Barbie Movie to make long-awaited debut

All the recent information we have on the barbie movie.

by Brooke Burbidge Layout editor

The newest movie in the longstanding and iconic Barbie movie series will finally be released to theaters on July 21 with director Greta Gerwig’s interpretation of the series. Margot Robbie will be starring as Barbie, while Ryan Gosling will be performing the role of Ken. It is the first movie in the franchise to be live-action, as all of the previous installments were animated. Also appearing in the movie in various roles will be Dua Lipa, Will Ferrell, and John Cena. Not a lot about the film is known about the plot of the movie, as all that has been confirmed is that Barbie was kicked out of Barbieland for not being an absolutely perfect doll and she is going to set off into the real world to find her real happiness. Additionally, Warner Bros. tweeted character posters for 24 characters that will be featured, including at least ten iterations of Barbie herself, ranging from President Barbie, Lawyer Barbie, and Journalist Barbie.

The film will be released after a long and tumultuous production history; it was originally announced in September 2009 by Universal Pictures, but nothing came of the project until early 2015, when it was revealed that Sony had taken over production rights to the movie. Finding a lead actress to play Barbie was another struggle, as actresses from Amy Schumer to Anne Hathaway were considered for the title role, but again, nothing came to fruition. However, after “confirmed” release dates were scheduled for different times in May and June 2017, June and August 2018, and May 2020, the final release date of July 21, 2023 was settled on, this time with Warner Bros. producing the movie.

Also releasing alongside the movie will be the Barbie apparel collection, which will presumably feature the bright pastel colors that the Barbie dolls have become known for over the years. This will also take advantage of the “Barbiecore” aesthetic trend that has appeared since mid-2022. Vogue Maga- zine made note of this aesthetic, saying that 2023’s hottest clothes trends will probably be comprised of “neon pink and yellow, with the related postmodern revisionism of the classic fashion palette.”

Simply titled “Barbie,” it will be the 43rd overall movie to be released by Mattel to feature Barbie. The notable thing, aside from the sheer number of animated movies, is that all of them were released after the turn of the millennium, with “Barbie in the Nutcracker” being the first movie released in October 2001.

Prom; what’s with the cost?

Prom tickets and why they have to cost so much.

by Xander Cha Reporter

Are prom prices too high? Well yes and no.

Prom is expensive to host for any school. There’s an array of costs from music to venue rental, on top of that there is the matter of getting everything else organized. Which is why the cost of prom tickets by themselves are not extraordinarily high.

Our school, and the majority of other schools, are responsible for planning and funding the entirety of prom, from a DJ to venue rental, all of it has to be paid for by the school. Which is why charging students $40 - $20 is at all illogical. The current pricing for school tickets is, in simpler terms, cheap, because the memories that are made at prom, arguably, are priceless.

However there are an array of other outside costs for a student planning on attending Prom, such as renting a tux or buying a dress, renting a car, planning dinner, after-parties etc… All of this can, at the very extreme end, reach hundreds of dollars, so the additional cost of $40 does not help very much.

Even so, most people don’t go with just themselves and their dates. So the cost can easily be spread out over multiple people, especially the afterparty and dinner aspect.

In modern days traditions are being broken down including Prom traditions, there is no need to rent expensive dresses or tuxedos, many people go to Prom in much more casual outfits, especially with modern fashion having both traditional and non-traditional styles that still look formal.

For dinners it is tradition for the one who asked their partner to the dance to pay, however with inflation and in general increased living expenses, that tradition has gradually taken the wayside in turn for more frugal ideas such as the splitting of costs. Again this is another reason why Prom is not at all expensive. Yes, it would be if you were to do this everyday however, it is just one night, and for many, the most memorable night of their lives. So regardless of the final cost I’d recommend splurging a little, if not just for the memories, then for yourself. Trust me it is most definitely worth it. However, these are just some of the costs that make up the night. There is still transportation, parties, etc… Which can easily cost hundreds of dollars just by themselves. For the more frugal of you, you may already see the basic solution which as always, is splitting the cost. However, there’s other options if you’re not willing to do that, for example you could always borrow a car from a relative or use a public space, that is if you’re comfortable with such an option. Parties aren’t typically the most expensive aspect of Prom especially with modern day streaming services and party games. There is no longer a need to rent out an entire movie theater or rent out a venue, granted that would be a fun party. However, parties are still great places to meet new people and in general have fun, regardless of whether or not they’re some elaborate gala or simply a basement gathering. But typically it’s good to have some food and entertainment, they don’t have to be anything fancy either. The party is going to be late at night regardless of where it is, at that point people just want to eat, so don’t worry about what you get.

It’s not that Prom is expensive in itself, it’s that people are expensive, people want to be normal, and want to live by tradition, regardless of the cost. However, Prom is your night and as long as you don’t bother anybody else I see no reason why you should live by tradition. Make your own memories whether they be fun or romantic, it is truly up to you.

To The Right Photo by Danielle Desmarteau

While introducing seniors Samuel Moore and Emma Augustine during the prom assembly on April 27, Moore pulls out an Alabama hat which was a nod to his spoofed football commitment post from earlier in the year. Though Moore is not attending Alabama, he maintained the joke throughout while throwing out a signed football and t-shirts to the crowd. “I work hard at school and at everything I’m involved in so I felt honored being nominated for prom court,” Moore said. “It was really great to see all the ‘bama fans turn out and the support was incredible. I give all credit to my trainer Emma Augustine and it was an honor to represent Alabama football.” safe for her teammates and get another run, so we can get ahead”.

Top Left Photo by Sydney Peterson

Addison Zuzenak, sophomore at Olathe South High School, steals the ball from Blue Valley North High School in a JV girls soccer game at ODAC on April 7th. Addison says “being on Olathe South’s soccer team takes a lot of dedication, we practice everyday and have two games a week. It’s a lot of work, but being on the team has allowed me to make new friendships.”

Bottom Left Photo by Blaine Leyden

Sophomore