “Lonesome Street” speaks of the loneliness and depression many in the world suffer. The chorus “And if you have nobody left to rely on. I’ll hold you in my arms and let you drift. It’s got to be that time again. And June, June will be over soon again”  has a very cheery feel, when contrasted to the emptiness in the verses.

The band flawlessly mixes the Britpop feel of their earlier work, electronic feel of Albarn’s other group, Gorillaz, and the indie rock feel of Albarn’s solo album. Different tracks may sound like Britpop or may have a more indie feel, but that adds to the album’s charm.

This album is Blur and purely Blur. The only other person of note was Stephen Street, the band’s producer during their best years. This album takes new direction from the various styles of the members following the break-up, and keeps the band’s original identity and sound. Albarn’s melancholic voices, with the band’s unique sound is really a treat for the ears. For older fans, this album is a homage to the olden days, and for newer or potential fans, it provides the sound of Albarn’s solo work and the indie rock feel works for Blur. This album should be listen to by Blur fans, Gorillaz fans, fans of indie rock, and alternative fans. This album is proof of the band’s longevity and ability to adapt. With the release of this album, Albarn has also hinted at an upcoming Gorillaz album, which should excite fans.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Cyntia Santos – Staff Reporter

The latest animated Pixar movie, “Inside Out,” is about an 11-year-old girl Riley. Riley leads a pretty good life, with her loving parents and a love of hockey and her native Minnesota, but her world turns upside down when she and her parents moves to San Francisco for her father’s new job. Riley’s emotions Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader), and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) try to guide Riley through this difficult event while living in Riley’s “Headquarters”.

While Joy tries to keep the move positive, the weight of it brings Sadness in the lead and Riley’s core memories turn sad. In an attempt to return the core memories to their happy state, Joy and Sadness are recklessly swept into the back of Riley’s mind where they get lost in Riley’s long term memory. As Joy and Sadness are on an adventure to get back to Headquarters, the only emotions left are Anger, Fear and Disgust.

Like many other Pixar movies, like “Nemo” and “WALL-E,” the film deals with the issue of loss. This time, that emotion was captured by ‘Inside Out” co-writers and co-directors Pete Docter and Ronnie Del Carmen. For his part, Docter had the idea for this movie about over six years ago, after he saw his own 11-year-old daughter become sad, and tried to imagine how the world looked through her eyes.

“Inside Out” also shows how all emotions are important in life, and how they work together in complicated situations to go through life. Though odd, the humor grows on the viewers throughout the film with help from its interesting and creative concepts. For example, Riley’s imaginary friend, Bing Bong, voiced by Richard Kind, is a pink, fuzzy elephant with orange striped legs in a hat, bow tie and blazer. Bing Bong really shows the creativeness in this film.

This is a family movie that can connect to all ages. Adults can feel connected to Riley’s parents through Riley’s rough patch and think about what they would do in their situation. The concept having a “Headquarters,” where all the emotions live, and the spheres of memories in the movie can be too complex for younger children. For a child, they would really have to process what’s happening first to understand.

This 94-minute, PG-rated Pixar movie brought tears to the audience’s eyes. It’s emotional, adventurous, and humorous film for all ages.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars