Mount Hood

Best of the 80’s

Written by:  Gretchen Sims

“Papa Don’t Preach” — Madonna 

“Jessie’s Girl” — Rick Springfield

“Summer of ‘69” — Bryan Adams

“Love is a Battlefield” — Pat Benatar

“Tell It to My Heart” — Taylor Dayne

“9 to 5” — Dolly Parton

“Shadows Of The Night” — Pat Benatar

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” — Cyndi Lauper

“Material Girl” — Madonna

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” — Whitney Houston

“I’m Still Standing” — Elton John

“Like a Prayer” — Madonna

“The Look” — Roxette

“Heaven Is A Place On Earth” — Belinda Carlisle

“La Isla Bonita” — Madonna

“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” — Pat Benatar

“They Don’t Care About Us” — Michael Jackson

“Don’t Stop Believin’” — Journey

“Danger Zone” — Kenny Loggins

“Jolene” — Dolly Parton

“Livin’ On a Prayer” — Bon Jovi

“Thriller” — Michael Jackson

“You Give Love A Bad Name” — Bon Jovi

“I Think We’re Alone Now” — Tiffany

“Any Way You Want It” — Journey

“I Love Rock ‘N Roll” — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

“Ramble On” — Led Zeppelin

“Boys of Summer” — Don Henley

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Alternative worship

Written by: Jude Bokovoy

Any time is a great time to listen to christian music — once a week during church does not have to be the only time. There is a whole world full of different styles and artists waiting to be heard. Below is a list of christian artists paired with possible activities to complete while listening to them. A few included artists have featured popular musicians that don’t typically produce christian music, so if one enjoys the featured artist, one may also enjoy the christian artist.

On a morning drive

  • Antonie Bradford, featuring indie soul singer-songwriter Shua on “Seasons Change (Feat. Shua).”
  • Gatton
  • Nick Smith
  • Isla Vista Worship
  • Jonathan Ogden 
  • Sarah Juers

While painting

  • Darla Baltazar
  • Issac Wheadon
  • Sean C. Johnson

While cleaning or studying

  • Khamir Music
  • Hillsong Instrumentals

To sing one’s heart out 

  • Elevation Worship, their latest album was released in both English and Spanish.

  • Jesus Culture
  • New Life Worship



When getting ready on gameday

  • Lecrae, featuring artists such as John Legend, Ty Dolla $ign, Tori Kelly, YK Osiris, Marc E. Bassy, Jozzy, DaniLeigh, BJ The Chicago Kid, Gwen Bunn, Nija, Verse Simmonds, Jawan Harris, Jon Keith, Jordan L’Oreal and PJ Morton. 
  • Hulvey, features artists Forrest Frank, Torey D’Shaun and SVRCINA.
  • KB, featuring Latin multi-genre artist Tommy Royale on “Libre (feat. Tommy Royale).”

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

“Cocaine Bear” review

Written by: Mikayla Coleman

Content warning: this article contains spoilers and mentions of drugs

Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the comedy horror movie “Cocaine Bear” has taken theater-goers by storm. The narcotics-filled thriller, which was released Feb. 23, 2023, tells the story of those who encountered a black bear residing in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest who had consumed millions of dollars of cocaine. 

The film included a large cast including some familiar faces. Margo Martindale dazzled as Ranger Liz, taking a literal claw to the a–. Jesse Tyler Ferguson played Peter, a wildlife activist inspecting the conditions of the forest, who suffered one of the many brutal death scenes. O’Shea Jackson Jr. was Daveed, a fixer who when searching for the lost cocaine came face to face with the cocaine bear. “Cocaine Bear” was the last movie of Ray Liotta, who died on May 26, 2022, shortly after filming wrapped. 

The true events that inspired “Cocaine Bear” are much less thrilling than that of the movie. On Sept. 11, 1985, drug smuggler Andrew C. Thorton II, after dumping packages of cocaine for a drug ring via plane, realized he was being followed by authorities in the air. Thorton and a partner abandoned the plane by jumping out of it and Thorton became caught in his parachute, causing him to freefall and die within minutes of meeting the ground. 

On Dec. 23, 1985, local authorities discovered a dead black bear who had consumed a large amount of the lost cocaine. That is where the story ends. 

“Cocaine Bear” was a humorous and horrific depiction of what might have happened if the real cocaine bear — dubbed by fans and historians as Pablo Eskobear — had not immediately died from overdosing. There were a lot of plot lines to follow, which made things a little overwhelming, but it certainly kept things interesting enough to keep my attention.

There was a lot of gore — some might even say too much. A lot of it was warranted, considering the massive bear was under the influence of very strong drugs, but there were moments that felt unnecessary. Viewers should be cautious if they have a weak stomach.

Overall, I very much enjoyed the exploration of the bizarre and tangible concept. It was very humorous, but also very disgusting. Proceed with caution. 

7/10.

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

“Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” review

Written by:  Nicholas Sarysz

“Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey” is a film  that takes place in the magical world of the Hundred Acre Wood, where Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends reside. However, unlike the classic children’s stories that we’re all familiar with, this movie takes a much darker and grittier turn — exploring themes of loss and violence.

Only a small percentage of reviews found the British independent slasher film produced by Rhs Frake-Waterfield to have any quality, and critical reception has been overwhelmingly negative. The movie has a pitiful approval rating of 5% based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 2.3/10 on the aggregate review website Rotten Tomatoes.

Many shortcomings of the movie have been pointed out by critics, including a weak screenplay, subpar production qualities, lack of humor and an inability to connect with the fundamental source material. Several critics have commended the movie’s gore and intrinsic grotesqueness, yet, even these glowing assessments point out what they view as serious problems within the film.

Despite the negative reviews, the film’s producer revealed that a sequel is currently in development, as well as  two additional horror films, “Bambi: The Reckoning” and “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare” — based on the beloved children’s stories “Bambi, a Life in the Woods” and “Peter Pan.” Frake-Waterfield further revealed in Feb. 2023 that Jagged Edge Productions intends to include crossovers starring the various characters.

I personally love horror movies and had high hopes as I walked into the Independence Cinema to watch the film. While the plot annoyingly consisted of typical bad decision-making from the main characters, it was far better than any critic had described it. The concept of the film is not only easy to understand, but provides an alternative ending to the friendship beloved by many. Certainly, nothing good can come of Christopher Robin leaving his friends to fend for themselves, right?

8/10.

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

Ticketmaster drama Implications

Written by: Gretchen Sims 

When Taylor Swift announced “The Eras” tour, it is fair to say that fans were ecstatic. However, the announcement’s excitement ultimately paled in comparison to the absolute despair and heartbreak caused when Swift’s tickets finally went live. 

Ticketmaster, the site that launched Swift’s tickets, could not withstand the demand and their website consequently derailed. The whole thing was a mess. Many fans were kicked off the site and most were left ticketless after waiting hours for the pre-sale to go live. However, this was just the beginning. After the Capital One pre-sale, even more Swifties swarmed the site — hoping to get their hands on the remaining tickets — only to be told that the general sale would be canceled due to unprecedented high demand. 

Obviously, this caused fans worldwide to take to social media in an outraged frenzy — eventually gaining the attention of the United States Department of Justice. 

Turns out, the core issue with Ticketmaster was not just poor infrastructure. In fact, the company had previously merged with one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry — Live Nation. 

After the 2010 merger, many questioned the company, some even going as far as to call it a monopoly. Live Nation essentially controlled all of the concert venue markets and, once it merged with Ticketmaster — the biggest name in ticketing — it was basically the only name in the industry. However, it was not until the public outcry surrounding Swift’s Eras tour erupted that a policy window opened — one that the Senate Judiciary Committee took full advantage of. 

The bipartisan antitrust hearing was held on Jan. 24, and the overall consensus was that the merger was damaging the music industry as a whole. 

So what are the implications? Swift had no other resource to post her tickets to, other than one that was unable to keep up with the demand her tour would curate. If Live Nation Entertainment is ruled to be a monopoly and breaks up, then that would open up the ticket and venue markets that are currently only occupied by one corporation.

If competition is finally established, growth and improvement will be encouraged and Taylor Swift fans will no longer shed a tear when purchasing tickets for the best day of their lives. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Written by: Gretchen Sims

Content warning: contains spoilers and may offend Marvel fans

Morale was low for Marvel fans when “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” the third installment of the Ant-Man franchise, was released on Feb. 17. The plot line follows Scott Lang, played by Paul Rudd, as he tries to make up lost time with his now teenage daughter, while simultaneously getting the whole crew trapped in the Quantum Realm. 

Hopes were not high among Marvel fans after recent disappointments from the past several Marvel installments — particularly “Eternals,” with a 6.3/10 from IMDb, and “Thor: Love and Thunder,” also with a 6.3/10 from IMDb. 

As fans are repeatedly disappointed by sequels, the question of whether or not sequels are really important to the storyline, or whether they are a cash grab for producers has been raised repeatedly by the public. In the past year and a half, with the exception of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” it feels like Marvel is producing movies and shows simply to keep the franchise going — like there is no heart behind the films anymore. 

Some loyal fans might chalk this up to the fizzling out of the original cast, but this really is not the case. Marvel has simply lost its spark and originality. Anyone can do superhero movies and fans are moving on — seeing Marvel as something that stayed in the past instead of evolving with the industry. 

And while I would like to say that “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” was another exception to this trend, I would be lying. 

Ant-Man was only enjoyable because of the nostalgia attached to the original movies. 

Marvel must stop relying on nostalgia, cute cliches and snippy humor in their movies. In order for Marvel to stay relevant, it must go back to its roots and pull some creative plot lines. 

Maybe sequels are not the way to go.

6.5/10

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

“Words from the Window Seat” review

Written by: Jude Bokovoy 

Whether it was a post from her blog, an Instagram post, TikTok, Youtube video or on an American Airlines flight, most people have come across Taylor Tippett. In case one doesn’t know, Tippett is in her mid to late 20’s, recently married, a bookworm, thrift store connoisseur and an outgoing flight attendant based out of Los Angeles, California. She is also one of the first successful influencers that has not let fame cross her mind. 

Tippett published her book, “Words from the Window Seat: The Everyday Magic of Kindness, Courage, and Being Your True Self,” on Oct. 12, 2021. 

She started the book by introducing her project; Tippett wanted to find a way to spread kindness to the next passengers joining the aircraft, her followers and to act as a reminder for herself. She wrote a simple note, reading “be kind to yourself,” and taped it up on a passenger window, snapped a picture and posted it. She went on to paste many notes with affirmations, reminders for self love and words to help during a hard time as well as things to reflect on. 

Tippett starts each chapter with a doodle of one of the notes that she has pasted on an airplane window. Each note segues into a story from her childhood, a problem that she’s learned from, her travels, her blogging/influencer journey and how Jesus has helped her along the way. A few notes included in her book are “remember your courage,” “grow BETTER because of hurt,” “you don’t have to be fully fixed to live fully free,” “you’re actually wonderful,”“always to love, not to understand,” “celebrate every victory, big or small” and “you didn’t WASTE your love, ever.” 

Taylor instructs her readers to take time to heal, find beauty in the ordinary and to spread love among one another and oneself just as Jesus did. 

As a reader, I found myself feeling refreshed, reflecting her words onto my life and shedding a few tears. Her book is full of beauty, heartbreak and wisdom without wasting a single page. I highly recommend purchasing this book to read or give to a friend. It goes for only $10.17 on Amazon. 

10/10

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

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