SHS_Warrior_May

The Warrior • Entertainment
May 14, 2026
Prada 2 Is the Perfect Sequel
by Finian Kocsis ‘28
In 2006, The Devil Wears
Prada became one of the biggest
movies of the decade. Starring
Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep,
Stanley Tucci, and Emily Blunt,
it is widely regarded as one of
the best movies of that year and
is listed in “The 100 Best Movies
of the 21st Century” by the New
York Times. So when, in 2024,
The Devil Wears Prada 2 was announced,
the film had big shoes to
fill.
The film takes place 20 years
after the events of the first one.
Andy (Hathaway), the protagonist
from the first film, is a recently
fired journalist who is rehired
by Runway, the magazine that
hired her 20 years ago. There,
she reunites with both Miranda
(Streep) and Nigel (Tucci) in the
same positions they were before
she quit. Throughout the film,
Andy must deal with both her
personal relationships and her
demanding office job at Runway.
And while this is also the premise
of the original, it still offers a
unique story that keeps the audience
hooked, even if they have
watched the original film.
Easily, the best part of this
movie is the cast. An easy standout
was Blunt, who plays Emily,
Miranda’s former assistant, now a
senior executive at Dior, who has
to deal with rising tensions between
her and Miranda while also
DMV Concerts Worth Seeing This Summer
by Madelyn Awwad ‘27
2026 is turning into one of
those summers where almost every
artist is on tour, especially in
the DMV, and it’s making it a lot
harder to decide which concerts
to attend. Every week another
artist announces dates at venues
which include Capital One Arena,
The Anthem, Merriweather, and
many more. The biggest problem
is that tickets are selling out almost
immediately, so you have to
be ready the second they drop.
Between stadium tours, arena
shows, and smaller venues, there’s
a wide range of options across
different genres. The biggest challenge
this year isn’t finding something
to go to, it’s deciding what’s
actually worth the time and money.
With ticket demand as high as
it is, most shows are selling quickly,
especially for well-known artists.
One of the biggest mustsee
concerts was Bruno Mars at
Northwest Stadium in Landover
during the first weekend in
May. His shows are known for
strong performances, live music,
and real crowd interaction. Even
though tickets were around $150–
$300+, most people would say it’s
worth it because you’re getting a
full show. Songs like “Talking to
the Moon” and “Uptown Funk”
from 24K Magic keep the concert
balanced.
Rating: 9.5/10 (worth the price)
Another must-see, but for a
different reason, is Daniel Caesar
wanting to do more in the fashion
industry. Her character provides a
comedic tone and makes the audience
sympathize with her, as she
feels stuck and unable to grow
because she blames Miranda for
pushing her down. Additionally,
Hathaway and Streep have some
fun character dynamics that are
built upon in the first film, which
allows their relationship to grow.
This development in their relationship
makes it feel unique
from the first film, ensuring that
there is always something to
watch when they’re on the screen.
The film also does a great
job in its production. The story is
riveting and keeps the audience
wanting more. The screenwriters
bring homage to the original
without overly dumping nostalgia,
making it enjoyable to watch
if you watched the first film while
at Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena
on July 28. His concerts are more
lowkey, but that’s what makes
them stand out. Songs like “Always”
and “Best Part” from the album
Freudian feel more personal
live. A lot of people connect to his
music in a deeper way.
Rating: 9/10 (best for meaning/
vibe)
On the other hand, Morgan
Wallen at M&T Bank Stadium in
Baltimore on July 18 is a must-see
for the experience but also one
that can feel overpriced. Tickets
range from $200–$500+. Songs
like “Last Night” and “Wasted on
You” from One Thing at a Time
get fans excited, but part of what
you’re paying for is the hype!
Rating: 8/10 (fun, but expensive)
Megan Moroney at The Anthem
in Washington DC on June 5
is another must-see but expensive
show. Tickets can go up to $800.
Songs like “Tennessee Orange”
and “I’m Not Pretty” from Lucky
are why she’s getting so popular
so fast. It’s a good concert, but the
price is high for a smaller venue.
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not making it impossible to understand
if you next saw the original.
Additionally, the plot moves
at a smooth pace and doesn’t feel
stagnant, allowing many characters
to have a role without them
feeling like they don’t belong or
only exist to move the plot forward
or increase the runtime.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is
one of the perfect sequels and
should be the blueprint when other
movies make a sequel or prequel.
The film allows for natural
growth for the characters, pays
respect to the original, and keeps
the audience engaged. It should
be considered a must-watch and
may become one of the best movies
of the year.
Grade: A+
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Rating: 7.5/10 (good, but overpriced)
Pitbull is another big name
coming to the DMV this summer,
performing at Jiffy Lube Live on
July 10. Tickets are usually around
$90-$200+, which makes it one of
the more affordable bigger concerts.
His shows are all about energy
and the hype crowd. Songs
like “Fireball,” “Give Me Everything,”
and “Time of Our Lives”
are ones everyone knows, so the
whole crowd is usually singing
along. It’s not a super deep or
meaningful concert, but it’s fun
and easy to enjoy with friends.
Rating: 8/10 (fun and worth the
price)
Finally, J. Cole at CFG Bank
Arena on July 23 is one of the
best value concerts. Tickets start
around $120+. Songs like “No
Role Modelz” from 2014 Forest
Hills Drive and “Middle Child”
are big hits everyone would want
to hear live, especially for the
price.
Rating: 8.5/10 (best value)
17
More Artists Get In on
Concert Film Trend
by Makenna Babcock ‘28
In 2026, hugely popular artists
such as Harry Styles, BTS,
Billie Eilish, Noah Kahan, and
more are releasing film experiences
that depict their concerts.
In some cases, artists are releasing
deluxe films with behindthe-scenes
footage of concerts
as well. While concert films date
back to the late 1960s, the interest
and fanfare around new releases
are becoming bigger and bigger.
The concert-film genre was
revived in 2023 when Taylor
Swift released her movie on her
global The Eras Tour. The experience
began in movie theatres
where fans could buy tickets to
watch the concert without actually
going, but it soon expanded
to an at-home experience that
fans could view on Disney+ and
Amazon Prime. Other large pop
artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo,
made their film debuts soon after,
gaining traction on the internet.
More often than not, concert
tours are selling out either very
quickly or tickets are too expensive
for the majority of fans to
afford, so a lot of people are left
without the concert experience.
Artists making these films enable
more fans to be able to experience
the live music and the sensation
of a concert. These concerts are
not only about the fans, though.
The Eras Tour grossed about 260
million dollars worldwide. Rodrigo’s
film on The Guts Tour
made about 185 million dollars.
More often than not, there is debate
over behavior in the theatre
for these kinds of films. Passionate
fans may want something that
is like a real concert, being able
to sing and dance along with the
artist. However, there is also the
perception that it is a movie and
that one should be able to sit and
enjoy it without having to get up
and dance.
For the next few months,
music fans will get releases from
various charting artists. As this
trend is in full swing, people are
starting to expect these movies,
but are enjoying them nonetheless.
As fans are listening to the
music, they are enabled to get the
full experience of live music and
community at the theatres rather
than fighting for tickets to the
concert itself.
Kahan Delivers Emotional
Punch in The Great Divide
by Makenna Babcock ‘28
In 2022, the indie-folk artist
Noah Kahan released a groundbreaking
album, Stick Season,
which won him many awards
and gained him a large fanbase.
Throughout the past 4 years, he
released deluxe additions of the
album which include only a few
new tracks.
After almost 4 years, Kahan
announced in January that he
would be releasing a full new album
called The Great Divide on
April 24. Along with the album
announcement, Kahan revealed
that he would be on tour around
North America and that a concert
movie would debut on Netflix.
The tour sold out within a few
days of the tickets opening, even
though fans had not heard the album
yet.
The first singles that were
released were tracks 6 and 11 on
the album, “The Great Divide”
and “Porch Light.” These songs
were definitely picked for a reason.
They are both powerful and
impactful songs that tell stories
about loneliness, guilt, and emotional
strain. The verse of the
song “Porch Light” provides an
emotional insight into the ways
that fame can make a person lonely.
Parts of the song are specifically
in his mom’s point of view,
utilizing lyrics like, “I’ll leave the
porch light on, Heartbroken each
mornin’ when it’s me that turns it
off.”
Kahan utilizes instruments
such as the guitar, mandolin,
and drums to continue the flow
of the story in his own unique
way that makes the music even
more meaningful. His music
on the new album continues the
theme of folk-like instrumentals.
Though he has used these instruments
and this kind of feel on his
past album, this time creates a different
experience.
The Great Divide offers a
slower feeling that is more mellow.
While his music in the past
shows a theme of sadness, this album
takes it to the next level. His
narrative is continued in a way
that makes listeners think about
and understand the emotions that
are being projected. The album
uses meaningful metaphors and
instrumentals to express the feelings
that Kahan wants to share
with the world.
Overall, Kahan’s first album
in years shows growth and development,
as an artist and as a
person. His music continues to
create a story that is impactful to
listeners. It is bound to be a hit
for the artist, connecting to fans
across the world who may relate
to these songs or have emotional
connection to them. While the
music may be slower, it creates
just as much of an impact as the
Stick Season album.
GRADE: A