Entertainment – Page 4 – The Western Howl

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“I Won’t Be Home for Christmas” — Blink-182

“If We Make It Through December” — Phoebe Bridgers

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” — My Chemical Romance

“Please Don’t Jump (It’s Christmas)” — Dallon Weekes

“Christmas Saves the Year” — Twenty One Pilots

“Christmas Lights” — Coldplay

“Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24” — Trans-Siberian Orchestra

“Christmas Is Going to the Dogs” — Eels

“Mistress for Christmas” — AC/DC

“White Winter Hymnal” — Fleet Foxes

“Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” — The Darkness

“Fairytale of New York” — Vance Joy

“Carol of the Bells” — Bad Wolves

“Jingle Bell Rock” — Thousand Foot Krutch

“Merry Flippin’ Christmas” — Bowling for Soup

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” — Weezer

“The Little Drummer Boy” — Christopher Lee

“Christmas with the Devil” — Spinal Tap

“The Child With the Star On His Head” — Sufjan Stevens

“Lights On” — Tyler, The Creator

“Holiday” — Lil Nas X

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Native American representation in the media

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

During the last decade of the 19th century, Native Americans began to take part in public entertainment. Buffalo Bill employed Native Americans in his “Wild West” shows, bringing them, along with buffalo and horses, to Europe to act in romanticized depictions of cowboys, Plains Natives and outlaws.

As the movie industry evolved, Native Americans were presented as a documentary subject — inventor Thomas Edison captured Lakota ghost dancers on early forms of cameras. The “hostile savage” stereotype first appeared on camera in the 1914 film “The Battle of Elderbush Gulch,” and became synonymous with the Western genre. In the 1950s, John Wayne was at his most macho when he was “finishing the job,” or shooting a Native who was already in their grave. Even the 1953 animated film “Peter Pan” portrays a romanticized stereotype of Natives.

These films hide the true story of what Natives endured, instead pushing “manifest destiny,” or the idea that white settlers were ordained to move west and control North America. In the post-war period, Natives were forced to live on reservations, struggled for rights and political influence and couldn’t own businesses or property outside of reservations. When the 1965 Voting Rights Act was passed — more commonly associated with the breakthrough for African American civil rights — Native Americans were given the right to vote in every state. The more defined Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 allowed them to push for more historical and realistic media representation without fear.

The 1970 film “Soldier Blue” was a more empathetic and realistic view of Natives, as they were involved in the filmmaking process. The movie is an allegory for the Vietnam War, wherein a soldier is enlisted to hunt Native Americans but realizes the horror of an invader army killing people on the land they are from.

Cree activist Buffy Sainte-Marie, who wrote the title track for the movie, had said, “No one knows Soldier Blue in North America. I can guarantee you won’t find three people in the U.S. who know it. It was taken out of the theaters after a few days. … Why? What year did Soldier Blue come out? 1970? Oh, that’ll be Richard Nixon.” Sainte-Marie was also blacklisted in the United States for her political activism by J. Edgar Hoover and the Federal Bureau of Investigation during this time.

Of course, Native American representation in the media has evolved since the days of John Wayne and Richard Nixon. The comedy-drama show “Reservation Dogs” — fondly called “Rez Dogs” by fans — follows four Native American teenagers growing up on a reservation in eastern Oklahoma. The 2021 show features an almost entirely Native American cast and crew, marking a breakthrough for Indigenous representation in the media.

The 2023 movie “Killers of the Flower Moon” details the 1920 murders of members of the Osage Tribe, when oil was found on Osage tribal land and local political bosses sought to take control. “Killers of the Flower Moon” was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and seven Golden Globe Awards, where lead actress Lily Gladstone won Best Actress in a Motion Picture.

“I’m excited to see more Native people actually get representation,” said Western junior Morgan Pemberton. Pemberton is Mi’kmaq and Algonquin from the Kopit Clan and the social media manager for Western’s Native Indigenous Culture Club.

“I think for a long time, even in the 2010s they were still just painting people,” she added, referencing Johnny Depp’s role as Tonto in “The Lone Ranger.”

“I see a lot of (Natives) online talk about how people in interviews will try to get them (to) talk in the traditional Native accent, which is not always accurate. I think even in having just one Native character, they’re a one-dimensional version of what Native people look like when I don’t always think that’s the case.”

Pemberton also talked about how a majority of people who watch shows like “Reservation Dogs” are not likely to be white people, but rather other Natives. The show, after all, is a love letter to Natives, from Natives.

“Not that we have to make everything to teach white people about what (it is) to be Native, but I feel like when they want to include Native people, they want to include a stereotypical Native person, which I think does a service and a disservice. It’s an only good or bad thing.”

Pemberton also spoke about how, growing up, she watched the Disney movies “Pocahontas” and “The Lone Ranger,” considering them less-than-perfect representations of Native Americans. Depp’s role in the latter was a big deal in her house.

“Pocahontas” is considered perhaps the worst modern representation of Natives and Native history. A romanticized retelling of when the first white colonists arrived in the Americas, the titular figure’s story has little historical accuracy. Pocahontas, whose true name was Matoaka, was around 10 or 11 when the Virginia Company came to North America and did not save John Smith’s life. A few years after the colonists’ arrival, she was taken captive and converted to Christianity. When Matoaka was 18, she married John Rolfe, who was 10 years her senior and had a son named Thomas a year later.

Matoaka was then taken to England and paraded around as a celebrity, presented as an example of a “civilized savage.” In 1617, the family set sail with the intent to return to Virginia, but the voyage was halted as Matoaka and Thomas both fell ill, and both mother and son died in Gravesend, Kent, England. The location of their bodies is unknown, and Matoaka is considered the first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman, or MMIW.

“It’s really good that we have Native representation because brown Native people are more discriminated against, so having them highlighted is something I really enjoy. I do hope that there is a future in which there is nuance in talking about Natives and I think that starts in classrooms making sure teachers understand what Native identities are,” Pemberton said.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Coldplay’s “Everyday Life,” five years in

Written by: Kiera Roedel | Copy Editor

Content warning: this article contains references to police violence, war and suicide.

Nov. 22 was the fifth birthday of Coldplay’s 2019 album “Everyday Life.” The project sticks with Coldplay’s well-established pop-rock sound, but mixes in influences like classical, afrobeat and jazz, making it one of the band’s most experimental releases.

Lyrically, “Everyday Life” focuses on unity between people, regardless of ethnic or national barriers. This is perhaps best showcased by the fact that the only-ever live performance of the full tracklist was streamed globally from the Amman Citadel in Jordan, though Coldplay themselves are British.

The album’s 16 tracks, split into “sunrise” and “sunset” halves, have proved divisive among fans. Many proclaim certain songs as some of the band’s best ever, while dismissing others as pointless filler. So, five years on, how does “Everyday Life” stack up?

“Sunrise” — “Everyday Life’s” opener is a short instrumental track driven by calm, spare string music. It is compositionally simple and its lack of lyrics really count against it for me — not a favorite.

“Church” — Considered by many to be the true opening track, “Church” is one of the strongest on the album. Its almost four minutes are driven by a strong percussion line while lead singer Chris Martin weaves a love story that compares his significant other to a divine figure. Later in the song, Arabic vocals by guest Norah Shaqur bring the entire song together, and Martin’s sing-rapped couplet at the end over them is nothing short of incredible.

“Trouble in Town” — The first appearance of this album’s oft-discussed political themes. “Trouble in Town” condemns police violence with floaty yet strong piano-centric instrumentals and a profanity-laden recording depicting verbal abuse while a police officer detains a suspect. Not for everyone, but fantastic for those unfazed by its unique characteristics.

“BrokEn” — A divisive song due to its style — an almost a capella gospel track — and a strange choice to follow up “Trouble in Town.” Its strong religious themes and direct references to God would not be out of place if sung by a church choir. I find it catchy.

“Daddy” — This song hits some harder than others. It is sung from the perspective of a child with an absent father figure, wondering where he has been and whether he will ever return. It is slow and ethereal throughout, opening with heartbeat sound effects before a somber piano melody begins a few seconds in. The emotion in this one is bare and painful, definitely a highlight.

“WOTW / POTP” — The sound of this demo track is defined by an acoustic guitar, quiet singing and birds chirping in the background. To me, it has almost no staying power and may as well have not been included.

“Arabesque” — The title here references a style of visual art involving intricate repeating patterns covering large surfaces. Similarly “Arabesque,” one of the album’s singles, discusses unifying the people, proclaiming that we “share the same blood.” Its aggressive, percussive rhythm thumps along like a freight train, and the song is without a doubt in the top 3 best on the album.

“When I Need a Friend” — Another short, less-than-impressive track. Its slow, formless, layered vocals recall holiday carols, or more church-choir music, with a Spanish spoken-word segment inserted awkwardly at the end.

“Guns” — Aggressive and biting, “Guns” begins the “sunset” segment of the album and is perhaps the antithesis to the prior track. It is extremely political, referencing climate change, oppression of the working class, violent revolutions and the military-industrial complex. I love it for that.

“Orphans” — The other single from “Everyday Life,” “Orphans” was a breakout hit and a song that many have likely heard already. It tells the struggles of a girl and her father who become refugees during the oppressive Syrian Civil War. Thematically and musically a masterpiece, this might be the objective best on the record.

“Èkó” — Calm and relaxed, the quaint and hopeful “Èkó” shares the name of a town in southwest Nigeria. Honestly, it serves pretty well as a comfort song, but nothing special.

“Cry Cry Cry” — Angel Moon, Coldplay’s alien vocalist who is really just a digital effect, sings along with Chris Martin throughout this deceptively optimistic song. It might have been good if its themes were better developed and it had more than a verse and a half of actual lyrics.

“Old Friends” — Another slow, calm song with simple lyrics. It describes a childhood friend of Martin’s who saved him from being hit by a car when they were riding bikes as kids. While the theme is heartfelt, the song isn’t very engaging.

“بنی آدم” — The Arabic title of this song is taken from a Persian poem, pronounced “Bani Adam.” The majority of its lyrics are a verse from the poem, spoken softly in Arabic. A great idea, but it has almost two minutes of piano solo and was likely better suited to being a 90-second interlude rather than the over-3-minute full feature that “بنی آدم” purports to be.

“Champion of the World” — To be blunt, this is far and away my favorite song on the album. Its lyrics begin with short anecdotes of the failures of the lead singer, going so far as to specifically reference suicide and gravestones. As the music slowly builds, the lyrics pull away from the depression, asserting that whatever happens, we are still here, and that is a success in itself. The song climaxes when Martin and drummer Will Champion sing in duet that “giving up won’t work / Now I’m riding on my rocket ship / And I’m champion of the world.” “Champion of the World” has the overwhelmingly positive theme and grandiose musical style that are hallmarks of recent Coldplay, and to me, it’s probably their single greatest song in the past decade at least.

“Everyday Life” — The final song, bringing back earlier themes of the album like the similarities between and power vested within the people of the world. Musically spare but proud, it uses the same chord progression as the earlier “Church,” which helps tie the album together. While a little unimpressive in the shadow of the previous song, “Everyday Life” is still an excellent closing track.

Overall, “Everyday Life’s” occasional extremely strong tracks have their impact lessened somewhat by slow and underdeveloped songs that hold almost no significance to the overall styling of the record. Still, those strong tracks stand as some of the best in the history of Coldplay, and are each excellent on their own. Plus, “Everyday Life’s” aesthetic is confident, with unique lyrical themes and experimental music styles strongly contributing to the album’s identity. Lyrically and musically, Everyday Life shows what Coldplay can be when at its best, even if it is interspersed with a few less-than-amazing songs.

8/10.

Contact the author at howlcopyeditor@mail.wou.edu

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Trap

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers and mentions of violence and suicide

M. Night Shyamalan’s most recent theatrical release, “Trap,” has hit the streaming service Max. The movie follows Cooper Abbott, played by Josh Hartnett, as he and his daughter attend a Lady Raven concert, where it is revealed they are at the center of a dark and sinister plot.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation — FBI — has set up agents, SWAT team members and police officers throughout and around the concert venue and are set on one task: to find the serial killer nicknamed “The Butcher.”

Viewers come to find out that Abbott is who they are searching for and throughout the film, he constantly outsmarts and outmaneuvers the FBI agents and their profiler, Dr. Josephine Grant.

One of the most pivotal scenes in the movie is when Lady Raven, played by Shyamalan’s daughter Saleka, is trapped in the Abbotts’ bathroom and reveals to the family that their patriarch is The Butcher. She then uses an Instagram livestream to urge her followers to find and free Abbott’s next victim. When chosen as his newest victim, Lady Raven manages to outsmart and escape him, even while Abbott continues to stay one step ahead of the FBI.

At the climax of the film, Abbott returns home, planning on staging a murder-suicide after figuring out it was his wife, Rachel, who had reported him to the police in the first place. What he doesn’t know is that Rachel has gotten ahold of his bag and drugs him using his supplies. When the FBI and SWAT team arrive, Cooper is already hallucinating, seeing the specter of his mother. He is ultimately taken into custody, but the movie concludes with him using the spoke of a bike wheel to unlock his cuffs.

The film is a true thriller, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Shyamalan is best known for his plot twists, like in his movie “The Sixth Sense,” and heavily utilizes them in “Trap.”

The film is also based on the true story of Operation Flagship.

In 1985, the US Marshals Service sent invitations to 3,000 fugitives — with over 5,000 outstanding warrants between them all — in Washington, D.C., under the guise that they had won tickets to a Washington Redskins football game. That day, 101 fugitives attended and were arrested on the spot. “Trap” follows that sting operation, with the concert being used to find and arrest The Butcher.

While the movie’s plot is well-written and easy to follow, it is also extremely anxiety-inducing. Hartnett’s portrayal of a level-headed killer is convincing to the point where viewers will feel as if they are caught in the trap with Cooper Abbott.

My recommendation: if one has a history of post-traumatic stress disorder or may be sensitive to violence, do not watch this film. While the film itself is well done, Hartnett’s chilling portrayal of Abbott may be triggering. Viewer discretion is advised.

10/10.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu

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Why you should try “Grey’s Anatomy”

Written by: Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

Content warning: this article contains spoilers and discusses fictitious violence

Season 20 of “Grey’s Anatomy” was released to Netflix June 29, 2024, featuring ten episodes on top of its already prominent 430, spanning from 2005 to the present. Since premiering, “Grey’s Anatomy” has been nominated for 39 Emmys, won a Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Series and a People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Drama, inspired two spin-off shows and hit an all-time audience record of 37.88 million viewers for episode 16 of season two.
The show has gone on so long that most of the main cast has moved on, their characters being killed or written off, with even protagonist Ellen Pompeo — Meredith Grey — stepping back in the latest seasons.

Most credit the success of “Grey’s Anatomy” to Shonda Rhimes, founder of the production company Shondaland and creator of “Grey’s Anatomy.” Rhimes has become well known for her tendency to kill off characters in the most tragic ways possible, with more than nine notable recurring character deaths overall. In 2015, Rhimes left “Grey’s Anatomy,” but the calamity persists in her absence.

Meredith Grey survived not just a plane crash, a shooting, a physical assault, a bomb, drowning and COVID-19, but also managed to scrape by after a miscarriage, the death of her husband, multiple deaths of her friends, losing her parents and even going to jail in season 16 for — easy guess — insurance fraud.

The show has always incorporated real-world issues, mixing them with fictitious characters and applying a level of relatability for viewers to connect to. Characters struggle with infertility, lack of insurance, love triangles, affairs, religion, relationships, family, cancer and more. “Grey’s Anatomy” takes those issues to an extreme level, allowing for an eventful watch in any episode, and often mixes humor in with how the characters interact and work together.

Most iconic are the original five interns of Seattle Grace Hospital, Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Alex Karev, Izzie Stephens and George O’Malley, starting strong in season one until, one by one, the team falls apart through loss, separation and other work opportunities. Most viewers refer to the first few seasons of “Grey’s Anatomy” as the best, having great rewatchability and incredible banter.

Although this might be the case for many viewers, the later seasons add more flexibility and characters and the budget increases over time, allowing for incredible set design, new actors and new plots — meaning more riveting turmoil for “Grey’s Anatomy’s” most loveable characters.

At the end of the day, “Grey’s Anatomy” is an ideal show to watch when coping with something difficult — why? Because Meredith Grey will always be having a worse day.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

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20th century grooves

Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor

“Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” — Dean Martin

“Lay All Your Love On Me” — ABBA

“Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” — The Spinners

“Don’t Stop” — Fleetwood Mac

“My Girl” — The Temptations

“From Russia With Love” — Matt Monro

“When Winter Comes” — Artie Shaw and His Orchestra

“Waterloo” — ABBA

“If Anyone Falls” — Stevie Nicks

“I Call Your Name” — The Mamas & The Papas

“Do You Believe in Magic?” — The Lovin’ Spoonful

“Rock With You” — Michael Jackson

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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Hallmark-esque books

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

While Hallmark is well known for its movies, outside the realm of children’s books, the company has no printed publications — perhaps meant to distract from its lucrative greeting card and ornament business. As the world waits for a Hallmark romance book, here are some that have the same cozy, sugary sweet vibes as their films.

“Virgin River” by Robin Carr —

Following Melinda “Mel” Monroe as she moves to the remote mountain town of Virgin River, California after responding to a help wanted ad, Mel hopes that it will be the perfect place to escape the heartache of her husband’s passing and to refuel her love for her nursing career. However, when she arrives in the small town, she finds the roads are treacherous, the cabin she is supposed to be staying in is run down and the local doctor she is meant to be assisting wants nothing to do with her. Prepared to leave the next morning, Mel’s plans change when a baby is abandoned on the doctor’s front porch and former marine Jack Sheridan cements them further into place. The first in a 25-book series. “Virgin River” is also now a Netflix special TV show.

“Welcome to Fae Cafe” by Jennifer Kropf —

Kate Kole never meant to kill the fae assassin, she just wanted to teach him some manners. Now she has the four deadliest assassins, one of whom is the Crown Prince Cressica, from the North Corner of Ever hot on her tail for breaking a fairy law — one she didn’t even know about. However, things go sideways once the assassins arrive in the human realm. Three of the assassins get roped into running Kate Kole’s cafe and are forced to blend in by learning to do everyday tasks like doing the dishes, driving without road rage and participating in book clubs without getting into Alpha Male fights over what they’re reading. Meanwhile, Prince Cressica is determined to get revenge on Kate Kole, only to find himself enchanted with her in more ways than one. When the dark powers of the Ever Corners enter the human realm, he must make a choice that could change everything. The first in the “High Court of the Coffee Bean” series.

“Reserved” by Bridget L. Rose —

Adrian Romana should be focusing on one thing: the Drivers’ Championship. When it was snatched from him in the last race of the season, he vowed history wouldn’t repeat itself, which means no distractions — all until he meets Nevaeh Fuchs. When Formula One’s Playboy meets the shy, quiet journalist, he finds himself drawn to her more and more, even when Nevaeh is declared off-limits. Now, he’s determined to make her his, just as much as he’s become hers. The fifth of the “Pitstop” series, but can be read as a standalone.

“Where the Heart Is” by Billie Letts —

Isn’t seven supposed to be a lucky number? For Novalee Nation, it’s the exact opposite. Just an hour ago, the 17-year-old was headed to California with her boyfriend. Now, she’s stranded at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma, seven months pregnant and with just $7.77 in change. But what she ends up discovering is the small Southwestern town is full of people who would do anything to help the single mother. Between Bible-thumping Sister Thelma Husband and Forney Hull, the town’s eccentric librarian, Novalee finds people who love her even more than she loves herself. This book is a novel and has a movie based on it starring Natalia Portman and Ashley Judd.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu

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TILOAL review

Written by: Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

Adeline LaRue’s story begins in France in the 1700s, when she’s born as the only child to a woodworker and his crass wife. Growing up, she was often scolded for her imagination and curiosity, expected to fit into her role as a woman and housewife with time.

The story itself, however, starts at the brink of dusk — a girl is running for her life through the woods as the sun dips below the horizon. The sound of church bells echo ominously around her as voices shout her name: “Adeline? Adeline?” Her white wedding dress, awfully unfitting, catches on roots as she sprints, out of breath, out of options, through the forest.

But the voices eventually fade. Nobody calls her name.

Addie LaRue, unaware of her fatal — or not-so-fatal — mistake, has condemned herself to a life of solitude and misery. The night of her wedding, after years of protesting marriage to a village man, Addie ran out of options — so she sank to her knees in the dirt and sacrificed her most loved possessions, her artbook and charcoal, to the Earth.

It was a lesson she learned from the oldest woman in the village, Estelle. And, despite Estelle’s warnings — “Do not pray to gods who answer after dark” — Addie did not pay heed to the sun dipping below the horizon when she made her plea.

In the woods, Addie summoned a demon named Luc, a shadow to follow her for years. Addie promised him he could have her life when she was done with it — only as long as he sets her free, all she’s ever wanted, and all she could ever hope to have.

Quickly, Addie comes face to face with the bone-chilling realization that she is no longer remembered by anyone in her life. Her parents claim to have no child when she returns to apologize for running — Estelle only laughs in her face — and Addie must flee, somewhere where the pain is not nearly as sharp and the people she loves do not glimpse at her with nothing in their eyes. So, as she once dreamed of doing, she fled to the heart of France: Paris.

Addie soon learns that she cannot die. She can starve, but it will not kill her, and she can be cut, but they will heal. She leaves no trace behind, as everything she impacts is undone, all because of Luc, whom she knows is listening and watching as the years pass, waiting for her surrender.

But Addie promises with defiance that she will not give in to Luc’s baiting whispers.

In New York City, 2013, Addie sweeps through the doorway of a local bookshop, stolen novel in hand, unaware that the young man at the counter witnessed it — and remembered it. He corners her outside, with Addie’s heart lurching through her chest as she realizes that, after 300 years of isolation, one person remembered her after she left the room.

Henry Strauss has a curse of his own. The entire world bends to his whim and sees him as someone they want, admire or love, rather than the walking mistake he thinks himself to be. But he doesn’t see the milky wash over Addie’s eyes when he corners her outside the bookshop for her thievery, so he lets her go with the book, a copy of “The Odyssey” in Greek, only for her to return.

It is the first time Addie can say her name out loud to a stranger. They gradually get to know one another, contemplate their differences and speak the unspoken — their mutual curses — as they fall in love.

“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” is a poetic story about love in difficult times, twisting fantasy and romance and explaining the point of being alive — why all should model Addie LaRue’s thirst for life and freedom, and understand the expense, as well as power, in solitude.

Addie LaRue and Henry Strauss are examples of how two people can defy fate, defining what sacrifice truly is and what love might cost you.

Author V.E. Schwab also explores themes such as identity in “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” as Addie searches for herself in a sea of forgetting faces. She learns what it means to be somebody without being known and faces temptation in the form of Luc, the only person who knows her, at least until Henry comes along, only to be revealed as a pawn in Luc’s game.

Luc ties Henry and Addie together, forcing her into a place to surrender when she learns of Henry’s ticking time bomb — as every wish is also a curse. Henry sold his hours, his years, to be liked, and he has run out. Addie makes a difficult decision — a sacrifice — in honor of love to save the one person who has ever seen her for who she is.

One important note about “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” is its slower pace and time skips, as Addie experiences life through different centuries and countries, experiencing war, famine and revolution. Schwab did her history homework.

Secondly, despite Addie’s story being a romantic one, it is also largely a feminist piece of media about a girl thrown into a whirlwind life, discovering new aspects of humanity and herself as she travels through the years.

Schwab’s master writing and craftwork perfectly encapsulates the feeling of finding a buoy in the ocean; she unites two characters with poise and brandishes them with relatability, flaws, human emotions and their pain in a world built to break them.

10/10.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

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Rez rap

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“Rez Girls Don’t Cry” — Rezcoast Grizz

“Wa’wais – Skit” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids

“Boujee Natives” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids

“Clap Ta Dis” — Supaman

“Savages” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids feat. Drezus

“Indian Outlaw” — Joey Stylez

“Gentle Warrior” — Kalolin Johnson feat. Devon Paul and Thunder Herney

“Eagle Feather” — Savage Family

“Sink or Swim” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Just John

“Why” — Supaman

“Long Hair Don’t Care” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids

“Comes Back Again” — Q052

“Remember” — Q052, Angela Amarualik

“The Warriors” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids

“Creator Made an Animal” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Boslen

“Solomon’s Prayer” — Drezus

“We Dem Savages (Outro)” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids

“Reminisce” — Drezus feat. Hellnback and Big Slim

“Skoden” — Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Beau Dick

“Life of a Native” — Okemgha

“Child of the Government” — Jayli Wolf

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Can’t sleep? Try these

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Struggling to enter rapid eye movement? Want a movie or show that has calming qualities? Then look no further than this list. Made up of different kinds of movies and shows, one will surely find a movie or show that will help them get some shut-eye.

“Ratatouille” — Streaming on Disney+

“Ratatouille” is the perfect movie for sleep. It follows Remy, a rat, as he traverses through the streets of Paris to end up helping Linguini at the restaurant Gusteau’s. The movie is washed in soft blues and yellows, making it gentle on tired eyes. The soundtrack and ambiance are also extremely soothing, and the sounds of cooking and the Parisian streets are sure to lull even the biggest insomniac to sleep.

“The Devil Wears Prada” — Streaming on Max

Following Andrea “Andy” Sachs as she works for Vogue and its notorious editor, Miranda Priestly, the movie delves into the socialite side of working for a fashion magazine. With subtle overlays of white, gray and black to contrast where Andy starts in her career and where she ends up, the movie has a soft, almost dreamlike feel. Artists like Madonna, U2 and Alanis Morissette feature on the soundtrack, adding to this dreamlike feel.

“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” — Streaming on Netflix

A movie with brighter colors and bubblegum pop for the soundtrack, which makes it perfect for when the body is in its earliest stages of exhaustion. The plot is easy to follow and the romance between Lara Jean and Peter is to swoon for, and the movie is best for soothing viewers to sleep.

“Emma” — Streaming on Prime Video

Whether the 1996 or 2020 version, the movie follows the same plot: set in 1815 in the English countryside, it follows Emma — played by Gwyneth Paltrow in the ‘96 version and Anya Taylor Joy in the 2020 version — who goes about setting up affluent couples together. The soundtrack has a gentle piano accompaniment and the English countryside setting gives the movie a cozy, cottagecore feel. It’s best for when one is exhausted but their brain is fighting the urge to sleep.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” — Streaming on Disney+

Similar to “Ratatouille,” this movie follows Mr. Fox as he makes his last big score against three poultry farmers. The film’s color palette is flush with yellows, oranges and reds, making it a warm, cozy movie for cold winter nights. The Wes Anderson movie features a folk music-based soundtrack with banjos and fiddles and features artists like Burl Ives and the Rolling Stones. When the cold, sleepless nights settle in, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is the perfect movie.

“Pride and Prejudice” — Streaming on Starz and Prime Video

Another movie based on one of Jane Austen’s novels, “Pride and Prejudice” gives the same vibes as “Emma.” Following the Bennet family as the five daughters search for suitable husbands, viewers will find themselves falling for Charles Bingley and Mr. Darcy as they woo the eldest two Bennet daughters, Jane and Elizabeth. Another movie best for when one is fighting the urge to sleep.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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The Matt Walsh question

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

I recently had the opportunity to view the Matt Walsh documentary “Am I Racist?” which has seen recent controversy and mixed reviews.

I had no clue what to expect before starting this film. Streaming exclusively on DailyWire+, a well-known conservative news outlet and streaming service, I knew there would be commentary about Walsh’s personal views throughout the film. What I didn’t expect was Walsh to be open-minded and willing to try and understand the subjects he was researching.

The description for the movie on DailyWire+ says, “Matt Walsh goes deep undercover as a DEI expert, hilariously skewering race hustlers and grifters.” However, I do not quite believe that that was Walsh’s true intention.

Throughout the documentary, he actively attends Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — DEI — workshops and reads anti-racist literature, such as “White Fragility” by author Robin DiAngelo. While there are jokes made at the expense of these workshops and books, Walsh gains insight into a topic he knows little about.

In one of the first scenes of the documentary, Walsh, under the guise of a fake name, attends a privilege support group, where attendees are meant to confront the privileges they have in their lives. While Walsh doesn’t take the workshop as seriously as one would hope, he is open to listening and hearing what others in attendance have to say. Eventually, he takes a moment to leave the room, but when he returns, the other members of the support group have discovered his true identity.

Walsh is asked to leave with the accusation that he is not truly taking the support group seriously. Though he tells them he is, out of respect for their wishes and their fears for their safety, he leaves, but not before the members of the support group call the police on him.

After this experience, Walsh knows that he is too recognizable to be able to participate in these spaces, so he alters his appearance to be able to have the opportunity to learn more about these topics.

Perhaps the biggest turning point in the documentary is when Walsh goes to the American South and interacts with patrons at a biker bar and random passersby on the street. While interacting with these people, Walsh purposefully tries to draw an unsavory response from the patrons, asking questions and using phrases to try and get what he wants. The responses he gets, however, are actually positive.

Their responses are not shown to be rooted in a certain ideology or belief system, but rather their personal experiences. At all ages, from the streets of New Orleans to little backwater burgs, every response Walsh receives is some variation of judging people by their character, not their race, gender or appearance. To them, if one is a kind person and shows respect, then that person will receive kindness and respect back. They do not believe that friendship and fair treatment are dependent on physical characteristics or belief systems, but rather the content of a person’s soul.

Throughout the 1 hour, 40-minute documentary, Walsh uses these different research methods to challenge his beliefs but also the beliefs of others.

Reviews for the film are polarized, with viewers either completely loving or hating it. On IMDb, user @gijoe-48397 gave it a one-star rating and said, “The movie tries to be ‘Borat’ but is not funny enough. The mockumentary is obsessed with how DEI impacts white people and ‘white guilt.’ The ending was terrible. Uncle Frank is ostracized for a joke he made 20 years ago. Uncle Frank is portrayed as a victim and the DEI expert eventually sees his side of things. This feels like a self-righteous fantasy. Uncle Frank should consider that maybe his family stopped talking to him because he is unpleasant to talk to. The entire movie feels like the fantasy of that hateful uncle at Thanksgiving that got uninvited for always talking trash. Overall the movie is self-obsessed and not funny.”

Other viewers who did not like the film shared similar sentiments, calling the movie “unfunny, self-absorbed and one-sided.”

Meanwhile, fans who enjoyed the movie raved about how the movie exceeded their expectations and found themselves enjoying every minute.

“This movie is excellent. My wife and I saw it over the weekend, and we haven’t laughed this much in a long time at the theatre. We both thought it was hilarious. On top of that, it is also enlightening and gives you a glimpse inside the world of DEI and systemic racism along with those who profit from it. Eye-opening. I feel like everyone should watch this movie. It’s also great to watch it in theatres because watching it with a crowd just enhances the experience. Everyone was laughing the whole time. I don’t want to give any spoilers at all because it’s worth it to see it all unspoiled. Many of the situations that Matt Walsh finds himself in have to be seen to be believed. Fantastic watch and well worth the price of admission, and I’m far happier to spend my hard-earned money on a movie like this than many other movies coming out of Hollywood these days,” said IMDb user @rutledgech.

Whatever lens one watches this film through, the main takeaway from this film is to respect and learn about others’ viewpoints, no matter what.

Throughout the film, Walsh genuinely wants to learn and understand the culture behind others’ beliefs, as well as wanting to understand just what their beliefs are. He listens respectfully to them and asks questions that even stir their thought process on the subject.

And while Walsh is a controversial figure in the media, I think that his most recent documentary is a good example for others to follow — to respect their fellow humans and at least try and understand their viewpoints.

8/10.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Home » Entertainment

“Wicked” on Broadway

Written by: Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

Content warning: this article contains spoilers

“Wicked” is a musical on Broadway following the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz,” the beloved classic from 1939, before Dorothy ever made it out of Kansas. Displaying in Portland, Oregon, from Oct. 16 to Nov. 3 at the Keller Auditorium, “Wicked” was filled with bright color, magical sets, beautiful voices and many shades of green.

“Wicked” does not require previous knowledge or recent viewing of “The Wizard of Oz” to be a spectacular experience, although references are common throughout the show. In fact, “Wicked” takes the story of “The Wizard of Oz” and twists it into something else entirely: a show surrounding different facets of love, friendships, social expectations, justice and of course, wickedness.

The play heavily focuses on friendship — or, rather, what turned into friendship. The play begins with Glinda during “The Wizard of Oz,” when the Wicked Witch of the West has been defeated, and she comes down in a bubble — a heavy circular mechanism that lifts and moves with Glinda’s actress, Austen Danielle Bohmer, standing on it, her royal dress beyond sparkly — to inform the people of the eradication of “wickedness.” She admits, however, that she knew Elphaba — and the play swings into motion with the two characters back in the past, students at Shiz University.

A description for “Wicked” summarizes: “Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships … until the world decides to call one ‘good,’ and the other one ‘wicked.’”

The concept of “good” versus “wicked” is reiterated and twisted throughout the play. It is obvious that from the beginning, Glinda — known as Galinda throughout the first half of the show — is described as good and pure, yet is the one to bully and harass Elphaba when they are roommates in school. It is because of Glinda that Elphaba is ridiculed at the mercy of their peers due to her green skin and “wickedness.” Eventually, however, they bond as Glinda expresses empathy at last.

And Elphaba, being so “wicked,” is the one to campaign for the rights of the talking animals in their world and act bravely despite her fear. At one point, another character describes Elphaba as feigning confidence, despite her desire to be loved and accepted to the point of no return.

Particularly dazzling was Galinda and Elphaba’s venture into Emerald City, sparkling on stage in various shades of bright green. This is the first time in the show that Elphaba feels comfortable, as up until now, her character has been mocked and teased. She has been called to meet the Wizard — the one of great magic — only to find and uncover corruption at his hands in Oz. Elphaba refuses to indulge in his evil cause, despite Glinda’s allowance for the Wizard’s actions as she seeks the Wizard’s approval — another play on good and wickedness. Is goodness just seeking acceptance? Is it still good if nobody agrees?

In order to make Elphaba “wicked,” the show pins her for the mutilation and near-eradication of the animals in Oz, which was the Wizard’s doing all along. Because of this, Elphaba must flee.

“Defying Gravity,” the most anticipated song of the night and by far one of the most well-known, was shiveringly beautiful and performed by Lauren Samuels. The first half of the song, Glinda and Elphaba circle one another, with the colors growing increasingly bright as they lean into singing in unison.

Elphaba darts off stage, leaving Galinda to sing solo, until she reappears behind her — in the air with her broom, dangling above the stage as it covers in fog and lights that follow her that replicate the look of stained glass, spilling onto the stage and crowd. Elphaba’s actress delivered an exceptional performance, receiving an outstanding ovation afterward as the play took its intermission.

Something to note is the way “Wicked” shades the stage in regards to Glinda and Elphaba’s signature colors. Glinda is mostly baby blue in the performances, despite her affinity for pink in the original. When the two are singing on stage, often the backdrop resembles the look of twilight, fading from emerald to blue.

The Wizard, being Blake Hammond in this performance, often hides in a mechanical box with a face — the Oz Head — that rears, moves and shouts horrifically. The movement is smooth and flawless, with lights flashing red across the stage when he expresses fury. “The head is supposed to be terrifying,” explained a designer. It drips smoke across the stage and invokes a sense of discomfort and fear as it moves.

One complicated part of creating a prequel is to line the character up, especially if the protagonist is to be the villain, with the original storyline. Elphaba would not be a loveable character if not good; but she cannot be good, or else “The Wizard of Oz” is invalid. “Wicked” was able to twist the concept of wicked so well that Elphaba is both wicked and good — claiming wickedness as an identity, understanding that she will never be or look like Glinda, nor like anyone else — but still can make the right choices. It is evident that Glinda does what is easy rather than what is right, as Elphaba makes difficult decisions, condemning herself, in order to do what is good.

Later on, Elphaba sings the following in “No Good Deed”: “Was I really seeking good, or just seeking attention? Is that all good deeds are when looked at with an ice-cold eye? … So be it then, let all Oz be agreed, I am wicked through and through.”

“Wicked” is a fantastic demonstration of the complexity and duality of people, as well as how hard it can be to stand alone in the face of adversity and injustice. Both Elphaba and Glinda look past their differences to make a bond nobody expected, usurping expectations and changing the world for the better.

9/10.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

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Home » Entertainment

Romance + fantasy = romantasy

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers for “Crescent City” by Sarah J. Maas

Though it is unclear how long the term “romantasy” — a blend of the words romance and fantasy — has been around, the genre has now become rather common in most book social circles.

The idea behind the genre is that the plot has two defining features: romance and fantasy. If a book has too much romance and not enough fantasy, especially if the love interest is a high fae or another fantasy race, the plot cannot survive.

The books typically contain smut — sexually explicit content, also sometimes called “spice” online — though it is not a requirement of the genre. Many romantasy books fade-to-black or have behind-closed-doors moments — scenes where the explicit content is implied but never stated — and the romance is kept clean for readers.

The fade-to-black scenes are typically best for the young adult genre, as it means that underage readers are not consuming sexually explicit content not intended for their age demographic. For example, the book “From Blood and Ash” by Jennifer L. Armentrout is considered one of the spiciest books currently on the market. As this book is one of my current reads, I can safely say that this is true; the book is roughly 20% actual plot and 80% smut and is not suitable for young adult readers, which is why fade-to-black scenes are so important.

Within the last few years, the genre has seen an uptick in readers and number of books sold. Sarah J. Maas, the author of “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” “Throne of Glass” and the “Crescent City” series, has sold over 40 million copies of her books. Maas is currently the biggest name in romantasy, and some would say she created the current blueprint for the genre, as well as for the love interests. It seems that Maas has cracked the code behind the romantasy genre.

One theory to explain the popularity of romantasy is that readers can see themselves in the female main character, also known as FMC in bookish communities. Generally, FMCs are ordinary women, usually in their early to mid-twenties, who are thrust into a world that they are not used to and are not meant for.

These women are also outspoken and don’t always take “no” for an answer, as well as possess some sort of supernatural power, either when they are first introduced or as their stories progress. They are angry, typically traumatized women, but begin to soften and let people in again as their stories progress.

For example, Bryce Quinlan of Maas’ “Crescent City” trilogy is a half-human, half-fae woman who doesn’t want to get caught up in the mess of the Vanir — the immortal, non-human members of her world — but ultimately accepts being thrust into the role of her world’s savior. As the trilogy progresses, readers come to realize that Bryce possesses the Starborne abilities of her fae heritage, abilities that include manipulating starlight and absorbing energy from others. Bryce’s character is best known for her general disdain for Vanir hierarchy and hot pink tennis shoes, which draws readers in because of her relatable nature.

Another theory is that the male main characters, or MMCs, are incredibly hot. They tend to be opposite of their FMC counterparts in the sense that they have experience in their worlds — often hundreds of years older than the women — and eventually become the steady guiding hand in teaching the world’s magic system to her, after they hate each other first, of course. Unlike their counterpart, the MMCs are typically level-headed and calm, only releasing their true rage when someone close to them is in danger. They also start in a position of power over the FMC, although they end up becoming equals as they fall in love.

Bryce’s counterpart and love interest in the “Crescent City” trilogy is Hunt Athalar, a 233-year-old fallen angel, who just so happens to be called the Umbra Mortis, or the Angel of Death. Hunt is part of the triarii, the archangel legion that guards Lunathion, and butts heads often with Bryce as he works on protecting her from forces in the city that are coming after her. They eventually fall in love and learn to work together to save their city.

Fans often give these MMC love interests nicknames like “Shadow Daddy,” alluding to the fact that most of these love interests are tall, dark and handsome, possess the ability to manipulate shadows and yes, are insanely good in bed.

That leads into the third — and least favorite in the bookish community — theory of romantasy’s popularity: the smut. A theory common on the internet, it accuses the women-dominated fanbase of being, essentially, porn addicts. While a lot of romantasy books do contain smut and many fans do enjoy it, a lot of times the actual smut content is only around 30% of the actual novel. And while some readers will not read a book unless it has smut, the amount of content in these books is usually the same as an R-rated movie.

Whatever the reason, these books have united communities across the globe on social media and discussion forums. Profiles dedicated to fanart and other content relating to these works have taken TikTok and Instagram by storm, while also connecting fans.

Events themed to romantasy books have also gained popularity, with the traveling Starfall Ball being the most well-known. Themed as the Night Court from Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, attendees have the opportunity to cosplay as characters from their favorite series and meet people with similar interests.

In the next few months, the romantasy genre has titles soon to hit shelves with fans foaming at the mouth to get their hands on, with the third book in the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros releasing Jan. 21, 2025 being the most anticipated.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Playlist for running cinematically

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“That’s So True” — Gracie Abrams

“Run” — OneRepublic

“Run Boy Run” — Woodkid

“t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l” — WILLOW feat. Travis Barker

“Plowed” — Sponge

“Smooth Criminal” — Alien Ant Farm

“get him back!” — Olivia Rodrigo

“Dog Days Are Over” — Florence + the Machine

“La La La” — Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith

“Young Blood” — The Naked and Famous

“The Nights” — Avicii

“Times Like These” — Foo Fighters

“Speed Drive” — Charli XCX

“Running Up That Hill” — MEG MYERS

“She’s So Gone” — Naomi Scott

“Could Have Been Me” — The Struts

“Hayloft” — Mother Mother

“Black Betty” — Ram Jam

“Boys Wanna Be Her” — Peaches

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Home » Entertainment

The chapter two remix

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Crip Walking, a transforming Snoop Dogg and Chapter 2’s original map all hit Fortnite this last Friday, remixing perhaps the most fan-favorite chapter of the game.

Starting with Festival content, where popular singers perform while the game finishes its final updates, Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice hit the stage, with the live performance in New York City streaming to players’ screens. Both performers have been added in-game as both skins and on-map bosses, with Snoop Dogg’s skin currently available in the Fortnite item shop and Ice Spice’s skin dropping Nov. 14. Eminem also makes his second appearance in the popular video game, with a skin in the item shop and a controlled area dropping Nov. 7.

Other new content not originally from Chapter 2, which makes this season the remix, includes low rider skins for vehicles with hydraulics now on all vehicles, a Crip Walking emote that has the opening of “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg playing in the background and mashup skins. The popular Midas skin now has its counterpart “Meowdas,” which is essentially Midas turned into a cat. This skin is available on the second-highest tier of the battle pass.

The only new addition to the original map is “The Doggpound,” where Snoop Dogg waits for players to engage in a boss battle. Once defeated, Snoop will become a non-playable character who aids the player in the battle royale. Once Ice Spice and Eminem are added to the game, they will act in the same fashion as Snoop, but without their own themed compounds.

The rest of the map has stayed the same, with only the bosses changing within their compounds. Midas no longer controls his yacht, his new counterpart Meowdas does, with Ice Spice and Eminem taking over the Grotto and Shark Island respectively.

Weapons and explosives from Chapter 2 have returned, good news for players who use the “snipe and hide” offensive. The Heavy Sniper Rifle and Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle have both returned, meaning in-game snipers will now be much more lethal.

The return of explosives like stink bombs, clingers and remote explosives gives players a certain edge when working with area-of-effect items since they can now blind and stick to opposing players.

On the final night of the season, Fortnite will also pay tribute to Juice WRLD, with a live event honoring the late rapper’s legacy and love of the game. All players who log in between 1 a.m. Nov. 30 and 1 a.m. Dec. 1 will receive a cel-shaded Juice WRLD skin. More details about this event will be released as the season progresses.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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9-1-1, what’s your emergency?

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.” These are the opening lines of the 1951 radio show “Dragnet,” a program that followed the Los Angeles Police Department — LAPD — Detective Joe Friday and his partners as they conducted police work and solved crimes in the greater Los Angeles area. The show’s name was derived from the police term “dragnet,” which are measures used for apprehending criminals and suspects.

“Dragnet” is considered to be the first police drama on any broadcasting format, and eventually evolved into a TV show. Other shows, like “Hawaii Five-O” and “Columbo,” soon came after and became more popular and iconic than their predecessor.

“Hawaii Five-O” and “Columbo” occasionally resorted to outlandish premises and many fans have said that the acting and production were hardly ever on par, especially when compared to today’s shows, but the nostalgia factor is usually what brings people back to watch them again and again. After all, many people grew up watching reruns with their parents or grandparents and watched the remakes when they were released.

The series “Blue Bloods” gained popularity in 2010, following a family involved in different aspects of law enforcement. This series introduced more personal storylines into the world of crime dramas, especially with family members working alongside each other in a dangerous line of work.

Of course, the world of police and first responder dramas has evolved since the days of Detective Friday, with shows like “9-1-1” and “The Rookie” being two of the more popular modern shows.

In 2023, broadcasting companies NBC and ABC had a combined number of seven first responder dramas on their channels, playing both reruns and new episodes.

The most popular of these seven shows is the “One Chicago” franchise on NBC, which includes “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago Med” and “Chicago P.D.” In 2023 alone they amassed a combined total of 50 million viewers.

“Growing up we’d watch them back-to-back-to-back when a new episode came out,” said Michael Hager, a former Western student. “My dad would usually record them so we could watch them all at once.”

Medical dramas are usually at the forefront of fan favorites, like “Grey’s Anatomy,” which has racked up 24 seasons since it first debuted in 2005 and has led to the spin-off show, “Station 19,” following the Seattle Fire Department. Police and first responder shows have become equally as popular, especially in recent years. So what makes these shows so entertaining?

For one, they typically focus on an “emergency of the week” type of storyline, which offers thrills meant to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. S3E02 of “9-1-1,” for example, follows the LAPD and the Los Angeles Fire Department — LAFD — as they respond to a tsunami hitting Santa Monica Pier, and the stakes are elevated when one of the LAFD’s own becomes caught in the disaster while off duty.

But the other reason shows like this have become so popular in the media is the way they offer insight into the lives of firefighters, police officers and 9-1-1 operators. Fans watch on-screen romances bloom, see rivalries become born of pure spite and even have to say goodbye to their favorite characters when they are written or killed off.

One interesting thing of note is that first responder dramas are not simply limited to firefighters, cops and emergency services, they extend to shows like “Baywatch,” “NCIS” and “Bones,” which are shows that don’t fit the traditional sense of a first responder or medical drama. Even the popular children’s cartoon “Paw Patrol” is considered a first responder drama, seeing as it has cartoon dogs responding to local emergencies.

Movies are even included on lists that are a majority of TV shows. “Mission: Impossible,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and the “Kingsman” franchise are considered to be among some of the best first responder shows, even if they are mostly situated within the crime drama genre. In the ’60s and ’70s “Mission: Impossible” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” started as TV shows, and it wasn’t until their movie counterparts were released in the 2010s that they gained a resurgence in popularity. After all, Tom Cruise is pretty cool as Ethan Hunt in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise.

Most of these shows follow the idealized representation of the police force and other first responders and often utilize the “Rule of Cool” trope, which is the principle that allows for implausible or unrealistic elements to be included in the show if they are considered cool or interesting.

For example, in “The Rookie,” two of the most common events to happen are the kidnapping or assault of LAPD officers and detectives. This occurs at least once or twice a season among the main cast of characters and is also common in other first responder and crime shows.

However, the FBI reported that in 2023, 60 officers were either assaulted or killed in the line of duty nationwide. While this does not account for the frequency of the kidnapping trope, it does show that the trope of officers being assaulted in the line of duty is not as common as these shows might suggest.

For as often as these shows use the “Rule of Cool,” they do exhibit diverse stories. The main character in “The Rookie” is John Nolan, played by Nathan Fillion, who joins the LAPD as a rookie in his 40s. One of the main characters in “9-1-1” is Henrietta ‘Hen’ Wilson, an African American lesbian who has a foster child and attends medical school when she is not at the fire station. These shows do not write these characters for the sake of inclusivity, but rather to showcase how truly diverse police forces, fire stations and public safety answering points are. They are simply just people.

Perhaps that is why modern crime and first responder shows have become so popular. The diverse stories they share help viewers see themselves as everyday heroes, and just maybe they will decide to enter the line of duty themselves.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Home » Entertainment

“The Simpsons” place in pop culture

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

When the Simpson family first appeared as an animated short in 1987, nobody could have predicted the series’s influence on pop culture.

Created by cartoonist Matt Groening, “The Simpsons” originally started as a 30-second short on “The Tracey Ullman Show” — a variety program akin to “Robot Chicken” — airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company. Eventually, it expanded to half an hour and aired Dec. 17, 1989, as a Christmas special titled “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” The rest of season one began airing regularly in January 1990.

Oregon-born Groening partnered with seasoned producer-director James L. Brooks as the show’s executive producer with Sam Simon attached as a writer. Brooks is best known for “Mary Tyler Moore” and “As Good As It Gets,” while Simon is known for “Friends” and “Cheers.”

The show centers on a family with all the dysfunctions of the modern world but with the demographics of the 1950s: two married parents, two preteen children, an infant and plenty of living extended family. Springfield — named after Springfield, Oregon — is filled with all kinds of strange residents, ones that often fulfill stereotypical roles seen on television. An endless rollout of walk-on guest stars eventually joined the show and were voiced by their real-life counterparts — former President George Bush and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking were among these guest stars.

In the ’90s, the show’s popularity skyrocketed and was so successful in its first two years that the term “Simpsonmania” was coined and used to describe the show’s rise to fame. In 1990, as many as one million Bart Simpson shirts were sold in a day, and Simpson merchandise generated $2 billion in revenue for the series. “The Simpsons” was Fox Network’s first television series to rank among the top 30 highest-rated shows in 1990.

As time went on, “The Simpsons” began to pass other shows in terms of series longevity. “The Simpsons” surpassed “The Flintstones” as the longest-running prime-time animated series in the United States Feb. 9, 1997. In 2004, the series surpassed “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” which ran from 1952 to 1966, as the longest-running sitcom — animated or live-action — in the United States. “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” was also originally the leader in number of episodes — a whopping 453 — but in the spring of 2009, “The Simpsons” surpassed it.

“The Simpsons” and “Scooby-Doo” battled it out in October of 2004 for American animated show with the highest number of episodes, but when network executives canceled “Scooby-Doo” again the following year, “The Simpsons” reclaimed it with 378 episodes at the end of season 17. By season 18, the series had 400 episodes. It is now recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest-running sitcom.

“The Simpsons Movie” was released July 27, 2007, and grossed $536.4 million worldwide, becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2007, the second-highest-grossing traditionally animated film — second only to Disney’s “The Lion King” — as well as the highest-grossing film based on an animated television series and the highest grossing adult animated movie of all time. The film was nominated for numerous awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

The movie, much like the series, includes celebrity cameos, with Tom Hanks and the members of Green Day playing themselves.

However, by the time “The Simpsons Movie” was released to theaters, critics began calling the show “tired” and fans were becoming disillusioned with the series. Jim Schembri of The Morning Herald believed the show’s decline was due to an abandonment of character-driven storylines and overused celebrity cameos and references to popular culture.

“The central tragedy of ‘The Simpsons’ is that it has gone from commanding attention to merely being attention-seeking. It began by proving that cartoon characters don’t have to be caricatures; they can be invested with real emotions. Now the show has in essence fermented into a limp parody of itself. Memorable story arcs have been sacrificed for the sake of celebrity walk-ons and punchline-hungry dialogue,” Schembri said.

Many fans and critics say the show’s golden era was in its first ten seasons and claim that when showrunners Mike Scully and Al Jean were added to the roster, then began the show’s true decline.

Groening was quick to defend the show, as well as his showrunners, saying: “I honestly don’t see any end in sight. I think it’s possible that the show will become too financially cumbersome but right now, the show is creatively, I think, as good or better than it’s ever been. The animation is incredibly detailed and imaginative, and the stories do things that we haven’t done before. So creatively there’s no reason to quit.”

Currently, viewership of “The Simpsons” has been on the decline since season 21, which first aired in September 2009. While season one had an average viewership of 13.4 million viewers, season 21 had a dismal average of 7.2 million viewers. The first two episodes of season 36 have even worse numbers — episode two did not even break a million viewers, currently stagnant at 886,000.

Although, even as the show’s viewership declines, fans still come together to share their love of “The Simpsons,” especially the first ten seasons. Instagram accounts such as @bortposting, @the_simpsons_man and @bortofdarkness regularly post memes about the show’s golden era and all three accounts have a combined following of 281,200. r/Simpsons on Reddit has 43,000 members and is among the top three percent of Reddit pages.

Critics and fans alike do have hope for season 36. The season’s premiere began with a fake series finale and featured altered clips from classic episodes that were given tragic outcomes. On X (formerly Twitter), user @tonygoldmark shared their theory that the show’s recent quality could be because “the show is now being run by people who grew up watching it, and precisely understand the memetic impact it’s had.” Many fans also attributed this increase in episode quality to Matt Selman taking over as the primary showrunner starting in season 33. And although the season premiere was very standalone, its references reminded viewers that it is still the same show they loved watching years ago.

Episode three of season 36 aired on Fox Oct. 20 and is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

The Western Howl

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Witches through the years

Written by: Taylor Duff | Lifestyle Editor

The spooky season brings many frights, imagination and of course, costumes. Girls around the world might be dressing as witches this Halloween season, or they have done so in the past, or they just know that witches are generally associated with Halloween. When people think of a witch, they most likely appoint an old decrepit woman who rides a magic broom, casts spells and has a diet that consists of children. This depiction is far from what witches are, so where did the term “witch” come from? Where did they come from?

It is believed that the term “witch” was a moniker given to women who practiced witchcraft and satanic rituals and ate children — but that is just what the fairy tales say. One early concept of what a witch is says that in mythology, witches were healers, shamans and spiritual workers who could affect the physical and the spiritual world. They used what is called “herbal medicine,” which is healing people with hand-crafted herbs. Not so different from what everyone in ancient times would do, however, witches were believed to have a special talent for healing. Some of the negative connotations come from Greek and Roman mythology: Deities like Hecate and Circe were goddesses that possessed magic and posed potential threats because of their power.

Whether or not mythology is accurate, the witch hunts during the 15th-18th centuries caused significant harm. These included the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, precipitated by a real-life hysteria that affected many women during the time. A group of teenage girls from Salem, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused multiple local women of witchcraft. The trials resulted in the deaths of 25 innocent women, men and children. The purported witches were hung or crushed, not burned, which is a common misconception, as that was done in Europe during the Middle Ages. There is a museum in Salem, Massachusetts, where visitors can see just how the trials began and ended.

Folklore and stories like “The Crucible,” a play by Arthur Miller, started to paint women as villains and self-absorbed, claiming they were witches. Fairy tales did the same, such as “Hansel and Gretel,” where two siblings travel in the woods and stumble across a witch’s house; she ends up eating them. Witches during this time were generally portrayed as old, bumpy and green; they were meant to look like they arrived out of the devil’s chambers and needed to take sources of life. Green witches appear often in fiction, most famously in “The Wizard of Oz” and its prequel “Wicked,” where the Wicked Witch of the West became the bad guy, and everyone was petrified because she was robbed. In Gothic literature, things looked a little different — witches were usually painted as seductive and beautiful. But even then, they would use their beauty and seductive nature to lure men and hurt them.

Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell — WITCH — was a 1960s feminist group that used guerrilla theater and public rallies to criticize patriarchy and capitalism. Feminist witchcraft movements in the 1970s reclaimed the image that represents the witch as a powerful monarch. Wicca is the largest modern Pagan or Neo-Pagan religion. Its adherents, known as Wiccans, commonly identify as witches and derive inspiration mostly from pre-Christian customs in Europe. Dianic Wicca, which concentrates upon the worship of a goddess figure, or female deity, and publicly supported feminist values, frequently gained influence from the emerging women’s rights movement of the time. Because of this movement, witches are now more popular in pop culture. Movies such as “The Craft” and “The Love Witch” show women usually painted as outcasts or weird embrace their individuality and sex appeal to contradict the patriarchy. Shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “American Horror Story, Coven” showed witches as everyday people who were just trying to navigate the world, and because pop culture sparks, the public made witches more approachable. This also opened up self-expression for LGBTQ+ characters, such as Willow Rosenberg from “Buffy,” emphasizing the connection between magic and gay identity. As environmental problems, feminism and LGBTQ+ rights continue to dominate public discourse, the witch remains a symbol of resistance and self-empowerment.

TikTok, which has #WitchTok; Pinterest; Instagram and more platforms show modern-day people participating in witchcraft. Many creators provide spells, rituals, tarot readings and astrological insights. They show their lifestyles with aspects such as decor, clothing — witch-inspired Gothic apparel with Bohemian and crystal-laden looks, — black hats, pentagrams, jewelry, tattoos, books and much more. Halloween, in particular, has converted the witch into a fun, approachable figure for people of all ages. The internet enables individuals to combine cultural traditions, such as Wicca, Hoodoo and New Age practices, and participate in virtual covens or communal rituals.

Overall, the witch isn’t one type of person. A witch can be multiple types of people, they can be friends, family, teachers, parents and your next-door neighbor. They are someone who embraces their faith and individuality and wears it proudly. Witches just want to be accepted and painted in a light that isn’t demeaning or harmful. The witch is a symbol of feminism and strength and has spent too many years not being understood.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

The Western Howl

Home » Entertainment

Deadpool takes on the Multiverse

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers

Even Deadpool himself couldn’t have been prepared for the chaos he met in “Deadpool and Wolverine.” Between Charles Xaviers’ psychotic sister, his universe on the chopping block and one reluctant Wolverine, the titular anti-hero certainly has a lot on his plate.

In this third installment in the “Deadpool” universe, movie watchers will see a continuation of Marvel’s “Multiverse Saga,” which began with the series “WandaVision” and will be completed in 2027 when “Avengers: Secret Wars” hits theaters.

When the Time Variance Authority — TVA — knocks on Deadpool’s door, he learns that his universe’s anchor being is dead and his timeline has been fading ever since. The TVA offers to put him in the “Sacred Timeline,” or the timeline most people think of when they think of Marvel, but Deadpool refuses. Instead, he goes searching across the multiverse for a replacement anchor being, which is revealed to be Wolverine.

When Deadpool finally finds a suitable replacement for his anchor being, the unlikely duo is sent to the Void — where variants are sent for misbehaving in the multiverse or when their universe is destroyed. There they meet variants of superheroes who have already graced the screen or whose movies did not come to fruition, and of course, the fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool knows all about them.

Many of these variants are already well-known. Jennifer Garner returns as Elektra, Wesley Snipes as Blade and Dafne Keen as X-23, a Wolverine variant. Even the canceled 2014 “Gambit” movie was referenced, with Channing Tatum filling the role he was originally intended to play.

A plethora of memes have arisen from the movie, as well as collaborations with the popular video game Fortnite, fast food company Jack in the Box and motorsport company Alpine Racing. Ryan Reynolds has a stake in Alpine Racing, explaining the connection.

“Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC and “Like a Prayer” by Madonna were both played in the movie, and both have once again found themselves on Billboard’s Top 30 chart, with “Bye Bye Bye” sitting at number eight and “Like a Prayer” resting at number 16. Their streams have increased globally by a total of 50% and 62% respectively, thanks to social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, as well as the use of “Bye Bye Bye” as an emote and jam track in Fortnite.

“Deadpool and Wolverine” grossed $211 million on its opening weekend at the box office and has earned $1.305 billion globally. It is currently the seventh highest-grossing Marvel movie in both domestic and global earnings.

It has not yet been announced when “Deadpool and Wolverine” will hit streaming services, but fans anticipate a late October or early November date.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Charlie Brown — no scares, just heartfelt Halloween

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” streaming on Apple TV+

Based on Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip, the Halloween classic follows Charlie Brown and the gang as they celebrate Halloween and Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is perfect if one is looking for a cozy fall movie.

“The Addams Family” streaming on Paramount+

The Addams family is the first family of all things dark and creepy, so what better movie to watch for Halloween? With a live severed hand, a butler of unknown origins and two deranged children, anyone who watches this film will feel the Halloween vibes.

Not So Scary — a few scares, but mostly funny

“Scary Movie” franchise streaming on Paramount+

This movie franchise was the introduction of horror movies into the parody genre that was started by British comedy group Monty Python in the 1970s. The films incorporate elements and tropes from different horror movies, blending them to create a parody that is raunchy, ridiculous and funny all at the same time.

Jumpscares and Chills — The scare factor is higher, but mostly jumpscares

“Cabin in the Woods” streaming on Peacock

“Cabin in the Woods” is right up there on this list with the “Scary Movie” franchise of parody movies; however, this movie takes on more of the traditional horror genre aspects.

“The Ritual” streaming on Netflix

A true monster movie, this movie makes the audience feel as if they are being watched and hunted by the creature alongside the main characters. Set in the Swedish wilderness, this movie pits distorted pagan beliefs against modern protagonists.

Heartstopping Horror — the scares are what makes the plot

“The Conjuring Universe” streaming on Max

This nine-movie franchise follows cases that were worked on and researched by Ed and Lorraine Warren, with most of the movies being interconnected in the universe. The movies have a plethora of antagonists, from possessed dolls to demon nuns, sure to terrify viewers.

Leave the Lights on to Sleep — can’t escape the horror, leave the lights on

“Terrifier” franchise streaming on Peacock

Viewer discretion is advised with any of the four movies within the “Terrifier” franchise. “Terrifier 3” was released in theaters Oct. 11 and is currently #1 at the box office. The movies are unrated, and contain heavy amounts of violence and gore, alongside the traditional horror elements of the movie.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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