A&E

Hurst Hot Take: ‘A League of Their Own’ (2022)

Contributed Photo

“A League of Their Own” is Amazon Prime’s newest comedy-drama series. It is an adaptation of the 1992 film of the same name.

By Eva Phillips Staff writer

If you ask Americans to name their favorite summer traditions, it is almost guaranteed that one of the activities mentioned will be America’s pastime: baseball.

For baseball lovers, there’s nothing like an evening at the ballpark with plenty of snacks and the chance to cheer on their favorite team.

Baseball is intrinsically associated with summer, which is why “A League of Their Own,” released this August on Amazon Prime, is the perfect show to watch to capture that end-of-summer nostalgia even if you would not call yourself a baseball fan.

If “A League of Their Own” sounds familiar, it is because the show is adapted from a 1992 movie with the same name.

But the new show has a runtime of eight episodes and features a cast of hilarious, compelling new characters that set the Amazon Prime release apart from the 1992 film.

Set in the early 1940s in the midst of World War II, “A League of Their Own” follows an all-women’s baseball team, the Rockford Peaches, as its members strive to achieve their personal dreams of baseball fame while handling the stress of losses on the field and conflicts within the team.

The war effort has put a damper on men’s baseball, with players drafted or enlisting to join the military and perform their patriotic duty.

To lift American spirits, a plan is hatched to recruit women from across the country for a women’s baseball league that will bring crowds to the stands once more.

Among the recruits are Carson Shaw, Greta Gill, Jo Deluca and Lupe Garcia.

Comedian Abbi Jacobsen plays Carson Shaw, one of the only married women on the team; her husband is a soldier in Europe, and their marriage is in a complicated spot when Shaw decides to join the Rockford Peaches without his knowledge.

Lupe Garcia is a star pitcher struggling to assert her talent in a world that refuses to accept her identity as a Mexican woman, and Greta and Jo are longtime best friends from New York City with secrets of their own.

D’Arcy Carden, best known for her role as Janet on “The Good Place,” shines in the role of Greta Gill, who draws the eye of men everywhere she goes.

All the players have unique personalities and talents; thanks to the cast’s excellent acting, none of them get lost in the shuffle.

Max Chapman, played by Chanté Adams, is one of the most compelling characters on the show.

Rejected from the women’s baseball league because she is Black, Chapman fights to realize her dream of playing in the Negro Leagues despite obstacles of gender and racial discrimination and her commitments to her family.

Her story illustrates a reality that “A League of Their Own” skillfully addresses: even as Black soldiers fought for freedom overseas and Black women joined the war effort on the home front, white Americans continued to treat them with injustice and discrimination.

“A League of Their Own” has moments of comedy and drama alike.

One of its greatest strengths, though, is its portrayal of nuanced characters from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds and varied sexual and gender identities.

It depicts complex, nuanced queer romance, highlighting chemistry and emotional connection while not shying away from the challenges that queer characters face in concealing their sexuality in a repressive era.

Overall, “A League of Their Own” has something for everyone, whether or not you like baseball.

It is funny, engaging and heartwarming, and it is guaranteed to make you root for each and every player. With multiple interwoven plot lines, vibrant interpersonal relationships and a stellar cast, A League of Their Own swings for the fences — and scores a home run.

The 814: Cauldron and Thorne mystifies

By Christina Judy Contributing writer

While cars are busy buzzing up and down 8th street, some stop to take the time to reflect on themselves and inquire about their futures.

Cauldron and Thorne is a newer gem of Erie that is living up to their mission of “supporting a Magickal, Joyful, Inspired Life.”

Their location, at 2724 W 8th Street, matches appropriately with their merchandise and vibe as it sits near the enchanting water of Presque Isle.

This metaphysical shop was opened amidst the pandemic with the intention of providing people with the means to alleviate stress and search in their soul for the kind of person they want to become.

With all the uncertainty and lack of control that the COVID-19 pandemic brought, Cauldron and Thorne sought to give people a space to look within themselves to find some peace.

With a unique collection of gems and crystals, as well as over 90 scents of incense, crystal balls, tarot card readings, healing jewelry, magic wands, candles and much more, customers are free to explore the depths of their soul.

They also put on a number of events aimed to help people connect to the universe.

Everyone is welcome to participate in shop-sponsored activities, such as leaf reading, yoga, reflection activities and full moon healing, these events bring individuals in alignment with parts of themselves that are in search of healing or health.

Their hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Store clerks will greet you with their experience and wisdom about products they have personally connected with and will also guide you to finding the object you desire most.

When I visited Cauldron and Thorne, I was introduced to a whole new way of thinking about myself and the balance in my life that I was searching for.

As I walked inside the door, my curiosity piqued upon seeing the endless variety of healing jewelry.

From the selection of healing bands, I purchased one called Amazonite which is meant to aid in overcoming fear and obtaining balance between my mind, body and soul.

Each healing band has its own purpose, which is what allows it to have individualized value to the customer.

When you find the one for you, make a wish and tie it on; when it breaks off, your wish is manifested to be true.

In case you are not a jewelry person, this store offers an assortment of crystals that each have a special intent that, even if you are not searching for something in particular, will find a way to resonate with you.

When I inquired about the reason behind reading a crystal ball, I was met with a thought-provoking response.

I was told that many people feel unsettled about their future and looking deeply into a crystal ball creates a sense of self-reflection that leads many people to answers on how to handle situations about their futures.

Every question has a thoughtful answer like this from the amazing employees that truly love their jobs.

The desire to better oneself and create a more peaceful balance in our life is something many of us are looking to do.

Trying to find a way to start might be overwhelming, but Cauldron and Thorne offers many tools to help individuals begin on this journey.

With spooky season just around the corner, its the perfect time to pay Cauldron and Thorne a visit!

Photo by Christina Judy An eclectic sign at the entrance of Cauldron and Thorne.

Summer music recap: Harry Styles has a hold on 2022 music

By Megan McKay Contributing writer

As students get settled back into the new school year, it means summer is officially over.

However, summer’s pop hits never disappoint as music streaming services are hit yearly with lots of songs to define the summer.

There were a ton of big releases this summer, from Harry Styles to Lizzo, and fans were blessed with some of these artists’ best songs of the year.

To recap the biggest hits, Billboard’s Top 100 closes out each season with the most popular songs of the summer.

The Billboard chart is based on cumulative performance on weekly streaming, airplay and sales from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Billboard has just recently released its Top 100, and I’m going to share my thoughts.

Before I do, I wanted to mention, left off the top 10 list, OneRepublic’s “I Ain’t Worried”.

OneRepublic released their hit in May, and it soared to new heights accompanied with Tom Cruise’s new film “Top Gun: Maverick.”

OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder jokingly told WRMF, “‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is a $200 million music video for our song.”

The record-breaking box office film is doing all the promoting for the groups hit, which peaked at No. 12 on the charts.

Coming in at No. 10 for Billboards 2022 Songs of the Summer is Bad Bunny’s “Titi Me Pregunto.”

No. 9 is Harry Styles’ “Late Night Talking” and No. 8 is Beyonce’s “Break My Soul”.

Glass Animals comes in at No. 7 with “Heat Waves” followed by No. 6 which is Bad Bunny and Chencho Corleone’s “Me Porto Bonito”.

The only song of the summer not released in this decade is Kate Bush’s classic song “Running Up That Hill”. Coming in at No. 5, this hit is no surprise to fans of the Netflix series “Stranger Things.”

“Stranger Things” is set in the 1980s and frequently features 80s blasts-from-the-pasts, so it was not expected that Bush’s hit would become a worldwide sensation when exposed to the newer generations. The song had a big influence on some of the best scenes of the season.

Star Sadie Sink’s character’s favorite song (“Running Up That Hill”) was prominent throughout the fourth season.

The song quickly became a symbol of hope as she narrowly escaped death, therefore leading it to becoming a sort of anthem.

“It really didn’t [get old]. I have such an emotional and personal connection to ‘Running Up That Hill’ and it really lent itself to tapping into the character,” Sink said in an interview with Vulture.

It is interesting to note that popular U.K. singer’s song, when released 37 years ago, did not receive nearly the same amount of recognition as it has today. During its time, the song had reached No. 30, though Bush’s songs had never been successful internationally.

With the presence of TikTok and streaming services like Netflix, it became the most streamed song of June. With the resurgence of her song, Bush has been estimated to have made over $2.5 million and counting according to Fortune.

I believe it is safe to assume that the 80s hit will always remain a staple in “Stranger Things”, but it is best to leave the joy of binging and the vibrance of Bush with the summer.

To continue with the Billboard’s best hits, at No. 4 is Future’s “Wait for U” ft. Drake and Tems, and at No. 3 is Jack Harlow’s “First Class.”

In addition to Harlow’s hit, TikTok has once again contributed to another summer hit at No. 2 with Lizzo’s “About Damn Time.”

Both Lizzo’s and Harlow’s hits have become viral phenomena with choreographed dances on Tiktok.

Lizzo specifically continues to blow the roof off with massive hits.

The singer has won over 18 awards and just recently, at the end of August, earned a prize for her “About Damn Time” music video.

I was surprised to not see Nicky Youre’s popular TikTok smash “Sunroof” not on the top 10 charts as it fell to summer’s No. 15.

According to many Mercyhurst students, “Sunroof” was a major vibe for the summer but did not out-perform the rest of the hits from the summer.

As of this past week, “Sunroof” currently sits at No. 5 on the Billboard weekly charts.

Finally, we arrive at the No. 1 hit of the summer!

Ranking No. 1 for the 12th week in a row with mega hit “As It Was” is Harry Styles. Styles’ song smashed the summer charts and earned MTV Awards Best Pop song.

“As It Was” topped the Songs of Summer chart each week this year, and according to Billboard, “It’s the third song in the last four years to sweep a season.”

Fans from Erie and the east coast can even catch Harry Styles’ Love on Tour 2022.

He will be performing Aug. 20 through Sept. 21 at Madison Square Garden.

For the next 15 days, MSG in New York City will be Harry’s House.

We hope to see Billboards Top 100 stay for longer than the summer months, however many have already dropped off the charts.

Only two titles from last years’ Songs of the Summer appeared on the charts, so it is safe to say they will always be hits, but will be staying with summer.

A still from Harry Styles’ “As It Was” music video.

Contributed Photo

Nostalgia Nook: Poptropica memories

By Bella Lee Staff writer

When I was little, one of my favorite sites to play games online was Poptropica.

I can thank Jeff Kinney for creating two big parts of my childhood, since he was both the creator of this and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”

I still remember the username that my mom created for me: PumpkinSeed7.

The “7” is because that’s how old I was at the time, and “Pumpkin Seed” was one of the many nicknames my mom called me.

My all-time favorite island on Poptropica was the superhero island, the one where all of the bad guys received powers.

The villains broke out of prison, and you had to catch all of them.

I think I was only successfully able to capture all of the villains once, but it was still really fun to play every time I went back.

It’s been well over 10 years since I last played it and I’ve seen all the changes, so I’m not sure if I’ll ever go back to it.

However, considering it’s now a game I can get on the App Store, I might just have to go back and relive my childhood experience.