By Nathalie Chan ’19 and Miguel Villacorta ’19
2018 has been a MARVELous year for those who enjoy being entertained. Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, this year has been marked with record-breaking films and music that change the culture of the nation. Some of these are so significant that they ignite a movement of diversity and acceptance to those who are marginalized by society.
One of the two highest grossing films this year- Infinity War, provides an epic crossover of all of our favorite superheros and throws away their differences in exchange for unity. It is the average fan’s ultimate dream to see so many iconic characters in one movie and is equally shocking when seeing the surprising ending.
Black Panther is the eighteenth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and with the first ever black superhero, this offers a new and diverse twist to the classic superhero story. T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, is the king of the fictional Kingdom of Wakanda and battles against the dictator Killmonger played by Michael B. Jordan. This story disseminates African culture with its diverse cast and accurate depictions of African life. Its portrayal of a futuristic African society also provides hope of a successful future to a race that has been abhorred for much of its history.
13 Reasons Why, one of Netflix’s most successful shows, is coming back on Friday May 18, 2018 with thirteen new episodes. The first season of the show focused on the suicide of a young teenage girl named Hannah Baker who leaves behind a box with 13 cassette tapes for those whom she felt influenced her decision to take her own life. This first season of the show sparked conversations between teens and their parents because it brought up a controversial topic about the important issues that some teens struggle with today – assault, depression, and suicide. The second season delves further into these issues and answers the many questions formed at the conclusion of its predecessor.
Music also communicates a message to society and a noteworthy example is Childish Gambino’s latest music video called This is America. This song hit number 1 in the country with it’s inspirational and diverse message on gun violence in America and the media’s lack of coverage of the real issues that we face. Regardless of our views on gun control and reform, it is no doubt that this issue has had a great impact.
Because of the many school and mass shootings that our country has witnessed, some students in a Florida high school felt like it was time to create change. Their movement, March for Our Lives, impacts pop culture and allows the youth to speak up. This kind of social change in our generation is unprecedented and is an opportunity for us to speak our minds without being shut down by the older, “smarter” generations.
Summer is just right around the corner and there is a lot of exciting entertainment to look forward to. With more time on our hands, there is no better time to have so many options of entertainment! This includes the release of The Incredibles 2, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom, Deadpool 2 and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Concerts coming to Washington soon includes Chris Brown, Bumbershoot, Childish Gambino, Sam Smith and Drake. If you like action films we recommend seeing Black Panther, Infinity War andMaze Runner: The Death Cure. If you like horror films we recommend A Quiet Place. And if you like comedy films we recommend Jumanji and Deadpool 2. And if you’re looking for something to binge watch over the summer, we recommend tv shows such as Stranger Things, Riverdale season 2, Friends, and Black Mirror. Many of us have experienced a stressful second semester, but HAVE NO FEAR CAUSE SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!
Into the Jungle 