May 3rd, 2023
A Childhood Classic Reinvented
This week for the movie section, we bring you a childhood classic movies that reinvented a popular story.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was created by Dreamworks, and the film actually ended up bringing in way more earnings than they’d originally expected seeing as this film was released at the same time as the new Avatar. This film was simply breathtaking and an easy movie to stay hooked on the whole time. If the animation and details didn’t keep you intrigued, then the snippets of adult humor and scenes with underlying serious tones that they sneaked in sure will. I personally love that they tried to add some details that adults would catch on to, so the movie is fun for all ages (well, maybe those 13 and up since it has some PG-13 themes). Not only that, but the movie has very good lessons for kids, including friendship, loyalty, valuing loved ones, and not being greedy. My personal favorite part of the film, though, is the depiction of anxiety. As someone with severe anxiety, I found that the attention to detail that the filmmakers gave Puss during his brief episodes made my friends and me honestly tear up. The anxiety-attack scene with Puss was the best representation I have seen so far, especially in a kid’s movie. The new character introduced with his own heartbreaking story, Parrito, also helps Puss to calm down and teaches him and Kitty, Puss’s ex-lover, to stop and smell the roses, literally. I strongly recommended that everyone go see this movie, no matter their age. I give this movie a solid 9/10 simply because I cried, and I never cry at movies. This film is unexpectedly deep for being a kids’ movie, and I feel everyone should go give this film a watch of their own.—Jasmine Puls, Movies Editor
Mother Earth’s Plantasia, subtitled “warm earth music for plants and the people who love them,” is exactly such. Composed by synthesizer pioneer Mort Garson, the album uses an early synth called a Moog. The Moog, as pictured below, was the first commercial synth, which differs from modern synths in the fact that it’s a giant room-sized cabinet. Mort got his pretty early on from the instrument’s inventor (whose last name really was Moog), and he quickly fell in love with its sound. He translated what he knew from classical arranging and conducting to the crazy new tech, which Plantasia showcases in full effect. The album has such a brilliant and bright sound, which has an almost protective aura to it. Its highs are very high, and it never breaks its feeling of sanguine freedom. There’s something about the nature aesthetic partnered with the bright, “bloopy” sounds of the synth that plants a big smile on my face every time. If you ever find your own houseplants being particularly sad, maybe throw this record on for them. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like it, too.
Kraftwerk is a German electronic and synth-pop band that was created in 1970 and is recognized as one of the groups that laid the groundwork for electronic music. The band is still actively touring 50 years later, including one of the founding members (now in his 70s) who continues to share fundamentally important music. The Man-Machine (1978) only contains six songs, creating a 36-minute album, but has been one of Kraftwerk’s most popular works. This band is known for their robot-like performances as well as the formal attire (suits and ties) worn during their shows that contribute to their rigid aesthetic, which matches their eccentric sound. My favorite song from this album is “The Model” because it has a catchy beat in addition to the refreshing composition that completes the glimmering album.
Do you enjoy a little bit of role-play, imagination, and romance? Fog of Love covers all three as a shared-narrative game. Between you and the other player, you will create and play two vivid characters who meet, fall in love, and traverse through the perils of making a relationship work.
You know what they say about any activity; it’s always better with a friend. In this case, you need a friend if you want to find A Way Out. In this cooperative video game, you and your friend play the role of two convicts who rely on one another to survive and escape prison. You’ve come to learn more about the characters you play, finding out how their stories intertwine with each other. You embark on a journey across the country, uncovering more about their past and finding a Way Out.
Heave Ho is a multiplayer game published by Devolver Digital. In this game, you and one to three other people play as a creature with only two arms whose goal is to get to the other side of the trench and not fall to your death. You control each hand individually as you grab onto different platforms, dragging yourself across the screen. It is best played with the maximum of four players as the more people working together, the easier it is to navigate. As you continue to play, the levels get more difficult, and each level has a unique style. There are coins to collect that allow you to unlock new costumes for your character and mini games within the game! Sometimes the game can get pretty frustrating, as it can be hard to navigate, but the game has you covered: once you spend enough time on a level, it starts to assist you in getting to the finish line. If teamwork isn’t your thing, then fret not, as there is a competitive mode! In this mode, you race your friends to the finish line, but the catch is that the platform at the end is made of ice, meaning if you’re not careful, your character will go flying off. I absolutely love this game, as I never know how things will end up depending on who I play with. When I play with my siblings, there’s a lot of arguing, yelling, and laughing, but with my friends, there’s a lot of laughing and crying tears of joy. Check out the game if you need something to spice up your get-togethers.
Monster Factory is a series created by the prodigious brothers McElroy (Griffin and Justin, to be precise) in which the two sit down to create the most monstrous character they can using the character creation tools a video game gives them. Between the Frankensteinian creations and the brothers’ childish giggling, it’s impossible not to have a good time. My personal favorite monster? Jaa’m, the sequel to dogs.
Have two hours to kill and want to learn about something completely inconsequential, but nonetheless entertaining? Hate Andrew Lloyd Weber and want to feel vindicated? You’ve come to the right place! Video essayist Ashley Norton thoroughly roasts Weber’s flop of a musical Bad Cinderella, first providing viewers with a rundown of the show’s rocky past and then reenacting the production with lovingly crafted puppets. Whether you love musical theater or detest it, there is something here for everyone.
Do you enjoy bizarre fanfiction? Jenny Nicholson does! If you have a half an hour to kill, join Nicholson as she browses Wattpad for works about the boy band that took the 2010s by storm … and discovers just how many stories there are about what sorts of activities Harry Styles gets up to during the Purge. As a lifelong geek, Nicholson’s earnest commentary is always a delight, even if the stories she’s reading sometimes aren’t.
This is the podcast that took Tumblr (and 17-year old me) by storm. Join the dulcet-toned Cecil Palmer as he regales the desert city of Night Vale with its weekly news, interviews with the locals, and crushes on the new scientist in town, Carlos. Of particular note is fan-favorite segment “The Weather,” which features a song submitted by a different indie artist each episode. With a colorful cast ranging from Hiram McDaniels, the five-headed dragon, to Kevin, the radio host of sister city Desert Bluffs, to an ever-rotating cast of interns, there’s a character to relate to—or not—for everybody. Also, if you’re a fan of live shows, Welcome to Night Vale frequently tours, always with a stage-exclusive story and surprise guests. Its next stop? This Sunday in Madison. Anyone have $27 and a half-tank of gas they’re not using?
Written and performed by Jonathan Sims, The Magnus Archives is a fictional anthology series told through the lens of the new head archivist at the Magnus Institute, an organization that deals in the bizarre, the unnatural, and the frightening. As the podcast progresses, seemingly disconnected threads begin to connect into an overarching mystery that will keep you huddled under the covers into the early hours of the morning to reach its conclusion.
aranormal investigators and full-time weird specialists Greg and Dana Newkirk host this enormously fun podcast along with researcher Connor J. Randall. In addition to paranormal investigating and podcast hosting, the Newkirks run a traveling museum of the paranormal, which is the basis and inspiration for their podcast. Every two weeks, the Newkirks and Randall pick an item out of their vast collection of haunted objects and detail its place in the paranormal cannon, the story of the item, and its historical significance. The items that have warranted episodes so far have ranged from scrying mirrors to a plank from the Amityville house to a haunted clown doll and even historical merch from the 1980s sponsored hunt for the Mokele-Mbembe. Every episode is a chance to learn about cool paranormal history delivered in a fun and engaging conversation between these specialists. If you’re a fan of anything spooky, historical, or even just love a well-researched podcast, check it out!
Hannah Bellinger has gone her entire life as the “side character”. When it comes to both her work and relationships, she’s in the supporting cast. She helps her sister on her journey to find love, and she is always a shoulder to cry on for friends. She is even a production assistant, literally getting coffee for the leading actors in the films she works on. However, when she develops a close friendship with the handsome and carefree Fox Thorton while visiting her sister in the small fishing village of Westport, WA, things get complicated. Quickly. She realizes she is starting to have quite the crush on Fox and doesn’t really know what to do about it. Who would go for a supporting actress? To top it off, the filming crew she’s working on is moving the production from L.A. to Westport, and Hannah ends up having to crash at Fox’s place for a week. Will their friendship last the week intact or will they both make some mistakes? Will Hannah finally step into a leading lady role in her life?
Do you love the Bristol Renaissance Faire? Think it’d be oh-so-romantic to meet a significant other while wearing chain mail or a court jester costume? If you answered with a resounding, “Aye, m’lady!” I have a stupidly fun story for you. In Well Met, big-city girl Emily returns to her small hometown of Willow Creek, Maryland, to help her sister recover after an accident. She’s counting the days until her sister is back on her feet so she can get out of Hicksville, but then her niece ropes her into working at the local Renaissance faire. (And yes, “faire” always ends with an E in that context. Why? I have no idea. It just does.) She’s assigned to work as “Emma the tavern wench” at the drinks station, wearing a costume cut down to South America and watching the lucky women dressed as fairies or queens flit about the grounds while she’s hefting ale crates and slogging grog across the bar at unruly Vikings and elves. To top it all off, there’s Simon, a know-it-all English teacher in charge of the tavern, whom one Goodreads reviewer described as a “strict, pretentious d**chebag.” Needless to say, this is an enemies-to-lovers romance. 
Usually, one might assume that watching a sport would be more interesting than listening to people talk about one, but this podcast might surprise you. Go! My Favorite Sports Team is hosted by Mark Fischbach and Tyler Scheid. Mark is a YouTube influencer who also goes by the alias Markiplier while Tyler, who is a close friend of his, has a master’s degree in sports administration. In this podcast, Tyler explains and discusses different types and aspects of sports to Mark, who is someone who practically knows nothing about them. Not only is this show educational, but it is also absolutely hilarious as Mark tries to understand and interpret the information that is given to him. The two have great chemistry with each other and make something boring such as sports rules and technicalities into something funny and engaging. The podcast can be crude at times, which might cause some to turn away, but for me, it doesn’t ruin my enjoyment of the show. As someone who isn’t very interested in sports, I find it very enjoyable with the added bonus of actually learning about sports. It’s a show that has something for everyone.
Do you love psychological horror? Are you looking for a movie full of twists and turns? Well, look no further: Midsommar is perfect for you! The film follows a woman, Dani, whose sister commits suicide and kills their parents at the same time, which leaves Dani to grieve the loss of her entire family, while dealing with a very “interesting” relationship with her (in my opinion) terrible boyfriend. The boyfriend, Christian, invites Dani as a mean joke to his friend’s small compound community in Sweden to write his senior thesis. While at the compound, strange things keep happening with the other people there as they begin to celebrate Midsommar, the traditional festival the compound holds. What begins as a “retreat” ends as a cult basically brainwashing and using rituals to force newcomers to stay or die, depending on their choices. This movie is 100% worth the watch as long as you can keep up with the storyline and don’t mind gore or some disturbing scenes. I give this film a 8.5/10 and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good psychological horror movie, especially those who are fascinated by cult life.