Greetings,
I have no problem with a movie director having a particular way of doing what they do and sticking to it. It's usually how they build a career. But every now and then, I like it when a director takes a bit of a turn from their regular path to make something slightly different. Such was the case with the movie Elizabethtown, directed by Cameron Crowe.
Now, if you know about the work of Mr. Crowe, you know that his films have a lot to do with music, and often pop culture, or the two intertwined. And they usually have a lot of F-words. I do like Cameron Crowe, but as always, I find that unnecessary. Elizabethtown didn't really have that. There were some references to music, especially at the end, but it didn't strike me as being as much of a main character like it usually is. Yeah, you won't find any Eddie Vedder cameos in this one, thank God. Although, that also means no Peter Frampton cameos, and that sucks, but that must be the sweet and sour of life that Cameron referred to in Vanilla Sky. Oh, right, and you won't be getting any bizarre "What the heck is going on in this movie?" moments like you may have in that one. This movie seems to me, more than any of his others, as being something to which many people can relate due to the subject matter. More on that later, of course.
I guess I should mention something about the critical reception of Elizabethtown. I seem to remember it getting mixed reviews, even coming from the same reviewer. Yes, if memory serves correctly, I believe Roger Ebert had seen a first cut of this at a film festival and, based on that, he gave it a thumbs down. Said it was too long or something. BUT after seeing the final theater cut, he ended up giving it a thumbs up! So there. As far as people I know go, I have asked many of them what they thought of this film and there is literally no middle ground. Not at all. They love it or hate it, and that is it. I guess I understand that since it was a bit of a departure from what we were used to seeing from Cameron Crowe, but I found that refreshing. Anyway, on to the story. Spoiler alert.
We begin with our protagonist Drew Baylor played by Orlando Bloom. And this may surprise you, but Drew is neither an elf nor a pirate. Nope, he is a shoe designer. Unfortunately, his Spasmotica design is an abysmal failure, one that will cost his company nearly a billion dollars. How is that even possible? Anyway, he gets fired (duh!) by his boss Phil, which is a thankfully small role played by Alec Baldwin. Then, his girlfriend, Ellen, dumps him. Double whammy! But it's only Jessica Biel so this shouldn't bother him too much. It does, though, because he is a guy. So he goes home and tries to kill himself by turning his exercise bike into a stabbing machine. What in all hecks, dude? Just take some pills like a normal person. His attempts are futile, though, because he receives a call from his sister, Heather, telling them that their father, Mitch, has passed away while on a family visit to Kentucky, and Drew must go and recover the body. Where in Kentucky, you may ask? Elizabethtown. And we have a title.
I suppose I should take this opportunity to point out that Heather is played by one of my favorite people in all the land, Judy Greer. Easily one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood. There's a nice opposite from the gross overrated status of a certain actress Cameron worked with in Almost Famous. Not that I'm mentioning names or anything. She plays the character perfectly, not that I expected any less. We've also got Susan Sarandon playing their mom, Hollie. I think I'll refrain from saying anything about her, because I usually get on a tirade when her name is brought up. Let's just say she's in the film and move on.
Drew catches a sparsely inhabited late night flight, where he meets Claire, a very spirited flight attendant or stewardess or whatever they like to be called these days. She is played by Kirsten Dunst, just a year after her second stint as Mary Jane in the Spiderman films. This character is quite different. She talks a lot, in an adorable Southern accent, by the way, and she's funny. She even offers Drew a move up from coach to First Class, mostly because she doesn't want to keep walking to the back of the plane to check on him. Yep, she is spunky, a word that can easily translate into annoying. That is how Drew sees her at first, because she will not leave him alone. Like I said, she talks a lot, and she wants to talk to him. Eventually, she leaves him be, but, after landing, she continues to try and "help" him by giving him driving directions to his destination.
After trying to follow those directions, Drew gets to where he needs to be. Here's where we begin to meet the family. There's Jessie, his cousin, played by Paul Schenider, a guy I haven't seen much but who I really like. Jessie is the free-thinking , not into too much disciplining, father of a young holy terror of a son, Samson (really). Hmm? I wonder how the kid got that way. Then, there's Uncle Dale played by Loudon Wainwright III. Oh, snap! Remember when I said that thing about no musical cameos? Well, oops. I forgot about this guy and the fact that he is a Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter, but since, sadly, a lot of people don't know about him, I think I can be forgiven. Finally, we have Aunt Dora played by (dramatic pause) Paula Deen! Yes, THAT Paula Deen. Bet you didn't see that one coming. I absolutely loved her in this. Now, admittedly, she was pretty much playing herself, but herself is so FUNtastic that I certainly don't mind it.
There is a bit of conflict that goes on here, which stems from the fact that Mitch's family never approved of his marriage to Hollie. This continues to his death when the family wants him buried and Hollie wants him cremated. Not that the family had any standing on this, but they were kind of trying to guilt Drew into convincing his mom to see things their way. There is also an issue with a guy named Bill Banyon showing up, whom Hollie considers not a friend due to some past discrepancies with Mitch. I only bring him up because I really want to give a shout out to the actor who portrays him, Bruce McGill. I have always thought of him as a character actor and one of the finest of all time. He does not disappoint in this role at all.
Now, interspersed with all the family drama, we follow the blossoming relationship between Drew and Claire. What, you thought Kirsten Dunst was just going to play some random stewardess and never show up again? It starts with a phone call that lasts the entire night, ending with them meeting to watch the sunrise, because she ironically lives a mere 45 minutes away from where he is staying. We get a lot more scenes of them just walking around and talking to each other about each other. Sometimes I'm not a fan of this type of exposition, but it was done quite well here. They get closer and closer, until, ya know, things happen. There is actually a lot of "will they or won't they" right up until the end of the movie. I liked the build up and the payoff.
Eventually, the entire family gathers together to pay tribute to Mitch. There's fire; there's water; there's a Lynyrd Skynyrd song. Need I say more. After the "show", Claire appears to say goodbye and give him a little gift. See, when they were on the phone, Drew mentioned that he hadn't traveled much and promised her to drive at least part of the way home. So what she gives him is a very, very, VERY elaborate road trip map, complete with instructions on what to see and where to stop along the way and mix CD's full of road trip music. I have one thing to say about this little map of hers - I WANT IT! Seriously, if I ever meet Cameron Crowe, I am just going to say, "Hi! Please can I have that road trip map thing from Elizabethtown?" No lie.
This leads us to the final scenes in the film and my favorite part, where we follow Drew on this road trip. It was actually very interesting hearing about and seeing all of these wonderful places in our country, and giving us some things to put on our own road trip list. Now I refuse to give away the ending, but this trip is a nice "point A to point B" way of getting us to it.
In case you haven't guessed, I am one of the people who loves this movie. I like the fact that it was so much more heartfelt and true to life than other movies by Cameron Crowe. Don't get me wrong. I do like his other stuff, but this is really one of my favorites. It must have been one of his, too, because, though I have yet to see that movie about the zoo, I hear it is quite family oriented as well. I know that Elizabethtown has received some criticism, but what's wrong with a movie that gives you some warm, fuzzy feelings inside? One that might even make you a little misty at times? I'll tell you what's wrong with that? Nothing. So, hats off, Cameron Crowe, and I'm still hoping to write with you one day.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Rocky Balboa, the Ultimate Street Philosopher
Greetings,
If there is one thing I've learned in life, it is that knowledge can be bought, but wisdom cannot. Trust, I know plenty of people who have spent a small fortune on a college education and could easily make it back on Jeopardy, but, at the same time, they do stupid things, make stupid decisions and pretty much make me wonder how they manage to figure out how to open a door. This is because knowledge and wisdom are far from being being the same. Sure, you can have both, but a lot of people only have one. Then there are the chosen few who have neither. Personally, I value wisdom much more than knowledge, because it's not something with which everyone has been blessed. It's almost as though you have to be chosen, and, even if you aren't "book smart", you still can be chosen. And I want to talk about one of those special people today. Albeit, a fictional person, but I will also have to address his creator, so it's okay.
I've seen this in plenty of stories and movies and real lives, where some rich kid who has access to the greatest minds in the world gets their best advice from the old guy who runs the bakery downtown. Or something to that effect. Often times, it is that random person who has seemingly done nothing in their life, except live it, who will teach you your greatest lessons. No one, real or imaginary, can define this type of person better than one, Mr. Rocky Balboa.
If you're anything like me, you've seen the movies in the Rocky series numerous times. But I wonder if anyone has ever watched, or more accurately, listened to these films the way that I have. Yes, these movies are pure entertainment, but there is something deeper that can come from them. Amazingly enough, a lot of the depth has come from this lead character, who, in his world, has clearly always been thought as a dumb, uneducated guy. Uneducated, maybe. I mean, we find out in Rocky 2 that he can't even read. But, dumb? Certainly not. Just because you don't have a thousand diplomas on your wall does not mean you don't have a thousand words of wisdom in your head. If you don't believe me, just examine some of the things he has said over the decades. They may not seem like much on their own, but string them together and you get some good life advice.
It all started in the first movie, where there was much talk about why he wanted to fight Apollo Creed. It wasn't necessarily just to win, but just to see if he could go further than anyone else had. He wanted to "go the distance", and he was okay
with whatever he had to do in order to succeed at that, to succeed at still standing in the end. Because winning can mean different things to different people. And when asked why he wants to fight at all, he says it's because he can't sing or dance. In short, he does it because it's what he was born to do. He may not have chosen it, but it chose him, and he used it as best he could. That's some good advice in a world where people are constantly trying to be someone they're not.
And these wise things would pop up in all the movies. While someone else may just say things to make a point, Rocky could say things that came off sounding eloquent, if only in his special kind of eloquence. Not to mention, fresh. I mean, it's hard to find new ways of convincing his wife that he can do it when she had doubts. Like in Rocky 4. Sure, she was scared that her husband was going to fight a guy who was basically a killer, but Rocky explained to her, yet again, that he is a fighter. And he has no choice but to fight. He says it in a way and with such conviction that anyone could be convinced. Of course, the wisest people know when to listen to and learn from others, and what he told her was a direct reflection of what his best friend, Apollo, said to him about their lives as fighters. If they don't have a fight, they don't have a point. It was extreme, but I understand, and even as a writer, that hit me deeply. If we refuse to use our gifts, why are we here? Clearly, that was why Rocky always had a drive for it. And, while speaking of Rocky 4, we can't forget his speech at the end. While some people have called what he said a bit . . . over the top, I never really thought so. This "uneducated" man from the streets of Philadelphia was bravely speaking from his heart in front of thousands of people who were so against him at first, so can we really criticize anyone for that? Especially since what he said was pretty much true.
Now, I could go through every little quote of every movie, but I'd like to give some time to my favorite words of inspiration from Rocky Balboa. Surprisingly, to some people, they actually come from Rocky Balboa, the final installment in the Rocky series.
I remember sitting in that dark theater, waiting, knowing that at some point something was going to blow me away. I wasn't wrong. There is a scene where Rocky is talking to his son, Robert, on the street right after Robert yells at him for wanting to fight again at his age. Rocky doesn't get mad or really even argue back. He just gently begins to talk to Robert. Eventually, he tells him that no one can define who you are. If you know you're meant for something great, then go out and get it. And don't blame anyone else if you don't fulfill your potential, because it's always your choice to do so. Life is hard at times for every person, but every person has to decide what to do with that difficulty. You can let it take you down, or you can turn it into something that can build you up. If you're willing to be strong, you can came back at life even harder and win.
As someone who, in the past, has often let other people's opinions of me break my spirit, this speech affected me in a big way. Sometimes you need someone to tell you what you already know. I don't let those people hurt me anymore. In fact, I welcome the attacks, because I want to be as strong as possible, and fighting them off helps to do that. They think they're damaging me, but all they are doing is helping me reach my dreams faster. Interesting thing, if you listen to the commentary on the DVD for this film, during the credits, where random people are running up those infamous stairs and triumphantly throwing their hands in the air, Sylvester Stallone, himself, continues to give us some more great words about following our dreams. But my favorite is when he says, "So I say to all of them, and everyone here, just keep punching. Just keep punching. You never know. You never know. You might just hit your dream right on the jaw"
Yes, that meant so much to me, I can barely express it. Granted, I did not know my dreams had a jaw, but if any of them do, I will certainly keep aiming for it. Things like that, which may seem sappy or cliche to the more cynical people in the world, can really make you think and maybe even change you for the better. Now I suppose this would be a good segue into my speaking a little about the man behind the man, Sylvester Stallone.
Much like the character he created, I think Sylvester Stallone has been quite underrated in some areas. Sure, he's appreciated as an action star, and that's fine because he is good at that. It's probably the first thing people think of when they think of him. Not me, though. When I think of Sylvester Stallone, the first thing that comes to mind is "great writer" Maybe that's because I am also a writer, and I like the fact that we have something in common. The thing is that Sylvester Stallone and Rocky Balboa have almost become interchangeable in the eyes of some people, so, since Rocky is often thought of as unintelligent, they may think the same thing about Mr. Stallone. But, news flash! The man is brilliant. You'd have to be to do what he's done in his life. Of course, he's had some moments of "oops!", but who hasn't? Besides, his moments of genius, if not outnumbering those others, certainly outweigh them.
Look, basically, when I speak of the wisdom of Rocky Balboa, I am, in turn, speaking of the wisdom of Sylvester Stallone. If you take the time to really listen to the things he has written and said, these priceless little gems, you will definitely learn from them. And while entertaining people is fine and even important, teaching them to be the best person they can be is invaluable. So, much thanks to you, Mr. Stallone, and the vessel you have used to give us these rich life lessons.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
If there is one thing I've learned in life, it is that knowledge can be bought, but wisdom cannot. Trust, I know plenty of people who have spent a small fortune on a college education and could easily make it back on Jeopardy, but, at the same time, they do stupid things, make stupid decisions and pretty much make me wonder how they manage to figure out how to open a door. This is because knowledge and wisdom are far from being being the same. Sure, you can have both, but a lot of people only have one. Then there are the chosen few who have neither. Personally, I value wisdom much more than knowledge, because it's not something with which everyone has been blessed. It's almost as though you have to be chosen, and, even if you aren't "book smart", you still can be chosen. And I want to talk about one of those special people today. Albeit, a fictional person, but I will also have to address his creator, so it's okay.
I've seen this in plenty of stories and movies and real lives, where some rich kid who has access to the greatest minds in the world gets their best advice from the old guy who runs the bakery downtown. Or something to that effect. Often times, it is that random person who has seemingly done nothing in their life, except live it, who will teach you your greatest lessons. No one, real or imaginary, can define this type of person better than one, Mr. Rocky Balboa.
If you're anything like me, you've seen the movies in the Rocky series numerous times. But I wonder if anyone has ever watched, or more accurately, listened to these films the way that I have. Yes, these movies are pure entertainment, but there is something deeper that can come from them. Amazingly enough, a lot of the depth has come from this lead character, who, in his world, has clearly always been thought as a dumb, uneducated guy. Uneducated, maybe. I mean, we find out in Rocky 2 that he can't even read. But, dumb? Certainly not. Just because you don't have a thousand diplomas on your wall does not mean you don't have a thousand words of wisdom in your head. If you don't believe me, just examine some of the things he has said over the decades. They may not seem like much on their own, but string them together and you get some good life advice.
It all started in the first movie, where there was much talk about why he wanted to fight Apollo Creed. It wasn't necessarily just to win, but just to see if he could go further than anyone else had. He wanted to "go the distance", and he was okay
with whatever he had to do in order to succeed at that, to succeed at still standing in the end. Because winning can mean different things to different people. And when asked why he wants to fight at all, he says it's because he can't sing or dance. In short, he does it because it's what he was born to do. He may not have chosen it, but it chose him, and he used it as best he could. That's some good advice in a world where people are constantly trying to be someone they're not.
And these wise things would pop up in all the movies. While someone else may just say things to make a point, Rocky could say things that came off sounding eloquent, if only in his special kind of eloquence. Not to mention, fresh. I mean, it's hard to find new ways of convincing his wife that he can do it when she had doubts. Like in Rocky 4. Sure, she was scared that her husband was going to fight a guy who was basically a killer, but Rocky explained to her, yet again, that he is a fighter. And he has no choice but to fight. He says it in a way and with such conviction that anyone could be convinced. Of course, the wisest people know when to listen to and learn from others, and what he told her was a direct reflection of what his best friend, Apollo, said to him about their lives as fighters. If they don't have a fight, they don't have a point. It was extreme, but I understand, and even as a writer, that hit me deeply. If we refuse to use our gifts, why are we here? Clearly, that was why Rocky always had a drive for it. And, while speaking of Rocky 4, we can't forget his speech at the end. While some people have called what he said a bit . . . over the top, I never really thought so. This "uneducated" man from the streets of Philadelphia was bravely speaking from his heart in front of thousands of people who were so against him at first, so can we really criticize anyone for that? Especially since what he said was pretty much true.
Now, I could go through every little quote of every movie, but I'd like to give some time to my favorite words of inspiration from Rocky Balboa. Surprisingly, to some people, they actually come from Rocky Balboa, the final installment in the Rocky series.
I remember sitting in that dark theater, waiting, knowing that at some point something was going to blow me away. I wasn't wrong. There is a scene where Rocky is talking to his son, Robert, on the street right after Robert yells at him for wanting to fight again at his age. Rocky doesn't get mad or really even argue back. He just gently begins to talk to Robert. Eventually, he tells him that no one can define who you are. If you know you're meant for something great, then go out and get it. And don't blame anyone else if you don't fulfill your potential, because it's always your choice to do so. Life is hard at times for every person, but every person has to decide what to do with that difficulty. You can let it take you down, or you can turn it into something that can build you up. If you're willing to be strong, you can came back at life even harder and win.
As someone who, in the past, has often let other people's opinions of me break my spirit, this speech affected me in a big way. Sometimes you need someone to tell you what you already know. I don't let those people hurt me anymore. In fact, I welcome the attacks, because I want to be as strong as possible, and fighting them off helps to do that. They think they're damaging me, but all they are doing is helping me reach my dreams faster. Interesting thing, if you listen to the commentary on the DVD for this film, during the credits, where random people are running up those infamous stairs and triumphantly throwing their hands in the air, Sylvester Stallone, himself, continues to give us some more great words about following our dreams. But my favorite is when he says, "So I say to all of them, and everyone here, just keep punching. Just keep punching. You never know. You never know. You might just hit your dream right on the jaw"
Yes, that meant so much to me, I can barely express it. Granted, I did not know my dreams had a jaw, but if any of them do, I will certainly keep aiming for it. Things like that, which may seem sappy or cliche to the more cynical people in the world, can really make you think and maybe even change you for the better. Now I suppose this would be a good segue into my speaking a little about the man behind the man, Sylvester Stallone.
Much like the character he created, I think Sylvester Stallone has been quite underrated in some areas. Sure, he's appreciated as an action star, and that's fine because he is good at that. It's probably the first thing people think of when they think of him. Not me, though. When I think of Sylvester Stallone, the first thing that comes to mind is "great writer" Maybe that's because I am also a writer, and I like the fact that we have something in common. The thing is that Sylvester Stallone and Rocky Balboa have almost become interchangeable in the eyes of some people, so, since Rocky is often thought of as unintelligent, they may think the same thing about Mr. Stallone. But, news flash! The man is brilliant. You'd have to be to do what he's done in his life. Of course, he's had some moments of "oops!", but who hasn't? Besides, his moments of genius, if not outnumbering those others, certainly outweigh them.
Look, basically, when I speak of the wisdom of Rocky Balboa, I am, in turn, speaking of the wisdom of Sylvester Stallone. If you take the time to really listen to the things he has written and said, these priceless little gems, you will definitely learn from them. And while entertaining people is fine and even important, teaching them to be the best person they can be is invaluable. So, much thanks to you, Mr. Stallone, and the vessel you have used to give us these rich life lessons.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Top Ten A Different World Episodes
Greetings,
You know, I had so much of a good time doing my top ten for The Cosby Show yesterday that I thought I'd just keep this going by moving on to its spin-off, A Different World. And, I must admit, I love this show as much I love the show from whence it came. Differently, but equally. Now, for those of you who may not the history, here is a quick (hopefully) synopsis.
In 1987, this spin-off was created to center around the Hillman College life of Denise Huxtable after Lisa Bonet left The Cosby Show. From what I've heard, there was a lot of behind the scenes stuff going on, mostly concerning Bill Cosby having some issues with the acting choices of Lisa Bonet. More adult acting choices, apparently. I understand her not wanting to stay a kid forever mentality, but it's hard for me to go against Mr. Cosby. So point goes to him. Not that any of this mattered, because, in 1988, Bonet announced that she and her then husband, Lenny Kravitz, were expecting a baby. Instead of having Denise be an unwed college mother, they just let her go. That might have been kind of a good thing.
Look, I'm not blaming Lisa Bonet for this, because I think she is a very good actress, but the first season was a bit . . . not as good as it would become. Don't get me wrong. It did have its moments. We even got to see a fresh faced Marisa Tomei, and yes, to this day, I still hear people say, "What! She was on the show. But she's . . . white!" Really, people? Get over it. Besides her though, we were also introduced to the characters that we would eventually come to love, like Dwayne and Whitley played wonderfully for years by Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison. But after that first season, it improved greatly, and many people give that credit to the involvement of Debbie Allen. Agreed. With her as a producer, the show was saved and became the wonderful thing that it was. While being very funny, the show began to delve into some issues that were probably deemed too edgy for the family tone of The Cosby Show. Issues like AIDS, racism, domestic violence, even date rape. I would say that A Different World could be called a coming of age type show. Or a family show not centered around a family. Whatever you want to call it, make sure you call it great. Because it was.
And now, my Top Ten favorite episodes of A Different World.
#10. "Three Girls Three" (Season 2) - Much like The Cosby Show, A Different World managed to snag a boatload of special guest stars. In this case, it was Gladys Knight. Ms. Knight is planning a trip to Hillman and several students are auditioning to be some makeshift Pips. I know I would certainly try out for that. This brings together Whitley and Jaleesa, who don't really like each other but sing very well together. But their decision to bring in a third party is not the best. If this episode was intending to prove women are not catty, it did not do so very well. But it's funny, so it's okay.
#9. "Good Help is Hard to Fire" (Season 4) - At the start of season 4, a love triangle was formed. It consisted of Whitley, Dwayne and, Dwayne's new girlfriend, Kinu. Oh, it gave us so many laughs, especially with the constant mispronunciations of Kinu's name by Whitley, but the whole thing came to a head in this episode. I could talk about a lot of things here, but let's just admit that the best part was the little visit we got from one, Ms. Patti LaBelle. She popped in, prune cobbler in hand, to visit her son, Dwayne, her little Chipmunk. Or just Chippy, depending on her mood. And we thank you for your time, Patti.
#8. "Love Taps" (Season 5) - This is one of the more serious episodes. Gina is dating a guy named Dion, who fancies himself a rap star. They seem like a good couple, but their secret is that Dion has been beating her. One by one, Gina's friends find out and try to help her. She is resistant, at first, but soon comes to her senses. One of the best parts is definitely the talk that Whitley gives her. Sure, we rely on Whitley for the funny, but she's got a lot of wisdom and a good heart, too.
#7. "Faith, Hope and Charity" (Season 6) - I love Thanksgiving, so naturally, I love a good Thanksgiving episode. Newlyweds Dwayne and Whitley are having their mothers over for dinner, and that should be simple. Nope. Now if you've watched this show you know that those mothers don't necessarily get along, class issues and whatnot. But those fights were good for some laughs over the years. Again, I'm giving another major shout out to Patti LaBelle, but she is only one half of the awesomeness in this episode. The other goes to Ms. Diahann Carroll. What a legend. Watch these two together and you will wonder, much like I often did, why they did not get their own show.
#6. "Monet is the Root of All Evil" (Season 4) - I am an art enthusiast, of course, and this episode is centered around the art world. Whitley, who is organizing a gallery show, finds a brilliant painter. She desperately wants him to give her one of his pieces, but he is hesitant. Eventually, he gives in. It's a great painting, but the sponsor of the exhibit thinks it is offensive and obscene. I didn't really get that, but some people see what they want to see and others see what is there. It does make some excellent arguments against censorship, and, as an artist, I appreciate that.
#5. "A Rock, A River, A Lena (Season 6) - And the special guest stars keep coming. This time we get the late, great Lena Horne, and she is, as always, fabulous. Beautiful, of course, but also very, very funny. She comes to Hillman whilst Whitley is teaching her students about Miss Horne's illustrious career. We also get a touching story line with our beloved Mr. Gaines, as well as a great performance by Jenifer Lewis as the dean of students. Love that woman.
#4. "Ms. Understanding" (Season 4) - In this episode, we get out first appearance of Shazza Zulu, played by, Warrick Brown of CSI himself, Gary Dourdan. This character is a sixth year undergraduate student (that's a long time, right?) and he has written a book about how the Hillman man should treat the Hillman woman. Of course, all he does is manage to divide the sexes and cause chaos. That is something that he does throughout his time on the show, and a lot of the other characters had a problem with him being so preachy and kind of pretentious at times. But we still love Gary Dourdan!
#3. "Cats in the Cradle" (Season 5) - Okay, I'm giving you another serious episode. In this one, Dwayne and Ron go to a college football game and end up in a brawl with three white students from the opposing school. I say specifically that they are white because it plays a major part in the story line. All five of them are thrown in jail, where a lot of arguments concerning race go back and forth. It is actually very compelling and feels very realistic to how people would talk about these things. Everyone does a fantastic job, including the guests stars. One of them is Dean Cain in one of his first performances. We also have Ernie Sabella playing a campus security guard. I will never forget what his response was when Dwayne said he didn't expect a fair shake from him. He said, "That's right, I'm a white man. I could be a card carrying member of the Klan. Or I could have marched with Dr. King. You DON'T know. Maybe you should look at me as an individual and not as a color." I mean, come on. Genius words there.
#2. "The Power of the Pen" (Season 3) - I'm a writer, which I'm guessing you already knew, so I love things about writing and writing being very appreciated. Here, we have Dwayne, the math guy, sitting in a class where he is going to be forced to write a poem - GASP! Needless to say, poetry really isn't his thing, and he just can't figure out what the big deal is. After spending endless and fruitless hours in the library, he falls asleep and dreams about Shakespeare. Yes, a guy shows up playing Shakespeare. He tells Dwayne that all he has to do is find something about which he is passionate and write. Dwayne does it and succeeds. So, if you stop and think, there is much power in those pens.
#1. "Save the Best For Last" (Season 5) - So much was crammed into season 5, so many ups and downs, I actually thought it might be the last. It wasn't obviously, but, had it been, this would have been a great way to go out. It is time for the wedding of Whitley and . . . Byron? That's right. When the season started, Whitley and Dwayne were engaged to be married, but through a series of unfortunate events, they break up and Whitley gets involved with a politician named Byron Douglas. They eventually get engaged, despite the obvious feelings that still linger between Dwayne and Whitley. Spoiler alert! Dwayne interrupts the wedding, resulting in his marrying Whitley himself. Of course, that was the major event of this two part episode, but again, I must bring up the majesty of Diahann Carroll. Like I mentioned, she has not exactly been a fan of Dwayne's, so when she sees what he is trying to do, she waves her hands at him and utters three words which could be the greatest ever said on this show - "Die, just die!" Oh, the way she does it is gold. Pure gold. This episode was really the culmination of what we had been waiting for for years, and it was done brilliantly. We really didn't know what was going to happen until the very end, and, frankly, it was kind of a nail biter. It had everything, and that is why it is number one.
So there they are. I must say, I still watch these episodes to this day. The laughs have never gotten old and neither have the lessons. This show went from being simply a spin-off to having its own identity. It's been twenty years since it ended, but, really, it hasn't aged a day. It is just as good as it originally was and I doubt that will ever change.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
You know, I had so much of a good time doing my top ten for The Cosby Show yesterday that I thought I'd just keep this going by moving on to its spin-off, A Different World. And, I must admit, I love this show as much I love the show from whence it came. Differently, but equally. Now, for those of you who may not the history, here is a quick (hopefully) synopsis.
In 1987, this spin-off was created to center around the Hillman College life of Denise Huxtable after Lisa Bonet left The Cosby Show. From what I've heard, there was a lot of behind the scenes stuff going on, mostly concerning Bill Cosby having some issues with the acting choices of Lisa Bonet. More adult acting choices, apparently. I understand her not wanting to stay a kid forever mentality, but it's hard for me to go against Mr. Cosby. So point goes to him. Not that any of this mattered, because, in 1988, Bonet announced that she and her then husband, Lenny Kravitz, were expecting a baby. Instead of having Denise be an unwed college mother, they just let her go. That might have been kind of a good thing.
Look, I'm not blaming Lisa Bonet for this, because I think she is a very good actress, but the first season was a bit . . . not as good as it would become. Don't get me wrong. It did have its moments. We even got to see a fresh faced Marisa Tomei, and yes, to this day, I still hear people say, "What! She was on the show. But she's . . . white!" Really, people? Get over it. Besides her though, we were also introduced to the characters that we would eventually come to love, like Dwayne and Whitley played wonderfully for years by Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison. But after that first season, it improved greatly, and many people give that credit to the involvement of Debbie Allen. Agreed. With her as a producer, the show was saved and became the wonderful thing that it was. While being very funny, the show began to delve into some issues that were probably deemed too edgy for the family tone of The Cosby Show. Issues like AIDS, racism, domestic violence, even date rape. I would say that A Different World could be called a coming of age type show. Or a family show not centered around a family. Whatever you want to call it, make sure you call it great. Because it was.
And now, my Top Ten favorite episodes of A Different World.
#10. "Three Girls Three" (Season 2) - Much like The Cosby Show, A Different World managed to snag a boatload of special guest stars. In this case, it was Gladys Knight. Ms. Knight is planning a trip to Hillman and several students are auditioning to be some makeshift Pips. I know I would certainly try out for that. This brings together Whitley and Jaleesa, who don't really like each other but sing very well together. But their decision to bring in a third party is not the best. If this episode was intending to prove women are not catty, it did not do so very well. But it's funny, so it's okay.
#9. "Good Help is Hard to Fire" (Season 4) - At the start of season 4, a love triangle was formed. It consisted of Whitley, Dwayne and, Dwayne's new girlfriend, Kinu. Oh, it gave us so many laughs, especially with the constant mispronunciations of Kinu's name by Whitley, but the whole thing came to a head in this episode. I could talk about a lot of things here, but let's just admit that the best part was the little visit we got from one, Ms. Patti LaBelle. She popped in, prune cobbler in hand, to visit her son, Dwayne, her little Chipmunk. Or just Chippy, depending on her mood. And we thank you for your time, Patti.
#8. "Love Taps" (Season 5) - This is one of the more serious episodes. Gina is dating a guy named Dion, who fancies himself a rap star. They seem like a good couple, but their secret is that Dion has been beating her. One by one, Gina's friends find out and try to help her. She is resistant, at first, but soon comes to her senses. One of the best parts is definitely the talk that Whitley gives her. Sure, we rely on Whitley for the funny, but she's got a lot of wisdom and a good heart, too.
#7. "Faith, Hope and Charity" (Season 6) - I love Thanksgiving, so naturally, I love a good Thanksgiving episode. Newlyweds Dwayne and Whitley are having their mothers over for dinner, and that should be simple. Nope. Now if you've watched this show you know that those mothers don't necessarily get along, class issues and whatnot. But those fights were good for some laughs over the years. Again, I'm giving another major shout out to Patti LaBelle, but she is only one half of the awesomeness in this episode. The other goes to Ms. Diahann Carroll. What a legend. Watch these two together and you will wonder, much like I often did, why they did not get their own show.
#6. "Monet is the Root of All Evil" (Season 4) - I am an art enthusiast, of course, and this episode is centered around the art world. Whitley, who is organizing a gallery show, finds a brilliant painter. She desperately wants him to give her one of his pieces, but he is hesitant. Eventually, he gives in. It's a great painting, but the sponsor of the exhibit thinks it is offensive and obscene. I didn't really get that, but some people see what they want to see and others see what is there. It does make some excellent arguments against censorship, and, as an artist, I appreciate that.
#5. "A Rock, A River, A Lena (Season 6) - And the special guest stars keep coming. This time we get the late, great Lena Horne, and she is, as always, fabulous. Beautiful, of course, but also very, very funny. She comes to Hillman whilst Whitley is teaching her students about Miss Horne's illustrious career. We also get a touching story line with our beloved Mr. Gaines, as well as a great performance by Jenifer Lewis as the dean of students. Love that woman.
#4. "Ms. Understanding" (Season 4) - In this episode, we get out first appearance of Shazza Zulu, played by, Warrick Brown of CSI himself, Gary Dourdan. This character is a sixth year undergraduate student (that's a long time, right?) and he has written a book about how the Hillman man should treat the Hillman woman. Of course, all he does is manage to divide the sexes and cause chaos. That is something that he does throughout his time on the show, and a lot of the other characters had a problem with him being so preachy and kind of pretentious at times. But we still love Gary Dourdan!
#3. "Cats in the Cradle" (Season 5) - Okay, I'm giving you another serious episode. In this one, Dwayne and Ron go to a college football game and end up in a brawl with three white students from the opposing school. I say specifically that they are white because it plays a major part in the story line. All five of them are thrown in jail, where a lot of arguments concerning race go back and forth. It is actually very compelling and feels very realistic to how people would talk about these things. Everyone does a fantastic job, including the guests stars. One of them is Dean Cain in one of his first performances. We also have Ernie Sabella playing a campus security guard. I will never forget what his response was when Dwayne said he didn't expect a fair shake from him. He said, "That's right, I'm a white man. I could be a card carrying member of the Klan. Or I could have marched with Dr. King. You DON'T know. Maybe you should look at me as an individual and not as a color." I mean, come on. Genius words there.
#2. "The Power of the Pen" (Season 3) - I'm a writer, which I'm guessing you already knew, so I love things about writing and writing being very appreciated. Here, we have Dwayne, the math guy, sitting in a class where he is going to be forced to write a poem - GASP! Needless to say, poetry really isn't his thing, and he just can't figure out what the big deal is. After spending endless and fruitless hours in the library, he falls asleep and dreams about Shakespeare. Yes, a guy shows up playing Shakespeare. He tells Dwayne that all he has to do is find something about which he is passionate and write. Dwayne does it and succeeds. So, if you stop and think, there is much power in those pens.
#1. "Save the Best For Last" (Season 5) - So much was crammed into season 5, so many ups and downs, I actually thought it might be the last. It wasn't obviously, but, had it been, this would have been a great way to go out. It is time for the wedding of Whitley and . . . Byron? That's right. When the season started, Whitley and Dwayne were engaged to be married, but through a series of unfortunate events, they break up and Whitley gets involved with a politician named Byron Douglas. They eventually get engaged, despite the obvious feelings that still linger between Dwayne and Whitley. Spoiler alert! Dwayne interrupts the wedding, resulting in his marrying Whitley himself. Of course, that was the major event of this two part episode, but again, I must bring up the majesty of Diahann Carroll. Like I mentioned, she has not exactly been a fan of Dwayne's, so when she sees what he is trying to do, she waves her hands at him and utters three words which could be the greatest ever said on this show - "Die, just die!" Oh, the way she does it is gold. Pure gold. This episode was really the culmination of what we had been waiting for for years, and it was done brilliantly. We really didn't know what was going to happen until the very end, and, frankly, it was kind of a nail biter. It had everything, and that is why it is number one.
So there they are. I must say, I still watch these episodes to this day. The laughs have never gotten old and neither have the lessons. This show went from being simply a spin-off to having its own identity. It's been twenty years since it ended, but, really, it hasn't aged a day. It is just as good as it originally was and I doubt that will ever change.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Top Ten Episodes of The Cosby Show
Greetings,
For those of you who didn't grow up in the eighties, as I did, but in a later time, I'd like to tell you about something about which you may have never heard. That thing would be called a "family show" Now these were shows on NETWORK television, if you can believe it, that kids and parents alike could watch together and enjoy, and none of the content made anyone uncomfortable. Well, aside from the occasional "very special episodes" about drugs or abuse, but they were usually done somewhat tastefully. Anyway, one of the greatest of these family shows was one that, no matter your age, you certainly know - The Cosby Show.
In the eighties, legendary comic Bill Cosby led a fantastic show about the adventures of the Huxtables, an affluent family living in Brooklyn. It consisted of the patriarch, Cliff and his wife, Clair, a doctor and a lawyer, respectively, and their five children, Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. I think a lot of things for the show were taken from Cosby's own life, since he also had four girls and one boy. But that is what comedians do, isn't it? And don't even get me started on how excited I used to get on the night of every season premiere in anticipation of the the new opening theme song. Oh, yeah, that's another thing you kids might not know about. Every show used to have something called a theme song at the beginning. Good times. Anyway, the Huxtables were one of the best, most loving families I have ever seen on TV. I don't know how anyone can not like this show. In fact, I like it so much that I am going to tell you my Top Ten episodes. Some may surprise you; some may not. But everyone is entitled to have their favorite. These just happen to be mine. So here we go.
#10. "Claire's Liberation" (Season 7) - You know what can be really scary? A woman going through menopause. You know what's really funny? Claire Huxtable going through menopause and using it to torture her children. Yes, one day, Claire comes home from the doctor and tells the kids that she is starting menopause. After overhearing their crazy fears about what they think is coming, hot and cold flashes, massive mood swings and whatnot, she milks it for all it's worth. And it is hilarious. Oh, if only it was that funny in real life!
#9. "Happy Anniversary" (Season 2) - So this one was pretty good and funny, naturally, but there is one thing in particular that everyone remembers about this episode. So what happens? Well, we are celebrating the anniversary of Cliff's parents, Russell and Anna, who I absolutely love, by the way. Seriously, they were some of the best TV grandparents ever. Anyway, the family is going to send them on a cruise as a gift, but the BEST gift is their rendition of "Night Time is the Right Time", which is, in a word, epic.
#8. "The Last Barbecue" (Season 7) - As much as I love The Cosby Show as a whole, I have to admit that I did like some of the actors better than others. But in this episode, everyone, and I mean everyone, was on their A-game. Here, we have Theo planning the bachelor party that never was . . . gotten for Denise's husband, Martin. Theo wants to get a stripper, but Martin's response to that is "No! Heh, heh, heh!" Please remember that, because it is a running gag for the duration. Now this one turns into your basic men versus women episode, and the conflict spreads through the generations. That's fine with me, since it's that fact that gave us a great scene between the aforementioned Russell and Anna. And don't forget the secret barbecue sauce subplot. How could you, though.
#7. "A Shirt Story" (Season 1) - Even though the Huxtables were a very well to do family, they emphasized the fact that, while they did provide for their children , they did not spoil them. So when Theo comes home with a $95 designer shirt, his parents were like "No" This leads him to go to Denise for her seamstress skills, which would not exactly get her on Project Runway. . . maybe. What really makes this episode is the reaction of Theo when he tries on the "shirt", proving that kids can be great comic actors, too. When they learn from the best, anyway.
#6. "Slumber Party" (Season 1)/"The Birthday Party" (Season 6) - I had to have a tie here, since the plot of both of these episodes are very similar. It's basically a case of "Rudy used to be our cute little kid and now it's Olivia" But both of them were very funny in their own way. First, "Slumber Party" was about a slumber party (what!) for Rudy, and there were boys there for some reason, as well as a tiny Alicia Keys. No lie. Oh, and these two little girls, trying to sing a song but constantly being interrupted by Cliff. Adorable. Now "The Birthday Party" was about a birthday party (what - again!) for Olivia. We have more funny little kids, who are kind of all overshadowed by an absolutely hilarious little boy singing "Eye of the Tiger" That was the one of the best moments of my life. But I love these episodes because I love seeing Bill Cosby interact with children. He has such gift for it.
#5. "Where's Rudy?" (Season 4) - You know how I said Cliff and Clair did not spoil their kids? Well, that is true, and they are good disciplinarians. By that, I mean, sometimes, just sometimes, they like to bat their kids around like cat toys before doing the actual disciplining. Sweet! In this episode, Cliff and Clair are at the mall for her squash contest . . . seriously. Vanessa and Theo are charged with watching Rudy as they cruise said mall, but they act as older siblings do and she wanders off. Though she does find shelter in a sushi restaurant (trust me), they think they've lost her. And, oh, the fun mom and dad Huxtable have with them. Even though Rudy was the one who wandered off and should have been punished, too. But, you know, whatever!
#4. "I'm In with the In Crowd" (Season 6) - And here's another one where we refuse to skip straight to the punishment so that we can freak out the guilty party a little. This time it is only Vanessa who is the recipient of this creative parenting. While at a gathering with her friends, they become bored and decide to play The Alphabet Game, which involves drinking. Guess what happens? Good guess. And clearly Vanessa was still drunk during her, let's say, pre-punishment, because that is the only way she could take seriously what her parents were doing. Funny, though!
#3. "Shakespeare" (Season 4) - Two words: Christopher Plummer. Okay, I'll say more words, but, rest assured, those are the two that make me love this episode so much. Anyway, Theo and his friend, Cockroach, are having some trouble with Julius Caesar. But help comes when Grandpa Russell arrives (yay!) with his two friends, Jonathan Laurence, played by Plummer, and Dr. Fostor, played by Roscoe Lee Browne, another actor and character I came to love through this show. They begin to masterfully quote the work of Shakespeare, reminding us all of the beauty of those words, and impressing the people around them. They also do a great reading of a story that was written by Rudy. Somehow those guys with their mesmerizing voices made that story sound almost as good as the Shakespeare.
#2. "Off to See the Wretched" (Season 6) - We deal here with some disciplining again, but there no time for games on this one. Vanessa and her friends run off to Baltimore for a concert in a semi-stolen car, mind you, and, through a series of unfortunate events, they are caught. Okay, let me say this. Judging by one of my past picks on this list, I think I can safely say that Vanessa's friends are HORRIBLE people! Drinking, stealing cars, running away to other states! I know kids will be kids, but crap, man! Anyway, the best part of this episode, bar none, is Clair's reaction to the deception. It is absolutely priceless and Phylicia Rashad is at her very best. By the way, because of this, it is one of my life's goals to never make her mad. For real, I couldn't handle it.
#1. "Theo's Holiday" (Season 2) - Some parents will go to great lengths to teach their children a good life lesson, but none have gone so far as the Huxtables in this, my number one favorite episode. Theo seems to believe that he will be quite ready to move out of the house and support himself as soon as he turns eighteen, don't we all. Well, the next time he comes home, the family has reverted their house into an apartment building, The Real World Apartments, to be exact. Boy, did the idea of THAT change thanks to the nineties and MTV! Anyway, everyone plays their parts incredibly, especially Rudy/ Mrs. Griswald, and there is literally not an unfunny moment in this entire episode. I never get tired of watching this one, so it is my favorite.
And there you have it. My little tribute to one of the best shows of all time. It managed to be perfect for family viewing, but also unbelievably entertaining. Wow, look at that! It IS possible to do such a thing.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
For those of you who didn't grow up in the eighties, as I did, but in a later time, I'd like to tell you about something about which you may have never heard. That thing would be called a "family show" Now these were shows on NETWORK television, if you can believe it, that kids and parents alike could watch together and enjoy, and none of the content made anyone uncomfortable. Well, aside from the occasional "very special episodes" about drugs or abuse, but they were usually done somewhat tastefully. Anyway, one of the greatest of these family shows was one that, no matter your age, you certainly know - The Cosby Show.
In the eighties, legendary comic Bill Cosby led a fantastic show about the adventures of the Huxtables, an affluent family living in Brooklyn. It consisted of the patriarch, Cliff and his wife, Clair, a doctor and a lawyer, respectively, and their five children, Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. I think a lot of things for the show were taken from Cosby's own life, since he also had four girls and one boy. But that is what comedians do, isn't it? And don't even get me started on how excited I used to get on the night of every season premiere in anticipation of the the new opening theme song. Oh, yeah, that's another thing you kids might not know about. Every show used to have something called a theme song at the beginning. Good times. Anyway, the Huxtables were one of the best, most loving families I have ever seen on TV. I don't know how anyone can not like this show. In fact, I like it so much that I am going to tell you my Top Ten episodes. Some may surprise you; some may not. But everyone is entitled to have their favorite. These just happen to be mine. So here we go.
#10. "Claire's Liberation" (Season 7) - You know what can be really scary? A woman going through menopause. You know what's really funny? Claire Huxtable going through menopause and using it to torture her children. Yes, one day, Claire comes home from the doctor and tells the kids that she is starting menopause. After overhearing their crazy fears about what they think is coming, hot and cold flashes, massive mood swings and whatnot, she milks it for all it's worth. And it is hilarious. Oh, if only it was that funny in real life!
#9. "Happy Anniversary" (Season 2) - So this one was pretty good and funny, naturally, but there is one thing in particular that everyone remembers about this episode. So what happens? Well, we are celebrating the anniversary of Cliff's parents, Russell and Anna, who I absolutely love, by the way. Seriously, they were some of the best TV grandparents ever. Anyway, the family is going to send them on a cruise as a gift, but the BEST gift is their rendition of "Night Time is the Right Time", which is, in a word, epic.
#8. "The Last Barbecue" (Season 7) - As much as I love The Cosby Show as a whole, I have to admit that I did like some of the actors better than others. But in this episode, everyone, and I mean everyone, was on their A-game. Here, we have Theo planning the bachelor party that never was . . . gotten for Denise's husband, Martin. Theo wants to get a stripper, but Martin's response to that is "No! Heh, heh, heh!" Please remember that, because it is a running gag for the duration. Now this one turns into your basic men versus women episode, and the conflict spreads through the generations. That's fine with me, since it's that fact that gave us a great scene between the aforementioned Russell and Anna. And don't forget the secret barbecue sauce subplot. How could you, though.
#7. "A Shirt Story" (Season 1) - Even though the Huxtables were a very well to do family, they emphasized the fact that, while they did provide for their children , they did not spoil them. So when Theo comes home with a $95 designer shirt, his parents were like "No" This leads him to go to Denise for her seamstress skills, which would not exactly get her on Project Runway. . . maybe. What really makes this episode is the reaction of Theo when he tries on the "shirt", proving that kids can be great comic actors, too. When they learn from the best, anyway.
#6. "Slumber Party" (Season 1)/"The Birthday Party" (Season 6) - I had to have a tie here, since the plot of both of these episodes are very similar. It's basically a case of "Rudy used to be our cute little kid and now it's Olivia" But both of them were very funny in their own way. First, "Slumber Party" was about a slumber party (what!) for Rudy, and there were boys there for some reason, as well as a tiny Alicia Keys. No lie. Oh, and these two little girls, trying to sing a song but constantly being interrupted by Cliff. Adorable. Now "The Birthday Party" was about a birthday party (what - again!) for Olivia. We have more funny little kids, who are kind of all overshadowed by an absolutely hilarious little boy singing "Eye of the Tiger" That was the one of the best moments of my life. But I love these episodes because I love seeing Bill Cosby interact with children. He has such gift for it.
#5. "Where's Rudy?" (Season 4) - You know how I said Cliff and Clair did not spoil their kids? Well, that is true, and they are good disciplinarians. By that, I mean, sometimes, just sometimes, they like to bat their kids around like cat toys before doing the actual disciplining. Sweet! In this episode, Cliff and Clair are at the mall for her squash contest . . . seriously. Vanessa and Theo are charged with watching Rudy as they cruise said mall, but they act as older siblings do and she wanders off. Though she does find shelter in a sushi restaurant (trust me), they think they've lost her. And, oh, the fun mom and dad Huxtable have with them. Even though Rudy was the one who wandered off and should have been punished, too. But, you know, whatever!
#4. "I'm In with the In Crowd" (Season 6) - And here's another one where we refuse to skip straight to the punishment so that we can freak out the guilty party a little. This time it is only Vanessa who is the recipient of this creative parenting. While at a gathering with her friends, they become bored and decide to play The Alphabet Game, which involves drinking. Guess what happens? Good guess. And clearly Vanessa was still drunk during her, let's say, pre-punishment, because that is the only way she could take seriously what her parents were doing. Funny, though!
#3. "Shakespeare" (Season 4) - Two words: Christopher Plummer. Okay, I'll say more words, but, rest assured, those are the two that make me love this episode so much. Anyway, Theo and his friend, Cockroach, are having some trouble with Julius Caesar. But help comes when Grandpa Russell arrives (yay!) with his two friends, Jonathan Laurence, played by Plummer, and Dr. Fostor, played by Roscoe Lee Browne, another actor and character I came to love through this show. They begin to masterfully quote the work of Shakespeare, reminding us all of the beauty of those words, and impressing the people around them. They also do a great reading of a story that was written by Rudy. Somehow those guys with their mesmerizing voices made that story sound almost as good as the Shakespeare.
#2. "Off to See the Wretched" (Season 6) - We deal here with some disciplining again, but there no time for games on this one. Vanessa and her friends run off to Baltimore for a concert in a semi-stolen car, mind you, and, through a series of unfortunate events, they are caught. Okay, let me say this. Judging by one of my past picks on this list, I think I can safely say that Vanessa's friends are HORRIBLE people! Drinking, stealing cars, running away to other states! I know kids will be kids, but crap, man! Anyway, the best part of this episode, bar none, is Clair's reaction to the deception. It is absolutely priceless and Phylicia Rashad is at her very best. By the way, because of this, it is one of my life's goals to never make her mad. For real, I couldn't handle it.
#1. "Theo's Holiday" (Season 2) - Some parents will go to great lengths to teach their children a good life lesson, but none have gone so far as the Huxtables in this, my number one favorite episode. Theo seems to believe that he will be quite ready to move out of the house and support himself as soon as he turns eighteen, don't we all. Well, the next time he comes home, the family has reverted their house into an apartment building, The Real World Apartments, to be exact. Boy, did the idea of THAT change thanks to the nineties and MTV! Anyway, everyone plays their parts incredibly, especially Rudy/ Mrs. Griswald, and there is literally not an unfunny moment in this entire episode. I never get tired of watching this one, so it is my favorite.
And there you have it. My little tribute to one of the best shows of all time. It managed to be perfect for family viewing, but also unbelievably entertaining. Wow, look at that! It IS possible to do such a thing.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Unguarded / Amy Grant - Album Review
Greetings,
Years ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about music, what we liked, what we didn't, and everything in between. Since I was a part of this conversation, it's only natural that Amy Grant was eventually brought up. Yeah, I love her. Have since I was a little girl, and she was one of the first people to inspire me to become an artist. Deal with it. Anyway, when I asked my friend if she was also a fan of Amy Grant's, she replied by telling me that she sort of was because she liked Amy's first album, Heart in Motion. Yes, my friend thought that the 1991 album, Heart in Motion, featuring the mega hit, "Baby, Baby", was the first album that Amy Grant released. Oh, dear. Why is it whenever I have a conversation about music with anyone I know I feel like Jack Black in School of Rock as the kids are telling him that their favorite music comes to them via Christina Aguilera and Puff Daddy? Recall the frustration and pure rage on his face? Yeah, me, too. Mind you, this is the same friend who was distraught because, after an exhaustive search, she just could not find the song by The Who called "Teenage Wasteland". Spoiler: it doesn't exist. But she was my very good friend so I kindly informed her that Heart in Motion was not Amy's first album, but more like her ninth. And today, I will be going in depth on one of those first nine albums. Particularly, Unguarded, which I can safely say is my favorite of hers.
Unguarded was released in 1985, and it is the first album that I can recall really getting into. I knew all the songs by heart and sang them on a daily basis. Overall, it sounds like what a pop album of the eighties would be expected to sound like, complete with lots of synth work, but, lyrically, it is clearly from a Christian singer . . . for the most part. Yes, this is the album where Amy Grant began to break out a bit as a "crossover" artist, getting some success in the mainstream. This is thanks, mostly, to the somewhat ambiguous lyrics of a few of the songs. By that, I mean, she is generally talking about things from a Christian perspective, but doesn't always mention Jesus straight out. So people made up their own interpretations on some of the songs. Speaking of which, let's get to those songs.
The album starts off strongly with the track "Love of Another Kind", which, at first, may seem like one of those "it can go either way" songs, but she does eventually say Jesus. So the world had to keep its hands off that one. And did I mention that this one was co-written by the great Rich Mullins? It is followed up by "Find a Way" and "Everywhere I Go". These two are easily the biggest hit singles and the ones that had the mainstream success, both getting radio airplay and the first of which getting its video played heavily on MTV and VH1. These are also the ones that caused the most controversy amongst Amy's alleged Christian fan base. Some of them felt as though, through these songs and their success, she had crossed over too far. Possessive and judgmental much? I was always happy to hear about her crossover success, since I'm pretty sure that means she was reaching more people out in the world. That's a good thing, right?
Another strong standout is "Wise Up", which also had some mainstream success, and yet I rarely heard about this one bothering anyone. Perhaps, because the lyrics were more blatantly Christian. Then, we have the song "Sharayah", because every artist has to do a song where the title is a person's name. Even if that name is one I've never heard of outside of this particular song. Yet somehow, I'm sure there is, at the very least, one girl out there who was named after this. There has to be. Anyway, this song is about someone going through a crisis of faith. Hmmm? I am quite surprised that this did not also cause some kind of uproar, since a boatload of "Christians", at least the ones I know, often like to give off the vibe that we never have any problems. I think it may be their recruiting technique, albeit, an incredibly misleading one.
But, hands down, my favorite song on this album is the closing track entitled "The Prodigal". It is a wonderfully gentle ballad, departing from the electronic sound of the majority of this album. Now, lyrically speaking, it seems to be inspired by the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, but I think it can become very personalized, since it mostly talks of waiting for someone you love to return, whoever that may be. It is truly a beautiful song and one of Amy's best of all time, which is saying a lot in the midst of a career that has spanned over thirty years.
Now I know that Amy Grant has had plenty of haters over the years, coming at her from all angles. The Christians think she's too secular; the seculars think she's too Christian. It has frustrated me for years, since, no matter how "mainstream" Amy went, she never backed away from her beliefs. Seriously, it is a good thing she has us truly loyal admirers who have stood by her through all of that, and she never fails to show her gratitude. For real, though, Unguarded is a great album. It definitely sounds like its time, but it still holds up today, certainly for me. I'm definitely sure I don't have to recommend this to any true Amy fans since they, no doubt, already own and love it. But if you are not that knowledgeable about her pre-full on pop career and have always been curious, this album is a fantastic place to start.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Years ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about music, what we liked, what we didn't, and everything in between. Since I was a part of this conversation, it's only natural that Amy Grant was eventually brought up. Yeah, I love her. Have since I was a little girl, and she was one of the first people to inspire me to become an artist. Deal with it. Anyway, when I asked my friend if she was also a fan of Amy Grant's, she replied by telling me that she sort of was because she liked Amy's first album, Heart in Motion. Yes, my friend thought that the 1991 album, Heart in Motion, featuring the mega hit, "Baby, Baby", was the first album that Amy Grant released. Oh, dear. Why is it whenever I have a conversation about music with anyone I know I feel like Jack Black in School of Rock as the kids are telling him that their favorite music comes to them via Christina Aguilera and Puff Daddy? Recall the frustration and pure rage on his face? Yeah, me, too. Mind you, this is the same friend who was distraught because, after an exhaustive search, she just could not find the song by The Who called "Teenage Wasteland". Spoiler: it doesn't exist. But she was my very good friend so I kindly informed her that Heart in Motion was not Amy's first album, but more like her ninth. And today, I will be going in depth on one of those first nine albums. Particularly, Unguarded, which I can safely say is my favorite of hers.
Unguarded was released in 1985, and it is the first album that I can recall really getting into. I knew all the songs by heart and sang them on a daily basis. Overall, it sounds like what a pop album of the eighties would be expected to sound like, complete with lots of synth work, but, lyrically, it is clearly from a Christian singer . . . for the most part. Yes, this is the album where Amy Grant began to break out a bit as a "crossover" artist, getting some success in the mainstream. This is thanks, mostly, to the somewhat ambiguous lyrics of a few of the songs. By that, I mean, she is generally talking about things from a Christian perspective, but doesn't always mention Jesus straight out. So people made up their own interpretations on some of the songs. Speaking of which, let's get to those songs.
The album starts off strongly with the track "Love of Another Kind", which, at first, may seem like one of those "it can go either way" songs, but she does eventually say Jesus. So the world had to keep its hands off that one. And did I mention that this one was co-written by the great Rich Mullins? It is followed up by "Find a Way" and "Everywhere I Go". These two are easily the biggest hit singles and the ones that had the mainstream success, both getting radio airplay and the first of which getting its video played heavily on MTV and VH1. These are also the ones that caused the most controversy amongst Amy's alleged Christian fan base. Some of them felt as though, through these songs and their success, she had crossed over too far. Possessive and judgmental much? I was always happy to hear about her crossover success, since I'm pretty sure that means she was reaching more people out in the world. That's a good thing, right?
Another strong standout is "Wise Up", which also had some mainstream success, and yet I rarely heard about this one bothering anyone. Perhaps, because the lyrics were more blatantly Christian. Then, we have the song "Sharayah", because every artist has to do a song where the title is a person's name. Even if that name is one I've never heard of outside of this particular song. Yet somehow, I'm sure there is, at the very least, one girl out there who was named after this. There has to be. Anyway, this song is about someone going through a crisis of faith. Hmmm? I am quite surprised that this did not also cause some kind of uproar, since a boatload of "Christians", at least the ones I know, often like to give off the vibe that we never have any problems. I think it may be their recruiting technique, albeit, an incredibly misleading one.
But, hands down, my favorite song on this album is the closing track entitled "The Prodigal". It is a wonderfully gentle ballad, departing from the electronic sound of the majority of this album. Now, lyrically speaking, it seems to be inspired by the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, but I think it can become very personalized, since it mostly talks of waiting for someone you love to return, whoever that may be. It is truly a beautiful song and one of Amy's best of all time, which is saying a lot in the midst of a career that has spanned over thirty years.
Now I know that Amy Grant has had plenty of haters over the years, coming at her from all angles. The Christians think she's too secular; the seculars think she's too Christian. It has frustrated me for years, since, no matter how "mainstream" Amy went, she never backed away from her beliefs. Seriously, it is a good thing she has us truly loyal admirers who have stood by her through all of that, and she never fails to show her gratitude. For real, though, Unguarded is a great album. It definitely sounds like its time, but it still holds up today, certainly for me. I'm definitely sure I don't have to recommend this to any true Amy fans since they, no doubt, already own and love it. But if you are not that knowledgeable about her pre-full on pop career and have always been curious, this album is a fantastic place to start.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Ending of My Twilight Experience
Greetings,
There will always be people in the world who do inexplicable things. Sometimes those people are, well, us. Seriously, we have all done things that we cannot explain, even to ourselves. My "what!" behavior has included . . . seeing every Twilight movie in the theater. And I did this for the final time yesterday.
Yes, I went to see Breaking Dawn: Part 2 on opening day. Now I did go for the early bird show, which is what I usually do when I go alone and in a professional capacity. Plus, I'm cheap and I don't like tons of people crowded around me. I did get in cheaply, that's for sure, but I had no luck in trying to avoid a crowd. I really thought all the local Twihards would have been at the previous night's midnight showing or at school since it was 11 AM. But, no. It would seem some parents thought it prudent to pull their kids from a day of school in order for them to see a movie that will be exactly the same at a viewing after 4 PM. And I did not expect to see so many little girls there, who looked about five years old. I may have assumed they were vampire children if these Twilight books and movies had not taught me that such a thing is illegal in the vampire world. So, what the heck? This was a film for young adults, not young children. Seriously, if your five year old can handle seeing decapitation and dismemberment than you have more problems on your plate than worries about a too soon crush on Robert Pattinson. And do not make me discuss the clapping and cheering at inappropriate times. If this experience proved anything, though, it was this. I am in complete agreement with something that Danielle Fishel said when she was hosting the fantastic and wrongfully cancelled show, The Dish. What did she say in the early stages of the Twilight phenomenon? Well, it was something like "I want to see this movie, but it's the audience I don't want to spend two hours with" But all things considered, I count my blessings that an annoying crowd was the worst thing with which I had to deal. Moving on.
Now I am not going to do a full on review of this movie. That seems more appropriate for one of my theme weeks. Maybe when this comes out on DVD or when we hear of the inevitable engagement or break up of Robsten. Yeah, I have no idea if they are together now or not, so I do not know what is coming next. But I figure I should give some not too spoilery thoughts about the film. Just because.
Okay, in general, it wasn't that bad. Not as good as the books, but the movie rarely is. That would probably make people think the movie was terrible since a lot of them think the books were bad. I'll discuss that in a minute. Back to the movie. It has its good parts and bad parts, as I expected. So let's dissect a little.
When it came to the good parts, I got to see my Twilight crush, who is, surprisingly, neither Edward nor Jacob. Nope, I love me some Charlie Swan a.k.a. Bella's dad. He is the best character, if not in the books, then certainly in the movies. That would explain why his part got smaller and smaller as they continued on. Because when Hollywood finds a lick of awesomeness they tend to take a huge dump on it. But rest assured, Billy Burke, I recognize your brilliance. Now thanks much to Mr. Burke's contribution, I can talk about the other good thing in this film. It actually had a lot of funny parts. A lot more than the other installments had. Considering how morbid this saga can be at times, I like a little comic relief. And as far as the acting abilities of the rest of the cast, don't expect a ton of surprises if you've seen the other movies. You already know which adult I consider the best, and, again, Taylor Lautner is the standout for the youngsters. Oh, but if you thought Michael Sheen had previously reached his limit of flamboyance, you are mistaken. That's not an insult, by the way. I enjoy his ability to be funny guy/bad dude. It takes a gift.
Okay, now on to the bad parts. It did have a lot of oopsies, but none more than the one near the end. I refuse to spoil it, but, good grief, what in all hecks was that? Look, I took the time to read the books. I should not be sitting in that theater more confused than people who did not. As soon as, let's call it, "the thing" started, I was very much not getting it. I mean, I thought I would have remembered events so pivotal taking place. Actually, I certainly would have since "the thing" in the movie was nonexistent in the book. And DO NOT get me started on how they explained it, or explained it away, more accurately, in the film. Look, I appreciate them trying to make this more cinematic, and I definitely understand that changes are necessary when it comes to adaptation. But NO, Movie! You cannot throw in a vicissitude THAT huge! I have a feeling that the super hardcore fans are either going to absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. I see no middle ground here. Still, nothing will stop them from seeing it. Probably multiple times. But once was plenty for me.
So what, if anything, have I gotten from my Twilight experience, both through movies and books? Well, I'm not a crazy, squealy fan, but I am also not a hater. I sort of like the movies, and I sort of like the books. No more, no less. I just don't take either of these things very seriously. For better or worse, there is some entertainment there. I know a lot of people have a problem with both for many reasons. I've heard Stephenie Meyer being criticized because her writing was "too juvenile". Um, HELLO! These books were written for the pre-teen to actual teen crowd. Just because a bunch of bored housewives got a hold of them does not mean they were meant for people who have been through college, marriage and motherhood. They are plenty good enough for their intended demographic, though, they are certainly not the best written books. And I will not fault her for promoting abstinence to the young crowds. How nice that so many teenagers fell in love with Edward Cullen because he wanted to wait to have sex until they were married. I NEVER thought I would see that happen. As far as the movies go, I consider them "Why the heck not?" films. You know, if someone asks me if I want to watch Twilight or one of its sequels, I'd probably say, "Why the heck not?" They can be enjoyable in places, and even I have to admit I cougared out on Rob Pattinson a little in the beginning. Subsequently, though, I realized that little fanciful fling was merely a source of inspiration for one of my short stories. And when I say, MY short story, I do NOT mean fan fiction. I have some integrity as an artist, believe it or not.
So, to the film makers and especially Ms. Meyer, I say hats off. You took a passion you had and created something with it. Most people don't care to take time to nurture their ideas and, therefore, let them die off. That was not done in this case. As a writer who loves to see anyone try to build on their gifts, I can't object to that ever.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
There will always be people in the world who do inexplicable things. Sometimes those people are, well, us. Seriously, we have all done things that we cannot explain, even to ourselves. My "what!" behavior has included . . . seeing every Twilight movie in the theater. And I did this for the final time yesterday.
Yes, I went to see Breaking Dawn: Part 2 on opening day. Now I did go for the early bird show, which is what I usually do when I go alone and in a professional capacity. Plus, I'm cheap and I don't like tons of people crowded around me. I did get in cheaply, that's for sure, but I had no luck in trying to avoid a crowd. I really thought all the local Twihards would have been at the previous night's midnight showing or at school since it was 11 AM. But, no. It would seem some parents thought it prudent to pull their kids from a day of school in order for them to see a movie that will be exactly the same at a viewing after 4 PM. And I did not expect to see so many little girls there, who looked about five years old. I may have assumed they were vampire children if these Twilight books and movies had not taught me that such a thing is illegal in the vampire world. So, what the heck? This was a film for young adults, not young children. Seriously, if your five year old can handle seeing decapitation and dismemberment than you have more problems on your plate than worries about a too soon crush on Robert Pattinson. And do not make me discuss the clapping and cheering at inappropriate times. If this experience proved anything, though, it was this. I am in complete agreement with something that Danielle Fishel said when she was hosting the fantastic and wrongfully cancelled show, The Dish. What did she say in the early stages of the Twilight phenomenon? Well, it was something like "I want to see this movie, but it's the audience I don't want to spend two hours with" But all things considered, I count my blessings that an annoying crowd was the worst thing with which I had to deal. Moving on.
Now I am not going to do a full on review of this movie. That seems more appropriate for one of my theme weeks. Maybe when this comes out on DVD or when we hear of the inevitable engagement or break up of Robsten. Yeah, I have no idea if they are together now or not, so I do not know what is coming next. But I figure I should give some not too spoilery thoughts about the film. Just because.
Okay, in general, it wasn't that bad. Not as good as the books, but the movie rarely is. That would probably make people think the movie was terrible since a lot of them think the books were bad. I'll discuss that in a minute. Back to the movie. It has its good parts and bad parts, as I expected. So let's dissect a little.
When it came to the good parts, I got to see my Twilight crush, who is, surprisingly, neither Edward nor Jacob. Nope, I love me some Charlie Swan a.k.a. Bella's dad. He is the best character, if not in the books, then certainly in the movies. That would explain why his part got smaller and smaller as they continued on. Because when Hollywood finds a lick of awesomeness they tend to take a huge dump on it. But rest assured, Billy Burke, I recognize your brilliance. Now thanks much to Mr. Burke's contribution, I can talk about the other good thing in this film. It actually had a lot of funny parts. A lot more than the other installments had. Considering how morbid this saga can be at times, I like a little comic relief. And as far as the acting abilities of the rest of the cast, don't expect a ton of surprises if you've seen the other movies. You already know which adult I consider the best, and, again, Taylor Lautner is the standout for the youngsters. Oh, but if you thought Michael Sheen had previously reached his limit of flamboyance, you are mistaken. That's not an insult, by the way. I enjoy his ability to be funny guy/bad dude. It takes a gift.
Okay, now on to the bad parts. It did have a lot of oopsies, but none more than the one near the end. I refuse to spoil it, but, good grief, what in all hecks was that? Look, I took the time to read the books. I should not be sitting in that theater more confused than people who did not. As soon as, let's call it, "the thing" started, I was very much not getting it. I mean, I thought I would have remembered events so pivotal taking place. Actually, I certainly would have since "the thing" in the movie was nonexistent in the book. And DO NOT get me started on how they explained it, or explained it away, more accurately, in the film. Look, I appreciate them trying to make this more cinematic, and I definitely understand that changes are necessary when it comes to adaptation. But NO, Movie! You cannot throw in a vicissitude THAT huge! I have a feeling that the super hardcore fans are either going to absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. I see no middle ground here. Still, nothing will stop them from seeing it. Probably multiple times. But once was plenty for me.
So what, if anything, have I gotten from my Twilight experience, both through movies and books? Well, I'm not a crazy, squealy fan, but I am also not a hater. I sort of like the movies, and I sort of like the books. No more, no less. I just don't take either of these things very seriously. For better or worse, there is some entertainment there. I know a lot of people have a problem with both for many reasons. I've heard Stephenie Meyer being criticized because her writing was "too juvenile". Um, HELLO! These books were written for the pre-teen to actual teen crowd. Just because a bunch of bored housewives got a hold of them does not mean they were meant for people who have been through college, marriage and motherhood. They are plenty good enough for their intended demographic, though, they are certainly not the best written books. And I will not fault her for promoting abstinence to the young crowds. How nice that so many teenagers fell in love with Edward Cullen because he wanted to wait to have sex until they were married. I NEVER thought I would see that happen. As far as the movies go, I consider them "Why the heck not?" films. You know, if someone asks me if I want to watch Twilight or one of its sequels, I'd probably say, "Why the heck not?" They can be enjoyable in places, and even I have to admit I cougared out on Rob Pattinson a little in the beginning. Subsequently, though, I realized that little fanciful fling was merely a source of inspiration for one of my short stories. And when I say, MY short story, I do NOT mean fan fiction. I have some integrity as an artist, believe it or not.
So, to the film makers and especially Ms. Meyer, I say hats off. You took a passion you had and created something with it. Most people don't care to take time to nurture their ideas and, therefore, let them die off. That was not done in this case. As a writer who loves to see anyone try to build on their gifts, I can't object to that ever.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, November 12, 2012
Catfish 2 . 0 - Documentary Review
Greetings,
Back in July, I did a week's worth of documentary reviews. One of them was on a movie called Catfish. Now that is a film you can only say so much about before you reveal the twist of the story, so I was kind enough to only say enough to be informative but not enough to ruin it for anyone. However, I've been meaning to do a follow up wherein I could discuss the "after twist" section. It certainly did spark some debate between critics and viewers alike, mostly concerning the validity of what may or may not have actually happened. Plus, there's much to be said about what the "characters" go through as the story progresses. And this seems like as good a time as any to do this.
You see, MTV will soon be premiering a series based on the film, and it will be about people going to meet other people with whom they've had internet relationships. And yes, I am way more interested in the incidents where they will catch the people who have been lying. Of course, a nice happy ending might not be so bad either.
Okay, before I begin, I must say something, and I can't stress it enough, so I will be using caps to emphasize. DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE! Yeah, I had to yell, I'm sorry. Look, I do not want to ruin this film for anyone, because it's really good, and it should be seen. So, here's my advice. If you have not seen Catfish yet, check out my first review, then go see the movie, and finally, come back and read this. If you have seen it, keep reading and hopefully enjoy my synopsis of the second half. Okay, let's get started.
To recap what I went over in my first review, Catfish follows three guys from NYC. We've got 24 year-old Nev, a photographer, his brother, Rel, and their friend Henry. The two latter being filmmakers who are documenting Nev's interactions with an 8 year-old art prodigy named Abby, as well as her whole family. And her family includes mother, Angela, father, Vince, brother, Alex, and 19 year-old sister, Megan. Not to mention a load of family friends. Nev and Megan have developed a long distance romance, but he is beginning to discover that some things this family, including Megan, has been telling may not be completely true. So the boys head to Michigan to surprise them, and that is where I finished. Now it's time to get down and dirty.
I really did end my review when the boys decided to go to Michigan, but let me back up to the time they spent in Colorado, where they were attending a dance festival or something. It really was during this time that things started to unravel. So the boys are in their hotel room or whatever, "chatting" with Megan, asking her to sing songs for them. She sends them her version of "Tennessee Stud", which makes them reminisce about the other songs she has sent them. But while doing a search to find one of those songs, they discover a performance by someone else, and it is the exact one that Megan said she was singing herself. Yeah, so she kinda lied on that one. This begins to make the boys, especially Nev, a little curious and even uneasy. So they continue with their detective work.
Heading to the Google. they come to discover that a lot of what they've been told about little artist Abby was completely untrue. She hasn't been having shows at her own gallery in the building that they bought, because they never bought said building. And they also hit a dead end trying to find articles that would most likely be written about an 8 year-old artistic genius. So. though Nev is really wanting just to end this whole thing and go home, Rel and Henry convince him to go to Michigan to get the whole story.
First, they reach the farm that Megan said she bought for herself. Yes, she is 19 and said she bought her own farm. Hey, remember that episode of The Cosby Show where Theo bought a $90 shirt and Cliff said that the only time a 14 year-old boy should have $90 shirt is if he is onstage with his four brothers? Yeah, well, the only time a 19 year-old should own a huge farm is if she's been on a show called Hannah Montana. Maybe that should have been a clue that things weren't on the up and up, but Angela did claim that they were making quite a bit of money from Abby's paintings, so maybe that's where they said the farm money came from. Who knows? Needless to say, when they got there, in the middle of the night for some reason, Megan was nowhere to be found and neither were her horses.
After that fun night of trespassing, the boys headed to the home of Angela, Vince and Abby, along the way, passing the "gallery" of Abby's, which was clearly just an abandoned building. So when they reached the house, Nev and Rel approached the front door, leaving Henry in the getaway car. No, seriously, they were being very cautious about these people and prepared for, if needed, a quick escape. I can see why they felt this way, all things considered.
So they knock on the door and out comes . . . Angela? Yes, you can tell, even from a distance that THIS Angela is certainly not the Angela that they've been seeing in pictures and paintings over the past several months. Then, Vince walks up, and guess what? He's not Picture Vince either. Now you'd think, at this point, Angela would just give it up and say, "Okay, you caught me", but no. No, she tries to keep the charade going, even telling them that Megan is not there, but out at her farm. Apparently, she didn't know that they had been there and found bupkis. But the boys carefully play along, taking things one step at a time.
After we see the reality of the appearances of these people, we then are exposed to the reality of Angela's life, and it is far different from what she purported it to be. We find out that she has two stepsons from Vince's first marriage, who are severely handicapped. She also tells them that she has been diagnosed with cancer. And when we meet Abby, who surprisingly does exist, we discover that it is not she who paints but her mother, and that Abby never sees her sister, Megan. Doesn't even remember what she looks like, actually. Oh, it's just getting better and better, isn't it, boys?
So after spending some time with the family and making plans to meet them again for dinner, Nev, Rel and Henry, safe and alone, driving away in their car, begin to have their first deep discussion about just what in all heck is happening. The first words we hear spoken are Henry saying to Nev, "Angela's in love with you" to which Nev replies "Angela is in love with me" And as they peel away each layer of this internet onion, they come to fully realize the depths of the deception. It hits Nev that the person he's been having this online and over the phone relationship with was not the hot, model looking girl, Megan, but forty-something Angela. And when we recall the, let's say, intimate texts between Nev and Megan that he shared with us, we understand why big brother Rel was desperately trying to contain his laughter. Look, he has to make fun of his little brother. It's his job. Moving on. They begin to figure out that not only was Angela pretending to be Megan, but she was most likely behind every single person that the boys knew through her on Facebook. And there were more than a dozen people. Just think about that. She created all these Facebook accounts and kept them active just to keep this whole thing going. Why is this woman not a novelist? Clearly, she knows how to work with characters she has created. Anyway, they decide, very sympathetically, I might add, to confront Angela about the whole thing, in a way as to not embarrass her, making it clear that they didn't want to hurt the family. I actually found that quite endearing.
And so the next day, after getting messages from "Megan" explaining why she's not there, Nev tells Angela that they basically know everything and want to give her a chance to explain. It's then that pretty much everything comes out. Angela says that she does have a daughter named Megan, who has some issues of her own, but Nev has never spoken to her, and the girl in the pictures is just a friend of the family. Later, as Nev sits for Angela while she sketches his face, they begin to finally talk in depth about the whole ordeal. Nev even asks Angela to talk in the voice she did while pretending to be Megan. This scene caused a bit of controversy, but we'll get to that later. So they give Angela her time to explain herself and why she did what she did. I couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for her as well. After everything we find out about her real life, I could certainly see why she would be desperate for some kind of escape, not to mention that she really wanted someone to appreciate her art. And when Nev and the boys did so, she didn't want to lose that or the friendship she had developed with them, especially Nev.
As the movie ends, we follow the boys back to New York, where Nev has clearly been deeply affected by the whole situation. We also get some captioning that contains a bit of follow up info about Angela, including the fact that she doesn't have cancer and that one of her stepsons passed away. We also learn the identity of picture Megan, and that she is actually a 30 year-old photographer and model who is married and a mother of two named Aimee Gonzales. And Angela does not know her. Plus, we get some footage of Angela's husband, Vince, telling a story about how when they ship codfish from Alaska to China they put in a few catfish to keep the cod agile, so that they won't become basically useless on the way. And he says that there are people in life like that, who keep us alert and thinking and fresh. I actually thought that was a pretty clever metaphor and appropriate. It's also where the title of the movie came from. And that is pretty much where we end.
I may as well also mention some things concerning the people who were inadvertently included in the film. First of all, there is Amy Kuney, whose performance of a song called "All Downhill From Here" was one of the ones that "Megan" said was her own recording. It's actually a good song, and I've come to discover in the aftermath that Amy Kuney is a really great musician. Also, if you go to You Tube and search "Catfish: Meeting the Girl in the Picture", you can see some deleted scenes of Nev, Rel and Henry meeting Aimee Gonzales and her husband (that was a little awkward) and telling them this whole crazy story. Turns out, she was really sweet about the whole thing. A little weirded out, too, naturally, but both she and her husband were sympathetic to what Nev had gone through. In fact, in an interview I saw with the boys, they said that Aimee had actually apologized to Nev for breaking his heart, even though she had nothing to do with it. That is one very nice and classy lady.
Now as I mentioned in my first review, I believe that this movie is actually a true story. As true as a movie can be anyway. There are, however, a lot of people, critics included, that do not agree. In fact, some people go so far as to say that they were using Angela, even exploiting this woman who clearly has a lot of problems. I could agree with that if they were the ones who sought her out, but she was the one who started this whole thing. She was the one who contacted Nev in the first place and got this all off and running. That brings us to the scene I mentioned where Nev asked Angela to talk in the Megan voice. One critic said something to the effect of, "Look at the smile on his face. He's obviously excited to get this scene for the movie." My response to that would be, yes, look at the smile, then look at his eyes. To me, he is giving the type of smile one does in order to keep from crying. You can very easily see tears in his eyes that he is refusing to let fall, because he has been very hurt by this person. When asked in an interview why he wanted her to speak to him in that voice, he said he wanted her to understand how uncomfortable she had made him by her actions. For her to truly feel the effect of what she had done to him. I don't necessarily think there is anything all that wrong with his doing that, especially since he gave her chance after chance to come clean, and it wasn't until he full on confronted her that the truth came out.
One of the main reasons why people think this is fake is because they can't imagine that three guys in their twenties from New York City could fall for this and not be able to figure it out. First of all, they DID figure it out. That was kind of the point of the second half of the movie. Maybe they didn't figure it out all at once, but they followed the clues, if you will, and solved the puzzle. And remember, this woman was really determined to deceive them. And why does their age and especially their location factor into whether or not they could get fooled by someone. Assuming they are smart because they come from New York is like assuming someone is dumb because they come from the South. Frankly, I do think these guys are smart, for no other reason than that . . . they are. And on top of it all, people just can't believe that anyone could be so trusting, as Nev and his friends seemed to be. Look, unless you're on high alert at all times, expecting to be scammed, you're not going to be dissecting every little thing a person does or says. When Nev did have questions and expressed them to Angela/Megan, she always came up with some kind of explanation, and he chose to give her the benefit of the doubt. I think it was because he had been lonely and was happy to have this young woman in his life who potentially could have been "the one". He really didn't want to lose that. That's what makes the whole thing bittersweet to me.
But you know what? I can admit that I might be wrong. Maybe I, myself, have gotten "catfished"! But I don't think I have been. I certainly hope not.
Look, the bottom line is that this movie is good. Whether you believe it's legit or not, it is certainly a conversation starter, and that is something that art should be, but rarely is these days. And I'm sure this new series based on the film should be thought provoking as well. I'm definitely going to check it out and maybe eventually give my reaction once I see how they handle all the different situations they'll probably encounter.
Like I said before, I highly recommend this movie. I know I went way in depth as far as the story goes for this review, but that's probably because I prohibited myself so much with the first one. I just hope I can get you all thinking and talking, as this film did for me. That would be a joy.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Back in July, I did a week's worth of documentary reviews. One of them was on a movie called Catfish. Now that is a film you can only say so much about before you reveal the twist of the story, so I was kind enough to only say enough to be informative but not enough to ruin it for anyone. However, I've been meaning to do a follow up wherein I could discuss the "after twist" section. It certainly did spark some debate between critics and viewers alike, mostly concerning the validity of what may or may not have actually happened. Plus, there's much to be said about what the "characters" go through as the story progresses. And this seems like as good a time as any to do this.
You see, MTV will soon be premiering a series based on the film, and it will be about people going to meet other people with whom they've had internet relationships. And yes, I am way more interested in the incidents where they will catch the people who have been lying. Of course, a nice happy ending might not be so bad either.
Okay, before I begin, I must say something, and I can't stress it enough, so I will be using caps to emphasize. DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE! Yeah, I had to yell, I'm sorry. Look, I do not want to ruin this film for anyone, because it's really good, and it should be seen. So, here's my advice. If you have not seen Catfish yet, check out my first review, then go see the movie, and finally, come back and read this. If you have seen it, keep reading and hopefully enjoy my synopsis of the second half. Okay, let's get started.
To recap what I went over in my first review, Catfish follows three guys from NYC. We've got 24 year-old Nev, a photographer, his brother, Rel, and their friend Henry. The two latter being filmmakers who are documenting Nev's interactions with an 8 year-old art prodigy named Abby, as well as her whole family. And her family includes mother, Angela, father, Vince, brother, Alex, and 19 year-old sister, Megan. Not to mention a load of family friends. Nev and Megan have developed a long distance romance, but he is beginning to discover that some things this family, including Megan, has been telling may not be completely true. So the boys head to Michigan to surprise them, and that is where I finished. Now it's time to get down and dirty.
I really did end my review when the boys decided to go to Michigan, but let me back up to the time they spent in Colorado, where they were attending a dance festival or something. It really was during this time that things started to unravel. So the boys are in their hotel room or whatever, "chatting" with Megan, asking her to sing songs for them. She sends them her version of "Tennessee Stud", which makes them reminisce about the other songs she has sent them. But while doing a search to find one of those songs, they discover a performance by someone else, and it is the exact one that Megan said she was singing herself. Yeah, so she kinda lied on that one. This begins to make the boys, especially Nev, a little curious and even uneasy. So they continue with their detective work.
Heading to the Google. they come to discover that a lot of what they've been told about little artist Abby was completely untrue. She hasn't been having shows at her own gallery in the building that they bought, because they never bought said building. And they also hit a dead end trying to find articles that would most likely be written about an 8 year-old artistic genius. So. though Nev is really wanting just to end this whole thing and go home, Rel and Henry convince him to go to Michigan to get the whole story.
First, they reach the farm that Megan said she bought for herself. Yes, she is 19 and said she bought her own farm. Hey, remember that episode of The Cosby Show where Theo bought a $90 shirt and Cliff said that the only time a 14 year-old boy should have $90 shirt is if he is onstage with his four brothers? Yeah, well, the only time a 19 year-old should own a huge farm is if she's been on a show called Hannah Montana. Maybe that should have been a clue that things weren't on the up and up, but Angela did claim that they were making quite a bit of money from Abby's paintings, so maybe that's where they said the farm money came from. Who knows? Needless to say, when they got there, in the middle of the night for some reason, Megan was nowhere to be found and neither were her horses.
After that fun night of trespassing, the boys headed to the home of Angela, Vince and Abby, along the way, passing the "gallery" of Abby's, which was clearly just an abandoned building. So when they reached the house, Nev and Rel approached the front door, leaving Henry in the getaway car. No, seriously, they were being very cautious about these people and prepared for, if needed, a quick escape. I can see why they felt this way, all things considered.
So they knock on the door and out comes . . . Angela? Yes, you can tell, even from a distance that THIS Angela is certainly not the Angela that they've been seeing in pictures and paintings over the past several months. Then, Vince walks up, and guess what? He's not Picture Vince either. Now you'd think, at this point, Angela would just give it up and say, "Okay, you caught me", but no. No, she tries to keep the charade going, even telling them that Megan is not there, but out at her farm. Apparently, she didn't know that they had been there and found bupkis. But the boys carefully play along, taking things one step at a time.
After we see the reality of the appearances of these people, we then are exposed to the reality of Angela's life, and it is far different from what she purported it to be. We find out that she has two stepsons from Vince's first marriage, who are severely handicapped. She also tells them that she has been diagnosed with cancer. And when we meet Abby, who surprisingly does exist, we discover that it is not she who paints but her mother, and that Abby never sees her sister, Megan. Doesn't even remember what she looks like, actually. Oh, it's just getting better and better, isn't it, boys?
So after spending some time with the family and making plans to meet them again for dinner, Nev, Rel and Henry, safe and alone, driving away in their car, begin to have their first deep discussion about just what in all heck is happening. The first words we hear spoken are Henry saying to Nev, "Angela's in love with you" to which Nev replies "Angela is in love with me" And as they peel away each layer of this internet onion, they come to fully realize the depths of the deception. It hits Nev that the person he's been having this online and over the phone relationship with was not the hot, model looking girl, Megan, but forty-something Angela. And when we recall the, let's say, intimate texts between Nev and Megan that he shared with us, we understand why big brother Rel was desperately trying to contain his laughter. Look, he has to make fun of his little brother. It's his job. Moving on. They begin to figure out that not only was Angela pretending to be Megan, but she was most likely behind every single person that the boys knew through her on Facebook. And there were more than a dozen people. Just think about that. She created all these Facebook accounts and kept them active just to keep this whole thing going. Why is this woman not a novelist? Clearly, she knows how to work with characters she has created. Anyway, they decide, very sympathetically, I might add, to confront Angela about the whole thing, in a way as to not embarrass her, making it clear that they didn't want to hurt the family. I actually found that quite endearing.
And so the next day, after getting messages from "Megan" explaining why she's not there, Nev tells Angela that they basically know everything and want to give her a chance to explain. It's then that pretty much everything comes out. Angela says that she does have a daughter named Megan, who has some issues of her own, but Nev has never spoken to her, and the girl in the pictures is just a friend of the family. Later, as Nev sits for Angela while she sketches his face, they begin to finally talk in depth about the whole ordeal. Nev even asks Angela to talk in the voice she did while pretending to be Megan. This scene caused a bit of controversy, but we'll get to that later. So they give Angela her time to explain herself and why she did what she did. I couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for her as well. After everything we find out about her real life, I could certainly see why she would be desperate for some kind of escape, not to mention that she really wanted someone to appreciate her art. And when Nev and the boys did so, she didn't want to lose that or the friendship she had developed with them, especially Nev.
As the movie ends, we follow the boys back to New York, where Nev has clearly been deeply affected by the whole situation. We also get some captioning that contains a bit of follow up info about Angela, including the fact that she doesn't have cancer and that one of her stepsons passed away. We also learn the identity of picture Megan, and that she is actually a 30 year-old photographer and model who is married and a mother of two named Aimee Gonzales. And Angela does not know her. Plus, we get some footage of Angela's husband, Vince, telling a story about how when they ship codfish from Alaska to China they put in a few catfish to keep the cod agile, so that they won't become basically useless on the way. And he says that there are people in life like that, who keep us alert and thinking and fresh. I actually thought that was a pretty clever metaphor and appropriate. It's also where the title of the movie came from. And that is pretty much where we end.
I may as well also mention some things concerning the people who were inadvertently included in the film. First of all, there is Amy Kuney, whose performance of a song called "All Downhill From Here" was one of the ones that "Megan" said was her own recording. It's actually a good song, and I've come to discover in the aftermath that Amy Kuney is a really great musician. Also, if you go to You Tube and search "Catfish: Meeting the Girl in the Picture", you can see some deleted scenes of Nev, Rel and Henry meeting Aimee Gonzales and her husband (that was a little awkward) and telling them this whole crazy story. Turns out, she was really sweet about the whole thing. A little weirded out, too, naturally, but both she and her husband were sympathetic to what Nev had gone through. In fact, in an interview I saw with the boys, they said that Aimee had actually apologized to Nev for breaking his heart, even though she had nothing to do with it. That is one very nice and classy lady.
Now as I mentioned in my first review, I believe that this movie is actually a true story. As true as a movie can be anyway. There are, however, a lot of people, critics included, that do not agree. In fact, some people go so far as to say that they were using Angela, even exploiting this woman who clearly has a lot of problems. I could agree with that if they were the ones who sought her out, but she was the one who started this whole thing. She was the one who contacted Nev in the first place and got this all off and running. That brings us to the scene I mentioned where Nev asked Angela to talk in the Megan voice. One critic said something to the effect of, "Look at the smile on his face. He's obviously excited to get this scene for the movie." My response to that would be, yes, look at the smile, then look at his eyes. To me, he is giving the type of smile one does in order to keep from crying. You can very easily see tears in his eyes that he is refusing to let fall, because he has been very hurt by this person. When asked in an interview why he wanted her to speak to him in that voice, he said he wanted her to understand how uncomfortable she had made him by her actions. For her to truly feel the effect of what she had done to him. I don't necessarily think there is anything all that wrong with his doing that, especially since he gave her chance after chance to come clean, and it wasn't until he full on confronted her that the truth came out.
One of the main reasons why people think this is fake is because they can't imagine that three guys in their twenties from New York City could fall for this and not be able to figure it out. First of all, they DID figure it out. That was kind of the point of the second half of the movie. Maybe they didn't figure it out all at once, but they followed the clues, if you will, and solved the puzzle. And remember, this woman was really determined to deceive them. And why does their age and especially their location factor into whether or not they could get fooled by someone. Assuming they are smart because they come from New York is like assuming someone is dumb because they come from the South. Frankly, I do think these guys are smart, for no other reason than that . . . they are. And on top of it all, people just can't believe that anyone could be so trusting, as Nev and his friends seemed to be. Look, unless you're on high alert at all times, expecting to be scammed, you're not going to be dissecting every little thing a person does or says. When Nev did have questions and expressed them to Angela/Megan, she always came up with some kind of explanation, and he chose to give her the benefit of the doubt. I think it was because he had been lonely and was happy to have this young woman in his life who potentially could have been "the one". He really didn't want to lose that. That's what makes the whole thing bittersweet to me.
But you know what? I can admit that I might be wrong. Maybe I, myself, have gotten "catfished"! But I don't think I have been. I certainly hope not.
Look, the bottom line is that this movie is good. Whether you believe it's legit or not, it is certainly a conversation starter, and that is something that art should be, but rarely is these days. And I'm sure this new series based on the film should be thought provoking as well. I'm definitely going to check it out and maybe eventually give my reaction once I see how they handle all the different situations they'll probably encounter.
Like I said before, I highly recommend this movie. I know I went way in depth as far as the story goes for this review, but that's probably because I prohibited myself so much with the first one. I just hope I can get you all thinking and talking, as this film did for me. That would be a joy.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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