Mount Hood

Black Panther Immortalized by Marvel

Written by:Gretchen Sims

Content Warning: contains spoilers

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” broke box offices this weekend with a tear jerking tribute to late actor, Chadwick Boseman. 

The latest edition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe tells the story of a kingdom torn apart by the loss of their beloved King — the Black Panther. Lost in a futile attempt to prevent other countries from gaining access to their precious Vibranium, the people of Wakanda encounter trial after trial in an effort to preserve peace.  

Facing significant changes in leadership and growing instability, it is up to the remaining, yet broken people, to put on a bold face and push through hardships, despite still mourning their late king. 

This film rivaled the newest Doctor Strange for some of the best cinematography of all time. With beautiful graphics, CGI and color, the quality of this film extended past what the human eye should be able to see — as if the producers had been able to unlock the power of vibranium itself to produce these intense visuals.

Letitia Wright —starring as Shuri, the sister of the late King T’Challa of Wakanda— struggles with the loss of her brother. As her mother is also taken from her, Shuri faces anger and seeks vengeance against her mother’s murderer. 

Shuri emerges as the new Black Panther —the savior of Wakanda— and finds comfort amidst her suffering just in time to protect her people.

This beautiful movie played on the real-life emotions of the actors to produce one of the most inspiring motion pictures of the MCU. There was not one dry eye in the audience as the heartbreak of losing a loved one was present throughout the entire film. 

As Shuri fights her desire to burn down the world in response to losing her whole family, audience members were able to put themselves in her place. Not one person could deny the validity of her anger. It is rare that movies accurately portray all the stages of grief, yet Marvel was able to achieve it with the newest edition to the Black Panther franchise. 

Despite the massive amount of heart wrenching moments, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was full of quick-witted humor and real human connection — something movies often fail to accurately portray.

The boldness to show raw emotions with a strong female lead will set an example for many more movies to come. 

8.5/10

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 



Western Theater Presents: She Kills Monsters

Written by:Gretchen Sims

Content Warning: contains spoilers

From Nov. 16 – 19, Western Oregon University Theatre Department presented their fall season straight play, “She Kills Monsters.”

 “She Kills Monsters” — written by Qui Nguyen and directed by Jeb Burris — starred Lexy Bolsinger as Tilly Evans and Katie Newsbury as Agnes Evans. The rest of the cast included Cole Richardson, Jeneba Diane King, Jacob Fritts, Emily Paoli, Cody Reece, Sergio Palomar, Brayden Allen, Tessa Douangaphaivong, Loki Cockrill, Paige Murphy, Lucy Garcia, Alyssa Parr, Ally Warner, Mere Butler, Savannah King and Seth Miller. 

The play follows mid-twenties English teacher Agnes Evans as she grieves the loss of her younger sister Tilly. Tilly, a well-versed and prevalent Dungeon Master, was a foreign creature to the considerably average Agnes. After the passing of her sister in a horrific car crash, Agnes enlists another nerd, Chuck, played by Richardson, to help her decipher the home-spun module — a homemade and custom-built game of Dungeon and Dragons — her sister left behind.

Through exploring the game created by Tilly, and led by talented and geeky Dungeon Master Chuck, Agnes is able to uncover unknown details of her sister’s personality and existence. These discoveries allow Agnes to gain a deeper understanding of the person Tilly truly was.

By the end, there was not one dry eye in the audience. The cast was incredibly talented and took their audience through a rollercoaster of emotions — from the most outrageous of laughter to the most heart-wrenching tears. No matter where one lies on the nerd spectrum, “She Kills Monsters” resonates with humanity and changes one’s perspective on both real and fictional worlds. 

I am a member of the heartless, “never cries in movies” crew, but even I teared up when Agnes had to say her final goodbyes to Tilly. As the older sibling of two younger sisters, my heart bled for Agnes and felt her pain every step of the way. 

All of the performers did a fantastic job. My two favorite performances were from Cole Richardson as Chuck and Sergio Palomar as Orcus. Students in the Western Oregon University Theatre Department have incredible acting abilities that will continue to be shared throughout the 2022-23 school year, so be sure to check out their upcoming shows.

This production was a game changer.

11/10.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu



Is it to Early to Watch Christmas Movies?

Written by: Gretchen Sims

As the holiday season rolls around, many students cannot wait to rip into their boxes of Christmas decorations, pull out their stockings and sit next to a dimly lit tree while drinking a warm drink of their choice. Some prefer to begin this festive frenzy after celebrating Thanksgiving, but for many, the Christmas crazies begin long before that fateful meal. 

One of the most popular holiday activities is the ritualistic worshiping of the Hallmark franchise. Despite these movies being labeled as cheesy, stupid or even cringeworthy, these films have dug themselves into the very fabric of the holidays. 

Regardless of their popularity, these movies are just harmless, are they not? How could such sweet, happy movies full of true love and touching moments be damaging to society, backtracking the hard work of centuries? Is Hallmark spreading a message that is contrary to the success our generation has made toward inclusion and acceptance of those who were once considered outside the social norm?

It is common knowledge that the plot to every Hallmark movie is essentially the same: a girl meets a boy in some strange extenuating circumstance, the boy falls in love with the girl, something comes between them, but eventually love prevails and they live happily ever after. The end.

Is that it? Is that really the end? Or is there some dark beast lurking behind every happy ending? 

Hallmark promotes a straight, white, heteronormative love story that is actually very harmful if taken at surface value. Think about how many people know the classic Hallmark narrative — it’s a classic story. All of these people are being reached with a similar message; one regarding what makes for a happy ending. 

Hallmark is essentially presenting its audience with a recipe for success — what a relationship should look like if one wants to have an ideal partner to bring home for the holidays. However, no matter how “timeless” this may seem, it is the timelessness in itself that presents the issue with Hallmark movies. 

Hopefully, as society progresses, Hallmark will also progress in being more inclusive with its love stories. Inclusion of characters with genders outside of the typical gender binary, relationships that fall outside the traditional values or even inclusion of non-romantic relationships that can be just as satisfying. 

Truly fulfilling holiday adventures will not be complete until all voices are equally represented, especially in Hallmark movies. 



Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 



Maura Miller is this Months Senior Artist

Written by:Gretchen Sims

Throughout the 2022–23 school year, Western’s art galleries have chosen to honor Western’s senior Art and Design majors by hosting a rotating gallery space in the Werner University Center. 

November’s featured artist is senior Art and Design major, Maura Miller. Miller’s work is influenced by comic culture and pop surrealism as well as Catholic imagery. Miller’s uses several mediums, which typically results in a final product including both digital and traditional media.

Miller is very passionate about art and wants to leave a trail of color in her wake, stating that if she could control how the world operates, every building would be coated in a slew of colors. 

“Though it might be cliche to say, I think that there should be more art in the world because it makes life more intense. A sidewalk is no longer just a sidewalk when it has color, a house is more than just an object when it’s painted with imagery. Art makes us see the world around us in an enhanced way. It allows us to give a second thought to things we might not usually notice.” said Miller.

She continued, “When the redundancy of life gets to be too much, art is there to make us ask questions. It is the most viral form of communication, something that extends past dialect, discomfort and culture. In this way, it amplifies life by creating an understanding between dissimilar people. Through my work, I hope to be able to convey something deeply emotional about myself in a way that others with differing experiences can understand.” 

Miller hopes that her art will bring more color to a dull world and create a deeper understanding between individuals. 

“… my biggest priority through creation is to ensure that my work is impacting my community in a positive way.” 

Miller’s collection — entitled “Hybridization” — includes “Bat,” “Water Serpent,” “CorneaCopia” and “Sacrilege.” Miller’s pieces convey extreme emotions and act as inspiration for many budding artists.

The exhibition is located on the top floor of the WUC on the right of the main entrance past the Wolfstore. 

Contact the artist at howlentertainment@wou.edu



DC: Mr. Steal Ur Gurl

Written by Gretchen Sims

Oct. 20 will go down in history as the day “Black Adam” took audiences across the nation by storm. This latest DC movie blew every fourth-generation Marvel project out of the water. 

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars alongside a star-studded cast in the latest installation of the Shazam universe. 

Popular characters from DC comics are pitted against Johnson as he fights to recognize the hero inside. Released from a prison of his own making, this weapon of mass destruction has a second chance to prove to himself that he is worthy of his power. 

This movie was different from most superhero films — Black Adam is not your typical hero. He does not spare his enemies and promotes violence, yet he will still do whatever it takes to protect his family. 

One of the most impressive parts of this film was the cinematography and visuals throughout the movie. The vibrant colors and crispness of every scene were unparalleled. However, some of the CGI was unimpressive and some lengths of clips were questionable. 

This movie started off slow, and the plot seemed rushed and uninteresting for the first hour. Still, just when the movie seemed like it was going nowhere, the plot arch redeemed itself — making “Black Adam” one of the best superhero movies to be released since the end of the Marvel CinamaticUniverse. 

This movie touched on popular contemporary issues while tying these issues back to systemic abuse of the past. This movie’s storyline of oppression will be familiar to audiences, while giving hope for the future. “Black Adam” pursues the trope that common people are the true heroes — from which real change begins.

Overall, this movie did not deserve the low rating it received on Rotten Tomatoes. The loveable characters and quick-witted humor vastly overshadowed the clumsy CGI and roller coaster of a plotline. “Black Adam” is the beginning of a bright future for the DC Shazam universe. 

Marvel better watch out. 

8/10.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

iCarly returns for season two

Paramount+ iCarly’s season two continues to look at life from the lens of adulthood, as well as welcomes back familiar faces

Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer

 

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

This article contains minor spoilers for season two of iCarly.

The reboot of the beloved Nickelodeon children’s series, iCarly, has returned for a second season with a release of three new episodes. Available for streaming on Paramount+ on April 8, iCarly’s new season will pick up right where season one left off, with Carly trying to adjust to adulthood while also working to gain traction for her revived web channel. While the first season was a hit amongst many fans of the early show, some were left with the question of whether season two will be just as notable. Here is this Staff Writer’s thoughts on the three recent episodes of the iCarly revival.

 

Episode 1: “iGuess Everyone Just Hates Me Now,” tackles the topic of “cancel culture” and the struggles female influencers and creators often encounter juggling their love life and careers. Viewers also get to see some of the old “Creddie” action present in the first series of iCarly in this episode, as Carly tries — and fails — to make viewers like her again. Thanks to the topic and message this episode covers, it easily became my favorite episode from the season so far, with seven more to go.

 

Episode 2: In “iObject Lewbert,” the iCarly gang’s escapades as children come back to bite them in the form of archnemesis and doorman Lewbert. Not going to lie, as someone who grew up watching the original iCarly show, it felt refreshing to see the iCarly cast finally face the consequences of their actions. This episode also features my favorite line of the entire season so far: “What kind of millennial hell is this?” I’m using that from now on.

 

Episode 3: “i’M Wild and Crazy” has Carly attempting to keep up with the adventures of her eccentric  best friend, Harper, in order to be less “boring.” I’m not saying I relate to Carly, but I relate to Carly. How many of us have tried to step out of our comfort zone in order to prove someone else wrong? While this episode wasn’t my favorite from the current bunch, it was entertaining and relatable.

 

The new season will also feature Paul, played by Josh Peck, as Carly’s manager for the iCarly web series. It will also allegedly reintroduce the beloved character of T-Bo, the quirky Groovy Smoothie manager in future episodes, according to teasers from Miranda Cosgrove. iCarly season two has a total of 10 episodes, with new episodes premiering weekly on Fridays. Don’t miss out. So far, it’s an 8/10.

The best Earth Day films

A list of movies and documentaries to celebrate Earth Day

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Documentaries about saving the earth:

  • “Kiss the Ground” — Scientists, farmers, and politicians are joined by celebrity activists in an effort to save the Earth’s vital topsoil, narrated by Woody Harrelson. 
  • “Ice on Fire” — Explores how to prevent extinction level events by reducing and reversing our carbon footprint, narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. 
  • “Mission Blue” — Follows the journey of Dr. Sylvia Earle, a marine biologist, oceanographer and environmentalist, as she works to create marine sanctuaries. 
  • “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet” — Attenborough outlines what he’s observed of humanity’s impact on the planet throughout his prolific career, and details solutions to these problems. 
  • “Chasing Coral” — Scientists and divers embark on a journey to discover why the coral reefs are dying. 

Documentaries about the small wonders of the world: 

  • “Dancing with the Birds” — Birds of paradise show off their most impressive courtship moves in a colorful display of feathers. 
  • “Fantastic Fungi” — A visually stunning take on how fungi can heal and sustain life on Earth, narrated by Brie Larson. 
  • “My Octopus Teacher” — Follows the unique bond between diver Craig Foster and a curious young octopus over months of visits to her den. 
  • “Life in Color with David Attenborough” — A three-part series showing the captivating colors animals use to survive and thrive. 
  • “Animal” (2022) — A docuseries following the creatures of the Earth in their natural habitats, narrated by celebrity guests like Pedro Pascal and Rebel Wilson.   

Movies about the apocalypse:

  • “2012” — During a series of catastrophic natural disasters, a man and his family flee to the safety of a secret government fleet of arks meant to save the elite.
  • “The Day After Tomorrow” — A climatologist tries to find his son and his friend as a global superstorm overtakes the world. 

Movies about living after the apocalypse:

  • “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (2008) — An alien and his robot counterpart are sent to Earth to decide if humanity is worthy of living on the planet. 
  • “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) — In a world where water and gasoline are scarce, a warrior liberates the fives wives of a tyrannical warlord and teams up with another former captive to bring them to freedom. 
  • “Snowpiercer” (2013) — During a man-made ice age, the last remnants of humanity live on a train organized by social class, where the richest live in luxury and the poorest in squalor under armed guard. 
  • “Io” — The Earth’s atmosphere is toxic, and most people now live in a space station near one of the moons of Jupiter, but a scientist who stayed behind hopes to cleanse the air and make Earth livable again. 

Movies about corporate greed, evil intentions and the earth:

  • “Avatar” (2009) — On an alien moon, a marine tasked with infiltrating the indeginous population to uncover their mineable resources must question whether he is fighting on the right side.  
  • “Okja” — A young girl must embark on a mission to save her genetically engineered super pig best friend, who was repossessed by the company that created her to boost the food industry. 
  • “Kingsman: The Secret Service” —  A new recruit to a secret spy organization must stop a billionaire from launching his plot to end climate change by killing everyone on the planet he deems unworthy.  

Animated movies about saving the planet: 

  • “Wall-E” — A lonely waste allocation robot living alone on Earth falls in love with a probe sent by humans living in space, who leads him to the adventure of a lifetime. 
  • “The Lorax” — After happening upon a stranger while searching for a sapling, the object of his crush’s desires, a boy listens to his tale of greed that destroyed nature. 
  • “FernGully: The Last Rainforest” — When human deforestation and those who thrive on it threaten a fairy’s homeland, she and her human friend must work together to stop them.