The idea behind “The Lobster” must have reached director Yorgos Lanthimos in a fever dream. With as much sex as there is violence, the explicit Sundance film explores a future world with a government...

From their sad and graphic introductions, you know that Mickey and Gus’s road to romance will be a rocky one. Like many of Judd Apatow’s film characters, the immature, mid-30s couple go through plenty...

“Yes I’m Changing” by “Tame Impala” Highlighted Lyric: “There is another future waiting there for you. I saw it different, I must admit.” “Tame Impala’s” album “Currents”...

Leading up to the state competition on Mar. 19 at the Memorial Coliseum, the West Linn High School Debutantes have been practicing nearly seven days of the week to perfect their final performance. With...

Sure, the last five years have gifted us with albums from masters of pop like Justin Timberlake and Adele, as well as indie newcomers like Lorde and the band “Haim,” but it’s time a different kind...

After five albums and nearly 15 years of performing, the popular underground alternative band  “Metric,” struck the indie rock scene with another hit record, “Pagans in Vegas,” in Sept. 2015....

It’s rare, even in recent years, for a woman to play the starring role in films--especially in a police vs. cartel action tale. But thanks to Emily Blunt’s effortless portrayal of the naive yet hardened...

Soundtracks are arguably the most underrated aspect to a film. These 11 films use both classic and original tracks to guide their characters and help story lines. Whether you watch a movie for the first...

On Nov. 1, the genre-bending pop band “Of Montreal” brought devoted fans to the kitschy hole-in-the-wall Wonder Ballroom in downtown Portland.   The second the lead singer and mastermind behind...

“Fright Night:” One of the many vampire films created during the 1980s, this horror-comedy delivers the highest level of camp. It may not have a lot of fake blood like others during the era, but...

The newest season of “Fargo” never fully loses it roots in the morbid crime comedy that Joel and Ethan Coen created nearly 20 years ago and for that, we should be grateful. The series, which aired...

As our generation becomes further and further wrapped up in the allure of social media, we’ve grown obsessed with the competition of posting the prettiest selfie or, specifically in the Pacific Northwest,...

Caught up with preparing for the football half time dances and fall competitions, Kara Lee Kyllo, new head coach for the West Linn High School Debutantes, couldn’t be happier with her busy job. “She...

Props being maliciously thrown across the stage, fake blood dumped over all the actors, and violent crying are just some of the things you can expect from this musical and what more could you want? Besides...

Much like “The Eagles” songs from the 1970s, “The Arcs’” debut album delivers visions of Arizona sunsets and road trips in an old mustang. With their gritty but updated sound, “The Arcs”...

The minute after stepping off the plane in Cholet, France, Nathan Barinstein, former WLHS student, made a promise to himself; at no point within his year in France would he speak english. “I was really...

With the countless stories in the media surrounding the LGBT community and gender equality all over the world, students at WLHS have decided to step in and create an informational and open environment...

Ever since the release of “Insidious” in 2010, audiences have flocked to the theaters to see the new installments and their terrifying, innovative storylines. The most recent film and prequel “Insidious:...

While “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” falls into the endless universe of indie films that feature awkward teen boys finding their paths, it stands alone as the best of the year, and maybe even of...

Sirens wail as waves reach up to 100 feet, roadways split and the loss of all utilities from homes seems like the plot of a disaster movie, but for the Northwest, it will become reality. The Pacific...

Talking TVs, possessed clowns and cursed burial grounds are both part of the 1982 cult-classic “Poltergeist” and the 2015 remake. While the new version brought lots of jump scares and a kind, undeserving...

After leaving for Australia in Aug. 2014, James Topping and Ty Szymanski, Class of 2014, had few expectations about what was ahead of them. Despite being only 18, Topping and Szymanski found jobs as...

Over April 13-24, juniors took the national Smarter Balance test for English Language Arts and mathematics. Because of the new testing format, like the addition of typed out answers and interactive tasks,...

Receiving praise at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, “The Babadook” has taken the horror genre somewhere deeper into exploring the corners of the human mind. Not only does the Australian film have...

Though many Netflix viewers use the streaming application to catch up on the latest television shows and movies, people often take for granted the array of captivating documentaries available. These five...

A week after school ends for summer vacation, eight students ranging from freshman to seniors, will depart to France with Spanish teacher Mary Klick. They will experience culture immersion once they land...

Since 2004, the “Cold War Kids” have never stopped showing their sophistication and rawness. Through its influential lyrics, upbeat sound and rich singing by vocalist Nathan Willett, its taken control...

Since the trilogy of erotic romance novels, “Fifty Shades of Grey,” by E.L James, swept readers by storm, fans have been awaiting the release of the film. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan play Anastasia...

One of the most anticipated series of 2015, “Better Call Saul,” the prequel to “Breaking Bad,” has exceeded expectations with its funny characters, absorbing plot and contrast to “Breaking Bad’s”...

Because of the endless options, it’s often hard to find a good film to watch on Netflix. Whether you like romantic dramas, dark comedies or crime thrillers, this ranking features some of the most well-made,...

Despite its release in mid-November, “The Imitation Game,” is still seizing audiences across the world with its disparate characters and surprisingly intense storyline. The film, which is based on...

With the 87th Academy Awards coming up on Feb. 22, movies and actors alike are generating a lot of buzz due to the release of the nominations. There were 10 spots for Best Picture nominees but this year,...

Ever since the HBO series “Girls” became a hit, Lena Dunham, creator and actor, has become an important figure for young women all over America. Her raw, honest comedy, as well as her fresh ideas on...

Ever since Cheryl Strayed published “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” in 2012, Reese Witherspoon set out to star in and produce the upcoming film adaptation. From the get-go I knew...

“Boyhood:” Not only was “Boyhood” one of the most explosive films of the summer but it will for sure take home Oscars this winter. The fact it was filmed with the same actors over a 12 year period,...

Writer and director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s most recent film, “Birdman” has generated a lot of buzz with its underdog, indie plot. This dark comedic drama features an array of talented actors...

Ever since the premiere of “Mamma Mia!” in the late 1990s, both the story and the corresponding soundtrack of 1970’s pop group ABBA has exploded in popularity. While the 2008 film adaptation of “Mamma...

Ever since the Hunger Games franchise moved to the big screen in 2012,  fans were both ecstatic and nervous about how creators would transfer the beloved book trilogy. “Mockingjay, Part 1” was...

Living near one of the most hipster cities in the United States, we’ve all been subject to the “new” trends of the retro and vintage style. But why are things like typewriters, vinyl records and...

Taylor Swift’s first album was released in 2006 when she was merely 16 yrs. old. Over the last eight years she has gained popularity all over the world, with her popish country music. Her new album “1989”...

As the obsessed Jake Gyllenhaal fan that I am, I was ecstatic to hear he would be coming out in a new thriller, one of his signature movie genres. He is known for playing complex, even disturbed characters,...

When I heard that there would be a WWII action film coming out featuring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf and Logan Lerman, I was stoked. Part of me wanted to see Pitt reprise his role as a tough but suave Lieutenant...

Ever since Mary Lambert was featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s hit, “Same Love,” she has been known for her support of gay rights as well as for her promotion of self-empowerment in and outside...

One of Portland’s most popular music events, “December to Remember,” will return this winter to the Crystal Ballroom. There will be newer bands like Big Data and Vance Joy, as well as established...

Because WLHS is already known for having high testing scores, the standards provided by the new Common Core program will not be anything too difficult for students this spring. Common Core, which defines...

From the moment the actors took place Keller Auditorium’s stage in downtown Portland, “Kinky Boots” was a flashy riot. As the winner of a 2013 Tony award for Best Musical, musical goers like myself...

As a lover of dark comedies and talented comics like Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, I was stoked to hear that they were making a film together. Ever since their stints on “Saturday Night Live,” Hader...

Even though she was a controversial comedienne for nearly 50 years, Joan Rivers, who passed away as a result of a complication during plastic surgery, this last Thursday, liked it that way. Known for...

Since dropping their mid-2000s hit, “I write sins not tragedies,” “Panic! At the Disco” has been out of the limelight until their most recent tour. Growing up I listened to “Panic! At Disco”often...

One of the best alternative bands in the 2000s, “Cage the Elephant,” came to Portland on May 22 touring after the release of its new album “Melophobia.” For only $35 dollars I knew that I had to...

The moment Emma Waibel, junior, found out she had become the first Rose Festival princess from West Linn she burst into tears. “It was surreal, because you imagine how it’s going to go and then everything...

Since the day he was born, Nathan Barinstein, sophomore, has had the curiosity and love for exploring in his blood. His newest trip will be to France, near Nantes, for ten months through the program Rotary...

“I’ve been singing longer than I can talk,” Amber Mitchell, sophomore, said. Although she is versed in both acting and singing, music is her passion. “Acting is the words that you speak, but the...

Throughout the history of Disney movies there have been true winners, heartwarming stories for all ages, with lasting catchy songs. “Frozen,” released in 2013 is the most popular Disney movie, profiting...

Elves, dwarves, Orcs and most importantly hobbits are all the Middle earth creatures featured in the fan favorite “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug.” “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” is the...

As I looked down the line outside the Crystal Ballroom on Dec. 4, all I could see were girls around 15 wearing combat boots and military jackets. In the bitter cold everyone was excitedly waiting to see...

Since the mid-90’s, Eminem has captured people with his gritty, unpredictable and surprisingly funny raps. Unfortunately, “Eminem-Marshall Mathers LP2” released on Nov. 1 doesn’t demonstrate his...

  With a current GPA of 4.154, you would think Anna-Maria Hartner, sophomore, wouldn’t have much free time, yet somehow she manages to fit music, new languages, and helping others into her busy...

Singing, dancing, and fairy tales characters are all part of the new high energy musical “Into the Woods” at West Linn High School, which opens on Nov. 7. “The actors are so talented, and eager...

As I shuffled into the theater I expected to spend my next hour and a half watching an overrated action flick set in soundless, dull space. Ironically, the simplistic concept of deep space is actually...

Sauntering into the choir room, looking around not knowing what to expect, but ready to do the one thing Zac Woodworth, freshman knows best, singing. That is what he feels he was born to do. Not only...

Located on the corner of SW Taylor in Portland, Pastini Pastaria offers a cozy space and tasty food to escape from the rain outside. Warm jazz music and the friendly host’s smile made it very welcoming. The...

Every year around Thanksgiving, with all the shopping and prepping for the Holidays, it can become really hectic. With all the good movies that came out recently people were looking for a way to avoid...

Ever since social networking sites have become popular, they have created problems with their users. These sites let people lie and manipulate others. People can lie about who they are, and can type things...