Dancing can save you.
Sara had a promising future ahead of her and was auditioning for Julliard's dance program when tragedy struck- Sara's mom died in a car crash forcing Sara to move in with her estranged father. The neighborhood is tougher and Sara finds herself in the minority of her mostly Black school. Trying to fit in, Sara joins a group of girls on a trip to a local club. Sara is confident in her dancing skills, but she quickly learns that her ballet training is no match for the hip hop culture that her classmates have grown up in. Quickly, one of the brothers of her new girl friend group decides to take her under his wing. Derek, the boy with big dreams to get him out of the slums, begins to teach Sara the basics of hip hop. The two become very close, and Sara tells him that all she wants is to get into Julliard, but she gave up dancing when her mom died feeling that her mother's accident was her fault. Wanting Sara to be happy, Derek offers to help her with her audition. Sara has to get back into shape for the stage, but while she and Derek become official lots of people start to voice their issues with the relationship. They claim Sara is privileged because of her skin tone and accuse her of stealing all the good guys. The relationship between Sara and Derek make many uncomfortable, and the social pressure of the hatred in school towards them makes Sara question her feelings for Derek too.
You know me and my dance films- gotta have em. I was impressed with some of the heavy topics tackled by this film. interracial couples have become more of a normal social practice in our culture now, but 15, 20 years ago they were still fighting to beat the social pressures that they were facing. I also really appreciated the mix of hip hop dancing with traditional ballet shown in Sara's audition piece. That being said, I think they could've showcased more of that style fusion and really amped up the dance side of this flick.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Stream of the Week- Sixteen Candles
Pop Culture Classic Coming Right Up.
It's Sam's sixteenth birthday. It's supposed to be magical and a huge turning point in a girl's life. But, with her sister's wedding the next day, everyone has completely forgotten about Sam's big day. The day goes from bad to worse when school starts. She gets hit on by a freshman, the boy she thinks she loves is completely oblivious to her existence, and when she gets home grandma and grandpa are sleeping in her bed. Sam decides to go to the high school dance to get away from her family for a little while. The freshman from the bus starts to bug her again and it really gets her down. She goes to hide in the shop classroom when he follows her. She explains to him how her day went from bad to worse. The freshman geek sits and listens to her talk like no one else has all day, and gives her some advice for her love life. He boosts her confidence to go and talk to the boy she likes. Ultimately, Sam chickens out and feels full of regret for blowing her chance at talking to the one guy she likes. On the other side of the dance, that senior that Sam is so interested is noticing her too. Through the same freshman, he finds out that she likes him and he begins a plan in his head of how to get her.
I'm a sucker for pop culture teen romance 80s films. This is the quintessential example of such a film. With a jammin' soundtrack, hilarious lines that would never pass for PG-13 today, and a great cast this film is a great point of reference for all films to follow. There are some really innovative shots, framing techniques, and use of sound that could really be implemented in films today to vamp up their style and relate ability.
It's Sam's sixteenth birthday. It's supposed to be magical and a huge turning point in a girl's life. But, with her sister's wedding the next day, everyone has completely forgotten about Sam's big day. The day goes from bad to worse when school starts. She gets hit on by a freshman, the boy she thinks she loves is completely oblivious to her existence, and when she gets home grandma and grandpa are sleeping in her bed. Sam decides to go to the high school dance to get away from her family for a little while. The freshman from the bus starts to bug her again and it really gets her down. She goes to hide in the shop classroom when he follows her. She explains to him how her day went from bad to worse. The freshman geek sits and listens to her talk like no one else has all day, and gives her some advice for her love life. He boosts her confidence to go and talk to the boy she likes. Ultimately, Sam chickens out and feels full of regret for blowing her chance at talking to the one guy she likes. On the other side of the dance, that senior that Sam is so interested is noticing her too. Through the same freshman, he finds out that she likes him and he begins a plan in his head of how to get her.
I'm a sucker for pop culture teen romance 80s films. This is the quintessential example of such a film. With a jammin' soundtrack, hilarious lines that would never pass for PG-13 today, and a great cast this film is a great point of reference for all films to follow. There are some really innovative shots, framing techniques, and use of sound that could really be implemented in films today to vamp up their style and relate ability.
Stream of the Week- The Holiday
Sometimes you just need a little getaway.
Amanda and Iris have both had it rough in love. On opposite sides of the globe, they both find themselves in situations that they need a break from. Amanda has just broke up with a long time boyfriend and is having trouble dealing with her emotions. Iris has just watched the man she is in love with get engaged. Desperate to get out, they find each other on a renting website and decide to swap houses for two weeks. Amanda goes from her huge LA house to a small English cottage, while Iris moves to the warm sands of California. Quite quickly the two start finding people in their new places that they enjoy. Amanda meets Iris's brother who is charming, funny, and incredibly attractive, while Iris meets Amanda's neighbor Arthur and associate Miles who give her purpose for a few weeks. Iris has to learn how to be independent and proud of herself. Her constant rhythm of putting herself down for others is wearing her down. Amanda has to learn how to loose herself a bit and run with emotions. She's so afraid of getting hurt that she never tries. Between the two of them, they learn how to be the best versions of themselves that they can be.
Rom-com. Need I say more? Yes, it's cheezy. The acting is not the best (neither is the script), but it's everything you expect from a holiday film about finding love and yourself. Jack Black and Jude Law make fantastic romantic leads for the women in this film as they play two totally different characters both suited to their respective ladies. With some interesting motifs, like Amanda's life being narrated like a trailer, this film has enough going for it to be a cozy night in.
Amanda and Iris have both had it rough in love. On opposite sides of the globe, they both find themselves in situations that they need a break from. Amanda has just broke up with a long time boyfriend and is having trouble dealing with her emotions. Iris has just watched the man she is in love with get engaged. Desperate to get out, they find each other on a renting website and decide to swap houses for two weeks. Amanda goes from her huge LA house to a small English cottage, while Iris moves to the warm sands of California. Quite quickly the two start finding people in their new places that they enjoy. Amanda meets Iris's brother who is charming, funny, and incredibly attractive, while Iris meets Amanda's neighbor Arthur and associate Miles who give her purpose for a few weeks. Iris has to learn how to be independent and proud of herself. Her constant rhythm of putting herself down for others is wearing her down. Amanda has to learn how to loose herself a bit and run with emotions. She's so afraid of getting hurt that she never tries. Between the two of them, they learn how to be the best versions of themselves that they can be.
Rom-com. Need I say more? Yes, it's cheezy. The acting is not the best (neither is the script), but it's everything you expect from a holiday film about finding love and yourself. Jack Black and Jude Law make fantastic romantic leads for the women in this film as they play two totally different characters both suited to their respective ladies. With some interesting motifs, like Amanda's life being narrated like a trailer, this film has enough going for it to be a cozy night in.
Stream of the Week- Erin Brockovich
A mother will do anything for her children.
Down on her luck, out of the job, and with three mouths to feed Erin Brockovich finds herself in the hospital with a broken neck and a lawsuit that didn't get her a check. Fed up, Brockovich walks into the office of her lawyer and says she isn't leaving until she gets a job. A small secretary job gets her set up enough to be able to get care for her kids. While filing paperwork, Erin runs across a file full of medical paperwork and real estate documents. Armed with curiosity, Erin goes to the house of the family filing the paperwork at the firm. Erin soon finds that there is a connection with this family's medical issues and the company trying to buy their land. The water the company uses to cool their machines is putting their runoff into the groundwater. The chemicals in the water are seeping into the water system that everyone in the county is using. These chemicals have serious side effects including all the types of cancer found in the residents of the county. Completely overwhelmed with the amount of people, children included, suffering from serious diseases, Erin attempts to do more research to build a case. She is fired by her firm due to her absence from the office in pursuing the case only to be rehired when her firm's partner discovers the case she's beginning to build. Together, they attempt to take on the biggest case in the history.
I was enamored by this film. I had heard of it often and heard it was fantastic, but I wasn't convinced until Julia Roberts opened her mouth and blew me away with her performance. The story is powerful to begin with, but her portrayal of this real life superhero is fantastic. She is both likeable and tough because you can see where she is coming from and how determined she is to move forward. This film takes some thinking to understand exactly what is happening, but if you sit back and just watch as Erin Brockovich takes on the system, you'll find yourself with some hope in the power of the little guy.
Down on her luck, out of the job, and with three mouths to feed Erin Brockovich finds herself in the hospital with a broken neck and a lawsuit that didn't get her a check. Fed up, Brockovich walks into the office of her lawyer and says she isn't leaving until she gets a job. A small secretary job gets her set up enough to be able to get care for her kids. While filing paperwork, Erin runs across a file full of medical paperwork and real estate documents. Armed with curiosity, Erin goes to the house of the family filing the paperwork at the firm. Erin soon finds that there is a connection with this family's medical issues and the company trying to buy their land. The water the company uses to cool their machines is putting their runoff into the groundwater. The chemicals in the water are seeping into the water system that everyone in the county is using. These chemicals have serious side effects including all the types of cancer found in the residents of the county. Completely overwhelmed with the amount of people, children included, suffering from serious diseases, Erin attempts to do more research to build a case. She is fired by her firm due to her absence from the office in pursuing the case only to be rehired when her firm's partner discovers the case she's beginning to build. Together, they attempt to take on the biggest case in the history.
I was enamored by this film. I had heard of it often and heard it was fantastic, but I wasn't convinced until Julia Roberts opened her mouth and blew me away with her performance. The story is powerful to begin with, but her portrayal of this real life superhero is fantastic. She is both likeable and tough because you can see where she is coming from and how determined she is to move forward. This film takes some thinking to understand exactly what is happening, but if you sit back and just watch as Erin Brockovich takes on the system, you'll find yourself with some hope in the power of the little guy.
Stream of the Week- Chicken Little
"Every day is a new day."
A young chicken is dealing with being an outsider in his small community. A year ago, Chicken Little felt something drop on his head. He believed the sky was falling so he alerted the entire town. They didn't believe him. They ostracized him for being different, and he was even more outcast than before. Most of all, his father was disappointed that he couldn't be "normal" like the other kids in town. After winning a huge baseball game and gaining some trust from the community, Chicken Little finds another piece of the sky. He and his nerdy friends end up going on an adventure when that fallen piece of the sky goes back to it's mothership taking their friend Fish with it. The piece that fell from the sky ends up being a panel from an alien spaceship. As they board the ship, Chicken Little and his friends being to believe that the aliens are there to invade the planet. One of the creatures follows them back off the spaceship and gets left behind. This alien being left behind leads to a full force attack on the town which proves everything Chicken Little ever said right.
I love kid movies because as you get older you being to notice the things that were thrown in there for the adults. For example, the message of the film was about communication between parents and children. Chicken Little's father, Buck, even says "You have to be ready to listen to your child even if they have nothing to say." This message is more for the adults in the room who put this film on for the children. The kids just get to be entertained by the story and graphics. There's a science behind making these movies that I would venture to claim takes more skill than making some dramas. Either way, this film is great for all ages and is not limited to one group.
A young chicken is dealing with being an outsider in his small community. A year ago, Chicken Little felt something drop on his head. He believed the sky was falling so he alerted the entire town. They didn't believe him. They ostracized him for being different, and he was even more outcast than before. Most of all, his father was disappointed that he couldn't be "normal" like the other kids in town. After winning a huge baseball game and gaining some trust from the community, Chicken Little finds another piece of the sky. He and his nerdy friends end up going on an adventure when that fallen piece of the sky goes back to it's mothership taking their friend Fish with it. The piece that fell from the sky ends up being a panel from an alien spaceship. As they board the ship, Chicken Little and his friends being to believe that the aliens are there to invade the planet. One of the creatures follows them back off the spaceship and gets left behind. This alien being left behind leads to a full force attack on the town which proves everything Chicken Little ever said right.
I love kid movies because as you get older you being to notice the things that were thrown in there for the adults. For example, the message of the film was about communication between parents and children. Chicken Little's father, Buck, even says "You have to be ready to listen to your child even if they have nothing to say." This message is more for the adults in the room who put this film on for the children. The kids just get to be entertained by the story and graphics. There's a science behind making these movies that I would venture to claim takes more skill than making some dramas. Either way, this film is great for all ages and is not limited to one group.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Binge-Worthy: How I Met Your Mother
Because everyone needs something with 9 seasons to watch.
Ted and his group of friends have been living in New York City since they left school. Living with his best friend Marshall and long-time girlfriend, soon to be fiancé, Ted navigates New York looking for "the one". When Ted meets Robin, he thinks that he's found her. Robin, however, proves to be a bit different than what Ted expected and she joins the friend group. Together they all deal with finding dates, getting married, and having children all while Ted tells the story of how he met his children's mother.
Episodes to Watch
Season 1 Ep 1 "Pilot"- Ted meets Robin, and we get introduced to the entire premise of the show. Characters are carefully crafted for the audience to understand right from the beginning.
Season 9 Ep 16 "How Your Mother Met Me"- The story behind the illusive mother to the series is just as interesting as learning about Ted's exploits. The entire show is built up to making the audience fall in love with this woman before we've even met her.
Season 5 Ep 8 "The Playbook"- Barney, one of Ted's friends, explains how he picks up chicks- with elaborate plans, props, and lies. The entire episode is hilarious and a really good sense of the group dynamic.
Season 3 Ep 5 "How I Met Everyone Else"- The dynamic between these characters is great and learning how they all met each other is a fun way to see how they have grown as characters. This also introduces the "Crazy/Hot" scales which is a popular meme from this show.
Season 1 Ep 10 "The Pineapple Incident"- This running gag throughout the series helps define what makes this series fun to watch in the beginning. You feel like one of the characters as they try to figure out what happened to Ted after a alcohol induced blackout.
Season 9 Ep 24 "Last Forever: Part 2"- This is the end that the entire series builds up to. It shows how each of them has each other's backs in every situation. This episode is the most controversial of all. Many people dislike it completely, others find the ending satisfying. Overall, it sums up the entire series bringing it back to how it began.
Characters
Ted- Ted is the main character of the show. His story is the one being told to his children throughout. Ted acts as the glue between all of his friends and always seems to get the short stick in situations.
Marshall- Marshall is Ted's best friend and roommate from college. Marshall, at the beginning of the series, is studying to be a lawyer and plans to do good in the world.
Lily- Lily is Marshall's long-time girlfriend and eventual wife. They met in college when Ted and Marshall were roommates. She is a kindergarten teacher, but no matter how sweet she is she can get rough when needed.
Barney- Barney picks up anything with a pulse at a bar. He is obsessed with his sexual exploits and is constantly trying to prove his worth to everyone by doing terribly stupid acts to get attention. His character greatly develops as we learn more about him.
Robin- Robin is the new addition to the crew. She is highly afraid of emotion and doesn't like people to get the better of her. It takes a long time for Robin to admit to herself what her true feelings are.
The Mother- The Mother is referred to the entire way through the series. According to most people, The Mother is the "ideal woman" and is perfect in every way for Ted. Towards the end of the series their meeting almost happens in several instances drawing the audience in even more towards their romance.
This series made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. I loved every single second of it and took my time watching it so I could make the fun last. Every episode is well written to get a certain response from the audience and hits the mark each time. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for something new to try.
Ted and his group of friends have been living in New York City since they left school. Living with his best friend Marshall and long-time girlfriend, soon to be fiancé, Ted navigates New York looking for "the one". When Ted meets Robin, he thinks that he's found her. Robin, however, proves to be a bit different than what Ted expected and she joins the friend group. Together they all deal with finding dates, getting married, and having children all while Ted tells the story of how he met his children's mother.
Episodes to Watch
Season 1 Ep 1 "Pilot"- Ted meets Robin, and we get introduced to the entire premise of the show. Characters are carefully crafted for the audience to understand right from the beginning.
Season 9 Ep 16 "How Your Mother Met Me"- The story behind the illusive mother to the series is just as interesting as learning about Ted's exploits. The entire show is built up to making the audience fall in love with this woman before we've even met her.
Season 5 Ep 8 "The Playbook"- Barney, one of Ted's friends, explains how he picks up chicks- with elaborate plans, props, and lies. The entire episode is hilarious and a really good sense of the group dynamic.
Season 3 Ep 5 "How I Met Everyone Else"- The dynamic between these characters is great and learning how they all met each other is a fun way to see how they have grown as characters. This also introduces the "Crazy/Hot" scales which is a popular meme from this show.
Season 1 Ep 10 "The Pineapple Incident"- This running gag throughout the series helps define what makes this series fun to watch in the beginning. You feel like one of the characters as they try to figure out what happened to Ted after a alcohol induced blackout.
Season 9 Ep 24 "Last Forever: Part 2"- This is the end that the entire series builds up to. It shows how each of them has each other's backs in every situation. This episode is the most controversial of all. Many people dislike it completely, others find the ending satisfying. Overall, it sums up the entire series bringing it back to how it began.
Characters
Ted- Ted is the main character of the show. His story is the one being told to his children throughout. Ted acts as the glue between all of his friends and always seems to get the short stick in situations.
Marshall- Marshall is Ted's best friend and roommate from college. Marshall, at the beginning of the series, is studying to be a lawyer and plans to do good in the world.
Lily- Lily is Marshall's long-time girlfriend and eventual wife. They met in college when Ted and Marshall were roommates. She is a kindergarten teacher, but no matter how sweet she is she can get rough when needed.
Barney- Barney picks up anything with a pulse at a bar. He is obsessed with his sexual exploits and is constantly trying to prove his worth to everyone by doing terribly stupid acts to get attention. His character greatly develops as we learn more about him.
Robin- Robin is the new addition to the crew. She is highly afraid of emotion and doesn't like people to get the better of her. It takes a long time for Robin to admit to herself what her true feelings are.
The Mother- The Mother is referred to the entire way through the series. According to most people, The Mother is the "ideal woman" and is perfect in every way for Ted. Towards the end of the series their meeting almost happens in several instances drawing the audience in even more towards their romance.
This series made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. I loved every single second of it and took my time watching it so I could make the fun last. Every episode is well written to get a certain response from the audience and hits the mark each time. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for something new to try.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Stream of the Week- Failure to Launch
What happens when the perfect guy lives with his parents? Paula happens.
Tripp has been living in the upstairs of his parents house since he was born. He's managed to get a decent job and a good group of friends, but he's just failed to launch from the nest. After hearing about a couple who had a similar problem, but solved it with a program, Tripp's parents decided to give it a try. The program is simple; a beautiful young woman, Paula, comes into the life of the client making them feel confident and strong. The relationship the client has with Paula should make them ready to leave their parent's house by making them feel independent and ready to move on. Paula's success rate has been fantastic, and Tripp seems like an open and shut case. Unfortunately, things get a little hairy when Tripp blazes through Paula's process and she begins to form feelings for him. Tripp's friends begin to get suspicious of Paula when Ace, Tripp's best friend, sees Paula on a date with another man. Paula has to explain her process and purpose to Ace which starts to unravel the entire process. Tripp soon finds out and feels betrayed because he also began to feel something for Paula. Now both parties feel miserable, and something must be done.
Rom Com. Need I say more? I like the concept of this film because it puts the woman in a more powerful position than the man and almost victimizes the male in the relationship which is the reverse of many a rom com. I appreciate the risks. Though we all love SJP in her role in Sex in the City, it was good to have her outside of that setting, even though she played a similar character. Everyone is different and goes through processes at different rates, but it was an interesting concept to throw around.
Tripp has been living in the upstairs of his parents house since he was born. He's managed to get a decent job and a good group of friends, but he's just failed to launch from the nest. After hearing about a couple who had a similar problem, but solved it with a program, Tripp's parents decided to give it a try. The program is simple; a beautiful young woman, Paula, comes into the life of the client making them feel confident and strong. The relationship the client has with Paula should make them ready to leave their parent's house by making them feel independent and ready to move on. Paula's success rate has been fantastic, and Tripp seems like an open and shut case. Unfortunately, things get a little hairy when Tripp blazes through Paula's process and she begins to form feelings for him. Tripp's friends begin to get suspicious of Paula when Ace, Tripp's best friend, sees Paula on a date with another man. Paula has to explain her process and purpose to Ace which starts to unravel the entire process. Tripp soon finds out and feels betrayed because he also began to feel something for Paula. Now both parties feel miserable, and something must be done.
Rom Com. Need I say more? I like the concept of this film because it puts the woman in a more powerful position than the man and almost victimizes the male in the relationship which is the reverse of many a rom com. I appreciate the risks. Though we all love SJP in her role in Sex in the City, it was good to have her outside of that setting, even though she played a similar character. Everyone is different and goes through processes at different rates, but it was an interesting concept to throw around.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)