A&E

Has the sequel left us ‘Disenchanted’?

By Megan McKay Staff writer

Disney has recently released a long-awaited sequel to its famous fairy tale classic film “Enchanted.”

The original film, starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey, premiered in 2007 at the London Film Festival.

The film was incredibly well-received and became very popular, earning around $340 million worldwide at the box office.

The musical romcom was praised by critics and earned a whopping 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics and fans alike recognized the film’s unique concept and dazzling performances by Hollywood and Broadway royalty, including stars such as Idina Menzel and James Marsden.

The original film was directed by Kevin Lima, who was shockingly not asked to direct the sequel after producing a very successful film.

Lima told the Hollywood Reporter that not being asked to direct the sequel was “Hollywood Politics.”

Lima admitted to being nervous to see the new take, and his absence from the sequel may have altered the final production more than we could imagine.

After 15 years, the sequel, “Disenchanted,” was released Nov. 18 on Disney+.

The film currently has an abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score of 40%.

The new film has not received nearly the same amount of positivity as the fish-out-of-water fairy tale comedy of the original.

The new storyline is definitely not as unique as the original, but it has an interesting plot about looking for long-lasting happiness following a ‘happily ever after’ out of New York City.

I personally thought the beginning was very intriguing despite many claiming that the film is not unique.

The songs are not as catchy, but I thought Maya Rudolph in an evil queen role was the perfect addition to the cast.

The duet between Rudolph and Adams was enticing and memorable.

The first film had three Oscar nominations, which highlights the memorable tunes’ impact.

The songs do not have the same story-building characteristics as those of the first film.

However, I liked how Morgan, who was just a little girl in “Enchanted,” is all grown up and has a storyline and personality of her own.

She has a significant role in the film, especially in a crossover with the animated land of Andalasia.

The strength of “Disenchanted” understandably is this excellent cast having a lot of fun with these exaggerated characters that take on classic fairy tale roles in the modern world.

I thought the cast was the best part of the film, but the story was just a little dragged out for my taste.

The film brought a magical world into something more mundane in the sequel, which I thought was interesting because they spun off the idea of a fairy tale.

I like the references present from other Disney stories and how Giselle laments that she is becoming the villain to her own stepdaughter.

I believe many critics were too harsh on the movie.

For example, Forbes described the film saying, “‘Disenchanted’ is a little bit less than ‘Enchanted’ in just about every way imaginable.”

It is true that it does not have the same originality and magic, but it still has many fun moments.

Some can argue “Enchanted” was one of Disney’s best movies of the 21st century, and it would clearly be difficult to surpass such an iconic film.

Admittedly,”Disenchanted” doesn’t compare to the original’s memorable choreography and songs.

The new, more modern storyline was a good take on the idea of fairy tales in the modern world; I personally just missed the wittiness from the first that accompanied a princess in New York City.

“Disenchanted” is worth the watch for loyal Disney fans who are interested in the continuation of its predecessor and a film filled with a lot of nostalgia.

Fans will truly fall in love with the characters even if they dislike the direction of the film.

Contributed photo The sequel to Disney’s ‘Enchanted’ features original star Amy Adams and introduces Maya Rudolph as the new villain in ‘Disenchanted.’

Musk’s Twitter takeover self-implodes

By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer

Tesla CEO Elon Musk purchased the social media platform Twitter on Oct. 27 for $44 billion.

Musk’s purchase has been controversial, resulting in many deleting the app from their phones.

Between Oct. 27 and Nov. 1, Twitter lost over 1 million users due to Musk’s takeover.

Celebrities have been deleting their accounts since the takeover, as well.

Just two days after Musk officially closed on his purchase of the social media platform, Shonda Rhimes, creator of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” tweeted out to her roughly two million Twitter followers that she was “not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned.”

Gigi Hadid has also deactivated her Twitter account and shared the news with her 76.3 million Instagram followers.

“For a long time, but especially with its new leadership, it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry, and it’s not a place I want to be a part of,” Hadid wrote in part.

Before deactivating his account, Ken Olin, the executive producer for the NBC show ‘This is Us,” tweeted out to his approximately 293,000 followers a plea for kindness and peace.

“Hey all- I’m out of here. No judgment. Let’s keep the faith. Let’s protect our democracy. Let’s try to be kinder. Let’s try to save the planet. Let’s try to be more generous. Let’s look to find peace in the world,” Olin tweeted, including a blue heart at the end of his message.

Since Musk’s takeover, there has been an uptake of hate speech on the app.

Grammy-winning R&B star Toni Braxton tweeted about this issue to her nearly 2 million fans.

“I’m shocked and appalled at some of the ‘free speech’ I’ve seen on this platform since its acquisition. Hate speech under the veil of ‘free speech’ is unacceptable; therefore I am choosing to stay off Twitter as it is no longer a safe space for myself, my sons and oth-

Musk has come under fire for his plan to charge monthly for users to attain or keep their blue check mark verification status on the platform.

“$20 a month to keep my blue check?” horror novelist Stephen King tweeted to his 6.8 million followers.

“F— that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I’m gone like Enron.”

With real celebrities leaving the platform and the new ability to pay for verification, there has been an increase in people creating accounts using fake identities, including those of celebrities and politicians.

An account pretending to be NBA star Lebron James tweeted out that he was requesting a trade to the Lakers.

The tweet received thousands of retweets before finally being taken down.

An account pretending to be Nintendo tweeted a photo of the beloved character Mario giving the middle finger.

Even celebrities have taken part in the impersonations.

Actress Sarah Silverman and former NFL punter Chris Kluwe are among those suspended from Twitter for impersonating Elon Musk.

Both changed their profile picture and name to Musk’s before sending out tweets that impersonated him.

“I am a freedom of speech absolutist and I eat doody for breakfast everyday,” tweeted out Silverman under the guise of Musk.

There is nothing better than waking up and enjoying a fresh, steaming cup of my own urine,” tweeted Kluwe. “Such a tangy way to start the day, and it’s scientifically proven to help brain cells grow. If you want to be like me, drink your pee.”

These bans come just nine days after Musk announced that “comedy is now legal on Twitter.”

It appears the multi-billionaire is no longer laughing.

For a long time, but especially with its new leadership, [Twitter] is becoming more and more of a cesspool of hatred and bigotry.”

Gigi Hadid

Hurst Hot Take: “Wednesday” is a beautifully bizarre series

By Emma Coppolo A&E editor

Netflix has finally released the much-anticipated series following the eldest Addams child, “Wednesday.”

The series features Gen-Z royalty Jenna Ortega as the deadpan teen embarking on a new adventure at a school for outcasts.

Nevermore is undoubtedly a dark place, but Wednesday quickly discovers that it is even more sinister than meets the eye.

After trying to escape, she realizes that she needs to stay at the academy and uncover whatever nefarious forces are at play.

While the Dean and the local town’s sheriff work to deter her investigations, she enlists her new friends in her attempts to discover the truth.

Ortega had big shoes to fill following Christina Ricci’s iconic performance as Wednesday in the ‘90s rendition of the “Addams Family.”

Ricci perfectly embodied Wednesday’s spirit, and many worried that 2022 would not find such a fitting actress.

However, Ortega has gone above and beyond.

Her death glare and quirky mannerisms truly encapsulate Wednesday’s spirit.

Ricci, who appears in the series as a professor, has given Ortega her blessing as the new Wednesday.

This show is both fun and dark, deadpan and comedic.

The diverse personalities of different characters highlight Wednesday’s traits, but they also provide her with some competition.

She is, after all, the weird girl.

Even in a school full of outcasts, she draws stares and whispers from her peers.

The viewer is able to love her and her quirky charm even if those around her are not.

The series is truly a mystery, and the viewer gets to try to solve it alongside Wednesday.

I find myself favoring certain characters and then questioning whether or not they can actually be trusted.

Wednesday’s attitude is difficult to capture as she rarely shows emotions.

Ortega, though, is able to capture Wednesday’s essence through subtle eyebrow raises or lengthy stares.

Every episode matters; there are no fillers, which is a rare commodity in today’s television scene.

I usually play games on my phone during shows, but I find myself completely captivated by “Wednesday” for each second.

I cannot rave enough about this show, and I know that I am not the only person impatiently anticipating the second season.

It may be getting closer to Christmas, but “Wednesday” is a show for all seasons.

Don’t ignore the hype; stream “Wednesday” on Netflix today.

Contributed photo

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday accompanied by Thing.

American Music Awards celebrate artists

By Bella Lee Staff writer

It is known without a doubt that the U.S. loves their awards shows.

From the Grammys and Tonys to the Emmys and Oscars, it feels like it is always award show season.

This time around, it was the American Music Awards, or the AMAs, that took place on Nov. 20. Actor, comedian and singer Wayne Brady hosted the event, with Meghan Trainor, Liza Koshy, Ellie Goulding, Dan and Shay and Smokey Robinson being among the presenters.

Cardi B, Bebe Rexha, Carrie Underwood, Imagine Dragons and Pink were some of the performers over the course of the ceremony, with Pink doing a tribute to Olivia Newton-John and Stevie Wonder and Charlie Puth doing a Lionel Richie tribute. Richie would go on to win the Icon Award that evening.

Taylor Swift was this year’s giant at the AMAs, winning a total of five awards (Artist of the Year, Favorite Music Video, Favorite Pop Album, Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album).

This brings the total number of awards she has won to 40, nearly twice as much as Michael Jackson, who has the second-most AMAs won with 26.

Other big winners this year included BTS, Harry Styles and Morgan Wallen.

Dove Cameron, known for her roles in Disney shows like “Liv and Maddie” prior to her music career, won New Artist of the Year, beating out Gayle, Steve Lacy, Latto and Måneskin.

Coldplay, still popular since its formation in 1996, continues to win awards, taking out Bad Bunny, Elton John, The Rolling Stones and Ed Sheeran to win Favorite Touring Artist.

Beating The Rolling Stones at anything is a feat, so it was undeniably a big night for the British band.

It was quite the interesting take that Swift won Favorite Female Country Artist, winning against Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson.

The win was a bit controversial as Swift has not been in the country genre since the beginning of her career while the other nominees have been in country their entire careers.

However, her talent is undeniable, and fans were excited nonetheless.

Other notable names that won in their respective categories included Kendrick Lamar for Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist, Nicki Minaj for Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist, Chris Brown for Favorite Male R&B Artist and Beyoncé for Favorite Female R&B Artist.

Chris Brown’s win was also met with controversy as many people disagree with his inclusion in the industry following his criminal activities in the past.

However, he was awarded and had his moment alongside music royalty nonetheless.

Beyoncé additionally won Favorite R&B Album for “Renaissance.”

Also, Machine Gun Kelly won Favorite Rock Artist, while Måneskin’s “Beggin’” won Favorite Rock Song and Swedish rock band Ghost won Favorite Rock Album for “Impera.”

Rounding out some of the popular favorites included Bad Bunny for Favorite Male Latin Artist, Marshmello for Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist, BTS for Favorite K-Pop Artist and Elton John and Dua Lipa for Collaboration of the Year for “Cold Heart.”

Overall, the AMAs were a sight to behold this year.

Taylor Swift’s music career is once again on the rise, proven by the sheer number of awards she won on this night.

A variety of artists were awarded, which provided an enjoyable event for fans of all genres.

Next year will hopefully be just as exciting, as new artists emerge and old artists make a comeback, like Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” being nominated for Favorite Rock Song over 35 years after its initial release.

Next year’s AMAs could not come any sooner!

Contributed photo

Lionel Richie accepting the Icon Award.