Entertainment

“To All the Boys:”A fnal goodbye to the high school sweethearts By Nancy Medrano

In “To All the Boys: Always and Forever,” the main character Lara Jean, played by Lana Condor, faces more coming of age struggles. The movie which is the conclusion to the trilogy, based on the books by Jenny Han, was released on Feb.12 on Netfix. In the previous movies, the main focus is Lara Jean’s relationship with Peter Kavinsky, played by Noah Centineo. Whether it is insecurities within their relationship or their roles in outside relationships the couple was always able to fnd their way back to one another. In a refreshing turn, this movie stars the relationship Lara Jean shares with her sisters Kitty, played by Anna Cathcart and Margot, played by Janel Parrish. As Lara Jean comes to the end of her high school experience, she fnds herself unsure of where life will take her and how her decisions will impact her family dynamic. Lara Jean is faced with two very diferent opportunities. One that keeps her close to her changing family and her boyfriend. The other gives her the chance to grow her independence while living in a city that quickly felt like home. Amidst all this, Lara Jean has a wedding to plan. Her father is marrying his girlfriend Trina Rothschild, played by Sarayu Blue. While she and her sisters are happy for their father, they struggle with the idea that their mother would be erased. Seeing Trina’s belongings in their home is bittersweet. Attending a college close to home would allow Lara Jean to remain close to her little sister Kitty and her new family. Peter is also considering a college close to home. Attending the same school would prevent an inevitable post-graduation break up like Margot and Josh experienced in the frst part of the trilogy. Prior to their senior trip to New York City, Peter meets with his father who walked out on him and his family. Their estranged relationship puts pressure on his relationship with Lara Jean. Lara Jean promises to always choose Peter, unlike his father. While out exploring the city with her best friend Chris, Lara Jean runs into Gen on her tour of NYU. Gen’s tour guide invites the girls to a party later that night. While at the party Lara, Chris, and Gen are recruited to steal a pink couch belonging to the tour guide’s friend. The girls carry the pink couch across the city and into an empty subway all while joking and laughing. At the end of her trip, Lara Jean fnds herself interested in attending NYU and living in New York. This idea feels like a betrayal to the promise she made to Peter, leading to Peter questioning their relationship. While this movie is still a romcom, I found the coming of age aspect more enjoyable as a viewer. We all were still rooting for Lara and Peter to have their happy ending. The romantic ending was predictable. But Lara Jean’s growth within the movie made the flm relatable. As high schoolers, we fnd ourselves with a “set plan” for our futures and as we change so do our plans. Lara Jean’s passion for reading about romance turned into a passion to major in English literature, pushing her toward NYU. But the love she feels for Peter and her family pushes her to the colleges close to home. “To All the Boys: Always and Forever” perfectly closes the chapter to high school Lara Jean and opens the chapter to who she wants to become.

Photo by Netfix Closing up the trilogy that follows Lara Jean’s love story and high school journey, “To All the Boys: Always and Forever” brings a whirlwind of events to our protagonist throughout her senior year.

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Rodrigo drives all the way to the top of the charts with new single

By Delilah Brumer

At only 17 years old, actress and singer Olivia Rodrigo is already making a name for herself. The Disney Channel star has quickly risen to fame after releasing her hit single “Driver’s License.”

“To see it do really well — to have this really painful moment in my life, and turn it into something beautiful that can maybe help people through a tough time that they’re having, like I was having a tough time — it’s just so empowering,” Rodrigo said in an interview with Billboard. “And I feel grateful that I got to do that.”

Rodrigo’s most famous song, “Driver’s License’’ was released on Jan. 8 and has since broken multiple records. It has even become the fastest song to ever reach 200 million streams on Spotify as of Jan. 21. The song has reached over 380 million streams on Spotify as of Feb. 17. In the song, which happens to be her debut single, Rodrigo sings about her personal experience of a relationship ending and the loneliness that ensued.

Rodrigo, who is from Temecula, California, grew up constantly singing and learned to play piano and guitar by the time she was 12 years old. Her idol, as well as her favorite artist, is Taylor Swift.

Rodrigo is also well-known for her role as Nini Salazar-Roberts in the Disney+ show “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” Rodrigo also played the role of Paige Olvera in the Disney Channel show “Bizaardvark’’ from 2016 to 2019.

Rodrigo plans to release her frst EP in the near future and continue to act in “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” She may be young but Olivia Rodrigo is extremely talented and her best is yet to come.

“There’s a music project coming up this year, but I’m not sure about the specifcs of it,” Rodrigo said in an interview with Vogue. “I’m just trying to soak up all the craziness in my life right now. I feel so grateful.”

Photo by Walt Disney Television Singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Rodrigo has created quite the buzz since the release of her single “Driver’s License.”

Infographic by Sara Marquez

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