ENTERTAINMENT
Moana 2 Hits the Box Office
Romie Golubev
Many fans of the Disney film Moana have been eagerly awaiting the next chapter of the story. The wait is finally over as Disney released Moana 2: The Adventure Continues on November 27, 2024. Moana follows Moana Waialiki, a young Polynesian girl who sets out on a voyage to save her island from a curse. During her journey, guided by the ocean, she befriends a demigod, Maui, and together they journey to restore the heart of Te Fiti to break the curse. One exciting feature of Moana 2 is the return of the original cast. Actress Auli’i Cravalho will reprise her role as Moana bringing back her recognizable voice. Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson will also be returning as Maui who is anticipated to add his humorous touch to the movie once again. The Deadline has mentioned that there may be some new characters alongside Moana and Maui traveling across the ocean to help them take on a mission from their ancestors. According to Cinema Blend, Dana Ledoux Miller, co-writer and co-director of Moana 2, wanted to build onto the story before reliving it as a live action movie in the future. “We loved being immersed in Moana's first story because we felt so passionately that Moana 2 should be about building on the first film, not trying to replace anything that happened before that [...] So I felt like I knew exactly who Moana was in that first film, and it really helped us build on that,” Miller said. The filmmakers have added more information on Polynesian culture and mythology, introducing fans to new legends and landscapes. These elements have enhanced the story and emphasized the connections between the Polynesian people and their ocean, land, and spirits. With its captivating storyline, memorable characters, and standout music, Moana 2 has officially hit theaters and is already proving to be a massive success. Both critics and fans are praising the film for its rich animation, compelling narrative, and powerful performances. As Moana 2 continues to capture the audience's attention, it proves that the franchise is here to stay as a beloved part of cinema.
"A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter"
Megan Beebe
After much anticipation, the trailer for Sabrina Carpenter’s “A Nonsense Christmas” was released on Nov. 18, just before Carpenter’s final concert of the North American leg of her “Short n’ Sweet” tour. This trailer revealed various outfits Carpenter will be wearing and numerous guests who will appear in the special. The list of musical guests includes Chappell Roan, Tyla, Shania Twain, and Kali Uchis. Along with the musical guests, special guests will be featured in skits, including Nico Hiraga, Quinta Brunson, Cara Delevingne, Kyle Mooney, Megan Stalter, Sean Astin, Owen Thiele, and Jillian Bell.
Arcane season 2: the darker, intense and final chapter
Nex Ganesan
Get ready to dive back into the streets of Zaun and Piltover because Arcane: season two is on its way. Fans of the League of Legends adaptation can brace themselves for more emotional intensity, explosive action, and stunning animation in the final season arriving this November 9th. For those unfamiliar, League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed by Riot Games in 2009. Inspired by the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III, Riot’s founders sought to create a standalone game to redefine the genre. Arcane beautifully expands on this rich universe, bringing its characters and stories to life.
Starting Five: Bigger than Basketball
Sabina Pedido
Five of the NBA's biggest stars leave it all on the court as they invite viewers behind the scenes of their life in Netflix’s new docuseries: Starting Five. Starring LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings, Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, the show provides an in-depth look as they balance family commitment, adversity, and their shared ambition to win the NBA Championship during the 2023-2024 season.
Good Omens Season 2
Nex Ganesan
Many fans of the Amazon Prime sitcom Good Omens look forward to the premier of season 2, set to release this summer. The plot of the series is based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel Good Omens, which follows the plot of Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and Crowley (David Tennant), an angel and a demon who have formed a bond that transcends their respective sides in the war between Heaven and Hell over the course of 6,000 years. The story delves into the journey of the two being accustomed to both life on Earth and life with one another, both of which they do not want to lose. To avoid this, Crowley and Aziraphale devise a strategy to prevent Armageddon and the arrival of the Antichrist, which culminates in the last fight between Heaven and Hell. The first season of the show premiered on May 31 2019, and it was a huge success, especially among Neil Gaiman fans. The date for the long-awaited sequel was announced on May 10 2023.
Fast Fashion and Big Name Brands
Jason Vale Cruz
Within the last ten years big-name fashion brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Balenciaga have been experiencing an abundance of criticism due to their unethical practices. They have perpetuated the problem of low wages, by purposefully lowering the cost of labor far below what it should be, thus causing poverty, and capitalizing on consumer unawareness.
Winnie the Pooh: Children’s Idol or Children’s Nightmare?
Sarah Strauss
The trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey was first released on Aug 31, 2022 and the movie was released Feb 15. The film follows the classic characters from the book and Disney film, namely Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh, and Piglet as they embark on yet another journey. This journey, however, is not like any other they have faced before.
Olsen Selected as Student Speaker for State of California High School Performing Arts
Addyson Dempsey
As of Jan. 15, 2023, senior Bradly Olsen has been selected by the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) to represent the Performing Arts students of California at the state capital in March. Olsen was awarded this role while in attendance at the annual CETA festival with Theatre at the Mount. “I was chosen to be the Stand-up for Students Speaker, which is the standard for Arts Education on March 22. And it’s at the Capitol and a bunch of representatives from different arts backgrounds come and speak about how you should keep supporting theater, music, or visual arts,” Olsen said.
Upcoming 2023 Tours and Festivals
Sabina Pedido
One of the benefits of living in San Diego past its sandy shores is its large population, drawing in artists to tour its many stages. As spring and summer approaches, San Diego promises an eventful year of tours and festivals. This summer
Momentous Year for the Grammys
Addyson Dempsey
After an eventful full year of music across all genres, the 65th Annual Grammy Awards were held to celebrate the excellence of artists in 2022. The event was held on Sunday, Feb. fifth at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles, by host Trevor Noah. Historic events, such as a record-breaking number of Grammys awarded to a single person, and the first transgender women to receive a Grammy, took place at this year’s Grammys. There were over 91 awards given and special performances from Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Steve Lacy, Lizzo, Kim Petras and Sam Smith, DJ Khaled, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Chris Stapleton, Mary J. Blige, and Luke Combs.
The Current State of Anime
Thomas Bell
With the explosion of anime’s popularity, the market for Japanese animation is ever-expanding. Subsequently, anime as an art form has become more accepted. The new trend is likely due to audiences’ increasing appetite for entertainment that is unique and expressive. Animation studios in Japan
Hogwarts Legacy, Not Without its Conflicts and Controversies
Eddy Leaf
Scheduled for release in early 2023, Hogwarts Legacy is an upcoming role-playing video game based on the Harry Potter franchise. Reception of the game has split completely, as members of the fandom tend to either anticipate it greatly or despise it. In the game, goblins are the opposition of the protagonist and aim to revolt against the wizarding world. The choice of goblins as the main antagonists in the game has been controversial since a Dec. 2021 episode of “The Problem with Jon Stewart” brought it to light. This prompted large numbers of people to see and connect the design of goblins in the Harry Potter universe to classic anti-Semitic tropes, such as having long, protruding noses and being heavily involved with the bank.
Mac Miller’s Alter Egos
Hailey Rickel
Mac Miller, a beloved musician, has recently died. Even 5 years after his death, a new alter ego of his, Larry Lovestein, has been discovered. Many are unaware of Miller’s many different music projects throughout his life in which he undergoes a different name. His music has affected many with his powerful words. He was an open book through his music, and often talked about mental health and his own journey through his lyrics. Miller died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, alcohol, and cocaine on September 8th, 2018.