Netflix vs. Pentagon: the boots controversy
“Our standards across the board are elite, uniform and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay or straight,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said. “We will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children.”
The play that goes wrong....goes right???!!!!!
On Nov. 14, Samo Theatre’s ‘Scotch’ Cast performed “The Play That Goes Wrong,” written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields for their first of six showings, followed by the ‘Paint Thinner’ Cast on Nov. 15. The cast and crew did an excellent job bringing a massive catastrophe to the parents and students of Samo. The humanities center was filled with laughter as soon as the lights dimmed to begin the show.
Mediocre media marketing: it’s boring please make it stop
Advertisement is the off-the-record make-or-break of any film. A movie can be serene and meticulously crafted beyond comprehension, but make absolutely nothing in box office if it's poorly advertised. Good marketing creates word of mouth and anticipation for all forms of cinema, television, movies and even music videos. Without it, the spotlight ceases to shine, leading potentially monumental films to be utterly disregarded. We are all taught at a young age not to judge a book by its cover. However, in the hyper-commercialized world we all live in, if a billboard is bad, it’s simple: just look elsewhere. Recently, it seems the marketing of up-and-coming blockbuster films with notable actors and beloved directors have been falling flat.
What happens to stolen art: in lieu of the louvre
From the Ocean’s franchise to classic Pink Panther films to the real-life phenomenon, the concept of a museum heist has always been something that pulls the public's attention. The elaborate plans and suspenseful escapes are bound to draw in a crowd, whether or not the story is fiction or reality. In recent years, however, art heists had become far less common-until Oct. 19, 2025, when $102 million worth of historical jewelry was stolen from the Louvre Museum. Immediately, social media exploded, mocking the Louvre’s security, memeing the event and even coining the heist as ‘chic’. Among this uproar, almost nobody seemed to be concerned about the stolen items; millions of dollars worth of culturally significant jewelry was taken, quite literally pieces of history, but despite this, there appears to be no concern for the future of these jewels.
Free Art Opportunities on the Westside
All of the following art experiences are free and located on the West side of Los Angeles.
honoring culture through creative expression
The Día de los Muertos art exhibition opened on Oct. 23 from 4-7 p.m. at the Roberts Art Gallery, showcasing Samo and JAMS art students’ pieces. This yearly exhibition serves as a communal space where students in all of the different art classes on campus come together and are able to honor the cultural significance of Día de los Muertos.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s complex commentary on modern america
Paul Thomas Anderson’s long-awaited directorial return, “One Battle After Another,” released on Sept. 26., was a film that starts off sprinting and somehow manages to keep up that pace for a lengthy two hours and 50 minutes.
The sweetest of serenades
The Samo Choir program held its annual Sweet Serenade event on Oct. 18 at John Adams Middle School (JAMS) in Santa Monica. Choir students performed a variety of pop, alternative, and country music from multiple eras. The event is the choir’s biggest fundraiser of the year and is an important source of income for the program.
HOTLB: Whats your go-to study playlist?
With school approaching the halfway mark into the semester, we asked some Samo students what their go-to study music is to listen to when they need to focus on schoolwork. Do people prefer soft, low-beat, classical music to soothe them through their work, or do they need music to be more hype for them to focus? Here is what people around campus had to say about this…
The death of perspective
One of the most remarkable aspects of media is that people have the ability to interpret it in any way they deem appropriate. This is media literacy, a term defined by the ability to critically analyze stories presented in media and determine their credibility and accuracy.
Inside Samos art classes
AP Art is one of Samo’s hidden gems. Students of all skill sets, backgrounds and ages are able to come together to create complex and extremely personal portfolios over the duration of the school year.
The comeback of Blood Orange
Devonté Hynes, better known as Blood Orange, released his newest album, “Essex Honey,” on Aug. 29. This record is his first major release under the Blood Orange name since 2019, and with it, Hynes takes listeners on a journey through the cycles of grief and resilience in the face of change.
The White House’s War on Free Art
President Donald J. Trump has openly expressed his disdain for any historical artworks that don’t appeal to his own biased and offensive ideals.
What happened to Claymation?
It has been too long since the last major claymation release. After multiple successes such as “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “Isle of Dogs”, and “Shaun the Sheep”, not to mention the three top-grossing stop motion animated movies: “Chicken Run”, “Wallace and Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”, and “Coraline”. Since these major releases, there haven’t been any new hits in the genre in recent years.
Chamber and madrigal choirs´ weekend away
On Aug. 28th- Sep 1st, on Labor Day weekend, the chamber and madrigal choirs went on their annual retreat to Camp Wittle in the tall mountains of Big Bear as part of their yearly tradition.