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Get comfy this Valentine’s and watch these romantic movies

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

While some like to spend Valentine’s with their partner on a romantic date, a challenging hike or a mini vacation, one thing that’s a crowd pleaser — whether single or taken — is a movie night. Romantic comedies are easy to follow and have a typical plot; tragic love movies also follow the same concept. Get comfy and watch a film from the lists below.

 

Classics

“Pretty Woman” (1990) (Amazon)

“Sleepless in Seattle” (1993) (Amazon)

“Ghost” (1990) (Hulu & Amazon)

“Titanic” (1997) (Amazon)

“Casablanca”(1942) (Amazon)

“While You Were Sleeping” (1995) (Disney + & Amazon)

“When Harry Met Sally” (1989) (Amazon & Hulu)

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961) (Amazon & Hulu)

“Never Been Kissed” (1999) (Disney + & Amazon)

“The Princess Bride” (1987) (Amazon)

“10 Things I Hate About You” (1999) (Disney + & Amazon)

“My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997) (Amazon & Hulu)

 

Modern

“About Time” (2013) (Netflix & Amazon)

“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” (2018) (Netflix)

“Call Me By Your Name” (2017) (Amazon)

“Crazy Rich Asians” (2018) (Hulu & Amazon)

“Love, Simon” (2018) (Amazon)

“Twilight” (2008) (Hulu & Amazon)

“50 First Dates” (2004) (Amazon)

“Amelie” (2001) (Hulu)

“P.S. I Love You” (2007) (Netflix & Amazon)

“Hitch” (2005) (Netflix & Amazon)

“Brokeback Mountain” (2005) (Hulu & Prime)

“A Walk to Remember” (2002) (Amazon)

“Sweet Home Alabama” (2002) (Amazon)

“Alex Strangelove” (2018) (Netflix)

“Monster-In-Law” (2005) (Netflix & Amazon)

“The Fault in Our Stars” (2014) (Amazon)

“Love Rosie” (2014) (Netflix & Amazon)

“Burlesque” (2010) (Netflix & Amazon)

“Blue is the Warmest Color” (2013) (Netflix & Amazon)

 

Horror

“My Bloody Valentine” (1981) (Amazon)

“Valentine” (2001) (Amazon)

“The Strangers” (2008) (Amazon & Hulu)

“The Love Witch” (2016) (Amazon)

“Bride of Chucky” (1998) (Amazon & Hulu)

“Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) (Amazon)

“Warm Bodies” (2013) (Amazon)

“Crimson Peak” (2015) (Amazon)

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” (2016) (Hulu & Amazon)

“Let the Right One In” (2008) (Amazon)

“Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007) (Netflix)

“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” (2014) (Amazon)

“Sleepy Hollow” (1999) (Amazon)

“Corpse Bride” (2005) (Amazon)

“Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) (Amazon & Disney +)

“Edward Scissorhands” (1990) (Amazon)

“Queen of the Damned” (2002) (Amazon)

“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992) (Amazon)

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

From classics to now, fall in love with these poems

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Love — there are many mediums to describe it, and one of the most classic forms is poetry. Poetry may have been created as early as 20 B.C., but throughout centuries, it has allowed countless artists to manifest love. February is the perfect time to dip one’s toe into the realm of love poetry. Here’s a list of the classics and modern can cater to anyone.

 

Classic Poetry

“The More Loving One” by W. H. Auden

This short and simple poem was published in 1957 and depicts the tale of someone dealing with unrequited love. It is full of longing and quiet anguish, a relatable one for anyone struggling with one-sided feelings. (https://poets.org/poem/more-loving-one)

“How do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

This heart wrenching poem published in 1850 shows that the author’s love is so deep and strong that it will continue even after death. This is a romantic poem to portray impenetrable dedication and love towards someone. (https://poets.org/poem/how-do-i-love-thee-sonnet-43)

“What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why?” by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Once again not quite the happiest story, but Millay expresses not remembering lovers of her past, but just reminiscing about how happy she must have been. (https://poets.org/poem/what-lips-my-lips-have-kissed-and-where-and-why-sonnet-xliii)

 

Modern Poetry

“Heart to Heart” by Rita Dove

Published in 2017, this unique poem squelches any perceived ideas about what a heart is and how it is tied to emotion, and exposes her vulnerability when it comes to loving someone — a short and powerful must-read. (https://poets.org/poem/heart-heart)

“Resignation” by Nikki Giovanni

One of my favorite poems, published in 2003, illustrates what love is like when it feels like it is the only natural thing for someone to do with their soulmate. It is extremely romantic and a great way to warm the heart of one’s partner, showing just how much love there is in the relationship. (https://poets.org/poem/resignation)

“Teodoro Luna’s Two Kisses” by Alberto Ríos 

This short and sweet story published in 1990 describes how an older man kisses his wife by raising his brow, it is cute and simple, and warms the heart of readers. (https://poets.org/poem/teodoro-lunas-two-kisses)

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Artist Spotlight on Abi Lowther, aspiring tattoo artist

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Abi Lowther’s love for art was ignited as a first-year in high school when she took an introduction to drawing class and realized that she had a natural talent. From there, she started to pursue art more seriously; as a sophomore at Western, she is currently majoring in Art and Design.

The main mediums she uses are drawing and painting, and recently she has started practicing stick and poke tattoos. Her art style is not too focused on one aspect; Lowther says that she gets a lot of her inspiration from the music that she listens to, elaborating that, “In my head when I’m listening I can imagine something more organic, a lot of my bigger paintings will have trees and mushrooms and have a lot of color and be kind of funky.”

Lowther is mainly self-taught; she describes the art degree as, “…mainly a way for me to find my style and shape it while learning things.” But she says she hasn’t gotten there yet, so most of the time she spends working on art is in her free time.

Depending on what piece she is working on, a small drawing might take around a day, while a painting on a larger canvas usually takes up to a month. Lowther is also an avid doodler, and even uses it to aid her learning; in Art History she will sketch out whatever painting they’re looking at in the margins.

While painting and drawing are forms that Lowther loves to practice, her dream for a future career is actually in tattooing. She purchased a stick and poke kit and practiced on herself; her first piece she initially thought was a mess, but now when she looks at it she loves it. Lowther, currently more confident in her stick and poking skills, often gives her friends free tattoos, grateful for a willing canvas.

Her future plans entail moving to Portland — because of the large tattooing scene — hopefully obtaining an apprenticeship under a wise tattoo artist and also entering tattooing school. 

For Lowther, there is no other field she could be in; being creative through art is what makes her thrive and she can’t imagine doing anything else.

Lowther said that art is a process, and for those who are interested they must, “learn to like (their) mistakes … and practice, practice helps a lot.”

For those who want to check out Lowther’s art, she has an instagram page called, @killbillvoltree, where she posts some of her pieces. Lowther also does commission work. People can directly message her via Instagram if interested in learning more.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo by Ashlynn Norton

King Princess performs in Portland and summons the rock gods.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  | News Editor

Already on the radar in the LGBTQ+ community, King Princess is an up-and-comer in pop music — and she summons the rock gods. At her Portland show, located in the Roseland theater, King Princess proved two things: one, that she eats CDs for breakfast, as her live vocals were indistinguishable from her recordings and, two, that she’s a rockstar. A versatile (cheap) queen known for her sultry vocals, King Princess pranced around the stage like she owned it — which, she did — all while playing guitar and piano intermittently and breaking the venue’s no-smoking policy. 

During her two-hour performance, she played the majority of her album, “Cheap Queen,” pausing in between to provide witty, playfully teasing commentary about her music and her fanbase. At one point, she discussed her attempts to remain authentic to her craft and resisting control from others, while before playing her hit song “1950,” she half-jokingly begged the audience to help get her another hit because she was “tired” of the former. 

Her genuineness of character combined with her roguish, bordering on sexual-deviant, attitude captivated her audience during the entire show, even after they had already been dancing to both her opener’s performances — an exciting drag showcase from Bujee Cherry and what can only be called an EDM experience from spunky Kilo Kish (due to the unfortunate case that the audio cancelled out her voice). And, although there were a few mishaps (with one fan claiming to need medical attention just to get King Princess to notice her), King Princess delivered a flawless show. 

True to her brand until the very end, King Princess wouldn’t come on stage until she had the audience screaming and only came back on stage for her final act when she had the audience begging for more. Sporting a jockstrap with the word “KING” embellished on it, she literally stood before her subjects and performed until people’s throats were hoarse and their ears were numb.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photos by Sortia Sherrow

See the new content arriving to Disney + February 2020

Sean Martinez  | Copy Editor

There is a wide selection of shows to watch on Disney+ for February. From Oscar-nominated films to original series, here’s everything coming to Disney+. 

 

Available Feb. 1: “Big Business,” “The Sandlot,” “Around the World in 80 Days,” Wicked Tuna: Season 1-2” 

Available Feb. 2: “Descendants 3” 

Available Feb. 5: “Toy Story 4” 

Available Feb. 7: “Pixar In Real Life: Toy Story: Traffic Cone Rescue,” “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made”

Available Feb. 9: “Old Dogs” 

Available Feb. 14: “My Dog, The Thief,” “Splash,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “Because of Winn-Dixie,” “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” 

Available Feb. 16: “Marvel’s Iron Man and Hulk: Heroes United” 

Available Feb. 21: “Unlikely Animal Friends: Season 1-2,” “Marvel Rising: Operation Shuri,” “Marvel Rising: Playing with Fire”

Available Feb. 25: “Star Wars: Resistance: Season 2” 

Available Feb. 28: “I Captured The King Of The Leprechauns,” “Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars,” “Marvel’s Future Avengers: Season 1” 

 

Original Series (available weekly):

 

Starting Feb. 7: “Diary of a Future President,” Disney Family Sundays,” “Marvel’s Hero Project,” “One Day At Disney”

Starting Feb. 14: “Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Season 2”

Starting Feb. 21: “Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Season 7”

Starting Feb. 28: “Shop Class”

 

Contact the author howlcopyeditor@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of movies.disney.com

Get to know local college band Laundry in this Q&A

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Read on to learn more about the local college band, Laundry, in this Q&A style interview.

 

Can you tell me a bit about how this band got started?

We met in the UO dorms as freshman and all started going to house shows together. We started playing in the basement of our building near the laundry rooms — hence the name. 

 

Who is all in the band? What role does each musician play?

Cal plays bass and sings. Riley plays guitar and sings. Kiki plays guitar and sings. Nik plays drums. 

 

How would you describe your style of music?

We usually say we play dream rock, but we have a hard time answering that question — we have a lot of different influences. Please let us know if you have any idea what genre we are. 

 

What would be the perfect album for your band and what does that mean?

A perfect album has to be creative and consistent, while still being accessible enough to connect with listeners. There can’t be any filler tracks!

 

What is the process for producing music?

All four of us are songwriters, so Laundry songs wind up reflecting a ton of different influences. We take our songs to the band and all try to capture the original intent of the piece the best we can. Most of our songs wind up being played live for months before they make it into an album — we’re always trying out new material so we never get bored. 

 

What is the best part about playing your music live?

We’re just extremely grateful to have an audience who is familiar with our music and is willing to trek out to shows every weekend. The Eugene arts scene is crazy active and we probably wouldn’t be a band if it weren’t for all the local support. 

 

What is your goal when it comes to producing music?

We really love playing shows and making albums that people listen to. Our goal is to sustain that cycle as long as we can! 

 

Who are your role models or inspirations for creating music?

We have extremely diverse music preferences among our members — our songwriting heroes include Big Thief, Billy Joel, King Giz and everything in between. 

 

If your music was a color, what color would it be?

The Color Blue (Affirmation, 2019). 

 

Where can your music be found?

You can find our music on Spotify, Apple Music and all the major streaming services. We also have CDs and tapes available at our shows or via Instagram direct message @laundrytheband.   

   

Are you working on any projects currently?

We are in the late production stages of a new album that we all are crazy excited about. It’ll be out on Apr. 25!

 

Where will you be performing next?

We’re playing at Interzone in Corvallis on Feb. 8, WOW Hall in Eugene on Feb. 27, Cruz Room in Portland on March 31, and house parties in Eugene almost every weekend. 

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Roensch

Not quite an album, but enough to excite fans: Kaleo releases new songs

Emily Hedges  | Freelancer

Kaleo, an Icelandic band, released two new songs on Jan. 15, which shocked many fans considering the last album they released was in 2016. While fans may not have had new music for four years, Kaleo has still been performing around the world. The two songs “Break My Baby” and “I Want More” fit perfectly with their 2016 album “A/B.” A blues-rock feel with hints of folk/singer-songwriter, fans have been more than pleased with the new songs and hope for more soon.

The first song “I Want More” is filled with acoustic guitar and a soft melody of poetic lines. This song has a light-hearted feeling of wanting more in a relationship. Lead singer and guitarist JJ Julius Son, leads us through a relationship when the past was better and how he wants that back again; how he is willing to follow her wherever she goes. I would compare this song to “Automobile” which is on “A/B”; “Automobile” is a song about someone wanting to get away and go wherever the car takes them. Both of these songs bring a light-hearted and optimistic feel of wanting to get away or be with someone you love deeply.  

“Break My Baby” has a contrasting sound to “I Want More” with heavy drums and an electric guitar. JJ Julius Son’s voice, now deeper and soulful, sings about distrust and lies. This brings similarities to their song “Broken Bones” which talks about selling your soul to the devil to live a better life. 

Overall review: While after four years of no new music fans were a little disappointed that it wasn’t a new album, these songs still bring the same feel of the beloved “A/B,” leaving fans and new listeners two very different songs to listen to and enjoy. I would highly recommend these songs along with their 2016 album. 

 

Contact the author at ehedges15@mail.wou.edu

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