Friday, December 14, 2018

Breakout Artist of the Year: Juice Wrld


Dan Flavin Roberto Escamilla Nate Donohoe
Music Critics Desk


2018 was filled with new artists reaching star level, but one stood out. Juice WRLD went from unknown to not only running the year in pure sales, but he has become a fan favorite from his personality and talent.
     Juice WRLD’s explosion of fame was kicked off by his “All Girls Are the Same” music video shot by Cole Bennett. He started out the year with around 2,500 followers in Instagram, but after the release of the video on Feb. 24, his follower count grew to over 60,000. His rise didn’t stop there. The song and video kept getting attention and so did he. By the end of March, he was over 100,000 followers. His social media numbers aren’t the only indicator of his growth. Juice then dropped a video for his single “Lucid Dreams” which collected a total of 259,000,000 views as of Dec. 13. His debut album “Goodbye and Good RIddance” released in late May sold 39,000 units debuting at number 15 on the Billboard 200 chart.
     Juice started the year off huge, but he didn’t stop there. In early July he made headlines for freestyling for over an hour straight on Tim Westwood TV and gained respect that takes most new artists years to gain. People instantly knew that the 19-year-old rapper was the real deal. Two months later he released his next project and the wait was worth it. On Oct. 19 he released “Wrld on Drugs,” his collab album with trap legend Future. He again proved his versatility by not only singing songs about his past love life but rapping about his come up and earnings from rapping. At the same time, his breakout single “Lucid Dreams” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 R&B/ Hip-Hop Chart. Juice was also nominated for MTV’s song of the summer for “Lucid Dreams” and BET’s Best New Hip-Hop Artist. He ended the year with a track in the “Marvel Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” soundtrack. He was named Apple Music’s and Spotify’s breakout artist of the year amassing one-billion streams on Spotify in just his first year of fame.
     Juice Wrld’s talent, sales, Rockstar personality, and quick rise make him easily 2018’s breakout artist of the year.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Bohemian Rhapsody Captures the Unique and Electrifying Story of Queen

Juliana Covino
Staff Writer

The story of Queen, a prominent rock and heavy metal band in the ’70s, has finally hit the silver screen in the film “Bohemian Rhapsody.” As one of the most progressive bands of all time, Queen had multiple hits in genres such as funk, jazz, opera, reggae, punk, disco, and gospel. The movie was released on Nov. 2, 2018 and has earned $135 million in North America and $268 million overseas for a total $404 million globally.
     The star and front man of Queen was none other than the extravagant and incredible vocalist Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek, who portrayed Mercury in the film, embodied the role perfectly by moving and acting in an identical way to Mercury. Mercury’s band mates were portrayed by Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, and Joseph Mazzello in the film. All the actors did an outstanding job, performing as if they were rock icons providing the audience with a powerful stage presence similar to Queen’s. In addition, the film’s costume designer, Julian Day, and his team did a fantastic job of recreating each band member’s costume. Furthermore, the musical sequences in the movie such as the Live Aid performance and the recording of “Bohemian Rhapsody” were electrifying and the best part of the movie.
     Even though the movie follows the tale of Queen’s origin, Freddie Mercury’s background and life story is a major part of the film revealing his upbringing and the struggles he faced throughout his life. The biopic proves Mercury to be the musical genius he is as the audience watches him compose famous works such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” "Killer Queen," "Somebody to Love," "Don't Stop Me Now," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," and "We Are the Champions."
     Overall, the film does a marvelous job of giving insight into the writing process of Queen and a behind the scenes look at the relationship between band members. Even though some aspects of the film are a slight stretch from the truth, the audience still discovers new information about Queen that they may have never known before. I would give this movie a seven out of ten for its stellar stage performances, story line, and convincing portrayal of Queen. Check out the movie while it’s still in theaters.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Too Much Like Led Zeppelin?

Cooper Hendricks
Staff Writer

Greta Van Fleet’s debut album, “Anthem of the Peaceful Army,” has left some people wondering if they have their own sound or if they’re just Led Zeppelin clones.
    Greta Van Fleet (GVF) is a new, young band of the Kiszka Brothers: Josh, Jake, Sam and their friend Danny Wagner from Michigan. The band was founded in 2012 and since then they have risen to the top of the rock music charts.
     However, even though they are hugely successful, they have been criticized for not having their own sound. Several reviewers claim that they sound too similar to the popular 70’s band, Led Zeppelin. This is easily identifiable as, the lead singer of GVF, Josh Kiszka, has a similar voice to that of Zep’s lead singer Robert Plant.
     Their music has also been criticized for having a similar soulful sound much like that of Zeppelin’s, which begs the question: Is Greta Van Fleet the savior of Rock? Or are they going to burn out too quickly?
     GVF has some really good tracks in their newest album, some of which are rising to the top of the charts, like their newest song, “When The Curtain Falls” which currently ranks at the number 9 spot on Billboard's Top Rock Songs chart. Greta Van Fleet is not unaware of the fact that they sound similar to  Led Zeppelin. In GVF’s song “Age Of Man” two lines of the song sound  like the opening lines to Zeppelin's “Immigrant Song.” This  was included as a nod towards the legendary band. Compare them: The “Age of Man” by Greta Van Fleet: “To wonderlands of ice and snow/In the desert heat where nothing grows.” Here is the opening to the “Immigrant Song,” by Led Zeppelin: “We come from the land of the ice and snow/From the midnight sun, where the hot springs flow.”
     Rolling Stone said it best. “But what’s a point of reference for many acts can become a career-long label or even millstone for a few, particularly artists whose music exudes undeniable similarity to a previous artist’s sound.” GVF is going to sound like Zeppelin to some people, and that's fine; they need time to perfect their craft and get a style down that is their own. Their new album is still very good, but it just needs an actual tone to it which doesn't sound like a Led Zeppelin rip-off.

Metro Boomin “NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES” drops without warning


Dan Flavin Nate Donohoe and Roberto Escamilla
Music Critics Desk

Producer Metro Boomin released his successor to “Without Warning” on Nov. 2, without any warning.
     He came out of retirement by just posting an album cover with the caption “NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES.” The next day he released the tracklist and the album. The album’s star studded feature list contains artists such as Travis Scott, Kodak Black, Gunna, Swae Lee, and Young Thug.
     The positives of the album were songs such as “No More (feat. Travis Scott, Kodak Black, and 21 Savage).” The track had a very ominous beat and is very fitting to the rappers on the track. The track starts with a very auto-tuned Travis Scott signing and then transitions to Kodak and 21 delivering solid verses. The highlight of the song is when the rapper’s three different renditions are played in a row. The different variations of the chorus make sure that the track doesn’t get stale. Another highlight was “Overdue (feat. Travis Scott).” The sample that Metro used was expertly chopped and blended perfectly with the other aspects of the song. Travis Scott’s performance was great. He raps a catchy flow that enhances Metro’s production.
     But this is a producer’s album not a rapper, so the most important part is the production. Metro shows his versatility and why he is at the top. He creates dark, spacy beats on tracks like “No More” and “Up to Something,” but he also makes upbeat, bouncy beats like “Space Cadet” with Gunna. Every song was mixed well and he showed his talent as a producer while not over producing. He didn’t add too many effects or try to do too much with the actual beats.
     There aren’t a lot of negatives that came with this album, but one of them is wasted features. There are some features that just feel flat. They just feel like he wanted the big name not the quality verse.
     Other than some lack-luster features on Metro’s album, it was great and we will rate it a 8.5/10.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Flaming Success!

Lauren Adler
Staff Writer

If you didn’t get a chance to see the Mask and Zany production of Flaming Idiots by Tom Rooney, then you truly missed out on an incredible performance. The show, directed by New Hope Solebury High School senior Hope King, ran from November 8th to 10th and included an array of talented. The comic story focuses on two restaurant entrepreneurs--Phili (sophomore Cameron Parker) and Carla (senior Aidan Lear)--who plan on doing whatever it takes, and I mean whatever it takes, to see their business become a hit. With the hope to make this restaurant a huge success they hire a unique staff, including Bernadette the deaf chief (senior Tara Chumbley), Eugene the aspiring big-nosed actor who waits tables on the side (sophomore Caleb Ferraez), and the foreign Ernesto Santiago (sophomore Daniel Scanlon). The show also included unforgettable characters such as Louie, (senior Jessica Rolke), Jayne Fryman (sophomore Meghan Siano) and last but not least Officer Task, played by sophomore Blake Paulson. From the seemingly endless number of ridiculous and hilarious scenes, this show was a huge comic success! Not only did my eyes never leave the stage, but a smile never left my face. 
The cast clearly put in a lot of effort to produce an amazing show, and the hard work truly paid off.
Aidan Lear, who played Carla, stated: “Although sometimes the long hours spent to put on this production felt endless, it is by far one of the most amazing productions I have yet been a part of.”
She also mentioned that she is “so thankful to everyone that came out to see the show and hopes that everyone enjoyed it!”
In case you missed the amazing production don't worry! Mrs. Pittner is selling copies of the show in both regular DVD and Blu ray, which I would highly recommend if you want to see the detailed facial expressions of the characters on stage. All profits will go straight towards the Mask and Zany theater program to support future shows and productions. From the shows hilarious one-liners to its overall spectacular performance, Flaming Idiots is definitely a production that will not be forgotten.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Carrie Underwood Makes Country History with Album Cry Pretty

Juliana Covino
Staff Writer

After time away from the spotlight country singer Carrie Underwood resurfaces with her sixth and most personal album so far.
The country pop star is back with her newest studio album, Cry Pretty, making history as the first woman to bring four country albums to Billboard's Top 200 Chart. Within the 13-song collection, Underwood shares songs about private battles (“Drinking Alone”), emotional wreckage (“Love Wins”), and upbeat sing-along tracks (“Southbound”). Underwood also teamed up with Ludacris to co-write a new song, "The Champion", which opened the Super Bowl on Feb. 4, 2018.
The album was released on Sept. 14 and surpassed Cardi B’s album, Invasion of Privacy, in sales which launched at No. 1 with 255,000 units. The album streams on all music services and can buy be bought for $10.82 or single tracks for $1.29.
Underwood says to her fans that, "The title refers to when emotions take over and you just can’t hold them back...It really speaks to a lot of things that have happened in the past year and I hope when you hear it, you can relate those feelings to those times in your life."
Underwood has been through a lot the past year receiving more than 40 stitches on her face after an accident outside her house. She has been quite silent on social media for the majority of the year until she announced the new album on her Instagram in April.
        The Cry Pretty Tour 360 starts in Spring 2019 and will kick off on May 1 in Greensboro, NC, and will play 55 arenas across the U.S. and Canada. Tickets for the Cry Pretty Tour can be found on numerous ticket websites or Carrie Underwood’s official website.

Quavo’s solo album was a let down

Dan Flavin, Nate Donohoe, and Roberto Escamilla
Staff Writers

Member of popular rap group Migos, Quavo, takes matters in his own hands and goes solo with his new album Quavo Huncho.
After an underwhelming release of Culture II nine months earlier that didn’t receive good feedback, Quavo is back. He started off strong with “Biggest Alley Oop” as the intro track. The track had a well produced unorthodox beat that set the album off on a strong foot. The other noticeable tracks were, “Rerun (feat. Travis Scott)” and “Lose It (feat. Lil Baby).” “Rerun” had an ominous vibe that has become a trademark for Travis. They used an immense amount of auto-tune, but they used it well. It didn’t sound like they needed it. It sounded like they used it as a tool to expand the sound. The track with “Lil Baby” was an okay track until “Lil Baby” came in and elevated the song to be one of the highlights of the album.
The album is far from perfect. Most tracks just sounded average, if not worse. Most songs in the middle of the project just sounded like he copy pasted the same line over and over again. The unique sound that the Migos started, largely in part to Quavo, was lost and he just sounded like a mediocre artist with a good production team. He sounded like he didn’t try to make good music he tried to make good money. If that was his goal he achieved it. Quavo Huncho sold 99,000 copies and charted second on the Billboard Top 100 list.
Quavo’s solo debut Quavo Huncho was a bottom tier album of the year. Other than some highlight features that carried their songs it wasn’t good. A repetitive flow and lack of creativity made the album feel flat. The album receives a 4/10.

Monday, October 15, 2018

Banksy painting shredded after being sold for 1.4 million

Caroline Donado
Editor-in-Chief

The street artist identified exclusively by his pseudonym, Banksy, is known internationally for his spray-painted social commentaries. One of his most famous works depicts a small girl reaching towards a heart-shaped balloon--a painting that was auctioned for $l.4 million on Oct. 5 at Sotheby’s in London, England. As the winning bid was confirmed, the painting proceeded to shred itself to pieces.
Banksy, short after, posted a video on Instagram, beginning with the caption: “A few years ago I secretly built a shredder into a painting in case it was ever put up for auction...” He shows himself constructing the shredder and the crowd’s reaction when the painting self-destructed. Sotheby’s has denied any involvement despite some believing that it was a promotional stunt.
There were also questions whether Banksy himself was present since his Instagram video is taken by an individual in the crowd. After the painted was shredded, some witnessed a man with sunglasses and a hat leaving the premises. However, the speculation that the artist was at the auction remains a mystery.
Alex Branczik, the senior director of Sotheby’s, stated that this was “the first time in auction history that a work of art automatically shredded itself after coming under the hammer.” This is argued to be a piece of art history and will cause this painting and all of Banksy’s future paintings to increase in value. Although the artwork remains shredded, the buyer has decided to go through with their purchase for the offered $1.4 million.

Friday, October 12, 2018

‘Drip Harder’ Review: The long-awaited album from two artists just getting started

Dan Flavin, Roberto Escamilla, Nate Donohoe
Staff Writers
The long-anticipated collaborative album between rappers Lil Baby and Gunna, Drip Harder, released on Oct. 10 and it is worth the listen.
The positives of the album undoubtedly outweigh the negatives. Highlight tracks like “Business is Business” and “I Am” have a bouncy beat and smooth flow that we have all come to love about the duo. The lead single “Drip Too Hard”, released a month before the full album. It is a song of the year candidate because of its catchy chorus and how easy it is to put on repeat. The duo  pulled the biggest feature in the rap game with Drake on the outro track “Never Recover” produced by legend Tay Keith.
Of course there are negative that come with any album. “Drip Harder’s” downfall was production. The mixing on the album was not good with  tracks sounding muddy or too quiet. “Never Recover”, for example, was well mixed during Drake's verse, but when Gunna started it felt like something in the song was clashing and the vocals no longer sounded clear. The bottom tier tracks were “Deep End” and “Style Stealer.” Both tracks felt forced and off from the  usual style.
Drip Harder Sold 130k charting fourth on the billboard top 100. Compared to other albums that dropped on the same day like Mudboy by Seck Wes(29k) it did really well.
Overall, the album  was great, most songs were above average, but there was not  a song to push it over the edge. The top songs, “I Am,” “Business and Business,” and “Never Recover (feat. Drake)” make one forget about most of the project’s negatives. The collaboration of Gunna and Lil Baby is just getting started and is exciting to  see how they can improve, but for now their first collab will receive a 8/10.

Monday, June 18, 2018

Deadpool 2: Hey everyone, he dies in this one!

Justin Horak and Devon Beacham
Staff Writers
No, really, our title is not a spoiler!
Bringing together a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy with supernatural abilities from a brutal, time-traveling cyborg, Deadpool 2 makes an appearance in all theaters for comedy and action lovers to enjoy.
     With the first Deadpool, starring Ryan Reynolds, crossing $500 million at the global box office in less than two weeks, 20th Century Fox was “sitting pretty” considering the movie cost a mere $58 million to make. The second Deadpool was released on May 10 with the budget of $110 million was Cher-album-from-the-80’s  successful, raking in over $600 million worldwide in its first three weeks.
     With excellent reviews from multiple critics, Deadpool 2 is on everyone’s “movie to see” radar. The Washington Post wrote, “The script for Deadpool 2 is loaded with winky, fourth-wall-piercing eruptions of meta, the kind of humor that can make even the slow-witted and literal-minded feel devilishly clever.” 94% of Google users liked this movie and it earned 83% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
     With it's witty script and meticulously chosen cast, Deadpool 2 is an awesome film--unlike most sequels. The movie stays true to its roots and does an excellent job of colliding action and comedy all into one. It ends with a true plot twist and is everything but expected.
     Overall, the film is very enjoyable for those who enjoy action, comedy, and superheroes. If you appreciate hilarious comedies and action packed scenes, Deadpool 2 is the recommended movie for you!

Kurt Cobain’s wife sued for murder plot


Caroline Donado
Co-editor in chief
Courtney Love is a controversial figure in the view of many Nirvana fans; there are numerous conspiracy theories that accuse her of the murder of her husband, Kurt Cobain. Now, she is being sued for being part of a plan to kill her daughter’s ex-husband in order to gain possession of the acoustic guitar Kurt played in his  famous MTV Unplugged performance.
     After their daughter Frances Bean Cobain divorced from Isaiah Silva, it was settled that Silva would keep the 1959 Martin D-18E guitar, which he  claimed was a gift he received from  Kurt Cobain as a wedding present to welcome him into the family. Silva, however, stated that Frances and Courtney wished to get the guitar back and sent three men to his house to forcibly take it from him. The three he names are Sam Lufti, Courtney’s manager; Ross Butler, an actor and Yan Yukhtman, a chauffeur.
     Love has said to TMZ that "It's not [Silva's] to take,” and that the guitar is a “treasured heirloom of the family.” The guitar also happens to be worth millions of dollars.
     Silva claims that the men illegally entered his house in the middle of the night, claiming they were the police. They proceeded to threaten and assault him to learn the location of the guitar. Afterwards, they attempted to force Silva into the back of a car; however, one of Silva’s bandmates called the police before he could be kidnapped.
     Court records state: “It is believed, based upon facts and evidence, that Silva would have been taken to a secondary crime scene and murdered on June 3, 2016.” The three supposedly hacked into Silva’s iMessage to "[make] it appear Silva was despondent and on a mental precipice contemplating suicide."     Lufti has also frequently harassed and threatened Silva, his family and friends, driving Silva to file a temporary restraining order against him in 2016. The suit states that Lufti told Silva that Love and Courtney agreed to compensate him with $120,000 if he could get Silva to sign an agreement to surrender the guitar, which may be his primary motive for pursuing Silva so aggressively. When the police arrived on the scene, Silva claims that the men forced him into agreeing with their story that they were playing a prank on him. Various emails and texts show that Lufti threatened Silva: “This agreement is your one and only choice, consider it your lifeline.” The matters have yet to play out in court, but a source close to Love and Cobain says, “Frances and the family are prepared to fight with a fury of unprecedented legal force and they will prevail.” As of now, Silva still remains in possession of the guitar.


Shawn Mendes is moving to a promising future with his third release

Caroline Donado
Co-editor in chief
Shawn Mendes’s self-titled third album was released on May 25, marking his third #1 album on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Now 19, this young musician has guaranteed himself a promising future in the industry.
    The album marks a clear change of his musical direction, but traces of his previous two albums are still evident, making it a smooth transition. Mendes’ album consists of 14 original songs, two of which are collaborations with other artists such as Khalid and Julia Michaels. In an interview with British GQ magazine, Mendes stated that “I really just let myself create music that I thought was good and I didn’t think about genre,” which proved to be the absolute truth as the album contains a lovely mix of pop, rock, and R&B. Every song is different from the last and are an exciting experience to listen to as Mendes’s always seems to have a trick up his sleeve.
    The songs are well-written while being heartfelt and meaningful. “In My Blood” tackles issues of mental health and struggles with anxiety while “Youth” serves as an anthem to teenagers dealing with the effects of current events like school shootings. Mendes keeps a good balance between melancholy and up-beat songs--each one powerfully conveying their message and producing a profound emotional impact; an effect not many artists can have on their audience.
    However, Mendes’ writing collaborations with artists like Ed Sheeran, Julia Michaels, and Ryan Tedder, seem to morph the songs so that they lack Mendes’ signature style, and, as the New York Times puts it, “like tofu, he adopts the flavor of the songwriters he’s collaborating with,” and that the songs “systematically obscure Mr. Mendes’s talents.”
    Additionally, many of the songs, while catchy and well-performed, seem utterly unoriginal. “Particular Taste” containing hints of Robin Thicke and Prince while “Because I Had You” evokes Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself,” and “Nervous” resembles Selena Gomez’s “Bad Liar,” which also happened to be written by Julia Michaels.
    Even so, Shawn does not hesitate to make the album his own and make creative and daring choices throughout the album, incorporating falsetto singing and clever word plays like his juxtaposition of insecure lyrics and a confident tone in his song, “Nervous.” There are some winners on the album; all of the pre-released singles were great, but notably his songs “Why,” “Mutual” and “Queen.”
    Overall, the album was a highly enjoyable listen that was refreshing and unique compared to other pop artists. Even though his writing collaborations masked his signature style in many of the songs, Mendes made a truthful and high-quality album. Shawn Mendes’ incredible writing and vocal talents should not be underestimated--this album is definitely worth a listen.

Solo flies too low

Kayla Paul-Koch
Staff Writer

The standalone Star Wars film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, was released on May 25, 2018 and unfortunately compared to other films in the franchise, did not do so well in the box office. Solo cost nearly $250 million to make, yet “only” pulled in an international total of $65 million its opening weekend which means it’s going to take a while to recover costs. And though it is entirely false to say $65 million isn’t a lot of money, for comparison, Rogue One (a Star Wars standalone film released in Dec. 2016) pulled in $155 in its first weekend and earned $1 billion overall.  So why did Solo do so badly in the box office?
   It’s possible that the movie didn’t perform well since Deadpool 2 was released just a week prior and Avengers: Infinity War a month earlier.  These major releases may have dampened the hype surrounding Solo, but it also may have to do with the fact that The Last Jedi hit theaters  only five months ago making fans less inclined to sit through another two hour film of loud “pew pews” and space action. The movies have been jam packed the past couple of years  with Marvel and Star Wars films so it’s possible that people are just getting sick of it.
   But the issue may not rest with any of these and may just be with the actual movie. Solo revolved around the backstory of smuggler and pilot Han Solo who is a beloved character in the Star Wars universe. Seeing anyone other than Harrison Ford play this iconic character could have easily off put fans from seeing the movie, but Alden Ehrenreich actually did a fantastic job of creating a young Han Solo that fans haven't ever seen before.
   Though it was odd to see a new person as Han Solo, Ehrenreich performed fantastically in creating Han as a naive kid who wanted to be a pilot so badly, that he would do anything. This version of Han is very reminiscent of a young Luke Skywalker. Both are naive, don’t listen to authority, and will do whatever it takes for justice. Watching Han evolve throughout the movie into the coy trickster fans know him as was fun and answered a lot of questions about why Han Solo is the way he is in the later films.
   Although not the best Star Wars movie, Solo was an action packed epic film full of fun references to previous films, a peak at the beginnings of some major characters, and overall just a really cool movie. It may be unlike other films Star Wars  fans are used to, but it’s worth the watch so be sure to check it out and keep an open mind before going!

Monday, May 14, 2018

Meteor hits Fortnite community

Mike Borys and Lear Asplundh
Staff Writers

A lot of talk has been going on about what the new Fortnite battle pass is going to be like. Many users were expecting the center of attraction, Tilted Towers, to be affected by the meteor, but they were wrong. A tiny part of Tilted Towers was hit but no major damage to the majority of the city. The damage hit mostly in Dusty Depot. Dusty Depot was a tiny little three building complex. This small part of the map was usually not visited by players, just because of the lack of loot that is present. The damage ended up creating a huge crater in the map and is now called Dusty Divot. The scene is a space station, with moon rocks scattered throughout the divot, which give you a boost in your jump. This place attracts an enormous amount of players. The first reason is because it is new and the players want to conquer the new area. Another reason why so many people land in Dusty Divot is because its size. Dusty Divot may be the largest place on the map. It may not have a lot of buildings, but the crater is enormous. This attracts many players, which results in a lot of action.
  Another town was introduced to the players: Risky Reels. This was added in the new battle pass for more places to land. This place consists of an outdoor movie theatre and as well has a crater in the middle of the complex. This place is heavily loaded with players just because it is very new to the game. In the future, we believe it will not be a well visited area just because its size and limited loot.  Moisty Mire has also been upgraded in the season four update. Moisty Mire has been the laughingstock of Fortnite ever since it was added. The swamp water makes the player slow and the lack of loot has made Moisty Mire not even an option for players on the battle bus.

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Infinity War: What Now? (WARNING: BIG SPOILERS AHEAD!)

Kayla Paul-Koch & George Griffin
Staff Writers

A week earlier than expected, Marvel fans everywhere were gifted with the long overdue phenomenon that is Avengers: Infinity War. Since the first Iron Man film was released in 2008, Marvel fans have been anticipating Infinity War. All the Avengers have fought for has led up to this very moment. Marvel has been building up to Infinity War in three different phases and now we are in phase three.
  In all of the phases so far there has been one man pulling the strings, one man behind the mask sending in all the horror to collect all six infinity stones. A Titan by the name of Thanos who saw the horrors of overpopulation on his home planet and believed he could bring mercy to the universe by slaughtering half of it. On a mission to find the stones of time, soul, power, space, mind, and reality, Thanos will kill whoever gets in his way and do whatever it takes to get ahold of the stones to become the most powerful being in all the universe.
  Along the way, the Avengers assemble in various groups around the Universe to protect the world from the chaos that Thanos will bring. Battles and new character crossovers took place in Wakanda, on the desecrated planet of Titan, the decimated planet Knowhere, various locations on Earth, and Vormir.
  Fans all over the globe have been waiting years for this movie to drop and it did not disappoint. The Russo brothers did however fall into the Marvel movie classic of an underdeveloped villain especially in the shadow of Black Panther’s villain Killmonger but paired it with epic action scenes and witty comedy.
  The next Avengers movie is planned to be released on May 3, 2019, but fans are still waiting for a title. For now it’s referred to as “Avengers 4” and will pick up only a few seconds after the cliffhanger that Infinity War has brought us. In the meantime Marvel lovers can look forward to “Ant-Man and Wasp” in July 2018 and “Captain Marvel” in March 2019, which will help us understand the connections and how they will tie into the next Avengers movie.
  Infinity War left fans heartbroken killing off (really big spoiler time!) Loki, Heimdall, Gamora, and Vision. These characters were killed directly in Thanos’s hands and are speculated to be gone for sure although there are theories that Loki, Gamora, and Vision aren’t dead after all. But Heimdall is definitely gone...sorry. Once Thanos got his hands on all six infinity stones he becomes the most powerful being and with a snap of his fingers he can wipe out half of the universe. When Thanos does this he disintegrates Black Panther (T’Challa), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange), Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes), Falcon (Sam Wilson), Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), The Guardians of the Galaxy (Starlord, Groot, Drax, and Mantis), Nick Fury, and Maria Hill. Most fans are convinced that these characters are not actually dead considering the confirmation of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 set to release sometime in 2020 and another Spider-Man: Homecoming set to come out in July 2019 (after the next Avengers movie).
  The only ones that remain are the original Avengers from the first movie in 2012 with the addition of Rocket, Nebula, Okoye, and M’Baku. The majority of fans believe that it will be up to them to defeat Thanos and bring the disintegrated characters back through the use of the stones, but sadly we won’t know for another long year of hopeful waiting.

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Heavenly Bodies at the Met Gala: When the clothes are all you get to see

Riley Brennan
Co-Editor-In-Chief


This year’s Met Gala was held on May 7, 2018, and the theme was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, modeled after this year’s exhibit at the Met. The host’s this year were Anna Wintour, Rihanna, Donatella Versace, and Amal Clooney.
  What has been dubbed as “Met Monday” is something spectators and attendees look forward to every year, and is one of the most glamourous nights of the year, also being referred to as “Oscars for the East Coast.” It is an invite only event, the exclusivity aiding in creating the buzz around the event. Another generator of the excitement that surrounds the event is the fact that cameras, press, and posting, are all not allowed into the actual event.
  The only thing that spectators actually get to see is the red carpet leading to the gala. Because of this, the main attraction of the night for those not attending is what the guests are wearing. The Met Gala is notorious for having a new and riveting theme each year, which those attending are supposed to dress for. However, some do not dress to the theme, which is especially true in years past.
  Regardless, the night is one where all guests dress to impress, trying out avant garde looks, and stepping out of the box in whatever direction they can. This year’s show stoppers ranged from one of the co-hosts herself, Rihanna in custom Maison Margiela by John Galliano, Sasha Lane in Tory Burch and Tamara Mellon, Migos in Versace, Chadwick Boseman in Versace and Bulgari jewelry, and Jared Leto in Gucci. All five men stepped out of the typical, overdone simple black tux mold, running with the theme. Other notably dressed attendees included Madonna in Jean Paul Gaultier, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in custom Ralph Lauren Collection and Anita Ko jewelry, Kate Bosworth in Oscar de la Renta and Tacori jewelry, Cardi B in Jeremy Scott, Lana del Rey in Gucci, SZA in Versace, and Katy Perry in Versace.

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Spongebob, Frozen, and Mean Girls look to take home Tony Awards

Jennifer Abele
Features Editor

The Tony Awards will be held on June 10, Spongebob Squarepants, Frozen, Mean Girls,The Band’s Visit performing on Broadway are all nominated for the 2018 Tony Award for Best Musical.
Spongebob Squarepants the Musical directed by Tina Landau and book by Kyle Jarrow is about a new adventure of Spongebob Squarepants going to save Bikini Bottom from a volcano.
The soundtrack for the show consists of songs from famous artists including David Bowie, Lady Antebellum, Sara Bareilles, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, etc.
Spongebob the Musical is up for Best Book, The Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design for a Musical, Best Costume Design,Best Lighting Design, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Choreography, Best Orchestration, and Sound Design in a Musical. Ethan Slater, Spongebob Squarepants, has been nominated for The Best Actor. Gavin Lee, Squidward, has been nominated for The Best Featured Actor.
Frozen directed by Brian Usifer with the book by Jennifer Lee is about the Disney movie Frozen, that focuses on the bond between two sisters, Anna and Elsa. Their parents pass away, and now Elsa must rule the Kingdom, prevent herself from revealing her powers, and go through her own personal conflict while also dealing with other threats. Frozen is up for The Best Musical, The Best Book, and The Best Original Score.
Mean Girls directed by Casey Nicholaw and the book by Tina Fey is about Cady Heron going to a new school, making new friends, and then finding out who her real friends are after pretending to befriend the plastics. The songs that are currently released from the album are “I’d rather be me” sung by Janice and “Apex Predator” sung by Cady and Janice. The rest of the Means Girls album will be released on May 18.
Mean Girls is up for 12 Tony Award Nominations including  Best Book, Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations, and Sound Design. Also three nominations to three of the cast members;  Ashley Park for Best Featured Actress, Grey Henson for Best Featured Actor, and Taylor Louderman for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.
The Band’s Visit directed by David Cromer with the book by Itamar  Moses is about a group of Egyptian musicians end up in a remote Israeli town after an error, and the locals take them in for the night. The Band’s Visit is up for 11 Tony Awards including; Best Book, Best Direction, Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Orchestrations, and Sound Design. Also Ari’el Stachel for Best Featured Actor, Katrina Lank for Best Featured Actress, and Tony Shalhoub for Best Leading Actor.
Tune into the Tony Awards on June 10 at 8 p.m. on the CBS Television Network to give you a small taste of Broadway for the night.

Monday, April 23, 2018

Mask and Zany’s “Pippin” was a wonderful success

Kayla Paul-Koch, and Zachary Meixler
Staff Writers

Students of the club Mask & Zany worked hard from January to March for their production of the hit musical Pippin, directed by Ms. Pittner. Almost everyday the cast worked hard by staying after school practicing dance routines, lines, songs, and more. On top of that, they had Saturday practices lasting up to seven hours.
  Pippin (Ben Dupont) is a young prince who longs for a life full of purpose and adventure. Through the help of the Leading Player (Katie Mardirossian), Pippin tries new and exciting things in order to make his life “extraordinary.” He tries to overtake the throne from his father King Charles (Christian Kruse) and is able to gain some guidance from his Grandmother (Sophia Carroll). Eventually he is able to find love with a beautiful widow named Catherine (Hope King).
  The show featured detailed and elaborate set designs created by Tyler Horn and Morgan Manfredi. Rebecca Wilschutz choreographed the show with beautiful dance routines including one with Lola Dardzinski (Fastrada) and Travis Gawason (Lewis).
  Mask & Zany was able to achieve something truly exceptional, not only with its remarkable and intense acting, but also with its brilliant lighting, costumes, and more. The show was a hit and all of the hard work put into it showed in all three of its performances. If you missed the show, but still want to see it go to Ms. Pittner to buy the recording of the show for only $15!

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

#metoo makes its presence known at the Golden Globes

Sydney Luff, Rachel Saxton
Staff Writers

The 2018 Golden Globes took place at The Beverly Hilton in California on Jan. 7. At this year's Globes, almost all of the men and women wore black to make a statement against the epidemic of sexual harassment in the entertainment field. Celebrities such as Opera, Reese Witherspoon, and Natalie Portman celebrated the survivors of sexual abuse and harassment. Several activists such as Saru Jayaraman, Ai-Jen Poo, Tarana Burke, Rosa Clemente, Marai Larasi, Mónica Ramírez, Calina Lawrence and Billie Jean King were brought onto the red carpet by several A-list actors. Each of these women were given a chance to shed light on a subject that has been ignored for decades.
  With the exception of a few, the Golden Globes was painted black, and celebrities like Ava DuVernay tweeted their explanations: “I am wearing black today because balance and inclusion and diversity is not some kind of allowance to be made to accommodate people. No, sir. It is a correction of an error. It is a righting of a wrong. And it is going to be done. Now.”
  The #metoo movement is meant to show the women of Hollywood are coming together to speak out for those who cannot.
  With the help of activists from across America, celebrities have made a legal fund for the women who work in less lucrative workforces. Every time a celebrity says #metoo it makes it easier to believe one more female who is not in the spotlight. The outbreak of women's’ confessions started long ago, Taylor Swift and her symbolic one dollar is an example. After being sexually harassed by a well known DJ, Taylor Swift brought the case to court. When his career was ruined he sued Taylor Swift. Her retaliation was counter-suing for one dollar. Her reasoning, “I'm not going to let you or your client make me feel in any way that this is my fault, she told the lawyer. I'm being blamed for the unfortunate events of his life that are a product of his decisions. Not mine.” Taylor Swift’s bravery encouraged women all around America to take a stand.
  Today, with the help of the #metoo movement she is joined by thousands, making a statement against sexual harassment. 

The Top 5 Movies of 2017

Stephen Prager
Layout Editor

Hollywood was firing on all cylinders in 2017. Not only was there an uncharacteristically consistent amount of quality among the big box-office champions (Marvel, DC, Star Wars), but 2017 also saw a staggering amount of variety in the films that impressed. Among 2017 Oscar contenders are a low-budget horror movie by a novice director, a coming-of-age tale that elegantly skirts the conventions of the young-adult genre, a disorienting war drama by a heavyweight director, and the most acclaimed DC Comics film in years. And on my list of the five best films of the year, that diversity is ever present:

5) Spider-Man: HomecomingThe immediately attractive thing about the latest installment in the Spider-Man canon is that its titular hero once again embodies the youthfulness and energy that best suits the character. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield each have their own strengths as actors, but the role always suffered a bit under their watch because both actors naturally endow Peter Parker with an overly abundant amount of inborn charisma and competence. It could be a matter of taste, but there’s something much more fun, not to mention riotously funny, about watching Tom Holland portray a dorky 15-year-old Peter Parker learning how to wield immeasurable power he can only begin to comprehend. “With great power comes great responsibility” is the cornerstone line of the Spider-Man franchise, and Homecoming embodies that spirit by focusing on the growing pains of a young, starstruck Spider-Man learning to become truly heroic.

4) Dunkirk
In recent memory, it’s hard to recall a war film as intense and enveloping as Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan’s momentous World War II epic. It drops the viewer in center of pure panic and hysteria and forces them to make sense out of the various struggles that have befallen the British and French armies attempting to evacuate the doomed area. The pacing is lighting quick and the film bounces back and forth between several riveting plot lines that share a stunning unity in their filmography. The film is technically breathtaking to behold, with towering, thunderous explosions that erupt over the film’s grim color scheme of sea-foam green and murky grey. The individual characters are somewhat underdeveloped, with little distinct dialogue or growth, but that actually serves the overarching goals of the film quite nicely, allowing it to take on the miraculous event on the grand scale it deserves.

3) Darkest Hour
2017 was a great year for World War II epics, and Darkest Hour actually serves as a great companion piece for Dunkirk. While Dunkirk is probably the technically superior film, Darkest Hour is the more fleshed-out narrative, detailing the dilemma of Prime Minister Winston Churchill (portrayed magnificently by Gary Oldman) as a Nazi invasion stares Britain in the face and he is pressured from all sides to engage in negotiations with Adolf Hitler. Darkest Hour’s Churchill is headstrong and a bit of a boor, to the point where it borders on caricature. But what makes the portrayal resonant is that while Churchill’s fellow Tories seem more measured and calculated in their discussions of appeasement, Churchill, through all his bluster, always seems more prescient than his detractors. That, as well as the constantly pervasive sense of impending demise really sells the story as something with immense gravity. Darkest Hour fits nicely alongside the best biopics of other great historical figures like Lincoln and Selma, but also World War II films like The Imitation Game, and the aforementioned Dunkirk.
2) I, Tonya
A film that attempts to exonerate Tonya Harding has no right to be this good. But somehow, the film manages to make the disgraced figure skater not only sympathetic, but a tragic heroine of sorts. Harding is, of course, remembered for the attack carried out by her affiliates against her Olympic opponent Nancy Kerrigan, and known as a national villain. I, Tonya displays Harding, played with stunning authenticity by Margot Robbie (who makes a serious case for best actress here), and her side of the story through the framing device of mockumentary style interviews.  The interviews, reportedly based on real accounts, display the explanations of Harding and her husband Jeff Gillooly, as well as a host of other players in the headline dominating Olympic scandal explaining themselves. Some are ridden with bitterness, some display twinges of regret, and others still don’t seem to grasp where it all went wrong.  The interviews overlay a recounting of Harding’s entire life - a life in which parental and spousal abuse, poverty, and systemic classism on the part of the Olympic judges doomed her from the start. The verity of these accounts is obviously dubious, but the film treats this with a nod and a wink, as if the sensationalism of Harding’s accounts is meant to contain some meta-commentary on the slanted national tabloid coverage of the scandal. I, Tonya is more clever, dark, and achingly tragic than I ever would have expected going in.

1) Get Out
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut Get Out, which takes the number one spot, is a horror film in which the most terrifying feelings come not from the supernatural elements it presents, but from the way those elements are used to dissect something very real and disheartening. The discomfort in Get Out comes from the film’s penetrating, Twilight Zone-esque deconstruction of the subtle racism from those who profess themselves as allies against discrimination, but still benefit from it and contribute to it, perhaps without awareness. The film explores this using its protagonist, Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), a young black man from New York who travels to meet his white girlfriend Rose Armitage’s parents at their secluded estate in the woods.  When he arrives, the Armitages are uncomfortably cordial, fixating on Chris’s race in a way that is envious, yet overcompensating. As the weekend continues, the Armitages are revealed to have harvested the bodies of countless young, black people as vessels for their own minds - and Chris has no choice but to “get out”. The film is a superb thing to witness on every level. For the viewers who let the social commentary go over their heads, there is a thrilling, disquieting horror story with a solid dose of comedy. But for others, the film’s subtext presents opportunities to contemplate over intrinsic racism and how it can emerge even in the well-intentioned.

Honorable Mentions:
The Post
The Big Sick
Ladybird
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
The Shape of Water

The Greatest Showman is the greatest show

Laura Nagg
Copy Editor

 The holiday season has been big time for new movies to be released. Big motion pictures this year included Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Pitch Perfect 3, Downsizing, and The Darkest Hour. Another big box office movie this past holiday season was high credited The Greatest Showman, which stars Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and making her film debut is Keala Settle. It is a biographical-based story on P.T. Barnum risking it all to start the first circus in the late 1800’s, creating a grand show of unity and joy from a group of social outcasts.
  I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the movie twice over the winter break and once more this past week, falling in love instantly in the first minutes. This movie is a full musical filled with elaborate roof-top dances, ensembles of singers, creative backdrops, fancy periodical costumes, love stories enduring the pressures of life, and a classic happy ending. The story, written by Bill Condon and Jenny Bicks, doesn’t follow Phineas Taylor Barnum’s life completely; it incorporates multiple fictional characters and some embellished details. While most people are familiar with the name Barnum from Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, the endearing story depicts the beginning creation of the first circus, which would later become the world-traveling three ring circus that sadly shut down in May 2017.
  This movie is one of few movie-musicals released in recent years, with the music written with a modern theme. Another high rated and award winning film was La La Land that came out in Dec. 2016, which in fact shares the same Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The soundtrack is one of the most memorable aspects of the movie, which includes original song “This Is Me” receiving a Golden Globe on Jan. 7, 2018 and has been the No. 1 album by Billboard for two consecutive weeks, staying consistently in the Top 10 since the release. The soundtrack, available on iTunes and Spotify, is composed of 11 original songs with superb vocals, upbeat tunes, and creative lyrics.
  As a musical fanatic myself, growing up watching older classic musicals and enjoying the more recent modern ones, I can say assuredly that this is truly a special project. The characters’ individual struggles and joy throughout the movie pull you right into 1800’s New York, creating a desire to be singing and dancing right along with them. Audiences are captured by glamour and poverty, glory and pain, that compliment each other perfectly in a delightful cinematic experience. Despite many peoples’ opinion that musicals are boring or not cool, do not write this one off just yet. This magical show has something for everyone and doesn’t fail to spark your imagination or keep your feet moving!

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Oprah contemplates 2020 run against Trump after speech at Golden Globes

Maggie Pfeifle
Staff Writer

After her acceptance of the Cecil B. DeMille award at the Jan. 7 Golden Globe Awards, a conversation about a possible presidential run for celebrity philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has ignited.
 During his monologue at the beginning of the awards last Sunday night, host Seth Meyers mentioned his joke from a 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner where he said that future   President Donald Trump was not qualified for office.  The Washington Post reports that on Sunday’s show he joked, “Some have said that night convinced him to run. So, if that’s true, I just want to say: Oprah, you will never be president! You do not have what it takes. And Hanks! Where’s Hanks? You will never be vice president. You are too mean and unrelatable. Now we just wait and see.”
 Later in the evening, Winfrey became the first African-American woman to accept the Cecil B. DeMille Award and gave an animated speech highlighting both the TIME’S UP and #MeToo movements, both of which were very much part of this year’s Golden Globes.
  “So,” Winfrey said, as reported by CNN, “I want all the girls watching here, now, to know that a new day is on the horizon! And when that day finally dawns, it will be because a lot of magnificent women and some pretty phenomenal men fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say “Me too” again.”
 By some, her cry for change was enough to take Meyers’s earlier joke seriously, and the discussion about Winfrey’s presidential prospects begun.
  The Washington Post reported that Brad Anderson, the man who ran Obama’s reelection campaign in Iowa in 2012 said, “I can guarantee county chairs in Iowa would love to have a conversation with her. People could be looking for an outsider who could heal the country, and if that’s the case, I have no doubt that Oprah would be powerful.”
  With President Trump winning in the 2016 election, a celebrity president could not be unlikely; however, that does not mean others are not wary.
  As for Winfrey’s likeliness to run, Gayle King, long-time best friend of Winfrey, told CBS This Morning: “I’m thinking she is not going to be running for president. I do think that she is very intrigued, and I also say, as I’ve heard for many years on the ‘Oprah Winfrey Show,’ you always have the right to change your mind. But that is certainly not something she is considering right now.”