Thor: Ragnarok

TOPIC: Thor: Ragnarok

FACT: Applauded by critics and fans worldwide, Taika Waititi's newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has not come to disappoint.

Earning over $700 million at the box office, this two hour science fiction film stars Australian actor Chris Hemsworth as Thor, the mighty hero of Asgard, English actor Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Thor’s untrusting brother, and Australian actress Cate Blanchett as Hela, the Asgardian goddess of death who just so happens to be Thor’s older sister. After slaying the beast known as Surtur thus believing to have stopped Ragnarok for good, Thor must now save the people of Asgard by escaping from a secure planet on the other side of the universe. Spending most the movie attempting to return home, Thor gets help from the Hulk, He who likes to smash, and a surviving Valkyrie creating an unlikely yet perfect team. In the end, the “Revengers” must fight Hela’s undead army to save Asgard once and for all, but can they do so without fulfilling the prophecy of Ragnarok: the endless cycle of life and death in which complete destruction may pave a way for a renewed future?

Having a current score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, Thor: Ragnarok succeeds in portraying an originally grim and gruesome story in a hilarious, light-hearted manner. Though Waititi’s story deviates from the original tragic comic, ending with Ragnarok killing everyone and destroying Asgardian civilization as a whole, the new film justifies its actions by having by far the most epic ending battle scene of any Marvel movie I have ever seen. With an outstanding performance from Hemsworth as the god of thunder, I was frozen in my seat for every second Thor was surrounded by the intense blue lighting, illustrating the power and fury one can posses if you dare to threaten one’s home or discourage what makes someone unique from the rest of the universe.

In conclusion, Thor: Ragnarok is one Marvel fans must see and a movie I recommend for general audiences alike. In the words of Michael Ordona from Common Sense Media, “Thor’s third stand-alone movie goes there with wild, bold choices -- and it succeeds, especially, on many levels.”

EMA Awards 2017

TOPIC: EMA Awards 2017

(FYI: The 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards is an annual award ceremony that honors popular music from across the world, including in the U.S., different parts of Europe and specific countries in Aisa.) 

FACT: This year's EMAs were held on Sunday, November 12, at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London, where the unstoppable singer Rita Ora had the honor of hosting this special night. 

Eminem, the rapper who recently attacked President Trump in a free-style diss-track rap video played at another award show earlier this year, opened the show by performing his brand new song "Walk on Water". His energetic stage presence hyped up the live audience along with inspiring viewers at home with a subtle yet powerful performance. This may be why the EMAs awarded Eminem the Best Hip Hop Artist award, despite the fact that the rapper hasn't released much new content this year. 

Moving right along, two artists that definitely stole the show were "Stitches" singer Shawn Mendes and former Disney star Demi Lovato. Shawn was more than weclomed to the EMA stage where he performed his fan-favorite hit "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" with his acoustic guitar. The beloved singer pleased his worldwide audience and even walked away with the Best Artist award. As for Demi's performance, the star had the whole audience singing along while belting out the emotional piece "Tell Me You Love Me", proving that Demi Lovato is a true powerhouse. Other notable artists of the night include Dua Lipa, who won Best New Act, U2, who won the Global Icon Award, The Chainsmokers, who won Best World Stage Performance, and Kendrick Lamar, who won Best Video.

Additionally, former Fifth Harmony member Camila Cabello blew the roof with a stunning performance of her most recent pop sensation "Havana", featuring Young Thug. Mixed with perfectly synchronized dancers, appealing visual designs, and of course, Camila Cabello, this performance was one for the books. Camila also took home the Best Pop Artist award showing that she's doing just fine as a solo singer. 

Awards were also given out to performers from Russia, India, Japan, Latin America, Australia, and Brazil, though these winners were not nearly as recognized as the American and European singers. All in all, this was one enjoyable night filled with fun, dancing, and lots and lots of Rita Ora. :)  

Happy Death Day

TOPIC: Happy Death Day

FACT: Making the rounds as one of the most successful movies for the box office in October 2017, critics say Happy Death Day exibits what it would be like if Hollywood remade the 1993 film Groundhog Day into a horror movie.

Directed by Christopher D. Landon, this PG-13 mystery thriller portrays one day in the life of college student Tree Gelbman, which just so happens to be her birthday. After being brutally murdered at a night party later that same day, Tree finds herself in the same dorm room she previously woke up in, only to relive a very long birthday over again in a never-ending cycle. As she takes notice of these reoccurring events, Tree learns that in order to see tomorrow she must uncover the identity of her killer and find a way to avoid her severe murder. 

During her repetitive adventure, filled with trial and error, the college student undergoes a journey of self-discovery and life recovery after having the time to reflect on all of her bad habits. The movie itself has some laughs, with a series of jump scares and an immensely shocking plot-twist, all of which fans have said leave a strong and positive emotion on the film as whole. As for critic reviews, Jeffery M. Anderson from Common Sense Media and David Edelstein from Vulture both agree that though the new movie borrows some of its plot from Harold Ramis' Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, Happy Death Day is certainly an appealing movie on its own. Additionally, with a budget of $4.8 million, this mysterious film has scored a 69% on Rotten Tomatoes while also pleasing 84% of Google users.

Overall, if you enjoy a good thriller and aren't annoyed by repetition, then Happy Death Day is a movie for you. WARNING: It may leave you with a grave fear of infants...       

House of Cards

TOPIC: House of Cards

(FYI: Debuting in 2013, the Netflix original series 'House of Cards' has been deemed a poltical thriller which settled well with critics and general audiences alike, earning a 9/10 on IMDb and winning the Golden Globes for Best Actor and Actress in a Television Series Drama in 2014 and 2015. The show illustrates the motives of South Carolina Congressman Francis Underwood, portrayed by Kevin Spacey, who was promised the position of Secretary of State only to have Garrett Walker, Underwood's presidental canidate, change his mind at the last minute. Aided by his wife, Claire Underwood, the congressman decides to take action by finding ways to attack his political rivals while individually gaining more political power along the way.)       

FACT: Following sexual assult allegations made about Kevin Spacey in the past few days, Netflix has revealed that House of Cards will come to an end after its upcoming season.

The critically acclaimed thriller has held onto its popularity ever since 2013, only to end after six seasons. Netflix and Media Rights Capital, which produce the original series, came together and released a confirmation statement on Tuesday which read, "MRC and Netflix have decided to suspend production on 'House of Cards' season six, until further notice, to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew". The following Sunday, actor Anthony Rapp told BuzzFeed about an alleged encounter he had with the show's leading actor, Kevin Spacey, at a party in 1986 at the age of fourteen, where Rapp describes Spacey as having sexual assaulted him. Spacey has responded to these claims, to which the actor publicly apologized for his "inappropriate drunken behavior." 

Netflix announced that they made the decision to end House of Cards months prior to the Spacey assault claim, though fans and general audiences alike are still questioning whether these two breaking news stories have any correlation. Rapp went on to explain how he had never felt comfortable telling his story before, and only gained confidence from all the women in Hollywood who have spoken out against film producer Harvey Wenistein, who has now been dubbed a sexual "predator". With countless actors speaking out against sexual assault I wonder who will break the news next, and in that case, could it result in the termination of another beloved TV show? 

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P.S. Sorry about the lack of emails this month everyone. I have been swamped with school work lately but am back to reporting on all the latest news that the world of pop culture has to offer! :) 

Battle of the Sexes

TOPIC: Battle of the Sexes 

FACT: Battle of the Sexes is a sports and biography film that describes the perspective of former No. 1 woman tennis player Billie Jean King during the early '70s, while giving the audience a deeper understanding of the events that eventually molded her iconic win against tennis champion Bobby Riggs in 1973. This live event ended up reached over ninety million viewers worldwide and also gave rise to the women's movement and early feminism at this time. 

An insightful look at the past, this 2017 motion picture brings audiences back to the days of Billie Jean King, played by La La Land star Emma Stone, in a historical tennis match truly illustrating a "Battle of the Sexes". Regarding the unequal salaries of American men and women athletes in the early '70s, this film shines a light on a series of events which eventually led Billie King to accept a match against Steve Carell's character, Bobby Riggs, who according to the film, prefers women "in the kitchen and the bedroom". While having a few laughs and tear-jerking acting, Battle of the Sexes succeeds in capturing the state of America during this eventful time period, explaining why King saw this game as not only a tennis match, but as a fight for equality in America. 

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' popular biography also tells the behind-the-scene battles each of the two tennis players faced during their famous rivalry, from Billie Jean King coming to terms with her own sexuality, to Bobby Riggs gambling his reputation and legacy away one night after the next.    

   

The film racked up an average score of 6.9/10 from IMDb while currently holding 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. Battle of the Sexes additionally stars the talents of Elisabeth Shue, Sarah Silverman and Alan Cumming, who all play significant characters in the story. 

In conclusion, Battle of the Sexes took one of the most publicized sporting events in history to places far beyond the tennis court, which is no wonder why the film's genuine tagline simply states, "He made a bet. She made history."

Las Vegas Shooting

TOPIC: Las Vegas

FACT: On Sunday, October 1, a sixty-four-year old retired accountant named Stephen Paddock opened fire at concertgoers in Las Vegas, NV, killing fifty-eight people and additionally injuring five hundred more. This unexpected mass-shooting has launched plenty of controversy as well, by reminding the country what a hot-button issue gun-control has become in the United States of America. 

Shortly after 10:00 PM Sunday night, at the Route 91 Harvest festival, an outside country music festival was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. Police reported that the gunman fired at a crowd of over twenty-two thousand people from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, several hundred feet from the concert grounds. Witnesses describe the publicized massacre by saying the gunfire lasted for nearly a full fifteen minutes. Once the shooting had ended police were able to explore the hotel where they found Paddock dead on the floor, leading to the conclusion the wealthy former accountant had taken his own life. Police believe that Paddock acted alone as well.

Paddock's family and former girlfriend were shocked at what he had done in Vegas. The gunman's brother, Eric Paddock, told reporters he was beyond stunned by the attack, while the his former girlfriend, Marilou Danley, described her partner as "a kind, caring, quiet man". According to forensic psychologist Reid Meloy though, Paddock may have demonstrated more than one warning behavior signaling whether someone is capable of committing a crime as severe as this. One such behavior pattern Paddock conveyed was engaging in deep, private research, which most likely turned into secretive planning and preparation for an act of violence; this observation adds up because it was later revealed that over the years Paddock had been collecting assault rifles and other semi-automatic weapons, and maybe not by coincidence, police had found a total of twenty-three guns in his hotel room the night of the attack. Even though police have thoroughly traced Paddock's steps, his motive(s) are still unknown, and so the Vegas shooting is not yet officially considered an act of terrorism.  

   

As for people's general reactions to the attack, an array of celebrities along with average citizens have expressed their concern for Vegas by spreading the trending hashtag #PrayForVegas, which has now flooded social media. In fact, country singer Jason Aldean, who performed the night of the mass-shooting, made a surprising but appreciated appearance on Saturday Night Live last weekend to pay tribute to the families affected that night by performing Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" in replace of the usual opening Trump sketch. 

Lastly, late-night television show-host Jimmy Kimmel made a controversial statement on how this tragic event reflects the state of American gun-control laws, explaining that there should not only be more secure background checks on gun-buyers, but empathizing the idea that the country would be safer if it were not as easy for people with metal illnesses to own a gun. Kimmel's statement got quite the backlash though as people called his logic "delusional", as he acknowledged the fact that the Vegas shooter didn't have any disabilities or mental illnesses, though went on to tell the live studio audience the best way to solve America's gun-control problem is to put stricter gun regulations on mentally handicapped citizens. And, according to BBC and the National Center for Health Statistics, less than 5% of US gun-related killings between 2001 and 2010 were committed by people diagnosed with a mental illness.

The Las Vegas massacre is now the deadliest mass-shooting in modern US history, which was previously held by the Orlando shooting just last year. We all know these consistent shootings must come to an end, because even though every American under the Constitution has the right of bear arms, I personally do not believe it is necessary for any one person to carry twenty assault weapons for the purpose of self-defense. 

Restaurant Dash With Gordon Ramsay

TOPIC: Restaurant Dash With Gordon Ramsay

FACT: Restaurant Dash With Gordon Ramsay is a gaming app for Androids starring British celebrity chief Gordon Ramsay. Even though the game was released over a year ago, game critics and fans of the Master Chief and Hell's Kitchen superstar are still hearing about this fan-favorite cooking adventure. With Gordon Ramsay as your personal guide throughout the game, the app let's you travel the world mastering unique cooking tips and master-chief skills to eventually build your very own restaurant empire. Additionally, you have the opportunity to show off your culinary skills by competing against other online players, and you can even show the game who's boss by putting your skills to the test to battle Gordon Ramsay face-to-face in an epic boss battle.

The gaming app was published by Glu Mobile and scored an impressive 4.4/5 on Google Play. Though the app is free to play, you may choose to spend real money on extra items to upgrade your recipes and expand your empire. As far as what the fans have to say, many reviews explain how addicting and enjoyable this reality-cooking show experience based game really is, though the downside is that the game also has trouble loading levels and may even crash in some cases. All in all, this free to play app has it all, while also managing to create a very accurate animation of Gordon Ramsay, may I add. :)   

Fixer Upper

TOPIC: Fixer Upper

(FYI: 'Fixer Upper' is a reality series on HGTV centered around the contracting and home-rejuvenating couple Chip and Joanna Gaines. The television show presents the process in which the husband and wife team turn cheap and run-down houses into potentially rich and beautiful places to live, along with helping to revitalize whole neighborhoods throughout central Texas. Chip is the lead manager of the home's construction work, and Joanna acts as the lead designer, while their combined goal in every episode is to convince home-owners that their initially imperfect house was actually their ideal "fixer-upper" the entire time.)   

FACT: The stars of HGTV's hit series Fixer Upper, which first aired on May 23, 2013, have announced this week that their popular show will come to an end after five seasons.

On Tuesday, October 3, the beloved couple revealed on their blog that season 5, premiering in November, will sadly be their last. Furthermore, the Texas residents wrote a heartwarming note on Twitter by saying, "While we are confident that this is the right choice for us, it has for sure not been an easy one to come to terms with. Our family has grown up alongside yours, and we have felt you rooting us on from the other side of the screen... How bittersweet to say goodbye to the very thing that introduced us all in the first place."    

As for why the American "dream-couple" has decided to end Fixer Upper, Chip goes on to explain that him and his wife simply need time to rest. Not only has the couple emphasized their plans to spend more quality time raising their four children, but Joanna added that the two want to focus more time on their now multi-million dollar company Magnolia Home Furniture. In conclusion, the stars of the popularly rated Fixer Upper are merely taking time off to work on aspects of their lives that they believe can be strengthened, while resting in the places that deserve peace.  

Hugh Hefner / Julia Louis-Dreyfus

TOPIC: Hugh Hefner / Julia Louis-Dreyfus
FACT: On September 27, 2017, Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner passed away due to natural causes; later that same day, actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus revealed via Twitter that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

At Playboy Mansion, located in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, CA, former editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine Hugh Hefner died at the old age of ninety-one. After his late death, the public along with news media-outlets have newly began reflecting the way in which Hefner's successful magazine brand has impacted our society today. According to sources such as CNN, the iconic magazine Hefner founded in 1953 immensely challenged the nation's views on sexuality -- due to the fact that Playboy is a sexually explicit men's lifestyle magazine. As for his burial, Hefner had previously asked to be buried beside American actress and model Marilyn Monroe, who was also Playboy's very first centerfold making her a "sex-icon" in the late '40s and '50s. Whether you mourn or celebrate Hefner's death is completely up to your perspective, but we can all agree that it's hard to contradict the incredible impact Hugh Hefner has had on not just American culture, which may have rubbed off into aspects of world-wide culture as well, but on the way Americans view the topic of sex and sexuality in general.

 After the news broke that Hugh Hefner had perished, a second ground-breaking story flooded mainstream news networks: Julia Louis-Dreyfus announcing on social media that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The Seinfeld and Veep actress took to Twitter to post a short yet powerful message, writing, “1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today, I’m the one.” The superstar continued her heart-wrenching comment by complimenting her supportive family and friends, along with her insurance through her union, before moving on to write that not all women are so lucky. To sum things up, the actress turned her cancer announcement tweet into a statement on making universal healthcare a reality. The Emmy winner's post currently has approximately 500,000 likes on Twitter, where she also received love and support from fellow celebs including Ellen DeGeneres and Kevin Spacey. Additionally, former vice president Joe Biden tweeted Dreyfus by saying, "We Veeps stick together. Jill and I, all of the Bidens, are with you, Julia," which is a fitting response since Biden was diagnosed with having a brain tumor just early this year. As for filming her current show Veep, an HBO spokeswoman told the press that the show's writers will continue writing, and that the production schedule will be adjusted as needed. The comedy’s last season will air in 2018. 

All in all, two iconic figures in our society had bad news drop on the same exact day. Who saw that one coming?

The Voice

TOPIC: The Voice / Dave Crosby

FACT: American singing-competition series The Voice kicked off its thirteenth season last week, featuring a new batch of talented singers and even a brand new judge. :)

Premiering on September 25, the latest season of the reality show welcomed singer and actress Jennifer Hudson as the season's first-time judge. Additionally, Miley Cyrus has returned to the judge's seat, as the show's producers have decided to replace two of last season's judges, Alicia Keys and Gwen Stefani, with Cyrus and Hudson. On the contrary, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton are still the show's leading judges, who are continuing their hilarious and silly comedy as usual. 

Interestingly enough though, one of this season's notable contestants is singer and father Dave Crosby who became an internet sensation after posting covers of him and his four-year old daughter Claire singing duets on YouTube. Likewise, you may have seen this duo perform several times on The Ellen Show from singing Moana's "How Far I'll Go" to Toy Story's Academy Award nominated track "You've Got A Friend In Me", melting large audiences' hearts worldwide. 

At Crosby's blind audition he performed "I Will Follow You Into the Dark", surprisingly followed by the judges asking his daughter to come out on stage and sing as well; Claire sang and everyone insanely got on their feet and burst out clapping. In the end, the dad chose to be on Team Adam, though Blake Shelton made the comment saying that he'd be ready to coach his daughter if Claire were to ever audition for the show.

The Lego Ninjago Movie

TOPIC: The LEGO Ninjago Movie

FACT: Distributed by motion picture/entertainment company Warner Bros, The LEGO Ninjago Movie has fans all over the country in abuzz. 

The battle for Ninjago City calls to action young Master Builder Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, along with his secret ninja warrior friends. Led by the incredibly wise Master Wu, the ninja team must defeat the infamously evil warlord Garmadon, who also happens to be Lloyd's dad. Pitting father against son, the epic Lego-themed showdown tests these fierce but undisciplined modern-day ninjas as they learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash the inner power of Spinjitzu.

True Ninjago fans have compared and contrasted this movie to the original series in which it's based, Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, while others have also praised the film for casting professional martial artist Jackie Chan as the role of the iconic Sensei Wu. 

Though the film has only scored 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics have applauded the latest installment of the Lego-movie franchise, with my personal favorite review being from A. O. Scott from the NY Times writing that the nearly two hour long film winks at pop culture cleverness and earnest lesson-learning alike. 

All in all, from Jackie Chan to Lego ninjas, this TV series based movie was the not at all parallel to the original series, though it was still an enjoyable adventure for a family movie day. Plus, this movie truly gives humans an insight look into a Lego citizen's daily life by casually breaking the fourth wall. :) 

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PS: My good friend from New Jersey, Oscar Vasquez, is promoting a fundraiser for West Orange High School Boys Soccer 2017. There's only 2 days left in the fundraiser, and we still need help in order to reach our goal. Donations will go towards the upgrading of equipment, field costs, travel cost and uniforms. Donations are vital for the success of this program. Click below to see our team message and share our page. Thanks for your support. -- Oscar Vasquez     

https://app.snap-raise.com/fundraisers/38736/participant/968259?share_type=email&donation_invite_id=11906537

Kevin Hart

TOPIC: Kevin Hart

(FYI: Hart is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer who starred in 'Central Intelligence' and voiced George Beard in the 2017 'Captain Underpants' movie.)

FACT: A video of Kevin Hart actively cheating on his now pregnant wife has been released online, greatly disappointing Hart's fans worldwide and resulting in the comedian creating a public apology video for his wife and kids.

TMZ has reported that Kevin Hart was the victim of a multi-million dollar extortion attempt, which is a crime very similar to blackmail. The FBI is on the case and are said to already have a suspect in custody. Police have told TMZ that an anonymous person contacted Kevin’s team and provided a five-minute video showing Kevin and a woman in a sexually provocative situation including a bedroom scene, but that they can’t make out who exactly is in the bed.

The FBI know this anonymous person demanded a huge amount of cash in return for keeping the video private, and supposedly there were several demands and at one point the amount hit 10 million. The FBI are also convinced that it is either the woman in the video, or the person who recorded it that are making these high demands. And since the video was clearly recorded without Kevin’s consent, it’s illegal.

But Kevin’s problems are definitely far from over. On Saturday, September 16, he issued a public apology to his pregnant wife and kids via Instagram where he made a short video admitting to his wrongdoing. He captioned the video, “Sending so many apologies to my wife & kids. I gotta do better and I will. I'm not perfect and have never claimed to be ...I love you all.”

Though people applaud Hart for being honest, apologetic, and for telling the public more than they deserve to know, others are finding it harder to forgive the comedian and choose to stick by the famous phrase, "Once a cheater, always a cheater." But in addition to simply apologizing to his family, Hart didn't want someone to make financial gains from his big mistakes, which is why he would rather confess to his wrongdoing than to stay silent.

AGT Finale

TOPIC: America's Got Talent: The Finale

FACT: After months of auditions, weeks of outstanding live performances and talent in creative fields such as singing, dancing, comedy and even dog training, the newest season of America's Got Talent finally has a winner! :)

Last night concluded one of AGT's most popularly rated seasons thus far, ending with one final two-hour episode called "The Finale", where the ten remaining finalists witnessed who would ultimately walk out as the winner. Additionally, the live audience got to view stunning performances not only between the acts themselves, but with the acts performing side-by-side mega superstars such as Kelly Clarkson and James Arthur.

The 12th season of the reality competition series was hosted by television personalty Tyra Banks, who was also the one to reveal that this season's $1 million prize-winner was none other than 12-year-old ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer. After watching last year's season where singer Grace VanderWaal was crowned winner, I personally found Farmer and VanderWaal very similar, as both girls can sing, both won the show at the young age of 12, and both won the hearts of America with their creatively talented acts. What was different about these two season though, was that Tyra announced that this was one of AGT's most popular seasons yet -- receiving over a solid 50 million votes just for the acts who made it through to the finals. 

The ten finalists this year were singer Angelica Hale, deaf singer-songwriter/ukuleleist Mandy Harvey, singer-songwriter/guitarist Chase Goehring, stand-up comedian Preacher Lawson, light-up dance troupe Light Balance, dog act Sara and Hero, acrobatic dance group Diavolo, singer Evie Clair, plane survivor and singer Kechi, and of course, singing ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer. Each and even one of these sensational acts fought long and hard for a place in the finals, but only one walked out of the Dolby Theatre with the $1M. 

Did you watch this year's season of AGT? I know I did, and in fact, I made my parents sit through it too. ;) 

Here is Darci Lynne's unbelievable performance at the Finals this season, with the video generating over 15 million views in a week. But if I am being completely honest here, I was rooting for Mandy.

(Maybe blocked on ICSD Chromebooks.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ropWor8aAM  

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PS: Fun Fact of the Day has now reached over 450 members!!! :O

Ori and the Blind Forest

TOPIC: Ori and the Blind Forest

(FYI: 'Ori and the Blind Forest' is a single player platform-adventure Metroidvania video game designed by Moon Studios and published by Microsoft Studios.)

FACT: Following the game's initial release date back in 2015, this widely admired adventure is getting a brand new squeal titled Ori and the Will of the Wisps.  

The original game was praised by critics across the board, getting a score of 10/10 from Stream and a 4.6/5 from Microsoft, and so it is no question why Ori is now turning into its own video game series. Ori is the titular character and main protagonist of Ori and the Blind Forest, and a spirit guardian who becomes separated from their biological and adoptive family; Ori is then thrust into a journey to save the forest of Nibel from a dangerous decay spreading throughout the land. 

From the new squeal's trailer, posted by Xbox's YouTube channel, the new game looks absolutely beautiful. Filled with a variety of bright and blushy colors, the trailer illustrates a world where animals survive in a forest filled with monsters, while also exploring different environments changing from day to night. Additionally, the original game won the BAFTA Games Award for Best Artistic Achievement, and, in my opinion, Ori and the Will of the Wisps has equally, if not more stunning graphics.

The sequel is set to come out this year, and with all the tragic hurricanes and earthquakes currently impacting our world today, I think a beautifully colorful fictitious world is what we all need right now. :)   

Emmy Awards

TOPIC: 2017 Emmy Awards

(FYI: The Emmys is an annual award show that honors the best in U.S. prime-time television programming. This year's ceremony acknowledged fan-favorite TV shows, movies, actors and directors from June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.)    

FACT: The 69th Annual Prime-time Emmy Awards took place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles this year, and was hosted by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's very own comedian Stephen Colbert. :)  

Shocking moments go hand in hand with every award show known to man, but the 2017 Emmys definitely took those moments to a whole other level. After making a notably controversial joke about follow comedian Bill Maher, Colbert brought out former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in the middle of his opening monologue -- and let's just say things got spicy. The moment Spicer set foot on stage to play along with Stephen Colbert's monologue, not only were the crowd of celebrities visually speechless, but the show kept cutting to actress Melissa McCarthy, who famously played the press secretary on the most recent season of Saturday Night Live, since she was clearly flabbergasted to say the least.

Some of the night's sketches were also pretty memorable, my favorite being when RuPaul portrayed a real life Emmy statue in a sit down interview with the host of the night, gossiping about other famed award statues including Oscar and Tony.

Another honorable moment of the 2017 Emmys occurred when Melissa McCarthy and Dave Chapelle walked out on stage to present an award, where Chapelle gave a shout-out to D.C. Public Schools. Following this surprising shout-out, comedian and show-host John Oliver sparked a trending hashtag on Twitter during his acceptance speech for the Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series award, stating, "Like Dave Chapelle, I would like to unexpectedly thank D.C. Public Schools because I think it would be great if it started trending tonight on Twitter for no reason whatsoever. So, if you're tweeting about the Emmys at home, please use the hashtag D.C. Public Schools."

The award show also had a very politically inspired theme, commonly poking fun at President Donald Trump. At the beginning of the night, Colbert made a jab about Trump being nominated for an Emmy many times for his show The Apprentice, but failed to actually win the award. So when Alec Baldwin accepted his award for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, he mentioned that this one was "for him".

Lastly, The Handmaid’s Tale made history for Hulu that night when they won the Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series while their respective cast members won for supporting and lead actress. Other nominated series included The Crown, Stranger Things, House of Cards and This Is Us, while multiple winners throughout the night coincidentally decided to thank the one and only Oprah Winfrey in their acceptance speeches, primarily because she was sitting dead-center in the first row.

All in all, it was a night you did not want to miss!

SNL's Backpack Kid

TOPIC: The Backpack Kid

FACT: The Backpack Kid took his talent and of course his backpack to the season finale of Saturday Night Live this year, by performing his unique dance alongside musical guest Katy Perry. But there is SO much more you probably don't know about this Instagram sensation. :)

By the time the Internet dubbed him "The Backpack Kid", Russell Horning was already an Instagram star because of his signature dance move called Flossing, which he now always performs with a backpack. But how did The Backpack Kid start dancing? 

Horning explained in an interview, "I guess at church camp a while back in summer of 2014 in front of everybody, and they all seemed to like it, so I was like, 'You know why not move this to Instagram and make a video?' Then I made a video and went from there." Quite a jump from church camp to appearing in international music videos though.

As for that backpack, turns out that feature wasn't always part of the act. The dancer explained that after seeing his friend wear it, they had the idea to trade right there and then at a shoe store, where Horning traded a pair of shoes for the iconic backpack. Obviously, fans wonder what is inside this backpack and in the same interview the rising Internet star admitted he keeps all the necessary item a dancer/video maker would need: speakers, phone equipment, his wallet, a pack of gum and Slim Jims. ;)

Lastly, getting Internet famous doesn't give Horning a free pass for school, so on Power 106 LA he told the world that he still needs the social environment of normal school, but supplements with online school so he can travel for his videos. 

iPhone X

TOPIC: iPhone X

FACT: International technology company Apple, founded by Steve Jobs in 1976, has now announced the release dates for two of the newest models of the iPhone: the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.     

For the past ten years, Apple has always come out and released a brand new iPhone for consumers around the world to enjoy. Sometimes these new models have large differences and other times they have tiny differences; like when the technology-developing company released the iPhone 4S, which was practically equivalent to the iPhone 4, except for the fact they added the snarky intelligent-assistant Siri. However, Apple is still top dog in the U.S when it comes to their phones and consumer loyalty, and part of the reason why is their unique ability to sell a sense of style, and an elite class of living with their devices.

The Apple iPhone X was announced on September 12th and will be available to order on October 27th. The iPhone X is going to have a longer battery, water resistant display, wireless charging, face scanning, a super AMOLED screen and even a 4K camera, which fans are extra excited for. Even though these features have been a part of Android’s Flagship phones for the past year, Apple has their own special way of reinventing it.

Sadly, the catch is this will be a $1,000 purchase! Additionally, Google searches for “why is my iPhone slow” skyrocket around this time of year, and many people blame Apple for making their phone slower so they are convinced to buy a new one. So take this with a grain of salt, I encourage you all to do your own research and compare products, because after all, 1,000 bucks is a pretty big purchase. D: