Editor-in-Chief
Kaden Bryant
Managing Editor
Lauren King
Copy Editor
Audrey Choate
Sports Editor
Riley Sanderson
Head Photographer
Audrey Strembicki
Photographers
Malikia Hamlet
Logan Hayes
Reese Sanderson
Briana Schierenback
Danielle Stein
Digital Artist
Jesreel Cruz
Reporters
James Bryant
Joemi Cordonero
Ava Des Marais
Merrick DiCarolis
Hunter Fuehrer
Cooper Garvey
Nelson Kanistras
Clare McCoy
Dominique Moise
Snow Pastermack
Madelyn Reno
Joshua Sabbia
Nicolas Spallone
Luke Thompson
Sanjoli Umrao
Brady Vaiarella
Faculty Adviser
Ben Langevin
Admin Adviser
Nancy Diaz
Principal
Dr. Trent Daniel
Oviedo High School
601 King Street
Oviedo, FL 32765
P: 407-320-4199
F: 407-320-4213
Mission Statement
The Lion’s Tale is the student newspaper of Oviedo High School, located in Oviedo, Florida. Our mission is to provide news, feature stories, editorials and opinions relevant to our readers while upholding the highest professional and ethical standards. The Lion’s Tale follows copy standards outlined in the Associated Press Stylebook, 42nd Edition, published in 2007 by the Associated Press, and is a member of the CSPA, NSPA and FSPA.
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800 copies of The Lion’s Tale are distributed free to all students and staff at Oviedo High School. Subscriber information is available on OviedoJournalism.com.
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Letters to the Editor are accepted and may be sent by post, e-mail or dropped off in Room 5-020. The Lion’s Tale does not accept guest columns and reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor. Full policy is available on OviedoJournalism.com.
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lives of idols such as Betty White and societal figures such as the past Pope Benedict XVI, the Japan Prime Minister (Shinzo Abe), and Queen Elizabeth II herself.
LAUREN KING | MANAGING EDITORA new year calls for new beginnings. This edition of The Lion’s Tale showcases the excitement of fresh looks in the entertainment industry.
On the big screen to look forward to are movies such as Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the wrapup of a trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (page 8). Taking the internet by storm is the hit Netflix series The Last of Us, an adaptation of the award-winning games. On page 9 is a review of episode one, taking a look at the appearance of the zombies and the portrayal of the characters through the cast.
Although a new year, we cannot forget the past. On page 10, we remember the
Or, perhaps, we should focus on the current events going on in our world. A concerning matter that is affecting our state’s education system is the rejection of AP African American Studies by Governor Ron Desantis. A thorough report on this is written by our Editor-in-Chief on page 4.Another controversial discussion is on Andrew Tate, who was arrested in Romania for horrendous allegations, yet still has an army of fans to defend his name (page 5).
Time flies by when you’re having fun - and we are already a month into the new school year. On Jan. 13, senior night for Boys’ Varsity Basketball was a white-knuckled ride, winning against Seminole by 2 points: 88-86. Juniors Ryan Blount and Hunter Haverkamp had made the last desperate drive on a buzzerbeater to bring home a win for the Lions.
On Dec. 10, the Boys’ Varsity Wrestling took first place in a meet at Deltona High School. This tournament, Deltona Duals, was an anticipated day all season; there would be five other schools to compete
against. These schools were Deltona, Lyman, University Orange City, Seabreeze, and Creekside. The hardest competition was against Creekside, forcing a comeback to win at 34-30. We swept the other teams off of their feet, pulling scores like 72-9 and an incredible undefeated 82-0.
Theatre held their Frozen production from Jan. 26, to Jan. 28. After weeks of preparing off-stage and on-stage, the cast and crew executed the performance wonderfully. There has been praise of the show and those who put their time and energy into honing the roles ensured the audience had fun.
In just a few weeks, our school has had amazing events with turn-out success. It’s a new year and the final semester for our seniors, so let’s enjoy the ride.
Audrey is a sophomore and the Copy Editor. This is her second year on staff. Interviewing people to know their viewpoints on various topics is her favorite part of journalism. Her favorite stories to write have to do with the impact of various things on popular culture. She enjoys music (the Smiths and Talking Heads are her favorite bands), classic literature (she likes Franz Kafka and Fyodor Dostoyevsky), and film. She also loves programming and computer science; she is on Oviedo’s FTC robotics team.
Danielle is a senior photographer. She loves taking photos of sports and frequently attends school games. She plans to go to college at UCF, majoring in Photography. She likes to take candid photos of life and capturing a memory. Danielle also loves the gym, other than photography its one of her favorite hobbies. She has been apart of the ASL club and Interior Design club for two years. She is an avid dinosaur lover and connoisseur. She even painted my parking spot with dinosaurs.
Josh is a sophomore reporter and this is his first year on staff. He works in the sports section and specifically writes about wrestling. He is on the Varsity Wrestling team and made it to the second day of Regionals last year. Josh is looking to go to States this year, as his current record is 32-5. He loves writing, music, and learning about history. He also plays guitar and drums. With these interests, he hopes to pursue some of these things further in life like in college or to make a possible career out of it.
Hope you’re sticking to your resolutions. We’re not!
- The Lion’s Tale staffDanielle Stein
THROWING THROWINS; Maddox Brown, 12, throws in ball back into the game for the Varsity Boys Soccer team to score a goal.
STRAIGHT SHOOTER: Isabelle Wollmer, 9, takes over the junior varsity basketball team and helps them score points to win against University High School. GOING FOR THE GOAL: Kate Mikalsen, 11, pulls through to help her team win the game against East River on Jan. 15.
MAKE SOME NOISE: Daniel Castro, 11, plays his smashing saxophone at Winter Showcase, wowing the crowd with his performance.
IN THE ZONE: Alex Harper, 11, stays focused during game day to win for his team, leading them to the championship.
DANIELLE STEIN | PHOTO
LEONARDS | PHOTO
DOMINIQUE MOISE | PHOTO
AUDREY STREMBICKI | PHOTO
“Why would you censor people from learning about their own history?”
Kiana Wilkerson, 12, pondered this question in her bedroom with tears in her eyes on a chilly Florida morning on Jan. 12., when the news first detonated the country: Governor Ron DeSantis banned the new AP African American Studies course.
Students, teachers, and parents alike have been asking the same question - why? This is the first AP class to ever be denied, so it makes sense for the community to be concerned over what exactly caused this speculation, if not blatant racism.
“It’s abundant that DeSantis, along with others who stand by him, don’t want people to know the real history of black people in America,” Wilkerson said. “It hurts so much because all we do is learn about slavery, segregation, and a few of the same black civil rights figures.”
With the AP version supposed to begin next year, the specific curriculum is unknown to the general public. But, according to DeSantis’ letter to College Board, “As presented, the
content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.”
His ruling that APAAS violates Florida’s Stop WOKE Act by attempting to persuade students of critical race theory has, unsurprisingly, resulted in an uproar from the public.
Jessica Jenkins, the current Honors African American Studies teacher, was initially supposed to teach APAAS next year. She and her class were devastated by this news.
“You as a student have to interpret what they’re saying, and then you make a claim based on your own ideas, your own knowledge, and you defend it,” Jenkins said. “There is no right or wrong answer.”
Its pilot class, African American History Honors, consists of the following: World History, American History, Geography, Humanities, Civics, and Government. It focuses on the “chronological development of African Americans by examining the political, economic, social, religious, military and cultural events that affected the cultural group.”
It’s unclear to many students how content even remotely similar to this could be at all lacking educational
value, seeing as history itself is knowledgeable and vital to learn so its repetition can be avoided.
“It’s ridiculous that they’d have no problem pushing a course that would ruin the image of black people, feeding us a history that, in turn, steals our sense of pride in who we are and where we came from,” Uriah Williams, 11, said.
All proposed classes must align with each state directory’s rules. If one does not, it can then be banned.
“To me, it piques curiosity,” Assistant Principal Matt Guglielmello said. “I can imagine that, as a student, I would be more curious about content that was by the state of Florida.”
Since the class has already been enlisted in the system for next year, students will still be registered for it. As of now, it’s unclear what subject the slot will be replaced with.
It’s abundant that the public has not taken this news lightly, and the overall response reflects that sentiment. People are distraught, furious, and confused how a history class could possibly violate Florida law.
“It makes people wonder, why this particular class?” Jenkins said.
“It’s so disappointing and shocking to see that a class that would’ve taught me about my history is banned, just like that, with no proper explanation.”
“This isn’t the first time something has been taken away from African Americans, and it won’t be the last. In our community, we’ve become immune to the disappointment.””-Uriah Williams, 11 -Gabby James, 12 JESREEL CRUZ | ART
The second year of the AP Symposium has begun, where students from a wide range of classes present their work for parents and students alike to see. After the first semester, students are able to gather their work and submit their best, most passionate projects.
The AP program for these classes has been around longer than the actual Symposium event. According to bestcolleges.com, starting in 1952, the pilot program for AP classes was launched and tested highschoolers on 11 subjects. In 1954, 530 high school students took AP exams. Finally, a year later in 1955, College Board took over the program and created what thousands of high schoolers know today. Eventually, these classes were tweaked and adjusted into the classes offered at Oviedo.
However, just recently, the idea of a symposium showcasing the work the AP classes create for students was introduced right before COVID-19 took place in 2020.
After a few years in the making, the event became modeled after science
fairs or art exhibits, so people were able to walk around and enjoy the works.
Last year was the trial run for the vent. Students from culinary served dishes and desserts, AP Art students exhibited pieces from sculptures to drawings, and Experimental Science students showcased giant posters featuring their riveting research.
Lots of times, just doing the work takes an immense amount of effort and a large chunk of time. Though, during the event, there’s a moment where the students can be celebrated for what they’ve done - as all of these classes require consistent high performance.
Not only does this fulfill a sense of pride in these students, but their peers reviewing the event can encourage others to take these classes because of the passionate large-scale work they have done. This also helps students get out of their comfort zones and try something new- something that might end up paying off for them someday in the future. In that way, the symposium provides a positive cycle for the AP program, inspiring students to create work, and drawing more students in.
However, not only do students present
ART ARRAY: AP Art students showcase their artwork during the AP Art Symposium. she said. “And hopefully people will say, ‘Oh, that’s really cool.’”
their work proudly and garner support, the opportunities the symposium provides for these individuals are noteworthy. By showcasing the work of the arts such as photography and interior design, many students can be recognized for something other than athletics.
“But there’s not anything like this,” Courtney Boucher said.
This gives way for students to build their college resumes, which can point them in the direction they want to go in life. To Boucher, the recognition for herself and the teachers is just as esteemed as the students.
“It showcases our programs,”
The event all around shines a light on each of the components of the AP programs and classes, as well as the people piloting them.
The symposium was presented in 2021, so it was all up to the planners and students involved. With this prior practice in mind, the event has been tweaked and adjusted, even from its performance last year, with talented work to show for it.
“It’s all so incredible what high school students can do at these ages,” Boucher said. “It’s honestly, truly just amazing to see what the students can do.”
Everyone knows about Andrew Tate’s views. He never hesitates to make sure his opinions are heard, but this behavior is steadily spreading to the minds of other men and boys who think they deserve to own women.
The infamous Andrew Tate, who has been repeatedly broadcasted across social platforms due to the many controversial opinions he publicly vocalizes, has, once again, fallen upon the media’s spotlight. After initially going viral for misogynistic and sexist comments, he’s now been accused of several offenses: human trafficking, starting an organized crime group, and rape. These allegations have put him, as well as his brother and two others, into custody in a Romanian jail while the investigation continues. The Tates were arrested on Dec. 29., 2022.
So far, Andrew Tate has had many of his 33 cars and $4 million of personal items confiscated by the Romanian police force to be investigated. These cars are said to have possibly been bought with money he earned from human sex trafficking - not from his online presence or kickboxing career. Allegedly, there have been six women found in Tate’s many homes across the world. These women were said to have been held against their will and were sexually exploited.
Tate’s previous tweets, TikToks, and
Youtube videos do nothing but prove his possible guilt. He has a history of saying things like “sexually assaulted women should take responsibility for being assaulted,” “women shouldn’t be allowed to drive,” “it is okay for a man to hit a woman,” and making many other blatantly offensive comments. Even with this history, Tate still has a large amount of fans worshiping his every move. These fans spend their days trying to be just like Andrew, though his opinions have a tendency to be harmful towards women.
Tate’s lawyers claim that there is no evidence against their client, saying that other than victim statements, the police have no true evidence that could place Tate in prison. Although these lawyers believe there to be no evidence, that didn’t stop the court from denying the Tates’ appeal. Their lawyers also argued that Andrew Tate’s online persona isn’t his true personality, just something he came up with. However, as with many online personalities, it’s possible that even if online and offline Andrew Tate are different, their beliefs are bound to be similar, if not the same. After all, even with the help of social media, it’s impossible to completely change your personality.
The investigation has uncovered multiple women who sent in reports of rape and strangling, allegedly done by Tate, that were previously ignored. Each one of these complaints were dismissed because they were sent
in weeks or months after the alleged assault, so there was no evidence.
While this is the first time the investigation against the Tate brothers has truly stormed the media, it’s not the first time the brothers and their belongings have been investigated. The investigations started in 2018, when Andrew’s house was raided and he was put in jail for two days.
Fans of Tate, and Tate himself, have been trying to find any reason to prove that Tate is innocent and should be released. They have a theory that Tate was attacked by agents of “The Matrix” and he should be released because of it. They also believe that they were framed, and that this is all a plan to get Tate locked away because he offended someone. While it’s impossible to say whether or not this is true, it is highly unlikely.
“Some of Tate’s fanbase follows in his footsteps, causing most to be toxic or cruel,” Peyton Cullum, 9, said.
These fans believe that even if proven guilty, Tate shouldn’t be imprisoned. To them, women are nothing but objects they can use for their entertainment. Fans even went as far as to show up to the jail Tate is being held to protest his arrest. However, it isn’t just the Romanian fans protesting, people in Greece have also stormed the streets in support of Tate.
“I believe that Andrew Tate should remain imprisoned because he should be held accountable for his actions and justice
should be served,” Keeley Jacobs, 9, said.
Tate has multiple recordings and posts where he openly talks about how he treats women, including one in which his bodyguard confirmed that he matches the loverboy method: seducing a young and vulnerable person and allowing them to believe that they are special and that they are loved, and then sexually exploiting them.
“After everything that happened and all the things he said, him being arrested was just kind of inevitable,” Mikaela Kuzelka, 9, said.
AUDREY CHOATE | COPY EDITOR
The advent of social media in the early 20th century fundamentally changed human communication and its impact on the world. It was something that, for many, was the hallmark of a distant and hopeful future; a future that would revolutionize the almost completely analog world of the previous century. Truly, it seemed to many as something described in a fantastical science-fiction series or a quixotic hope for the future. However, the starry-eyed idealism of the onset of social media services seems to have largely faded. Perhaps, despite the glimmer and grandeur of instant long-distance communication, the technology is not totally without flaw. An obvious detriment of a certain type of social media usage is the gradual antagonism of critical thought. While a condemnation of all types of mass electronic communication is clearly flawed, it is not Luddite-esque to question how social media impacts the way people think. Independent research to prove one’s claims is en vogue no more; to attract like-minded individuals, all one needs to do is create a video that glitters with flashing lights and catchy pop-music. News headlines decry this phenomenon with terms such as “misinformation,” but neglect to
recognize the true significance of such patterns. Many are not just misled, but are actively opposed to the idea of truth itself.
Social media is inherently seductive in nature; many websites are specifically designed to keep one’s attention for as long as possible. For many, social media provides an endless stream of dopamine,
an escape from the stressors of everyday life. While many commentators remark that young people should simply go outside in lieu of phone usage, they fail to consider what “outside” has become.
It is not a surprise that, as a reaction to growing environmental concerns and endless suburbanization, many would
rather stay inside. Indeed, in most of American suburbia, the best place outside of the digital world to connect with friends seems to be the nearest grocery store or a dying mall nearby.
The average woman or girl that frequents social media is constantly met with a sea of beauty advertisements and subtle promotions of ever-changing beauty standards. It is a true mark of a deeply sick society in which eighteen and nineteen year old girls are urged to start early Botox in order to prevent wrinkles later in life, to remove the buccal fat that cushions and protects their face, and to undergo increasingly dangerous and perilous procedures to fit a wealthy beauty executive’s idea of the ideal womanly form. The end goal of this is, as most things in America seem to be, to pursue a profit, even at the cost of the sanity of young girls.
However, even considering all of its flaws and negative impacts, there still remains something quite awe-inducing and marvelous about the instant, worldwide communication network that social media brings. Perhaps many do not realize the true significance of the handheld mobile device that they use every day, that within it lies the summation of human intellect and prowess, and the poetry and meaning of everyday life.
Social media has been a hot topic since its birth in the early 2000s. A plethora of thoughts from all around the world can be shared in a matter of seconds, revolutionizing a new way of communication. And while many thought it would be temporary, the growth of platforms has proven that these effects are here to stay. Despite all of the negative things said about social media, when used in a healthy moderation, it can bring positivity and be useful.
Sites like Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook can all be used to talk about current events, such as elections, fashion trends, music, and more. The abundance of information accessible online is an unbelievable tool we can use to keep ourselves educated and aware. Unfortunately, fake news is a growing problem, but the focus should be on taking down the misinformationnot mislabeling the platform as entirely corrupt. This everyday education being normalized has proven to be beneficial in updating the public on issues that matter. Before social media, the average teenager did not put in the effort of being informed, leading to more misinformed voters down the line. Teenagers now have become more impassioned with things that matter, instead of being oblivious until they become older.
Like many of my peers, social media helps me discover new music every day. Anyone can create songs that at
least one person will find and fall in love with. It’s such an incredible thing to have so much music surrounding us at all times. People with true talent can be discovered easier than ever before. This doesn’t just go for music too, it applies to all forms of art like poetry, paintings, drawings, sculptures, etc., which may inspire others to discover new passions.
For many people, exposure to new hobbies and ideas through apps like TikTok and Instagram awakened something in them, sprouting a lifelong passion. TikTok’s ease of use makes finding new content incredibly effortless. With around a billion monthly users, anyone and everyone can explore new things like crocheting, painting, cooking, gardening, etc., where people can give tips and suggestions to newcomers to any community. The development of seemingly antiquated pastimes have sparked so much joy in these newfound online circles.
Communication has vastly changed in the new age of media. It’s easier now than ever to have access to all of your peers at the touch of a button. When kids move, they can stay in contact with each other in the long term, like a new age type of pen pal. Through texting, calling, and more family-oriented applications like Facebook, families can stay closer together, even through vast distances. People can even find long lost relatives through the infinite accounts on the internet. For better or for worse, social media is here to stay.
solutions to this continuous debacle, senioritis. Symptoms include but are not limited to: procrastination, low energy in class, headaches after a long day of school, tear-stained homework pages, and hitting ‘snooze’ on the alarm clock enough times to the point you just skip a whole school day.
While most people have experienced an academic burnout, senioritis hits at a crucial time for students. Although junior year is full of exams that determine if you graduate or not, you can still flunk as a senior as there is the Civics exam to worry about - amongst others. A reason for this happening can be because of the idea that the finish line is so close but so far.
“We have been preparing and working towards our next chapter in life for the past three-and-a-half years at the same constant pace,” Adeline Agnew, 12, said. “So when you start getting opportunities to enter the next chapter of your life, you start to slow down in school because you are not only exhausted but relieved.”
justified? It’s reasonable as these are the last few months of high schoola time to explore your interests and find comfort in who you are as an individual. While these are important factors, there are definite methods to avoid your reduction in grades.
“Luckily, senioritis didn’t really affect anything grade-wise. I’ve just had a lack of motivation to get up for school and I’ve found myself procrastinating more,” Kaylie Gringas, 12, said.
This behavior could easily result in poor academic performances as assignments pile up in the gradebook. Although not a doctor, I can confidently say there are solutions to make things better. Everyone caters to who you are as a person, but options are spring cleaning, journaling, and dedicating a Saturday to yourself. All of these methods are in hopes of clearing your mind from the responsibilities of school so that you can start off a new week as fresh as a daisy.
that there is hardly a time to mentally reset. Pile this on for weeks to months and you have a disaster. It’s a constant cycle of work, so knowing the end of it is coming so soon gives the motive to slow down the pace of school.
To every senior: enjoy your last year of high school. Life after will come together seamlessly in due time. Stress is the main factor of this so-called “senioritis.” Make sure to take time for yourself to reset when studies become tedious.
We’re humans, not machines. Our bodies are made of blood, not cogs. We can only use our fuel to go so far before we burn out. Since we are so close to the finish line, we are expected to slam our foot on the gas pedal. But the reality is that, if we speed it to the finish line, we will miss all of the small stops along the way that make the ride so memorable in the first place.
Although not a deadly disease, there are symptoms and known
After 12 years of schooling, it is valid to be fatigued and want school to be over. To quit stressing about the next assignment and instead enjoy your time with people that you might not be seeing after your graduation caps are flying through the air. The year when you turn 18 and all of a sudden, a heap of burdens are laid upon your shoulders. But not only are there a mass of new responsibilities, there is unrestricted freedom.
Is it possible that the open horizons are causing a decrease in school performance? Even if so, is it
“Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family,” Kofi Annan, a former Secretary-General of the United Nations, once famously said.
Currently, parents reserve the right to parent their child however they wish – to an extent. But does that give them the right to control how their children are educated?
The purpose of giving children education is to give them knowledge of how the world works, prepare them for life as an adult, and help them build social-emotional skills. In order to be a functioning member of society, it is important that children know everything about our world. The good, and the bad, the beauties, and the flaws, the economy, and the greed.
It is not the school’s place to give kids an opinion of something, but it is their duty to give them enough information to where they can make their own opinions about the world around them. Children reserve the right to form their own opinions, regardless of their parents’ views.
If you want your child to be religious like you are, you can introduce them to your religion, but attempting to force them into it by only teaching religious narrative is manipulative and immoral. By doing so, you’d be denying them important knowledge on how the world works, and their ability to form an opinion.
Certain issues have come up recently, like Critical Race Theory, which are heavily controversial, and many parents have been arguing over whether or not it should be taught in schools, but every student should be aware of the dangers that racism imposes on the political system, so they can make an educated decision on what they believe should be done.
When schools teach something, it doesn’t mean that they’re making the students believe it, they’re only displaying the information for the students to interpret how they want. Oftentimes, they will even make them write DBQ’s, which are essentially research based essays, asking a question about the student’s opinion on a set of data. Just because it’s taught in school.
A lot of times, people like to make the argument that if schools
Having a refreshed atmosphere to work in (which is typically your room) can make you feel more at peace. As for journaling, it can help with those who are procrastinators. I was a terrible procrastinator until I bought a planning journal to keep myself accountable. Adding checkmarks on each task also gives me self-satisfaction - like an achievement of its own.
I empathize with seniors undergoing the fatigue and feeling of loss that comes with the so-called senioritis. Schools bombards you with endless assignments and due dates to the point
are only teaching “truths” then, who decides what’s true? Well, that isn’t exactly the strongest argument.
Science itself is constantly changing, and will never be the same. The things we teach today will not be true in the next hundred years, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give them that information; it’s
still useful whether or not it’s completely accurate. We should teach what we know.
Even if one day we discover that Critical Race Theory is incorrect (a big if), it’s important to still teach people about those issues, since it teaches people about equality and the history of things in the process.
“You start to slow down in school because you are not only exhausted but relieved.”
-Adeline Agnew, 12WRITING TIME: Sophomore Izzy Senkel works diligently on an assignment for the class, writing her name and titling the paper as she listens for instructions. LOGAN HAYES | PHOTO DANIELLE STEIN | PHOTO OUT OF ENERGY: Seniors Adeline Agnew and Kaylie Gringas lose the motivation to complete their math class assignment, opting for an alternative.
JOEMI CORDONERO | REPORTER
2022 was a strange year for the movie industry. It brought attention to independent movies, but also shows how society is changing from what was popularized in recent years. From the critically acclaimed sci-fi movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once, which continues the conversation on generational trauma in newer media, to the drastic quality drop in marvel movies, a lot has changed.
At the start of the year, people were amazed by the grim new take of The Batman. The three-hour-long film featured a stunning cast of villains that made fans and newcomers excited for what was to come. The new Batman movie sets up what seems to be another movie trilogy for the franchise. As big as the movie was, it was ultimately overshadowed by what other movies took hold of the audiences.
Tiktokers, children, and the fanbase of the minions all joined together to witness the newest installment of the Minions franchise. Minions: The Rise of Gru blew up beyond what many could believe because of a growing trend on TikTok#Gentleminions. The trend made people dress up in business attire and watch the new minion movie to support one of their childhood film franchises. The film itself wasn’t terrible and was average at best but the film could be considered one of TikTok’s best achievements.
With the success of #Gentleminions, it’s not a big surprise that some movies that many overlooked in theaters were released on Netflix and blew up in popularity. Bullet Train was the first one that also got a huge following on TikTok after its ability to reach a bigger audience. Many watchers fell in love with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and found themselves
enjoying the fast-paced action movie as a good pastime. After its limited run in theaters, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was later released on Netflix which helped get high recognition for how simple-minded the mystery was. The film took old fans of Knives Out and people looking for a good mystery on a somewhat outdated scene but the acting and comedy made it worthwhile.
Other films of 2022 fell into the category of watched and beloved but weren’t as known as the previous films mentioned earlier. The Fablemans is a semi-autobiographical film created by Steven Spielberg about his adolescence, his love for filmography, and the struggles throughout those years.
Gabriel LaBelle’s breakout role as Sam Fabelman,
the main character based on Spielberg, was phenomenal. Movie critics and moviegoers all fell in love with the story and viewed it as a top ten list-worthy film for 2022. Another well-reciprocated film The Banshees of Inisherin deserves praise for its intriguing plot and beautiful setting. The dark comedy-drama between two friends on an island in Ireland could be depicted as unusual, in the best way possible.
2022 was a year for many new stories to go on screen, which also brought back some old classics to the screen. Top Gun: Maverick brings back Tom Cruise as Pete as a test pilot teacher into a new mission. The film brought in new people but still had good moments to relish in the nostalgia; it’s what most people look for in a sequel. Another film that was a long-awaited sequel was Avatar: The Way of Water. The film brought fans of the first movie to see what it was like and in every big movie, there were mixed reactions. Many thought it was like the first movie but with new characters and thought the movie was far from being necessary. Other fans found it more enjoyable than the first movie given the family and the fun action scenes throughout the end of the film. A common ground for everyone who watched the movie was how great the CGI was and how stunning the underwater scenes were. Avatar: The Way of Water was a strange but great way to end the year.
This next movie follows J. Robert Oppenheimer, who made the atom bomb. Directed by Christopher Nolan, he opted to not use CGI to show the “effects” of a nuclear bomb. Rather, he recreated the Trinity Test, an explosion which involves 25 kilotons of TNT in order to make it. It will also be the first movie to be shot on IMAX in black-and-white.
Our favorite doll (who is very realistic) and the definitive standard of beauty in the real world, is expelled from ‘Barbieland’ for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world. Starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, Barbie must navigate the real world for her first time in the first live action adaptation of Barbie. Next up is Cocaine Bear. Yes, you read that right. In the forests of Georgia, a 500-pound black bear consumes a large amount of cocaine and goes on a wild rampage with pounds of cocaine in its system. With an eccentric group of people ranging from cops, to tourists, to teenagers -no one is safe from Cocaine Bear.
After that is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The MCU’s third - and likely to be the last - Guardians film we will get. Peter Quill is still dealing with the loss of Gamora and is forced to rally his team in another attempt to save the galaxy in what could be the end of the Guardians.
Our favorite animated, friendly, neighborhood Spiderman returns in the sequel of one of the best performing animated movies in recent years. The first of a two part sequel to Spiderman into the Spider-Verse, Miles is reunited with Gwen Stacy before being sent across the multiverse where he must redefine what it means to be a hero in order to save those closest to him.
Moving on to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Funnily enough, this is one of the most controversial movies coming in 2023. Chris Pratt stars as Mario, everyone’s favorite Italian plumber. Set to release April
Overall it was a pretty eventful year but at least the films that came out this year were amazing to make up for it. 2022 showcased some of Hollywood’s best directors and actors but also brought in talented newcomers from all over. Last year almost felt like the start of a promising new generation of original movie ideas but a way to remember the nostalgic memories of past films as well - and to see Harry Styles try another shot at acting.
7 despite the controversial cast, I for one am excited to see the duo of Mario and Luigi on the big screen set to save Princess Peach from the fiery, spiky, oversized turtle.
Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey is another upcoming movie this year. If you read this title with confusion, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. This is a horror movie that follows Pooh and Piglet’s bloody rampage after they were abandoned by Christopher Robin when he went off to college. Quite the interesting story idea, seeing Winnie the Pooh as a serial killer doesn’t typically align with his character arc.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is next. The now 80-year-old Harrison Ford returns for what is likely to be his final role as our favorite archaeologist, Indiana Jones. Directed by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, with John Williams scoring this movie. This gives us a lot to look forward to in this final installment of the now 42-year-long series.
The Little Mermaid will also release this year. I would hope you know the story of the Little Mermaid: a mermaid named Ariel who wishes to be human gives her voice to an ugly evil squid in exchange for legs. As the latest in Disney’s live action remakes I am excited to see the retelling of this story as we get an update.
Lastly, Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
ASSETS BY SONY PICTURES |A24 PICTURES | UNIVERSAL PICTURES| MATTELAfter 14 years of blockbuster movies, groundbreaking shows, and a myriad of characters, the first four phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are complete. Phase One (2008-2012) established Marvel’s cinematic dominance with iconic films like “Iron Man” and “The Avengers.” Phase Two (2013-2015) built upon the foundation well with releases including “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” and classic shows like “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” and “Daredevil.” Phase Three, the largest of them all, produced incredible features year after year. “Captain America: Civil War,” “Black Panther,” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” as well as “Endgame,” are just some of the flicks that excited billions across the globe from 2016 to 2019.
But after the chaotic events of 2020, it seemed like overnight the MCU had reached a crossroads of sorts. On one side, you had the original fanbase who grew up on the comics and therefore were critical of everything released. However, they simply wanted Marvel to respect the characters and expand the universal lore without destroying its legacy. On the other, you had a new generation of fans who ate up everything Marvel. They wanted more content, more representation, and more modern storylines.
So, in an attempt to try and honor both sides, lead producer and president
Kevin Feige, along with his team, put together Phase Four of the cinematic universe. The good news: it generated more content in a two-year period than ever before. The bad news: everything released was met with historic levels of criticism, scrutiny, and hatred.
It all started off with a bang in January of 2021 with Marvel’s first Disney Plus show “Wandavision” (starring Elisabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany) getting very positive reviews with a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Then came other shows like “The Falcon” and “The Winter Soldier,” “Loki,” and “What If…?” which all got praised for the most part. But then came the long-delayed “Black Widow,” which was a cinematic and critical flop.
Then, the see-saw effect truly took hold of the MCU. “Shang-Chi” and “Hawkeye” were solid, “Eternals” was trash, “Moon Knight” was alright, and “SpiderMan: No Way Home” was incredible. “Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness” and “Thor: Love and Thunder“ were crazy, but “Ms. Marvel” was innovative and childish. “Werewolf by Night” was underrated and “She-Hulk…” we don’t talk about “She-Hulk.” Finally, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was sentimental and “The Guardians of The Galaxy: Holiday Special” was heartwarming.
In essence, Phase Four has been a whole lot of things for a whole lot of people. Some consider it to be a step in the right direction, while others see it as a commitment to
Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog created the masterpiece called The Last of Us. The original game, made in 2013, has had a remaster which ended up becoming one of the many Playstation hits. Recently in 2022, it had a remake where the game was created from the ground-up with the new engine from the sequel, The Last of Us Part II. Both games are astounding, however, Part 1 still dominates to this day.
The things that made the games so good are abundant, but a key feature is the amazing combat. You make your own choices on how you’ll take down a patrol of fireflies or a horde of zombies. The story is also a massive part to the game’s success between two of the best characters in video game history, Joel Miller and Ellie. The way they meet and start off awkward and not having much of a relationship then becoming almost like a father and daughter. Ever since Joel had lost his biological daughter, Sarah, at
an unrecognizably political future.
Marvel has gone through an incredible amount of change in the past few years. Epic characters like Iron Man and Captain America, who carried Marvel for years, are out of the picture. Meanwhile, new heroes like Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel, and Kate Bishop have stormed onto the scene with varying levels of acceptance.
Are the MCU’s new characters and stories introducing an exciting multicultural future or are they a part of some nefarious political agenda? Should our outlook on today’s polarizing political climate be integrated into a
superhero story? Does it really matter what the heroes and villains look like as long as they have awe-inspiring power?
These are the questions that must be answered as Marvel transitions into the future of their cultural masterpiece. With a plethora of movies and shows beyond 2026 already planned out according to Feige’s master plan, the direction Marvel takes could radically redefine everything they have built up to this point.
The time has come to make a final decision, and the paths seem to be clear. Where will the Marvel Cinematic Universe go next?
the beginning of the first part, Ellie made Joel feel like his daughter was back again. I am very excited to see how the actors, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will portray these emotions in the show.
Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, The Mighty Mint, and Word Games came together to launch the biggest Canadian film project; a series on HBO Max that is about the acclaimed The Last of Us game. Sadly we’ve heard some news that the spread of the infection “spores” will not be brought into the show, instead, spores will be replaced with “tendrils.” Many trailers have already been released and the show premiered on Jan. 15., 2023.
The trailers look amazing compared to actual gameplay. The zombie models of the clickers and bloaters look awesome and the CGI looks beautiful. The sets look believable and pretty much taken right out of the game, with a bit of a twist to keep the story different but still relating to the game.
Now onto the actual show. With the first episode lasting around 80 minutes, The Last of Us Series is possibly the best adaptation ever made. There were so many things done right. The scripts were sometimes spot on from the game dialogue and the sets are almost identical. But in order to make the show special, there were some obvious changes. The CGI was done right, making the world look real and connecting the The Last of Us fans feel
like they were back playing the games for the first time. The cast is astounding. They couldn’t have picked anyone else for these legendary roles. Pedro Pascal as Joel couldn’t be any better, the way he expresses the emotions Joel has felt through the apocalypse is understanding and easy to connect with. Bella Ramsay being Ellie is hilarious and her personality is everything. The cast sounds and feels like the characters from the game. They may not all look like the characters, but that’s the least thing that matters. After the first episode, the viewers were given a little look into what is to come for the rest of the show. This sneak peek included the amazing sights from the story, development into the clickers, and to even showing off the massive bloater that I cannot wait to be revealed in the upcoming episodes. There will be nine episodes in total with each being around 90 minutes long, including the special scenes showing how the show was created. What inspired the actors to be these characters, how did they become the characters, and a lot more is showcased.
The Last of Us is one to remember whether you’re referring to the game or the show. This story carries so much heart for so many people and that love isn’t going to die out for a while. I won’t stop waiting for another piece of art from Druckmann and Naughty Dog. Always remember, when you’re lost in the darkness, look for the light.
Dog brings a fan favorite adaptation to life
LUKE THOMPSON | REPORTER
The Last of Us video game had an increase in sales of 238% as a result of the show’s success.
The world lost many greats in the year of 2022. From British royalty, to famous celebrities and actors, and even a pope. A wide variety were taken from us in the past year. So, without furtherado, let’s take a look at all of those who have died within the 12 months of 2022.
The year was led into with the death of Betty White. She passed away on Dec. 31., 2021. She was famous for shows like “The Golden Girls,” “Hot In Cleveland,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” and “Saturday Night Live.” The films she was a part of included “The Lorax,” “Lake Placid,” “Toy Story 4,” and “The Proposal.” She began the scourge of celebrities that was to be brought upon the year. White will be remembered as a great actress, comedian, and personality. As long as we continue to watch her films and shows, she will always be kept in our memory.
Bob Saget, best known by fans for his role in “Full House” as ‘Danny Tanner,” was also commonly known for his work as a raunchy stand-up comedian. Following that, he was also the host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” Growing up, he first planned on going into the medical field. Though, due to his less than stellar academic performance and family moving his last year of school, he decided to go into his love of film instead. Although there was initially confusion surrounding his death, according to the autopsy report, his cause of death was blunt head trauma.
Queen Elizabeth II is commonly known as the longest monarch to reign in Britain. She passed away on Sept. 8, 2022. At 96 years old, she lived through many events throughout history.
She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territory Service in 1945, despite her family’s persistent pleas not to put the future heir of their throne in danger.
As a leader, she was known for being a stable and predictable ruler. The crown before her was often left in uncertainty, so the public greatly appreciated this change in pace which was a big relief to them.
According to her death certificate, she died of “old age.”
Olivia Newton-John was a singer and actress who won four Grammy Awards in her lifetime for her impressive work. For her performance in “Grease,” she was even nominated for a Golden Globe. She was born in England but her family moved to Australia when she was young. Her hit singles include “You’re The One That I Want,” “Magic,” “Twist of Fate,” “If Not for You,” “A Little More Love,” “I Honestly Love You,” “Summer Nights,” “Xanadu,” “Physical,” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”
The 70s popstar was reportedly said to have peacefully passed at her ranch in Southern California.
In the month of January, the world renowned Sidney Poitier passed away. A Bahamian star who won the best actor oscar in the year of 1963 for his film “Lillies In The Field.” He was the most accomplished person to pass away in January.
Despite growing up in poverty, he achieved many incredible things over his lifetime. Born in Miami, Florida, but abiding in Cat Island, Bahamas, Poitier was the youngest of seven children. He was the first black actor to ever win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He also won two Golden Globe Awards for his remarkable work.
Some others include Julian Reed (Canadian Politician-85), Calvin Simon (Hall of Fame singer-79). With all of these people gone, it can be difficult to find ways to remember all of them. But, through their fields of art and craft., their fans are able to do so frequently.
Months of spring, notable names are Tommy Davis (baseball player-84), Meat Loaf (singer-74), Gilbert Godfried (comedian-67), Sally Kellerman (Actress from M*A*S*H film-84), Bobby Rydell (American Singer-79), William Joel Gerber (judge-82), Bob Saget (actor-65) Millie Bailey (WW2 Vet.-104), and Fred Ward (actor-79) to name a few. The big names of these people ring out tears of sorrow. The oldest WW2 veteran should be in your minds this memorial day, and every time you take in a piece of media from the second world
war. Or the cases of Bill Gerber, Sally Kellerman’s M*A*S*H role, or the media of any of these other artists. So may these people be left in our memory.
In the summer months many others passed away Joe Turkel (actor from Blade Runner and The Shining-94), Don Perkins (Football Star-84), Donald Pippin (Musical Director, Tony award winner-95), Anne Heche (actress, emmy winner-53), James Caan (ActorThe Godfather, Misery, Elf, Thief-82), Nichelle Nichols (actor, star trek-89), Tony Comber (Clergyman-95), Naiomi
Judd (singer-76), Trevor Baines (British business man and convicted con man82), Shinzo Abe (former Japanese prime minister of Japan-67), Mikhail Gorbachev (Former Leader of The Soviet Union-91), and Ray Liota (actor-Goodfellas, Field of Dreams, The Many Saints of Newark-67).
The names of Nichelle Nichols, Mikhael Gorbachiev, and Shinzo Abe will be written down in the books of history. As they have advocated, and contributed so much to leading and portraying parts of the world that were not what they are now that they were there. Such as a
Shinzo Abe served as the Prime Minister of Japan and was the longest to hold the position in Japanese history. He was also the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, as well as other notable office positions over his life.
As a result of medical complications, he initially had to resign from the position he earned. Luckily, he made an impressive comeback and was able to accomplish much more after the recovery from ulcerative colitis. He was shot during a speech in Nara, leaving him with two fatal wounds. The shooter was quickly arrested for his crime. Despite his tragic death, Abe will not be forgotten.
very influential colored actress playing Lt. Uhura, or the first (and last) good leader of the Soviet Union, or a leader who was close with President Obama. As the year winds down, big names begin to appear on the ledger. The month of Autumn included John Gamble (Baseball Player-74), Queen Elizabeth II (Queen Of The United Kingdom-96), Dennis Nyback (filmmaker-69), Loretta Lynn (country singer-90), Olivia Newton John (actress-73), Christine McVie (Musician-79), and John Aniston (actor, lifetime-achievement award winner-89).
Today is the day of the tournament. You have five schools to compete against to reach the top. It’s anyone’s game, and all it takes to win is to have the most desire to win it. In order to win physically, first, you must win mentally.
Deltona Duals is a wrestling tournament held at Deltona High School that had six teams come out for a dual tournament - which means that two teams go against each other and the more wins the wrestler gets, the more team points they receive. Oviedo, Deltona, Lyman, University Orange City, Seabreeze, and Creekside High School all participated.
Oviedo was first challenged with one of the tougher teams at this tournament, Creekside. Last year, Creekside beat them by 70+ points, but this year Oviedo was a new team. At first they were struggling with the score being 24-3 to Creekside, but they came back and ended up winning the dual 34-30.
“This was not the ideal start for our team, but they gave it all they had and I couldn’t be more proud,” Coach Zachary Waters said.
This made the team incredibly excited and raised their hopes for their next dual against Deltona. They won the duel 43-30, which made Oviedo 2-0 in the tournament.
“At this point, we were all really happy and felt that we could win the whole tournament,” wrestler John Miceli said.
After their win against Deltona, they had to go against Lyman. By now, Oviedo had the motivation to win it all with only three more duals to go. They dominated Lyman with a score of 72-9.
Now the team was on a roll with three wins and no losses. Their next team was Orange City, who they also beat 66-13. This allowed the team to possibly secure the victory if they could win one more dual.
With the team being very eager to win, they went against Seabreeze for their final duel. They went undefeated, winning 82-0. With this final victory, they went 5-0 and earned first place in Deltona duals.
At this tournament, the team had two wrestlers who went 5-0 on the day - including junior Clayton Mitchell.
“If you told me last year that we would win this tournament, I wouldn’t believe you,” Mitchell said. “I think because of that, our team has come a long way.”
“This was not the idea start for our team, but they gave it all they had and I couldn’t be more proud.”JOSHUA SABBIA | PHOTO
It was a seemingly normal Monday night on Jan. 2. Students had just endured their first day back to school after the holiday break and many turned on their TVs to watch some NFL Monday Night Football.
Many fans tuning into the Bills vs. Bengals game ended up witnessing something that no one could have expected to watch in their lifetime. Halfway through the first quarter, Bills safety Damar Hamlin had suffered a hit from Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. At first Hamlin seemed fine, but when the player fell back down after getting up, viewers could tell something was off. Hamlin then entered cardiac arrest on the field and had CPR performed on him, all while players and fans began to pray for the young player on live TV.
As of now, Hamlin is making his recovery after being in critical condition, and his story made a significant impact
on the sports world. In light of Hamlin’s injury, many people are beginning to ask a common question - why do athletes continue to play contact sports knowing the risks, whether they are life threatening or not?
“I think [Hamlin] was just a freak accident, so I don’t really worry about that when I play,” said sophomore football safety Brady Manning. “We wear a lot of gear so we stay protected.”
Although this type of medical accident in particular is generally a rare occurrence, athletic gear isn’t always fully effective. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, usually referred to as CTE, is a brain condition endured after repeated hits to a player’s head. CTE is very common in football players despite how much helmets have technologically evolved since the dawn of the sport.
“I mean, you see it and then it’s just like, one of those crazy things,” said starting quarterback Jackson Latour. “...
but it definitely motivates me to play.”
While some athletes continue to play their sport without hesitation, other contact sport athletes do worry about not being able to play due to injury and plan to be more cautious about their safety in the future.
“Almost every time I worry,” said senior basketball player Myles Young. “It’s always like you want to play, but you’re always worried about falling on somebody or making the wrong move so that you won’t be able to play anymore.”
SAFETY RISKS: Junior quarterback Jackson Latour receives on-field medical attention from athletic trainers after a big hit. He went on to continue playing, leading the Lions to defeat the East River Falcons 57-10.
“Almost every time, I worry...”
-Myles Young, 12