Greetings,
I know I make a big deal about watching shows that are cleverly written and make us, as the viewers, have to think a little. But I also believe that some shows are needed that just let us relax and enjoy. One show that I have always been able to do that with is Mama's Family. Not to say the premise or writing was unintelligent; it was just simple. Simple, mind you, not simplistic. There is a difference. It was just an easy going series that showed how much humor can be found in the everyday lives of everyday people.
Now, for those who don't know the back story, here you go. Mama's Family is the spawn of a sketch from the brilliant Carol Burnett Show, wherein Vicki Lawrence played Thelma Harper a.k.a. Mama, and Carol Burnett played her daughter, Eunice. Also, on Mama's Family, Harvey Korman played Eunice's husband, Ed. He may have done that in the sketches, too, but I just can't remember it specifically. Sorry.
One of the amazing things about this sketch/show was the way that we so easily bought a very young Vicki Lawrence as an old lady. Without special make-up, by the way. No, all she had was a bluish-gray wig, glasses and some padding, then - boom! - instant Mama. And I'm sure it didn't hurt to have Bob Mackie designing your clothes, either, which he did for the entire run of Mama's Family. When you think of the clothes they wore on this show and then the stuff he designed for Cher, you can't really deny the genius versatility of the man. Moving on.
So after The Carol Burnett Show ended, the early eighties brought us this idea for a spin off series. And, thus, began one of the strangest runs for a television show in history, in my opinion, anyway. Initially, the show ran for barely a year and half, or two seasons, before getting cancelled by NBC in 1984. But then, in 1986, it was revamped with a slightly new cast for a run in syndication. I've heard of shows getting a reprieve, but not after two years, as I can recall. But this is why I have to do this in two parts, because there are really two Mama's Family shows. I'll get to 2.0 tomorrow, but, for now, let's get to number one.
In the first two seasons, we had a slightly bigger cast and a bit of a different feel. And here is a quick look at said cast. We have Mama, obviously, her son, Vinton, played by Ken Berry, and his children, Buzz and Sonya (Eric Brown and Karen Argoud), Vinton's second wife, Naomi, played by Dorothy Lyman, and Aunt Fran, Mama's younger sister, played by Rue McClanahan. That was the main cast, who all live in one house, by the way, in a place called Raytown. But we often got visits from Ed and Eunice, as well as Mama's other daughter, Ellen, played by, my favorite and yours, Betty White. Yeah, it annoys me that this seems to be the thing people skip over when they make their video montages of her career. How dare they! And so that is our first wave set up. Now, if I may, let me share with you my top ten favorite episodes from this version of Mama's Family.
#10. "A Grave Mistake" - As fans know, Mama is a widow, her husband, Carl, having died in the bathroom several years earlier. No, seriously. So, as old folks tend to do, she visits his grave. Alone, of course, because youngsters don't do that. As she talks to her deceased husband, she realizes that the plot next to him, which she thought was being saved for her, has been occupied by someone else. And that someone else is a woman. Naturally, Mama is quite upset and goes to the manager, I guess, of the cemetery for some answers. But what she gets is an explanation far worse and far funnier than anyone expected.
#9. "Mama's Birthday" - Surprise! It's Mama's birthday, and all she wants is for someone to help her clean the attic. Well, grandson Buzz wins the honor, but their task parlays itself into Mama telling Buzz what happened on her 30th birthday. Basically, this is a flashback episode. We see a young Mama and a young Ellen, Eunice and Vint. The kids who played Ellen and Vint were good, but the little girl who played young Eunice was fantastic. It was like someone shrank Carol Burnett. It was actually Tanya Fenmore, by the way, who we would later see as Becca's best friend on Life Goes On. We also get to HEAR a living Carl. So this 30th birthday was a bit disappointing to Mama, which makes what her family does for her on this birthday all the more touching.
#8. "Fran's Dress" - I've always considered the character of Fran to be a bit uptight. She likes things done her way, because her way is the best. In this episode, she is up for an award or something, so she buys a brand new dress, which she asks her sister to iron. Mama does so, but ends up accidentally ruining it. She goes to get her a replacement dress that is exactly the same. Well, maybe not exactly. And therein lies the humor of this installment.
#7. "Positive Thinking" - Here's the first on the list with a visit from Eunice, as well as Ed. Now Eunice is a woman who wants to be a star, so after listening to a positive thinking tape, she lands a small role in a play at the infamous Pepper Pot Playhouse. Yeah, you know how you buy potpourri or something like it, and it smells nice for a while, then it doesn't do its job anymore. That's what happened with this tape Eunice bought. It worked for a little bit, but then Eunice remembered that she was Eunice and it just stopped. But with hilarious results, so it's okay.
#6. "Mama For Mayor" - I believe that for the entirety of this series, there were only three two-part episodes, and this is one of them. After the mayor of Raytown, Mayor Tutwiller, riles up some senior citizens, Mama inadvertently ends up running for mayor against him. The big conflict is that Ellen is actually involved romantically with Mayor Tutwiller and is supporting him. Spoiler Alert! Mama wins at the end of the first half and the second half takes us through her attempt to do the job. Spoiler Alert . . . again. She pretty much sucks at it. Well, I didn't see that one coming.
#5. "Ask Aunt Fran" - What I didn't mention about Fran before is that she is a journalist. In this episode, she is filling in for the newspaper's advice columnist. She asks the family for some help, but, of course, it is what Mama tells her that makes it to the paper. Which is interesting since most of the "advice" was nothing more than one liner cliches. Fran is considered for getting the job permanently, but she needs help. Once she puts the offer of money on the table, Mama is happy to help her little sister. Not that it matters, because as it turns out, it's not Fran's writing that her boss is interested in. Speaking of cliches . . . Still funny though.
#4. "The Mama Who Comes To Dinner" - After a dinner party at a snooty friend's house, Naomi decides that she also wants to have a dinner party. Unfortunately, she thinks she can't live up to the high brow existence of her friends. But Naomi and Vint go for it, deciding to have a party, buffet style. Or boo-fay, as they pronounce it. They plan to send Mama, Aunt Fran and the kids to the movies for the night, after Mama cooks all the food, of course, but then - DISASTER! Mama's back goes out and they must lay her on the floor, right in the middle of the party. Okay, it is this incident that Naomi thinks makes her gathering low class, but I disagree. I think when she decided to use TV trays for her guests was the moment that kind of doomed her chances of ever being high society.
#3. "Rashomama" - First, let me say that I cannot believe that one of my favorite Mama's Family episodes has the same title of one of my favorite CSI episodes. What a small world. Anyway, this one begins in the hospital, because Mama was injured in a kitchen fight. Sort of. She got hit in the head with a pot by . . . someone. Who? Well, it depends on who you ask. We get versions of what happened from Naomi, Eunice and Ellen, and they are all very different. Hence the title. It's actually extremely funny to see how each of the women perceive themselves and each other. I can't even get into the descriptions, so I say just watch the episode.
#2. "Mama Learns To Drive" - So, apparently, Mama cannot drive. She relies on the rest of the family to serve as her chauffeurs, but after a wild car trip with Naomi at the helm, they all decide that Mama must learn to drive. Each family member tries, in their own way, to teach her, but it just doesn't work. By the way, the session with Ellen, or should I say the aftermath of it, is absolutely priceless. Eventually, Mama does get her license, after stealing Fran's car and driving herself to the DMV. Pretty sure both of those things are illegal. But what we get when she arrives there is totally worth it!
#1. "The Wedding" - Another two parter for you. Now with some shows, I feel like they make an episode two parts just because it's an event and that is what you do, but then it may drag or seem too long with a lot of filler. Not in this case. Every moment is necessary and hilarious. We get every good character of these first seasons at their absolute best. Generally speaking, you won't get anything unexpected. I mean, if you expect any TV wedding to go off without a hitch, you have clearly never watched TV, ever. Still, we do get a ton of laughs, and they keep coming right up to the ending. So this fantastic episode gets my number one spot.
And that covers Mama's Family episodes, part one. Tomorrow I will delve into the revamped later seasons of the show. Let it be just as fun.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh - TV Movie Review
Greetings,
So there are two particular things that I have stated about myself in this blog. First, I don't really do the Christmas thing, and, second, I love Drake and Josh. However, when I did my TV movie review of A Very Brady Christmas, it got more views than I had expected, as did my list of top ten Drake and Josh episodes. So I thought today I would combine those two subjects and talk about the 2008 TV movie, Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh.
For those of you who are fans of the show, you'll know that it officially ended in 2006. But someone decided they should get everyone together again for a little holiday fun and make this movie. Of course, when I say "movie", I mean that it is pretty much an extended episode, much like the Drake and Josh Go Hollywood movie. So one should not expect a boat load of surprises here. It's why I don't feel too bad about giving a few spoilers. Okay, the story.
It all starts a few days before Christmas at the Parker-Nichols house, where Drake and Josh's parents are setting off on a tropical vacation. I hate to nitpick so soon, but that little fact has a positive and a negative attached to it. I get why they had the parents go out of town for the duration of this film, because, what with all the shenanigans that will take place, they would most likely be too helpful, thus costing us said film. However, while we try to follow the main plot, there are constant cutaways to what is going on with them on their vacation island, like storms and crappy living conditions. Look, I've said before that I really like the parents on this show, but their plot has literally nothing to do with the main plot. There isn't even a tie-in at the end. It's blatant filler to make the movie long enough to be a movie. There are funny moments, sure, because the actors are funny. I just don't get the point, so I'm not going to say any more about that.
After the initial opening, we go to the mall where the boys discuss a party that Drake is planning on the roof of the Premiere, with Helen the boss's permission. Because she loves Drake. Perhaps, THAT is the real reason for this divorce she says she is celebrating. Helen then hands Drake the suit he will be wearing to play Santa, something that Josh wanted to do. Unfortunately, it is pointed out that Josh is now too skinny to play Santa.
Anyway, Drake takes his place as Santa, while Josh is forced to play a giant sack of toys. Soon, Drake meets a little girl named Mary Alice. She thinks he's Santa, of course, but is satisfied to know that he merely works for Santa. So she asks Drake for the best Christmas ever for her and all the foster kids she lives with. He hastily makes the promise so he can get the heck out of there. Bad move, dude! Because you CANNNOT break a Christmas promise. You know how I know that? It's because they say it in this movie about 87 times!
And now it's time for Drake's party where we get a brief appearance by Allison Scagliotti as Mindy Crenshaw. Too brief, if you ask me. Why they chose to get my hopes up only to then dash them with this two minute cameo is beyond me? Oh, well. Bye, fantastic character! You are apparently too funny and awesome for us to want to give you a big part in this production! We do get some Crazy Steve, though, so that makes things a little better. After some shenanigans that lands Drake and Josh in jail, Judge Henry Winkler (Yes!) orders them to give Mary Alice and her family the "best Christmas ever". And if they don't, it's back to jail for them. Which, by the way, is a movie I would pay good money to see.
Anyway, the task is not easy, because these kids are hard to please. Plus, the boys have a parole officer named Gilbert, constantly on their tail, trying to keep them in line, but not exactly helping them either.And of course, their little sister Megan is there . . . being Megan. If you've seen the show, you'll know that's not a good thing.
But - Spoiler Alert! - everything works out in the end. Yeah, you can't possibly be shocked at that. What did you expect? We get bookended by everyone showing up at the Parker-Nichols house. Everyone, even Mindy! Yay, thirty more seconds. Don't spoil us. And we get presents and Christmas carols and - snow! Crazy Steve to the rescue! Instead of ice, though, in the chipper, he uses hard cheese. Well, that's innovative and touching . . . at first. But I'm guessing after that cheese spends a couple more hours in the slightly hotter than refrigerator temperatures of San Diego, no one is going to be happy anymore. Hurry up and end this on everyone making snow/cheese angels and having snow/cheese ball fights before the board of health shows up.
And so the final verdict on this TV movie. Is it flawed? Oh, yeah. Is it good? Well, believe it or not, I do enjoy watching this, though that may have more to do with my cougar crush on Josh Peck than anything else. I know I had a lot of complaints, but mostly that's because I think this would have worked better as a two part or hour-long Drake and Josh episode. I do understand that the show was no longer on at this point, which would make that impossible. Still, we fans are happy to take what we can get. After two years of nothing, it was nice to see our beloved Drake and Josh together again, and it seems that now this will be an annual holiday staple on the Nickelodeon channel. It's not the best movie ever, of course, but it's pretty fun. Not unlike the series from which it spawned. So, I can't really have a problem with that.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
So there are two particular things that I have stated about myself in this blog. First, I don't really do the Christmas thing, and, second, I love Drake and Josh. However, when I did my TV movie review of A Very Brady Christmas, it got more views than I had expected, as did my list of top ten Drake and Josh episodes. So I thought today I would combine those two subjects and talk about the 2008 TV movie, Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh.
For those of you who are fans of the show, you'll know that it officially ended in 2006. But someone decided they should get everyone together again for a little holiday fun and make this movie. Of course, when I say "movie", I mean that it is pretty much an extended episode, much like the Drake and Josh Go Hollywood movie. So one should not expect a boat load of surprises here. It's why I don't feel too bad about giving a few spoilers. Okay, the story.
It all starts a few days before Christmas at the Parker-Nichols house, where Drake and Josh's parents are setting off on a tropical vacation. I hate to nitpick so soon, but that little fact has a positive and a negative attached to it. I get why they had the parents go out of town for the duration of this film, because, what with all the shenanigans that will take place, they would most likely be too helpful, thus costing us said film. However, while we try to follow the main plot, there are constant cutaways to what is going on with them on their vacation island, like storms and crappy living conditions. Look, I've said before that I really like the parents on this show, but their plot has literally nothing to do with the main plot. There isn't even a tie-in at the end. It's blatant filler to make the movie long enough to be a movie. There are funny moments, sure, because the actors are funny. I just don't get the point, so I'm not going to say any more about that.
After the initial opening, we go to the mall where the boys discuss a party that Drake is planning on the roof of the Premiere, with Helen the boss's permission. Because she loves Drake. Perhaps, THAT is the real reason for this divorce she says she is celebrating. Helen then hands Drake the suit he will be wearing to play Santa, something that Josh wanted to do. Unfortunately, it is pointed out that Josh is now too skinny to play Santa.
Anyway, Drake takes his place as Santa, while Josh is forced to play a giant sack of toys. Soon, Drake meets a little girl named Mary Alice. She thinks he's Santa, of course, but is satisfied to know that he merely works for Santa. So she asks Drake for the best Christmas ever for her and all the foster kids she lives with. He hastily makes the promise so he can get the heck out of there. Bad move, dude! Because you CANNNOT break a Christmas promise. You know how I know that? It's because they say it in this movie about 87 times!
And now it's time for Drake's party where we get a brief appearance by Allison Scagliotti as Mindy Crenshaw. Too brief, if you ask me. Why they chose to get my hopes up only to then dash them with this two minute cameo is beyond me? Oh, well. Bye, fantastic character! You are apparently too funny and awesome for us to want to give you a big part in this production! We do get some Crazy Steve, though, so that makes things a little better. After some shenanigans that lands Drake and Josh in jail, Judge Henry Winkler (Yes!) orders them to give Mary Alice and her family the "best Christmas ever". And if they don't, it's back to jail for them. Which, by the way, is a movie I would pay good money to see.
Anyway, the task is not easy, because these kids are hard to please. Plus, the boys have a parole officer named Gilbert, constantly on their tail, trying to keep them in line, but not exactly helping them either.And of course, their little sister Megan is there . . . being Megan. If you've seen the show, you'll know that's not a good thing.
But - Spoiler Alert! - everything works out in the end. Yeah, you can't possibly be shocked at that. What did you expect? We get bookended by everyone showing up at the Parker-Nichols house. Everyone, even Mindy! Yay, thirty more seconds. Don't spoil us. And we get presents and Christmas carols and - snow! Crazy Steve to the rescue! Instead of ice, though, in the chipper, he uses hard cheese. Well, that's innovative and touching . . . at first. But I'm guessing after that cheese spends a couple more hours in the slightly hotter than refrigerator temperatures of San Diego, no one is going to be happy anymore. Hurry up and end this on everyone making snow/cheese angels and having snow/cheese ball fights before the board of health shows up.
And so the final verdict on this TV movie. Is it flawed? Oh, yeah. Is it good? Well, believe it or not, I do enjoy watching this, though that may have more to do with my cougar crush on Josh Peck than anything else. I know I had a lot of complaints, but mostly that's because I think this would have worked better as a two part or hour-long Drake and Josh episode. I do understand that the show was no longer on at this point, which would make that impossible. Still, we fans are happy to take what we can get. After two years of nothing, it was nice to see our beloved Drake and Josh together again, and it seems that now this will be an annual holiday staple on the Nickelodeon channel. It's not the best movie ever, of course, but it's pretty fun. Not unlike the series from which it spawned. So, I can't really have a problem with that.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Elizabethtown - Movie Review
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
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
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
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