Emily Allgair, Editor

In case you didn’t know, the Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts an annual gala in tandem with the unveiling of their new Costume Institute exhibition – and this year, that exhibition is titled “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The annual Gala is a charity event and fundraiser for the museum’s Costume Institute. But what does that mean? Who are the hosts? When is it? How can I watch? All valid questions, so here are the answers:

What is the 2024 Met Gala theme?

This year’s exhibit will feature around 250 rare costume items that are taken from the Costume Institute’s permanent collection that holds pieces from over 400 years of fashion history. “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” is said to “offer a deeper appreciation of the integrity, beauty, and artistic brilliance of the works on display,” as each piece will be displayed in a new way. Because some of the garments are too fragile to be worn, they will be displayed by video animation, AI and light projection. One of these pieces includes a ball gown made by Charles Frederick Worth in 1877.

What is the dress code?

The dress code for this year’s Gala is “The Garden of Time.” It is inspired by J.G. Ballard’s 1962 short story with the same title. Although it sounds Disney-like, this theme is more of a catalyst to spark conversations surrounding the fragility of clothing, nature and life. This means that you can look forward to “gothic florals and trailing foliage with a historical edge.”

Who is hosting this year’s Met Gala?

This year’s hosts are Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Lopez and Zendaya. Fans of the Met Gala are both excited and surprised by these choices, creating lots of anticipation for the roles of this year’s hosts. 

What happens during the Met Gala?

This is a great question, probably because we are all wondering. Guests must follow the no-phone, no-social media policy of the Gala. This means that the only way to see inside is through exclusive photos (the ones from 2023 can be seen here). Usually, some sort of high-profile performance takes place and the guests are able to explore the exhibition before sitting down for dinner. 

Who attends the Met Gala?

This is a secret until the night before the Gala. Usually, however, you can expect to see some of the biggest names in entertainment, like Beyonce and Rihanna, and fashion, like Marc Jacobs and Nicolas Ghesquiere.

When is the 2024 Met Gala?

The Met Gala is always held on the first Monday of May, which makes this year’s event take place on May 6. It takes place in New York City at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

How can I watch the 2024 Met Gala?

In previous years, the Met Gala has been live streamed by Vogue, on their website and their social media platforms. As for right now, we have to stay tuned for how to watch this year’s event, but we can assume it will be similar to last year.

Steven Hoang, Staff

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. As of right now, you are probably thinking about things like what to give your significant other, writing a fan-fic about your crush to feed your inner delusions or thinking about a rom-com to snuggle up to. With that being said, if you are in the third category, here is a list of a few rom-coms to watch. Be prepared to grab a snack and a drink because you might add some of these films to your watch list. 

The Proposal (2009)

Book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is at risk of deportation back to Canada. For protection, she fakes an engagement to her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). Andrew agrees to go along with the plan, but has Margaret go along with him to visit his unconventional family in Alaska. Throughout the movie, their facade slowly turns to reality. The intentionally awkward comedy feels very authentic and not forced, which I appreciated, and the chemistry between Bullock and Reynold helps to enhance the overall experience.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

What makes this movie stand out from the pack is its strong musical element. If you’re an ABBA fan, then get ready for a jam fest. The film focuses on Sophie, (Amanda Seyfried) a bride-to-be who secretly invites three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård) from her mother’s (Meryl Streep) past in hopes of meeting her biological father. The movie in itself is quite vibrant and the Greek setting helps to convey that. To me, it brings in a summer-like element to help cope with the chilly temperatures that are going on right now. 

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) 

Taking place within a high school setting and based on William Shakespeare’s comedy “The Taming of the Shrew,” it centers around Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a new student, who is infatuated with a girl named Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). Cameron’s father has a very strict rule on dating in which Bianca can start dating once her antisocial sister, Kat (Julia Stiles), gets a boyfriend. Attempts are then made to set up Kat with a “bad boy” named Patrick (Heath Ledger). Overall, the movie does a great job of doing a modern take on Shakespeare’s comedy and has a great combination of comedy and emotional storytelling. 

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) 

This film focuses on a guy named Andy (Steve Carrell), a virgin who works at an electronics store. His co-workers (Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogen) are determined to help him lose his virginity. However, Andy struggles with awkwardness when dealing with female customers. At some point, he comes across a local shop owner named Trish (Catherine Keener) and a romance slowly begins to blossom. The film is a lot more on the raunchy and vulgar side compared to the other rom-coms on this list, but nonetheless it is enjoyable underneath all of that. 

Amélie (2001)

Nominated for five Academy Awards, this French rom-com focuses on an introverted and shy waitress (Audrey Tatou) who hopes to better the lives of those around her, while trying to deal with her own respective isolation. The thought of love is not her primary goal, however, this changes when she meets a man named Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz). Though this movie wouldn’t necessarily fit within the traditional rom-com genre, it does have some qualities that are reminiscent of it. Overall, the film is very wholesome and whimsical. The music is also really enjoyable. I highly recommend this film. To me, it is one of the hidden gems of rom-coms.

Emily Allgair, Editor

On Sunday, Feb. 4, Taylor Swift walked home from the Grammy Awards with more than the two trophies she had won that night – she walked home breaking Grammy’s history. 

This Grammy’s cycle, Swift was nominated for six awards, including Album, Pop Vocal Album, Song, Record, Pop Duo/Group Performance and Pop Solo Performance of the Year. When the night concluded, she left with two new trophies to add to her collection, winning Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year for her latest new material, “Midnights.” 

Before this night, Swift was in a four-way tie with legends Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder for earning three Album of the Year awards throughout their careers. In earning her fourteenth Grammy overall, Swift broke this record when her name was called by none other than Celine Dion.

A few days after her record-breaking win, two of Frank Sinatra’s children, Nancy and Tina, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to congratulate Swift, writing, “Congratulations @taylorswift on your Album of the Year win and breaking our dad’s record. You’re a champion for artists everywhere, and doing it your way.”

These wins come in the midst of backlash the singer-songwriter has been facing online. Many people are outraged that Swift has yet to use her large platform to speak out against the Israel-Palestine conflict, as well as her large contributions of CO2 emissions via the frequent use of her private jet. Although most Swifties are maintaining their loyalty, some have begun to turn against Swift, especially following the creation of Jack Sweeney’s several social media accounts that monitor her private jet usage and the lawsuit that is possibly soon to follow. 

When Swift accepted her award for Pop Vocal Album of the Year, she recognized it being her thirteenth Grammy. Because of the significance surrounding this number to Swift and consequently her fanbase, she announced her eleventh studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”

On Feb. 6, Swift released the tracklist for the new album, revealing features with both Post Malone and Florence + the Machine. With songs titles “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” and “So Long, London,” many fans are anticipating “The Tortured Poets Department” to be a breakup album with many call-outs towards ex-longtime-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn.

This was an exciting night for Swifties across the world – not only did their favorite superstar win her thirteenth (and fourteenth) Grammy, breaking Grammy history, she announced a new album and looked amazing doing so.

Ellen Stadlman, Staff 

In case you have been living under a rock for the past few weeks or you just don’t have TikTok, I have compiled a list of some things you have missed over winter break. From the ACE family drama to the Mean Girls movie release, I’m sure you will find entertainment from at least one story on the beloved app. 

The Ace Family

The Ace family parents, Austin Mcbroom and Catherine Paiz, have announced their divorce leaving fans confused and surprised. I’m not sure really how much of a surprise it is considering some controversy has arisen in the last few years about Austin being abusive towards Catherine and some allegations of him cheating, which started to raise concerns from fans when they heard him yell at her in a video that the family forgot to cut out. The couple announced their divorce on Jan. 11 and since then, my TikTok page has been filled with videos of Austin and videos of people making fun of Austin for his actions. Most, however, are about him deciding to buy an RV and park it in front of the house that Catherine is still living in with the kids after he got kicked out.  

The Mean Girls Movie

The Mean Girls movie was released on Jan. 12 and although I have not seen the film myself, I have seen so many TikToks about it that I might as well have. What I have gathered is people have mixed feelings about the movie as some feel the casting for Cady Heron could have been better and some of the songs from the Broadway musical were changed. I have also seen endless videos about star Renee Rapp (Regina George) and how loved she is by her fan base, as well as her appearances on talk shows such as Saturday Night Live. 

Saltburn

In the same genre as “Mean Girls,” the movie “Saltburn” starring Jacob Elordi got a late start as it was released on Nov. 17 and started to get popular about a month later. The movie gained popularity when fans noticed some of the scenes were odd or maybe a little eerie, also just purely the fact that Jacob Elordi is in it.   

Gypsy Rose Blanchard

Gypsy Rose was released from prison in late December and has taken over every platform of social media, including TikTok, since.  From the day she was released, she has posted multiple videos every day about her life, building a fan base extremely quickly. Her story became popular once again as she talks about what she has been through and how her life is now after being released.  

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

This list would not be complete without mentioning the Kelce family along with Taylor Swift as they take over TikTok and the NFL. After the Eagles lost in the wildcard round of the playoffs, Jason Kelce and his wife Kylie have been attending brother Travis Kelce’s games with the Kansas City Chiefs alongside Travis’ girlfriend Taylor Swift.  The family is absolutely hilarious and never doubts making a mark anytime they are in public. The new relationship between Travis and Taylor has taken over the NFL social media, along with showing them at the games.  Some fans love it and others hate it, causing some controversy about the whole situation.  

Emily Allgair, Editor

Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” is a jaw dropping, perverted, and overall beautiful film that satirizes the extravagance that is expected among wealth. This psychological thriller is just that – with twists and turns, and scenes that will make the whole theater gasp – “Saltburn” is not for the faint of heart but if you are willing to take that risk, it is so worth it.

Barry Keoghan (Oliver Quick) gives an amazing performance throughout. As the plot progresses and the audience begins to put the pieces together, Keoghan’s fearless choices become more enthralling and anodyne. It is hard to say who stole the spotlight, however, as the entire ensemble performance is phenomenal. Whether it be Rosamund Pike (Elsbeth Catton) and her witty one-liners, Carey Mulligan’s (Pamela) cameo or Archie Madekwe (Farleigh Start) and his portrayal of a prick that you learn to love, Emerald Fennell’s casting choices were sensational. And of course, Jacob Elordi (Felix Catton) is provocative in every sense.

In the words of Fennell herself, Elordi does something intentionally cruel in every scene to prove that he is “a mortal disguised as a God.” The idea of Felix, throughout the film, is so seductive, but as time goes on, you find that Oliver is much more interesting. Without revealing too much, “Saltburn” is ultimately a film about love, although sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the plot. 

One of the best parts of this movie is the response and reaction it gets from the audience. Fennell coined herself as a director who makes movies for the audience to decide how to respond on their own, and “Saltburn” is no different. In being so, this film is almost interactive in the sense that you, as the audience, do not know how you are supposed to respond to what you see. 

Sexual, sensual and ludicrous, the emotional scenes of this movie would suddenly take a turn, although it was by no means offputting, which brings me to my next point of why this movie should be added to your watchlist. The overall balance of Fennell’s film is beautiful. Whether it be the balance between the soundtrack and the natural sound during certain sequences or the balance between light and dark, especially in the bedroom scene with Oliver and Farleigh, everything was complimentary. 

One of the underlying elements of this film was the ability to recognize humanity. Most characters were far from likable, but you could sympathize with them – which ties back into the amazing ensemble performance. Full of wealthy snobs, it is easy to villainize the Cattons, but by the end of the film, everyone is seen as human. 

Again, “Saltburn” is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are up for a little challenge, it is, in my opinion, very worth the watch. If the film interests you, but you aren’t sure if you can squirm within a movie theater, keep an eye out between December 2023 and February 2024 on Amazon Prime for the film to be streamed. And for those of you who choose to watch the film, whether it be now in theaters or later in the comfort of your own home, just remember that we’re all about to lose our minds.

Steven Hoang, Staff

I consider myself a Marvel fan and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has grown my love for it. I have stayed up to date on all the shows and films like the second season of “Loki,” which I enjoyed from start to finish. To me, I find this fictional world filled with superheroes to be an escape from the cruel reality called life. With that being said, I would like to share my thoughts on the new film “The Marvels.”

This film serves as a sequel to the 2019 film “Captain Marvel” and features characters such as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani).

I can gladly say that this movie was a huge improvement from its predecessor. In “Captain Marvel,” I felt that Danvers’ character lacked a bit of depth and substance. This to me was resolved through this film as Danvers becomes a lot more personable.

Additionally, I enjoyed the interactions between Danvers, Rambeau, and Khan. It did not feel stiff and I think that the chemistry between Larson, Parris, and Vellani plays a huge part in that. I grew to enjoy the characters a lot more and their connections between each other.

There were also the fight scenes that I enjoyed overall. This element of the movie really helped to enhance the experience as I loved the choreography. It was great to see Danvers, Rambeau, and Khan learning how to coordinate as a team.

In terms of minor characters such as Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Khan’s family members (Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapoor and Saagar Shaikh), they helped in adding some comedic moments in a way that did not feel forced, which I appreciated.

My only complaint would probably be the run time. The movie ran for about 105 minutes (1 hour and 45 minutes to be exact). I think that if the movie was a bit longer, there would be more time to flesh out the story even more as it did feel a bit rushed. One plot element in particular that I felt would benefit from the additional time would be Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton). She is the movie’s antagonist and I felt that she was not given as much attention. Because of that, I was not as fully invested in her character. I think she had potential in being a compelling villain, but the short run time hindered her role in the story.

With that being said, the film to me was enjoyable. Besides from it being an improvement to its predecessor, I found that it was a lot better than some of the previously released MCU projects such as “Thor: Love and Thunder” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” I would give this movie a solid 8 out of 10.

Sean Bradley, Staff 

Trigger warning: mentions of war, weapons and violence

Christmas has always been a popular subject in animation. When most folks think of Christmas animation, they may think of popular holiday standards, such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.” However, one rarely seen, animated Christmas film that really should be seen by the public is an anti-war short, titled “Peace on Earth.”

“Peace on Earth” was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and was released during the Christmas season of 1939. Directed by Hugh Harman (who is best known for his partnership with Rudolf Ising in establishing both Warner Bros. and MGM’s cartoon studios in the 1930s), the short takes place on Christmas Eve in a post-apocalyptic world only inhabited by animals after mankind went extinct due to war. In the short, a grandfather squirrel (voiced by an uncredited Mel Blanc) tells his two grandsons the story of how mankind waged endless wars. What unfolds during the story sequence is a montage of realistically animated battle scenes, featuring menacing soldiers, bombs, planes, tanks, burning cities and heavy artillery, that ultimately end in a chilling scene of the last two men shooting and killing one another from trenches. Afterwards, the surviving animals emerge from the ruins and discover a Bible. Inspired by the biblical teachings, the animals all decide to create a utopian society based on peace. From there, the short fast forwards back to the present Christmas setting and concludes.

ithin just eight minutes, “Peace on Earth” effectively delivers its anti-war message. This message  was especially significant for its time because the threat of war was real since World War II, which would ultimately become the deadliest war in history, was erupting in Europe. The short’s call for peace resonated with audiences of the time, so much that it was nominated for the 1939 Academy Award for Best Animated Short. 84 years later, the film is still relevant. One thing that makes this film timeless is that it effectively gets its message across without diving into the politics of its time. The film doesn’t depict any specific army or political group or figure, but rather depicts war as a failing of mankind. However, this doesn’t mean that the film is flawless. Hugh Harman himself admitted in a 1973 interview with animation historian Michael Barrier that, “We shouldn’t actually have made that as a one-reeler, we should have made it in about three to five reels . . . But cutting the storyboard and switching around. It has some flaws. I just got tired of it near the end.” Some viewers might also say the grandfather squirrel says the phrase “peace on earth” a little too much. But despite the film’s flaws, its message remains important.

So, this Christmas season, I highly recommend checking out Hugh Harman’s brilliant, anti-war masterpiece, “Peace on Earth,” and remembering its powerful message that hopefully one day comes true.

Watch “Peace on Earth” here:

https://archive.org/details/peaceonearth1939_202107

Sean Bradley, Staff

November is here, and that means it’s the Thanksgiving season. Unlike Halloween and Christmas, which have plenty of animated specials, Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that has relatively few animated specials. Perhaps the most notable animated Thanksgiving special is “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.” However, today, I would like to introduce you to an animated short that I think should be a Thanksgiving staple, and that is “Jerky Turkey.”

“Jerky Turkey” was released in 1945 and was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). During the 1940s, MGM was one of the biggest film studios in Hollywood and produced some of the most popular cartoons of the day, notably “Tom and Jerry.” “Jerky Turkey” was directed by the legendary Fred “Tex” Avery, who was famous for developing the personalities of Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny at Warner Bros. and creating Droopy at MGM. Avery was and remains an influential animation director; and his cartoons are considered by many to be the funniest ever made. In each cartoon, Avery tried to squeeze as many funny jokes and gags in as possible. In “Jerky Turkey” and all his other cartoons, Avery includes slapstick humor, topical humor, pop culture references and fourth wall jokes all in seven minutes. 

The cartoon’s premise is simple as it centers around a Pilgrim trying to hunt a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner only to get outwitted by the turkey. As mentioned earlier, Avery includes pop culture references and topical humor in this short. It should be noted that the turkey character’s looks and mannerisms in this short were patterned after comedian Jimmy Durante, who’s probably best remembered by modern audiences as the narrator of the Rankin-Bass Christmas special, “Frosty the Snowman.” Additionally, the Pilgrim’s voice and mannerisms were based on that of voice actor and radio comedian Bill Thompson, who was the voice of Droopy. Since this cartoon was released during World War II, there are also quite a few references to things, like rationing and draft cards. But despite the outdated pop culture and World War II references, the cartoon’s humor is still overall hilarious.

Additionally, not only is the humor funny, but the animation, backgrounds and music are also great. Having big budgets and talented artists certainly benefited the quality of the MGM cartoons. Much of the animation in this short was done by former Disney animators, Ed Love and Preston Blair, who brought the skills they learned from Disney with them to MGM. This resulted in nice, solid animation. Also, the lush, beautiful backgrounds were done by John Johnsen, who previously worked with Avery at Warner Bros. Lastly, the music, which was scored by Scott Bradley, is lively and energetic and includes classical and public domain music excerpts that cleverly accompany the action on screen.

So, this Thanksgiving season, I highly recommend checking out Jerky Turkey. Since the cartoon is in the public domain, it can be watched for free. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sts2Xs2fqxM

Maya Martin, Editor

Some of the Philadelphia Eagles players are coming together for their second year to release another hit Christmas album to raise money for local charities.

Last December, Eagles players including center Jason Kelce and offensive tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson formed the musical group “The Philly Specials.” They released their seven-song album entitled “A Philly Special Christmas” which helped raise over $1.25 million for local charities in vinyl record sales. Most of the proceeds went to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center in Philadelphia.

This year, the players are looking to beat last year’s sales with their new album entitled “A Philly Special Christmas Special.” Each Friday until Dec. 1, a song from the album will be released. The album is 11 songs and set to be fully released on music streaming services on Dec. 1, but presales for the vinyls have already begun on the Philly Special Christmas website.

It will include covers of hit holiday songs. Here is the track listing:

1. The Christmas Song

2. This Christmas

3. Dominick The Donkey

4. Santa’s Night

5. Christmas Time Is Here

6. All I Want for Christmas Is You

7. Pretty Paper

8. The Dreidel Song

9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

10. Fairytale of Philadelphia

11. Auld Lang Syne

Although most of the tracks on the album are classics and holiday hits, “Santa’s Night” is a Jason Kelce original that will be featured. Another last-minute addition was Mailata’s cover of  “All I Want for Christmas is You.” 

As a preview to the album, “All I Want for Christmas is You” is already pre-released and can be listened to on music streaming services. Mailtata is known for his athletic expertise as he is a former rugby player and a current football player, however, his musical ability does not go unnoticed.

“I’ve always been singing,” Mailata told 6ABC Philadelphia. “Music was my first love before sports. For me, this is no new territory. This is familiar territory for me. It’s just like breathing.”

The Bird’s players are not the only spotlights on the album, however. They also teamed up with special guests Patti Labelle, members from The War on Drugs, Dr. Dog and Sun Ra Arkestra. Last year the features of other artists and colleague football players of the Philly Specials were a highlight of the album.

Because Jason Kelce’s brother, Travis Kelce, is dating popstar Taylor Swift and she is an Eagles fan, some fans are wondering if Swift will bring the Philly Specials with her for a special appearance on tour. However, “There’s no word at this point as to whether she will bring the Philly Specials with her for the overseas leg of the Eras Tour,” Bleacher Report said.

As for now, Swifties and Eagles fans will have to wait to see if they collaborate in the future, but in the meantime, there is the “Philly Special Christmas Special” album release on Dec. 1 to look forward to. So, tune in each Friday to hear what new songs are released from the album!