The author poses with Steph Littlebird after a guest speaker presentation. | Photo by Jaylin Emond-Hardin
April 22, 2026 | Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
Growing up as a Native kid, I didn’t have many books that were for me. As a tiny tot, I had one called “Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back,” which told the story of the 13 moon cycles of the year on the back of Turtle Island. By the time I got into chapter books, there were more, but not by much — “Indian in the Cupboard,” “The Birchbark House” and “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” were titles I was more than familiar with.
But now, Native authors are becoming a greater part of the author demographics, and with that, so are their stories.
Among these authors is Steph Littlebird, a Kalapuya and Chinook artist, who recently published “You Are the Land.” Released Feb. 24, 2026, “You Are the Land” is Littlebird’s first published children’s book, though she has illustrated for other works before. These books include “My Powerful Hair,” “Body Beautiful” and “Fierce Aunties,” all celebrations of the power of indigenous people and their cultures. Littlebird also did the illustrations for the book “The Summer of the Bone Horses,” a chapter book written by Virginia Driving Hawke Sneve.
It’s not just children’s book illustrations, however, that Littlebird pours her love into. As an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde community, she curated the exhibit “This IS Kalapuyan Land,” which opened in 2019 at the Five Oaks Museum and in 2023 at the Pittock Mansion, both in Portland.
In the exhibit, Littlebird annotated panels from the museum’s previous exhibit on the Kalapuyan peoples, curated modern Native artwork into the exhibit and added historical pieces from David Lewis, who has a doctorate in anthropology and is a preeminent scholar on the tribes of Western Oregon.
In her spare time, Littlebird creates art for her Instagram, @artnerdforever, most of which is protest art and aims to bring awareness to the movements that she supports. She especially focuses on reinterpreting vintage imagery, often reworking historically problematic depictions with a modern, critical perspective. Among these are her interpretations of the Land O’Lakes Native woman, Pocahontas and Tiger Lily from “Peter Pan,” along with Land Back themes and other works that reflect her perspectives on contemporary political issues.
Recently, Littlebird announced her collaboration with author Karina Iceberg on the book “Free to Fly,” a multigenerational story that pushes and reminds readers to look towards the future with hope, even with the knowledge of the pain the past brings us.
“Free to Fly” is set to release in June this year, while “You Are the Land,” “Summer of the Bone Horse,” “Body Beautiful,” “Fierce Aunties” and “My Powerful Hair” are available in bookstores and online.
Are “Frozen” and “Tarzan” secretly connected? Is there an invisible dome around the Disney parks? Is Walt Disney secretly buried somewhere in Disneyland? Many Disney fans have a lot of insane conspiracy theories, and while many of them are proven to be false or may be way too crazy to be true, they’re fun to think about nonetheless. In this article, I’m going to talk about some of my favorite Disney conspiracy theories.
The first theory is that the parents depicted at the beginning of “Tarzan” are actually Anna and Elsa’s parents in “Frozen,” making Tarzan their little brother. Fans speculate that Anna and Elsa’s parents didn’t actually die in their shipwreck and instead washed up on the coast of Africa, where they had another baby boy before being killed by the leopard in “Tarzan.” While I love this theory, there are a couple of different reasons why this probably isn’t true. “Frozen” is meant to take place in the early 1830s and “Tarzan” is meant to take place in the 1880s, meaning that the timelines don’t align. Additionally, the parents in each of the movies don’t share the same physical traits. While the father’s eyes are the same color, his face shape in each movie is vastly different, and in “Frozen,” he has the strawberry blonde hair that Anna has, while in “Tarzan,” he has brown hair. The mother also has a very different face shape and hair color, and her eyes are even different colors in both movies.
A similar theory is that the movie “Aladdin” actually takes place in a post-apocalyptic future. Throughout the movie, the genie makes many 90s references, such as celebrity impressions of people like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Except, the genie also mentions that he’s been stuck in the lamp for 10,000 years, meaning the movie takes place 10,000 years after 1990. In this futuristic world, humanity essentially reverts back to its old ways.
A “Frozen” theory that I find very interesting is that the trolls turned Hans evil. Before Anna goes to see the trolls with Kristoff, Hans is still depicted as a gentleman who loves Anna, and fans don’t start to see his villainous side until after. The theory is that the trolls wanted Anna to be with Kristoff, and after learning about her engagement to Hans, decided to use their magic to turn Hans evil.
Disney park-specific theories include some believing that nobody can die at a Disney park. With any sort of medical emergency or death in the park, workers prioritize getting the person out of the park as soon as possible so that Disney receives no bad publicity. There are also rumors that there are hidden Mickeys throughout the Disney parks, and this theory has been proven to be true. One of the more outlandish theories here is that there is an invisible dome around the parks to stop bad weather from getting in.
Finally, my all-time favorite Disney fan theory is that Walt Disney’s frozen head is being kept in a cryogenic storage until future technology makes it possible for him to be reincarnated. Branches of this theory include either Walt Disney’s head being frozen versus his whole body, and some fans believe that his head is stored under the “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride in Disneyland. Fans believe that Disney created the movie “Frozen” and Disney on Ice so that when people searched for Walt Disney’s frozen head, these two things would come up instead.
Disney movies already have so many connections within them, and thinking about and discussing additional conspiracy theories can be a lot of fun for anyone who’s a Disney fan.
A still of Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” | Photo from @gameofthones on Instagram
April 15, 2026 | Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
I’ve been thinking about the “Game of Thrones” universe a lot lately. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was released in February of this year, I recently finished “A Game of Thrones” for the first time and I’m rewatching “House of the Dragon” in preparation for Season 3’s release this June. Maybe “I’ve been thinking” is an understatement.
Either way, the shows have been on my mind a lot as I’ve consumed them in the last few months, and with them being on my mind, there are a lot of considerations I’ve looked at. After all, the shows are all connected in some way or another, aside from being in the same universe. I fear that is the most obvious, but there are more connections beyond that, with the same Houses and same family names stirring up trouble in Westeros.
Honestly, one of my favorite connections appears in Season 3 of “A Game of Thrones.” In “And Now His Watch Has Ended,” Joffrey Baratheon gives Margaery Tyrell a tour of the Red Keep. As they pass through the Great Sept of Baelor, he casually recounts Rhaenyra Targaryen’s fate — killed and eaten by Aegon II’s dragon in front of her son.
Rhaenyra Targaryen is the main character of “House of the Dragon,” and the show follows her fight against Aegon II, her half-brother, to claim the Iron Throne.
This isn’t the only Targaryen from another series mentioned in the episode, however. Baratheon also tells Tyrell about Aerion Targaryen, also known as Aerion Brightflame, and how he drank wildfire because he thought himself to be a dragon.
Aerion Targaryen is a minor character in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” and is bested in a Trial of Seven by Ser Duncan the Tall. While Season 2 does not release until 2027, fans will likely not see him again. If “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” adheres to its source material, Aerion Targaryen does not reappear. He departs for Dorne while Ser Duncan and Egg travel to other parts of Westeros.
Speaking of Ser Duncan, the hedge knight is mentioned twice across the show, once in Season 1 and the second time in Season 4. Both are brief, but they truly show his place as a legend in Westeros. In Season 1’s “Lord Snow,” Old Nan offers to tell Bran Stark a story about Ser Duncan, who she says was Stark’s favorite.
In Season 4, the allusion to Ser Duncan is much more explicit. Again, it is Baratheon who speaks of the character, using the hedge knight’s long list of deeds in the Book of Brothers to mock his father-uncle, Jaime Lannister. Ser Duncan’s 14-page-long list that Baratheon mentions in the show alludes to the greatness that the character eventually achieves.
A third character from “The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is also name-dropped, but it’s in the Season 5 episode “The Gift,” when Maester Aemon shouts out “Egg” on his deathbed. In a previous season, the Maester had revealed that he was a Targaryen, which means that the “Egg” he is calling to is Aegon V, and the second main character of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”
Out of the four characters mentioned, three are Targaryens — Egg, Aerion and Rhaenyra — which is kind of the point. It begins to become obvious how the entire “Game of Thrones” universe quietly orbits that one family.
Even when the story pretends to be about sprawling politics, rival houses or the fate of the realm, it keeps snapping back to the same gravitational center: the Targaryens. Their bloodline, their dragons, their internal conflicts — those are the forces that shape history again and again. Egg represents the unlikely, almost hopeful side of that legacy; Aerion Targaryen shows its instability and cruelty; Rhaenyra Targaryen embodies how personal ambition can escalate into civil war. Three very different people, in the same dynasty, with the same underlying volatility.
That’s what makes the world feel less like a broad ensemble and more like a long, multi-generational tragedy. The rise and fall of kingdoms, the wars, the prophecies — they’re not random, they’re consequences. And more often than not, they trace back to one family’s ability to conquer a continent and their inability to hold onto it peacefully.
So when multiple Targaryens keep popping up in even casual references, it’s not coincidence — it’s the story revealing what it’s really about.
But even the beginning of “House of the Dragon” references Daenerys Targaryen, who is arguably the main character of “A Game of Thrones” — the show — and “A Song of Ice and Fire” — the book series.
“It is now the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen’s reign. 172 years before the death of the Mad King, Aerys, and the birth of his daughter, Princess Daenerys Targaryen,” it reads, before words fade out until it just reads “172 years before Daenerys Targaryen.”
When I first saw this while watching “House of the Dragon,” I got chills, because it sets Daenerys Targaryen as the marker for every point in Westerosi History.
If I were to equate the Targaryens to a modern famous family, they would be the Kardashians. They’re rich, they make questionable decisions, yet somehow people still love them in spite of the horrible things they do.
Heck, even I love the Targaryens and defend them, even when they do bad things.
Daenerys Targaryen burns down King’s Landing because Cersei Lannister killed her best friend? That’s a completely valid crashout.
Aemond Targaryen wants revenge on his nephews because they gave him a pig dressed up as a dragon and cut out his eye? I’d want revenge, too.
At a certain point, it stops being surprising and just becomes the rule: if something goes wrong in Westeros, a Targaryen probably lit the match. Whether it’s revenge, ambition, grief or just pure delusion, their choices ripple outward until entire kingdoms feel the consequences.
And maybe that’s why they’re so hard to look away from. They’re not just rulers or legends — they’re deeply flawed people with far too much power, making very human decisions on an inhuman scale. So as much as the world of “Game of Thrones” pretends to be about everyone, it keeps circling back to them.
The dragons may be gone or reborn, the throne may change hands, but the story remains the same: sooner or later, it’s always about the Targaryens.
Content warning: this article contains minor spoilers for “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie”
On April 1, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” was released in theaters, and I was lucky enough to be able to see it on its debut. The movie by Nintendo is based on the game of a similar title, Super Mario Galaxy, and is a sequel to the first movie, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” The film was highly anticipated by fans as Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are extremely beloved in the fanbase and are often viewed as some of the top ten Mario games ever produced by Nintendo.
After the movie’s release, many have expressed their opinion of it, ranging from it being good, bad, peak, terrible and even claiming it’s political. I wanted to give my own take on the movie as both a Mario fan and someone who played the Galaxy games.
I am in no way a movie critic or high-brow Mario superfan. I’m just a girl who wanted to see a movie based on one of the games I played the most growing up. That being said, though, my rating is definitely not a 10/10.
The game, Super Mario Galaxy, was praised for its ability to provide stunning visuals of outer space, and I’m happy to report that the movie was very similar to the game in that sense. The stars and galaxies were absolutely stunning to view on the big screen. The biggest strength the movie had was its animation. It’s incredibly smooth and well done, the fight scenes in the movie being particularly impressive. The movie’s main villain, Bowser Jr., has an incredibly powerful paintbrush that can create living drawings out of thin air as well as engulf him in the paint to give him a crazy amount of strength.
The strongest parts of the movie for me were any scenes that had Yoshi in them, as well as the relationship between Bowser and his son. Yoshi, as a character, was an incredibly entertaining character to watch on screen. He is not only a very resourceful creature, but he’s funny and really stands out on the character roster as a loyal companion who also likes to mess around with his buddies.
Bowser Jr.’s motivation throughout the entire movie revolves around getting his imprisoned father out of the clutches of the Mario brothers, as well as creating a planet for both of them, something that Bowser promised his son when he was growing up. Their bond is incredibly heartwarming to watch. Even if Bowser is a bad guy, there is no doubt that he is a great father.
The biggest change of the movie from the game is that some of the character backgrounds have changed drastically, specifically Rosalina’s and Peach’s. While I won’t dig into these changes to avoid major spoilers, my main complaint is that I feel like they really rushed the character development of most of the characters, but in particular, Princess Peach.
In this movie, she finally discovers where she comes from and who her family is. However, the journey of her getting there doesn’t feel particularly satisfying. There isn’t a lot of meaningful, emotional turmoil, and what little there is feels extremely rushed. I thought the way that they revealed Peach’s past was a clever way to do it, but it just didn’t feel like it was something she fought for. Her backstory just seemed to be handed to her — quite literally — without any sort of depth given to her character.
Overall, I feel like the movie wasn’t as terrible as some have been saying online. I personally enjoyed it a lot and had fun watching it. I would rate it a 7/10. I would watch it again, it was really funny.
A screenshot of the author’s home on My Leisure Time. | Photo by Jaylin Emond-Hardin
April 15 2026 | Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
I’ve never loved a mobile game as much as I love My Leisure Time. Usually, I’ll download a game after seeing it in an ad, play it for a couple of days, then get bored and it will sit on my phone until it’s automatically offloaded to save storage.
Yet, this one has stuck with me. I don’t know why it has, but every chance I get, I’m not on social media, I’m on the game.
The game follows a newcomer to Yo-Yo Town who gradually helps residents grow their businesses, including a diner, a coffee shop and a salon, among other shops. As they do this, they also unlock furniture, housing layouts, clothing and pets. It’s low-key and focused on development as the end goal, rather than puzzles or level-based gameplay.
It’s slow and cozy, like a lazy Sunday morning with extra-sweet coffee. Even the graphics — a simplistic chibi, anime style — aid in this feeling.
It’s as if Animal Crossing were made two-dimensional and all the villagers were human. That’s the closest comparison I honestly have.
The game also has a variety of themed events where players can design furniture and clothing. Currently, the themes are Cosmo Tales and Starlight Garden — based on Mongolian traditional culture and Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, respectively. The events take a lot of grinding to earn the materials to craft the furniture, but the pieces are so unique that it’s worth it.
Honestly, I never thought I’d say that about a mobile game, but it’s one that needs that description.
My favorite part of the game is helping out the residents of Yo-Yo Town with their shops. The tasks are the only mini-game-style part of the game. At the coffee shop, players merge coffee beans, sugar and bottles of milk to make craft coffees. In the salon, 20 scissors are gifted every two hours and players must cut through pieces of fabric to collect hair dryers, combs and makeup brushes to unlock hairstyles. And at the diner, vegetables are planted, and other goods are ordered, so players can combine them into dishes to sell and earn trileaf coins, an in-game currency.
But the mini-games are low-stakes and slow-paced, keeping that cozy, lazy weekend feeling, and players don’t even have to interact with these parts of the game.
I know sometimes those games that are in ads don’t show accurate gameplay, but this is one game where the ads were accurate and everything that was advertised is in the game. And maybe that’s why it’s stuck with me this time.
After all, I keep taking breaks from writing this article to play the game.
The fall term is almost over, we will soon have made it through finals and winter break will be upon us. For those of you who will be spending the holidays locally, here are some events taking place in Monmouth, Salem and Portland.
In the Monmouth and Rickreall area there are a handful of holiday events to look forward to; in addition to the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony that takes place on campus, the Western Hemisphere Orchestra will be performing in Rice Auditorium on Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Eola Hills Wine Cellars in Rickreall is hosting their Enchanted Christmas in the Wine Cellar, Dec. 5 and 6, with musical guest Michael Allen Harrison. The concert begins at 7 p.m., but seating is limited, so guests are encouraged to make reservations.
If you’re looking for activities in the Salem area then check out Christmas in the Garden. Starting Nov. 25 and running through Jan. 1, there will be daily ice skating, with additional festivities Thursdays-Sundays such as a traditional German Christmas market, live music and carolers, and a light display in Rediscovery Forest. See oregongarden.org for event details.
There is a Craft Bazaar and Chanukah Sale at Temple Beth Sholom in Salem featuring hand-crafted goods that takes place Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Dec. 4.
Also in Salem, Enlightened Theatrics will be running their special holiday edition of “Forever Plaid” Wednesdays-Sundays now through Dec. 11 at Salem’s Historic Grand Theater.
Portland is hosting a plethora of festive events to look forward to this holiday season including lights, music, and a number of beer and ale festivals. Zoo Lights will run from Nov. 25 through Jan. 1, starting after 4 p.m. at the Oregon Zoo.
Christmas at the Grotto will run the whole month of December and features over 500,000 lights, with choral singers and hot chocolate present.
The Oregon Ballet Theater will perform the Nutcracker Ballet at Keller Auditorium select nights through Dec. 26. For those 21 and over, there is a Holiday Ale Festival December 1-4 at Pioneers Courthouse Square; the St. Johns Winter Beer Fest in St. John’s, Dec. 9-11; and Ciderfest 2016 which takes place Dec. 16 at EastBurn, and supports Toys for Tots.
Looking for a band that delivers rock reminiscent of the great classics? Look no further than Radkey, an American rock group made of three brothers from St. Joseph, Missouri. The home-schooled brothers are Dee Radke as the lead singer and guitarist, Isaiah Radke as the bassist and Solomon Radke as the drummer.
Their father Matt Radke is their manager and has made it possible for them to play with bands such as Descendents, Jack White, The Offspring and many more. Their recent rise in popularity is due to their debut album re-released in 2016 renamed as “Delicious Rock Noise.”
The three brothers played at The Space Concert Hub on Nov. 17 with the Rivercity Royals as their opening act. Radkey was not the type of band that wanted to stand and talk to their audience — they came to perform, and that is exactly what they did.
Throughout their whole concert, they played with an unspoken synchronicity, transitioning into each new song without so much as a glance to one another; they seemed completely relaxed in their element.
Their music has a similar vibe to that of The Misfits and makes audience members bob their heads and tap their feet along with the exciting beats of each song. The two brothers, Dee and Isaiah, were constantly jumping around and letting their bodies move to the music, even doing fun stage moves such as lowering to the ground back to back and laying on the ground with their guitar or bass raised.
The three brothers can play a multitude of instruments, but when it comes to the band they stick to their three mediums. They described that being home-schooled and living with their dad’s record collection made them want to pursue music. They are all self taught as well when it comes to music, setting aside their time to master instruments. Their role models when it comes to music are Weezer, Nirvana, Foo Fighters and other classic groups.
Discussing their future plans Isaiah said, “We plan to stick with music for as long as we can and just try and have a good time.”
They have a new album in the making with no specific release date; their plan is to have it released by next year.
Radkey is a band that really cares about creating and delivering music that gets the crowd going. I highly recommend this rock group to anyone who wants something that has ties to classic rock while delivering an exciting new sound.
Local little libraries make a big impact on communities
Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor
Sunny days are best enjoyed with a lounge chair and a captivating book, but sometimes it feels impossible to find the “right” book to start reading. With local little libraries, it’s easy to explore new titles provided by the community. These libraries can be made by families, bought online or provided by organizations, and they offer a convenient and interactive way to get involved in the community by having others take or donate well-loved books. Here are just a few little libraries in the area, out of the many that are in Oregon:
Monmouth
MaMere’s Guest House ⏤ 212 Knox St. N. This little library is a replica of the historic house and is crafted entirely from LEGO’s. It’s complete with LEGO flowers, a miniature library and a black cat that roams the property.
Monmouth Montessori School ⏤ 1140 East Main St. This library is for anyone to enjoy, take a short walk to discover the big blue butterfly on the back of the library — with this cute design, it’s hard to miss.
Salem and Keizer
American Antique Hardware ⏤ 2983 D St. NE. This red and blue library is bigger than others since it’s in a larger neighborhood and a busier location. Supported by the surrounding seven homes in the area, they have all come together to offer books for all ages in English and Spanish.
Oneil Library ⏤ 7426 Oneil Road NE. This royal blue library was built in 2019 by Donovan Karnes for his Eagle Scout Project, with the help of Boy Scout Troop 7067.
Little Free Library ⏤ 5908 Legacy St. SE. Smaller and tucked away, these wooden navy blue walls hold a selection of children’s books and adult literature.
Eugene
Anthony and Jodie St. Clair’s ⏤ 1260 Beebe Lane. This blue and purple library was gifted to Anthony and Jodie St. Clair by Nancy Nathanson and the River Road Community Organization. Now, they pass on their love for reading by sharing their colorful library with the community.
Treetops Little Free Library ⏤ 3049 Deerbrush Way. Parked in the shade from the trees in Southwest Eugene, this library is made from rich, dark wood that will immediately catch the eye. Snag a book to add some excitement to the day.
Cole Family Library ⏤ 553 North Bertelsen Road. This is the second library made by the Cole family, and they’re back and better than ever. With the adorable addition of a flower doorknob, small flower beds and windows, anyone in the neighborhood can enjoy their labor of love.
With summer coming up, it’s important to have more than one way to spend the long days. Some people kill time by picking up new hobbies, or through experimenting with different types of arts and crafts. Rock painting is one activity that can be relaxing and turned into an artistic outlet, and it’s one craft that requires few materials.
One easy way to find materials is by collecting rocks on walks and checking to see if there’s any old paint laying around the house. Sharpies work in a pinch and can add more detail to painted pieces. If out of paint, consider using leftover nail polish or spray paint to decorate. With hundreds of possible designs ⏤ ranging from animals, flowers, bees, candy and bugs ⏤ there’s something for everyone.
There are tons of official rock painting groups spread out across Oregon, all with their own vibrant communities and unique designs. To get started in the rock painting world, try joining Facebook groups and looking for rock painting hashtags on other social media platforms, like Instagram and Twitter. It can even be an opportunity to share one’s own work and artistic skills, or it can just be a fun family activity. These rock painting pages and communities in Oregon can all be found on Facebook:
The Smith Fine Arts Series hosted the Seamus Egan Project on March 12, bringing Irish folk-style music to campus just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. This group of four talented musicians wowed audiences with their lively music.
Egan exhibited his skills on many instruments throughout the performance, such as guitar, banjo and flute. In some songs, like his original “Welcome to Orwell,” Egan demonstrated an impressive mastery of the tin whistle, which is similar to a recorder.
Among those performing with Egan was Jenna Moynihan, who played the fiddle and provided vocals for certain songs, like in their rendition of “The Blackest Crow.” Her voice was a hauntingly beautiful departure from the jaunty tunes before it.
Also on stage was Kyle Sanna, an incredibly talented guitarist, who provided back up vocals to Moynihan.
Owen Marshall played mandolin with the group, and provided added humor to the various introductions that preceded songs. His banter with Egan loosened the performers on stage while also creating a sense of familiarity between the musicians and the audience.
One song in particular stood out as Egan introduced it. “Mr. and Mrs. Walsh,” Egan explained, was written after his sister eloped with her then-fiance. The eventual reconciliation with their mother inspired the tune.
“It was a situation that called for a banjo,” Egan said of the song — drawing laughs from the audience.
Each musician played completely in sync with one another, and when the set list had finished, the audience’s applause brought the group back to the stage for an encore.
The cover for Lord Huron’s album “Strange Trails,” which “The Night We Met” is featured on. | Photo from Apple Music
Oct 22 2025 | Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
Fall is officially upon us, or, as fans of the “Twilight” franchise like to say, it’s when the weather starts to feel like “hoa hoa hoa” — the intro for “Eyes on Fire” by Blue Foundation, which is featured in the soundtrack of the franchise’s first installment.
This curated list is meant to embody the feeling that “Twilight” and “Eyes on Fire” emulate: foggy Pacific Northwest days, a blue filtered world and enough emotions to blur the line between longing and magic — where love feels both dangerous and inevitable, the air smells like rain, and everything aches in muted shades of gray and silver.
Movies:
“Practical Magic” — The Owens sisters — played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman — hail from a line of witches where any man who loves an Owens woman meets his untimely demise. The film combines romance, comedy and supernatural family drama as the sisters attempt to break the family curse. Equal parts warm and spooky, it explores themes of love, loss and sisterhood. “Practical Magic” is available to stream on HBO Max and is free with ads on Tubi.
“The Lovely Bones” — After she’s murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon — played by Saoirse Ronan — watches her family from the afterlife as they grieve and her killer remains at large. Alternating between Salmon’s desire to help solve her murder and the living characters’ attempts to heal and find the truth, it’s an emotional adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel of the same name. The film is currently streaming on Paramount+.
Shows:
“Twin Peaks” — Set in the Pacific Northwest in the early ‘90s, “Twin Peaks” follows FBI agent Dale Cooper as he investigates the murder of Laura Palmer. There, he discovers a town full of secrets, surreal visions and supernatural undercurrents. The series itself mixes noir-style investigation with quirky small-town characters and the persistent sense that something wrong is happening under the surface — all with the iconic surrealism of showrunner David Lynch. The original 1990 series and the 2017 return are both streaming on Paramount+.
“Bates Motel” — A prequel series to Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic film “Psycho,” this series follows Norma and Norman Bates as they open the titular Bates Motel. Throughout the series, Norman Bates’ fragile psychology unravels under his mother’s intense, codependent influence, and it’s a slow-burning character study, chronologizing Norman Bates’ descent under his mother’s increasingly desperate attempts to protect him from outside influences. “Bates Motel” stars iconic actors, including Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore and Olivia Cooke — known for “The Conjuring” universe, “The Good Doctor” and “The House of the Dragon” respectively — and is streaming on Amazon Prime.
Books:
“If I Stay” by Gayle Forman — After her family gets in a catastrophic car accident, 17-year-old Mia has an out-of-body experience where she sees her loved ones struggle with grief and she decides whether she should stay alive or pass with her family. Set in Portland, Oregon, the novel explores love and memory, while also forcing the reader to consider the emotional weight of the choice between life and death. The novel is followed by its 2011 sequel, “Where She Went,” which continues Mia’s story three years after she woke from her coma.
“The Near Witch” by V.E. Schwab — Schwab’s debut novel follows Lexi in her small town of Near, a place that doesn’t welcome strangers and believes the past should stay buried. When a boy appears on the moor and children start vanishing from their beds, the townspeople suspect he is the cause. But Lexi doesn’t think that’s the case. As she investigates, Lexi uncovers the truth about the “Near Witch,” someone once thought to be a bedtime story. Weaving folklore with fear and feminine strength, Schwab’s writing is poetic, creating less of a fast-paced fantasy and more of a haunting love letter to ancient legends.
Music:
“The Night We Met” by Lord Huron — One of my all-time favorite songs, “The Night We Met” is a haunting ballad, drenched in longing and regret. The narrator mourns a long-lost love, stuck in the moment everything changed. With the desperate wish to return to the night when things were still “perfect,” the narrator focuses on the pain of losing the person he loves most. With soft reverb and echoing vocals, the song captures the ache and melancholy of memory so well, it leaves listeners aching for a time they might not even be sure exists. This song’s power lies in its restraint — it doesn’t try to explain love and loss, it allows listeners to actively feel it.
“All I Want” by Kodaline —This raw, emotional anthem talks about heartbreak, loneliness and the lingering hope that love might return to the narrator. The beginning is soft, like a confession, before it swells in an emotional crescendo, and expresses the painful contraction of loving someone who’s gone but being unable to let them go. While the lyrics are simple, they are deeply human: “If you loved me, why’d you leave me?” Kodaline’s emotional vocals and the song’s build are what make it cathartic, not sad, but a cleansing of everything that was left unsaid.
Of course, last on this list is any of the multitude of media in the “Twilight” franchise; they are, after all, what inspired this list, so how could I leave them out? All movies in the series are currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, which have seemingly become the permanent home for them for the time being.
With the weather turning foggy, it is the perfect time to wear Henleys, get lost in a small town and accuse the brooding boy from biology of being a vampire.
Whether art is one’s passion or hobby, it is important to acknowledge how impactful it can be on one’s life.
Morgan Amerson Horton, this month’s senior artist in the WUC, explores the concept of art as a reflection of life in their exhibit “Color Me Surprised.” This exhibit uses colors and different mediums to bring the pieces to life.
Below is Amerson Horton talking about what makes them the artist they are today.
“The interest I have in art has always been innate. It is something I have tried to incorporate into everything I do. I am constantly observing, seeing where beauty has left its mark. Graffiti on the side of a train, sculptures and architecture that seemed to go unnoticed, the unique faces and lives of the passerby…
I got my creative start from watching everything my mom did. She painted us kids huge murals in our bedrooms, each one unique to our ‘theme.’ She’s stayed up late helping us create projects for our classes. Her and I have refurbished furniture, painted anything under the sun, and put together incredible decorative events. We have always been a dynamic duo.
My dad doesn’t have an artistic bone in his body but he has always shown his love for what I do. When he was writing his book A God Nearby: Three Medieval Views of Immanence and Transcendence, he asked me to create the cover. He even has the painting hung up in his office; as if my art isn’t all over the house.
My parents’ encouragement in my pursuit for the arts is something I have always been glad to have. I couldn’t be where I am today without their all-encompassing support in me.
I am often inspired by a feeling of nostalgia or personal history. My Memory series encompasses the many places I’ve lived in and what was influential/important to me while I was there. The sculpture ‘Light of My Life’ invokes a feeling of household femininity, and childhood encapsulation. The natural environment is also a symbol in a lot of my works; florals especially.
Going back Memory, I incorporated the state flower in each pair as a way to add my adoration for the different environments I was surrounded by. This feeling is also represented in the sculpture ‘The Vastness of Reality.’ My biggest inspiration though is color.
I am repeatedly attracted to bright, fun, and colorful. That above all else takes place in what I do. Works like ‘Feel the Rainbow’ and ‘Go with the Flow’ encompasses my love for color and playful abstraction. It is obvious I am not shy to pushing the limit and being as loud as I can be.
If you take anything from my art, it’s to be 100% you. Don’t let others limit what you can create or what you can be. I have always been told I need to tone it down but I make what speaks to me. What feel’s natural.”
A Dungeons & Dragons movie has been in the works for a while now. Multiple studios fought to be the first to cater to the growing geek audience. Recently, on Mar. 10, Paramount Pictures graced the D&D community with “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”
Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, this riveting adventure-comedy stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis and Hugh Grant.
The campaign was set in the Forgotten Realms — a gameplay scenario designed by Ed Greenwood in 1967 and adapted into the D&D world in 1987 — and follows a band of social misfits on a quest to reunite a family.
This movie ticks all the boxes. The producers managed to perfectly capture the chaotic and spontaneous nature of a D&D campaign. From a tumbling chunky dragon almost squashing the crew to a thrown potato being the climax of the movie, one can feel the role-playing game integrated into almost every line.
Out of this chaos arises the humor that has helped rocket this film to box office success. There were several moments when I was doubled over in the theater — unable to see the screen due to the tears in my eyes.
The characters are very relatable — all very much human despite their fantasy-like nature. I frequently found myself relating to the wizard who could not use magic to fix any of their problems. Each character was loveable and developed well — the audience couldn’t help but root for them every step of the way.
While this movie had me rolling on the floor laughing, it also produced tender, heartwarming moments that satisfied both the heart and the wit. The storyline itself was complicated — closely resembling a game of D&D — but easy to follow. I would highly recommend this film to all those who enjoy role-playing games. It was truly a masterpiece and it is hopefully the first of many to come. This is such an interesting genre to explore because it allows such creativity for the writers and producers while still acting as the classic fantasy movie that audiences love.
The late September release of “Saw X” met box office success and critical acclaim as the film grossed $29.3 million worldwide on its opening weekend. Long-time fans of the “Saw”franchise have rejoiced at its return to the limelight, inciting countless sentimental reflections on its colorful history and cultural relevance. For almost 20 years, the continuing saga has dispensed dopamine fixes and unified audiences across the globe through their insatiable desire for psychologically unsettling storytelling, complex moral quandaries and labyrinthine narrative twists. Or, maybe they’re simply brought together by their hardwired, human hunger for ultraviolence.
While some critics dismiss the films with labels such as “torture porn,” others praise them for their deeper philosophical outlooks and metaphorical explorations of redemption — needle pits, anyone? But whether one is binging on gore or strung out on the subtleties of cinema, “Saw” leaves viewers of any disposition with a timeless takeaway: life is to be cherished.
I want to play a game. The game I want to play is not unlike the game of life. There’s a slow-acting poison coursing through the world that each and every person has the antidote for.
Are they going to watch themselves die, or are they going to do something about it?
Thankfully they’re not typically strapped by their teeth to a home-brew head shredder on a timer, and they don’t need to face their most personal flaws in a grimly ironic, gruesome death room. They don’t need to push the limits of self-mutilation or sacrifice the well-being of others for their survival.
But they will have to do some surgery. Somewhere inside of them is the glow of their passions. Can they find it?
Will they tend to it and radiate with its warmth? Or let it dwindle and die, and rob the world of their brilliance.
Life is a gift and it’s not to be squandered. In our contemporary world of nihilistic persuasion and ever-rising suicidal tendencies, it can be easy to forget that.
In the words of John Kramer, “Congratulations, you are alive. So many people are ungrateful to be alive, but not you. Not anymore.”
When you find yourself down because your date stands you up, there’s always free wood behind Rice Auditorium.
The life of dating a trash girl.
For the students looking to bypass all that romance and just get screwed, or buy screws, head to the local hardware store.
Looking to do a little pre-date grooming to make sure you’re looking your best for your upcoming date? Rent a Rug Doctor. Carpet cleaning is always a good choice.
Breaking into the old police station with a brick is always super romantic. We recommend borrowing one from a nearby construction site. Great for those college students on a budget.
Multiple sources report that despite literally no one giving a shit about this particular film franchise anymore, a major studio has acquired the rights to the somewhat well-regarded property, and is pillaging American’s sense of nostalgia to make a quick buck on a half-assed new installment that, it must be reiterated, no one really wanted.
“Yeah, I probably said at one point, ‘man, wouldn’t it be cool if they made a sequel,’ but I, you know, didn’t really … mean it,” said Dude McGuy, a fan of the original film, which was released sometime in the ‘80s, maybe the early ‘90s. “It just feels so cheap and soulless.”
“I’m probably still gonna see it though,” said McGuy, looking as sad and dejected as a man could possibly look.
The Journal reached out to A Movie Industry Fatcat, who was quoted as saying, “Moviegoers are sheep. You slap a name they recognize on a steaming pile of bear turd and they’ll buy millions and millions of tickets to writhe around in it for an hour and a half, just for that tiny little hit off the crack pipe of the past.”
After diving into his Scrooge McDuck-style pool of money, entirely made up of currency that people have spent on absolute garbage motion pictures, he removed several stacks of hundred-dollar bills from underneath his immense girthy folds, acquired from eating several fancy meals a day financed by the money we keep throwing at these studios to make absolute goddamn trash, he surfaced and continued, “Everything you have ever loved will be recycled through the corporate machine and spat back at you, and you will eat it and say you loved it because you’re a whore. Say it, you’re a filthy whore.”
I just can’t write about this anymore. I’m sorry, I’m just done. Goodbye, enjoy your shitty movies forever and ever now.
Here’s a picture of a stupid, stupid cat and I hope it brings you joy in this goddamned hollow existence.
April Fools Day Issue
By: Alvin Wilson
Staff Writer
After the unsuccessful attempt to deport Justin Bieber to Canada, Citizens for an America Without Bieber, an organization created with the goal of deporting Justin Bieber, decided that sending the pop idol to Monmouth, Oregon would have to do.
Bieber arrived in Monmouth on March 29 and was arrested within 24 hours by the Monmouth Police Department for drunk driving, reckless endangerment, and possession of illegal drugs.
According to eyewitness reports, Bieber left the Main Street Pub & Eatery after one too many drinks and got in his rented Lamborghini, mumbling something about wanting an ice cream cone.
“I knew there was something wrong when he stood up and peed his pants,” said one witness. “I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him, but he just said, ‘get out my way, yo,’ and stormed out.”
On his way to the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor, Bieber made an abrupt right turn, narrowly missed a group of students, and crashed into Crush Wine Bar and Tasting Room.
He totaled his Lamborghini and dealt considerable damage to the store’s front pillar and glass door.
Bieber mumbled, “I dvont member gettig outa ther plane,” as he was being pulled from his crushed vehicle. Authorities said they are unsure what he meant by the comment.
Upon Bieber’s arrest, authorities said they found alcohol, marijuana, Xanax, ecstasy, and several opioids in his system.
“It’s a wonder he was still conscious,” said Mark Simpson, Bieber’s arresting officer. “There was enough in his system to kill a small herd of elephants. I don’t think Monmouth is quite ready for a character like him.”
Since his arrest, Citizens for an America Without Bieber has made several more attempts to get Bieber deported. Authorities at the Monmouth Police Department say it is something they will strongly consider.
Contact the author at awilson15@wou.edu or on Twitter @awilsonjournal
