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The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story

The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story

The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story

Despite entering an age of an oversaturated market for superhero movies, why is it that the film industry still fails female superheroes?

She-ro!

Nicole Lee, Opinion Editor April 2, 2024

Comic books and superheroes are not just for boys to enjoy. But they certainly are curated for them.  At a glance, it seems like I’m stating the obvious, and I am. But despite this being such an...

The mid-budget movie "Ghostbusters" lies in a dumpster.

The death of mid-budget films

Samuel Rosenthal, Podcaster and Reporter April 1, 2024

The term “blockbuster” has lost a lot of the meaning that it once had. Pre-internet, people would round the block to make sure they bought their over-the-counter tickets to new movies as soon as possible....

Two presidential candidates with Gen-z caught in the middle.

History repeats itself

Zoe Smith and Jules Keranen March 29, 2024

In 2012, we went to the ballot box in our school libraries to cast our vote for either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. We randomly filled out a ballot either based on who we heard our parents talk about more,...

The world needs to stop dehumanizing Arabs and condemn the Palestinian 
Genocide.

Wake up, world

Reem Kirja, Print Profiles Editor March 4, 2024

It was 4:30 a.m. in Wadi Qadum, East Jerusalem, and Nawaf Salaymeh was startled by aggressive knocks on his door. When opened, Nawaf saw 10 Israeli soldiers gathered around his house, ready to arrest his...

In an age of cancel culture and wokeness, who gets to decide what's funny and what's not? Is offensive comedy actually offensive, or just unfunny?

Tough crowd

Nicole Lee, Opinion Editor March 4, 2024

In the age of “cancel culture” and sensitivity training, it is easy to feel as though people “can’t take a joke” or are “too woke” to have any fun. With people readily prepared to spread...

Advisory is a pointless addition to West High's schedule that needs major changes.

Advising Advisory

Henry Timmer-Hackert, Print Opinion Editor March 1, 2024

When West’s new Advisory class started this year, few could predict the backlash from students. An anonymous Instagram account, @students_against_advisory, created a petition to remove it, which has...

A Goodwill cart overflowing with clothes.

Over-consumption vs. personal style

Jules Keranen, Entertainment Editor February 26, 2024

When brands like SHEIN, Romwe, Zara and Forever 21 churn out clothes as fast as marketable and target mostly Gen-Z as their consumer audience, there’s a huge uptick in fast fashion over-consumption....

The pursuit of perfection is no easy feat, taking a great mental toll on performers.

Whiplash and Black Swan: the desire to be great

Haneen Eltyeb, Video Co-Editor February 20, 2024

It’s no secret that the music industry and the ballet industry are among the most rigorous artistic pursuits in the world. Combine that with Gordon Ramsay-esque instructors; you have the perfect recipe...

Revenge is a dish best served cold — as in cold hard cash.

Eat your greens

Nicole Lee, Opinion Editor February 12, 2024

In recent years, the eat-the-rich storyline has become a prolific narrative that has been taking over the entertainment industry. Traced back to the French Revolution, the phrase “eat the rich”...

Editorial: Parking not permitted

Editorial: Parking not permitted

WSS Editorial Board January 23, 2024

During passing time, daily announcements list the license plates of cars parked in the fire lane, followed by threats of towing. While the West administration has put effort into enforcing punishments,...

The many different faces of the Joker make the character all the more customizable for actors.

Method acting: the Joker’s way

Haneen Eltyeb and Samuel Rosenthal January 13, 2024

What is Method Acting? Method acting is a technique actors use to fully immerse themselves in a role. It involves a variety of strategies to capture the physical, emotional and behavioral aspects of a...

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Opinion