(Image c/o Walt Disney Studios) By Madison Sciba Editor-in-Chief On October 13, 1993, Jack Skellington made his first appearance on the big screen. Now, thirty years later, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a cult classic. What people may not know is that Tim Burton did not direct the classic Halloween film. According to the Netflix docuseries, The Movies that Made Us, Burton was too busy filming Batman Returns to direct The Nightmare Before Christmas. Although the film was directed by Henry Selick, it was the brainchild of the infamously creepy and weird director, Burton, while he was still an animator at Walt Disney Studios. However, Burton was one of the producers and kept a firm hand on how the film was being made.
Initially, the film was not a success and it wasn’t until after a few years the film found its popularity. At first Disney chose not to put their name on the film but rather that of Touchstone Pictures, one of their adult-centered production companies. The Nightmare Before Christmas was rated PG which was a big deal for Disney who was churning out G rated movies at this time such as Aladdin. Made entirely in stop motion, The Nightmare Before Christmas was the first full length stop motion feature film. It set a precedent and began a trend of creepy stop motion films hitting theaters. Films like 2005’s Corpse Bride and 2012’s Frankenweenie followed in The Nightmare Before Christmas’s footsteps and both films were nominated for Academy Awards. Now, thirty years after the world was first introduced to The Pumpkin King who wanted to become Santa Claus, Disney is still profiting highly off a film that they thought was going to be too creepy for their brand. Every September and October, Disneyland hosts the Oogie Boogie Bash, a Halloween party based on the villain from The Nightmare Before Christmas. So every year, Disney fans from around the world flock to Disneyland to celebrate the spooky holiday with the characters that Tim Burton drew almost forty years ago while he was a lowly animation apprentice at Disney Studios.
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(Image c/o Addie Roanhorse/Apple/Paramount) By Andrew Martinez Cabrera Entertainment Editor In the non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon, journalist David Grann writes about the time of blossoming flower fields, referred to as the season of the Flower Moon. Starting in May, “taller plants, such as spiderworts and black-eyed Susans, begin to creep over the tinier blooms, stealing their light and water. The necks of the smaller flowers break and their petals flutter away, and before long they are buried underground.” It is an instance where nature acting as metaphor reflects real life, when members of the Osage Nation, some of the wealthiest people in the world per capita, began to die off mysteriously. These murders became the basis for the latest Martin Scorsese picture, Killers of the Flower Moon.
As any self-proclaimed cinephile would know, a Scorsese-helmed western was bound to happen. One of his favorite films is John Ford’s The Searchers, a classic example of cowboys vs. Indians, a simple reduction of a reductive sub-genre. The Searchers, while regarded as one of the greatest American films of all time, is also one that has a troubling racist legacy, something which Scorsese has grappled with. For Scorsese’s longtime collaborator, the late Robbie Robertson, he explained that Scorsese always said to “look at the filmmaking. In these movies, it’s not the message. It’s literally just a trip.” While it is quite literally a trip, with a 3-hour-long runtime, Killers places its message in the foreground. Following deeply involved consultation from the Osage Nation and an entire rehaul of the story, moving away from the FBI investigation that is the foundation of the book, Scorsese decides to focus on the relationship between Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), one of the main conspirators to steal the Osage wealth, and his wife Mollie Burkhart (Lily Gladstone), an Osage woman who is the emotional core of the film. While we do see many different Osage perspectives, the core tragedy of the deaths relates to Gladstone’s character and her response to the greater Reign of Terror. Gladstone is monumental; a performance that shifts from restrained and melancholic before transitioning into total heartbreak. She represents the best of our humanity, the antithesis of Burkhart. Given the opportunity to tackle a Western with a more empathetic lens towards Indigenous Americans, Killers still enters the narrative through Ernest Burkhart. One of our first images of the Osage sees them dressed as wealthy socialites, looking like frequenters of Gatsby’s parties. Their source of wealth is tied to an abundance of oil found on their reservation. The juxtaposing image that follows is of Burkhart, gross-looking and miserable, looking like the human embodiment of a malnourished dog. Before we know it, his goal is outlined to us before the plot even begins because we have seen the allure of wealth. It is that allure that has excited storytellers like Scorsese, whose filmography has always dealt with America’s obsession with greed. Naturally, it makes sense for Scorsese to approach Killers through one of these killers, a representation of the worst side of human nature. What once used to be the narrative interest for Scorsese – protagonists such as mobsters, God’s lonely men, and Wall Street criminals – is now a terrifying notion that Scorsese reckons with in Killers. What is the need to tell this story through his eyes - examining evil as something learned or something inherent? It is something that is absolutely tied to his Catholic upbringing, and now in his twilight years, Scorsese is interrogating his fascination with evil by shifting his paradigm. The energies from his other films like The Wolf of Wall Street, whose themes are more in line with Killers of the Flower Moon, are traded for a more subdued and meditative film, akin to Silence. Killers of the Flower Moon is incredibly reserved and paced like an adagio musical piece, boiling with an anger unparalleled in his other films. When Scorsese previously depicted violence in his youth, it was an ugly spectacle – flashy, scored to period-era songs; the camera constantly moving, the editing flowing in a hectic motion. Killers’ treatment of violence does not revel in its ugliness, it just shows it. It is as simple as it is powerful. These terrible moments carry so much weight because we have to carry that emotional weight when these static scenes unfold in front of us. What Scorsese illustrates best in Killers is that evil is banal. That is the most terrifying realization one can come into contact with. Scorsese exposes us to some of the dumbest hicks on the planet who mess up almost every single step of their conspiratorial plot and yet they still succeed. While their plan progresses, so does the entire American project situated in the peripheral. All the while, an entire history continues to set like the moon, disappearing below the horizon line, until it is out of our view. While depressing, Scorsese still reminds us about the beauty of the Osage people, many of whom worked behind the camera or were towering 30 feet in the air while projected on the silver screen. The Indigenous Americans of Scorsese’s youth, people meant to be antagonists, have their voices and faces be the ones we connect to. However, he understands his limitations as a non-Osage to tell this story, and the only way he knows how is through the victors. The brutally blunt portrayal of America’s original sin is an honest attempt to honor those whose lives were lost and condemn those who benefitted from those deaths. I am hopeful now that those faces and those stories will continue to blossom for years to come on the silver screen; for when the sun sets, the moon will always come, and shine anew. The Disney film that became a Halloween classic. By Madison Sciba Editor-in-Chief On July 16, 1993, Walt Disney Pictures released Hocus Pocus in theaters. Now, over 30 years later, the film has become almost synonymous with Halloween and this spooky time of year. For many, Hocus Pocus was an essential part of Halloweens growing up. Was it really Halloween if you didn’t watch Max light the black flame candle?
As a child, it seemed as though there was nothing scarier than watching Billy Butcherson’s not-so-dead body rise from the grave and cough up moths. Even to this day that scene can give shivers to anyone with a dislike of scary movies. It was one of the films that children were allowed to watch that was considered “scary.” While it still maintains a PG rating, some scenes, like the witches draining Max’s life force, could be really terrifying for kids. Directed by Kenny Ortega, the film takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, a historically *bewitching* town. Most known for being the site of the infamous Salem witch trials in the early days of American history. As a result of the film’s success, Salem has become not only a destination for those interested in the witch trials, but also for fans of the film. The town welcomes tourists to come during the Halloween season and see the filming locations from the movie. They also host a variety of themed events and fan meet and greets with the cast. Even though the original has become a classic Halloween film, the 2022 sequel Hocus Pocus 2 was seen as a bit of a disappointment to fans. With very little of the sequel tying it to the original film, audiences did not have those same nostalgic feelings toward it. Whether you enjoyed the sequel or not, it is hard to deny that Hocus Pocus has become a tried and true classic Halloween film. It has all the essentials of a good movie for the season: takes place over Halloween, in a historically spooky location (Salem), witches, the undead, and magic. It is no wonder that Hocus Pocus has stood the test of time and continues to be watched by future generations when celebrating Halloween. (Image c/o Disney/20th Century Studios) By Matthew Colvin Entertainment Columnist The spookiest month of the year, October, has finally arrived, and with it comes a slew of new horror movies for you to get your annual fix of chills and jump scares. One of the first is A Haunting in Venice, the third in a series of loose adaptations of famed mystery author Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot novels helmed by director, producer, and lead actor Kenneth Branagh. The previous two films, Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, came out to middling reviews, but A Haunting in Venice does things a little differently, layering supernatural horror elements on top of a good old-fashioned whodunit. So how does this genre smash-up fare? Quite well, all things considered.
The story hook is simple but effective; retired detective Hercule Poirot receives an invitation to attend a séance at the palace of a famous opera singer and skeptically accepts, only for a slew of murders and ghostly appearances to occur, forcing him to come out of retirement for one night to solve the mystery. While the plot itself does not reinvent the wheel, it manages to be suitably entertaining for the film’s hour and forty-minute runtime, carried by a wildly entertaining cast of actors. Branagh does well as the iconic detective Poirot, but it is Michelle Yeoh and Tina Fey in particular who steal the show as a spiritual medium and a crime novelist, respectively. The filmmaking on display is what really makes the experience. It is exceptionally well shot, making use of claustrophobic close-ups, contrasting lighting with deep, brooding shadows and unique angles to constantly keep the tension up and the audience on edge. The scares themselves are good, at times pushing that PG-13 rating to its limits; not necessarily likely to terrify diehard horror fans, but certainly enough to keep any average moviegoer on the edge of their seats. This feat is especially impressive considering that the film’s source material, the 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party, has no trappings of the horror genre, but is much more of a straightforward detective story. It is these very creative liberties that Branagh takes with the source material that make A Haunting in Venice an improvement on the two films that preceded it, and an enjoyable Halloween flick that demands little from its audience to enjoy. So if you are looking for some decent popcorn entertainment and some solid scares this October, A Haunting in Venice is a good pick. Sources: 20th Century Studios, A Haunting in Venice Agatha Christie, Hallowe’en Party Exclusive interview with Jason Jakaitis, saint mary's communication professor and film club advisor10/6/2023 By Chloe Ourada
American Journalism Student Pictured: WGA West & WGA East Negotiating Committee (Image C/O Eric Haywood) By Andrew Martinez Cabrera Entertainment Editor After 148 days of striking, the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a historic landmark agreement and officially ended the Writer’s strike on September 27, 2023.
On September 14, 2023, the WGA announced publicly that they were getting ready to restart negotiations with the AMPTP after a month of no deliberation from both parties. On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, the WGA met with the AMPTP for the first time and continued meeting with them consecutively for four days. On the fourth and final day of negotiations, the WGA stated on their WGA contracts website, “We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA [Minimum Basic Agreement], which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language.” Many of the WGA’s key concerns were addressed in the new contract, such as A.I. involvement and regulation in television and film productions, increased residual payments by 76% according to The New York Times, additional streaming and viewership-based bonuses which prior to the strikes was kept under lock and key by streaming companies, and a minimum sized writing staff requirement for certain productions. In the aftermath of the strikes, many television productions were quick to resume production. An early example includes various Late Night television programs like “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” coming back after a long hiatus, most of which have already aired their returning episodic debuts. Many films whose productions were suspended during the strikes can also resume, whether that is in the preproduction aspects or in the actual making of the project. Whilst the Writers have gotten their fair deal, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is still on strike. While picketing for writers was suspended on September 24, the WGA encouraged its 11,000 members to picket alongside SAG-AFTRA members. In the SAG-AFTRA’s congratulatory statement for the WGA, they wrote, “While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members.” Following the AMPTP’s negotiations with the WGA, the AMPTP is currently meeting with SAG-AFTRA negotiators, which started on October 2, 2023. The SAG-AFTRA strike has lasted 80 days. Sources: wgacontract2023.org/announcements/negotiations-update-9-14-23 wgacontract2023.org/announcements/negotiations-update-9-20-23 wgacontract2023.org/announcements/negotiations-update-tentative-agreement nytimes.com/2023/09/26/business/hollywood-writers-return.html variety.com/2023/film/news/stranger-things-house-of-the-dragon-superman-legacy-hollywood-back-to-work-strikes-1235737429/ nytimes.com/2023/10/03/arts/television/late-night-shows-return-strike.html sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-and-amptp-meet-bargaining-oct-2 sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-congratulates-wga-reaching-tentative-agreement-amptp twitter.com/EricHaywood/status/1706142308109029620 Image C/O Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images By Andrew Martinez Cabrera Entertainment Editor On May 2, 2023, The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) announced that all 11,500 union members were going on strike, effectively halting all film and television productions that require a writing staff. The strike authorization was preceded by a month of deliberation between the union, and once the contracts with the studios lapsed on May 1, the strike officially began.
The last time the WGA went on strike was in 2007, which lasted from November 5 to February 12, when writers were seeking an increase in residual rates from DVD sales. The issue now is still focused on residual rates, but concerns streaming services. What used to happen prior to streaming, to use the contemporary example, was that when a show was a success, it could get a lot of air time and stay in syndication. Whenever a particular episode would re-air on television, the writer would get compensation via a check from the studio. This continuous revenue stream was especially fruitful since most shows’ seasons would have an average of around 20 episodes per season, give or take. For these long seasons, writers are present for longer periods of time after the writers’ room has concluded, getting to learn the actual production aspects of making something. It ensured financial and career stability for writers, like Michael Schur, who started off writing for “The Office” before transitioning into being a showrunner for projects such as “The Good Place” and “Parks and Recreation.” What happens now is that streaming service companies like Netflix order about 8-10 episodes per season, which means less hired time for writers. Adding on to that, streaming companies adopted what is called a “mini room,” a pre-production writer’s room where the show is scripted and produced for the first time. According to The New York Times’ John Kroblin, streaming companies prefer mini rooms because of the semantics of it all, saying “Because it’s not a formal writers’ room, they will use that as justification to pay writers less, even though they’re writing scripts and developing a show.” When a show is a success, however, the companies hide the viewership data so that the writers cannot accurately know how much they’re owed for each episode once it lands on streaming. The WGA’s demands include viewership-based streaming residuals, regular staff fees, individual health benefits, longer employment periods, regulation on studios using artificial intelligence from either making projects or using writers’ previous works to train it, and many others which can be found on the official WGA website. Countering or rejecting their proposals is the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents all of the big Hollywood studios such as Disney, Netflix, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Looking at the annual cost the studios would have to pay to end the strikes, each is less than $100 million. For example, Warner Bros. Discovery would only have to pay $45 million, which is 0.104% of its annual revenue of $43.1 billion. Rather than agreeing to the guild’s terms, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that they would lose $300-$500 million from their 2023 earnings instead. Companies have also resorted to making more reality shows since they are not a part of the WGA, a pattern that started in 2007 and gave us the first reality TV boom that remodeled the television industry. Studios are also pushing back major releases in the hopes of having something to bring back their earnings in the upcoming year, such as pushing back Dune: Part Two to March rather than keeping it in its original November release date. In an attempt to further stall their agreement to the union’s demands, the AMPTP waited for writers to begin losing money and “start losing their apartments and losing their houses.” As the WGA described in a statement, multiple CEOs met with the union negotiators to talk and were “met with a lecture about how good their single and only counteroffer was.” Making matters worse for the AMPTP, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Foundation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), a combination of two acting unions, have also gone on strike. Their demands are similar to the WGA’s. On the state level, California’s senate approved unemployment pay for any striking workers, not just the WGA and SAG-AFTRA on September 14, 2023. According to Variety, if signed by Governor Gavin Newson, “the bill would take effect on Jan. 1.” As of now, the WGA announced that negotiations will restart with the AMPTP this Wednesday. At the time of publication, the WGA strike has lasted 143 days compared to the 2007 Writers Strike which lasted 166 days. Sources https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/insider/wga-writers-strike-explained.html?searchResultPosition=9 https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/07/studios-allegedly-wont-end-strike-til-writers-start-losing-their-apartments#:~:text=A%20new%20report%20from%20Deadline,A%20cruel%20but%20necessary%20evil.%E2%80%9D https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/hollywood-writers-strike-netflix-studios/674913/ https://www.wga.org/uploadedfiles/members/member_info/contract-2023/WGA_proposals.pdf https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/writers-strike-2007-2008-wga-change-tv-breaking-bad-the-office-friday-night-lights-1234727839/ https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/one-hollywood-writer-on-the-industrys-dire-situation/5e1f1082-587c-4691-b16c-77d5a1a774a5 https://www.wgacontract2023.org/announcements/negotiations-update-9-14-23 https://www.wgacontract2023.org/announcements/negotiations-update-8-22-23 https://variety.com/2023/film/news/dune-2-release-date-change-2024-warner-bros-strike-1235676007/ https://x.com/wgaeast/status/1699071397694464306?s=46&t=K4klQY7GosuTKasbcoyx-Q https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/warner-bros-discovery-strikes-earnings-impact-2023-1235581943/ Image c/o ABC News By Tucker Long Visiting Entertainment Columnist On September 1, 2023, Jimmy Buffett passed away in his Sag Harbor home. Buffett was a beloved singer-songwriter, known for pioneering the tropical-rock genre with songs such as “Margaritaville”, “Why Don’t We Get Drunk”, and “Cheeseburger in Paradise”. Buffett’s musical style blended twangy guitars with steel drums, creating his outlaw-country meets Key West brand of music that was wholly unique. Lyrics of his often depicted scenes of relaxing on a beach, sharing drinks with friends, sailing the high seas, and any other sort of coastal debauchery you can think of. Jimmy Buffett’s island-themed music promoted a laid-back, sun-soaked lifestyle that was adored by his legions of passionate fans, dubbed the “parrot heads”. On top of his musical success, Buffett also found fortune as a writer and businessman. He was a New York Times best-selling author of two novels and a memoir, and launched a nationwide chain of “Margaritaville” themed restaurants, resorts, and casinos.
Buffet’s death was announced on his official website, saying that he “passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs.” The cause of his death was later revealed to be Merkel skin cancer, which is a rare type of skin cancer. He had been secretly battling Merkel skin cancer for years. The music of Jimmy Buffett has provided the soundtrack to many vacations; his music was a staple anywhere there was sand, salt water, and fun to be had. Buffett’s death is the culmination of a life well-lived, a life consisting of parties, music, dancing, drinking, and fun. Even in death, he remained loyal to his tropical brand, with a report from CBS News saying that a significant risk factor for Merkel skin cancer was sun exposure. Buffett is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, a grandson, and six dogs. Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/02/arts/jimmy-buffett-dead.html https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jimmy-buffett-cause-of-death/ https://www.jimmybuffett.com/ Image: https://abcnews.go.com/US/margaritaville-singer-jimmy-buffett-dies-76/story?id=102879851 image c/o movie maker magazine By Andrew Martinez Cabrera Entertainment Editor *SPOILERS FOR BOTH*
Barbie Barbie harkens back to a time when major Hollywood cinema had color and flair; a vibrancy that radiated through the screen. Greta Gerwig, known for her intimate and naturally stylized (in terms of look and feel) films, goes bombastic in her embrace of walking-and-talking idealistic dolls. Like The Lego Movie before it, Gerwig and company deal with the meta as a way to critique and demonstrate a love for Barbie. Barbie tells women everywhere that they can be whatever they want to be, while also upholding unrealistic beauty standards. The dolls of Barbieland live in a bubble where they believe that injustice is no more, so when Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) goes to the real world and learns how “ugly” our world is, she is reasonably upset. Her anchor of hope is America Ferrara’s character and her daughter, the stand-ins of what realistic womanhood and sacrifice represent. As much as it is a film about a toy, Gerwig attaches the emotional core to the duo. However, and perhaps because of its obligation to the IP of Barbie, having these characters serve only as the springboard for Barbie’s dilemma, this real-life mother-and-daughter duo falls short. America Ferrara’s big speech towards the end of the film, which unites the Barbies to pursue a coup d'etat against the now-patriarchy-obsessed Kens, could have packed more emotional weight within the context of the narrative if more time was spent seeing these characters operate outside of Barbie’s storyline. Rather than being fully developed, they are conveniences for the plot, which is a shame considering the film’s emphasis on motherhood. I believe another half-hour or so would have remedied this, showing their relationship grow from strained to fully healed, rather than their situation shown via montage. Ultimately, Barbie is another genuine and heartfelt statement from Greta Gerwig’s filmography that trades the lived-in ambiance of her previous works for something that is epic-in-scale, hilarious, and richly textured in its visual look. The fear that her artistic voice could be lost dealing with an existing brand as large as Barbie was quenched when Gerwig proved that her voice could be just as impactful on such a grand scope. Oppenheimer Prior to its release, I would not have thought of Christopher Nolan as a mature enough artist to tackle the paradoxical figure that is J. Robert Oppenheimer. My fear was that complexity would be traded for spectacle. So I was pleasantly surprised when instead of adulation on Nolan’s part, I got damnation. Oppenheimer is split up into two distinct timelines: “Fission” and “Fusion.” The former, shot in black-and-white, deals with Oppenheimer’s security hearing in the 1950s. The latter, shot in color, deals with Oppenheimer from his teaching days at Berkeley, all the way to his involvement with the Manhattan Project and after. Despite working within the biographical genre, Nolan actively works against it. Documentarian Werner Herzog in his Minnesota Declaration about truth and fact in documentary cinema wrote, “There are deeper strata of truth in cinema, and there is such a thing as poetic, ecstatic truth. It is mysterious and elusive, and can be reached only through fabrication[,] imagination and stylization.” Nolan does not subscribe to the cinéma vérité (truth cinema) notion when telling Oppenheimer’s story but rather distorts the narrative with Oppenheimer’s biased perspective. Oppenheimer builds himself up as a tortured genius forced to open Pandora’s box, as a means to end the rise of fascism in Europe. The black-and-white sections of Oppenheimer then contradict what Oppenheimer is supposedly saying and feeling. The artist, whose career is to manipulate, shares the same tendencies as its central protagonist; a mirror image. Oppenheimer is a paradox as complex as splitting the atom: self-pitying and constantly seeking validation; the father of the atomic bomb who helped end the war and the linchpin of our self-destruction. Nolan’s greatest strength is having Oppenheimer’s subjectivity hijack the lens from which the film is captured. Whereas the film’s diegesis treats Oppenheimer's greatest victory as the success of Trinity and his greatest defeat not as the consequences of dropping the bomb, but rather as losing his security clearance, which plays like a courtroom drama (tightly edited by the amazing Jennifer Lame, who makes three hours go by like nothing), Nolan comes back around to remind the audience that Oppenheimer, like Prometheus, gave fire to man, and is to be condemned for eternity. Rather than building up a titan of the science world, Nolan portrays the perils of ego and our collective suffering as a result of it. Barbenheimer Barbenheimer’s success can be linked to the diversity of both films in a market saturated with sequels and reboots. Two of our greatest modern filmmakers made movies that were the antithesis of one another, inviting audiences to involve themselves in two totally different worlds. My hope with Barbenheimer is that Hollywood realizes that rather than chasing a trend, a wide selection of films should be offered to a wider range of audience members, rather than satisfying only a pocket of moviegoers. Cinema can be anything, and Barbenheimer was this summer’s reminder. Sources: Warner Bros. Pictures, Mattel: Barbie Universal Pictures, Syncopy: Oppenheimer https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/herzogs-minnesota-declaration-defining-ecstatic-truth By Julian Villegas Culture Writer “I gave a second chance to Cupid.” Is an infectious hook to an already catchy song sure to get stuck in your head.
“Cupid”, by the group Fifty Fifty, was released on February 24th, 2023. Upon release, they created 2 different versions of the song. The original version, which is sung in both Korean and English by all members of the group, and the Twin version, which is sung all in English by 2 of the members (Sio and Aran). Since release, this song (more specifically the Twin version) has blown up in popularity due to it becoming a one of the most used audios on Tik Tok. One of the more common uses of the song is when it’s paired with a clip of John Cena dancing with headphones on. Since then, it’s spread to other platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. Due to its recent popularity, “Cupid”, has charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the past several weeks and is steadily rising higher and higher. But who is Fifty Fifty? Fifty Fifty is a Kpop group that debuted on November 18, 2022. Their 4 person lineup consists of members: Saena, Sio, Aran, and Keena. A lot of Kpop groups that get really popular in the West such as Blackpink or Twice tend to come from bigger companies who have the money and materials to help them make it big. It’s not the same when it comes to Fifty Fifty who debuted under ATTRAKT, a small company which currently only has 1 Artist to their name…Fifty Fifty. Due to the company’s small size and reputation, they experienced more hardships in the beginning such as the CEO having to sell his own car in order to fund their debut. But now, with more eyes on them due to the success of “Cupid,” things could be finally looking up for Fifty Fifty. And with them charting on Billboard, they officially became the fastest group to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Personally, I really like Fifty Fifty, and if you’re a fan of “Cupid” , I would highly recommend checking their other music out. They released a mini album titled “The Fifty” as their debut album back in November of last year which featured 4 other tracks. I’d say all of those songs are worth a listen to, but in my personal opinion the best songs are “Tell Me” and “Higher.” |
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