Mount Hood

Becoming a YouTube Hero

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By: Blayde Biacan
Freelancer

Do you want to become a hero? A YouTube hero, that is. The YouTube hero program is something YouTube has come up with to encourage users to make it a better place and to make the entertainment process unhindered. When I say encourage, I mean there will even be rewards to encourage users to be a part of the YouTube hero program.

The actions that help users earn points towards rewards for these incentives also help to improve YouTube overall. At times when you click the “closed captioning” button, it doesn’t align with what is said in the video. You are now able to edit the subtitles in videos and doing so will earn you a point towards rewards. If you’re watching a video and hear excess swearing, which takes away from a video, giving it a flag warns YouTube that the video may violating YouTube’s new guidelines which were recently set on Sept. 1. If you wish to reap the most points, answering questions on the YouTube help forum will not only help you, but help others with their inquires as well. However, answering inquiries will only get you points if you have the best answer.

These everyday actions can help get you into the YouTube hero community, get closer to the YouTube staff, allow you to to get special sneak previews and even test new products that come out before release.

If you’re interested in becoming a YouTube hero, all you need to do is search “YouTube heroes” on Google and click on the top link to sign up. All you need to provide is an email to sign up and you’re on your way to being a hero. Like any hero, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” YouTube asks for these actions to be used appropriately in order to make it a better place.

Contact the author at bbiacan16@wou.edu

“Luke Cage”

By: Ashton Newton
Entertainment Editor

Marvel’s Netflix shows have proven one thing in the past: they know exactly what they’re doing. “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones” both had incredible performances, compelling stories and plenty of details straight from the comics. Marvel’s “Luke Cage” is the next show in the ever-growing lineup, and it follows the footsteps of its predecessors.

Luke Cage made his debut in “Jessica Jones”: the bulletproof man with a mysterious past. The new show picks up right where the first left off. Cage moves to Harlem and tries his best to live a normal life by working multiple jobs and trying his best to lay low. Obviously, things don’t go as planned.

“Luke Cage” makes it clear that everyone is human. Although Luke has bulletproof skin, he reacts to things and feels the same emotions that any human would. On the other side, the villains Cornell ‘Cottonmouth’ Stokes, a Harlem crime lord, and his cousin, Mariah Dillard, are equally human. The hardships and tragedy these characters endure make them feel both real and relatable. This is done by fabulous performances all around.

The side characters don’t get as much focus as the main characters in “Luke Cage”. While Misty Knight plays a prominent role, her presence almost never seems necessary. Claire Temple plays a larger role. She is the only character to have appeared in “Daredevil”, “Jessica Jones” and “Luke Cage”. She is what holds these heroes together so her presence in “Luke Cage” is only logical. Her character arch has been building over years in television and I imagine that “Luke Cage” is just a small step in a long journey for her.

One of the biggest differences between “Luke Cage” and previous Netflix shows is the soundtrack. Main events and action sequences are almost always accompanied by music. Scenes at Cottonmouth’s club repeatedly show live music; sometimes the musicians are featured just as much as the actors. The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and is used to convey common themes and emotions.

While the story is very strong, the writing feels a little off at times. There are cheesy lines so predictable they made my eyes roll. Luke Cage, specifically, is super corny. It’s partly his character, getting called out on it by other characters, but it felt a bit distracting.

The show is also a bit more adult than “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones”. While those were very mature in their own right, “Luke Cage” has some pretty strong language and graphic violence. It’s mostly the characters in the show staying true to comics, just as The Punisher in “Daredevil” is more foul mouthed than anyone else on the show.

“Luke Cage” fits well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are plenty of callbacks to other Marvel films. At one point Luke is referred to as “Harlem’s Captain America”. I’ve wished that there were more ties to the Marvel Universe since Daredevil season one, and I felt that Luke Cage did a very good job. There are huge ties to “Iron Man 2”, and for the first time, Avengers Tower was even in the background of the promotional art.

Overall, I’d recommend “Luke Cage” to anyone. It doesn’t require an extensive knowledge of superheroes, it’s culturally relevant, there’s action and drama and the performances are top of the line. It’s well rounded, wildly entertaining and easily the best Netflix Marvel show yet.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

Editor’s Picks

By: Ashton Newton
Entertainment Editor

Editor’s Recommendations:
No music truly captures autumn like folk. There’s something about listening to folk music on a rainy fall afternoon that really can’t be matched. The mellow bon-iver-colorguitar, soft vocals and poetic lyrics just seem fitting in the fall season. Even if you’ve never listened to folk music, I’d highly recommend giving it a try this fall. Some of my favorites are Bon Iver’s album “For Emma, Forever Ago”, Fossil Collective’s “Tell Where I Lie” and anything by Lighthouse and the Whaler.

I highly recommend checking out the movie “What We Do in the Shadows,” directed by Taika Waititi. The film is a mockumentary following a group of vampires who are living in a New Zealand flat in modern day, and it has to be one of the funniest movies I’ve seen all year.

Editor’s Disparagement:
“No Man’s Sky” was made to seem like a video game that had an infinite universe filled with planet sized planets and an unlimited number of procedurally generated plants and creatures. I watched the trailer hundreds of times, I was there at release to pick up the game, and I’ve never been more disappointed in my life. The game’s “infinite planets” are the same thing just colored differently. The discoverable creatures aren’t giant dinosaurs like the trailer suggests, but instead similar-looking small animals that don’t really differ much from planet to planet. The game is repetitive and bland. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

Bored? Fall TV has got you covered!

By: Alyssa James
Freelancer

It just became fall and we all know what that means! New TV shows are starting up, old TV shows have been renewed for another season and it’s all done for our personal enjoyment. There is an extensive list of shows that have already premiered that are set to hit the TV scene within the upcoming months. Titles such as “Scream Queens” and “Pitch”, which premiered on Fox, “Luke Cage”, currently streaming on Netflix, and “Westworld” on HBO, are just a few to be named.

One show that recently premiered was “This Is Us”. Created by the writers and directors of “Crazy, Stupid, Love” comes a drama/comedy show following an ensemble of unique people who share the same birthday. Starring Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown, and more, this is a show you won’t want to miss. You can catch “This Is Us” at 10 p.m. on NBC.

Another show that recently premiered was “Designated Survivor” on ABC. When an attack on the capitol takes place, Tom Kirkman, played by Kiefer Sutherland, is sworn into presidency due to being the designated survivor during the State of the Union. Still in shock from all that has happened, Tom must dive into politics head-on and lead the country, take care of his family, and figure out who led the attack on American soil. “Designated Survivor” is on every Wednesday at 10 p.m.!

Other new shows that are set to premiere include “Timeless”, which recently premiered on NBC, “Divorce”, premiering on HBO on Oct. 9, and “American Housewife”, premiering on ABC Oct. 11. Returning shows are also something to look forward to. Some of these are “Arrow”, played on The CW starting on Oct. 5, “The Big Bang Theory”, played on CBS starting on Oct. 27, and “Vikings”, played on History starting on Nov. 30. Make sure to check out these shows premiering this fall during your study breaks!

Contact the author at ajames16@wou.edu.

“Transformers” returns to theaters

By: Blayde Biacan
Freelancer

Michael Bay is directing another, I repeat, another “Transformers” movie. “Transformers: The Last Knight” is the fifth installment in Michael Bay’s iconic franchise. If you aren’t aware of what Michael Bay specializes in, let me tell you that you can expect huge explosions and fantastic special effects. The “Transformers” films are especially known for their top of the line and innovative effects.

What you may not be expecting to hear about is the featuring of Winston Churchill’s old estate as Hitler’s Headquarters. Many people, especially veterans, are critical of Churchill’s estate being covered in swastika banners due to him being a World War II hero. In response, Michael Bay told BBC, “When you see the movie you’ll understand.” To back up his statement, he mentioned how the movie would depict Winston Churchill as a big hero and that Churchill would not be “turning in his grave”.

Another main hero that will be featured in the film is King Arthur, played by Liam Garrigan, who has played King Arthur before in ABC’s “Once Upon A Time”. King Arthur’s role in the movie is currently unknown, but King Arthur was featured in the “Transformers” animated series, where he teamed up with Autobots back in the Middle Ages.

Mark Wahlberg is returning to star in “The Last Knight”, alongside Peter Cullen returning as the voice of Optimus Prime and newcomer Isabela Moner. The film will also feature new Autobots and new Decepticons, as well as the official debut of the miniature Dinobots. The larger Dinobots made their debut in 2014’s “Age of Extinction”.

With confirmation that the film will feature King Arthur, Nazis and dinosaurs, who wouldn’t want to wonder what Michael Bay has in store for us with the plot of the movie. “Transformers: The Last Knight” is coming to theaters on July 23, 2017.

Contact the author at bbiacan16@wou.edu

Scare season returns

By: Matthew Oldfield
Freelancer

The fall season comes with pumpkin patches, rain and changing leaves. This is also the time for all the ghosts and ghouls of Halloween to begin showing up out of the shadows, creeping up on those who are unaware. That’s right, the season of Haunted Houses is back and ready to scare anyone daring enough to go inside.

If you’re someone who enjoys going to creepy old houses, or walking along a dark trail, then maybe these sights are for you. For all you haunted house people, The Oregon School of the Deaf, in Salem, is hosting The Nightmare Factory for the 29th year in a row. This year’s theme is the zombie-filled Infected Nightmare. The special haunted tour will be $10.00 from Oct. 7 to 8, however, the rest of the show dates will be $15.00 for general admission. If you’re looking for a really good scare, their $20.00 Pitch Black event will occur on the last two nights of the show, Nov. 4 and 5, will be a truly terrifying experience.

Another haunted house that’s just a little farther north is Milburn’s Haunted Manor, located just outside of Hubbard, Oregon. Guests can face the imaginative horrors of Milburn’s manor in either one of two parts: “The Manor”, “The Dark” or guests can dare to do both. General admission is only $10.00 for one part, or $15.00 for both. For those who wish to go, but feel this might be too frightening, you will be pleased to know that this is more of a PG-13 type of haunted house.

If you’re looking for something closer, with more of an R rating scare, look no farther than Corvallis’ own Haunting of the Majestic. The Majestic Theatre in Corvallis will transform for four nights only into a haunted house at the end of October. The 18+ haunt is on Oct. 28 and 29 with a much more family oriented haunt on the 30 and 31. Prices will be hard to know until those dates come closer, but you can still check out the Majestic’s website for more details as the dates draw nearer.

These are but three events happening on this side of Oregon. There are far more haunted houses around the area if you’re brave enough to find them.

Contact the author at moldfield14@wou.edu

“Rogue One” merchandise hits shelves

 

By: Ashton Newton
Entertainment Editor

Disney is well aware of the massive fan base that Star Wars has. Hundreds of thousands of people from all ages adore the series and, subsequently, are fully prepared to throw their money at it. With last year’s reboot of the Star Wars franchise, Disney announced that a new Star Wars film would be released every year until 2020. One year will be a part of the trilogy; the next will be a standalone story. Disney has also started an annual tradition called Force Friday where all the upcoming film’s merchandise will be released.
Force Friday of last September, prior to “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, was a massive success. Fans flocked to stores all over the world to get their hands on toys, clothes and more for the new film.

Disney is continuing the tradition for the newest film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” which releases this December. This year’s Force Friday took place on Sept. 30. Stores such as Wal-Mart, Target and Toys R Us had special displays set up featuring all the new merchandise.

Toys R Us opened its doors at 12:01 a.m. for eager customers who couldn’t wait to get their hands on the new merchandise. I was one of those customers, standing in line for an hour before the opening with about 40 other people, a lot of whom brought lawn chairs and blankets and were there hours before me. Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Rey and a Scout Trooper were even there to take pictures and get people excited.

When the doors opened people went crazy grabbing items and piling them high in their carts. Employees were handing out free t-shirts and posters as well.

As for the new merchandise, Disney released a large amount of action figures for the upcoming film, as well as updated figures from previous films, such as an updated version of Kylo Ren. Due to the limited quantity, people were especially interested in the Toys R Us exclusive six inch Hovertank Pilot. I had to fight for that one. Other items available included a replica Stormtrooper helmet, new Darth Vader masks, a Bluetooth speaker that looked like BB-8 and many new Funko Pop bobble heads.

Not all of the new merchandise is from the upcoming film. The animated TV show “Star Wars: Rebels”, which just aired the premiere of its third season, received many new figures and bobble heads as well. Sphero’s remote controlled BB-8, which was released on Force Friday last year, received an upgraded wristwatch that allows users to use hand motions to control BB-8 and essentially use the force.

Lego also had a large amount of new sets for the upcoming film showcased. Five new sets are now out on Amazon and at other retailers, all brand new vehicles from “Rogue One”. Lego also released three new buildable figures.

All the new merchandise is out now at Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart, F.Y.E and more. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” comes out on Dec. 16.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

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