Capture of Culture- Talented Teen Docs

There are so many clubs, and schools, and competitions across the world that deal with the special talents of the young people of the world. Many of these programs go unnoticed to the common man until a witty director comes along with a camera and a question. These documentaries follow the development of extremely skilled children as they go through the processes of competitions and/or high school itself.


Make Believe

This documentary is the chronicle of several young magicians who are all vying for the title of "Teen World Champion". Their tricks are amazing and all extremely well rehearsed. Each of them has a different style and a different personality, but their collected love for the mystery of the unknown brings them together to Las Vegas to perform on stage in front of hundreds of fans and magicians.
Krystyn Lambert is the golden girl who has done the TV, the press, and all the shows to get her name out there. She's well known, well liked, and determined. Her bubbly, driven personality comes across well on stage making her tough to beat in any competition, let alone the World's comp.
Bill Koch is another veteran to the World's stage. His act is very modern and current with the world's new obsessions in music. He actually left a scholarship for music in college to pursue a career as a magician.
Derek McKee is the dark horse. He lives out in the middle of nowhere, as far as the magic community is concerned, but his talents are undeniable. His act is original and his tricks well perfected which helps him earn a spot in the top 8 contenders.
Hiroki Hara is the contender who is extremely philosophical in his approach and performance. His home has made him in tune with nature and his tricks are greatly affected by that strong connection he seems to have with the simplicity of nature. His tricks are described as "the one's they put in the book that are too crazy to try."
Siphiwe and Nkumbuzo are the South African comedians with a warm performance and stage presence. Their act revolves around the FIFA soccer tournament which will be occurring in their country that year. Their tricks are funny and help the audience relate to magic.
Out of the top 15, 8 are chosen to be presented to the public in a vote. Each audience member casts a vote as they leave and the winners are announced. After the competition, whether they win or lose, their attentions focus right back on getting better at their craft and doing even crazier illusions to make the audience believe.

Fame High

Fame High is a documentary about 4 students who are attending the LACHSA (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts). They endure intensive arts programs as well as regular high school in hopes of being able to attend better art schools across the globe.
Grace is a senior dance student who is banking on getting into Juilliard with her skills in classical ballet. Grace comes from a strict Korean family and struggles with their goals for her as a professional rather than an artist.
Zak is a freshman jazz pianist. His skills all come from his intense practice and encouragement from his father. He seems to find music interesting, but not an incentive enough to keep his grades up which causes him a great deal of stress towards the middle of the year.
Ruby is also a freshman with big dreams in her acting career. Her talents and personality make her well liked by all her new friends at LACHSA, but it also gets her into trouble when she attempts to dive more into the social aspect of high school rather than the educational part of high school.
Brittany is a senior singer/songwriter who also plays harp in the school orchestra. She focuses on her career more than school which almost causes her not to graduate, but with the help of teachers and parents, she is able to pull her act together and discover what she really wants coming out of high school.
Each story is a success story about young talented individuals who are all part of the LACHSA program. Their classes there helped them make it into the professional world and succeed as artists. It's important to see the mental process that each one of them goes through. They struggle to separate their work from their social lives, wants, and needs like any high school student does, but their struggle greatly impacts their ability in their respected field.
http://watch.famehighmovie.com/

Brooklyn Castle

Brooklyn Caste chronicles the journey of a chess team from Brooklyn's infamous I.S. 318 Middle School. They have been the top winners at all of the major chess competitions across the country for 10 years running. These kids come from tough cities and poor backgrounds and move to becoming Grand Masters of chess and win full rides to esteemed colleges. They are the ultimate underdogs. Each year they suffer new budget cuts which risks the chess team's ability to travel to important locations and competitions on the road to victory. They fundraise, they practice nonstop, and they let their positive attitudes and dreams lead them to their wins. Their coaches have taken a program the consisted of 10 average chess players and turned it into a 100 person team (and growing) of solid players.
Justus enters the program in 7th grade where he is already well on his way to becoming a Master in chess. By the end of the year, he is drafted on to the All-American team and plays a championship in Greece. Alexis is an 8th grade boy who dreams of going on to becoming a lawyer. In his 7th grade year, Alexis was #2 in the school. As he enters 8th grade he takes the top spot and quickly advances at all of their major competitions. Pobo is an outgoing 8th grader who is quickly advancing through the ranks to get to the top. In his 8th grade year he takes his determination and love for chess to school politics in hopes of becoming class president to save the chess program. Rochelle is a freshman in the high school. After being #1 in middle school, Rochelle struggles to find new opportunities to play chess. She joins a chess club and hopes to accomplish her goal of being the first Female African American Master of Chess. Patrick makes the most obvious improvement through the course of the year. He comes into the team not knowing anything about chess. His failure that first part of the year propels him to better himself in order to qualify for a championship.
These kids prove that if you work hard and have a passion for what you do, there is no limit to how far you can go.
 http://www.brooklyncastle.com/about/synopsis

For more teen talent documentaries check out these-
First Position
Shakespeare High
Jig

Stream of the Week- As Good as it Gets

"What if this is as good as it gets"- Jack Nicholson. Every line that Melvin Udall (Nicholson) says in this entire film is quotable.

Melvin Udall is a man who seems to hate the world and everything in it. His has a routine, and because of his OCD, he never changes it. He avoids his neighbors, eats at the same café, served by the same waitress, and then goes home to write everyday. His cynical comments and social disorders make it extremely difficult for anyone to get close to him. Melvin's closest neighbor is a gay artist named Simon who has a little dog named Verdell. After Simon is attacked and beaten almost to death, Melvin is forced to take Verdell in which drives his daily routines for a loop. His world is turned upside down and he can't seem to hold onto anything. Things are made worse by that fact that the waitress that he encounters every morning, Carol, has stopped going to work to take care of her ailing son. Melvin cannot handle the rapid changes occurring in his life and it appears that he is going to go off the deep end. To solve this, Melvin sends a professional doctor to Carol's home to ensure her son will be healthy enough for her to return to work to right his routine. Simon recovers and needs finical help from his parents who live in Baltimore. Because no one else can take him, Melvin is forced to take Simon to his parents, and he guilt trips Carol into coming with them. On the trip, Carol and Simon really hit it off, and Carol is able to help Simon get over his personal battles. Melvin, on the other hand is almost at war with himself over his feelings for Carol. She can't handle his crazy, and he can't live without her. Somehow they have to find a way to make things work.


I love the way this film is scripted. It's full of awkward pauses of dialogue when Melvin is speaking and makes hilarious jokes through his character. His sarcastic and cynical nature make him too much for normal people to accept so he comes across to most as offensive. In truth, he just doesn't know any other way. Carol is sweet, but honest in her words towards both Melvin and Simon. Her approach is direct, but kind so that she almost always appears as a mother figure. Simon also has a sweeter way about him, which always makes him appear as the victim. This makes him a perfect target for all of Melvin's comments. Together, the three of them pull of a great back and forth kind of dialogue which comes across as natural. The dog also has a personality of its own and really adds to the dynamic between characters.


Melvin has certain tricks/ticks that he does because of his OCD. He locks and unlocks his door 5 times, he switches his lights on 4 times, he crosses his toes above his slippers 3 times, and he can't step on any cracks. Melvin can't function without completing this ticks or having their presence the same everyday. On top of that, Melvin has troubles with germs. He washes his hands after everything, even if he's wearing gloves, and he uses plastic silverware at the café. On the opposite side, you have Carol who is used to the unexpected, no routine kind of lifestyle. Her son could get extremely sick at any second so she's always on call for a hospital run or there with a trash can for him to get sick in. The germs don't bother her and she doesn't count on anything to be the same everyday. Together they pull together their opposite spectrums to complete a full picture of a dysfunctional couple.

Every word is important, every scene is well thought out, and every emotion comes across as genuine. That's what I really enjoy about this film. It's a slice of life, a crazy slice of life, but life all the same for you to watch, learn, and love.

Capture of Culture- The Motivation

Tension is a visible entity and sometimes is best captured by a camera. That is why documentaries are important.

In 2010, Rob Dyrdek started the first Street League Skateboarding Championship with the largest prize in skateboarding competition. Skaters from all of the world flock to be entered into a 24 person list of competitors. As the overall season dwindles down, eight reign champions and move onto the final rounds. The Motivation follows the stories of the eight skateboarders from the 2012 competition. Each of them has the passion to win and the drive to better themselves in their sport, but only one can come away with the title. Each has a unique style and story that sets them apart from the rest. Some have children, others come from broken families and two come from other countries to be part of the Street League Championship. Each trick is just a chance of landing, and when you watch these guys skate on their home turf, they are amazing. They appear to have no fear and take each jump with ease, but as they enter that room full of rails and jumps you can see the nerves kick in. Guys who were doing endless tricks and landing every single one of them wipeout or bail without rhyme or reason. It's incredibly nerve-wracking because you have your favorite and then you watch them slowly get caught by the undertow of the competition.


From a technical standpoint, the filming of the skaters is incredible. The opening sequence is all falls in slow motion. You can watch as the board leaves their feet and slides out from underneath them as they try to stick their last landing. Another interesting aspect is that you always see other cameras around the skaters while they work. Everyone is filming. Most of those filming are also on skateboards. An entire culture has built itself around this sport, and yet it wasn't until 2010 when it got its own championship that news companies and television stations took it seriously. The Street League has added a whole new level to the sport. Each skater is a celebrity with a fan base and a sponsorship. But the most important thing about The Motivation is that these are real people. They are broken and tired and have been dealt more than their share of hard times before they could make it to where they are now.

Stream of the Week- Ghostbusters

Some comedies get better with age.

Ghostbusters is the story of three ex-college research scientists who get together to capture ghosts and paranormal entities using their theoretical capture and storage system for the wild and weird. They find themselves in the right business at the right time as their lovely city of New York becomes overrun with ghosts and ghouls. One client, Dana Barrett, attracts the attention of one of the scientists with her wild story of her possessed apartment appliances. While investigating, the crew uncovers a huge paranormal culture that plans to take over the city with it's power. By using their science and charming personalities the Ghostbusters are able to take down the ruler of the paranormal and establish themselves in the scientific community.


Anything that has Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd as the leading lads of a comedy deserves to be loved and cherished. These two are hilarious together. Throw in a little Rick Moranis for good measure and boom- you've got an instant cult classic. These kings of comedy come together in this script written by Dan Aykroyd and give a charming and warm performance that is able to mix jokes and fun with the paranormal. Anymore, anything dealing with ghosts is set in the horror genre. You get the random moving furniture and creepy voices; before you know it the lead is being chased down a hallway by a terrifying poltergeist. This franchise is the best of the best in the "out of this world comedy" category. The well crafted characters have polarizing personalities that come together perfectly for this hour and a half.


Here are some memorable quotes from this film-


"Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP, clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?"


"Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say 'YES'!"


"Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!"
"Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes..."
"The dead rising from the grave!"
"Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!"

 

Page to Screen- Austenland

Let me preface this by saying the first time I rented it I watched this film 3 times in the span of 24 hours. That's how much I love this film. So much. It wasn't until after I had most of dialogue memorized that I actually read the book. Needless to say, I think I will be reading the book again.

Jane Hayes is a thirty-something, romantic, Austen-obsessed woman who has found herself on the wrong path in love several times. She always turns to 1995 BBC Darcy (Colin Firth) to make her feel better. Sick of it all, Jane spends her savings on a three week vacation to Austenland in hopes of curing her obsession with the unobtainable characters of Austen novels. Austenland is a once in a life time experience where women go to find themselves immersed in the culture of an Austen novel. Each participant gets to fall in love with an actor of the Regency Era and get to have a ball at the end of their vacation. They wear the clothes, speak the language and walk the walk of Austen's heroes. Once she arrives, Jane quickly finds herself not as prepared for life in the 1800s as she expected. She meets Martin, the grounds keeper, and falls for his charms. He isn't like the other actors in Austenland; he feels real, and he acts like someone she could love when she leaves the façade of the Regency Era. As Jane gets more involved in the world of Austenland, she gets to know Mr. Nobley a tad more intimately. Mr. Nobley is an actor who is obviously filling the Darcy slot with his distanced personality and harsh criticisms. However, the feelings that are developed between the two begin to seem real in Martin's absence. It isn't until the end of her stay that Jane gets to know what's real and what is crafted for her by the script writers of Austenland.


The book is what inspired this work of wit and fantasy. Shannon Hale, author of the novel, also wrote the screenplay which gives it an authentic quality. There are some obvious differences between the two. For example, in the book Jane is very secretive about her Darcy obsession. She hides it and doesn't let it seep into her interaction with other people unless romance is involved. In the movie Jane is clearly a follower of the Austen cult, with her tea cups and appropriately decorated room. Another plot discrepancy is the purchasing of the trip. In the movie, Jane buys it herself and buys the cheapest package. She has a heck of a lot more to lose if she doesn't enjoy it because it's all hers. In the novel, however, the trip is paid for by a deceased relative in their will- a final gift to the ultimate closet Austen fan.


The most important thing in this film is the interaction between characters. The most important interactions occur between Jane and Martin and Jane and Nobley. Jane Hayes, known as Miss Erstwhile when she is in Austenland, is played by Keri Russell and is a charming character. Her character in the novel had more depth. You could tell that she was the kind of girl who got tossed out by suitors because she could be too clingy or obsessive. In the film, Jane is just unlucky in her pursuits. There doesn't appear to be a problem in her character which would cause the guys to stay away. That's probably my only problem with this film. I do feel Jane's character is a little less realistic then she is in the novel, but she is still relatable and witty which makes for good conversation.

Martin is a tad arrogant and caught up on himself in the film version. His character, played by Bret McKenzie, has that "bad boy" don't trust him vibe going on. In the novel, he is completely sincere in appearance and what little romance they have is much more believable than in the film. However, because of this, his character is much easier to identify as the sleeze from the very beginning. Mr. Henry Nobley, on the other hand, is incredibly difficult to make out. He appears to be arrogant in his airs, but he also seems earnest in his encounters with Jane. In the novel he has an obvious attraction towards her and it's a little bit tougher to distinguish in the film which I think only adds to the Darcy effect. Plus he's played by JJ Field which helps tremendously when identifying him as a main suitor for Jane based on first impressions of appearance.


Miss Charming, one of the other visiting ladies, is played by Jennifer Coolidge. She is hilarious and absolutely the highlight of this film. Her lines appear to be made on the spot and the reactions of her cast members genuine. Another important supporting cast member is Mrs. Wattlesbrook played by Jane Seymour, Her over the top character was executed to perfection. George East, one of the gentleman actors, and Colonel Andrews, another suitor, are also fantastic at taking their roles to the next level by adding humor upon sarcasm just like Jane Austen did in her time.


The sets for this film are absolutely amazing. Partially filmed on the same location as The Importance of Being Earnest, this film takes the Regency era to an entirely gaudy level. Each set is extremely overdressed and built on the color scheme of blue and gold. The overdramatic nature of each scene and set only adds to the overall effect of the film. It gives you a lot to look at and it makes it easier to spot motifs and repetition in the film. For example, there is a peacock that is always added to scenes to remind us that Austenland is fake. This stuffed bird reminds the viewer that though Jane may be having real feelings on her side, the entire premise of her vacation is based on a fake fantasy. Hence the stuffed bird. There are also some really interesting audio tidbits added to the film. There are sounds of cd players being started here and there to remind the viewer they are in a fake location where the music is played on tapes. There is also a doorbell sound when Captain East has his dramatic entrance. It's played several seconds before he appears foreshadowing his coming.

I love that things can be hidden or that jokes can be missed the first time only to be heard and loved even better the second time around. I really enjoyed this film and will most likely be watching it again very soon. I get told often that I shouldn't judge a book by its movie, but in this case it was the movie that brought me to this fabulous, witty, comedy.

Stream of the Week- Mean Girls

I had never seen this movie before today. I sat down and decided that I should partake in the cultural experience known as watching Mean Girls. I must say it didn't totally suck as I thought it would.


Cady has been homeschooled all her life, but now that she's back in the states she has joined the average high school student body. As in any cliché high school film, Cady is set apart and excluded by almost everyone on her first day. She makes fast friends, however, with Janis and Damian. They teach Cady how high school works, and before long Cady finds herself on the inside of an important clique- The Plastics. Cady takes Janis and Damian's advice and tries to bring down the head Plastic- Regina George. Regina is a two faced person who has the entire school eating out of her hand while she talks about everyone behind their backs. Cady's plan was to take away all the things that made Regina the ruler she was, but it soon turns sour when Cady herself becomes a Plastic in real life. She finds herself judging people like Regina would and treating people the same way she did. It's not long before everything comes crashing down and Cady goes through a major identity crisis.


The characters in this film follow the standard stereotype, which I think is helpful for getting the full effect of high school across. Cady is the smart, good girl who just falls in with the wrong crowd. Regina is just a two faced, head queen who gets the cute guys and the popularity because she's attractive. Janis is the typical fringe girl who embodies the "used to be best friends with the most popular girl in the universe" cliché. Damian is the gay best friend who comments on outfits and habits like he almost is part of the Plastics as well. The teachers are all pretty much the same as any other film teachers- oblivious and wildly out of touch with reality. Together they form a cohesive background for the high school story to unfold.


Yes, this film is just a long line of clichés and modern pop references, but that doesn't mean it isn't original in it's own way. Just look at films today. How many modern teen films have Mean Girls Easter eggs or references in them now. Obviously it had a huge impact on culture, and isn't that what movies are about? Changing the world, whether that be through culture or knowledge or just plain truth. I'm not saying that Mean Girls should be put up there with Titanic or Citizen Kane, but I am saying that for being scripted as a teen high school drama about Plastic queens and high school relationships it did have a message that was accessible. Ok, I'll get off my soap box now.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

As always, I have found myself thrust into the Marvel universe. The Captain is back- with a cooler suit, some new sidekicks, and another world crisis.


Captain America has been working closely with Black Widow for S.H.E.I.L.D. since the New York attack of the Avengers film. His attempt to assimilate to modern American culture has been more difficult then he thought. His missions have made him question his moral obligation to the people and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s dedication to the protection of the freedom of the American people. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated by Hydra, the German extremist group from the first film. Their treason runs deep and at the helm of their army is the Winter Soldier, a supped up man with a metal arm who has been completing missions for Hydra since the Captain went on ice. With his rag-group of sidekicks, which includes Black Widow, the Falcon, and Nick Fury, Captain saves millions of lives from being terminated because of their treat to the Hydra system.


There are a lot of things to admire about the Marvel films that have been release recently. They all have a common goal- The Avengers, which is refreshing. It means we don't have any contradicting stories anymore, and all the superheroes can  exist in the same universe. The stories in the singular hero movies may seem like a stretch just to tie us over, but at least their full of easter eggs. In this film, I really thought there were some good things going on. Black Widow's character was stellar. Scarlett Johansson was absolutely brilliant in her character development in this film. She was funny at the appropriate moments and a good balance to Captain's high moral code with her extreme shots and well choreographed fight sequences. The Captain, however, was rather hard to relate to. He is always above everyone else around him and this makes him almost seem like a snob because of his strong sense of right and wrong. His fighting was good, though it was edited in a way which made it seem extremely contrived, and his ability to fight without the shield established his skill level for the viewer. But it still felt like there was something missing.


Like in the first Captain America, the love story aspect was weak. There was a semi-established female character who was to be there for the Cap, but her part was small and will probably carry over into the next Avengers. The other characters were standard, with not much to add. The Winter Soldier was average. He didn't seem to really have anything to motivate him except orders which made it hard to believe in his "anger" as the bad guy. The graphics were good, as they are in Marvel films, but the best 3D of the entire film comes from the credit sequence with black and white figures popping out from the background as names scroll by. That being said, Captain America: The Winter Soldier was good. It was what was expected. It's not a "oh my god, must see this opening weekend" kind of film, but it definitely wasn't a throw away either.

Stream of the Week- Uptown Girls

For some reason I am always in the mood for a good old fashioned Brittany Murphy film. Uptown Girls is one of those classics that every girl can remember watching.


Molly is the daughter of a famous deceased rocker who has spent her life living off of her family's money in the lap of luxury. Molly's money manager suddenly disappears with all of her savings forcing her to get a real job for the first time. Her people skills and personality lend her to working as a nanny with the uptight, total opposite kind of character named Ray. Ray is afraid of germs and is more adult then anyone else around her. Her arrogant nature makes it a challenge for Molly to teach her anything about having fun. Things go from bad to worse for Molly as she is kicked out of her apartment and her love interest tosses her out for his musical career. Ray is there to knock some sense into her. Together, the two girls go through a transformation while one of them grows up and the other learns how to be a kid.


I enjoy these types of "girl's movie night" kinds of films. You know, the kind with fun girls, attractive male characters, and good music. Often the plot isn't the strongest, but that doesn't matter because the film is just so fun that you forget that there isn't deep to go. Brittany Murphy gives a great performance as the down-on-her-luck Molly. Her personality is scattered; she wants something until she has it and then all the sudden it loses it's charm. She is indecisive and unaware of her surroundings. In contrast, Dakota Fanning plays an adorably talented Ray. Her snarky comments and critical nature really bring out the best of both the girls.


All in all, I believe the point here is to remember that it isn't about being grown up all the time. Often we forget that there is more to life than our jobs, standards, and money. Then there are those who go off without a care in the world and have a disregard for all those things as they get lost too. It's important to have a balance of a childish wonderment and the responsibility of an adult personality.