Mount Hood

Upcoming headliners

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

November 2023 is projected to be a busy month for media releases. Some great hits have already come out, including lots of anticipated movies like “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” and novels such as the new Percy Jackson book, a Hunger Games addition and many celebrity memoirs topping the charts. The excitement is expected to last through the end of the year with new content lined up for avid readers and movie-enjoyers.
Author Rebecca Yarros came in hot in April 2023 with “Fourth Wing” — the first book in her series titled The Empyrean. “Fourth Wing” is projected on Goodreads with a 4.6 rating out of 5, prompting the release of her highly anticipated sequel, “Iron Flame,” which is expected to be released Nov. 7.     

With themes of fantasy and romance, protagonist Violet Sorrengail is thrown headfirst into a grueling test of wits and will in her second year at Basgiath War College — all while being pushed to betray her one true love. After “Iron Flame,” Yarros is expected to release three more books. “Iron Flame” is a must-read after “Fourth Wing’s” success.

Suzanne Collins’ newest novel, “Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” may have been released by now, but the movie directed by Francis Lawrence premieres Nov. 17. The movie is eyeing a $50 million box opening and may be one of the most anticipated films of the year. Taking place long before Katniss Everdeen’s iconic overture of the Hunger Games, the plot focuses on insidious president Coriolanus Snow, pre-presidency, and delves into the philosophical themes around control and chaos.

Christopher Paolini began his writing career with his publication of “Eragon” when he was 19, going on to resolve the Eragon series in 2011 — until now, with the expected release of his follow-up novel “Murtagh,” the name of a beloved character from the original tetralogy. 

While the plot itself is largely unknown, it has been said that “Murtagh” takes place a year after the last novel, “Inheritance,” left off and that the Dragon Rider has been exiled to unknown territory. Dragons appear to be a major hit with new novels this November.

The animated movie “Wish” premieres Nov. 22 in theaters — produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. With a 200 million dollar budget, “Wish” is expected to stun crowds with its worldbuilding and animation. 

After the protagonist Asha makes a wish on a star, she is forced into exile while trying to save the future of her beloved kingdom. Chances are, “Wish” will be a hit for kids, families and adults alike — utilizing that Disney charm to win over audiences. Secondly, it hosts the same teams that worked on “Frozen” and “Moana,” a sign of success for the film. “Wish” will be commemorating Disney’s 100th year of production as an animation studio, so expect a stellar show.

While not a movie nor a book, the drama series “All The Light We Cannot See,” arrives Nov. 2.  Modeled after the novel of the same name by author Anthony Doerr, the story revolves around a blind girl during Nazi reign who meets a young German soldier and tells a tale of resistance, hope and survival. The series has some big names, like Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie, and stars breakout actress Aria Mia Loberti. The show will have four episodes and is to be streamed on Netflix.

Calling all horror fans: “Thanksgiving” releases Nov. 17, starring big names like Patrick Dempsey and Addison Rae. Plymouth, Massachusetts, is plagued by an axe-wielding serial killer in this upcoming thriller directed by Eli Roth.

Carol Danvers returns to theaters Nov. 10 in “The Marvels,” where she and two others join forces under the alias — you guessed it — The Marvels. With entangled powers and a breaking universe’s fate on their backs, the three have to unite to achieve their goal. The action movie has a gross budget of $274.9 million and includes another performance from Brie Larson. 

Audience reviews have a mixed expectation for the movie: while it is far too early for a rotten tomatoes rating as the movie isn’t even out yet, “The Marvels” has the shortest runtime of any Marvel movie to date and Brie Larson has faced plenty of critique online for supposedly being “disillusioned” in her role as Captain Marvel. Disney+ may receive the film early in 2024, but that is only a projected guess; in the meantime, it can be found in theaters near you very soon. 



Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Bite of ’89

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

Two well-loved fan bases are celebrating simultaneous, monumental releases on Oct. 27. Both horror video game and pop music fans are being brought together by this fateful fall Friday. The ultimate question is which one will one be indulging in: the release of the live-action “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” or both?

Taylor Swift, currently one of the most well-known artists in pop music, announced she was going to re-record her first six albums in November of 2020. Swift’s old label sold her music to her manager, Scooter Braun, meaning she no longer owns the rights to any of her music. It’s no wonder that fans of the singer/songwriter are excited about the re-recording of the albums.

Fans of Swift — Swifties — everywhere are proud of this empowering transformation of their favorite artist.

“It’s one of her most iconic albums. This is the year she really embraced pop… I’m just really excited to be back in that era again,” said Kayla Smith, a sophomore at Western.

Though Swifties are ecstatic, some still look down on Taylor Swift and her music. “Even if you’re not a Swiftie… be supportive. You don’t have to listen to it if you don’t want to, but try not to be mean to Swifties out there who are really excited,” said Smith.

On the same day, fans of “Five Nights at Freddy’s” will be in theaters for the release of the movie adaptation of the horror game. The video game was first popularized in 2014 by gaming Youtubers who streamed videos of themselves playing “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” Was that the bite of ’87? Players have to survive five nights alone as a security guard at a pizzeria — avoiding animatronics in the dark and learning the many years of intricate game lore.

The ultimate lesson to take away from this encroaching date is to be supportive of each other. Whether it’s pop star Taylor Swift, or horror game turned movie “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” both have made large advances in the last few years. Though both are very different, there is much to celebrate this fateful October weekend.

Contact the author at howlenterrtainment@wou.edu

Best in the pacific northwest

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

Here’s what all three of our Twilight enthusiast readers have been waiting for — a playlist catered to the rainy weather of the pacific northwest. Picture walking to class on a cloudy day, just for a sliver of sun to hit the vitamin-D deficient skin of a student by Todd Hall. They light up like a disco ball and run away at the speed of light. Tune in to this spotify playlist and that just might happen. Key word: might – but it’s still worth a shot. 

“Full Moon” — The Black Ghosts 

“From Now On” — The Features

“Neighbors (Soundtrack Version)” — Theophilus London 

“Friends” — Band of Skulls 

“Cover Your Tracks” — A Boy and His Kite

“Monsters” — Hurricane Bells 

“Slow Life” — Grizzly Bear, Victoria Legrand 

“What Part of Forever” — Ceelo Green 

“Hearing Damage” — Thom Yorke 

“Atlas (Soundtrack Version)” — Fanfarlo 

“How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep” — Bombay Bicycle Club

“Jonathan Low” — Vampire Weekend 

“Roslyn” — Bon Iver, St. Vincent 

“Requiem On Water” — Imperial Mammoth 

“Turning Page” — Sleeping At Last 

“The Violet Hour” — Sea Wolf 

“Speak Up” — POP ETC 

“The Antidote” — St. Vincent 

“Endtapes (Soundtrack Version)” — The Joy Formidable

Plus a few extras that fit the same vibe!

“Open Season” — High Highs 

“Kenny” — Still Woozy

“Dawn Chorus” — Thom Yorke 

“Daylight” — David Kushner

“Evergreen” — Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners 

“Fade Into You” — Mazzy Star 

“Two Weeks” — Grizzly Bear

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Verstappen holds off Hamilton to win Austin Grand Prix

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Look who’s done it again: Red Bull Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen. The three time world champion clamped down on 50 career wins following the race on Sunday, Oct. 22 in Austin, Texas. Verstappen recovered from sixth place to steal the lead from McLaren driver, Lando Norris, and held Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, to second place. Norris had managed to get ahead of Charles LeClerc — who drives for Ferrari — on a rundown in Turn One from the beginning and held a two-second lead going into Lap Two. 

Going into Turn Twelve, Verstappen had caught up to the leaders, racing in the fourth place position behind Norris, LeClerc and LeClerc’s teammate, Carlos Sainz. This is where Verstappen made his move to pass Sainz and take the third-place position.

It wasn’t until Lap Eleven that Verstappen was able to overtake LeClerc, once again coming into Turn 12 — this turn being considered the most advantageous turn on the Austin course. By Lap 26, Verstappen was only a second and a half behind Norris. 

In Lap 29, Verstappen took advantage of Norris locking up to drop into Turn 12 and secured the lead for himself — Norris was unable to return to first position for the duration of the race.

Hamilton and Norris were both in close pursuit of Verstappen in Lap 33, and by this point, Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, was closing in on Sainz to take P4. 

Tire changes for Perez, Sainz and Hamilton in Lap 38 meant the tide could turn for any one of these drivers, some switched their medium tires for hard tires or put on a new set of medium tires — this signifies the amount of grip the tire has and its durability on the track.

Throughout the race, many drivers were issued black and white flags for exceeding track limits, which occurs when drivers go outside the track boundaries or are issued as a stop-and-go penalty in the pits. American driver, Logan Sargeant, was one to receive one of these flags. 

In Lap 46, Hamilton was two and a half seconds behind second-place Norris, but if he wanted to catch up to Verstappen, he would need to up his pace. Aston Martin driver, Fernando Alonso, was forced to retire his vehicle in Lap 50 due to rear suspension failure — he had been in seventh place.

Once he got into second place, it was looking less than likely that Hamilton would be able to overtake Verstappen; there was a five-second gap between the two drivers. The Ferrari drivers battled against each other for position, and Sainz pulled ahead of his teammate at the discretion of the Ferrari team, a decision LeClerc was clearly not happy with. 

Two laps to go and Hamilton had closed the gap between him and Verstappen to two seconds, with Verstappen complaining about braking issues on his vehicle. Hamilton was unable to close this gap, and Verstappen took his third consecutive win at Circuit of the Americas or COTA. Norris followed in third, with Sainz taking fourth and Perez overtaking LeClerc for fifth place.

However, Hamilton and LeClerc were unable to celebrate their positions in the Grand Prix, as both were shortly disqualified for technical breaches. An inspection of the plank wear was carried out on their vehicles after the race and irregularities were spotted — the skids on their tires were not in compliance with Technical Regulations — and they were referred to the stewards.

Both Hamilton and LeClerc sent a representative to see the steward, where they attributed the evident wear on the skid pads to the combination of a bumpy track and the short time between the Sprint race and Grand Prix, making for a unique situation.

The stewards’ job is to ensure that a team’s vehicle is in compliance with regulations at all times during an event. In this case, the rear skid in the Technical Delegate’s report was well outside of the thresholds outlined in the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which includes allowances for such wear. 

Hamilton and LeClerc were subsequently disqualified from the Grand Prix, which moved Norris up to second and Sainz to third podium. Sargeant, who drives for Williams Racing, moved to P10 and won his first point on the season. 

Sargeant had initially placed twelfth, which was groundbreaking for the driver, considering he started last. He is also the first American driver to score points in 30 years. Those points were scored by Michael Andretti, son of Mario Andretti, who debuted in Formula One during the 1993 season and had dropped out with three races left

This is Sargeant’s Rookie year, having competed in the Formula 2 circuits for the 2022 season, and initially debuting in Formula 4 for the Winter 2016 season. 

The next Formula 1 races are set for Sao Paulo, Brazil on Nov, 5 at 9 a.m. and Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 18 at 10 p.m. Both races will be streaming on ESPN+ and the F1 Network. 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western’s Cannon Gallery displays incredible art, sparking childlike joy

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

At the beginning of October, nine different artists from the Salem area showcased their pieces in the Cannon Gallery in Western’s Campbell Hall. The exhibit’s works of art used media such as paint, embroidery, clay and even coins and plastic figurines. 

The exhibit was titled “The Red Thread” — referring to the connection between the diverse group of artists. Inspired by a Chinese proverb, the red thread is said to connect people who are destined to meet. Following such, a literal red thread was hung throughout the Cannon Art Gallery.

Many of these artists collaborated, but each of their pieces displayed their unique personalities. Two artists, Susan Napeck and Jessica Ramey, had a similar theme to their art — returning to childhood. 

Napeck decided to embroider over the nostalgic drawings by their six-year-old self, depicting themself, their family and their home at the time. 

Ramey created a wondrous fortune-teller out of wood and clay, so anyone could come and find something out about themselves. 

Napeck discussed the connection between them and their art. Napeck’s inspiration came from the idea of “…letting go of old things and making new things with them,” Napeck said. 

Though the piece was sentimental, Napeck said they were alright with letting it go: “…once you make it into art, sometimes it’s easier to let go… once you’re done with it… you can let it fly.”

The fortune teller piece, titled “Elemental Fortune” and embellished with fake eyeballs and bright colors, drew many people in. Ramey had a different approach with their interactive sculpture. Though it was a fortune teller focused on reading personalities, they wanted to make sure it was unlike typical zodiac tropes. 

“The idea is just playfulness, and as adults, we kind of lose that a little bit,” Ramey said. 

The nine artists that showcased their work in the Cannon Art Gallery were part of a collective group from the Willamette Heritage Center. 

Both Napek and Ramey shared their thoughts on working alongside the other artists. “We all do very different things, but are equally curious,” Ramey said. 

In response to comparing their colleagues’ art with their own, Napek said: “as an artist, you try to give back to that facility without being self-conscious.” The idea of the red thread was present in both the profound words and work of the artists.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Fun fall watchlist

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

“Gilmore Girls” on Netflix

“Practical Magic” on Hulu

“Charmed” on Netflix

“Dead Poets Society” on Prime

“Coraline” on Max and Hulu

“Coco” on Disney+

“Over the Garden Wall” on Hulu

“The Shining” on Max

“Knives Out” on Prime

“Wendell and Wild” on Netflix

“The Birds” on Prime

“The Golden Bachelor” on Hulu

“Halloweentown” on Disney+

“What We Do In the Shadows” on Hulu

“Haunted Mansion” on Disney+

“Black Swan” on Prime

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Season two of “Our flag means death” dives deeper into the difficult topic of address emotions

Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers

The Max original, “Our Flag Means Death,” has won hearts and captured the attention of many. The relatable characters, charming relationships and lots of piracy, offer something for everyone. Though many scenes deal with the typical pirate activities, such as stealing and murdering, the newest season of the show dives into the murky depths of the characters’ emotions.

The first season of the show ended with a heartbreaking split of the main characters, Ed, also known as Blackbeard, and Stede, played by Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby. What some fans may not know is that these two characters are real-life historical figures, and while they may not have had a romance as the show depicts, they definitely met. A new historical character introduced in season two is Zheng Yi Sao, a pirate queen. 

Zheng, played by Ruibo Qian, brings a whole new level of comedy to the show, such as the iconic line: “Girl, how are you?” This question forces Stede to reflect on his past mistakes, and he even offers relationship advice to another character. 

On the other hand, Ed is struggling with negative feelings of self-worth and learning to accept the fact that he is lovable. Who would have thought that Blackbeard, the world’s most infamous and feared pirate, secretly had these emotions deep down?

Lili Minato, a Western sophomore and an avid watcher of “Our Flag Means Death,” shared what she liked about the show in comparison to others that try to tackle the topic of mental health. “This show is showing you pirates in the 18th century and allowing hard subjects to be shared without bumming you out too much because it’s a comedy,” Minato said. “There’s a level of fun to it that allows these harsher, more draining subjects, to be shared to a wider audience without it being too depressing.”

Both the cast and crew work hard behind the scenes to ensure everything is smooth sailing. Taika Waititi, the New Zealand director and star of “Our Flag Means Death,” has taken similar approaches in his past work. His shows, such as “What We Do in the Shadows,” tend to be representative of many communities, so it’s no wonder they have reached a broad audience.

“Our Flag Means Death” offers a new perspective to historical, comedy and drama television fans. It will make viewers laugh, cry and gasp. The show will inspire its audience to create their own “safe space,” as the pirates aim to do on their ship and with each other. It’s a heartfelt comedy that reinvents the stereotypical perception of pirates and will make its audience reflect on the way they love themselves and others.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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