“The Bright Lands” is the horror of small-town America

I will be the first to admit that I am not much of a reader. It is not that I do not like to read — my ideal day is being curled up with a good book. The problem is I never have time to sit down and truly give a book my full attention. So, it should be a clear indication of its quality that “The Bright Lands” was not only a book that kept my attention throughout, but one that I finished in just a few days: I simply could not put it down.

You can do better than Hallmark this Christmas

  Everyone has their own ways of getting in the Christmas spirit, but like many others, I find my comfort in the familiar classics of the silver screen. From the first two “Home Alone” movies to the antics of the Griswold Family in “Christmas Vacation,” I’m always willing to overlook some of the weaker parts of movies like these because they just fill me with that warm holiday feeling. With that being said, when a Christmas movie is bad, it can ruin my spirit immensely – especially if I’m the only one who seems to feel this way. I’m, of course, referring to the endless mountain of garbage that is Hallmark Christmas Movies. 

Stop resurrecting the dead for your movies

I recently checked out “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Even though the studio spent months and months reassuring us that Chadwick Boseman would not be brought back in CG form, I still went into the movies hesitant seeing how Hollywood seemingly cannot get enough of this practice. Taking either a recently deceased or long-since dead actor or actress and bringing them back to life through visual effects is, frankly, disgusting. 

‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ does everything right

There is nothing funnier than a comedy of errors, and there are plenty of errors to be found in the recent production of “The Play That Goes Wrong.” Let it be known that when it comes to this show, I mean that in the best way possible. 

Democrats clinch huge win in Pennsylvania, gaining Senate majority

Democrats were handed a massive victory in the battleground state of Pennsylvania as Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman found victory in their respective races for governor and senator in Tuesday’s midterm elections.

‘The Nutcracker’ brings Christmas magic to Luhrs

I may not be someone who likes to celebrate the Christmas festivities this early in November, but I could not resist the opportunity to see “The Nutcracker” performed live on the stage of Luhrs Performing Arts Center (LPAC) by The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine. After all, it is a yearly tradition at LPAC for a reason. 

‘Wakanda Forever’ is an emotional tribute to Chadwick Boseman

When we thought 2020 could not get any worse, August of that year brought us the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman at the age of 43 following a secret battle with colon cancer. With his passing he left behind a legacy of bringing iconic Black characters and historical figures like Thurgood Marshall and Jackie Robinson to the big screen. Boseman’s most iconic role was as King T’Challa, aka the Black Panther, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, now that they have lost their king, who will protect Wakanda now?

The unspoken scum of toxic fandoms on Youtube

 You know what’s the hardest part about being part of a fandom? Having to accept that there’s a strong chance your fandom is toxic. Speaking for myself, I consider myself a pretty big fan of Marvel, DC, Star Wars and other popular franchises. However, it feels with each passing day I have to conceal said love more and more. 

“Black Adam” is the DC Universe at “Rock” bottom

It is difficult to put into words the feeling of being a DC fan nowadays. While the company has always been behind Marvel in regard to its cinematic universe, the company in recent years seemed like it had finally found its stride. With films like “The Batman” and “The Suicide Squad,” it appeared that DC had finally learned its lesson and were letting directors make the movies they wanted to make with little interference from the studio. 

Beware of the Dahmers: The dos and donts of Halloween 2022

  I must begin this piece with a glimmer of hope that this Halloween will be different from the past two years I have spent on this campus. While I understand that my first and second year at Shippensburg University were under the shadow of Covid-19, I still wish that the Halloween spirit was at least somewhat present. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The campus was sorely lacking costumes, and in general, it simply didn’t feel like Halloween came on October 31. Obviously, as a 20-year-old, trick-or-treating is far behind me, but dressing up for Halloween, I feel, is still an essential aspect of the holiday, and it’s the element of the day that makes it so much fun. Now that the pandemic is mostly behind us and the university is more populated than two years ago, now is the time for the hallways of our university to be filled with some unique costumes.

‘Halloween Ends’ is about as fun as a rotting pumpkin

The “Halloween” franchise, in its nearly 45-year lifespan, has definitely seen its ups and downs. The original 1978 film by John Carpenter is a masterpiece, and some of the sequels have been quite entertaining. However, other installments have included Busta Rhymes, a part of the Cult of Thorn, and two gritty remakes by Rob Zombie. When the franchise rebooted in 2018, it was promising to be a trilogy that would end the series properly. Now comes “Halloween Ends,” which looks to be the final battle between Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers.

Are there too many Jokers?

Nore Davis brings the laughs to APB’s Comedy Night

Shippensburg University has seen many comedians entertain students throughout the years. 2021’s ShipFest brought Karlous Miller and Darren Brand of “MTV’s Wild N’ Out” to campus. Years prior the campus has seen Dave Chapelle and “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” alumnus Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, just to name a few. Now another comedian has made his debut on campus just in time for homecoming.

‘Hocus Pocus 2’ is mediocrity run amok, amok, amok

1993’s “Hocus Pocus” may not have garnered the warmest critical reviews when originally released, nor was it a darling at the box-office. However, thanks to years of reruns on television and DVD sales, the film has grown beyond a cult following and become an essential part of the Halloween season. Despite this rise in popularity over the years, a sequel always seemed to be mere whisperings and rumors amongst fans. Even with the three leads — Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy — showing plenty of interest in returning to their roles, the film never seemed to get off the ground. That was until 2022, nearly 30 years after the original. The Sanderson Sisters are back to run amok in Salem in “Hocus Pocus 2.”

Biopics: Loving tributes or exploitations of the dead?

When you look back at the past few Oscar seasons, what trends do you see? The actors and actresses that normally lead the award season stretches are those playing real-life figures. Biopics are films centered around historic and public figures and they’re all the rage nowadays. Every major studio wants to get their hands on one. Really think about how many have been released just in the past few years. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Rocketman,” “RESPECT,” “Straight Outta Compton” and “Elvis’ are some of the biggest biopics— and that only covers musicians. Politicians, royalty, athletes, serial killers; if you had some kind of presence in history, chances are a studio will want your film rights. However, one of the newest biopics, “Blonde”, starring Ana De Armas as Marilyn Monroe, has left me pondering the question: Where do we draw the line?

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ to end historic Broadway run in 2023

Andrew Lloyd Webber is no stranger to Broadway theaters, and his musicals have been mainstays in the theater world for decades. However, Webber’s longest and easily most successful Broadway endeavor is coming to an end in a move that has left the theatre world shocked. “The Phantom of the Opera”, after 35 years of entertaining audiences, will be dropping the chandelier one last time in 2023.

Skip Intro: Opening credits and what makes them good

  What is it that makes binge-watching so magical? Is it the feeling of excitement of watching a series for the first time and needing to know what happens next? Or is it, perhaps, that feeling of comfort watching ten seasons of a series you’ve seen a million times before? Never before have audiences been given such access to the shows they love. Streaming services provide a haven for the biggest series in the world, but also the most obscure of cult classics. However, it’s quite noticeable that when watching a show on any streaming service, they’ll often give you the option to skip the intro. But why would you? And should you?

The inaccessibility of Broadway hurts everyone

When COVID-19 shut down the whole of the world, many fans of musical theatre found themselves living with uncertainty: the uncertainty that Broadway may never return, or even live theater in general. Thankfully, though the intermission was long, Broadway did return. Musicals whose openings were long overdue finally got to see the light of day, and beloved favorites got to start right where things left off. Unfortunately, one thing that also returned with Broadway is how financially inaccessible it is. However, this is a problem with live theatre that has always been present. The pandemic has only magnified this issue.

Review: “Stranger Things 4” concludes with an epic, extended finale

I may have had my issues with the first seven episodes of “Stranger Things” Season 4, but there is no denying that the excitement for the final two episodes was unreal. Episode 7 left viewers with some massive revelations, but equally massive cliffhangers.

Dr. Manuel Ruiz appointed as Assistant VP for Inclusion and Belonging