![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Students in the National Art Honor Society work on the Mount Hood mural on the window of SouthLake Church. The students brought a variety of paints and mixed their own custom colors. “Instead of brushstrokes, we’re doing more dabbing, because it gives [a] better impression of tree foliage, rather than looking like actual brush strokes, because if we’re painting trees, we need it to look like trees,” Crawford said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2397-1200x900.jpg)
Marvel’s new movie, “Thunderbolts*,” isn’t just some old run-of-the-mill superhero movie. The cast features Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, and Lewis Pullman as Sentry. After being backstabbed by the government that had hired them, this group either has to fall apart or work together. Set in a post-“Captain America: Brave New World” universe, “Thunderbolts*” possesses a darker undertone than anticipated for a Marvel film.
There are no intense fight scenes. Their dependence on each other and teamwork help them find a way to overcome the challenges they face. Ultimately, they have no choice but to be thrown onto the same team to take down another villain, Sentry. Sentry turns out to be superpowered, with a supervillain alter ego, the Void.
What’s great about “Thunderbolts*” is its casting. Pugh brings bold new energy when playing Yelena, and the ensemble cast blends well in a way that is comedic and emotional. Nothing feels forced between them because the characters act like actual human beings; they fight, don’t trust one another, fail missions, and get second chances. According to IMDb user MiroslavKyuranov: “It’s a bold dive into trauma, healing, and redemption. Proof that even the so-called defective losers and disposable delinquents can rise above their past and become the heroes no one expected.”
As flawed as this cast of heroes is, they find a way to rise to the occasion when needed.
While I do not usually enjoy action movies, compared to other Marvel movies, “Thunderbolts*” was refreshing and new to me. If you are tired of watching the same plot of superhero movies, this is a good next watch.
